Happy Whacking Day!

Happy Whacking Day all!!!! Isn't it a great day? Wow, 23rd birthday. This should be an age I can remember. I think that 22, the number itself not the age, is a very forgettable number and without thinking I would always try to say I was 21. But I really like the number 23 so it should stay in. Speaking of my birthday, you have until tonight to enter the contest on my last blog entry. The winner will receive this lovely skein of Mama Llama Monterey 4 ply (70/30 Merino, Seacell) in Deepest Purple that came in my Woolgirl order, feel free to ooh and ahh

On the knitting front I have started to make a duffel coat for baby J but currently only have a bunch of rows of garter stitch so it doesn't look all that interesting and isn't worth much mentioning. On my trip to the conference I also got quite a bit of knitting done on my second Monkey sock and have passed the heel and am working down the instep. It was amazing how fascinated all the guys were watching me knit at night trying to figure out how it all worked. I'm surprised at how much seeing a heel impressed one of them, lol.
In the pictured knitting front yesterday I came home to find that my huge order of dishcloth cotton came in, all 16 skeins of it. And with shipping it was only $38. You absolutely can't argue with that. So late yesterday afternoon and early evening, too tired to do much else, I cozied up on the couch and made another baby bib in a cute pink colourway (this is the first girl bib I've made) and I casted on for a green bib but am only a few rows in. Should my supervisor's wife have a girl the bib is ear marked for them otherwise it will be for my friend's baby in September. Yes, as of yesterday still no baby to go with the bunting I made. I'm crossing my fingers they'll have a Whacking Day baby today :) Their kid can only hope to be so lucky! But I digress, here's the bib

(Susan, if you haven't already started, I do highly recommend these Baby Bibs O' Love from Mason Dixon Knitting, super cute and super addictive)
Now, being the crafty person I am, you must be wondering what I got for my birthday (combined grad gift). Well, I am grinning from ear to ear because today my father took me out and ordered me this

An Elna 7200 sewing machine which is designed specifically for quilting. It will be in in a week and comes with three free lessons on its use. The lady who helped us was so nice and I'll get to take the lessons from her. I've also signed up for her class on log cabin quilting that begins the week after my machine arrives to get me started. I can't wait! Expect to see quilting action as well as knitting in the near future!
Have an excellent weekend!