What else can I stuff into my suitcase?

I have a huge suitcase and a carry on bag. I intend to smush my clothing and toiletries into the carry on, and to fill the big suitcase with the other items I need.

Like yarn.

I'm leaving at six in the morning on Friday.

I feel like I'm forgetting something.

What am I forgetting? What else do you think I need to bring?

Time to play!

For fun.

Because I'm silly and like games.

Because I often ask my husband ridiculous hypothetical questions that he hates to answer. (Would you rather live in a cave, never seeing the light of day until you were 150 years old, or would you rather live in a beautiful palace in the Alps and die when you're 75?)

Because it's Monday and we have one million skeins of yarn to ship today.

Because I'm still wearing my fuzzy pistachio green bathrobe and I have to be to work in 20 minutes.

For fun, OK? For fun.

What were your favorite children's books when you were growing up?

Maybe your faves will show up as a colorway name, you never know!

P.S. The answer to the poll in the post below this one is C.

See, you are smart.

I knew I liked you.

Question.

Which bear is best?

Answer: Black bear.

Question:

Now we shall see how smart you really are.

Choose wisely.

Oklahoma, OK!

I am super excited to be heading to Loops in Tulsa next week! If you haven't been to the new Loops South location, you must check it out.

I will be there on Saturday, October 2nd for a workshop and trunk show. The multi-media workshop will help take the intimidation factor out of knitting with hand dyed yarn -- you'll learn how yarn is dyed, how to match colorways to projects, and how to control (or encourage) color pooling.

The workshop is suitable for all ability levels -- if you're a new knitter or an old pro, you will leave having learned something new, I promise. The workshop comes with free yarn samples and has a Q & A session, where you can ask me the most pressing of questions, such as, 

"Did you know that you're tall?"

"How tall are you, anyway?"

"Are you in the Guinness Book of World Records?" and my personal favorite,

"Do you play basketball?"

Along with any yarn-related questions you've long been wondering. We'll also have time to practice some of the techniques we've covered, so please bring a pair of size 7 knitting needles. When you register, you also get early access to the trunk show -- before the store is even open.

And speaking of the trunk show, we're talking New.Fall.Collection. Carpe Yarnem colorways that you'll never see anywhere else. Plus lots of fun!

Space is very limited for the workshop, so it's time to get your registration in now. The trunk show doesn't require any sign ups, you can go to Loops South anytime between 10-5 on Saturday, October 2nd to scope out the goods.

More deets:

To register, you can email south@loopsknitting.com, or you can give Loops a jingle at 1-877-Loops-OK.

I cannot wait to see you!

P.S. Did I mention Fall Rainbow Mini Skeins? Did I?

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

When the leaves are just beginning to goldify...

When the mornings have the bite of a Honeycrisp apple...

When the geese take off from their night nests and form a V in the morning sky...

When the dewdrops take hours to evaporate from the blades of grass...

When the kayaks and canoes that pepper our ponds are stored for the long winter ahead...

This is when I get the urge to bust out the Christmas carols and the hot chocolate.

This is when I announce to the studio, "Just a little appetizer, you don't want to ruin your dinner!" when I'm turning on Dean Martin singing Marshmallow World in the Winter.

This is prime Christmas (and Hanukkah, and Solstice) knitting time. We still have enough time to make something, but it's time to get crackin'.

What are you making this year?

I would tell you, but the intended recipient will read this, and the surprise will be spoiled. That's one of the problems of having a blog.

People read it.

And then they know everything about you.

Let me live vicariously through you -- what are you knitting for the holidays?

P.S. Minnesota trivia tidbit of the day: Honeycrisp apples were developed by the University of Minnesota. Naturally, they are the best apples ever.