Tomorrow is our Open House

I have been busy. The frog suit is done and as soon as I figure out how to add pictures, I will put up a picture of it. It has to be fast as it is going to Texas in time for Christmas. I was very happy with how different elements turned out. I pulled on some of the techniques that I learned from Lucy Neatby when she was here. Not only did I use her grafting method to sew the shoulder seams together, I used her 'getting rid of nasty little holes' technique for the crotch area.

Lucy suggested binding off one of the shoulder seams, using of course her wonderful easy bind off. The matching seam is knit using her chimney method and then you graft the two sides together. This way you have the lovely seamlessness of a graft but no stretch.

I hate those ugly little holes that you get when you make the thumb on mittens or after you start the gusset or when you close the divide for legs and go to one piece. Lucy showed us how to get rid of these nasty little holes. It means going back to them after you are finished with the knitting but it is the nicest system that I have ever used and well worth the extra step, if you are a hole hater like me.

I have started Annika's Salsa sweater in the mohair and it is coming out just as I invisioned it. I used another of Lucy's tricks for the provisional cast-on. And it went so slick! I know that I will be using this cast on a lot more now that I know Lucy's method.

The fingerless mitts and hat that I finished a couple of weeks ago also benefited from Lucy being here. I used the Channel Island cast-on for these and it adds a great edge. I knit them using Misty Alpaca's worsted weight alpaca doubled and one of their patterns. But the Channel Island cast-on gives them a nice extra touch.

Lucky for those who couldn't make it to Lucy's workshops, the techniques are covered in her DVDs. She has 4 DVDs out now Knitting Essentials 1 & 2, and Sock Techniques 1 & 2.

It is a busy time here for us besides trying to get ready for Christmas for our family, I have to keep things together in the shop. Tomorrow and Sunday we are having our 8th Holiday Open House. It just doesn't seem like eight years that the shop has been open, I wonder if I am eight years older too? This past Fall, I feel like it but it is hard to realize that it has been that long.

Since Bo is still unable to do many things, I feel like my days never end. When I close up the shop, I go feed the bunnies, feed the Yorkie girls, start supper, feed us and then take my knitting to bed. Usually Fuzzycat tries to get an extra meal out of me too but Bo is able to feed the cats.

The girls haven't been to school since before Halloween and they are missing it. Plus, I haven't been able to keep up with our 'home schooling' lessons in agility either. They will be really ready for school to start after the first of the year. They miss their friends. Winnie misses her friend Dexter, the boxer. Dexter, Winnie and a minature doxy named Diamond are the threesome from their puppy kindergarden class. Dexter gets down on his back legs and belly and plays with Winnie and Diamond. The older girls, Lilian and Emma have their special friends too, but they are older and haven't the puppy playing needs of Winnie. They are all letting me know that they want more time to play with me and time to play at obedience and agility. I feel the same way. Hopefully things will get back to more normal after the New Year.

Time to go get the tree up.