"Indiana Wants Me..."

On Saturday, I attended the Knitters’ Fair at Bingemans in Kitchener - Waterloo. I found the people selling the Addi Turbos for $12 (as opposed to $18 and up) and bought Valerie the 32" 2.5mm circular needle she wanted. I also got myself a 5mm 32" circular and at another booth some 5mm Clover bamboo dpns. I also bought a 2.5mm 32" Hiya Hiya circular needle as I have read so much about them.

I was looking for Noro Kureyon yarn for the Stained Glass Fan Felted purse. It required 6 skeins from different colourways. I spent the whole time looking and finally just minutes before I had to meet Skip, I found someone who had a variety of the Kureyon yarn. I had not found anyone selling the Noro yarn so was thrilled to find it. Unfortunately they didn’t have any black worsted wool so I’ll have to pick it up on my travels. I also saw Stephanie (The Yarn Harlot) Pearl-McPhee with her entourage. They were beside me when I was buying the Philosopher's Wool DVD.

After lunch we drove to Petrolia and visited with my sister, Valerie. She prepared a lovely roast beast beef dinner with steamed veggies and new potatoes. We stayed in the guest suite - ‘Sleepy Hollow’ - in her building; very comfortable accommodations.

Sunday morning we got up bright and early and headed for the border. Even at 8:30am there was a lineup for Customs on the US side. After getting through, we drove to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. We then headed west on I-69 and at 3:30pm (with a stop for lunch en route) arrived at our host’s home in Chesterfield, IN. Todd and Shingo were there to meet us as well as Todd’s mom, JoAnn and her husband, Jack.

I knit most of the leg of the second monkey sock during the drive today and have turned the heel and am now working on the gusset - decreasing to do the foot.

Todd and Shingo were presented with their custom knitted socks. I know they can make good use of them on those chilly nights in Japan. They don’t have central heating and normally do not wear shoes in the house so nice, warm, woolly socks will keep their feet quite toasty.

Yesterday we had a leisurely morning. Then we headed to Muncie so Skip could go to a sports discount store - Dunham’s and I could go to Danner’s - a yarn shop. Danner’s was closed so I went to Hobby Lobby and found the worsted black yarn I needed. I then went to JoAnn’s Fabrics to look at their knitting inventory. There was nothing that appealed to me. We got back in time to see the season opener of the Oprah show featuring David Letterman. Todd and Shingo prepared a lovely steak dinner with baked potatoes and corn on the cob.

After dinner I watched the “Philosopher’s Wool” DVD that I had purchased at the Knitters’ Fair. It clearly explained the two-handed Fair Isle technique.

Today we headed to Carmel, IN a northern suburb of Indianapolis. First, we ate at Romano’s Macaroni Grill. Then we went to Borders (a Chapters-type bookstore). I bought Elizabeth Zimmermann’s “Knitting Without Tears” . Then we went to Golf Galaxy and Golfsmith and dropped Skip off . Todd, Shingo and I went to Half-Price Books where I bought a used copy of “Knitting Lessons - tales from the knitting path” by Lela Nargi and Iris Schreier’s “Modular Knits”.

After that, we went to CompUSA where I bought a gel case for my iPod with an armband and the iSongBook Tivoli Audio system. It has an AM/FM radio and docking station for my iPod, clock radio and alarm.

Whilst at CompUSA in the iPod department, Shingo and I checked our e-mail. Sent a few replies. Then Skip showed up and checked his. After that, we went to a SuperTarget store near Fishers, IN off I-69 at exit 5.

When we were first getting off the interstate we noticed that the flags were at half-mast. Later we noticed people with flags and wreaths on some of the overpasses. Of course! It is September 11 - the 6th anniversary of the terrorist attack in the United States.