KNiT, PURL, KNiT, PURL

My sister and I have decided to take on a new knitting challenge. Socks. We decided to head on down to her local yarn store (along with Mimi, much to Violets delight) to get the scoop. Yarns Ewenique is a quaint shop that was filled with women (and men), clicking their sticks. They had a great array of yarns, books, and pure energy.

The ladies that helped us, recommended using two sets of needles and working on both socks at the same time. We picked up a couple of sets of Crystal Palace needles. I swear these are the Cadillac of needles. We decided to acquire our yarn at Jo-Anns for our test pair. You can bet as sure as I get this whole thing down I will be returning to Yarns Ewenique for some of that sumptuous hand painted yarn. Ohhh la la.

Last night we has our first session and got our stitches cast on and a few rows knit. I love sitting with her and knitting. I am going to miss her terribly.... gulp.

Today I was perusing my fav Soule Mama blog and she recommended this sock "recipe" which I will have to try out in the future. Check out her completed socks!!!

"Knitting is very conducive to thought. It is nice to knit a while, put down the needles, write a while, then take up the sock again. "

~Dorothy Day

HOCUS POCUS

" Oh fruit loved of boyhood!—the old days recalling,
When wood-grapes were purpling and brown nuts
were falling!When wild, ugly faces we carved in its skin,
Glaring out through the dark with a candle within!"

- John Greenleaf Whittier

Violet and I are in Fort Worth visiting my family. We came down to set up the Hollow Earth Swordworks Shoppe at the Texas Renaissance Festival , which opened last weekend. It opened last weekend. Kalin dropped us off and zoomed back to Arkansas to make more stock.

It is always so lovely to be here in the presence of my family. Violet has really been making connections with them which I cherish.



In the midst of the visit, we did a little spooky pumpkin carving out on my sister's patio. It was great fun. Violet and I read the Plumply, Dumply, Pumpkin, so that she could get some good ideas. I gave her a black jumbo crayon and let her design the Jack-O'Lantern face.






I cut the top off and let her scoop out the insides. She insisted on using her Aunt Lizzie's kitchen spoon because the insides where "ooey, yucky, slimy." I told her "Hey that used to be my favorite part. It is half of the fun." but was not having any of it. Oh well, to each they're own. Right!




Her pumpkin face turned out really good. We were all impressed. Elizabeth carved an awesome scull face on hers



Mel broke out the drill, and made a polka dotted Jack O'Lantern. She definitely gets the award for being most prepared with all of the proper tools. My favorite was the pointy potato peeler thing which was great for shading.

We topped the evening off with Penelope, one of my all time favorite movies.


Great fun girls!!!!!