Sniff Sniff Tear!

I received this email tonight thinking the train was back on.  I was sadly disappointed.

Dear Stitch ‘n Rider:


We regretfully announce that we will not hold Capitol Corridor’s annual “Stitch ‘n Ride” on-board event to Stitches West in 2011. In the five years that the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) staff ran this event, we have truly enjoyed accommodating the knitting/crocheting community and appreciate the support and loyalty you’ve shown us.


As you are well aware, state-funded services have taken quite a hit in the past two years and Capitol Corridor is not immune to the state’s economic crisis. As a result, our marketing dollars have to work harder for all of our promotions and we do not feel that we can create a quality experience with the limited budget we have for this event. Costs to charter a special, dedicated train, have also increased significantly, and we are unable to offer a reasonably-priced ticket as in the past. Another determining factor to consider was that many of the knitting businesses, which helped fill our Stitch ‘n Ride bags with the goodies you have come to expect, had to cut back on their donations due to the poor economy. In fact, many of those small businesses are now closed.


The CCJPA marketing team carefully considered many options to hold a Stitch ‘n Ride event, but none of these options would allow us the chance to bring you the caliber of event you’ve come to know and expect. Therefore, with heavy hearts we made the decision not to run a special train to the 2011 Stitches West conference. We are working on a possible discounted fare offer for our stitch ‘n riders and will post that information once the details are confirmed.


For those of you who rode our trains to Stitches West in years past, we hope you continue to use the Capitol Corridor as your travel option when traveling to the Santa Clara Convention Center or any other destination along our corridor. Knitters and crocheters are always welcome onboard our trains. We still offer regularly scheduled service to Great America Station in Santa Clara for Stitches West, although we will not have a special shuttle between the station and the convention center. We appreciate your support, your love of the Stitch ‘n Ride train and thank you for your loyalty and your understanding.


Sincerely,


The CCJPA Marketing Team

A Day That Warms A Mother's Heart

I get my heart warmed a lot with my kids, but Sunday was a particularly heart warming day.  My daughter belongs to a group at school called "Caring for Cancer Patients."  I thought it would be great to host a machine knitting day, so they could make Chemo Caps for donation.

My plan was to teach them to machine knit and to feed them.  Both went off without a hitch.  They all really enjoyed learning to machine knit.  They were very excited to have knitted hats themselves. 

While they were machine knitting I tried a new appetizer call Chile Relleno Bites.  Excellent Recipe.  The recipe is not kidding when it says "cool and cut into squares."  When fresh out of the oven my daughter couldn't wait and asked to dip in.  I said sure.  It was a gooey mess.  I suggested she scoop some out and eat it with tortilla chips.  She made a bowl for all her friends and it was great.  What was left in the pan actually cooled.  It cut up into beautiful squares that one could pick up and eat as the recipe intended.

Chile Relleno Bites


2 small cans diced green chiles
5 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
6 eggs, beaten well
1 dash Tabasco sauce


Preheat oven to 350. Spread the green chiles on the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish. Sprinkle cheese on top. Add the Tabasco sauce to the beaten eggs, and pour over the chiles and cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.


I also had dinner plans.  Thank goodness my son came home as I found out I couldn't make dinner and machine knit.  I had started dinner, but couldn't finish.  My son came home and asked, "Anything you need help with?"  What a nice son.  I said, "Yes, could you finish dinner?"  He jumped right in.

We were knitting and dinner smelled so good.  The teenagers couldn't wait to eat.  My friend that was over helping with the knitting couldn't wait to eat.  Next thing I knew Diana was back from Pennsylvania.  She is the leader of the CCP group.  She lives next door and she and her older brother (who picked her up at the airport) stopped in to see the progress of the knitted hats.  Allison announced, "Diana's here to see the hats!  Andy's here to raid the fridge!"  Allison laughs.  Andy laughs.  I laugh.  Then Allison says, "No really Andy here's looking for food."  I laughed again and told Andy to get a plate and help himself.

We all ate and knitted and it was just a really fun day.

Stitches, What an Experience!

Well, not my best photo, but at least I'm having fun.  We're at a class at the big Stitches West event in Santa Clara.  I am on the right Julia on the left.  Julia asked me before we left if she made shirts with her new store name (Fig Tree Alley Fiber Arts) on it would I wear it.  Of course~!

We made a weekend of it rather than just a day like last year.  Last year was fun don't get me wrong.  We took the "Stitches" train from Sacramento with 500 other knitters.  It was so much fun.  This year no train available.  Boy, did us fiber artists complain.  I think the train will resume next year.  We debated about whether or not to go Julia and me.  Then we decided to get a hotel, stay the night, take a class, and really enjoy the market place without out worrying about being too tired or having to catch a train home.  Julia brought a bottle of wine to enjoy back at the hotel.  I discovered a new wine I like Smoking Loon's Cabernet.

We took a class called "Intro to Entrelac."  Well, Julia and I just learned how to purl the week before and this class was a bit above our heads.  Not that we didn't understand and couldn't get the concept, but because we are very slow knitters.  It's just experience.  We'll get faster.  Fortunately, we had a great teacher who helped everyone at their own pace.  By class end we could see the beginnings of entrelac and that was very exciting.

Not my swatch, but this is what entrelac looks like and you can see why we'd want to learn it.  The basketweave look is so impressive.  My teacher told me that Entrelac is french for interlaced.

This year I really went easy in the marketplace.  I still have yarn from last year's big Newton's sale.  I did buy 2 hanks of yarn, 2 ornament knit kits and 2 kumihimo kits.  Pictures will be coming soon of my kumihimo forays.  Having lots of fun braiding.