Acquisitions.....

Besides some finished objects, I have a few acquisitions to share in this post.  I doubt there will be a long line of folks wanting to join in on my new items, but just the same.....I want to share!

First off, remember these chairs?

 I don't actually, but I am told they were commonly found in church basements, schools, fair ground buildings, that sort of thing.  I've been wanting one for the last several months.  Whenever spied in antique shops or flea markets, they were either too rickety and unsafe to sit on, or else I felt they were over-priced (usually the first scenario).  Well, on the drive back from Minnesota a couple of weeks ago, we ran into a neighborhood flea-market.  It was fun to walk thru the vendors, a small gathering of locals.  There were two of these chairs, being sold by a very nice pair of sisters.  This little chair was sturdy and in very good shape, and the price was terrific - only $10.  So....loaded her in the back of my hubbys' pick-up and away we went.  A little bit of wood cleaner, and I am very happy with my little folding spinning chair.  Very happy!  :)

This past weekend, we went to Wisconsin.  Had a great time - shopping, cheese tasting, museum visiting, fiber mill visiting, bargain diving at Duluth Trading Co. Outlet, touring a craft brewery...we crammed in a lot in a short time.  It was a nice little road trip.  We had been there a couple of years ago, and revisited some of our favorite locations.  First off was the Argyle Fiber Mill, where I picked up some nice wool/alpaca blends.  One skein has some llama in it also.  Fun yarns that will be knit in to uper-warm woolies!  I love her yarns.  Had a nice chat with the gal on duty at the mill that day too.

 Made a stop at The Cat and the Crow yarn shop, where a bought some miscellaneous tools and also this yarn:

So soft, and my colors...made better with a bit of tweed.  It's grey/brown.....not blue.  This may be a hitchiker if the yardage is correct.  I'm one of the few people who have never made that scarf.

And, stopped at a most delightful yarn shop in Dubuque, Iowa Yarn Soup.  The owner was just a delight.  I bought some miscellaneous this and thats - no yarn as such, but sure enjoyed the stop.  It's a relatively new shop - open only 2 years, but well worth a visit if you find yourself in the area.

October is a big birthday month around here - my hubbs, and also my daughter's are this month.  For my husband, I knit him a new pair of felted slippers, but have not felted them yet.  I need his feet present for frequent try-ons, and it's just not been convenient for us both yet.  I'm hoping they will shrink down to the correct size.  Felting is somewhat stressful for me.....never quite sure of the final results.

 They are knit out of double strands of Cascade 220.  My experience is that's a good felting wool.  Time will tell, I presume.

Another knitted gift was a pair of socks, in an Orange Opal yarn.  Orange is his favorite color, but I was a little apprehensive that they would be, well "TOO" orange.  But, he likes them (or it actually) as I had only one sock finished.

I worked on the 2nd sock on the way back and forth to Wisconsin this weekend.  Should be finished soon.  They are a pretty large sock - using the majority of two skeins of Opal, so I don't knit socks for him often.  He's worth it though.....

I finished these little mitts - will be gifted as soon as I can get to the post office. 

Fun knit, and I have plenty of yarn to make another pair - again to be gifted.  

Better hush for now.....fall is finally here.  It's been cold and getting colder around here.  All of my houseplants are back inside till spring, with the exception of the Christmas cacti.  I leave them out till after a very light frost, and then bring them in and within a week or so, they will be covered with buds.  Probably not the conventional or only way of getting them to bloom, but I accidentally discovered this method years ago, and it never seems to fail.  It looks like our first frost will be early this week.  I love cooler fall weather!