Found it!

I DID leave my camera cable at my son's. Yea! I really thought I'd gotten it before I left his apartment, but no, it was still here. So NOW you have photos.

I flew into Detroit this morning. Reagan was an absolute mess. I printed my boarding pass yesterday and then left it on my desk so I had to reprint at the airport. BIG mistake. The lobby was jammed and packed and full of angry, annoyed and impatient people. Most of whom were just unable to comprehend that some of us only needed to print a boarding pass, not check luggage or steal their seat or any other evil act. I was sworn at and had my bag shoved around. I finally found an empty kiosk and in less than 2 minutes had a new pass and was on my way to security. No lines there - all still on the floor above. Down to the gate where the flight before us still hadn't boarded. 2 gate changes and 2 1/2 hours later I was on my way to Detroit. To add to Delta's confusion with the increased holiday travel and weather delays they'd chosen just this week to move the Northwest flights from the other terminal. Timing, as they say, is everything.

Picked up my rental car and drove to where my son lives, he was out with friends so I went to the bank and then got my glasses adjusted (yeah, knew you'd be excited). Then I went back to Skeins on Main. This time to ask for help. I added an extra row to the scarf I'm making for Kevin and when I tried to tink it back it got ugly and uglier. I frogged a few rows and things went down hill from there. I spent some quality airport time trying to repair this to no avail. It just kept getting worser and worser (as my sister used to say). I went in hoping they could put me back on track. And let me say that I have to take back a lot of mean things I said about them. Karen, one of the instructors/employees was there, she taught the last class I got to attend and taught me to cable. She fixed me. She fixed me good. THANK YOU KAREN! She was not only helpful but so very nice about it. I stuck around a bit after the fix and knitted for a few. She found me a new pattern for another scarf, reversible like the one I'm knitting (it is somewhat longer now). The cool thing about this pattern is that it looks the same from the front and back - a good thing in a scarf since both sides show. The wool is almost black, "Obsidian" I believe. I bought it at Fibre Space, it's a Miss Babs "Yowza whatta skein" . For a guy's scarf, this is nice wool, washable, stretchy, pretty. But it's slow going for me, but I have a long flight tomorrow to work on it.

And finally, the long awaited pictures of the fabric I bought in San Francisco:

And snow. SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW. Last week on my patio. Yeah, we had a bit of drifting. It was still there when I left this morning.

And, finally, my son's new car. Pretty, isn't it.

Then I stopped by JoAnn's for a couple of pieces of fabric that I liked last time I was there, but passed on. For 2 of the 3 I bought I got the last on the bolts. And the flannel to re-do my bargello quilt and some really bulky yarn for a quick scarf for a right-after-Christmas gift. Off to dinner in a few minutes and an early ride to the airport in the morning.

Fibre Space

After a nasty Saturday, Sunday was pretty nice around here. Sunny and around 40, so I did take a walk down to my very Local Yarn Store. Fibre Space is about 3 blocks down and on the same street as my apartment. I walked on the sunny side of the street - it is December. It isn't a very large store, but most establishments in Old Town aren't. They're, well, old. Many in old homes or shops from 200 years ago (um, or so). Fibre Space is no exception. They had a really pretty selection of yarns. I'm pretty new at this knitting stuff so I don't know enough to compare it other LYS's (other than "that OTHER one" and Fibre Space is much smaller) but it was pretty. And yes, the people were way nicer. Not just the employees, but the other shoppers and hanging out in the bay window knitters. I bought a Miss Babs "Yowza - whatta skein" in a monochromatic very dark grey for my next scarf. I was fascinated when I saw that Miss Babs is from Mountain City, Tenn. I didn't know anyone from there ever got out alive. My mother was from the next "holler" over and I spent a whole lotta time there as a kid. But I digress... (as usual)... It's a hand dyed merino wool, very soft, not scratchy, nice weight. But back to the LYS. They set me up to wind my skein into a nice, dark cake. They're bagless: I could bring my own bag, buy a reusable bag or just carry my yarn home. I chose the carry method - it was only one (albeit large) skein. I got a class list and a frequent buyer card - fill it up and you get a T-shirt or project bag. And there's a nice write up in the Washington Business Journal this week. Click to read the article as long as the link lasts - eventually they get moved to archives or to subscription only domains. It's not a long article, but I enjoyed it. And it makes me glad I frequent a local small business. In short (ha! too late for that!) it was a nice experience and I will go back. I was welcomed, not ignored.
And, about the pattern for my Yowza scarf. Remember that cables are required. I started with the Karaoke pattern and worked it up a few rounds in some left over Lion Brand. I like the pattern, but it's a scarf and the "wrong" side will show. But I also found the Palindrome that doesn't have a wrong side, and has cables. I haven't had a chance to work out that one yet, but I'm leaning towards the Palindrome. (Note: both patterns are free on the Internet, links found by surfing Ravelry) Work was a long day and now it's bed time. I'm hoping to trial it tomorrow so I can cast off and start on Wednesday night - my husband has a business dinner so I'll have some "ME" time. And I so need some "ME" time.
Sorry, no photo's. Too tired to find the camera cable. But I did finally take some photo's of the fabric I bought in SF back in October. Soon, my pretties, soon.

San Francisco, the return

My BFF and I took a few days to escape reality and headed to San Fransisco last weekend. It was a short, but quite fun trip. We stayed at an older, remodeled hotel near Union Square, took a wine tour of Napa Valley, and shopped some and went to Alcatraz. All in all, a success.

Chinatown was my favorite shopping. It's just fun and you never know what you're going to find. For instance, this little pile tucked away in the back of a shop on Grant: Yes, this is fabric. All silk, most at $20/yard. There were some really pretty pieces tucked away in there. I told a couple of my close friends, but they promised to keep quiet about it. (The bag in my lap is from Laura from her ghost story challenge - it was the perfect size for this trip and quite appropriate, I think).

The wine company tour was nice, we hit 6 wineries and got tipsy by 11am.

My final haul, most of which was shipped directly home from the wineries, included some interesting items.

The green fabric was from the Chinatown shop (I purchased 2 pieces from Britex but see I missed photographing them. Dang). My son's a fan of Alexander the Great, the curved black piece is a wine bottle holder, the blue box is a travel jewelry box and the scarf is from Chinatown - 2 for $10, Karen has a green one. And no trip to SF is complete without a pencil sharpener in the Golden Gate Bridge.

I'm back, a little bit

And I think I know what happened to my photo's when they wouldn't post. Amazing what a little R&R will do for you. Or perhaps it was the alcohol fuzz?

Regardless, we had a blast in SF, the weather was beautiful, the shopping fun and the wine available. More to come when I have a chance to transfer my photo's to my computer.

For now, here're a few pic's from Novi. Long overdue, but still fun.

First, a quiet shot before the hustle and bustle of the day began. Classrooms were in the black r0oms on both sides. Beside and a little away from the exhibitions so it was fairly quite and roomy.

Second, are a couple (um, or so) quilt photo's. The Expo wasn't primarily quilting, but there were lots of pretty ones featured and I took pics of my favs.

One of the prettiest booths with lots of buttons and ribbons and trim, oh my!

Of course, THE KING! He's showing us his patch pocket in the works. He showed us how to do this and gave us a pattern. Mine turned out quite nicely, thank you.

And the haul. Much smaller than I thought it would be, some stay tape for knits, a marking pencil and a fix for my foot fettish. And the purse organizer I SERGED.

And finally, what NOT to buy at a sewing Expo. You all have seen those gathered, puffy, one-size-fits-all-because-it-stretches-from-XXXS-to-Car-Cover? Well, here they are, in all available colors. And doing quite the business, I might add.

No, I didn't die.

Or drop of the face of the Earth, or run off and join the circus (don't tempt me) or get sucked into a black hole or have a computer failure or break my right hand. But life did intrude very rudely into my life and it was immediately followed by a big blue funk that I'm still struggling out of. I had sincere plans to update my Novi Expo adventures that Sunday. Instead, I spent most of Sunday at the ER, my son totaled his car about 4:30 that morning. I wasn't even aware he'd left the apartment and I got "One-of-those" phone calls. He was unhurt, but because he has no feeling below the waist and was quite confused we went to the hospital. And since they were very busy that night - apparently my son wasn't the only idiot out driving that night - we had quite a wait. Made it home around lunch time. What this has signaled is that there are some real changes coming and amoung these are a requirement for me to spend a lot more time in Detroit. And yes, I have a day job. I'm not happy about a lot of things right now.
On an up side, I am still going on my mini-vaca. Leaving tomorrow (God willing - and he hasn't been very often lately - and the creeks don't rise, a better bet - the rain has stopped) for San Fransisco. Wine country, Chinatown, Golden Gate Bridge, seafood, snoop-shopping. Quick trip - probably as much traveling time as vaca time. And not without it's own worries.
But I did get a new tote bag JUST IN TIME. I won Laura's ghost story challenge and she sent my wine-themed tote bag that arrived today. Nice size, beautiful work and a cork as a zipper pull. Does it get any better? Yes, I'm a little geeked. Live with it.
I do have a few photo's from the Expo. I took them, I downloaded them. I may as well share them. Well, next time. Blogger isn't cooperating and allowing me to post. Sorry. But maybe I'll be in a better posting mood and you'll better shots. And San Francisco and the farmer's market from the early fall.

Back to sewing....

My wine arrived today via UPS from our San Francisco trip, so this closes the chapter, I suppose. Most of these bottles need to be layed down for a few years (yeah, right, that's just going to happen. But I can pretend), so they'll go on the wine rack for a while. HAHAHAHA! Well, at least until the weekend.

I STILL haven't finished my Burda pants. They have become the bain (bane?) of my very existence. Haunting me, taunting me from my sewing room. You can hear them if you listen closely: "You can't finish me, you can't finish me" I'm out of thread. No brown anywhere but a little on a bobbin. My machine decided to turn these into a hot home-sewn mess. The bar tacks at the pockets won't sew, just won't move back & forth right. I tried one of the 6 SIX 6 freakin' times. That was right before I threw the empty thread spool across the room - not a very long throw actually, but still satisfying in its way. The waist band isn't lining but when I put it together. So there is sits. A big, fat, ugly, smelly, stupid, beautifully fitting UFO.

Sew, in order to regain my sewing mojo and not just abandon a hobby I like, I cut out this: The view in the upper right, but I drafted long sleeves (first time I've done this, cross your fingers it comes together) because I really want this for this fall/winter. I bought this brown stretch velvet last winter at Hancock's to make a top and just didn't get it done. I wanted a crossover top, until I realized that everyone I found self lined the front & that was just too much fabric and would stretch the front. Then it was early spring and brown velvet just lost its appeal. Well, it's back and now it's cut. I really didn't pay that much for this, but I do like it and really want this top. So it's sitting on top of the Burda pants in my sewing room, also waiting for brown thread. Yes, there is a theme here.

I was going to cut a couple of other items but, I didn't have enough fabric for the dress I wanted. I'm going to use the fabric from Spandex House & I have exactly 2 yards. The pattern I started with needed 2 1/2. I ordered a couple new patterns from McCall's today while they were on sale, and I think one of those will work better, so I'll just have to hold out. (I even got one for free! yea, me!)

Next, I was going to use this: from Vogue fabrics, but I really just don't know what to do with it. I LOVE it, it's soft and crisp at the same time. A little crinkly and I love the colors. I just stumped for a pattern. I went thru my stash about 10 times pulling out skirts and shoving them back in. There are 3 repeats of the border on the fabric and it's a wide enough repeat to easily make a skirt. But what pattern!?!?!?!? I'm SOOO open to suggestions. Please help! I want this for fall. The colors are pretty true: olives and wines.

Well that's all the sewing and whining, um wining for now. Let me know if you have recommendations for the Vogue. I'm going to hit Hancock's for brown thread and can easily pick up a pattern.

San Fran part II

I'm finally back to continue the trip to San Francisco. I spent last weekend in Detroit with my son. I had time to blog, just didn't. That happens...

I had very little actual free time, but I did slip away on Thursday morning for a bit and walked down to Britex Fabrics. Something of a San Francisco Fabric landmark, I presume. Anyway, it's a great store. Beautiful fabrics, great notions, trim by the mile. And prices to match. Yaoza-kazoaza! I thought Michael had the lock on the dollar sign, not so my friends! I did manage to pick up a couple of items within my budget and sewing abilities: The dotted fabric is a backed silk. It will be stiff enough for a skirt, I think. I thought blouse until I felt it, not flimsy at all. The purple is a knit that I'm looking at a dress for fall in. Wrap/faux wrap probably.

And my buttons. I know this doesn't excite many of you who have buttons stashed from the dawn of time. But I'm rather deficient in my button collection. And these were $3/bag. Some really pretty items. And I grabbed two from the same "hand fulls", so I have some of the same for tops, etc.

The last day we spent in Napa Valley doing a little wine tasting. It was a beautiful day, really warm off the coast. We started at Rodney Strong and then hit some of the smaller places. Limerick Lane was my favorite, all around. I think I liked their pool most of all.

Then we drove back to SF via the coast. I realized (thanks, BFF) that this shot is near where "The Birds" was filmed. Do I look frightened? (no, but my pants look short, hmmm) It was a great trip and I really want to go back. I need more wine, more fabric and more weird stuff from Chinatown. Union Square was a great place to stay - hint, hint.

San Francisco Part I

I got home last night from SanFrancisco. This was my first trip there, though Warren grew up near there and we lived in Washington State for a couple of years. This was a business trip for Warren, that invited spouses. Included in the events was a walking tour of China Town. We went up into the Temple on the top floor of this buiding. We had a very nice presentation from a member of the family that owns the temple. We also saw lots of shops and odd stuff. FUN! and Frogs.
A drive down the coast let me see where Warren grew up. We met some of his old neighbors for dinner. The coast is stunning. It was warm but very windy so my pictures were quick and sometimes from the car. We had dinner at Half Moon Bay and drove back to SF.

The next day included Muir Woods and a dinner cruise.