Crafty Garage Sale

If you live in the Los Angeles area and are hankering for a good garage sale, here's one for you! This Saturday (9/29) Marie is hosting - and I and several of my knitting group cronies are contributing to - a crafter's bonanza of yarn, patterns, books, knitting, crochet and needlepoint supplies, fabric and sewing supplies, scrap booking supplies and much, much more.

Here's the pile of stuff I'll be selling. I've added to it a bit since the photo was taken this morning. I will be selling a few pieces of vintage pottery and a brand new/unused Elna 1010 sewing machine with case and walking foot, too. (I'm asking $125 for the sewing machine.)

Please contact Marie or leave me a comment if you need directions to her house. Hours of the sale are from 9 am to 4 pm. Hope to see you there!

Celebratin'

Yesterday was a day of firsts.

First #1:

Seeing the Yarn Harlot at the Los Angeles Central Public Library with my knitting BFFs: Annette, Barbara, Jillian, Marie, Mary, MJ and Patty.

L to R: MJ, Jillian, Mary, Annette

Also in our grrl gang for the day were knitting BFFs Carolyn, Wendy and (sadly blogless) Zoe.

L to R: Wendy and Marie

Carolyn drove down from northern California, so she gets the Longest Distance Traveled Award...and the Most Intrepid Award for still finding the event after her car's navigation system sent her to a mortuary in San Pedro instead.

Carolyn

Wendy gets the Best Traffic Story Award: En route she ran into a traffic jam because a house had fallen off its truck and was blocking everything for miles. Check it out here.

The Harlot was the Harlot. Funny, a little prickly, a lot empowering, she spoke for almost an hour and a half and graciously signed hundreds of books.

Barbara and Stephanie

She even took the time to pose with our group for a photo, which, uh, I don't have (hope to get a copy soon). My photos are once again random and blurry - I really need to work on taking better event pictures! - but please check out everyone else's blogs for more in-focus scoopage. And Ellen has a wonderful post about the event, too. (She introduced Stephanie!)

Our motley crew (photo credit to Mary - thanks)

It has been a while since our knitting group has had a day out together, and what a day it was. Not to get all maudlin, but as I sat in the audience, surrounded by and chattering and laughing with my friends, I felt this wonderful completeness at the connection we all shared. Very cool.

First #2: My first year blogiversary. Hey, it's been a year. How'd that happen?

First #3: Renewing my Yarn Pirate Booty Club membership. (It's still open, in case you're thinking about doing it.) My fingers are crossed we get a bitchin' Halloween colorway. 'Coz you know me and Halloween.

We're Having a Heat Wave

It's been a crazy week. Highlights:

+ Temps in the low to mid 100s. Wicked hotness, especially for all the furry critters. At night I've been leaving water out for the skunks and possums, in addition to keeping a close eye on our outdoor cats Fiend and Archie. (I know. Varmints. Can you say soft hearted? I'm the walking dictionary of it.) So far we're all okay, but whew, it's been hot. Especially since...
+ On Sunday, our a/c died. Tom MacGyvered it after 24 hours of 90+ degrees in the house, but we're looking at replacing it. Our internet service has also been intermittent, but seems to be back now that temps have cooled somewhat. (Today it's only 90! Whee! Break out the sweaters!)
+ Fiend was in another fight which left his head an infected mess, prompting a trip to the emergency vet at 9 pm on Monday night. For being such an ornery cuss, he's amazingly docile when at the vet; he's also taking his liquid antibiotic like a champ, and his head is healing well. Poor little guy.

So. Kinda intense for a holiday weekend. But hey, there's knitting to be done, right? Too bad I don't have much to show you. But look! Over there! Is that a sock yarn club kit I see?!

Why yes, it is. This is the first installment of the Yarn Tree's A Sock for All Seasons Yarn Club. And while my photos are decidedly lo-fi, the club is anything but! Our first yarn is Schaefer Anne in this groovy autumnal colorway. Also included is this reversible project bag, a sock pattern designed by Rachel DeNys named Falling Lace Sock, as well as Yarn Tree's Basic Sock Pattern, a handmade Brittany cable needle, a how-to DVD and a brief history of Schaefer Yarn. Score!

Local knitsters Jillian and Jerry are also in this club, and Jillian has a nice write up about the club here.

As for knitting, my stealth project is finished, though it still needs to be blocked. It qualifies as my first FO for Single Skein September. Speaking of SSS - Liz has started SSS groups on Ravelry and Flickr, and it'd be great if you joined us in using up those odd balls in your stash.

For my second SSS project, today I cast on the first of my Campfire Socks. Each will use a skein of Artyarns Ultramerino 8, so I'm hoping they qualify. I also want to knit some hats, but have to hit the LYS for some needles first. (Out of all the needles I have, how can I not have a US 8 16" circ? It's vexing.) And Fetchings. Would you believe I've never made a pair? About time, isn't it? I love fingerless gloves, and have two balls of black Cashmerino Aran earmarked. Not sure if I'll get to all these small projects, but they're certainly the perfect hot weather knitting!