Shopping with Carol in Wisconsin

Shopping with Carol in Wisconsin - what an experience! Dinner that first night was with some folks from the Midwest Masters at a truly Wisonsin restaurant. Fried cheese curds, anyone? Then Carol and I sat and knitted while getting to meet Carol and Denny's daughter Kelley and SIL Dan and their two lovely girls and exuberant puppy. The next day it was on to shopping. Between the four shops we saw on our way from Appleton to Madison and the four shops and Blackberry Ridge Mill in and around Madison we hit 9 yarn-acquisition stops in 32 hours. No, we didn't buy something at each stop. No pictures at Iris in Appleton - but we both bought yarn for the lacy shawl collared sweater in the current Knitters. Both had to be ordered, so no pictures. I also got 6 balls of Rowan Linen Drape - couldn't resist the sale corner - but it's not enough to do anything with. I'll have to do a search for more but since it's been discontinued this might be a challenge. Then out to Yarns by Design in Neenah. They were almost cleaned out by the Midwest Masters shoppers but I managed two buys - Lorna's Laces sport in Mindshaft, a color way I've not seen and 900 yds. of Dream in Color sock wt. in Beach Fog (even if I didn't love the color given where I live that was a must buy). A shawl? A baby blanket?

Then off to The Knitting Room in Fond du Lac - we both bought the new Filatura Di Crosa book for summer. And I scored another batch of yarn with insufficient yardage - a mystery blend that looks like a Monet painting.


Then off to Prairie Junction in Sun Prairie, where we were told we missed the sale by one day (why tell us that?) where Carol found more of the mystery Monet and now I have enough to do a long sleeve something. Carol got caught up in some Silk Garden for a shawl pattern.

Then on to New Glarus where we met up with Ruth and some cows:



While Ruth drove, Carol and I got to browse through the pattern books Ruth had stacked up for us. I got Vermont Fiber's twin set http://www.vermontfiberdesigns.com/patterns/women/107.php

Off to shop some more - first at Sow's Ear in Verona where I me Amy (not Detjen), also going to Meg's. Had a nice sit down in rocking chairs to knit a while.


Then off to a shop in a house (the name escapes me) where Carol and I had a tussle over a skein of merino lace weight Cherry Tree Hill in "Green Mountain Meadows".


I promptly ripped out the shawl I had just started, to cast on with this beauty. 2400 yards - enough to share if Carol's still interested!

Lakeside Fibers in Madison was the nicest place to sit and visit - with a large coffee shop in the back, lots of natural light, and a deck. Carol scored a lovely basket (furniture, not yarn) and I resisted more Dream in Color.



Our final stop was Blackberry Ridge. I resisted the Hazel Carter patterns - how could I explain a christening gown?- but didn't resist some wool/silk sport wt for the Lady of the Forrest in English Garden and some all wool sport wt. for a Vermont Fiber pattern from among the books Ruth stocked in her car for us to check out, while she drove us all over southern Wisconsin.

Finally, dinner at The Dining Room in Monticello was scrumptious and Ruth's treat. We ordered a lovely 2003 Merlot from Duckhorn which paired nicely with the quail stuffed with chorizo. We got to say a brief hello and thank you to Ruth's daughter Jane. After a farewell to Ruth I had to reorganize my luggage to fit all the yarn. And I still hadn't been to SchoolHouse Press!

Here is some of my new stash: starting at the top and working clockwise:
lace weight Cherry Tree Hill, Rowan Linen Drape, sock weight Dream in Color, Blackberry Ridge English Garden silk/wool, and Blackberry Ridge sport wt. Burgundy.



Then on Thursday morning I left Carol and Denny for Marshfield and Meg at my next adventure.