What’s New?

What’s new with you? The fun continues here. Yesterday, in combination with a trip to our insurance agent and Home Depot to lay out our (potentially) new deck, I did a little shopping 🙂 

Is this not the best handbag ever?? I seriously needed an all-season, a-place-for-everything handbag and I’ll admit, I’m picky. It needed to be perfect or I simply would not drop the dough. And, because it was to be my birthday gift from hubby, it needed to be ‘special’ and something I wouldn’t buy for myself otherwise. My birthday was a few weeks ago; I’ve been carefully keeping my eye out. I found this guy right at the beginning of my search but didn’t want to buy the first thing I saw. I’m SO happy it was still there when I went back for it but really, not surprised. After all, how many girls can pull off a Screamin’ Tomato Red bag? 😉 The color may come as a bit of a shock to some <ehem, Lesley> because I’m so very much ‘neutral-girl’. I do love those rockin’ hot accessories, though! It’s got a spot for my notebook and a separate compartment for my travel knitting (usually socks). Happy!

While in Kingston, I stopped in at the newly revamped “Wool on Wellington” formerly Gwin Gryffion Wine & Wool. She’s made some pretty cool changes! For starters, no more wine making supplies; she’s shifted strictly to yarns for knitting and needlepoint. Best part? Some very nice buttons! I picked up a couple of skeins for upcoming mosaic and brioche projects since that’s what I’ll be teaching at our retreat this year. Nothing extraordinary, the colors just appealed to me.

My Dark & Stormy cardigan is coming along nicely. I’m enjoying it. I need to get it to the separation point before Sunday’s meeting of The Cardigan Project. I’ve only got a couple rows to go.

And last but not least…needles. I ordered these last week and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly they arrived. Usually, WEBS takes much longer with Canadian orders. Too bad I don’t like them. Not that they’re awful or anything. I just like a really fast needle. I was hoping these would eliminate the problem of warping that I have with most sock needles and likely, they will. The tips are lovely, sleek and sharp, but the carbon section in the center is very, very s-l-o-w. Speed wise, I’d put them even with bamboo and with a similar warmth. The second problem (and really, I should have seen this coming) is the ferrule where thin sock yarns tend to get a little hung up. Oh well…live and learn I guess. If anyone in the area would like them, I’d be happy to trade for something. Onward and upward! 

Keep your stick on the ice and happy knitting!