Charlotte Yarn Crawl

So we all know that knitting is addictive, and is there a knitter anywhere that wouldn't check out LYS on vacation... what about when visiting family? My sister is a new knitter... and hadn't checked any out, so what is an older sister for???

So far have been to 4 (and went in this order):

Peace of Yarn, Matthews NC
Owner was great! Gave me a tour and let my mom and sister explore. Very warm and welcoming. There wasn't anyone knitting there at the time, but she did ask about what I was working on and talked to my sister about lessons vs classes and invited us all back to sit and knit. Good variety of both workhorse yarns and specialty, silks, handyed, etc... Very bright and cheery. Not a lot of novelty yarns, which made me happy and it was NOT organized by color... fiber seemed to be the primary consideration. Definitey worth the trip, and I will certainly return. Bought my sister a really nice hand painted worsted for her to make a scarf and my 4yrold niece picked a ball of sock yarn for me to knit her socks...

Cottage Yarn, Mint Hill NC
Is in a cottage, hence the name. Almost missed it because it is on a major road, and not well signed. Owner and staff were very friendly. The shop also had a great variety, and my sister found stuff in the sale room. I got a skein of the store brand of silk yarn and picked up a pattern that I hadn't seen (I may have found a use for the large amount of alpaca yarn in my stash). also had beautiful yarn from South Africa... wish I hadn't spent my yarn allowance. Again no one was knitting in the store, but they said they had 2 regular knit-in times and people were welcome to sit and knit. Again I would go back again... especially for their own yarn

The Yarn Shop and Rainey Day Creations, Pineville NC
Even though it is under renovations (they are expanding!) the shop was very inviting. Friendly staff and customers... again no one was knitting, but they were set-up to allow for that... the renovations/construction made things a little cramped (understandably). Bought some sock yarn and some Brittany DPNs, it was 10% off due to the construction which was a nice suprise!

Charlotte Yarns, Charlotte NC
Bright airy, and staff was very friendly. great variety of weights and brands. Lots of different spots to sit and knit, and staff said that there was one group that was regular, but the rest stopped by often... Saw a sign that reminded me of SWS : "See a project you want to try, but are nervous? Let us know and we'll plan a class!" It doesn't get much better than that.

Lots of Noro... actually at all of the shops, and Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn was also at all...

More later!

Tag I'm it... Thanks Yarn Mama

Rules:

You must answer the questions using only one word & tag four others.

1. Where is your cell phone? desk
2. Your significant other? Non-existant (too far away to matter)
3. Your hair? cool
4. Your mother? Quilting
5. Your father? Hooking
6. Your favorite thing? Yarn (well duh!)
7. Your dream last night? none
8. Your favorite drink? wine
9. Your dream/goal? doctorate
10. The room you’re in? living
11. Your hobby? knitting
12. Your fear? failure
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? happy
14. What you’re not? thin
15. Muffins? cranberry
16. One of your wish list items? blocking
17. Where you grew up? Pawling
18. The last thing you did? shower
19. What are you wearing? crescent Moon
20. Favorite gadget? ipod
21. Your pets? demanding
22. Your computer? Dell
23. Your mood? lonely
24. Missing someone? yes
25. Your car? mess
26. Something you’re not wearing? make-up
27. Favorite store? CrescentMoon
28. Like someone? yes
29. Your favorite color? purple-green
30. When is the last time you laughed? yesterday
31. Last time you cried? yesterday


I'm tagging bree, reluctant mango, zim-zim, lizzyd

no Tag backs!

PotLuck Recipe + Question

So does it count as a new project if it is the result of a class? Does it count if you already started it once and are retrying?


I found this recipe online... my usual disclaimers apply... I don't measure anything, I used both lemon and lime juice... and doubled the recipe for the potluck
Shrimp & Feta Tabbouleh (SP?)


Ingredients
• 2/3 cup bulgur
• 1 2/3 cups water
• juice of 1 lemon
• 12 ounces shrimp, cooked
• 1 cup cucumber, diced (I use the hothouse seedless some places call them European)
• 1 tomato, chopped, or pint of grape tomatoes quartered
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped (about one bunch including stems)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
• salt & pepper
Directions
1. In a saucepan, combine bulgur, water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until tender, about 12-15 minutes Drain any excess water and let cool.
2. Place chopped shrimp in large serving bowl. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and fresh ground pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in cucumber, tomatoes, onion, parsley, oil and feta. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
4. Stir in cooled bulgur and toss. If the bulgur isn't completely cooled the salad will be clumpy... still tastes okay though.

Another FInished Object!

Yippee... I finished the socks... bound off and everything, and they fit. So I may have gotten a little carried away with the leg, but I like them. Also finished another string bag... maybe I should work on finishing some larger projects now.

I went to take pictures, and the charger is missing from one camera and the batteries are dead in the other. Arghh.

Happy 4th!

I have a number of friends that are currently active duty. Regardless of how you feel about the situation, please keep them and all that serve or have done so in the past in your thoughts today. May they come home safely and quickly.

Now about the knitting.... I finally finished binding off the Hemlock Ring. I can't wait to see it blocked!

So one finished... and more to go... I think that the Juliet may be next...

Does anything ever go as planned?

I plan, I really do... I plan for my courses, for the groups that I am a part of, and for my personal life... but they always seem to backfire. I'm not talking about minor glitches, I'm referring to the scrap everything and start again backfires...

Like when the cable breaks on your knitting project and you don't realize it until you finish the stitches and are holding the cable with no stitches on it.... with cotton yarn, there's no picking up those stitches...

Or you look at your schedule for the coming year and you realize that none of the classes you have been planning for are on your schedule, and instead there is one that you have never taught and for which there isn't a curriculum. You would think that someone would have told the department chair that there would be a new course.... you would think.

Or when you are planning a trip the others involved would return emails and calls...

Or even the small things like your on and off significant other would give you a little more than a days notice that he's not showing up... Can't really blame him, after all I'm the committment phobic one.

Done grousing, maybe its just PMS?