pinch me

Seriously, I have been blessed with so many knitting friends lately. Yesterday, I enjoyed the day with Carolyn, a friend of my Boston-area knitting penpal, Christine. Long story short - Carolyn moved to Chicago - so I met her and Christine there last fall - and then Carolyn and I orchestrated a get together. Talk about paying it forward, thank you Christine, for sharing your friend.

We met at Fiddlehead Yarns in Kenosha, pretty close to the center of the map between our houses. What a charming store, I was pleasantly surprised. I guess I didn't have any expectations really, I was just looking forward to the meet up. The shop had some delightful yarns - Malabrigo for one. Plus, I got to see a Drops jacket in person. I purchased a few things - with no purpose so much as they looked so pretty in my hands together. I got some great buttons too. (I think yarnsnob has inducted me into some button-loving-club...)


I think I have an undiscovered orange fetish...

Then we had lunch at a delightful cafe - thank you Carolyn for loving egg salad and joining me in a two scoop shake right at the counter. We capped off the day with a mini knitfest at a local Starbucks. It was so nice to talk to someone with shared interests (a.k.a knitting), who is absolutely down-to-earth. The only thing that would have improved the day is if Christine could have been there.

The good news of the day did not end there. I came home to my swap package in the Vampire Valentine Swap. It was so thoughtfully created by Jennifer, at orange butter cat.



I think I have gushed about my Vamp-lust plenty, so I'll spare you - but the book with the Twilight movie characters may have to be tucked under my pillow, em. She also sent along Debbie Bliss to make Bella's Mittens. I have to admit I casted these on using some crummy, uninspiring yarn - so I am stoked to frog those and make way for DB goodness. Among other things - she made me a Chickadee Cowl out of some True Blood inspired Bill Compton yarn from Fresh from the Cauldron. Here's a close-up on my daughter, the yarn is silk/ merino - truly squishable. Seems quite exciting to have Bill Compton wrapped around my neck at any given time, huh? *wink wink*.