Knit Along: Winter Wonder Mittens - Day 3

Thumthing wicked this way comes...

It’s sitting there, tucked snugly inside the current mitten, mocking me.  The thumb.

Really, after mastering all this lovely patterned color-work, I should hardly be afraid of a thumb.  It’s what separates us from lower life forms, right?  Opposable thumbs?  The physiological distinction that enables me to hold my knitting needles while other adorable yet less evolved species like my dog must content themselves with scratching?  Of course I should be able to craft a suitable housing for my beloved thumb.

Yet, I have to wonder.  Why do they leave it to last?  Is it so difficult that we’d bail on the project if we tried it mid-stream?  The same reason why I believe God gives us the easy child first so that we’re duped into thinking we can handle more and then POW...the “challenging child” comes along? (I was that second challenging child, by the way, so I’ve earned the right to say that...).

I do have a few mittens where the thumbs came out dorky.  Too fat, too long specimens, inelegant reminders that small details make a big difference.  Still, I’m astounded how this element makes me fret.  It’s probably no mistake that I marked its location with red yarn.  A cautionary color.

All else is going well, however, so I will try to persist in optimism.  I will cary on. 

Knit Along: Winter Wonder Mittens - Day 2

The World Beyond Stripes

I feel so impressed with myself.  These are looking so nice, I want to stop people on the street and shout, “Look at what I made!  Look at me, knitting with a strand in each hand--each hand I tell you!”  Yes, I was a theater major in college, which means by definition I am a shameless attention hog.  Just in case you haven’t yet figured this out.

Mostly, I love the whole new world--intarsia, fair isle, color work, etc--that this new skill opens up.  A world beyond stripes is now my new horizon.  Normally, I would run from curly-cues, but I LOVE these.  The selection of patterned hats and mittens out there is endless--and now I can have at any one I want.  I feel like a kid in a candy store with Daddy’s platinum Visa.

It’s not only the fat selection, it’s my fattened toolbox.  The satisfaction of an important new skill.  And really, while your fingers tangle up at first even if you are a continental knitting veteran, it’s not that hard.  The vital dynamic here is not what you see, but what you don’t.  Success here is all in how you carry the yarn behind the work.  It’s got to be loose enough so that it doesn’t distort the pattern, but not so loose that you’ll snag on loops every time you put your hand into the mitten.  And the little twisty trick to carry yarn behind when you don’t use it for more than five stitches?  The one I learned taking a class at my local yarn shop?  I smirk every time I do it.

If you think this looks beyond your skills, dare yourself to give it a try.  The world needs more satisfied smirks.

Next, we make room for the thumb.

Winter Wonder Mittens from FiberWild! - Day 1

I have met the Alpacas who will warm my hands.  I love that.  It’s like the Michael Pollan of fiber...I’ve gone and traced my way back to the origins of my food cycle or something.  I know this fiber’s origin (or at least its friends--I can’t actually say for certain that I’ve met Grant and Washington, but I’ve chummed it up with their herd for sure).

At first I was sure this yarn would be too fine.  Who wants lacy mittens?  I always think mittens must be dense and sturdy, but these Winter Wonder Mittens have a delicate quality to them.  I had forgotten the extra layer colorwork creates by carrying the second color along behind the first.  And alpaca is very warm despite feeling very light and astoundingly soft.  I suspect once these are blocked, they’ll be quite snuggly.  Right now they are promising to be beautiful.

This is not television knitting.  Attention must be paid when working a pattern like this.  You need the little post-it note trick, keeping track of you rows and stitches.  It’s like lace work in that regard. I ended up blocking the pattern into 10-stitch quadrants and putting stitch markers every ten inches so that I was only checking 10 stitches at a time, not an entire row’s worth of non-repeating pattern.

I'm excited, and looking forward to the rest of this project.

News: DestiKNITions Ravelry Group!

This has been on my to-do list for months--and I finally got it done.  DestiKNITions is on Ravelry!  Come join the fun for discussions, locations suggestions, pattern links, and probably far too many cupcake references.  

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/destiknitions

GALENA, ILLINOIS - The Shopping & Lodging

And now for a little retail therapy...and the best getaway ever

If you’re like me, no decent getaway can be had without scoring some great shopping.  There are enough boutiques here to make a husband faint, or at the very least, run for the pub and tell you to phone him when you're done.  Yep, Galena is a premium girlfriend getaway location. A few of my favorites:

Fairy Tales Too

213 South Main Street

Galena, IL 61036-2226

815-777-3000

www.fairy-tales-inc.com

Full disclosure here, the owners are friends of mine.  But that doesn’t detract one bit from the charm of this place.  I’m not the gifty type, but I do love many of the clever things in the store.  And I’m pretty sure this is the tiny ceramic mice center of the universe.  Worth a look just for that.

Poopsies

402 S Main St

Galena, IL 61036

815-777-1999

www.poopsies.com

Clever gift store that even men think is okay.  No small feat.

Gabby’s Gifts

313 S. Main Street 

Galena, IL 61036

815-776-0001

www.gotitatgabbys.com

I was particularly struck with the wall art in this place.  A really nice collection along with witty gift fare.

A Clover on Main Spa
Slumber 

205 South Main Street

Galena, IL  60136

www.wildcloverdayspa.com
Man, I wish I’d thought of this!  Combining a pajama store with a spa...perfection!

Lulu’s

127 South Main Street
Galena, IL 61036
815-777-2555
I wanted almost every sweater and shoe in this store. And I’m stuck in orthodic inserts, so cute shoes are nearly impossible for me--but I can dream.

Peace of the Past

408 South Main Street

Galena, IL 61036

815-777-2738

www.peace-of-the-past.com

Nearly everyone in town sent me to this delightfully original book and antique store. It’s just packed with the kind of stuff you want to find on your getaway weekend.

The best place to knit in public?  In  Galena, this one’s a slam dunk, especially since it's both retail and food (well, beverage):  

Jamie’s Wine Studio

209 South Main Street

Galena, IL  61036

815-777-0207

www.jamieswinestudio.com

When you walk in, you’re likely to find Debra Clark knitting at the counter, so you’ll feel right at home.  The wine selection is stunning, the staff uber friendly even to wine-novices like myself, and the lovely sitting bar in the back looks out onto one of the most inventive rock gardens I’ve ever seen.

All shopped out?  Time to hang out with the alpacas.  Yes, you heard me, alpacas.

Sure, the town boasts a lovely array of Bed and Breakfast establishments, and you simply can’t go wrong no matter which you choose. But you may want to think outside the B&B box, because Galena’s other fiber-related establishment is definitely worth your time. Even my yarn-bored teenage son was fascinated with the prospect of staying at: 

Galena Log Cabin Getaway

9401 Hart John Road

Galena, IL 61036

815-777-4200

www.galenalogcabins.com

Where else can you stay in an upscale log cabin with alpacas out your front door?  Yes, this charming little resort clusters a small community of very comfortable log cabins around a herd of friendly alpacas.  This isn’t just the Galena Log Cabin Getaway, this is Adventure Creek Alpaca Farm.  This is the closest I ever intend to get to camping--TV, nice warm bed, jacuzzi bathtub, and quiet so thick you can cut it with a knife.  Most of the alpaca are named after presidents, so I gleefully purchased fleece from Washington and Grant to make my Winter Wonder mittens.  I love that I met the animals that will warm my hands next winter.  I expect I’ll grin like an idiot every time I wear these mittens, remembering my wonderful time here.  Ruth and Frank Netzel tend lovingly to their award-winning flock and are happy to show you around.

To sum up, you don’t really need my guidance to have a great time.  Galena's got you covered.  What are you waiting for?  Get on out here!

GALENA, ILLINOIS - The Food

Gastronomic Galena


Last episode I went on about Galena's fabulous yarn shop, FiberWild!  Today, we'll look at all that this charming town has to offer my other appetite...mainly, my appetite.  One of the things I like about Galena was the vast selection of places to eat.  Plain or pricey, American or foreign, upscale or down home, chances are you'll find it.  Here are my favorites:

Fritz and Frites

317 N. Main Street

Galena, IL

815-777-2004

www.fritzandfrites.com

When Sean and Amy from FiberWild! recommended it, I raised an inward eyebrow.   I wasn’t quite sure I’d like a French/German bistro.  The excellent service, the accordion music, the spectacular mushroom soup, and the lived-up-to-the-hype ham and greyre on pretzel bread sandwich won me over quickly.  The cheerful-quiet combination simply works, and you feel like you’re someone continental, wearing some clever silk scarf while discussing art.  I was there in winter, but in summer they’ll  pack you up a picnic lunch delivered to nearby Linmar Gardens for our own private picnic. I’m definitely coming back to do that!

Another restaurant on the casual-elegant side is:

One Eleven Main

111 N. Main Street

Galena, IL

815-777-8303

www.oneelevenmain.com

Yes, I totally get the local cuisine movement.  I like thoughtful cooking and artisan products.  But for me, here, it’s about the fries.  No, really.  Eat the fries.  They are the best I think I’ve ever tasted.  Everything else we had was good, but I will go to my grave remembering these fries.

Want to go way upscale?  Opt for:

Perry Street Brasserie

124 North Commerce Street

Galena, IL

815-777-3773

www.perrystreetbrasserie.com

I couldn’t get in because I didn’t have reservations.  Yep, it’s that good. But I’m coming back to try again, because more than one person told me about their signature desert, the Chocolate Cup.  According to their menu, it’s “A bowl of solid Swiss chocolate, filled with creamy dark and milk chocolate ganaches, topped with fresh whipped cream and drizzled with more chocolate. Enough for two to share.”  I have no plans to share nicely, so be warned.

Needing something more homey?  Opt for:

Fried Green Tomatoes

213 North Main Street

Galena, IL  61036

815-777-3938

www.friedgreen.com

Folks rave about the restaurant’s bread and rumor has it this is a good place to take an diverse bunch of appetites.  It’s one of those much-touted-some-love-and-some-hate kinds of places, and I always think those are worth a try.

Now, this is by no means a conclusive list, for a gal can only eat so many meals out in a weekend without...well, without having to buy a new pair of jeans for the long car ride home.  

Longtime DestiKNITers know that for me, no trip is ever sufficient adventure to me without coffee. It's a food group all it's own as far as I'm concerned.  Rest assured, I got to scratch my caffein itch while in town with two quality but distinct options:

Kaladi’s 925 Coffee Bar

309 S. Main Street

Galena, IL  60136

(815)-776-0723

Spacious yet cozy, this artsy place boasts not only a good cuppa, but some very fine freshly squeezed oj.  I wasn't that impressed with the baked goods, but the latte I had was excellent.

Rendezvous Coffee and Tea

112 N. Main Street

Galena, IL  60136

773-960-0488

www.rendezvousgalena.com

These days it’s hard to make a coffee joint stand out, but this charming, airy location does just that.  Very good baked goods, excellent coffee--but, yeah, lots of those things can be found in coffeebars.  What I love about this one is that the owner plays live music.  Right there, on his keyboard, while you’re sipping.  I loved it.

Now that we've covered food, what's next?  Shopping!  Stay tuned for some of my favorite stores and the most unusual lodgings I've even encountered!

GALENA, ILLINOIS

Ah, the drive-away weekend...

Icon of American recreation, those mini-breaks we all think we’ll get to but hardly ever manage.  For me, the ideal long weekend away consists of no more than a three hour drive, and there had better be chocolate, yarn, and coffee when I get there.

Yep, that’d be Galena, Illinois.

Even in chilly February, this is one of those postcard-perfect resort towns that is just busy enough to feel entertaining, just sleepy enough to feel relaxing.  From the moment you drive through the big green floodgates (which reminded me of the Emerald City for some reason), happiness beckons.

This Main Street looks like a main street, feels like a main street, and walks like a main street.  It’s marvelously simple on just about the perfect scale.  As such, there’s no real science to how you take the place in.  It’s just a matter of wandering and exploring.  So, I’m going to take a novel approach here and show you my favorites by type rather than a specific route.  And rather than hand you one long blog entry, I'm going to break it up into smaller, topical installments.

Starting, of course, with the yarn store:

FiberWild!

304 S. Main Street

Galena, IL  60136

815-777-3550 or 888-848-KNIT

www.FiberWild.com

How can you not love a store with an exclamation point?  This really thoughtful establishment boasts a massive inventory and a collection of exclusive kits that will amaze you.  Despite its tourism base, FiberWild! manages that instant community we all seek in a yarn store through go-the-extra-mile customer service and encouraging personal support.  While I was there, I watched co-owner Amy Loberg (she owns the store with her husband Sean but longtime fans will tell you store cat Scout probably rounds out the executive branch) nudge a reluctant knitter into her first entrelac.  Brilliant.  That’s the kind of store owner I like--one that encourages me to expand my skills.  

They’ve done a great job of replicating the store’s high-quality atmosphere in their on-line experience, too.  If you saw something and talked yourself out of it (the horror!), you’ll be able to go back and get in online for sure.  Something truly unique to FiberWild! is their selection of fine finished knitwear.  This isn’t only a yarn shop, this is a hand-knit apparel and accessories store.  Walking in to the shop virtually guarantees a case of the “gimmies,” even if you’ve just mastered the purl stitch.

Projects that caught my eye include:

Winter Wonder Cap and Mittens

You’re going to hear a bit more about the yarn I’m using to make these (they are one of our knit alongs), but Amy also suggests Classic Elite Yarn’s Fresco wool, alpaca, and angora mix.  FiberWild! sells these as a kit since Amy created the patterns, but the mitten pattern can be also downloaded free from the Classic Elite website. If you’re looking for a place to show off your mad colorwork skills (or an elegant place to learn them), these are for you.  Impressive, and sure to make fellow knitters bow to your superiority.

Want something a little more basic but with a local twist?  Opt for the Stockton Socks done up in locally produced Suzy the Shepherdess Yarn from neighboring Stockton.  Good husband, dad, or boyfriend knitting (but you know what they say...knitting your boyfriend something has jinxed many a relationship!).  Then again, it comes in women's sizes, and what woman doesn’t want cozy toes?

If you want to go for the gold, break out your ninja knitting skills and tackle what I’m going to tackle, the Arched Gusset Sock.  An exquisite design of Amy’s, this kit is the black diamond ski slope of knitting.  I’m more than a little nervous, I’ll admit.  But can you imagine the looks I’ll get when I show these masterpieces off?  Done up in Soxx Appeal Superwash Merino, these guarantee some first-class footwork to be sure.

Next?  Why, food of course!  Stay tuned.

Winner!

I'm pleased to announce we have a winner for our Knitty City Tote Bag:

BONNIE

Email me at alliepleiter [at] comcast [dot] net with your snail mail address and we'll get it right out to you!


Congratulations!