Heading to SPA in Freeport

Heading to SPA in Freeport, originally uploaded by maryjanemidgemink.

Always at the eleventh hour, my friend Kristin and I are heading down to Freeport for the New England Textile Arts SPA, where participants do absolutely nothing but hang out and knit, or spin or get a massage...whatever we want to do! I may be suffering from a blasted head cold but no matter, we must sometimes make difficult choices!

See you there!

While I was Away

Away in Puppyland that is. How time flies when your husband goes merrily off to Puerto Rico surfing, allowing blissful yet long days- into- nights knitting, plotting, planning and charting. The week flew with little I can talk about...which indeed makes for a dull blog...never mind...I'm sorry...Vacation over and a new adventure begins:

Miss Leelee

Yes, it is very easy and perfectly allowable to bring home irresistible puppies from Puerto Rico as carry-on baggage.

Life as we know it has changed. The nest is empty no more.

All yarn safely stowed above reach from tiny nipping teeth.

Hang on!

Happy Valentines's Day!

Happy Valentines's Day!, originally uploaded by maryjanemidgemink.

Spring Preview! Sweet Tee!

Finish it in a jiffy!
Interweave Knits Spring Preview is up. Yay!
Do you want to hear a behind the scenes story? I had planned to submit a proposal for this sweater when the call for Knits Spring 2009 went out. Things at home and work got busy as they will and I missed the deadline. To my surprise and delight Eunny emailed and asked if I'd like to contribute. Hell yes! Fortunately I had this design in mind. She suggested Manos Del Uruguay Silk Blends, a luxurious yarn I'd been longing to try out, and the color selection! visit Purl Soho and see if you can resist the shimmering presentation, make sure you click on each color, I can get lost here, just watching the colors change. Time passed and no yarn...I didn't want to pester, they are very busy folks there at Interweave....and then I got an email saying garments due next week! Yikes! Speedy exchanges, yarn re-ordered....tick tick tick....yarn arrives...it is the wrong yarn!....tick tick tick...yarn sent back....tick tick tick...at last! Yarn arrives and my husband and I are off to visit a friend on Tybee Island Georgia, right by beautiful Savannah... So there my friends, is where I finally knit this baby! Fortified with beach walks, Shrimp Grits and good company.
At first I was alarmed by the wild variation in the color, called Dove. In the picture it looked to be a uniform pale grey, in real life it ranges from ivory through pale pink to nearly olive. As I worked with it, I grew to like the moire effect the variation lends it, like beautiful Victorian Silk. (see the red-violet hat and ecru ballgown here, but don't miss the pink corset, or the floral dress stamped Biddeford, Maine).



Sweet Tee
by Mary Jane Mucklestone
Finished Size 30¼ (33¾, 37, 40½, 46¼, 48)" bust circumference. Sweater shown measures 30¼", modeled with plenty of negative ease for a close fit.
Yarn Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend (70% merino, 30% silk; 150 yd [137 m]/50 g): #3019 dove (MC), 4 (4, 5, 6, 7, 7) skeins; #3014 natural and #3049 henna (pink), 1 skein each. Yarn distributed by Fairmount Fibers.
Needles Body and sleeves—size 7 (4.5 mm): 24" circular (cir) and set of 4 or 5 double-pointed (dpn). Borders and neckbands—size 5 (3.75 mm): 16" and 24" cir. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
Notions Markers (m); stitch holders; tapestry needle.
Gauge 19 sts and 35 rnds = 4" in St st on larger needle.











PS: Knitting, Saturday February 7th, Noon at my house!

My Desire....

So cute! The busy bee, in candy apple red...though I'm tempted by the little mousie...

From KriKri

And I should get cracking on some olives for my dear ones.

They Came,

We Knit

We Ate.

And had fun all at the same time...do come next Saturday if you can...there must be some cheap flights from Scotland and Spain....