Acquired a pile of loot on a shopping trip to Indy last week



with my cousin Lana. (She acquired one, too.) I think I could easily spend the next two years just making things from Denim People. Right above the Denim People is the last two balls of Felted Tweed they had in the place -- marked down half price. I’m going to make striped socks. The Dark Pewter chunky Cascade Tweed is going to be a Christmas Gift (secret) as is the turquoise Linen (washcloths from Knitter’s Stash.) That hot pink is Svale for a tank for ME. That vari-colored stuff at the top is a new yarn from Lion Brand which I forget the name of that I bought at Hobby Lobby on the way to Lana’s house. I’m going to use it in a felting project right away so more on that later.

Both the green and the ecru Rowan Handknit DK at the bottom of the photo were purchased for semi-lacey caps a la Knitter’s last issue or the one before. The ecru one is done now



I figured they would be nice to cover up Camp Hair. The Rowan yarn was enough with some to spare even though it is less than the 110 yards specified by the pattern and I sized mine up a little.

Lastly, the magenta/purple bag is 10 hanks of Classic Elite Wings, also purchased at clearance price. I LOVE THIS YARN (I know I say that all the time, but I mean it, I really do.) The pattern I found in my vast collection that I like best for this yarn is Charlotte, from Kim Hargreaves’ Season’s Tale



The pattern is written for Kid Classic, which has the same gauge as the Wings, and it looks like about the same texture.

You know how in horror films people sometimes try to take pictures of the Terrible Thing but they never come out? I tried to get a pic of the Terrible Thing that happened to the Camel Bag but they were ALL blurry. Funny, huh? You know how Mission Falls is superwash wool? Those Hateful loops were NOT -- the ones on the edges shriveled up and felted like mad. I may end up knitting this whole thing over -- I have enough materials left. I haven’t decided. My husband told me (while I was bawling on his shoulder) that it didn’t look as bad as I thought. He may be right, I don’t know yet -- I’m keeping my distance from it for now.

Campsite was a bit drippy this weekend:



Here’s someone not at all drippy, my sweetie-pie husband:



What’s up with the knitting? I am almost finished with the Camel Bag, and I found great lining fabric for it:



In the picture, those orange blobs look like solid rosettes, but they are not, they are orange outlines of rosette shapes and I think they co-ordinate nicely with that large band of colorwork at the bottom of the bag. The beads pictured, like the fabric, came from Wal-Mart and I am less happy with them. I haven’t been any place that sells decent beads, but as soon as I find some those will be replaced. They are just too Plastic.

Can I get a better shot of the lining design?



That is a little better. Here is a problem I anticipated, for once: when I read the materials list for this pattern it specified one ball of 1824 each in purple and olive and two each of orange and blue. That seemed strange to me -- backwards even, given the color outlay I was seeing on the color chart. So I ordered two of all four colors just in case and it looks like the only second ball I’ll have to open is the purple. I still have the fringe and the strap to go -- the fringe is purple and the strap is purple and green. I’m already done with the orange and blue.

Three Camping Observations:

1. Peeps roasted over an open fire really ARE a Taste Sensation exactly as I expected. The sugar coating melts and hardens into a crispy sugar crust filled with melted marshmallow. YUM. (If I ever do start my own line of knitting patterns, maybe I’ll call it Sugar Rush.)

2. People who walk along hiking trails yelling things like “Hellooooo” into the woods and laughing at the top of their lungs at their own wit probably have lots of deep-seated insecurities.

3. There is every chance I have finally learned how to recognize Poison Ivy. We’ll see.

Meanwhile, on the Knitting Front, you may note I have updated my finished percentage on the Lacey Tee. I’m not counting the part of the back I’m going to have to rip as finished. I also got a very good start on the second half of the Camel Bag going, and the Mother’s Day Flower Pots were well received on all counts.

News today: my sister, who has given birth to three children in High Summer, is pregnant again and due in DECEMBER! The possibilities! (I wish I had the pattern for the Baby Surprise jacket -- I may have to see about getting that.)

The First Camping Trip of the Season was called on account of rain. (Again.) Consolation prize: I’m about to finish the last of the Mother’s Day Flower Washcloths without my mother-in-law having any clue they exist.

I ripped out my second attempt at mitered socks -- the Ginger Luters Knitter’s mag pattern -- when I realized there was no way On Earth they were going to fit me. I think I had been working along with the idea that the piece I was knitting was one-fourth of the leg and it was actually one-half. I ALWAYS have fitting problems with socks because I have the biggest ankle to be found on a human creature. And I’m not a huge human creature -- size six for jeans, medium height, but my ankle is as big around as my waist. (That may be an exaggeration.)

My Summer Interweave Knits arrived this week -- a pleasant surprise as I had forgotten IWK put out a summer issue. Some nice things, but nothing I want to make right away. I also got my Stitches Midwest brochure finally, and plans are in the works for the Big Trip North. Last time I went I did the Full Package and the time before that I just went to the Market. This trip will be something in between. I’m looking forward to it.

I’m also looking forward to getting back to my VK Lacey Tee. I haven’t worked on it all week and I’ve really been itching to work on it today.