Of SlubCotton and Windmills

The Urban Farmgirls met again last week and had a grand ol' time learning to stencil a la Mama Grouch. I think that my stenciling abilities are going the way of my needle-felting skills, but I'll keep at it anyway since it was a lot of fun. I did a _____, but I can't tell you more about it since it's a gift. Here's a sneak peek:
I also stenciled a t-shirt for me (meh...), a onesie with a spaceship for Jackson, (bwah...) and a very, very sorry rocket ship on Jackson's overalls (tzah...). Like I said, I think I'll stick to knitting.

I've been away for awhile again and can't really think of why or what I should tell you about this week. We did...stuff. But today was really cool since Dan had the day off. We took a little family day and headed down to Northfield to seek some fun. For us, fun = Catherine knitting in the car, Dan enjoying a leisurely coffee on a workday and Jackson watching big trucks go by during lunch at the Northfield Co-op. I am happy to say that we accomplished FUN today.

I remembered that Knittymama talked about a super, duper, amazing fabric and yarn shop in Northfield and had to find it on our adventure. Found it. Bought yarn (Suss Yarn, 100% SlubCotton). Yum. Digs in Northfield. My jaw is still pretty much on the floor from how cool this place was and you really just need to see it for yourself. I'm thinking the Urban Farmgirls need to have a field trip to this store. Definitely need to explore this store more thoroughly without a tired baby and husband who would rather be elsewhere! (But who so graciously hung out anyway and didn't blink an eye when I said that I just HAD to go back on our way out of town to buy the yarn that I talked myself out of but couldn't stop thinking of all day...) Didn't buy that adorable light blue and brown sparkly t-shirt with a vixen on a ball of yarn that read "Knittin' Kitten" but maybe next time...

Dan and I have recently gotten back into gaming and had friends Gabriel and Nicolaas over to play on Saturday night. They brought their "hand-knit daughter" Calliope who played with Jackson while we played our game. It was lovely, truly lovely. Seafarers of Catan with red lentil stew, red wine, homemade hummus and milk chocolate. I totally lost since I had a wheat port on the edge of a forest with no access to wheat myself, but hey...I can knit while I play so I'm game to play again! (This is Calliope in her awesome hand-knits...her momma Gabriel is incredibly crafty with recycled yarn!)

But before Saturday night, I should also mention that I did hit Knit-Out at the Mall of America with Ma Grouch. We were super excited to go given that we both left our boys at home and had an entire morning and afternoon to hang with yarn, but the event was...lacking. Since Knit-Out is a Craft Yarn Council event, it is sponsored by "corporate yarn." Lion Brand, Bernat and (gulp) Red Heart to name a few. Normally excited to grab freebies and bags at events like these, I pretty much said "no, thank you" at each booth this time.

One highlight of the afternoon though, was Mama Grouch entering the Fastest Knitter Contest. She rocked and came in fourth place, but we both secretly know that she was really third place since the first place winner cheated by using garter stitch instead of the required stockinette stitch...

In Knitting News, the second sock just rounded the heel so we're in the home stretch, I finished dishcloth #1 for my MJF Spring Dishcloth Swap and am damn stoked to start up on some fresh headbands for myself with my new Digs yarn. For those of you who are around me a lot, you must be sick of this one, multi-colored and tired-looking hand-knit headband that I wear every day. I am. It's time...

So, (finally,) this directionless post is coming to an end. Bedtime for Jack. Here's how tired he was just an hour ago so you can imagine how the whining has progressed since then. (Teething again...) If I'm forgetting to mention anything major or include any specific photos that I said I would, do let me know. And please accept my apologies, dear readers of yogurt & granola for my boring, boring week and absence! I promise to take more silly photos* with the digital and share more pointless stories of knitting with the world from now on.

long live the blog

*Like this, the windmill near Northfield. What can I say? We're energy dorks and both think windmills are sexy...

*And this one. Just a photo from a playgroup at our house to prove that knitting CAN actually be done with a child in the sling, though this is a first and hasn't been repeated. He was particularly tired and needed some cuddle time...didn't seem to mind my knitting needles in his face. There's that headband again...