A Day Trip of Knitting Adventures!

I have had the most marvelous day! I spent the day with traveling to various yarn shops, fiber shops and a craft store with my friend Elizabeth. It was a very full day and I'm absolutely exhausted....but definitely, in a good way! the weather was absolutely perfect - sunny and gorgeous - no humidity!!! I met Elizabeth's fabulous dog, Whipper, and of course, have the "cute animal" photo that goes along with it. Whipper is such a sweetie and definitely enjoys being in the "limelight"!

We started out in Gordonsville at Limerick Fibres. We arrived a bit early, so while we were waiting, I opened a fabulous "treasure pack" of birthday goodies (I just love it when you can extend birthday celebrations over a matter of weeks!). I could not believe all the cool hedge hog items she found for me! The hedge hog "Point Markers" will be invaluable for holding the "cover sheet" in place for "marking" my place in my MS3 Stole chart! There's some fabulous "sheepie" mint scented bath gel, a tiny heart shaped hand lotion, a lambie scrunchie for my hair, and of course, the required sustenance....a yummy Dove bar. All of which was packed into the purple tote bag the goodies are resting on. Oh...she also visited a place call "The Black Lamb" and gave me some sample fibers from there - and they're not "small" samples - they're about .7 oz. each!

Limerick Fibres is a wonderful shop right down town in a quaint little town - I love the lacy curtains that hang in their window! They have not only yarns, but also some fibers, felting fibers, some small looms, baskets, rug hooking supplies (wool, frames, latch hooks, etc), and lots of other fabulous things that I've forgotten to mention. They also have multiple styles of the gorgeous Lantern Moon baskets that we all love!. Additionally, they have some gift items as well - knitting/spinning related plaques, 3D art works, and greeting cards. Of course, several patterns and some yarn "found" it's way into my bag. It was definitely worth the trip!

Next, we were off to Stony Mountain Fibers. The trip there was quite interesting. We turned off the main road onto "Turkey Sag Road" (gotta love the wild names that abound in central Virginia!). The drive was gorgeous - the scenery was astounding - fields, rolling hills, mountains in the background. Wow! We drove quite a ways down the road and then it suddenly becomes a gravel road....and narrows considerably. We drove through groves of trees....up and down hills...all the while, the road was constantly changing. It got narrower and wider, bumpier and smoother, and it even went from paved to gravel and back to paved again! Suddenly, there's a meadow off to our right with some weeds with purple topped flowers (perhaps clover?) and we were surrounded by the hundreds of gorgeous butterflies that made these flowers their home! They were similar to the Monarchs, but were more of a yellow and black - oh were they beautiful! It was definitely an unexpected treat!

Shortly after turning left on Rt. 20 looking for Hammocks Gap (where Stony Mountain Fibers is located), we passed by Pinch Em Slyly Place (yet another "odd" road name - it's even listed in a website of unusual street names - Bewildering Boulevards). We finally found Hammocks Gap and arrived at Stony Mountain Fibers. I have visited Barbara (the owner) at the various fiber festivals (and of course, made several fibery purchases!), but I've never physically been to her shop. I was amazed at everything she had - yarn, books, dye, fiber (all kinds!), looms galore, spinning wheels galore, and every type of spinning/knitting/crocheting tool and supply you can imagine. Of course, I lusted over the Strauch carders once again. I will get one....eventually!

Oh, my....I found several interesting things that I just "had" to get! Including two very interesting new felting books that Barbara just got in! They have fabulous projects in both of the books...and being a bibliophile, I just couldn't resist: "Knit It Felt It" edited by Bobbie Matela and "Needle Felting by Hand or Machine" by Linda Turner Griepentrog and Pauline Wilde Richards. My favorite purchase today had to be the 1 1/2 lbs. of Cormo roving that's from Barbara's own sheep - she has 16 Cormo sheep. I just love "knowing" the sheep that I'm getting my fleece from - it makes it extra special!

Next, it was off to "Cheeseburger in Paradise" for a late lunch. I had a fabulous Cheddar Bacon Burger - and they had LIVE music - yes, live music on a Saturday afternoon! The musician was fabulous! He did such a good version of "Wasting Away in Margaritaville" that we thought it was a tape....until we heard people clapping! (I brought DH a couple of coasters, with our waiter's blessing, to commemorate the visit since he's such a Jimmy Buffet fan!) Here's an interesting fact - the restaurant chain was started in 2002 by Outback Steakhouse and Jimmy Buffet himself! Pretty cool, eh?

After re-energizing, we then visited "It's a Stitch" - a yarn shop I'd been to a few years ago when we went on a mini-vacation and toured around Charlottesville and Jefferson's home at Monticello - the yarn shop was literally in a shopping center right next to our hotel - much to DH's "horror! I must confess, too, that this is the shop where I purchased the Rowan Linen Drape yarn to make a Kim Hargreave's shell.....yes, the infamous "almost finished" shell that I've mentioned a few times - the back is done and so is most of the front - I just have the right side of the V neck to do (the left is done) and then the dreaded finishing - sewing it together and adding the crab stitch edging!

At "It's a Stitch", I managed to pick up a few patterns and tons of discounted yarn - they were having a fabulous sale on many of the yarns. Oh, my, the variety of yarns they carry! Whew! Also, while I was there, I happened to meet another person from my town! I'm 2 1/2 hrs. from home in a yarn shop....and yet, I met someone from "home" - what a small world! What are the odds? Needless to say, we've exchanged phone numbers and hope to get together and knit sometime soon!

The final stop was at Michael's Craft Store. It's not that I don't have a Michaels up here by me, but I've never been to one that had an "entry" on the first floor, but the actual shop was on the second floor! It was a bit unusual, so we just had to go there! It's quite a large shop with a bit more variety than my local one. I picked up several crating "necessities"....honest....they ARE "necessities"!

What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday!