Going "down-the-shore" :-)

Anyone who has grown up in New Jersey knows the phrase "down-the-shore". It means the beaches in NJ from Sandy Hook to Cape May...depending on where you land your blanket in the sun. For me, "down-the-shore" is the Long Branch - Asbury Park area which is where I spent my teenage and young adult years.

Tonight I will take the train to see my friends Diane & Pat (below L-R: Diane, Pat, me):



We worked together many (MANY!!!) years ago and still get together several times each year. The best part of that is the time just melts away and it's like we've seen each other yesterday. I'm psyched...got my knitting all packed and will leave on the train after dinner tonight.

Wednesday will be "girls day" on the beach (pray for nice weather) and then dinner. After that, I will go to my StepDad's and help him prepare for the weekend...we are having a party for his 85th birthday at a local restaurant and we need to straighten up before folks come back to the house after the party. Peter will drive down on Friday and then the party is Sunday...30 people!!! Oi Vay...

Will post more after the weekend...hugs to anyone who reads this :-)

Neck Cozies across the country

Neck Cozies make really good car knitting! I made eight of them while Peter and I were driving from New York to Idaho! I gave three away while we were in Idaho...and the five in the picture are gifts for people at home.



What is a Neck Cozy??? It goes over your head and sits around your neck as an alternative to a scarf. I was looking through a knitting book in the library and saw a neck cozy project that gave me the idea. Then I just used two different stitches...feather and fan for the scalloped "female" version and K2, P2 rib for the more tailored "male" version.

When I brought them to the Starbucks Knit Night Out, I promised to post the pattern on the blog, so here it is:

Materials: One skein of worsted weight yarn (about 200 yards)
Size 8 - 16" circular needle
One stitch marker

Gauge: 4 or 4.5 stitches to the inch

Cast on 84 stitches. Join and place marker (be careful not to twist the stitches).
If you are working the K2, P2 version, just do that until it measures 8 or 9 inches and then bind off in pattern. Weave in loose ends.

For the Feather and fan version work as follows:

Row 1: KNIT all stitches

Row 2: (K2 TOG) two times; ** (YO, K1) 4 times, (K2 TOG) 4 times; REPEAT from ** until the last 8 stitches; (YO, K1) 4 times, (K2 TOG) 2 times.

Row 3: PURL all stitches

Row 4: KNIT all stitches

Repeat rows 1-4 until it measures 8-9 inches. End with row 4 and then bind off. Weave in loose ends.

Isabel's in Ketchum, Idaho

I want to show you one of my favorite yarn shops...Isabel's Needlepoint in Ketchum, Idaho. Idaho??? Yes, that's where my Dad lives. You may be more familiar with Ketchum as the home of the Sun Valley Ski Area (Mt. Baldy)...and I do get out on the mountain in the winter, however Dad is a MUCH better skiier than I am so we ride the chair together but don't actually ski together. But, I digress...

Isabel's is a beautiful yarn shop, located on the upper level of a retail building in downtown Ketchum (below - Isabel's is the top right side).


When you walk in , this is what you see (double-click on the pictures to see larger images):

What a feast for the eyes...gorgeous colors and beautiful yarns. The people who own and work at Isabel's are friendly and helpful. You can sit down at a big round table and knit or chat...or get right down on the floor and browse books or notebooks full of patterns.

If you are ever in Idaho...look them up!