Ride Safe Melanie

My riding buddy, Melanie made an overnight pit stop at my house before heading out of town for the weekend with her sister. They are both beautiful, strong, independent women. Two hot babes running wild and free.....ride safe Melanie and I hope you stay dry!

A Bunting for Jennifer

My administrative assistant at work, Jennifer, is expecting a baby girl next month. I find it funny that she comes walking around the corner and you see all belly before she rounds the corner. She's absolutely adorable pregnant with a cute waddle. I completed it just in time for her shower this Sunday. This bunting with legs pattern by Plymouth is totally functional with two ways to button it. Fits newborn to 6 months from 3 skeins of Plymouth Encore.

Riding Destination: Sturgis, SD

We left Wyoming on Friday to spend Saturday at the Sturgis Rally. It's hard for me to describe my fascination with the annual rally in Sturgis. It's a homecoming and familiar destination with many great memories made over the past nine years we've attended. The unpredictability of the elements and riding in the Black Hills always keeps things interesting. Then there's all the bikes and people on center stage on Main Street to watch. The trip ended with a bang (literally) when my tire went flat 200 miles from home. I guess if things are going to go bad, it might as well happen on the last day. A friend came to the rescue with a trailer and we finally made it home Monday morning at 4:30 a.m. Sure was hard to make it in to work that day.

Riding Destination: Jackson Hole, WY

Husband and I took off on a 9 day, 3,500 mile motorcycle road trip with our first stop in Cheyenne and on to Jackson Hole the following day. (We had rode to Yellowstone a few years ago but never made it down to see the Teton Mountains). The moment was right and I ended up having a few too many Corona's while sitting in the saddle at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar during our one night's stay in Jackson. We rode through the Teton Grand National Park and stayed 4 nights at Togwotee Mountain Lodge. They provided us with a guided trail ride, chuckwagon dinners and a float trip where we saw bald eagles, elk, beavers and a moose! We had a view of the Tetons from our cabin window -- it was awesome.


Knitting Confession: I deliberately did not take ANYTHING knitting related on this trip but halfway through the week (like a true junkie) I suffered from a severe knitting withdraw and we had to make an emergency trip to Knit on Pearl to get me what husband called "a project" so he could have some napping peace. An easy sock pattern, dpn's and fingering yarn helped this city girl to slow down, relax and enjoy the cool mountain air.

Thank You Mason Dixon

I was absolutely thrilled to receive my Amazon box last week that contained my Mason Dixon Knitting book. I actually bought two, one for myself and my friend, Celi for her birthday. The front cover of the book says it all, "Created for knitters everywhere who share the give 'em hell spirit of just picking up the needles and making stuff." After curiously watching Jackie knit a log cabin blanket for her children out of cheap 'ol Sugar and Cream cotton yarn ($1.27 a skein when not on sale at Hobby Lobby), I was intrigued to make my own creation of some kind. I've opted for the Moderne Log Cabin Blanket and substituted Sugar and Cream in colors to match my western spare bedroom. This is what I have accomplished after 17 hours of knitting. Thank you Mason Dixon for helping a yarn snob overcome her fears of cheap yarn....it's working out beautifully!

A Flock of Sheep

Before Felting







After Felting

I'd seen the Fiber Trends A Felt Flock pattern many times before but didn't give it much thought until I saw a sample of two felted wool sheep displayed at The Needle Niche in Joplin, MO. They were adorable and I was determined to make my own flock to decorate my knitting space and show my love of fiber. Sheep can be any size so any weight of yarn can be used. Mine are shown in worsted and chunky wool/alpaca. Wouldn't it be cool to shear your own sheep, spin it, dye it, and knit something fabulous? This is as close as I'm going to get to having my own flock.

A Shower Gift for Allison

My KIP friends, Lia and Jackie had a baby shower for Allison. I had aspirations to knit a baby blanket but didn't start in time for the shower so last week I made up this easy pieced teddy bear in alpaca from Simple Knits for Cherished Babies. This morning before the shower, I made up the booties. I always seem to work better under pressure. We had a great time with baby games, gifts and then painted and decorated wood picture frames for Allison's baby room.

Loops Yarn Store

Just when I thought I had already found THE best yarn shop in Oklahoma, I found Loops in Tulsa. It's tucked into Utica Square with shops like Ann Taylor and Saks. It was a breath of fresh air busy with knitters and filled with mannequins sporting beautiful, inspiring hand knitted sample garments. Found they had yarns and patterns hard to find in these parts by Suss and Alchemy. An added touch, the owner, Shelley and her staff are very helpful and friendly. It's really the knitting "boutique-like" shop I crave and well worth a trip to Tulsa. Can you say, "Road trip, ladies???"

Blue Sky Fitted Tank

I chose to substitute Blue Sky Alpaca's Dyed Cotton with this Goldenrod Mission Falls 1824 cotton because it matched the leather trim on my new handbag perfectly. Who in their right mind knits a sweater to match their handbag??? Anyways, the Fitted Tank pattern by Alison Williams was a breeze to knit up with an easy pickup/bind-off finishing edge around the neckline and armholes.

B&D Tickets

"Ahoooo - Play Something Country!!" I'm so excited. Just ordered 2 tickets to this year's Brooks & Dunn concert in Oklahoma City. It's been years since they've come to Wichita. Last year, husband took me to see them in Dallas. This year they are playing in OKC on my mom's birthday in August-- and we'll be there!!!

Okay, so I'll admit it, this is pretty redneck. I actually have a cookbook for Beer Can Chicken. Don't laugh, it's actually pretty good and makes the chicken really moist. I went to fire up the Weber and found I was out of propane so I had to resort the roasting in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. (You can also use a can of Coca-Cola).

Fish On!

We have a group of family friends who get together at 6:00 a.m. on a given weekend day for breakfast and then we all head out for a low spot in the lake at Marion Resevoir. Whenever we have a fish hit our lines, we yell, "Fish On".... I wish I could take the credit for this catch of white bass and wipers from this morning, but my dad gets all the credit. I didn't get one bite, but it was exciting holding the net and bringing these in. After we cleaned them, our catch will be enough to feed me and husband for 5 meals. I sprinkle with Creole seasoning, coarse black pepper, lemon juice and then grill in foil. It's delicious.

Dream Swatch Head Wrap

Wendy Bernard's Knit and Tonic is one of my favorite sites and I was thrilled when my KIP bud, Jackie wore her completed Dream Swatch one day to one of our get togethers. (She looks fabulous in headbands). So, like many of her projects, I just had to copy her and make one up for myself. It was quick to knit up with a full skein of Koigu on #5 needles.

A Week at Table Rock

My darling neice Amy has been staying at the family camper set up in Table Rock for the summer before moving to Chicago to get her doctorate. I decided to take a week off and lounge around with her but we didn't end up doing much lounging -- we were on the go constantly. We spent a day jet skiing to Beaver Lake and sunbathing. Then spent another day at Silver Dollar City riding the amusement rides.

Went to Eureka Springs and canoed down the Kings River where I was amazed at the size of trout all around us just begging to be caught. We had a little adversity with the low spots where we had to carry the canoe and the strong storm that blew up on us at the end of our float but the adventure turned out to be one of the best highlights of our trip.

Spent a day fishing off the rocks in Golden where I caught a huge catfish. (I was actually knitting my Fixation socks while holding my rod in my lap and didn't even know I had this bad boy on the line!!) Why yes, that's a new rod and reel I bought at the new Bass Pro shop in Branson.










Went boating with the rest of the family who came down over the weekend. It was so hard to leave and come back home to the real world. Make's me really excited to think about the possibility of moving to a place like this at retirement.

Table Rock Socks

Completed these Cascade Fixation Ankle Socks during the early mornings and fishing time in Table Rock. I wasn't used to the elastic in this yarn so I had to start over 3 times, finally settling on a 42 cast-on to fit my foot. The support from the elastic makes them feel good on your feet and the Knit-A-Long blog is a lot of fun.

No Keepers

Dad and I went trolling all morning at Marion Lake on Father's Day. We each caught a white bass but no keepers. We blamed our fishing slump on the heavy algae bloom.

Reconstructed Denim Skirt

Do-It-Yourself reconstructed clothing is hot. I was drawn to reconstructed skirts at a Levi store in Chicago for $50 bucks and said to myself.....I can make that. My version is a low-waisted pair of $5 Levi jeans from the DAV. Pulled apart the inside seams, laid them flat and inserted a leg from another pair of old jeans and voila ... a comfy denim skirt.

Tip: Be sure to use a heavy denim thread and needle in your machine.

Softy Cocoon

It's taken me awhile but I finally completed the Berroco Softy Cocoon Jacket kit I purchased at Wool Connection last March. It's the latest shape in wraps knitted in an easy rectangle in mistake rib (knit 2 purl 2 over odd # of sts).

Tornado (Big Dog) Rally

It was estimated 25,000-30,000 attended the second Big Dog Tornado Rally in downtown Wichita this weekend. It was so much better this year with more vendors, bands and bike parking. Eddie Money put on a great performance Saturday night with all his oldies (I saw him in concert in high school!). Our good friends at M&M Choppers had their dyno set up and made a ton of runs. Ride On Melanie & Dawn!

Summer Skirt

This cotton skirt from Mac & Me was in the round, mindless knitting that worked up easily in two days. Substituted Bernat CottonTots for Blue Sky Alpaca. Sewed in four elastic thread rows at top of waist after completed. Also, added a few rib rows at hem to keep stockinette from rolling up.

Koigu Chicago Sock

There's a trend here where I name the socks by where they're completed. This one was done on my latest trip to Chicago. Used the Loopy Pattern from Knit Picks without the loops. Koigu is 100% merino wool but it's very silky and the most comfortable sock yarn I've come across so far.

One Magnificent Mile

The name says it all....magnificent! A one-mile shopper's paradise along Michigan Avenue. Following a day of classes, a coworker and I hoofed it to shops such as Bloomingdales, Saks, Chanel, and Harley Davidson. Sad thing is I didn't make it to any knit shops but I did purchase a LV handbag that I'll cherish for life. Later, the promoter of the seminar booked the House of Blues for all of us complete with buffet, drinks and a live 70's disco cover band and we danced the night away. It was a great, short trip and we fly back home in the morning.

Conference in Chicago

I'm here in the windy city for a training conference. I had some very wrong misconceptions about Chicago only being about subways and ghettos. We're staying at the Sheraton in downtown among the tall skyscrapers. After our meetings we walked down to the Navy Pier and along Lake Michigan.

New Mexico Inspired Socks

Picked up this Regia stretch Crazy Color yarn in New Mexico to take back with me as a reminder of my trip. The free pattern is Loopy Socks from Knit Picks.

Images from New Mexico

I wish I could live in an adobe house in Albuquerque and a have a rock garden and gaze upon the Sandia Mountains every day. More great, colorful images from New Mexico:

A Day in Santa Fe

It was sunny but cool (70s) and I got to wear my "Santa Fe" poncho to town. Today I gave mom her Mother's Day present - 3 hours of spa bliss at the Downtown Day Spa. I dropped her off and made my way to Needle's Eye where I purchased more Koigu yarn and a beret pattern. Feel in love with a pair of boots at Back at the Ranch but had to walk away -- reluctantly. They told me my all time favorite singer, Ronnie Dunn, comes into the shop at least once a month!

Later, we took a bus tour around town to learn the following from our tour guide about Santa Fe:

• Santa Fe means "Holy Faith"
• 5th largest state
• 148,000 population
• 230 art galleries

Around the Enchanted Circle

Drove from Santa Fe to Taos to check out LaLana Wools by the Plaza. Picked up a really pretty indigo dyed handspun but could only afford one skein so it will be reserved for a special project. The next destination was the 86-mile scenic byway circle connecting Taos, Red River, Eagle Nest and Angel Fire. Made many stops along the way for shopping and snapping mountain shots. My favorites include the Rio Grande Gorge and Spanish pottery roadside vendors. It was a full day and I'm already saddened we only have one more day left of our trip.

Old Town in Albuquerque, NM

Found the energy to get up early and run for 30 minutes on the treadmill at the hotel. We checked out and headed towards Village Wools. I was in sock heaven and purchased some much sought after Koigu yarn. It's going to make the most beautiful pair of socks. We spent the day shopping in Old Town and visited the Thunderbird Harley Davidson dealership then it was on to Santa Fe where we checked into our cozy casita at the Santa Fe Motel & Inn. Had the best ribs at the Cowgirl BBQ around the corner. It was fun to sit outside and watch the sun set on the mountains.

Santa Fe Bound

Wahoo! I'm on vacation. Loaded up the rental car and picked mom up for our Mother's Day getaway to New Mexico. After driving all day I was pleasantly surprised that the one thing I didn't factor into our itinerary was that we gain an hour in mountain time. That allowed us to check into our hotel in Albuquerque in the daylight and head for Hooter's for chicken wings, a Corona and a margarita for mom. Bless TJMaxx for always being open until 9:30 -- we fulfilled a late night shopping urge.

Riding Destination: Texas

Did you hear about the storms and tornados in Texas this weekend? Well, we rode through it for about 150 miles. I can deal with riding in a downpour but it's the cold that does me in and that's what it was like all weekend. Took a break in Amarillo where we always stop at the Tripp's HD dealership - the HOG group next door is always so gracious and invite us over for lunch. Spent a little time riding in Palo Duro Canyon (where it didn't rain) and attended a very good for the soul conference in Ceta Canyon.