Saturday I had to get out and definitely partake in my favorite LYS having their 3 year anniversary sale. All yarn 20% off!

Before I could leave I needed to decide if I even needed more yarn....well heck! Who really "needs" yarn?? LOL
Plus I had already gone way over my yarn "budget" for the month. Including just purchasing Denise needles last week at my fav LYS. They are FABULOUS! http://www.knitdenise.com/ and an absolutely must have for any knitter!

So back on the decision on buying yarn. I really don't like "having a stash" and prefer to buy yarn with a future project in mind or that I will actually be using in a relative short period of time. I figured since I have been recently bitten by the lizard bug from reading Anna's blog on the Lizard Ridge Afghan I could at least buy a few balls of Noro in advance since it calls for 20 balls!!! Here is the future project: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall06/PATTlizardridge.html
Isn't it beautiful!! This is definitely a long term thing and my goal is to have it completed by the fall when I can wrap up nice an cozy with it! :o)

Let me just take a moment to lust over Noro. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Noro. It is actually my first "fine yarn" (not AC Moore/Michael's/Hobby Lobby hahaha!) that I knitted with and love only b/c I used it to make my first gift for a guy I no longer date (*ugh - lets not dwell on the past!*). <----Okay just for a teeny moment. :op It was a very beautiful scarf out of Noro (creams, browns, and black colors - I think I actually have a pic of it still! I was so proud of it hence the pics). I had just really started knitting decently. I spent all my sweat, blood, and tears on that scarf during Christmas time and I guarantee you he probably never ever wore it....*stews in anger* and really wished I had given that scarf to my brother from the start! At least I would have a chance to see it! LOL

YAH!! I just found pics of that project. I had just learned how to make a border on a stockinette pattern and bought my 1st pair of Addi Turbos (now those needles are MAGIC!). So I really thought I was doing something & I was using NORO! Oh yeah! LOL

My first time blocking anything!












And here is a close up without it being blurry (I took this with a 35mm - yeah I know I am so behind on the times!)

































Isn't it just beautiful!! I LOVE NORO! :o)

Anytway - back to the present -
As I dragged myself from the house (almost didn't make it!) around 3PMish I made my way to the shop and got there well after the rush (thank goodness! I would not have been able to concentrate=no buying). And immediately went to buying my Noro.

The pattern for the Lizard Ridge calls for Noro Kureyon (don't ask me to pronounce that). Haha!
This yarn is 100% wool which = ROUGH! But will keep you very warm! I had decided instead to go with the Noro Silk Garden which is a bit softer made out of Silk (45%), KidMohair (45%) and Lamb's Wool (10%) plus it is very possible I could seam the blanket with this yarn vs. 100% wool which snaps and breaks very easily (discovered that during my 1st NORO project too).

My color selections were 3 balls of #251 which of course has PURPLE in it! :o)

It has hues of light gray, brown, maroon, pink, navy blue and deep purple. I am sure it will knit up very pretty! Here is a pick of the balls (of course this does not do the colors ANY justice!)















I plan to also mix the afghan with 2 other colorways: #241 and possibly #213 (both have purples in it) or I may just stick with 2 color codes...we will see I have some time for that.

This afghan will cost me a small fortune.....so I need to buy as I go! But thrilled I made my purchase to get started on my 1st square this week! Even discovered a KAL group thru Ms. Anna! :o) <-----Thx Gurl!

So after my purchase I knew I was going to hang out and knit at the shop (as I do from time to time!) and was binding off on that ruffle a.k.a potato chip scarf.

I was all excited about starting this project (which led me to buy the Denise needles with the long cords & for my Ms. Marigold - more about that later) and had been wanting to do it since last winter. I discovered that it was a very easy pattern of knit a row, increase f&B in EVERY stitch and then knit the next row....repeat! Until you have about 1,600 stitches......I stopped at about 800. :op I was SICK of the scarf and was running out of room on my knitting needles with no intention of getting a longer cord! LOL

As I complained about doing the scarf (which I will never do this scarf again!) over the past week and a half (again I don't knit everyday and I had to switch needles) I noticed while I was binding off that I was really liking it and it is CUTE!!!!
My last winter project for this season! :o) I won't be able to wear it until the fall time (at the earliest)! Haha! It was sunny and in the mid 80s here!
I used 1 ball of Yarn Bee 'Icelandic Jewels' in color 'black pearl' from Hobby Lobby all of $.50!!!! Now that is a steal!! I ended up buying 3 balls for $1.50 (sale/coupon/cashier error haha) and have no idea what I will be doing with the other balls (probably give them away), but I did have to break into the second ball slightly to finish binding off. If I didn't leave such a long tail (as I have a habit of doing ) then it would have been enough. Another pic of me in my very cute scarf that I now like! :o)

I am laughing in this pic (eyes closed & catch that beautiful set of Denise needles in the top left corner! :op) because there was a regular in the shop knitting with me - Jessica! That I made my impromptu photographer for the day. She is so sweet but kept pressing the wrong button and selecting something else. So we were giggling about how she did the first pic just fine, but couldn't seem to operate my crazy cell cam the second time go 'round! So 2,435 tries later :o) she finally got it and I told her I was going to talk about her on my blog! LOL So we had to take a pic together!






I cannot wait now until winter to rock this scarf!

She is great! Jessica just celebrated her 1 year of knitting and does waaaay more than me! She is an excellent knitter!

Y'all have a good week and don't forget to give me a shout in my cbox! :o)