New Toy and Weekend Recap

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

I'll start with my biggest news first - last night I was the successful bidder on a nearly-new Husqvarna Viking Platinum 735. Pics to come soon. I am really excited about the one touch buttonholes and Sewing Advisor. Just in time for my new sewing class that starts tomorrow - I should have it for next week's class. I think I am going to keep my metal workhorse machine - the Viking 960 (that I bought on Ebay about four years ago) - as a backup machine as it sews well and really is a nice machine despite being 20+ years old, it just doesn't do things as easily as a new machine will.

I worked on my Indigo Ripples skirt (only on Round 25 - I had to back up a few rounds as I made a mistake), got an answer on the Chantal pattern I started so now I can continue that, started a new project (the Karolyn vest from the Berroco Keltic booklet) and got about six inches done on it in the round, and fixed my mistake a few rounds back on my Cotton Tape Spicy Fitted Tee. I also went to Zora's Yarns and returned the remainder of that Iceland wool that I bought for the Girl's Bolero that didn't turn out too well - exchanged it for some apple green Misti Alpaca worsted - enough for a sweater as I already had two skeins from there of the same dye lot.

Saturday was fun - we did our KIB and added a new knitting friend to our group. Tia is a lot of fun and we hope to see her at future KIBs!

Heather and I also went to the stash swap at Arcadia yesterday afternoon, and although I ended up bringing home my more expensive yarn that I was thinking of trading, I did get 8 skeins of Connemara Endless Summer (Elann) in lilac and 3 skeins of Crystal Palace Silk Tweed in a gray/tan/cream variegated colorway. I just left my acrylic and some novelty yarn there, as well as books I didn't want, so they will likely end up going to charity. The shop owners said they had a list of potential recipients, and the stuff wasn't going to good use sitting in my closet, so it was a win-win situation. I cleaned out my closet and the charity will get the yarns. I also saw one woman there that I hadn't seen since the last Windy City Knitting Guild workshop I attended about a year ago, so it was fun to reconnect with her. Hi Fern! Thanks for reading my blog!

It is going to be a busy week for me. Today I have back to back meetings, tomorrow I have my first sewing class at night (yay!), Wednesday and Thursday I have all day planning meetings. As part of the planning meetings, I have a dinner with everyone (30+ people from our various business locations and here at the corporate office) on Wednesday and have to give a presentation to the group on Thursday. This is the first time I've been included in this meeting, so I am happy about it. Test run for VP is the way I'm looking at it...

On Friday, Jim and I are leaving for Rhinelander in the afternoon (for his mom and dad's 50th anniversary party). A few of our friends, Tim and Steve, may also be coming along as they like it up in the "north woods" and also have known Jim's parents since they were kids, as they all grew up together. They haven't booked their room yet, so I'm not sure if they are going or not, but it will be fun if they do. They are my husband's two closest friends and I like both of them a lot. I also got a new iPod dock thing for my car so we can listen to good music on the way up. I may need to put the earphones on if I decided to listen to audiobooks as I don't see the group wanting to listen to that, but at least I have the option to play the iPod over the radio again. My last one broke - I think it was a faulty design as it had this really thin cord that was pretty fragile and it ended up breaking when I accidentally shut the glove box on it. Anyway, the party is on Saturday and we'll be driving back on Sunday, so we'll be back Sunday evening. I have to think of a gift for them. Ideas??

So, that's my crazy week in a nutshell. I don't expect too much knitting progress to occur.

Comments

[Jenny]

Yay! Congrats on winning the sewing machine! Sounds like a crazy week; I feel your pain. As for the gift, have you ever heard of those "When we were married" books? It's a whole book of stuff that happened that year; sports, news, entertainment, etc. and you can put personalized stuff in there too. I think it's whenweweremarried.com

[Katie J]

I'm assuming you want ideas for your in-laws. Are they traveling anywhere? Perhaps some traveling books? I know many people are trying to get rid of stuff, so maybe something that doesn't add to their stuff? A gift certificate for a cruise or through the travel agent they use would be nice. Perhaps tickets to a concert they want to see or a gift certificate to a ticket agent. Maybe a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant? You could present them with an empty photo album and take pictures at the party and promise to fill it for them.

[Adrienne]

So excited about your new machine!!!! You will be busy! I will be thinking about you! :-)

[Stacey_CrimsonPurl]

Wow! Busy Lady! Have in the woods! :oD

[toya]

that is a lot, lol
and I hope to see some progress pics with everything you are doing soon
the skirt and the spicy tee especially, and I'm happy you girls had a wonderful time at the meet up,, FUN

[Fern]

So excited to be mentioned in your blog! THANKS. Great to see you again. I'll continue to follow your inspiring life through the blog and perhaps I'll start finishing some projects instead of just starting them.

[Heather R]

Congrats on getting the machine you wanted first. Have fun in class this week. fyi - the parking lot is under construction again. Hopefully, you'll be able to knit in the car without getting lost or unexpected swirving!

[Andrea]

Congrats on the new sewing machine. Good luck with your class tomorrow night. I think 50 years is the Golden Anniversary. So you're suppose to give them something gold, but I like the trip idea. Maybe all the kids in the family can put in together and send them on a cruise or somewhere they always wanted to go on vacation.

[Carol]

Not much knitting content? Does that mean you'll finish only 1 sweater? ;) Hope you have a royal blast this weekend! 50th Is gold if you do the traditional or modern route. Have a good week!

[Suz]

Wow, sounds like a busy time. Have a great weekend up North!

[Michelle]

I will tell you that you definately want to keep your old machine! I'm still sad that I didn't keep mine, I sold my old Bernina mechanical, I really wish I'd of kept it. It was a workhorse! Have fun with the new one too!!

[Amy Artisan]

Sounds like it was an all around crafty weekend for you. Sorry I didn't get to see you at the yarn swap - I had other plans that conflicted.

[Lara]

Yes, you are certainly busy! I can't wait to see your skirt....I love the pattern!

[Heather]

Congrats on the brand new (to you) toy!!

[Jeremy]

I can't wait to see what you do with the Misti Alpaca. I love that yarn. You should get a lot of knitting in on the way to Rhinelander. Have fun!

[Maryanne]

Wow, your new toy sounds awesome!! Can't wait to hear how it works for you :) Congrats on the VP "test run" too! I'm sure you'll do a fab job!! Have a great week, don't work too hard, and enjoy your weekend in the woods!

[Debby]

Hope you survive such a busy week, and have at least a little time to knit. Congratulations on your new machine!!

When my grandparents had their 50th, the big surprise party was the present, along with those gold dishes and goblets and things. But I agree with the other commenters that a lot of people are trying to simplify, and maybe an "experience" would be a good present...a trip or a class or something they've always wanted to do, dinner at a special place, etc. We just got my husband's parents an afternoon cruise with lunch for the fall leaf peeping, for their 40th.

[Jeanine]

How EXCITING. Congrats! You really make me want to start an Indigo Ripples too.