The word of the day is "shiny"!

Well, I had enough yarn to finish *something* for Britney. It doesn't have the sleeve/neck ribbing that the actual one did, but, fortunately, I'm good at winging it. Turns out there were six to eight pattern stitches that could be worked straight up at each slide of the armhole. Which works, since it looks like it's supposed to be like that! The neckline was a bit more winging it than I was really expecting (it's a bit lower than originally planed, duh!)... but it worked. I have thismuch yarn left.

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Here she is hanging up. You can see that the back is a good bit higher than the front, but it hits perfectly on the back of my neck. And I'm going to find a nice matching mint-green tank top to wear under it, since some of those lace holes are (a) big and (b) inopportunely placed.[KnitStuff/Britney-Final.jpg]
It's done!I also did some work on the Cat Sweater, but nothing dramatic enough to be worth taking another picture. Maybe tomorrow; I have four solid hours of TV-time on Monday nights, which pretty much means "knitting!"

Convention Report: I got to go to the giant Quilting & Sewing Expo out at the Dulles Convention Center on Saturday. Got there early, and got to see the fashion show by Jan Bones from Lingerie Secrets. Her stuff can be seen at www.sewinglingerie.com. I was really looking forward to that one, since I have a ton of ideas, and just needed a couple of basic patterns, which I now have. Yay!

There were lots of other pretty things, of course. It's a miracle I only spent $45! www.thimblesplus.com, with photos of all the open-top thimbles here. Major pretty stuff. I may get one for mom (but she wasn't sure); I have to figure out which one I'm going to get for me!

I'm also coveting one of the craft/sewing tables from Sew-Ezi, www.seweziusa.com. I mean, it's got a light box conversion. I'm a cartoonist. Sewing table AND drafting board in one... I want!

There was a company that had these GREAT iron-on sparklythings for tshirts, jackets, whatever. I got their card, but forgot to bring it with me today. Really, really pretty stuff. Didn't buy, since I want to be able to get a bunch of stuff off their webpage.

Got a really pretty ring, and mom got a lovely snowflake pin/slider - all cubic zirconia, so they really sparkle - and CHEEEP! As in my weighs-a-ton ring was $10. And no, it hasn't turned my finger lovely colors like every *other* cheap ring I own has.

[NeatoStuff/ringthing1.jpg] SHINY!!

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It's just so sparkly!!

The list of all the vendors, with their relevant contact information, is here, if you're interested.

Lastly, I was allowed by the creator to take a photo of this funny quilt:
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I just had to show it to my husband (who had to mow the lawn this weekend). He rolled his eyes a lot, but understood why I just *had* to bring a picture home if possible.

After that, we hit the giant outlet mall out in Leesburg, and I wound up with a set of three shiny-copper hanging baskets, which will eventually hang over my chair in the corner, and hold all my Show Yarn. Yay! Lots of shiny things!