LYS and latest project

Yesterday, I met up with two fellow yarnies from our CGOA Chapter. We met at Starbucks, and after fortifying ourselves with Peppermint Mochas and Cranberry Bliss bars, we piled into my van and I drove to our local yarn shop (lys). This shop requires a trip "over the river and through the woods". No, that's grandma's house. But we do have to get on the back roads, drive through the farm land, then through the golf course, and up the side of the mountain.
I didn't need any new yarn, but then it's not usually a matter of need! I recently bought some boucle online at $2 per ball (to be used for Shawl Ministry). And bought some Simply Soft for a baby afghan design, and several skeins of Red Heart for swatching and Warm Up America squares. So, instead of starting with the yarn I started with books and patterns. Do I really need more of those? I fell in love with a new book of afghan patterns, though. Wait, all the patterns were knitted! Somehow I felt the designs and colors were inspiring, and found several stitch patterns that I wanted to try in knitting, just so that I could then try them in Tunisian! It was 50 percent off with any purchase! And I did have a $5 gift certificate, I had to do some looking at yarns, also. I looked, touched, got ideas,...all touching is done with the help of my personal "woolie boolie". This personal assistant reads labels, verifies wool or no wool, and tells me whether I can touch them safely. Remember, I was the designated driver. If I touch the wool and the eyes start itching and watering, and the nose starts running; who's going to drive us home?
I then discovered some yummy baby yarns, I do need to make a layette for a spring baby. I selected a Peter Pan in white with pink, blue, yellow, green, peach, and lilac. I also liked the Plymouth Dreambaby Kokonut. I bought two different balls of that to make little hats for charity. I just showed it to daughter #1, she said "it reminds me of that colored coconut", then I showed her the label.
Today I looked through several books and my 3-ring binder of baby patterns and selected a pattern for a sweater and hat that's very gender-neutral. I wanted a pattern that also had booties and a blanket, but most were too girly. That's okay if the baby turns out to be a girl, but at this point I don't know. I figured that I can either find a bootie pattern (I definitely have plenty of those), or that I can adjust so that it goes with the sweater. I started on the sweater while watching tv, and I've completed the body, left front and most of the back. Really good start. I may move on to the hat and booties before doing the button band, because I'd like to pick out the buttons first, and then make the buttonholes to fit the buttons. Tomorrow's weather doesn't look promising for a short trip out to look for buttons. Hmmm, maybe an internet search for fun buttons.