Such A Deal, But What Is It...

One of my favorite weekend outings is to go to estate sales and garage sales. I don't spend much money for the most part, but I get to see a lot of interesting houses that I would normally not see, and I get to see some interesting things as well. I have conscripted Dear Hubby into my avocation, but he has a few rules if he is going to play along.

Rule #1 - We must go to neighborhoods that are better than ours, and no sales that have primarily clothes or children's items - we need neither.

Rule #2 - Start early and finish by 11 a.m.-ish as everything is generally picked over by then.

Rule #3 - Feed him lunch immediately after the last sale as a reward for driving, carrying, and for the most part paying.

Behold my newest Saturday morning acquisition -



This little darning egg cost me a grand total of $1.25. I found in the kitchen of an estate sale, and when I went to pay the cashier told me that it wasn't a complete set. At first, I though I misheard the gentleman because I knew exactly what I had picked up. I really think he thought it was part of a mortar and pestle set. Because the company running the auction had no idea what this item was, it was marked originally for $3, then to $1.50 when the half-price hour hit, and I got it for the $1.25 price because they would have had to break a $10 to get the extra quarter.

I am guessing it to be at least as old as I am, possibly older, and probably made of a golden pine. Being a gadget person through-and-through, I had to have it. However, I must confess that I am not a fan of the Kitchener stitch; I far prefer the three needle bind-off.

As for the sweater, the sleeves are closing in on the elbows from the cuff edge, and I am knitting both at once as DM suggested, but on two sets of needles as it makes me crazy to do them on the same one.



As you might guess, I would like for this sweater to be finished so that I can move on to my gnome project. I plan to do several, but not consecutively or concurrently. They will be interspersed between other projects. Also, I am the proud owner of the Meet the Snowmes pattern now, and that will be put into the knitting queue as well. You can see a particularly cute Snowme here that someone on Ravelry has posted.