March 5, 2020 – Manhattan, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri

So that’s what it’s called!!!!!!

So, the last couple of weeks I’ve been “hibernating”.  It’s what I call getting through the dreary winter months of January and February.  There’s been a lot of gray skies, cold wind and rain.  Still, during this, I FINALLY finished my birthday sweater!  (Ed. Note – Honestly, I expected June!!!) I gave it an ugly name that I won’t print here – I just got so tired of working on it!  However, it fits well and I LOVE the colors 😊.

It went from this:    To this, ta-da!

I’ve also finished a requested hat for my oldest son and will be sending it to him as soon as I can get to the post office.  He sent me a picture of a hat he liked and I looked around at patterns and came quite close – hope he’ll like it and get a chance to wear it a couple of times before spring!  

 

And, no, she has not gotten rid of a pair to offset the weight!!!!

In anticipation of a visit to my other son and daughter, I decided I needed a pair of shoes.  I’m not much into fashion and I will only wear comfortable shoes.  I bought a pair of Merrell clogs YEARS ago that were sooooo comfortable and wore them almost exclusively every winter.  I have been looking for a replacement pair like them for the last 3 years but couldn’t find the style I wanted.  Last week, I looked online and found there was a Merrell Outlet store in Leesburg, Virginia (about 10 miles away) and went shopping.  I found the perfect replacement pair and was so excited, I think the sales associate thought I was a little crazy! (Ed. Note – HA!!! She needs to get in line!!!) (Oh btw, I DID take a pair of shoes to Dare, so this heading is NOT accurate!)

So, goodbye, beloved, worn 10 year pair and HELLO new pair!

 

The Little Apple!!!!!

With my new shoes on my feet, I flew to the Kansas City airport, picked up a rental (Toyota Tacoma – loved it!) and drove to Manhattan, Kansas to help Josh and Dare move into an apartment together.  They moved from a smaller town about 30 minutes away to be closer to where they both work.  It only took one day to get everything moved but the unpacking will be going on for a couple of weeks, I’m sure. (Ed. Note – I got $10 that says maybe never but we’ll see!!!)  It was wonderful to see both of them and I ask for prayers in helping them get along for the next 12 months 😉!  The apartment is great and only 10 minutes from their respective jobs and there will be much more to do and see in Manhattan.

Of course you couldn’t!!!!

I drove back to Kansas City yesterday to catch my flight today (I write to you from the Charlotte airport during my layover).  There was no way I could go on a trip and NOT visit a yarn shop, so I looked online and found Yarn Social in Kansas City, Missouri.  They stay open until 8:00 pm on Wednesday and Thursday evenings so I had plenty of time.  Unfortunately, it was already dark (Mom, skip over this sentence, I know you don’t like me out after dark!) as I drove to the shop, so it was hard to see the surroundings.  I was able to see the area had several small antique shops and a pub or two.  From the outside the shop looked small but as I went inside, I realized there were two, good sized rooms.  Two women were in there working, Trish and Em, and chatting over by the register but welcomed me immediately.  They were listening to some Billy Idol in honor of a recent episode of the new High Fidelity Hulu show.  I browsed around and saw several items that I’ve never seen before except in catalogs – Twig & Horn items such as the Canvas Interchangeable Needle Case  and removable stitch markers in colors of the rainbow; a tiny pair of scissors by Cohana (they’re so tiny and classy looking with their little tassel)! and these small suede tags to sew into your handmade items, enamel pins that I had to pull myself away from and adorable pin cushion rings!

The amount of yarn was fabulous and again, some I had not seen before.  I asked if they carried any local yarn and one was La Bien Amiee which is hand dyed in Paris, France but local in that the woman who dyes the yarn is from the area and spent time at Yarn Social.  She moved to Paris and this is her yarn – how cool is that!!  Never seen yarn from Paris before!  The color and combination of fibers used is beautiful.  The only thing that held me back from coming home with some was that my favorite skein was the lace and fingering weight and I just don’t love working with lace.  I think I just don’t see the results fast enough and it feels fiddly to me.  I think I’m just a lazy knitter…. (Ed. Note – Maybe just slow??!?!?!?)

The other yarn they claim as local is Apothefaery Fabrications and is actually from Northwest Arkansas.  I don’t remember seeing this yarn in Arkansas but will be doing some research to see who else carries it.  This yarn had some sock sets called Middle of the Road Socks that I loved!  The main skein was variegated and there was a mini skein to incorporate into the pattern.  I came home with this one called Garden Party! (Ed. Note – OMG, woman!!!  WTH?!?!?!)

As I was getting ready to check out, I admired a sample cowl knitted in chunky weight yarn in a mustard color.  It was called Modern Spire and had a large chevron type texture to it.  When I commented on the sample, Trish told me the cowl was designed by Em!  I purchased the pattern and she very kindly added it to my Ravelry library and printed out a copy for me.

We chatted quite a bit (I was the only one in the shop that night) and I told them about my travels to yarn shops.  They were a lot of fun to visit with.  There was a seating area in the second room and they have a social night on Thursdays – wish I could’ve joined them but I’m missing the hubs and my pups!  Glad to be on my way home but happy that I was able to take my little side visit!