Ruffle Sleeve Vest

Ruffle Sleeve Vest

Pattern from Interweave Knits, Summer 2010

Yarn: Milky Soft by Ella Rae. A cotton and milk protein blend. Very soft with good stitch definition.

Quilt Rack

I hate antique stores-maybe because so many things there are identical to things in my own kitchen. My husband collects old sheet music, so he likes them. When we went to New Ulm last week we struck an agreement-he could go into an antique store if there was either a yarn shop or coffee shop close by. The first one had a yarn shop!! The second one had neither, but I was generous and let him go in as it didn't look too promising. The third one had a coffee shop. The fourth one had neither but I still had my cup of coffee from the third one. So I sat in the car facing two outhouses, read my book and drank my coffee. When I figured it was about time for him to be done I started looking in the sheds-from the car- and saw this quilt stand. I sat there thinking about it as I had thought of getting one to hang my lace shawls on. So I told myself if it was under $20 I would get it, thinking that was very unrealistic. I got out of the car and went to look and it was only $18.50. I met my husband coming out the door and bragged that I bought something without even going inside!

Beyer Haus, New Ulm MN

For Mother's Day, my husband took me back to the Beyer Haus Bed and Breakfast in New Ulm, MN. We had been there last summer and I fell in love with this place! It is a restored Queen Anne style home with a gracious hostess and host.

When you walk in the front door, you enter the front parlor with the carved stairway and nympth light.

Through the parlor is the dining room and the beautiful yard shows through the window. Note the elegance of the table setting.

This is the formal dining room.

This time we stayed in Catherine's room. Through the door you can see the area with DVD's, coffee, tea, and water always available.

Every room has a mouse house in the baseboard.

Personal touches were everywhere.

On arrival, we were served wine. Last time we stayed here the hostess gladly made reservations at a home we wanted to visit and the restaurant the other couple wanted to go to and had suggestions for places to see.

The breakfast was an elegant three course meal. We had requested small servings because we knew how much food we would be getting.

Lillie's Little Sweater

Such a cute baby sweater and fun and easy to knit. The hood is knit first, stitches picked up and the body and sleeves made in one piece from the neck down. The only finishing is a little hole under the arms, tails to be sewn in and button sewn on. The hood can be made in garter stitch-like mine-or stockinette stitch.

Pattern: Cottage Creations Lillie's Little Sweater

Size: I made 12 month size, but pattern is from American Girl, Preemie, 0-3 months, 6, 12, 24, 36 months.
Yarn: Rowan Cotton.

Needles: Size 7.

I love the hood. For just a hat, the hood could be made, bound off, and ties applied.

Shepherd's Harvest

Made a quick trip to Shepherd's Harvest on a cold, drizzly day. I was hoping to get another piece of pottery by Jenny the Potter www.jennythepotter.com , but she didn't have any pieces I didn't already have. So, I felt sorry for myself and bought 4 skeins of yarn. The green is a 100% merina superwash from a local artist- www.cloudnet.com/~jkberg . The pink is 80% merino, 20% cashmere fingering weight called Voodoo by Silk Roak North Woods in St Paul, MN. By the same artist is the turquoise 70% alpaca, 20% silk, 10% cashmere, also fingering weight-so soft and cuddly. The one that looks yellow and green is Kauni, a Danish yarn 100% wool. But look inside the ball... all the fun colors!

Yes, I Rreally Did!

Over 10 years ago I made this beautiful shawl out of linen yarn. I don't remember the pattern, only that I think it was in an Anna magazine. The pattern was for a round tablecloth and in the last few inches of the pattern all of a sudden there were decreases. Questioning why, I still continued and finished. The beauty of linen yarn is shows after it is washed and dried. Here's where the problem revealed itself. The decreases were made so the tablecloth would hang over the edge of the table with no ruffling. To use it as a shawl, it had to be severely blocked. It didn't soften up and the edges didn't really flatten out.

It has been in my closet ever since-never used. Twice in the last week the subject of this shawl/tablecloth came up in conversation, so I thought it was time to do what I've thought of doing many times over the last 10 years. Yes, I frogged it. Now to think of something beautiful to do with the yarn again.