Festival Envy and New Gadgets!

Never having been to any sort of fiber festival, I suppose I'm not really *bitter* because I don't really know what I'm missing......but when I read about the anticipation on many knitting blogs, I do really wish I was there! The camaraderie of the knitting community never ceases to amaze me and to be at the festival and meet, in person, all the authors of the many, many words of wisdom, comfort and friendship that I've shared over the last 2 years does leave me with a twinge of envy. The cute sheep and the lovely yarn would just be icing on the cake! So have fun, knit buds and take lots of pics to share for those of us left to hold down the fort!

Now I may not be at MDS&W but I do have these:

FOUR of the highly prized PINK Chibi needle holders!!!! Quite envy worthy, wouldn't you say? :)

New Knitting Gadgets!!

LOOK!! Stitch markers on steroids!! These are some of my favorite knit "gadgets". They are "Locking Ring Markers" and are made by Clover.

I use the little ones all the time...to mark inches, decreases/increases, midpoints for accurate measurement, ect. but my favorite use is as stitch holders! I use them to hold my toe stitches in socks when I do a 3 needle bind off instead of kitchener stitch because I have to take the stitches off the needles and turn the sock inside out. I also use them to hold my raglan sleeve stitches awaiting joining for the neck -- they are great because they are washable!! I can wash/block my sleeves prior to seaming but don't have to worry about the stitch holders rusting! Imagine my excitement when I found these giant ones! They are new from Clover, made for use with larger needles, up to size 35 I think!! I got mine at www.Patternworks.com and they are great for all the same uses as the small ones but they hold more stitches :)

One more pic to close with....close up of Pumpkin with his cone! He's missing MDS&W too, can't you tell?