There was so much going on this weekend in Chicago that my head almost exploded.

I went up to the local post office to drop off my usual Satuday packages, and what to my wondering eye appeared:

The Renegade Craft Fair lining Division St from my street all the way down to Damen Ave – about a 1/4 mile of booth after booth of the most incredible indie-crafted adornments, clothing, prints, and best of all, yarn…

One of my favorite people, hailing all the way from Birmingham, AL, was at the far end of the fair, in a booth packed with what I can only describe as DEE-licious yarn!

Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark, and her Kitchen Sink Dyeworks, were rockin’ the Renegade, assisted by the lovely Kristen Rengren and I knew when I had to wait to get in the booth, something special was going on.

Mercedes has a very fine-tuned sense of color, with subtlies to her work that set it apart from the crowd. I could picture in my mind almost everything in front of me as a garment or sock and that I didn’t walk away with the whole thing was only because I was on foot!

Here’s what I came away with (and believe me when I say my pictures don’t begin to do these justice):

On top, you see a gorgeous fingering weight Merino/Seacell blend in the Ren color, which is headed to the needles shortly to become an exciting new pattern.

On the bottom? A lustrous Merino, Bamboo & Nylon blend (color: Dexter) meant for some excellent luxury mid-winter pampering for my toes.

Best of all? Meeting up with Mercedes and Kristen, in the Wild, in my neighborhood, just so much fun! :)

  Monday Morning Mirth  
 

 
   

That’s right. First, they resurrected those hideous Hammer pants.
 
And now, and I apologize for yer Eyes, they’ve dug up what I can only call the worst looks from the 80′s!
 
Just repeat after me: “It’s Only a Movie, it’s Only a Movie…(and gawd forgive me for wearing which look?”

I’ve been on the road the past week or so, and o-BOY-o, am I ever glad to be home.

It’s funny how we get all sentimental about our very own portals, but yay, a man’s home IS their castle. And I think I’m going to hunker down for awhile.

Last week, I went up north to visit my Mom in Northern Michigan. I love seeing her and the area is just gorgeous this season. Labor Day is our family’s time for a casual reunion and we get together and go to the town parade and have a big lunch after.

This year was a little different though. Smack dab in the middle of a shower, the water went out in the house. I, with damp head and shivering limbs (it’s in the low 50′s in the mornings there and no, we don’t turn on the furnace until the nose “crisps”) was forced to investigate.

Well, I’ll admit it, I know know NOTHING about Country Living. Seems like, after about 10 guys visited us from the Church Sale across the way, the Well had run dry.

Now that in itself is not the deal breaker, but when you’re expecting over 20 people to show up for a meal, it is quite the kick in the pants. Luckily, I could go buy about 10 gallons of water to have on hand for you know, and the rest of the time folks could walk over to the Church for more “resting”.

And the most indecent part? It was a weekend AND a holiday so getting a pro to come over and have at it was just not going to happen. All is well back on path today — new well going to be drilled asap.

And again, the knitting kept me sane…

I’ve finished the entire body portion of my Mondo Cable Cardi and am well on my way to finishing the collar.

This time out, we have Cap Sleeves and a half-size neck finish. I am using half of the collar stitches to try out a band-like modification. (It uses the exact same instructions that the pattern gives but uses one-half of the number of sts given as cast-on for the collar only, for all sizes.)