Let me just say that my cute husband is the best! Today he did all of the driving with never one complaint, checked maps and planned routes, dropped me off at the door of all of the stores I visited while he went and found parking, waited patiently at each store while I browsed with not even a tiny peep of a complaint. And if that's not enough, he let me take as long as I wanted, go anywhere I wanted and treated me to a very nice dinner on Bainbridge Island at the end of it all today!!! Wow, what a guy, huh? I feel all spoiled and stuff. All that, even though today was not a day for wimps....
We left at 8:30 am, drove up to Bellingham near the Canadian border, went to one store, got big-time lost on the way to another due to strange directions and road detours, and finally found our way to a second, which was worth the search. We then drove to stores in Burlington, Mt. Vernon and Anacortes. This was followed by a longish drive to try to catch the Keystone ferry to Port Townsend (we drove up as it pulled in and got on!), took the ferry across and drove all the way across to Bainbridge Island, got caught in a huge traffic jam in Poulsbo, and finally pulled up to the last store of the day, Churchmouse Yarns & Teas, with only 1/2 hour to spare until closing! My husband then rested in the car while I did waaaaay to much damage in that store. We then went to Cafe Nola for a very nice dinner, took the Bainbridge ferry back to Seattle, and drove north to home by 9pm.
Recap of day: 6 yarn stores visited, 245 miles driven over 5 counties plus two ferry crossings, spread over 12-1/2 hours!!
Tank of gas for trip: $45
Two separate ferry crossings: $30
Husband who will drive my silly ass all over hell to shop for yarn and get a little book stamped: Priceless!!!
We did have a fun day, though. It was sort of like an all-day date with lots of scenic driving, shopping (for me) and ferry rides! Wheeee!
Like yesterday, here's the info about the 6 stores I visited today and their free patterns:
- J&J Needlework, Bellingham - "Small Purse" made with Noro Kureyon or Idena Fame w/Flora (bought the one skein of Fame for the purse, inexpensive)
- NW Handspun, Bellingham - "Bubble Cap with Manos for Adult" (took pattern but no purchase. If you ever go up that way, this is a great store in the old downtown area)
- Knot Just Yarn, Burlington - "Skagit Tulip Bootie" made with Dale Baby Ull (this pattern is the cutest! I don't usually make baby stuff, but I took this pattern--adorable! No purchase here, but I vote this store as the most hospitable on the tour so far. They had iced tea and chocolate truffles available for everyone and were so gracious to all)
- Wild Fibers, Mt. Vernon - "Cascade Fixation Headbands in Four Styles" (great pattern with 5 options, purchased some Fixation to make some!)
- Ana-Cross Stitch, Anacortes - "Stork Baby Hat" made with Dale of Norway Stork baby cotton (sorta looked like a ribbed Teletubbies bonnet with a tie under the chin, if you can picture it---didn't buy yarn for that one. Purchased another color of Fixation I wanted and some green Euroflax sportweight)
- Churchmouse Yarns & Teas, Winslow, Bainbridge Island - "Ruffled Tea Cozy" in 2 styles and 2 sizes, made with Blue Moon Socks That Rock Heavyweight (Okay, this is where things got really ugly---they had a great selection of STR and I could not resist the siren song! Let's just say I bought some. There was also a charming man there giving out tea samples, and I bought some of that too, an awesome Rooibos! Hey, a man served it to me and it was good! Seriously, the tea cozies are stunning and I bought the yarn to make them, as well as some more to make actual socks. The store also gave a 4-oz bag of green Jasmine or black tea as a gift to tour people. I really love that store----glad it isn't closer!)
So, I'm in the home stretch!! I've visited 17 of the 20 stores. Only three to go tomorrow which are all in Seattle! I am so winning that $400 gift certificate....I am, I am, I am! Three stores tomorrow should seem like a breeze compared to the last two days. Cute husband has informed me that he has fulfilled his husbandly tour chauffeur duties and will be otherwise engaged tomorrow.....which I assumed already. Any man that would walk through wool fire for me like he did today can do anything he wants tomorrow!!
This whole experience has been lots of fun even though I'm kind of cross-eyed tonight. Not sure I would repeat it every year, but still having a blast this time! I just can't believe I tried to tell myself that I was not going to buy anything. Geez, am I deluded or what! Husband says that after everything I've bought, he'd better see a FO every day when he gets home, all summer long! I'll get to work on that.
I need to keep my yarn shopping training schedule, so off to bed. Wish me well for the final leg of my tour tomorrow, and pray that my credit card falls into sink hole without my knowledge so I can't buy any more yarn tomorrow....I do enjoy food on the table and a roof over my head, and the cats won't get a job, so I really need to stop!
>^$$^< >^@@^< >^oo^<
