As usual...

So this once agian has been a long post in my abcence. I have been busy crafting and not posting.
I was busy with the shop hop in the twin cities and other things afterwards.

Th shop hop is a simple idea. For yarn shops you are getting people in your shops that you otherwise would not get in and they buy things. For the hoppers they get to explore shops they would not otherwise see or know about.
 Each shop offers a charm to the first five hundred people who give a food shelf donation of food or money in that shop. They also collect names and offer three door prizes per day as well as a first prize for anyone during the shop hop.
Each frist prize is given out of a large pot of prizes from yarn companies. The grand prize is also picked out of the prizes from the companies.

Because the Twin Cites has a vibrant and active yarn community such a thing is possible. In other cities a rival yarn store may mean certain death, but up here in the "great white north" yarn is shared by all and we know that no one shop can carry it all.
The Shop Hop lasts for four days, and usually has a few thousand people do at least two shops. As a knitter I love it because I can go somewhere in my city and know not only where the shop is, but have an idea of what they carry. Some are spinning shops, some are cross stitching, some are good on independant dyers, some are all name brand. I lov having a pulse on my city and knowing what I am getting into with each one, or at least what they carry if I am looking for a project.

That said I have a great nephew that will be born in September and he needs another blanket! (His grandma is knitting him one!) With him in florida and grandma knitting a lace blanket in green I opted for a striped blanket in green, blue, red, and yellow with a main grey. We will see who wins this war!! (Pics to follow)

AlsoI have been working on a project caddy for the outside work that my job needs. I knit a cotton bag and strap for Peaches and Creme "Magic at Midnight". This lead to a nice bag that needs a lining. Once doon it will let me carry my knitting everywhere with minimum fuss. It will not hold a wallet/cell/keys/yarny project but it will let me hold a knitting project close to hand while doing the outdoors thing.
Pics to follow with finished product.

I am also working on spinning some yarn that will be beautiful once I get it done. Its Color Mountain "Firestorm". I love it, and will go to buy the second half on the 4oz skein on Monday.
The first half looks good and I hope to have a pic or two ready on monday.