Sheep Shots

We are switching Internet providers.

Supposedly, this will be faster and cheaper. So far, it is neither. I will have a new email address. Watch for details.

And Blogger was causing me fits this morning. I couldn't upload photos. It should be obvious that I finally found a "work-around" for that problem.

Gentle Readers may be wondering what knitting would keep me busy now that the fair entries have been dropped off. Would the Sheepie take a break of several weeks? Or what? *

Well, in a sense, I am taking a break. Nothing "competition worthy," just some little things on the needles.

First up: 4" squares in "baby colors" for January's Blanket Blitz for the Reservation. This Blitz is sponsored by the Yahoo Group (Native American Support) and the Ravelry Group (Helping Hearts for Cheyenne River Reservation).

Nine and four inch squares, completed hand crafted blankets (all sizes) and purchased blankets are all needed. Leave me a comment if this interests you and you'd like more information.

In addition to the squares, I am working on a "scrapghan" in some sorta-boy colors--not baby colors exactly, but definitely not "girly girl." I have another collection of girl colors (pinks, lavender, minty green) and will start that one next.

Good old Red Heart (and other ack-rillic) for washability and wearability.

There's some soft, fuzzy stuff (Caron, Whatever That Nasty Stuff Was Called, the name escapes me at the mo') and the last of my Aussie yarn (3rd stripe in from the right side, that creamy beige) that Nanna sent me a while back.

Yesterday, since the Fairgrounds Farmers Market was closed (because of the fair!) for the next couple of weeks, we went on a "shopping expedition" to all of the high spots in the Valley.

A trip to Ollie's (previously described as a "downscale" Big Lots store) yielded these two new books for the collection.
Books at Ollie's are often damaged (didn't see any on either book) or remaindered, or something. They are also (usually) very cheap.

I paid $6.98 for both of them (cover prices were $14.95 and $12.95).

So, both have some interesting ideas--stepping off places, if you will.



They'll be used. . .eventually.





Next stop was Border's (for a slushie coffee drinkie thing for the ride home that I really didn't need--Brain Freeze!) and a quick look on the magazine rack.

I had checked the "usual places" for Knit Simple (don't you know that it will be on the magazine rack at the grocery store the next time I look?). There are some cute mittens and a very basic cardigan and a tea cozy shaped like a pumpkin. Very solid issue. Nothing strange or exotic.

Knitting is a very British magazine and comes sealed in plastic, so gawping first isn't an option. It came with a copy of Beautiful Baby Knits (loved the cover sweater) so I figured that alone made it worth the sticker price ($9.99). There's not a lot in the main mag that I will knit (truthfully, I doubt that there's anything there that I will make. though the article on lace will bear further notice) but the baby supplement. . oh, my! Six lovely sweaters, 4 clearly "girl" with flowers and ruffles, 2 unisex and knitted up in "boy" and photographed on wee laddies, two hats and a pair of booties.

Then, there's Belle Armoire subtitled Art to Wear which is inspiring and fun (and no, I don't think I'll make anything from that one either, but it's fun to look at and fun to imagine with, you know, fun).

Oh, and since Border's is a book store, We bought books for late summer-into-fall reading.

It was Buy-one-get-one (50% off) pile that attracted both the Other Half and me. Before long, I had selected my 2. He had found one, then I added another, then he did and next thing I knew, we had a pile of 6.

I'll probably read all of them. Four are clearly of interest to me mostly (chickish lit, but high quaity "chick lit!") so those will be passed along to the Daughter In Law and (eventually) to her friends.

Even if no food shopping (other than lunch and the Brain-Freeze inducing drinkies) was involved, it was a very productive trip!

* Christmas knitting (couple of sweaters) will be next, and a baby gift that I must finish (but first, I must start it!), and then (shortly after the new year dawns, I think) I will be starting 2009 Fair Knitting. I have no intention of waiting until the last minute to make All Those Projects! (Is there an echo in here?)

Labels: books, charity, Cheyenne River, magazines