Busy Weekend

Yesterday I went with Ann Mary to the TNNA show in Long Beach. It was really exciting to see all the new yarns and patterns that will be coming to the store for the next season. It was sort of a sneak preview. I couldn't take pictures inside the convention center, sorry. But I did spot Lily Chin and Cat Bordhi signing books! Casey (of Ravelry fame) was also in the hall. My lips are sealed about what is coming into the shop until I have the go-ahead....but there are some fun and quite yummy items on order.

A few people have asked questions about the new camera, the one I got for my birthday this year. It has some features that make it really special - one is face recognition and that it waits if the subject blinks, another is that it goes underwater (for the snorkeling and pool photos)...and (my personal favorite) it does panorama pictures seamlessly with onboard software. You can also set it to wait for the subjects to smile. This wonder is called Optio-W80 and this is what it looks like.

Cool Sock Blockers on a Humid Day

The sock blockers arrived!  I have wanted some since I first saw them on the cover of Cat Bordhi's latest book, New Pathways for Sock Knitters, Bk. One.  A friend from the past two BMFA sock camps on Orcas Island, Chappy, sells them (her husband, John, makes them) through her website. They are really beautifully finished and well worth the money. You can have just about any image on top...hedgehogs, for some crazy reason appealed to me.

Cancun Calcitenes

Well, my "Lucky/Cancun Calcitenes" socks are underway. Yesterday I was in full panic mode when I encountered a sock construction that was novel to me...yes, I know that is what Cat Bordhi's newest book is all about. I just haven't wrapped my tiny brain around it yet. Slowly, I will, I trust - at Camp Crow's Feet, if not sooner.

Thanks to Ravelry, I was able to call in the "big guns." I put a shout out to some fantastic knitters who were further along on the sock...and they answered. As usual, I had already sorted out most of the problem (my lack of knowledge) by simply trusting the pattern and knitting as written and not OVERTHINKING.... I also called Knitdad and alerted him to my perceived problem as I will most likely end up at SIT for some much need help this Friday.

A big Thank You to Fiberfish and Nederlass for responding so quickly to my plea for help...

Now I am off to attempt a heel construction that is also going to be a new experience...deep breath, pick up the needles, exhale and begin....