hearthstoneyarns.com

Lynette sent me this link about a man who knits costumes for superheroes.  Where’s Sweaterman when you really need him!

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/QA-Mark-Newport.html

Boy, do I love road trips!  We drove to Kentucky  last weekend to visit my husband’s family.  It’s always good to see the folks, and the scenery was wonderful with all the leaves beginning to turn.  And the knitting time in the car…wow!!  I finished socks for Daughter for Christmas, cast on and completed a really nice cowl out of Mermaid for shop display, and began Husband’s socks for Christmas.  Yeah!!!  I’m so excited.  I may actually finish my Christmas gifts well ahead of December 24th. Yeah!

What else did I bring home from market?  Some really cool buttons from Durango Button Company: some very large with abalone insets, some in wicker (different, huh?), some in pewter, some in horn, some in wood.  Can you tell I’m a button freak?  I guess it goes back to the fact I’ve been sewing since I was 10 years old.  I learned early on that great buttons will save cheap fabric, but cheap buttons will ruin an outfit made with good fabric.

My other find was Fountain Hill mohair from Kraemer Yarns.  It’s fingering weight and some colors have a silver accent that will make great scarves and accessories for the holidays.  The skeins have 560 yards, so you may be able to get two projects out of one skein.  I’ll start on my sample project next week, so stop by to see how it’s going.

I just realized I’ve been so busy that I haven’t written a post in several weeks!  Sorry, everyone!

It all began with the Fall Market in St. Charles on September 27th.  Unlike usual trade shows, we were able to buy merchandise on the spot and bring it home.  Wow, was that fun!  I came home with a trunk load that included Namaste bags and Buddy Cases plus JaJaJa Purses.  You’ve probably heard about Namaste’s incredible bags: how beautiful and functional they are.  JaJaJa Purses was new to me, but I loved their ideas.  They recycle fabrics of all kinds (thrift shop clothes, drapes, upholstery fabric, decorator samples, etc.) into a variety of purses and needlework bags.  What an earth-friendly way to make great totes!

I couldn’t pass up the Buffalo Gold laceweight yarns, either.  They are so luxuriously soft and warm.  We have the pure buffalo, buffalo mixed with bamboo, and a blend of buffalo, cashmere, silk and tencel.  Lynette is knitting up a sample scarf for the shop and loves its softness and surprising strength.

I need to get back to work, but I promise to continue soon!