Weekender

Ok Gals since this is the weekend I bet you will do a little shopping...Maybe?
If you do, and just happen to hit the LYS or shop on line, let us know what you bought!

To blog readers...please leave a comment! Thanks

I said I wouldn't get anymore yarn, but while at Michael's Friday with ME, getting fall floral stuff
[to change our decor and hopefully bring on some fall weather...cool/rain we need so badly.]
I did get some very Halloweeny color yarn for use in my paper art.
[+ Two other skeins to add to yarn for the critter scarf sales, which is a good excuse
and they were ON SALE ...don't those words make your heart glad! ...Only 1$ each.]

In my surfing for today's post, I found the most delightful pirate...[no darn it, not Johnny Depp]
I found: Ta Da!...

Barnacle Bill the Pirate, complete with parrot!
http://www.carascreations.biz/Caras_Creations_Blog.htm
Quite an undertaking and a lot of fun. Take a look on her blog!

Now, if you are making toys or other interesting projects, please tell us about them.

We also want to know the most ODD item you ever knit or crocheted?
[Mine were crocheted green snakes made with Aunt Lydia's Yarn...
that tells you it was eons ago, like about 40 at least.

I had such a nice time in Bend, OR ...knitting with the gals at the Senior Center, that I thought it would be fun to continue with this plan here in Mesa.
We have been getting excited about the group forming in November here in our community: Needle Crafts Circle.
Any sort of needle work will be neat to see.
We are planning a show and tell and refreshments and Ev has shopped for cake mixes, so we have things coming together. It will be a bit of nice companionable visiting and creating.
We will keep you updated.
If this gives you an idea for your friends and you want to "join us," in this sort of thing...be sure to let me know what you are planning for your area. If you already get together, what are you working on and how do you structure your meetings?

My latest critter sale scarf is about 1/2+ finished.
We had a crochet "tune up" session with Ev and Helen for our baby hats...as learners H and I frogged and started over! As we slowly did our rows for the band, Ev finished a hat and a whole band and I think H and I did about 4 inches. [Snarl!]

Enjoy your weekend and Happy Creating! [and shopping! ]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After chatting about cloths, I have seen a lot of good places for yarns and for patterns:

...here is a site with nice "Peaches & Cream" cotton yarn and a fall leaves ensemble "special" on a page to click to, on the site.
http://www.elmore-pisgah.com/index.htm
There is a "grab bag" section...looked fine and very inexpensive.

http://www.knittingonthenet.com/patterns/clothmiter.htm

http://knitted-kitty-creations.com
reasonably priced cloth patterns
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~More free-Bee's

http://tinyurl.com/2fdwhz
Knitting Daily free-bees
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For a Pal

Doggie's sweater
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall03/PATTpenny.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~See Arizona!
and More!
Nice page and it features some Arizona pics.
The free purse pattern is a cutie!
http://www.berroco.com/knitbits/knitbits_207_H.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Annie's Attic
for crochet addicts...Do you ever look on Annie's Attic for the Pattern of the Day?
Here is the link. She always has the neatest patterns!
http://www.anniesattic.com/free_pattern_day/index.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Getting ready for Christmas!
Slippers to...
~~knit
http://www.knitwits-heaven.com/pocket_book_slippers.htm
~~crochet
http://www.jpfun.com/patterns/free/wearables/f124002grannyslippers.shtml
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~On sale - on line
JAG's has a ton of new clearance fibers!!
http://www.jagsfunkyfibers.com/
Why Recycle? Recycling gives crafters the opportunity to work with the finest yarns at reasonable prices. My Fibers have been carefully hand selected from fine sweaters, thoroughly cleaned, and rewound into skeins. Because the yarn is minimally processed, it will be wavy. This will not affect the quality of hand or machine knitted items
[I made my last three scarves with Jag's yarn and Patti's...
my favorite way to use yarn is to mix it up!]
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't forget this site for very reasonable yarn prices and shipping. Get together with a friend to buy and it will save you a bunch! There is cotton yarn there too. I have some and it is good quality. All that I have from Smiley's has been great.
http://www.smileysyarns.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Knit Picks: another knit site with good prices
http://www.knitpicks.com/Yarns/Knitting+Yarn.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Helping Others
It is always interesting to talk about helping others and so when I saw this info on Talking Crochet page, I went there are decided you need to know this too! Look here and surf the site. It is a good one:
"Nice Things to Do"
We are always talking about helping others and so when I saw this info on Talking Crochet page
I went there are decided you need to know this too! Look here and surf the site.
It is a good one: http://www.nicethingstodo.net/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For Locals
Jessica Knits
10401 E. McDowell Mountain Ranch Road, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
There is a nice map on the site. http://www.jessicaknits.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Recipe for the weekend

We are eating meat, but cutting back, as much as possible with smaller servings.
This recipe seemed a good one for forgoing the meat for one or two meals.
[The leftovers will be nice saved for another day with just us two eating, as this serves 6]. Leftovers of this sort always taste really good the second time around and no slaving to make the meal.
I have a *spaghetti squash to substitute for the pasta, which would pare it down from the over 500 calories per serving.
~~
from good old Betty Crocker
Spaghetti and Spicy "Meatballs"
Vegetarian meatballs?
Who would have guessed?!
Enjoy classic *spaghetti with red sauce.
~~
Prep Time:25 min
Start to Finish:25 min
Makes:6 servings
~~
1 package (16 ounces) uncooked spaghetti
2 cups cooked white rice
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup Progresso® plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups spaghetti sauce
Shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired
1. Cook and drain spaghetti as directed on package.
2. In large bowl, mix rice, oats, onion, bread crumbs, milk, basil, oregano, red pepper and egg. Shape into 12 balls. Roll balls in wheat germ.
3. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook balls in oil about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown.
4. Heat spaghetti sauce until hot. Serve sauce and rice balls over spaghetti. Sprinkle with cheese.
>>Nutrition Information:
1 Serving: Calories 565 (Calories from Fat 90); Total Fat 10g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat ncg); Cholesterol 35mg; Sodium 470mg; Total Carbohydrate 107g (Dietary Fiber 7g, Sugars ncg); Protein 19g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 8%; Vitamin C 12%; Calcium 8%; Iron 32% Exchanges: 6 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 3 Vegetable Carbohydrate Choices: nc
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
>>Variation
Decrease the amount of ground red pepper for a milder version of this recipe.
Did You Know
These "meatballs" are rolled in a small amount of wheat germ to give them a golden brown color, bit of crunch and nutty flavor. Store wheat germ in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Gail's quotes
We know what happens to people who stay in the middle of the road.
They get run over.
Anuerin Bevan

Behold the turtle
He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out!
James B. Conant