Where Jenn Knits

Knitting in Halves

2008-10-20T06:47:00.003-04:00

I finished Simurgh--two weeks ahead of schedule. It was not a difficult knit, but I did have to pay attention to what I was doing. I'm not so used to that. Photos will come when I block it, hopefully this week.

This stole is knit in two halves, with a provisional cast-on in the first half. Once you finish the first half you unzip the cast on, slip the stitches on to the needle, and begin the second half. It's a great design, but I was kind of miffed as I started the second half. I felt like I had already finished the pattern--and now I have to do it again.

I have no explanation why I had such a negative reaction to the second half of that stole. I knit pairs of socks all the time without resenting the second sock. I often feel that the first sock is a bit of a practice knit, and I can perfect it with the second sock. I'll have to keep this in mind when choosing future patterns.

Another project halfway done is this pair of Mitts:

The pattern is Monica Jines' Fingerless Lace Mitts, and you can buy it here at The Loopy Ewe. The yarn is special--numma-numma's Toastyboo in colorway Elvis. The base yarn has been discontinued, and this skein was a one of a kind, gifted to me by Allen. I was thrilled to receive this yarn, and now I'm more than pleased that I turned it into something so pretty. This is one of my proudest pieces. You can buy Allen's yarn here and here.

Next up is a pair of socks, and a recycled sweater!

Book #41 Mediterranean Summer
Book #42 Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper
Ravelry Stash Count: 88

The Clap is Back!

2008-10-07T08:26:00.001-04:00

This will be year 5 with my old friend Clapotis. It was 37 degrees on the playground this morning, but I was toasty warm.

Book #39 Bread Alone
Book #40 The Light of Evening
Ravelry Stash Count 80

I'm a Winner!

2008-09-25T06:06:00.002-04:00

I correctly guessed the number of skeins hiding in a drawer, and my name was drawn at random. Thank you yarn4socks.com! They've published an interview with me on their blog.

A prize is on it's way to me--I'm so darn excited!

Next post will include finished photos of Calvert--hurrah!

Book #38 Left Bank
Ravelry Stash Count 60

It's All Mine

2008-09-15T06:06:00.003-04:00

Calvert Sweater, 50% complete--mine!

Oak ribbed self striping socks--mine!

numma-numma self-striping Saucy yarn in Carrot Cake--also mine!

Book #36 Golden Country
Book # 37 And Baby Makes Two
Ravelry Stash Count: 59

Nearing the End of Christmas Knitting

2008-09-08T08:49:00.004-04:00

Only one gift left to knit, thank goodness. Off the needles and blocked already is Da Man's sweater:

Nothing exciting, just your basic top-down knit in Cascade Eco Wool. Not a very pleasant yarn to knit, but it did soften quite a bit after soaking.

Also finished are my May Woolly Woolgirl Sock Club Kit--Froggin Socks:

That's some crazy yarn!

My next sock project is a pair of self striping socks from Sknitches:

The Colorway is Juicy, and the pattern is Nancy Bush's Oak Ribbed Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks. This is my first pair of self striping socks, and I think these will be one of my most favorite pairs.

Before I start the last Christmas gift, I'm knitting a sweater of my own. Calvert by Nora Gaughan.

Not much to see here, I know. I've got another 8 inches of stockinette to knit in this back panel before it gets interesting.

Hopefully that will be done by my next post.

Have I Learned Anything?

2008-08-28T05:16:00.004-04:00

Well yes I have, quite a bit.

Firstly, and most importantly, there is no reason you should torture yourself with your knitting. Knitting is a hobby and a love, and there is no reason it should fill you with bad feelings. I realized that when writing the last post, and I made the changes.

So the rest of what I've learned will go towards avoiding that problem in the future. An opportunity has presented itself for a baby blanket this fall. I was thinking that a mitred square blanket would solve all of my previous problems. The pattern is simple, yes, but the squares are small blocks that can be accomplished quickly. I'll be using 4 colors to stripe, which means a number of color changes will keep it interesting. I wonder if this will work?

I did eventually finish the blanket, with plenty of time to spare. It's still waiting to be blocked. I also started a sock for the afternoon project. It's one of my Woolgirl sock club shipments:

Crazy colors huh? I'm trying to complete, or, at the very least, attempt each one of my sock club shipments. Otherwise I will feel they were a complete waste. This one isn't one of my favorites, but it's sport weight, and is going fast.

Also on the needles is a new morning knit:

This is Da Man's Christmas gift. A simple top-down pullover in Cascade Ecowool. This sweater is going fast--I'm just a couple of rows away from dividing for the sleeves. I hope to have this done in another week.

On a completely different note, those of you who follow the sock yarn craze may know that there was a humongous "Wangdoodle" as Sheri calls it, over Wollmeise. I've pulled my Wollmeise stash off Ravelry. Call it preventative medicine, but I'd rather not be flashing my stash right now. If you've been following the Ravelry boards, you know what I mean.

Book #34 A Friend of the Family
Book #35 Dream When You're Feeling Blue
Ravelry Stash Count: 60

Know Your Limits, or, I can't knit this &@$*$^ blanket anymore!

2008-08-18T11:29:00.002-04:00

I'm beyond bored with this blanket. I've been knitting about 25g per day, and I have 3 50g skeins left. I'm not going to make it.

What's wrong?

1. Yarn. Please do not think, dear reader, that I am dissing acrylic. Acrylic has it's place in this world, just not in my hands. This yarn even smells bad.

2. Pattern. I memorized the 24 line repeat on the first day. I've knit 11 pattern repeats so far. I know how this story will end.

3. Color. There is only one, and I don't particularly care for it.

Add these three together, and what do you get? Despair.

I will finish this blanket, I assure you. I'll even finish it before closing ceremonies on Sunday. But I just can't continue at the current rate.

What's my solution?

A. Make it smaller than my original plan. What I was going to do was knit until I ran out of yarn. Uh uh. I will finish the 25g left in my current skein, and knit another skein, that's it. That will give me a blanket approximately 25 inches wide by 30 inches long.

B. Knit it only in the morning. Leaving the afternoon for a more interesting project. At the very least, it will be a different project. I've used this tactic before, and it works. Sure it takes longer, but at least I have something to look forward to at noon.

It's 11:42 right now, and I just can't wait!

Book # 32: The Food Life: Inside the World of Food with the Grocer Extrodanaire of Fairway
Book # 33: Posh
Ravelry Stash Count: 118

Perfect Timing

2008-08-08T15:43:00.003-04:00

I just finished these:

These are Gentleman's Half Hose, a pattern by Nancy Bush. The yarn is numma numma's toastytoo , which is a BFL. Love this yarn. Great yardage too at 400 yards per skein. The color is pumpkin butter.

I finished these socks at about 3:30, just 4 hours before I cast on my olympic knit:

This will be Debbie Bliss' Cable Blanket knit in Berroco Comfort DK. I'm making the blanket slightly larger than the directions call for, and with just 8 skeins of yarn, I'm pretty sure this will be an easy knit to finish before the closing ceremonies.

Book #31 The Cost **This is the best book I've read in 2008
Ravelry Stash Count 118

It's like Christmas in July!

2008-08-01T04:43:00.003-04:00

Except it's August!

Since returning from vacation, I've been knitting Christmas gifts. I fell behind last year, to the point that I really started to resent the people I was knitting for--and that's not good. I'm not done yet, but here's what I've accomplished so far:

That's a Toasty Hot Waffle set in numma numma's Texas Toasty Blue Corn Masa. This yarn is currently only available on numma numma's etsy shop. Honestly, it's the best dk weight yarn I've knit with. I absolutely love it. The pattern is by Knitspot, another one of my favorites.

And here's the same set in Dulce de Leche:

I think I like this color even better.

After that I did a hat in Shibui sockweight:

I'm not a big fan of this yarn. In fact, I just sold off whatever was left in my stash. But the wonderful thing about yarn is that there is someone out there who will love it more than I will. It's off to its new home.

That's it for the Christmas gifts so far, and admittedly, it doesn't look like much. I do have 2 big gifts left: A sweater (simple top-down stockinette), and a shawl for my mom. Those two will take me at least a month to complete. I'll be starting the shawl right after the Olympics end.

While I was on vacation I finished a pair of Monkeys in another of numma numma's yarns:

The yarn is called Toasty, and the colorway is "Fluffernutter and Jam". Doesn't it look just like the sammich? You can buy Toasty over at The Loopy Ewe or on the etsy shop. I love these socks.

On my needles now is a pair of Spring Forward socks from Knitty.

These socks are all the rage now, just like monkeys once were. Actually monkeys are still raging. The yarn is called Sidhe from Spritely Goods. I bought this at The Loopy Ewe--there's plenty left in stock so go take a peek). I liked the yarn so much that I went and bought more directly from Stephanie. She has some great colorways, and if you like a fatter sock yarn, the base is great. I'll be finishing these socks today or tomorrow, and then I'll have to find a quickie to finish before my Olympic knit project starts in just 5 days.

What else have I been up to? Oh, buying some Wollmeise. Claudia has returned to dying after her knee injury, and her fans couldn't be happier. I think I've bought 15-20 skeins this month.

I've also just listed a lot of yarn on ebay. I have stuck to my resolution of not using cash to buy yarn this year. But this summer my paypal balance has dipped below my comfort level, and it was time to face reality. I had a ton of yarn that didn't delight me, and it was time to let it go.

Book #23 Virgile's Vineyard

Book #24 Sixpence House

Book #25 The Olive Grove: Travels in Greece

Book #26 A Good Yarn

Book #27 The Shop On Blossom Street

Book #28 Jaywalking with the Irish

Book #29 The Beach House

Book #30 Turning the Tables

Ravelry Stash Count: 113

Again, but with sugar this time

2008-06-30T11:10:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago I was making ice cream from scratch. As I was pouring the custard into the machine, it occurred to me that I had forgotten the vanilla. No big deal, I thought. I had used a vanilla bean, and assumed that would be enough.

Twenty minutes later the machine had finished doing its thing, and I dipped a spoon it to taste before I transferred it to the freezer. I forgot the sugar too.

That was the start of things going very, very wrong here. My grandmother became seriously ill, and passed away on June 14. We said goodbye to her on June 17, and she's in heaven with my grandfather now, arguing about how thin to pound the veal, or how big a rib roast to buy.

Gram taught me how to knit when I was 8, how to stir the polenta so you'd get the nice crusties on the side of the pan, how to make a french knot, how to make strawberry jam, and how to seal tortellini so they didn't explode in the pot. I never saw her without her smile, and I never ever heard her raise her voice in anger. She was famous for her hermit cookies and pineapple upside down cake. The photo above was taken almost two years ago, at her 90th birthday party.

In the days following the services, I didn't feel much like knitting, but I still needed to be busy doing something. I picked up some old projects that had been hanging around (one of them for two years), and finished them. I destashed about 50 skeins of yarn. I wanted to clear the decks and start everything new.

Saturday I started a pair of socks with some yarn dyed by a dear friend. They look fantastic. And yesterday I made ice cream again. With vanilla and sugar.

The Problem With Parsley

2008-06-02T15:15:00.003-04:00

I love using fresh parsley. So when springtime comes I plant several seedlings and use them until the frost kills them in the fall.

A couple of years ago, I encountered a problem.

Something was eating it. I thought it was a one-time deal. The sprigs would grow back, and then bam, down to stumps again. So last year I tried this:

I thought by raising the plants up in a pot, they would be too tall for whatever was eating it. Well, you can see that that didn't work so well either. And that irritates me to know end, because why pay $5 a week for a bunch of parsley at the farm stand when it's so easy (on paper) to grow it yourself.

After school today I was outside watering the plants, and we saw this:

That's a groundhog. He's just a baby, and we saw Mom and his two brothers/sisters but they ran away. This guy hung around to watch us. And he didn't mind at all when I crept up to take a photo of him.

Do you think if I gave him his own plant, he'd leave mine alone?

Book #20 A Month of Sundays

Book # 21 Tuscan Echoes: A Season in Italy

Ravelry Stash Count: 101

Feelin Lucky?

2008-05-18T07:51:00.002-04:00

Sometime in early May I realized that I'd be receiving the May shipment of the Rockin Sock Club, and I hadn't touched the March kit yet. I've been really down on myself for joining so many clubs lately, but never completing them, so I thought I'd make an effort with this one.

It was an interesting pattern, but the heel construction was something I had never seen before. By the time I had finished turning the heel, I realized I had made a major mistake. It wasn't critical to the sock design, but I realized I wouldn't be able to finish the sock as is. So I ripped it back to the beginning of the heel, assuming I could just correct my mistake and move on. I couldn't, due to some essential place markers that I had ignored. So I ripped the entire sock out.

On any other day I'd probably ball up the yarn, toss it in a closet, and try my best to forget about it. But I persevered, following the directions exactly as written (and they were written rather well--I just wasn't paying attention) and lo and behold, the first sock was finished, and it fit well. The second one went much faster, having learned from my mistakes. But I really don't care for them much. While the heel is very interesting, I think it detracts too much from the main sock pattern. I'll be gifting these to my SIL for Christmas.

Before the Leaflings I finished Anne Hanson's Pavé Socks. Truth be told, I wasn't in love with these while I knit them. But once I tried on the first finished sock, I was in love! What a perfect fit, and I do love the variation in the yarn--perfect for this pattern.

So have I bought any yarn lately? Only one really. This is Mama Llama Original Sock in colorway Night, which I bought from Woolgirl.

Book # 18 14 Karat Kids
Book # 19 The Fourth Star: Dispatches from inside Daniel Boluud's Celebrated New York Restaurant
Ravelry Stash Count: 93

A different interpretation of the Sheepshearing Festival

2008-05-01T05:31:00.002-04:00

Surprises

2008-04-28T10:05:00.005-04:00

The past two weeks have been full of them!

1. I enjoy baking my own bread. I'm fiddling with whole wheat recipes. It's so much more satisfying when you can bake something simple that tastes so much better (and costs significantly less) than store bought.

2. Pavé socks--my new favorites. Who knew? It took me three tries to get these socks going, but it turns out that they are the best fitting socks I've ever knit. Thanks Anne!

3. The Spring Fling. Wow. Looks like I missed a good time. I'll try to go next year.

4. Sheepshearing Festival at Gore Place. That's right--a fiber festival in my own back yard!

There was a sheephearding demonstration by some phenomenal border collies:

I got uncomfortable when I saw how the guys manhandled the sheep. Here he's showing how he flips one. First he twists its head (Now that's gotta hurt) and has him sit on its rump.

Then we watched a shearing demonstration. I was a little amused that they called it a Sheepshearing Festival. I don't think more than a dozen sheep were shorn in the six hours it was open.

There were other animals such as miniature horses, and these llamas:

And there was yarn!

There was a "fiber tent" but it had only two exhibitors. An LYS which brought a strange assortment of yarn like Noro and Ranco, single magazine issues, books, etc. Nothing too interesting or unusual.

Bartlett Yarns from Maine was the other vendor. They had a huge assortment of their wool on cones, ready to sind it up into any yardage you wanted. There was also a few racks of this:

Nothing in my color palate though.

Then there was the craft fair, which is where I found Ellen Joseph of Ellie's Reclaimed Cashmere. Ellie doesn't have a website, but if you're interested in her stuff just drop me a comment--I have her email address.

Ellie recycles old cashmere sweaters into new fibers, often plying two different fibers together to create a new yarn. See that one at the top right? I bought one of those. It's a gentle sage green heathered with white.
Here's some more.

It was a pleasure to speak with her, and I'm happy to support such a great little business.

5. I could tell you I bought some more yarn, but that wouldn't be such a surprise now, would it?

Book #15 Stuffed: Advenures of a Restaurant Family

Book #16 She Got Up Off the Couch and Other Heroic Stories from Mooreland, Indiana

Book #17 The Handmaid and the Carpenter

100 Things About Me

2008-04-15T08:23:00.002-04:00

1. I am left-handed
2. I have a Masters Degree in Library and Information Science
3. I like all nuts save for Pistachios
4. I make my own granola
5. I used to wear Prada shoes. Now I wear Birkenstocks and Crocs
6. I have marched in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
7. I am a third generation Italian-American
8. I don’t know how to pump gas
9. I’m not a pet person
10. I eat red meat
11. I vote
12. I am not allergic to any foods
13. The only foreign country I’ve been to is France
14. I played the clarinet for 12 years
15. I quit smoking on March 22, 2005 after smoking for 18 years
16. I met my husband in the personal ads of a free newspaper (he answered my ad)
17. I am afraid of the dentist
18. I don’t like most fruit, but I will eat most vegetables
19. One of my ears is slightly lower than the other, making it very difficult for me to get glasses to fit properly
20. I started watching the Young and the Restless last year, after taking a 23 year break from the show. Not much has changed.
21. I failed Biology in College
22. I am a compulsive email checker
23. I like Starbucks
24. I was once $13,000 in credit card debt. We now live debt free.
25. I am a conscientious recycler
26. I used to need 10 hours of sleep per night but now I’m fine with only 5.
27. My lips are perpetually chapped
28. I never learned Roman numerals in school
29. I am afraid of bridges and large bodies of water
30. I don’t do boats (see above)
31. I’m afraid to get on an elevator by myself
32. My parents tell me I was reading the newspaper at 4 years old but I don’t remember
33. I used to collect first edition Nancy Drew mysteries
34. I watch too much tv
35. I read every day, for at least one hour
36. I don’t like wearing hats
37. I have not worn machine-made socks in two years
38. I can wiggle my ears
39. Julia Child is one of my heroes
40. I read at least one newspaper every day
41. My favorite color is green
42. I like bad weather
43. I have a perfect driving record. Not even a parking ticket
44. I sometimes fantasize about living off the grid
45. My first computer was an Apple IIe
46. I can’t do math in my head
47. I love dark chocolate
48. I didn’t learn to parallel park until I was in my 30’s
49. I subscribe to too many magazines
50. I edited my high school yearbook
51. I took nine years of Spanish
52. I have never done an all-nighter for any reason
53. When I was 12 I broke my wrist in two places
54. I cannot sleep unless my shoulders are covered
55. I don’t enjoy seeing movies in theaters
56. I usually get out of bed before 5am
57. I am an impatient person
58. I would rather be indoors than out of doors
59. I am not a fan of Tom Cruise
60. I have lived in New England my whole life
61. I once baked 83 dozen Christmas cookies in one month
62. I listen to NPR
63. I don’t wear lipstick
64. I believe most of what people tell me
65. I despise fat free cheese
66. My husband and I placed the same order for Chinese food at the same restaurant nearly every Saturday for nearly 10 years
67. I would like to visit Japan some day
68. I read 59 books last year
69. We bought the fourth house the real estate agent showed us on our first day of looking
70. I have a cell phone but never use it
71. I attended a semifinal World Cup Match (Men’s)
72. I do not like Indian food
73. I drink my coffee with 1% milk, no sugar
74. I don’t like to speak in public
75. I don’t enjoy pedicures
76. I like predictability
77. I didn’t stop trick or treating until I was in high school
78. I can’t remember the last wedding I attended
79. My great-grandmother, Egidia Meraviglia, passed through Ellis Island in 1907. She was 16 years old.
80. I don’t like wearing open-toed shoes
81. I can’t drive a standard
82. I bring my own bags to the grocery store
83. I am terrible at remembering names
84. I love watching Top Chef
85. I am always early for appointments. Sometimes very early
86. I don’t often lose things, but when I do, it drives me mad
87. I think some of my neighbors are a little strange. I’m sure they think the same of me.
88. The smell of bananas makes me ill
89. I prefer wheat bread to white
90. My husband and I maintain separate bank accounts
91. I cannot tolerate an inefficient vacuum cleaner
92. If I had enough room in my house I would buy a loom
93. I can hold a grudge longer than I should
94. Lucille Ball still makes me laugh
95. I am a terrible photographer
96. I am successful in programming our VCR about half the time
97. I have never eaten a Krispy Kreme donut
98. I don’t like scary movies
99. My favorite season is fall
100. I have been summoned to jury duty twice in my life but I have never served.

Trystero: 3 Jenn: 0

2008-04-13T07:43:00.003-04:00

Game over.

On my third attempt I got all the way past the heel turn before I faced reality. It won't fit. I won't try a fourth time.

So there was another Wollmeise update on Friday, but I didn't guy anything.

Stop laughing!

Really, there were quite a few colors when I stopped in, but they were mainly brights, so I passed. Since I've bought so much over the past 6 months, I've become very selective in the more recent updates.

Here is a family photo of all my wollmeise:

Beautiful, aren't they?

I've started a new project--a scarf for my mom in ToastyBoo. I made the pattern up from one of my Harmony guides. I'm only 3 inches into it so the photo will have to wait, but it's looking gorgeous.

Book # 14 London is the Best City in America

Ravelry Stash Count: 115

I'm ready to give up. Almost.

2008-04-07T08:18:00.005-04:00

Here's what I did this weekend:

This is Socks that Rock Meiumweight in Backstabber. It's supposed to be Trystero. The pattern calls for STR lightweight with size 1 needles, but I used mediumweight because I thought it would be too small. Knitting mediumweight STR with size 1 needles is not fun. It makes a very dense fabric, and oy, the cables! So tight. I worked nearly to the heel flap and decided that it was just too small. Although it fit over my foot, it was quite stretched, and I was worried that it wouldn't be comfortable. Another time, another day, I may have continued. In cases like these, sometimes I just muscle through in denial. One explanation is that I just want to finish off another skein of yarn and cross it off the list so I can get to the next one. But this time I knew that if I went up a needle size I'd get a near perfect fit. So I ripped.

I started over with the larger needle and was feeling groovy. Until I finished the ribbing and was ready to start the first pattern repeat. It was then that I realized I did the ribbing wrong. Again, I considered ignoring the mistake and continuing. At this point it was late Sunday afternoon, and I really had made no knitting progress this weekend. But I stopped and ripped again. And started over. Again.

So it's Monday AM and I'm halfway through the first pattern repeat. It's looking good, and I've made no mistakes. If I have to rip this sucker again, I might just give in and start something else.

It's been 2 weeks since my last post. We've had two birthdays in the house, a number of parties, and far too much cake. Things will quiet down this week, except that My Favorite People are arriving this weekend.

So what have I done in two weeks?

Wollmeise socks:

This is the color Velichen. I haven't seen this colorway in any of the recent updates--I wonder if it's been retired. The pattern is Charlene Schurch's Grapevine. It's very subtle, and I like the way it works with the color, even though it doesn't really look like the pattern photo in the book.

And here we have some Monkeys in numma numma ToastyBoo, color Rhubarb. This yarn base has been discontinued, but will soon be replaced by something even better. These socks are a gift for my Mom for Mothers' Day, and are my first knitted gift of 2008.

Book #13 The Fortune Cookie Chronicles

Book #12 First Friends

Ravelry Stash Count: 110

Does the Pattern Really Matter?

2008-03-24T09:43:00.003-04:00

When I start a new pair of socks I spend a good amount of time trying to match the pattern to the yarn. My general rule of thumb is the busier the pattern, the simpler the yarn, and vice versa. I've always wondered why some people churn out pair after pair of plain stockinette stitch socks when there are so may wonderful patterns out there.

So when I pulled out my Pigenroof Studios Superwash Sport in Plum Tortie, I found myself in a bit of a predicament. The speckled yarn definitely wanted something simple. A plain rib would be too simple, I thought.

I finally settled on Lace Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks. And this is what they look like finished.

I don't like the pattern. It does nothing for the yarn. But you know what looks great? The soles knit in stockinette. Yep, I learned a lesson here. Ain't nothing wrong with plain old stockinette.

Book #10 What Do You Do All Day?

Book #11 White House Nannies

Ravelry Stash Count: 113

It's embarrassing, really

2008-03-15T12:58:00.005-04:00

So Wednesday the mailman brought me my Wollmeise package from Germany:

Stunning, isn't it? From left to right, Versuchskaninchen 2 (light), Paul (dark), Vincent (dark), and Johannisbeer und Brennessel (light and medium). This is all 100% superwash merino. They are all gorgeous, but my favorite is the farthest right.

Also on Wednesday, Sheri loaded the Wollmeise sneakup. There were many people who stayed up all night on tuesday waiting for it. At around 8am, I parked myself at the computer, set the Loopy Ewe's "What's New" page on autorefresh every 30 seconds, and vowed to wait it out. It happened at around 10:30. When I saw the new colors pop up my heart started to pound. I just threw stuff in my cart and checked out as fast as I could. Then I came back and tried for more, but they disappeared from my cart before I could checkout. Which is fine, because this is what I ended up with:

Yeah, that's six skeins. From left to right is Lowenzahn, Farn, Suzanne, am kalten Polar, Paul, and Emil. All are 80/20 and medium.

There were a lot of people who were shut out of this sneakup. I can't claim any advantage, other than being at the computer at the right time. The autorefresh was helpful, but not crucial. It sold out in 5 minutes, so if you faltered at all, you lost. I just got lucky. Twice.

So that brings my Wollmeise stash to ginormous proportions, and I think I'll take a break from it for a while.

Am I blue?

2008-03-13T08:32:00.002-04:00

You be the judge. Here's the yarn that has arrived in the past few days:

On the left is Briar Rose Grandma's Blessing. I bought this for a pair of Pave socks. That anne is such an enabler--she mentioned on her blog that if you mention codeword "knitspot" while placing an order at Briar Rose, you'll get a 10% discount. It's impossible for me to pass up a discount on yarn, so there I fell. That discount is good until March 22, so hop on over and get some yourself. The colorway I purchased (9005) seems to be very similar to the one anne used.

In the middle is Union Center Knits Whatnot sport sock in colorways Daphne and Myth. I bought those from Woolgirl. At the end is another Whatnot sport in "The cold" that I got from a Ravelry swap.

I've got no explanation as to why I bought the colors I did, but it does make me think a bit about my recent moods.

Still on its way to me is my Wollmeise order from Germany. I'm hoping it will be delivered today. Others on the east coast have been receiving theirs, and I'm trying to be patient. And another box from the Loopy Ewe--I fell down again on monday and bought a couple of skeins, plus a few christmas gift accessories.

And speaking of Wollmeise and the Loopy Ewe, there's a few hundred Ravelers who have been burning the midnight oil, waiting for the Wollmeise sneakup. It's supposed to happen before tomorrow, and just my luck, it will show up as soon as I step out the door to pick up HRH.

More yarn coming!

I'm shifting gears

2008-03-08T05:38:00.005-05:00

Well. Two weeks since my last post? What HAVE I been doing?

The Loopy Ewe sponsored a Knitalong. Knit a sweater with Dream in Color Classy. So I started the sweater--and finished it. In 12 days.

Then I started a baby sweater for E. E was my nurse practitioner who took care of me while I was pregnant. She took very good care of me. So I knit a little cardigan (the sex is a mystery so I'm limited by color). Now I just have to add a couple hats and a few pairs of socks, and I can deliver the gift next week.

It will be a relief to get this gift finished because there's some hot stuff waiting in the wings. Apparently, I have no less than THREE sock club shipments arriving next week. The Loopy Ewe (yes, I was very fortunate to be one of the chosen ones), Chewy Spaghetti, and Rockin' Sock Club.

I've also been thinking ahead to this year's gifts. The first being my mom's Mother Day socks. I've got the yarn already, and she'll be getting monkeys. Then I'll be making a matching scarf for her birthday in June. Another scarf for my Gram in August, and after that it's Christmas gifts. Maybe I should have started this process sooner.

I'd better go finish this baby gift--maybe I can get those monkeys finished before the first sock club shows up.

oh, and I bought some Wollmeise! Wheee! Hopefully the shipment will arrive at the end of the week.

Book #9 The Good Life

Book #10 Meanwhile, Next Door to the Good Life

Ravelry stash count: 95

I Love My Socks, I Hate My Socks

2008-02-21T08:33:00.003-05:00

These are my new favorite socks. I love the pattern (Stansfield 196 from More Sensational Knitted Socks).

The Yarn is BMFA Socks that Rock Mediumweight, in Ms Larock.

And here we have the latest sock disaster:

This is the Nutkin pattern, knit in Wollmeise 100% superwash in colorway Velichen. It's a stunning sock, but it DOESN'T FIT! WAH! I even added 8 stitches to the original pattern because I knew it would be on the small size, but nuts to Nutkin. It just didn't work.

I'm going to take a break from socks for a bit. I joined the Dream In Color Classy KAL over at the Loopy Ewe. I had the yarn already, and I'll be making a simple top-down tunic. It doesn't look like much right now, so I'll save photos for the next post.

And I have a baby gift to make by the end of March. I have the books and yarn on order, and I'll have to start those items as soon as the yarn gets here, which hopefully will be next week.

Book #7 The Senator's Wife
Book #8 Service Included
Ravelry Stash Count: 95

Sock Love

2008-02-14T07:42:00.002-05:00

Pattern: Stansfield 196 (Charlene Schurch, More Sensational Knitted Socks)
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Mediumweight, Colorway Ms LaRock

In the past ten days...

2008-02-09T08:28:00.000-05:00

I've finished off 2 pairs of socks:

Log Cabin Socks in Rowan Cork

Rockin Sock Club January Socks

Started another pair:

Wendyknits Snapdragon Socks in Numma Numma

And turned one year older.

Book #5 From Here You Can't See Paris

Book #6 Eating My Words: An Appetite for Life

Ravelry Stash Count: 96!

Cherry Cola Socks with a Triple Twist

2008-01-23T09:33:00.000-05:00

Another pair finished. This pattern is Triple Twist by Monica Jines, and the yarn is Woolly Boully Meanie in colorway Cherry Cola. Both came from the Loopy Ewe. Loved the pattern. Since it was a 72 stitch cast on and size US 1 needles, it took longer than usual to finish. I wasn't crazy about the yarn. This is the first time I've knit with a nylon blend, and I found it a little squeeky. But the colorway is gorgeous.

I immediately cast on the Log Cabin Socks from Handknit Holidays. Completely different knit--48 stitch cast on with size 5 US needles, I knit this much in only a couple of hours. I can probably finish one sock per day. I'm using the suggested Cork yarn, the result of a bad few months on ebay scrounging around for this stuff.

That's all I have to show you--no new yarn cause I haven't bought any, surprise surprise!

Book #4 You'll Never Nanny in This Town Again
Ravelry Stash count--114

I fell down

2008-01-17T07:32:00.000-05:00

So here I am, going on about how I was going to reduce my stash this year, and then this happens:

This was my shipment from the Loopy Ewe (last sneakup). Dream in Color Smooshy in Butter Peeps, and bellamoden sport in Prague.

Then there was this:

That's Koigu KPPPM in colorway P713. I got this in a swap with the lovely Linda on Ravelry (said goodbye to some Sundara silk).

And finally,
Five skeins of Wollmeise. Yes, I hit the jackpot. I ordered from Claudia direct, and she has some gorgeous new colors. From left to right: Franz, Rhabarber, Miss May, Vincent, and Johannisbeer und Brennessel. This photo doesn't do the colors justice--they're just stunning.

Also in the package was a sample skein of worsted weight, and gummi bears. Mmmm.

So there you have it.

Also finished are the garter ribbing socks in Claudia Sport Short:

I must remind myself to stop knitting patterns with right angles. I can't explain it, but it just doesn't sit well with me. They don't bother me when they're finished, but for some reason, knitting a squared sock pattern seems wrong to my brain.

I know, I know. Don't even try to understand.

Ravelry stash count: 115 oh dear.

One week already?

2008-01-15T08:56:00.000-05:00

Since my last post?

I was intending to do a few posts, but I kept saying to myself "wait until..."

So, I guess I waited!

The lotus cardigan is complete.

I did a fantastic job seaming it, if I do say so myself. So I tried it on, a little loose in the bust, but acceptable. Looked in the mirror...Oh...my...god.

See that peplum? That pretty much doubles the width of your hips. It was not at all a flattering look. I'm not sure that a smaller size would have helped much either. So the finished sweater has been put away. I love it, but I can't wear it.

I finished the bellamoden socks too!

I love this color palette.

And I've nearly finished some Claudia Handpainted sport short in Peppermint Mocha:

That's my new Loopy Ewe mug I got at last week's sneakup. There was another sneakup last night, which I did not partake in. Apparently the Wollmeise went in a flash, and more than a few people got upset that skeins were snatched from their cart before they checked out. I can sympathize, but I don't have to put myself through that stress (more on that in a few days). None of the other yarns in the sneakup grabbed me, so I'm passing this week. Shocking, isn't it?

Before I forget,

Book #2 Suburbanistas
Book #3 Shopaholic and Baby

And it snowed.

Today must be my lucky day!

2008-01-08T08:53:00.000-05:00

Look what I found on my way home from school dropoff!

Gee, wonder what I'll spend it on.

Facing Your Fears

2008-01-07T05:15:00.000-05:00

So I finished the Lotus Cardigan on New Year's Eve, and since then it has been sitting in a plastic bag neatly folded and waiting...

Waiting to be seamed. Which I've never done before. Well, I did once. My first sweater, knit with acrylic yarn, trimmed in fun fur, in a gauge so loose it looked like crochet. Yep, I tried to sew that one up, but then the complete horror of the project hit me, and that project "went away."

For a while I was thinking of sending the cardigan to my mom, because I knew she would do it for me. She'd even knit up the neckline and add the button (without asking). But then I thought that now is the time. I've accomplished a lot as a knitter in the past 3 years. Time to take the next step.

I pulled out Stitch N Bitch, my go-to book for knitting basics, and looked at the section on seaming. It was very brief. The pictures were pretty clear. Could it be as simple as that?

So I sat down with a honking tapestry needle and worked for an hour, and lo and behold, I attached the sleeve to the body. And it even looked good! Not great, but it was a fine, fine attempt. I'm very happy with it, and hope to have this sweater finished by the end of the week.

In the meantime, I finished a pair of Cardigan Socks. The pattern is from Anne, of Knitspot. Anne is the maestro of stitch patterns. Everything she works seems so complete and balanced. I like these socks a lot. The yarn is BMFA Socks That Rock Mediumweight, in colorway Lovers Leap. I think that color is discontinued, but I bought a bunch before it went away, since it's such a perfectly true red. I'm very pleased with the finished pair.

Next up is a pair of Garter Rib (Charlene Schurch) socks, knit in bellamoden sport. The color is Fahrenheit 451 and it comes from the Loopy Ewe. I loved how this yarn looked on the skein, and it looks exactly the same knit up. These socks are going fast--they'll be done by the end of the week.

I've pitched a few more yarns from my stash!

Ravelry stash count--110

and,

Book #1 Living the Good Life: How One Family Changed the World from Their Own Back Yard

The Truth about My Stash

2008-01-01T08:17:00.001-05:00

Well, it's a new year, and time for new beginnings. It's time I faced reality about my stash, and get it down to a reasonable level.
Here's the stash I look at all day. This is next to my knitting chair. The basket is filled to the brim with sock yarn. To the left is a bag of Wollmeise (9 skeins maybe?), Another bag with a sweater's worth of Miss Priss, and there's even some hiding under the side table to the left.

Now if this is all the yarn I owned, it wouldn't be so bad, would it? Nah. That's a tidy little stash there. But there's more. Lots more.

Over the summer we bought a new coffee table from Pottery Barn. One of its features are deep drawers--the perfect size for holding yarn. So here it is:

But wait--these drawers are double sided, so lets take a look at the other end:

And if that weren't enough (and truly, did you really think that was all?) , There's a plastic bin from my upstairs closet:
And finally, a small pile of Rowan Cork that was banished to the basement following one of the world's worst ebay transactions in history.

There. I've said it. That's all of it.

And it's way, way too much.

So here's my plan for 2008. I've added every skein of yarn onto Ravelry, and the current stash count is 113. I'd like to get that down to 80 by the end of the year. I've already destashed a pile of it on the ISO/Destash forum. I'm listing everything slightly below retail to get it moving. Even the rare indie stuff. I'm not too concerned about making tons of money, but I've already brought in over $200.

Part 2 of the plan is that I can buy new yarn only if I use a gift certificate, or if I used money I have earned by selling other stuff. I can also accept gifts of yarn. This will be easy for the first few months since I've accumulated a nice paypal balance, and I got some great gift certificates for Christmas, but those won't last all year. It's going to get rough over the summer.

Part 2 is also going to apply to purchasing books. I've got a queue of over 50 books to read that I've received from paperbackswap.com. That can easily last me the entire year.

And speaking of books,

#57 Wives behaving badly

#58 Cover the Butter

#59 Four Seasons in Rome

Which leads me to my last resolution. Read 60 books. That's up 10 from last year, but I did get to 59.

So there you have it. Three tidy resolutions that will save me money and reduce the clutter.

1. Reduce Ravelry stash from 113 to 80

2. Buy yarn only with money earned from decluttering, or as gifts,

and

3. Read 60 books.

I'm ready. Are you?

What Santa Brought

2007-12-26T08:15:00.000-05:00

A load of Socks that Rock! From left to right, Pirate's Booty and Falcon's Eye in lightweight, and Sugarplums, Froggin', and Olive Garden in Medium weight. Sweet! Also a generous gift certificate to the Loopy Ewe for emergencies.

My new project is the Lotus Cardigan. I've finished the back, two fronts, and both sleeves, although this picture shows only the fronts and part of the back.

I knit both sleeves together on a circular needle, and it seemed to take forever. But I'm glad I got them both done. All that's left is the skirt, which begins with "Cast on 535...." Yes, cast on 535! I hope to finish that before lunch today.
I think the skirt might take me close to a week to finish, judging by the 800 yards of yarn I have left. Unless the amounts are way off.

Stay tuned for my New Year's resolutions in my next post!

I can't stand it!

2007-12-20T08:15:00.000-05:00

Isn't it cute? I used leftover sock yarn and it took all of an hour to make. Free pattern is available here. Thanks so much for sharing Andrea!

And I had the leftovers because I finished my broad spiral ribbing socks:

Another outstanding fit. I'll be wearing these Christmas Day. What's my next project? You might be surprised!

Allow me to gloat

2007-12-15T08:22:00.000-05:00

I've finished my holiday knitting. Packages have been mailed, gifts have been wrapped, cookies have been baked. I've really very little left to do before Christmas.

We had a severe snowstorm on Thursday, and I wore my cold front socks. I wish they were a little bit longer. That's my only complaint about the Spaghettoni--more yield please!

I finished the cross-stitch block socks:

Here's the stitch detail shot:

This is a very generous pair of socks. The leg is nearly 7 inches long, and they fit great. The colorway is Grinchy from BMFA.

On the needles now is Broad Spiral Ribbing (another Charlene Schurch) in BMFA mediumweight Jingle Bell Rock.

This is my favorite holiday colorway, but I'm not sure that this pattern was the best choice. I like the pattern a lot, just not with this colorway. I think I'm going to make this my last holiday sock for this season. I still have two more colorways I can save for next year.

Book #56 A Rather Lovely Inheritance

All better now

2007-12-10T06:41:00.000-05:00

What I thought was the flu turned into an ugly bacterial infection. Thanks to some super antibiotics prescribed by my fantastic doctor, I was up and knitting again in just a few days. While I was staring at the tv for days unable to knit, a panic began to boil inside me that I wouldn't finish all of my holiday to-do's. I hadn't even started my baking yet!

It's been a flurry of activity here the past week and I'm happy to report that I'm all caught up. In fact, I might just be ahead at this point.

The second day of my plague I found an email from Sheri that there was a sneakup over at my favorite yarn shop, the Loopy Ewe. I didn't think I'd be buying any yarn before the end of the year, but look at that, 4 skeins jumped in my basket to help me feel better. Later that day I thought that I'd give the box to Da Man when it arrived, and he could give it to my for Christmas or my birthday. But when the yarn arrived a couple of days later I was feeling even sicker, and opened it up anyway. Here's my haul:

From left to right, Lime and Violet Yahtzee, Gypsy Knits Victorian Tea, Chewy Spaghetti Fingering weight in Cheeky, Woolly Boully Meanie in Cherry Cola, and Bella Moden superwash sportweight in Fahrenheit 451. My favorite of this lot is definitely the Bella Moden. Wonderful base yarn, and fantastic dying effects.

My final installment of Chewy Spaghetti's Holiday sock club did arrive, and the socks knit up fast.

The colorway is called Wintry '07. Pattern is Charlene Schurch's Crosshatch Lace from More Sensational Knitted Socks. I very nearly ran out of yarn on this one. I think I even shortened the length of the second sock by 2 or 3 rows just in case.

On my needles now is BMFA mediumweight in Grinchy. Pattern is Charlene Schurch's Cross Stitch Block again from More Sensational Knitted Socks.

I'm hoping to finish up my holiday preps this week so I can relax into the last week. Oh, and there's more yarn in the mail to me too.

Oops.

Book #54 Run
Book #55 The Other Mother

Sick. Very, very sick.

2007-11-28T07:55:00.001-05:00

sniff.

Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T09:15:00.001-05:00

The turkey is in the oven, and I have only the potatoes to peel.

I've finished %$#%^ Syncopated Cap number 3.

It finally fits Da Man. I've cast on number 4, and I'm so thankful it will be the last of these colors for a while.

Also finished are the homecoming socks, and I'm wearing them now.

Next up is Syncopated Cap #5 (the last one, yay). Also some socks in jingle bell rock, unless the final installment of Chewy Spaghetti's Happy Holidays sock club gets here first.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Book #52 Remembrance of Things Paris

Book #53 A Charmed Life

I'm Falling Behind

2007-11-18T08:57:00.000-05:00

Even though I've finished a few projects, I still feel like I'm way behind. The Little Gems Mitts are finished. They look great, but my fingers freeze in them. They'll have to be relegated to early fall/spring.

The final scarf is done--My So-Called Scarf III. Thank god. I loathe this pattern after 4 scarves. I figure I've knit 25-30 feet of it.

Also finished yesterday was Syncopated Cap II. This is a puzzler. The first one I made in the women's size was too big for Da Man's Manly head. So I made the women's size, and it's too small. I think I used the wrong needle size on the first one. I've cast on a third version, size Manly, with the proper needle size, in the same colors as below except reversed. Hopefully it will fit someone's head.

Also finished was the first of my Thanksgiving sock from Chewy Spaghetti's Happy Holidays Sock Club. I was intending to do some modified ribbing pattern of Charlene Schurch, but I liked the k2 p2 ribbing so much I just continued it through the whole sock. I cast on 56 stitches on size 2.75 mm and they are a perfect fit. Couldn't ask for more.

I wrote last time that I had ordered some yarn. Here's one--Schaefer Heather in Julia Child colorway. I had been looking for this yarn for a while to make some matching socks for my Mr. Greenjeans, and it turned up at www.yarn4socks.com. woohoo!

Then I got the new Webs Catalog and absolutely fell in love with Nora Gaughan's Lotus cardigan. I ordered the yarn immediately from Webs, but it was a bit of a crapshoot whether I would get it or not. I don't get an email confirmation from them, so you basically just have to wait and see if the yarn shows up on your doorstep. I picked the same color on the model--Rosso Asiago.
I have a little beef with this yarn. It's put up in 98 yard skeins. My size called for 18 skeins. EIGHTEEN! That means winding 18 cakes, and weaving in at least 18 ends. Don't like that. Nope, don't like that at all. Bit it is nice yarn.

I ignored the last sneakup on the Loopy Ewe, but went back and ordered some patterns, including 3 for fingerless mitts. I thought it would make a nice departure from knitting socks. I'm still in denial about the freezing fingers thing, I guess.

And then yesterday I ran across this site. What a neat little shop! Take a look at their sock kits.
I had to have the Bird Foot kit. Had too. And I added a few more patterns too. They've got some unique patterns. And patterns don't count as stash, right?

Proud Moment

2007-11-09T08:02:00.000-05:00

I finished the first Little Gems Mitts:

I was quite pleased with it, and then turned it inside out to weave in the ends:

It looks almost professional, doesn't it? I hope to finish the mate this weekend. Also off the needles is Lenore:

This pattern was wonderful, but I've decided that the finished product just isn't me. So they're going to my mom (she who wears black. lots of black.)

The Loopy Ewe had a sneakup on tuesday, and while I had every intention of passing, four skeins just hopped in my cart. From left to right, Yarn Nerd Love and Peace or Else, and Dot Matrix, Fleece Artist Sea Wool in Stone, and Numma Numma Toasty in Olive Tapenade. Yarn Nerd and Toasty have very similar base yarns--they might even be the same. The Sea Wool I'm not so crazy about. Apparently I already had a skein in my stash, but it was packaged differently and I didn't make the connection. I might have to offer this up for a swap. Although the colors might work for my mom...

Also in the mail this week was the Thanksgiving package from Chewy Spaghetti's Holiday sock club:

It's called Thankful '07. I think it's very varsity!

Blue Moon has unveiled their Raven collection, and although I like the colors a lot, I haven't ordered any yet. They look so similar on the screen I'm going to wait and see how they look knit up. Thank goodness for Ravelry.

I've made a few other purchases this week, but they haven't arrived yet. Next week...

White Meat or Dark?

2007-11-01T06:58:00.000-04:00

Hooray! Halloween is over and that means it's a straight shot through three weeks to Thanksgiving, and another month until Christmas. These are my two favorite holidays.

Let's tie up some loose ends.

My So Called Scarf II was finished last weekend:

My So Called Scarf III is about 4 feet long and I hope to finish it this weekend. It looks just like the one above, only shorter. Lord, I am tired of this stitch pattern but there's only a couple of more days left of if before I can move on.

I finished the first Lenore sock, and have turned the heel on the second.
I've got no complaints with this pattern. Extremely well written with notes to accommodate a wide range of sizes. I hope to have this finished this weekend too. Two big toes up for this one. I've also received my 2008 Rockin Sock Club confirmation, so no worries that I'll miss anything next year. The Club is open to new members today, so be sure to check the Blue Moon website.

In the mail this week was this:

That's Schafer Miss Priss in colorway Julia Child. I had to exercise a lot of patience with this yarn--it took 6 weeks to arrive but now that I've seen it, it's well worth the wait. I've got 5 skeins ready for Mr. Greenjeans. I'm wondering if I can finish it in time for Thanksgiving. Probably not. I love the colors. I might just have to get some matching socks in Heather!

Also in the mail was my ill-gotten-gains from the latest Loopy Ewe sneakup. I wasn't intending to order anything, but I did have a $25 credit to use, so I picked up a few patterns, and one skein of Sheepaints Bamboolaine. The colorway is...interesting. I'm not even quite sure why I bought it--it was labeled Turqey, but after looking around her website, I found that it was actually called Turkey. And then it all made sense to me. You can see a photo of the color on her website here. Now I ask you, doesn't that make you want to go baste something?

Book #51--Hungry Hill

Fifty Books

2007-10-25T06:56:00.000-04:00

One of my New Year's resolutions was to read 50 books. Last night I finished #50! The complete list:

50. Loving Frank
49. Songs Without Words
48. Birthdays
47. Living in a Foreign Language
46. Evening
45. On Chesil Beach
44. Eat, Pray, Love
43. A Year Without Made In China
42. Animal, Vegetable, Mineral
41. Plenty
40. Oh My Stars
39. A Year of Pleasures
38. Two Steps Backwards
37. The Birdcage
36. A Chateau of One's Own
35. Best Foot Forward
34. Notting Hell
33. French at Heart
32. The Manny
31. A Pig in Provence
30. What Comes After Crazy
29. When in Rome
28. Saving Agnes
27. Three Bedrooms in Chelsea
26. As Seen on TV
25. Class Mothers
24. The Lucky Ones
23. The Tavern on Maple Street
22. Pope Joan
21. The Observations
20. Welcome to the Great Mysterious
19. Bed Rest
18. When Madeline Was Young
17. A Trip to The Beach
16. Jane Austen in Scarsdale
15. School for Husbands
14. Caliph's House
13. Chasing Matisse
12. Floating Through France
11. Yummy Mummy
10. Friday Night Knitting Club
9. The Knitting Circle
8. Swapping Lives
7. Theft
6. The Breakdown Lane
5. Round Ireland with a Fridge
4. The Hot Flash Club Strikes Again
3. Arlington Park
2. The Baby Trail
1. A Tale of Two Sisters

It's a different world

2007-10-23T07:36:00.000-04:00

Across the country hundreds of homes have burned to the ground in California. A quarter of a million people have been evacuated. Georgia is in danger of running short of drinking water because of serious draught. And New Orleans is flooding.

Yet if you turn to the Boston news you might think you were living on a different planet. The Red Sox have come from a 3-1 game deficit to play in the World Series. The Patriots are undefeated. And we're experiencing summer like weather with temps near 80. It's all good in this city, and I'm feeling rather guilty.

Have you seen Holiday Gifts? I'm thinking of Garter Mug Cozies, Little Gems Mitts, and Twisted Stitch Gauntlets. On Friday I ordered the yarn for the Mitts from Woodland Woolworks. It came in the mail yesterday! Now that's fantastic service! Also shipping soon will be the October STR Rockin' Sock Club, and Chewy Spaghetti's Thanksgiving Holiday sock club. I think we're going to have a little log jam of projects.

And don't forget about My So Called scarf (now 36 inches), another Shifting Sands, and another So Called Scarf. Gotta Knit Faster.

Welt Not so Fantastic

2007-10-18T07:20:00.001-04:00

So friday evening I had turned the heel on welt fantastic and began the gusset decreases. I thought that would be a good time to try the sock on and admire it on my foot. But it wouldn't fit.

I immediately frogged it and the yarn is now being punished. I should have listened to my inner voice earlier.

So I moved on to the indian summer socks, with the embossed leaves pattern. Here's the first leg:

I just finished the first sock a few hours ago, and I'll be starting the second later today.

Also nearly off the needles is shifting sands II. I'll be adding fringe to this one, and I hope to finish it off today. The next scarf in the queue is My So Called Scarf II in STR Carbon.

I'll leave you with a view from my front yard, bug's eye view.

2007-10-12T10:11:00.000-04:00

Spooky socks are done!

And my Posh Yarn arrived--this is Helena 4 ply sock weight in colorway Indian Summer:

And I cast on my Tiny Toes sock. I was wrong about the color--it's called Colorado Treasures. I started the corded rib pattern and worked a couple of pattern repeats but it looked like crap, frankly. So I ripped and looked for another pattern. You'd think with nearly 10 sock books and 20+loose patterns this wouldn't be a problem. After a few hours of waffling, I settled on "Welt Fantastic" from Sensational Knitted Socks. I love what this pattern did to the yarn, and vice versa. Doesn't it look like a fireplace? So glad I started over.

But all is not wonderful in Tiny Toes land. Despite how it looks, I'm not in love with this yarn. Firstly, it comes in 50g skeins. My skeins do not match. One has significantly more orange than the other. This irritates me, and I think the dyer should have a little better quality control. And speaking of quality control, both skeins were hopelessly tangled. They were a mess! I hate wasting an hour trying to wind yarn. So, it's going to take a lot of convincing for me to order this yarn again.

But that sock does look good, doesn't it?

Horrifying!

2007-10-06T09:47:00.001-04:00

Here's the first of my spooky socks:

The pattern is Fiber Trends Railroad Rib. This pattern is one of my old faithfuls. It's written for 3 different weight yarns, and always gives me a good fit. Now if only it glowed in the dark!

The second shifting sands is about 14 inches, and nearly through the first of four skeins. My plan of half Christmas knitting and half sock knitting is working well. I don't get so bored of either project so quickly. Still to knit on my Christmas list is Shifting Sands III, My So-Called Scarf II and III, and Syncopated Caps II and III. I think I've got plenty of time to finish these, plus my seasonal socks. Well, maybe not the socks. Still to do for October are Interlacements Tiny Toes in colorway October something, a Posh Yarn Emily in Indian Summer, which hasn't arrived yet, The Thanksgiving sock from Chewy Spaghetti, a skein of Dream In Color November Muse, The Christmas Sock from Chewy Spaghetti, plus the following Christmas colorways from Blue Moon: Jingle Bell Rock, Xmas Rock, Hollyday, and Grinchy. That's nine pairs before Christmas.

13 weeks left until Christmas. That's going to be very, very close! Can I do it?

Tolerance

2007-10-02T08:48:00.001-04:00

So I ran out of yarn for My So Called Scarf. One skein took it to 60 inches, which is just a little too short for my taste. So I ordered another skein. And I treated myself to this:

A skein of "Grinchy" Looks a lot like another skein--Holiday Rocks maybe? that's ok. Can't have too many Christmas socks, right?

So after I ran out of yarn, I should have started on the next Shifting Sands, but I didn't. I decided I just wasn't happy unless I had a pair of socks on the needles. So I cast on with an unfamiliar yarn and pattern. I knew immediately that I wouldn't like the yarn. Very scratchy. The stitch pattern was lovely, but I wasn't thrilled with the construction. Last night I turned the heel, and then I gave up. It just wasn't going to work for me. I knew I'd never wear these socks. So this morning I ripped and tossed. Yeah, that's right. Tossed. I'm getting too old to work with yarn or a pattern that isn't making me happy. There was nothing anyone would ever be able to do to make this yarn work for me. So it's gone. No guilt. Well, maybe just a little.

So along with the second skein of Nodding Violet and Grinchy, this came in the mail yesterday:

I joined Chewy Spaghetti's Holiday sock club, and this is the yarn for Halloween. It's funny because I was completely expecting orange and black, and look what I got! I like it a lot. I like it so much that I'm going to cast on with it today to replace the sock who shall remain nameless. I figured that if I knit socks for half a day, and then whatever Christmas gift I'm working on for the other half, I can get all the gifts finished, and still be knitting socks.

And that will make me very, very happy.

And another off the needles

2007-09-23T10:36:00.001-04:00

Finished last night is shifting sands in Posh Yarns Eva 6 ply, colorway blackboard.

Three skeins took it to 62 inches in length. I'm not adding fringe on this one because it's for someone who drives a hearse for a funeral home. I thought it would be a little more somber without swingy fringe.

That's the next project. My So-Called-Scarf knit in BMFA heavyweight, colorway Nodding Violet. This scarf is going to complement the syncopated cap. I love this scarf. I started on size 7 needles but went up to 8 because it was so stiff. This is a very dense knit. I imagine it would be quite lovely as a bed coverlet. Exquisite texture. I'll definitely be making more of these.

Speaking of Blue Moon, they loaded some new colors on friday. Lots of new colors. I think I know what I'll be asking Santa for this year.

And in the interest of stash reduction, I've listed 11 skeins on ebay. Blue Moon Seduction (the tencel blend just isn't for me), Lorna's Laces Shephard Sport (Never going to use this one), 3 skeins of Perchance to Knit (Much to fine for my taste), 3 skeins of Yarn Pirate (ditto on the fineness), 4 skeins of Claudia Handpainted (don't care fore the texture), and Sundara sock (the color just didn't grow on me).

I guess I've turned pretty picky with my yarns. But with a stash as large as mine, I'm being truthful. I'm never going to use these skeins, and they really belong with someone who will love them more than I do.

Two more off the needles

2007-09-19T09:14:00.001-04:00

The finished Chevron Scarf:

Finally! I just knit until I ran out of yarn so as not to waste any, and it's long enough to wrap around my neck twice. It's a very cozy scarf.

And may I present, the Syncopated Cap:

I'm very very pleased with this color combo. And it occurred to me that a chevron scarf in the same colors would be a nice accompaniment. But, I had already ordered the dark color only for my so called scarf, so I'm going to stick with that. Hope SIL likes it.

My Posh order finally arrived--4 skeins each of Eva 6-ply in colors Blackboard, In the Navy, and Russet. These are destined to be 3 shifting sands scarves. I'm afraid they're going to be a little shorter than I intended. I'm not very good at knitting math, and I guess I miscalculated how much I would need. Next post should be the finished black scarf.

Are you surprised?

2007-09-14T08:23:00.000-04:00

That I did place an order at BMFA? I ordered 17 skeins, but I have plans for all of it. Honest.

I've finished the uneven ribbing socks:

Nice, eh? I had plenty of yarn left over and could have made the legs a little longer. This stitch pattern is extra stretchy and will accommodate a wide range of sizes.

My next project:

"Syncopated Caps" from Interweave Knits Summer 2007. I had a very hard time deciding on the colors. I really wanted to use something from my stash, so I pulled out a few possibilities and looked at them for a few days. Nothing seemed right. Until I moved two of the skeins and then shazam! I ended up with Nodding Violet as the main color and Blue Moonstone as the contrasting color. After a couple of rows of the ribbing it was clear that I had made the right choice. Don't they look great together? The pattern calls for you to change the contrasting color halfway up the hat, but I'm not doing that. I figure the main color already has enough variation in it--why mess with it?

I'm kinda sad to see the Nodding Violet go--it's a great colorway and I was hoping for some socks but hey, one small sacrifice in the interest of stash reduction, right?

And it's not like I can't order more. (That was a joke. sorta)

I'm going to finish this hat over the weekend, and I'm at a bit of a loss on what to do next. I've been expecting a special order from Posh this week, but it hasn't arrived yet. That order contains 3 Christmas gifts, and I was really planning on starting those.

Hmmm, maybe some shibui instead?

It's been a while

2007-09-08T08:20:00.000-04:00

Yeah, I know. School started Thursday and I got a little caught up. The needles for Queen of the Waves arrived last Wednesday and I immediately cast on. I finished it on Thursday, making it an eight day knit. This was not a happy project for me. I ordered the pattern from Anjelika (who is an absolute doll to work with--very fast shipping). The pattern arrived with an errata sheet dated June 2007. It didn't occur to me to check for more changes, and that was my mistake. There were more errors, and some of the directions were not at all clear. But I've finished it, and will post photos when I block it next week.

Onward.

In happier news, I took advantage of an early sneak-up over at TLE and placed a pretty big order. Here's how it all broke down, from left to right:

This is all Dream in Color Smooshy sock yarn, in colors Some Summer Sky, In Vino Veritas, Dusky Aurora, Chinatown Apple, November Muse, Cloud Jungle, and Spring Tickle. An impressive haul, no? I really enjoy knitting with this yarn, and I promise you it won't go to waste.

Also:

Yes, more! I told you it was a big box. From left to right, Shibui Knits in Earth, All Things Heather superwash merino sock yarn in Punzel, and Golden Plum II, and Crystal Palace Merino 5 in Herb Garden. The Merino 5 reminds me of Fiesta Boomerang. It's very soft. I wasn't really enamored of the ATH--it felt rather prickly on the skein. But I took the Golden Plum II and cast on the Uneven Ribbing socks from More Sensational Knitted Socks, and guess what? Love it! It's quite soft and I love the heathered quality of the stitch pattern. Definitely a keeper.

Oh, and the Shibui Knits? Very very nice. So nice, in fact, that I ordered some more this morning. One of the advantages of being on Ravelry is getting news on yarn availability. Although not technically a sneak-up, Sheri posted that she had restocked Shibui, so I went back and ordered 4 more skeins. And two more of ATH (oops).

Speaking of yarn availability, I also read on the Ravelry Boards that some STR colors will be retired on 9/15. I fought the urge to go over there and order more. I'm still fighting that urge. Some of the colors going away are my favorites--Rhodonite and Carbon. What to do. Will I succumb?

A pair of socks only a mother could love

2007-08-28T05:12:00.000-04:00

Even that is pushing it. The second sock came out slightly better. If you look closely, you can see how the spirals reversed direction after the gusset. Don't ask me how I managed to do that.

Here is my next project:

Loverly, ain't she? This will be SIL Christmas gift #2 since Miss Lambert met her untimely demise. I'm just waiting for needles to arrive hopefully tomorrow. In the meantime I've picked up the Chevron scarf, and I knit about 2 feet on it yesterday. But the kfb is really hurting my left arm, so I can't do much. I thought about starting the Rockin Sock club August sock, but I haven't decided if I really like the pattern that much.

Ugly Knitting

2007-08-24T10:13:00.001-04:00

You sensitive types might want to turn your heads. What you are about to see isn't pretty. I give you, the first completed stems sock:

Arrrrrrrrggghhhhh! The pooling is horrid! I didn't change needles so my gauge must have gone wonky after completing the gusset. I spent the entire instep trying to get it to stripe again but it just...wouldn't....budge.

SO there I was, thinking I was knitting the most beautiful sock in creation, and I come up with complete crap. I don't know what I'm going to do with it. I'll certainly finish the second sock, if only to feed my curiosity. Who knows what it will look like. Can it get any worse?

Onward. The mailman brought two boxes from BMFA yesterday. The first was the sock club kit. No pictures here--you can look for it on someone else's blog. It's mmmmm, interesting. I'll knit this one, and save my reservations until it's finished.

The second box was an order I placed a few weeks ago. From left to right:

Backstabber, Xmas Rock, Hollyday, Falcon's Eye, Lunasea, Ms LaRock, and Lucy in the Sky. Love them all.

Also in the box was:

It's mmmmm, interesting. I believe it was the Harlot that said something like "Just because you CAN do something, doesn't mean you SHOULD". And I wholeheartedly agree with her. I flipped through the pages thinking "Now why would you want to go and do something like that?" A lot of my reservations come from the designs being so asymmetrical. Which is fine. But my brain does NOT like asymmetrical. I would be silently screaming "adjust! it's twisting! Center it!" and that just won't work with this book. For those of you who like to challenge yourself, and can completely trust yourself in the instructions, you're going to love love love this book. Me? I'm not totally writing it off. I'm going to put it aside until the dead of winter when I can give it my complete attention. Maybe I'll try one. Maybe.

I had to rearrange my stash basket yesterday. I traded a skein through Ravelry, and the one I was looking for was way on the bottom of course. So I emptied it, and put everything back in a way where I can see more of the skeins. There's more underneath this top layer. There's also 12 skeins of Wollmeise in a plastic bag to the right. And about 27 skeins of STR hiding in the coffee table.

But it sure looks nice, doesn't it?

Starts and Stops

2007-08-22T08:14:00.000-04:00

Smooshy socks are done!

These were wonderful to knit. And a near-perfect fit. I had 34g of yarn left over, so this skein will make a pretty heft pair of socks. I can't wait until Sheri restocks the Dream in Color because it just perfect in every way.

I cast on some Monkey socks for my mom, in Gypsyknits BFL. It was looking a bit small but I mustered on. After I completed the gusset I attempted to try it on. With a bit of huffing and puffing, I did get it on, but it was, er, snug.

So I let it sit overnight, thinking it would mysteriously stretch overnight. Well big surprise, it didn't. So I ripped it and started over. This time the pattern is "stems" from More Sensational Knitted Socks, knit on 72 stitches. I've nearly finished the leg, and it still looks small, but this pattern has much more give. I'll remain hopeful. The yarn held up very well to the frogging, and it's very nice to work with. I usually don't like such a fine ply, but I might just make an exception for this one. And the more I look at it, the more I like the colorway. It will be hard to give it up.

In the mail last week was my sock club kit from the Yarn Tree. I heard about the club from Cara. It was pretty expensive--$250 for 5 months, but Cara's endorsement was key and I joined months ago. I'll have to say that the kit was pretty impressive yarn. Schaefer Anne (which I've never knit with--it's very fine (open minds, I know, I know), a gorgeous cable/lace pattern, and a bag. The bag was just over the top, I think. It's beautiful. And reversible!. I may just turn it into a purse.

In other news, I have destashed 5 skeins of STR via ebay (yay me!) And I've traded another skein through ravelry. I'm also expecting the Sundara sock club and STR sock club shipments to arrive by the end of the month. Better finish mom's socks fast!

I'm in love with a sock

2007-08-15T07:07:00.000-04:00

Isn't she gorgeous? This is Dream in Color Smooshy sock yarn from the Loopy Ewe. The color is "Strange Harvest". The pattern is 2X2 Alternation rib from Sensational Knitted Socks. I cast on 64 stitches, and I do think it is the perfect sock in every way. The second sock is already in progress.

And I did finish the Checky Waves socks:

They look better on the blockers than they do on my feet!

It's been a busy week here. Da Man left for Seattle Sunday afternoon and is due home shortly. I'm in the process of auctioning off about 50 of Herself's old outfits on ebay. It's extremely time consuming, but I usually net in the hundreds of dollars, so I don't mind the work so much. I've also listed 5 skeins of BMFA Socks that Rock mediumweight. My ebay ID is binky67 in case you'd like to take a look.

Yesterday morning I woke up at 3:15 and couldn't get back to sleep. So I came downstairs at 4am and found that Sheri had activated the Sneak Up. I actually had a great selection of stuff to choose from. I bought 4 skeins, and I can't remember what they were exactly, but will of course post photos when they arrive.

Recovery

2007-08-06T14:01:00.001-04:00

I didn't have time for that last post before we left on "vacation". We didn't have a very good time, and are relieved that it's over. Here's the highlight for me:

This was taken in a strip mall outside of Danbury, Connecticut. Lord help the person who tries to find their phone number in the white pages.

We arrived home to find a box from the loopy ewe. Sheri threw in a sneak-up right before we went away. I was able to get some good stuff--from left to right:

GypsyKnits BFL superwash in Blue Moon, Rose Garden, and Giggle. And Fiesta Boomerang in Plum Pudding. I think the rose garden will make some nice monkey's for my mom. And the Giggle will probably turn into monkeys as well. Not sure on the blue moon or the boomerang. As an aside, Ravelry tells me that Boomerang has been discontinued. I guess I'm lucky I got some when I did.

There was very little knitting done while I was away. I did manage to finish the first checky waves sock:

You can't really see the stitch pattern in this photo, and that's probably for the best. It doesn't compliment the yarn very well, and I'm afraid I made a poor choice with it. But I've cast on for the second sock and I'm committed to finishing it. Unfortunately, it's taking longer than usual since I've made the leg longer than usual, and I'm using a size 0 needle. Slow going.

I also brought with me Miss Lambert's shawl, which is in danger of being abandoned, and the chevron scarf. I didn't touch either of them, although I have been taking the chevron to HRH's gymnastics class with me. An hour a week and it's not going very quickly.

We're still licking our wounds here after that stressful trip, but I think we'll right ourselves soon. On the brighter side, we've become much more thankful and appreciative for the people in our lives who can just let us be and treat us like the intelligent adults we are.

Thank God for yarn.

Wollmeise is here!

2007-07-26T07:51:00.000-04:00

They came on monday--that was fast! From left to right: Rhabarber, Wilder Mohn, Brombeere, Red Hot Chili, Dornroschen

As well as Poison Nr. 5, Veilchen, Gewitterhimmel, Verbmeinnicht, Spice Market.

I think I'll start with red hot chili since it's the peak of summer.

And now, the debut of Morning Glory Wrap, perfectly blocked. Wow! I'm really pleased with how this turned out. I think I used the perfect yarn--Posh DK silk. The sheen is just gorgeous, and the dye was outstanding. Just enough variation to add interest, but not too much to detract from the pattern. I hope mom likes it.

So here is the next Christmas present--Miss Lambert's Shetland Pattern. In my last post, I wrote how I thought this pattern would be easier because of the simple pattern. Well, it's so simple that I find myself jabbing myself with the needle occaisionally to stop from falling asleep. It's pure drudgery--only 45 more pattern repeats left! But the border will probably spiff it up a bit. Can't wait for this one to be over with.

"Vacation" starts in one week. I'll try to post again before then, but who knows. We're back on the 5th.

I'm all over the place

2007-07-22T15:26:00.000-04:00

I'd like to think of myself as a fairly organized person, especially when it comes to knitting. I line up my projects, make sure I have all needed supplies before starting, and never work on more than two projects at once. I used to knit only one project at once, but made an exception for my "perfect sock project" which will be ongoing.

I finished the morning glory wrap on saturday, and I'll show it to you after it's been blocked, which will hopefully be next week. I had lined up the "curved shawl" from victorian lace today as the next project. It was to be a christmas gift for my SIL. Well, I cast on and knit 3 rows, by which time I was nearly in tears. It's not a difficult pattern--perhaps a 7 stitch 4 row repeat. But I could...not...make...it...work.

Part of the problem, I've realized, is that I'm a very visual knitter. I make a good amount of mistakes. But with this pattern, I could not for the life of me see anything but a big tangle of yarn after 3 rows. Who knew how many mistakes were in there, and where they were? How would I ever fix it? So I frogged it after only 3 rows.

I think I've identified a suitable replacement--Miss Lambert's Shetland Pattern (also from Victorian Lace Today). I can use the same yarn, and I have the right needles. It looks a wee bit boring, but since it won't be draped on my shoulders, I don't much care. Plus, wee bit boring also means less difficulty, and because it's a rectangle, much easier for me to visualize. The only thing that scares me about the pattern, and pretty much every other pattern in the book, is the knit on border. But Ill deal with that when I come to it.

Now let's talk about yarn for a mo. I've got a big wicker basket next to my chair that holds my stash. Last week it became full, and it was no longer possible for me to pile another skein precariously on it's top without creating a landslide. Plus, there is some yarn in there that I really shouldn't have bought. It's not bad yarn really, but there's a good quantity of it. 10 skeins, maybe? Anyway, looking at this "mistake purchase" yarn has been dredging up a good amount of yarn guilt. So I made it go away. I took out about 15 skeins of BMFA mediumweight and stashed it in a drawer in the coffee table. Then I took the mistake yarn and put it in the bottom of the basket where I couldn't see it. Then I put the "good" yarn on top. You know, the yarn the just brings you joy whenever you see it? Well, that's all I'm looking at right now, and I feel much better.

So another reason for making the alternate BMFA stash was that it allowed more room in the basket for the rest of the yarn that I ordered last week. Remember the 10 skeins of Wollmeise? Well, that's not here yet. But when it does arrive, I'll have room for it.

While catching up with bloglines on tuesday afternoon I discover that yarn4socks.com had just put up a selection of Yarntini. You know, the stuff that vaporizes in seconds? Well I bopped on over there and bought myself some. Just two skeins. And they're really pretty--see?

Then on Wednesday there's some scuttle on the Ravelry boards that the Loopy Ewe sneak-up is going to be that night. So I get up at 1am and check. Nothing. Hmpf. I get up thursday at 5am as usual, check the Loopy Ewe, and looky there! Wollmeise! Chewy Spaghetti! Well, I bought 3 more Wollmeise--

and 2 Chewy Spaghetti fingering weight.

What? That pink one looks familiar? How astute of you! Yes, I actually already have a skein of that but ordered it anyway. So much for Ravelry helping with stash management.

So next week's sneak up is supposed to contain Yarntini, so I can pass on that one. And here's another shocker--I didn't buy anything from Posh the past two weeks. No her yarn still rocks, but I'm trying to control myself. Wish me luck for this week!

I done something bad

2007-07-17T07:44:00.000-04:00

It's not bad really. Just something I could have done without. I ordered ten skeins of yarn from Claudia.

Now the Loopy Ewe will be loading a bunch of her yarn in this week's sneak up, but being the impatient control freak that I am, I decided to order direct and get exactly what I want.

Here's the status of my modified Inside-Out sock:

Just about ready to turn the heel. I've decided that the inside-out will not be the perfect sock for me. I did the toe in size 00 and changed to size 0 for the instep. Knitting on that small of a needle is not my idea of perfection. I'll certainly finish the pair, but I'll be making some major changes on the next pair. Don't you just love the striping though?

In morning glory wrap news, I've cast on the second half. I'm not very comfortable having unfished stuff lying around. I hope to finish by the middle of next week.

Halfway Mark

2007-07-15T09:49:00.000-04:00

I finished the first half of morning glory yesterday. The instructions say that if you want to add length, then knit an extra four repeats. I added only one, and I think it will be a perfect length with a light blocking.

I'm taking a break before starting the second half. I cast on a sock in BMFA "henpecked". I love the way this yarn is striping. I'm making up my own pattern, with the inside out sock pattern as a base. I want to come up with a basic rib pattern I can use for STR mediumweight--which I've got about 25 skeins of. Because of the heavy color variation, I prefer a straight rib pattern to show off the colors better.

The new Knitpicks catalog came yesterday, and I immediately ordered these. I *love* knitting socks on metal dp's. So slippery.

I'll have photos of the new sock in the next post.

Ahhhhhhh!

2007-07-10T13:42:00.000-04:00

Boy, what a difference a day makes in the morning glory wrap! I'm on the second repeat of the body section, and it's looking SO much better!

I think it's plenty loose, and because it's 100% silk, it will have gorgeous drape, no matter how tight the knit. Phew! I'm really enjoying this pattern. I think I'll be making it longer than the pattern calls for, since the silk won't stretch much during blocking. Lucky I bought those two extra skeins! I think I will take a break in between the two halves, just so I don't get too tired of the pattern. After knitting socks for so long, it's hard to knit the same thing for more than a week.

A pink posh package arrived yesterday. In it were two skeins of Emily sock yarn. Sermon:

and Gloomy:

The colors are actually much deeper than these pictures show.

Thanks to the lovely Dee and Mr. P., I've got (or will be getting) the rest of the yarn required for Christmas gifts. It's nice to have those things nailed down.

Since Wimbledon ended, I've been watching this while knitting. I should have signed up for the knitalong. This will take me to the end of the month, and the dreaded "vacation". Hey, Sermon and Gloomy would be perfect company for me!

Is perfection too much to ask?

2007-07-09T07:26:00.000-04:00

So I started the morning glory wrap on saturday. I was trying to pay attention to the pattern instructions, and I wasn't really watching what was being knit. I had a feeling that something was wrong. The pattern called for a size 9 needle, but I used an 8 because I didn't have any size 9's long enough. It was knitting up very, very loose. So loose that the border looked like a tangled mess of yarn, not stitches. But I did what I usually do when things like this happen. I ignored it, hoping that it would fix itself when I wasn't looking.

By the time I did two repeats of the purse stitch, I faced reality and ripped it. I started again on size six needles. It looks significantly better, and significantly narrower. The narrowness I can accept. The "supposed to be a wrap but now it's a scarf" was for my mom, and I think she's more of a scarf person than a wrap person.

So here we have it:

I like the definition on the border. But it's still not what I expected. I'm going to keep going until I get to the main body pattern before I make the final decision.

I bought 5 skeins from Posh yesterday. 2 skeins of Louche, a very rich navy blue, Ormulu, an unusual goldish brown, Savoir-Faire, a lovely heathered green-brown, and Bergamot, because I love Earl Gray. That's 5 skeins of sock yarn--one of the Louche will be a Christmas gift, I think.

And thank goodness someone else bought Zeitgeist.

All fired up

2007-07-07T10:37:00.000-04:00

I finished the blue-grape hyacinth socks. See what I mean about the toe?

If I ever knit them again, I'll make the loops shorter, so they end perfectly. They also came out on the loose side. I used size 2 needle--I could probably drop it down to a 1 1/2, or a size 1 even, at least on the foot.

I cast on the morning glory wrap. Let me tell you, after knitting socks for over a month with size 1 and 2, using a size 8 is like knitting with a crayon. It's very very weird. I'm only 4 rows in, but I haven't made a mistake yet, so I'm pretty pleased. This wrap is knit in two halves, and then grafted together. Perhaps I'll take a break in between halves and fit in a pair of socks. I'd like to have the wrap finished before I leave on our "vacation" on 8/2.

Here's a weird story about bad yarn karma: Yesterday, Dee put up the Posh Yarn Preview. I'm scrolling through all of the lovelies, and I find a sock yarn called "Zeitgeist". That word tops my list of hated words. For the only reason that for many years, I listened to a talk show on my local NPR station called "The Connection". I hated the host. I thought he was an arrogant little sot. He liked to say zeitgeist at least every other day. Now he always used it correctly, but what kind of a person works that word into conversation so frequently? He was dismissed about 2 years ago and immediately picked up by a different NPR station, and frankly, I hadn't thought of him since then.

So I wrote to Dee and told her that I would have to buy that yarn because I hated the name so much. We had a good laugh.

A few hours later, while reading the paper at lunchtime, I find the the obituary of Mr. Zeitgeist's wife.

I don't think I should buy the yarn.

Planning Ahead

2007-07-04T14:09:00.001-04:00

We'll be going on "vacation" the first weekend in August. To South Jersey, which is 6 hours each way. Plus three days with the in-laws. I'll need to bring two projects that are simple and mindless. One will be the Chevron Scarf. Yes, I probably am the last one to knit that pattern. And I should bring something else too in case there's a problem with the Chevron. Plus a pair of socks just in case. I'm drawing a blank on what the second project should be.

This morning I sat down with Victorian Lace Today and mapped out two projects. One will be "A curved shawl with diamond edging" knit in Sundara Silk Lace (the midnight that I just bought). That will be a Christmas gift for my Sister-In-Law. The other will be "A handsome triangle" knit in Posh's Eva 2-ply lace in color "Genie". That will be for me. And my mother visited today, and went straight for the Posh DK silk in "regal". I had been eyeing Anne's Morning Glory Wrap pattern for a while, and I had just matched the regal to the pattern. I guess that will be mom's Christmas gift.

It's pretty satisfying to have 2 major projects identified. Now I just have to start knitting them! And finish them by December!

I finished the first blue-grape hyacinth sock this morning. I like it a lot except for the end of the pattern at the toe. It will be clear in the finished photo. I followed the directions, but it just looks odd to me. And now I'm drawing a blank on what to start next. Maybe the Morning Glory, if I dare. Do I need a break from socks? Not necessarily, but I think I'd feel better to get a start on the Christmas presents early.

Here is my big Posh package which arrived yesterday:

On the left is one skein of Lucia sock yarn in "Artful". Dee sent this to me as a thank you for doing a wee favor for her. Dee is very sweet! Lovely color on that one. On the bottom are the 4 skeins of regal previously mentioned. On top of regal are three skeins of Silk DK in "Cherub". Not sure what I'll do with those. And on top are two skeins of Eva two-ply sock in "peacock". I thought this color was darker than it actually was. I was going to make socks for the SIL, but it doesn't quite match the other yarn. Oh dear! Guess I'll have to keep those for myself too! He-he.

Goodbye Solstice Slip

2007-07-02T11:13:00.000-04:00

I finished them early yesterday morning, and it was so cool that I wore them all day. I'm fairly ambivalent about them. I feel like I should like them more than I actually do. They certainly fit very well. I don't at all like the short row heel. To me it seems a little unsophisticated for the rest of the pattern. Here's how much yarn I had left:

2 grams. That's the closest I've ever come to running out of yarn. The pattern instructs you to knit the leg to 5 inches, but because I knit them toe up, I could calculate exactly how long to make each leg. Although I'll admit I thought I would have a little more left over.

And so I cast on for the blue-grape hyacinth socks. These may be a problem, as they look pretty tight. And I'm knitting them on US 2's as instructed to loosen them a little. I'll be sweating a bit until I turn the heel and try them on. It's an interesting pattern.

Yesterday I bought only two skeins at the Posh update. I really held myself back. But these two are definitely beauties. I haven't received last week's shipment yet, and I have to keep going back into my email records to remind myself of exactly what I bought. That's probably not a very good sign, is it?

I'll need to do some planning of upcoming projects shortly. More on that in my next posts.

p.s. Da Man (aka the IT Department) has done some fiddling over there to the right. It looks a lot better now.

Surprises

2007-06-29T09:18:00.000-04:00

I had two surprises in the mail yesterday. First was this:

I nearly wept. It was the June shipment of Sundara's sock club--the petals collection. Each kit features a flower, and June was the blue grape hyacinth. Have you ever seen anything so incredible? The matching tissue, the heavy card stock pattern, the matching envelope for the pattern, the postcard, and oh yeah. Yarn. It was nearly too much for me to bear. So I guess you know what I'll be knitting next, right?

Next was this:

Have you seen it? I first heard about it on Lolly's blog. You can get all the details here. I'm stunned by these designs. I want to make one of everything. But I'll probably start with this

And this:

And who knows what else.

The solstice slip? Thanks for asking. I'm getting ready to turn the heel. It should be finished over the weekend. I don't dislike it as much as I did yesterday, but I'm still not in love with it.

Snapped!

2007-06-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

I had a feeling this was going to happen. I broke my first knitting needle. Ever. These are Brittany Birch, size US 1. When I first started using them, their flexibility seemed so fragile, and I was very afraid they would snap. But they made it through several pairs of socks with no problem. Until this pair. I was pulling the sock on after I turned the heel Tuesday morning, and I felt it pop.

Fortunately, I have an extra set of these needles, so I just swiped one needle from the second set. I never ever buy two sets of needles of the same size. This was a total accident that I happen to have two sets of size 1. And isn't it a little eerie that these are the ones that broke?

About the sock. I'm losing the love on this one. Although I turned the heel in the early morning, I was only able to work 3 inches of the leg all day Tuesday. And Wimbledon was on the tv! The perfect knitting background! Wednesday wasn't much better--I did finish it but it only took another 2 inches. I have managed to figure the cabling without a needle, so that does help push it along, but man, this pattern is so boring now it's sucking the life out of me. I'm actually contemplating cleaning to avoid working on it today. And I have a whole 'nother sock to do after this one.

Once I start the second sock of a pair, I allow myself to start thinking about my next project. If I think about it before I finish the first sock, then I'm afraid I'll never finish the pair. I have no idea what I'm going to do next, but I'm leaning towards the jade yarn, or the lilacs in bloom.

Of course, if the Pink Posh Package arrives before I finish this sock, that could upset everything.

Today is the third day of our heat wave, with strong thunderstorms forecast for later today. Herself and I won't be leaving the house today. It's a perfect time for sock knitting and other summerly stuff.

It's hot, but there's yarn

2007-06-25T14:38:00.000-04:00

At about 3pm it's 90 degrees here. Tomorrow's forecast is 96. Although I really don't like it, I turned the air conditioner on, and now it's very comfortable.

And lucky I did that too because the mailman just delivered two boxes of yarn. It's not nice fondling yarn when it's so warm.

Let's do the Loopy Ewe box first.

From left to right are Dream in Color Smooshy sock yarn in "Strange Harvest", Fleece Artist Sea wool in "Aegean", Seacoast Handpainted in "Cherry Fizz" (yes, I know that's a pink-brown-white colorway--I had a momentary lapse) and Dream in Color again in "Good Luck Jade". My favorite by far is the jade. It doesn't show in the photo, but this looks exactly like a piece of jade. It has some bits of brown in it. I also had to buy strange harvest for both the color and the name. It's definitely not a very pretty color, But I like a lot, for reasons unknown. Just one of those things.

And now the Sundara box:

Two skeins of her silk lace--one in "Midnight" and one in "Black Currant". The midnight will be a Christmas gift for my SIL. She's a redhead and hard to pick colors for. I'm hoping it will also match some silk sock yarn I bought from Posh yesterday. Black Currant will be all mine, and it's much deeper than in the photo. Love it.

And the six skeins of sport weight:

From left to right, "Black over Cherry", "Blue Violet over Cotton Candy", and "Eggplant over Cream."

So that's what I bought last week. Plus the 10 skeins from Posh yesterday. I really need to get cracking on some holidays gifts. I know there's plenty of time to do what I have in mind, but I always feel better once I get the first gift done. I'll be sitting down with Victorian Lace Today, and spending some time on Ravelry to find the right lace patterns. But first, I'll have to finish the solstice slip socks.

Here's what I've done so far. It's kind of slow going with all the cables every third row. If I were patient enough I'd figure out how to do the cables without a needle (Grumperina has a great tutorial here). It is a perfect fit however.

Stay cool!

I behaved for 3 days

2007-06-24T13:43:00.000-04:00

And then I bought 10 more skeins today. It wasn't my fault. Posh Yarns had a huge update, and there were so many lovely colors. Photos when they arrive...

Meanwhile, my order from One Planet arrived. Remember when I was waiting for the Yarn Pirate to be added? (And for the record I did wait until it appeared, and DID NOT BUY ANY) I bought four skeins of Sereknity Sock Options.

December Beaches:

And Lilacs in Bloom:

I love both of these colorways, and I haven't seen anything similar anywhere else, and that's why I bought them.

I also finished my monkey socks:

This was a very enjoyable pattern, and easy too. I'm sure I'll be knitting it again. I used Posh's Lucia yarn in "Illusion".

And within a half an hour of finishing these, I cast on my Rockin Sock Club socks. I'm attempting these toe up. The pattern gave options for both toe up, and cuff down. I usually hate short row heels and toes, but I don't want to waste any of this yarn since it looks like the legs turn out a little short.

Hopefully my next post will include photos of my big Sundara purchase.

Too much yarn?

2007-06-21T15:55:00.003-04:00

That's a question I've been thinking about over the past two days. I know *I* have too much yarn. Just looking at my stash basket reveals over a dozen skeins purchased in just one week. And that doesn't include the two plastic bins in my upstairs closet.

That also doesn't include the 4 skeins I bought from One Planet while waiting for them to load their new stock of Yarn Pirate. That also doesn't include the 4 skeins I bought this morning from the Loopy Ewe in their great big sneak up.

In the early hours of the morning after I read my email and check the blogs, I sometimes wander around looking at new yarns. Yesterday I got caught in the handpainted yarn vortex. I would find a yarn I hadn't heard of before. Which would lead me to a store that I hadn't heard of before. Which would lead me to another yarn I hadn't heard of before. And then they all started to look the same. There was a lot of pink. A lot of pink-brown-white colorways. Some of them even had the same name! And I started thinking, who is buying all of this yarn? (Well besides me, he he) Will there ever be a point where there's just TOO MUCH YARN out there for us? Clearly, I'm buying yarn at a much faster rate than I can use it. So from now on, I'm going to focus on those rare yarns, the artistic dyers who come up with creations so unique that I know I'll never see them repeated anywhere.

Well, I'm going to *try*.

My Rockin Sock Kit arrived today, and I'm amazed that I wasn't last again. In their first shipment in February, there were people who had finished their pair of socks before I even got my kit! Talk about shipping glitches! Anyway, no spoilers here, but I will say that this is my favorite yarn/pattern combination so far. I'll start them when I finish my monkeys.

And speaking of the monkeys, I just finished the first, and I hope to cast on the second tonight, but there's other stuff to be done around here. Stuff that doesn't involve yarn, sadly.

I like the monkeys. I swore I would run short on the yarn, but the first one took only 38g. It's a great fit, and it should be considering I started them on 2's, switched to 1's after the first pattern repeat, could barely get the sock over my arch so switched back to 2's after the gusset decrease, and then back to 1's again to tighten up the toe. I hope I remember where I did all that.

I'm also liking the colorway a lot. "Illusion". Very moody, smoky. Very me. Very my mom too. But I bought two skeins, so she might luck out.

Tomorrow's a marathon day for me. Herself has an appointment at Children's Hospital (ask me how much I like driving into downtown Boston--NOT!) and Da Man is at a conference teaching a course, drinking bad coffee, and going out to a function afterwards. So herself will have the pleasure of my company for the whole day and evening. Wish me luck.

Whose stupid idea was this summer vacation thing?

2007-06-20T11:45:00.000-04:00

Oy. I was up at 5am as usual and at 5:40 I heard the creak of someone's little feet down the stairs.

"Good Morning Mommy!"

By 7am she was in tears because it "hurt to put my socks on."

Thankfully by 8 we had our happy faces back on, and we even cleaned up the downstairs pretty well before we left for the bookstore.

I bought 4 or 5. No knitting books. Not even a magazine.

Herself stocked up on workbooks, a Ratatouille coloring book, and a hideous Princess thing. I let that one slide in the interest of domestic harmony.

I bought more yarn last night. Sundara updated her one of a kinds yesterday--go take a peek.

I really love her sport weight for socks. Very squarshy. I like me a squarshy sock when it's cold. I came away with Blue Violet over cotton candy, Eggplant over cream, and black over cherry in her sport merino, as well as Black Currant and Midnight in laceweight. Yeah, I know it's a lot, but she's going on vacation and won't be updating her store for another month or so. Wouldn't want to have an emergency or anything, right?

I'm also waiting for my June Rocking Sock Club shipment, and, come to think of it, I also joined Sundara's sock club which ships in June. I love automated yarn!

No photos today. I'm close to starting the heel flap on the Monkey socks, and all is well on that front.

It's official!

2007-06-19T14:32:00.000-04:00

Summer Vacation has officially begun! Next Stop--First Grade.

This is the pile of yarn I'm loading into Ravelry today. Three separate orders from the Loopy Ewe. There's Claudia Handpainted, Yarn Pirate, Perchance to Knit, Misty Mountain...I think that's it.

And I did finish the Lupine Lace socks before we left for school:

And started the monkey socks before I picked her up after school:

Really like this pattern, and the yarn too.

Wow. Two posts in one day. Go figure. Tomorrow we're off to the bookstore early for boredom prvention.

What's that noise?

2007-06-19T05:42:00.000-04:00

Shhhhh----Do you hear it? It's the sound of Moms and Dads weeping. Today is the last day of school in our town, and in a matter of hours hundreds of kids will be dragging their feet, sighing, and muttering about how bored they are.

So, more than three months since my last post. Still pathetic. But I'm vowing to do better this summer. How about at least one post per week? I joined Ravelry about a month ago, and I'm able to keep up with that, so I'm hopeful for this blog. Plus we have a new camera, which may make the picture aspect easier.

Today I've got 12 skeins to load into Ravelry (so much for that yarn resolution), I'm nearly finished with my latest pair of socks, and hope to cast on a new pair later today. That's inbetween dropping HRH off at school (Da Man has an early meeting) and picking her up at 1pm.

Photos soon, maybe. I know better than to make promises.

Now you see it...

2007-03-06T09:12:00.000-05:00

Now you don't!!!

That's the last time I start a sock without checking my guage. The pattern is Bells & Whistles socks from the Holiday 2006 issue of Interweave Knits. The Yarn is Socks that Rock mediumweight "Obsidian". Part of my birthday gift, I think. I knit the sock on size 2 needles as directed, and wound up with at least two inches of ease in the leg. Also nearly ran out of yarn, as it used exactly half a skein (80g).

So I started again on size 1 needles and it's looking much, much better.

And an update on my Rockin Sock Club package--there is none. It still hasn't arrived. According to the club blog, some people have nearly finished their pair of socks. I'm thinking of just passing on it for later. I need to finish this brown pair first.

Pitiful

2007-02-27T07:16:00.000-05:00

Nearly two months since my last post. I'll try to do better.

An update on my resolutions: Here's a list of the books I've read so far this year--

1. A Tale of two sisters

2. Baby Trail

3. Arlington Park

4. The Hot Flash Club strikes again

5. Round Ireland with a fridge

6. The Breakdown Lane

7. Theft

8. Swapping Lives

9. The Knitting Circle

10. The Friday Night Knitting Club

The best by far has been Arlington Park, but the reviews on Amazon don't agree with me. The Knitting Circle was a good read, the Friday Night Knitting Club was pretty bad. Both Knitting books for some reason had women with serious illnesses.

More later.

Ooooh, oooh,--The first shipment of the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Sock club is on its way. Pictures promised...

Resolve

2007-01-02T08:32:00.000-05:00

It's resolution time, and I have three for 2007.

1. I will sell $2000 worth of stuff in this house. That will include the yard sale we've been trying to have for two years.

2. I will read 60 books in 2007. Five of them must be classics. I average about a book a week, so this will be a challenge.

3. (And it's the big one), I will buy no yarn until July 1, 2007.

Exceptions to resolution #3 (Oh come on, did you really think there wouldn't be any exceptions?)

1. This does not include any yarn already ordered (From Yarntini, Pureknits, and a whopper box from Yarnmarket) that hasn't arrived yet.

2. This does not include yarn needed to make gifts--and I'm thinking of at least two so far.

3. This does not include yarn to finish my log cabin blanket. The only place I have seen this yarn is at my LYS, and if I do buy it, it will be during their annual superbowl sale.

4. Gifts (My birthday is February 1--guess what I'll be asking for?)

There. I've said it.

Progress (or lack thereof) will be noted here.

So I never recovered from the sock disaster. I ripped the whole thing out, and even considered pitching the yarn in the trash, but I didn't. Instead, I cast on with Yarntini's cherry cordial yarn, using the same pattern I screwed up. That was tempting fate a little bit, but I cruised through the pair and finished them on Christmas Day. And here they are:

Yarn: Yarntini's variegated cherry cordial sock yarn, one skein
Pattern: Fiber Trends Lupine Lace
Needles: Cover US#1 double pointed
Modifications: The pattern called for 7 repeats of the lace pattern on the leg--I did only 6 and think they are plenty tall

Here's what the mailman brought me on the 23rd:

Sundara Yarn! Yes, this time I got lucky, and it was still available by the time I emailed her. From left to right: superwash merino wool sock yarn in lime and cilantro, superwash merino wool sock yarn in bittersweet, and 100% silk laceweight in charcoal over silver. Poor Sundara got caught in that terrible storm in Seattle, and STILL sent her orders out --without heat or electricity. Thanks Sundara! (and Sundara's mom!)

And here's what Santa brought on the 25th:

The yarn to knit "Fair Isle Jazz" scarf from Scarf Style. Love this scarf. Love the yarn, love the pattern. BUT. I RAN OUT OF YARN. I HATE that. I requested exactly what was specified, and I'm not even close. I'll need another 1/3 skein at least of the raspberry red. I've ordered more from Yarnmarket, which is where Santa got them, so I'm hoping that the dye lot will match. If it doesn't, I don't think it will matter much since I'll be starting the new wool in a separate section. But still, designers, take note. PLEASE don't skimp on the yarn requirements.

And also from Santa:

Socks that Rock mediumweight. From top to bottom: Jingle Bell Rock, Love-In-Idleness, and Puck's mischief. I am also so very, very lucky to be one of the one's to have registered for Blue Moon's Rockin Sock Club 2007.

As you can see, I've got plenty of yarn to get me started in 2007. And the funny party is that my first FO for 2007 is from yarn not mentioned in this post.

It just went bad. Real bad.

2006-12-15T09:58:00.000-05:00

Well, on Sunday I settled on the Lupine Lace pattern for my mom's pair of socks, and cast on late afternoon. Things were going well until I got to the heel. Although I followed the pattern, it turned out a little longer than it should have. It was about 8 1/2 inches long. I wasn't crazy about the length, and considered ripping out one repeat of the lace. Then I changed my mind and continued. Gusset was fine. This morning I knit away, thinking I'm about an hour away from the toe decreases (which made me very happy, because I thought that would give me some definite possibility of finishing the first sock today.)

And that's when it happened.

I realized that instead of alternating each row of the lace pattern with a straight knit row, I was doing all lace pattern. For about 2 inches.

I looked at it, willing it to fix itself before my eyes, but that #&%$# thing just sat there and mocked me.

So I ripped back to the end of the gusset, and tried picking up the stitches. Have you ever tried to rework a frog on a size 1 needle?

It's sitting there, over on the ottoman, still mocking me.

I'll have to rip it entirely and start over.

At least I'll be able to correct the length issue, but now I don't think there's any way I can finish the pair by the 26th.

snif.

Crunch time

2006-12-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

So in the past week, I've finished the first fair isle hat. I'm not sure why it turned into kind of a bell shape. Might have something to do with the lining. And can you see the mistake? I didn't notice it until I was putting the ropes on. Oh well! Sorry brother!

And I finished the second fair isle hat. I don't like the puckered top, and it turned out to be smaller than the first one. I really like the tailored finishing on the first one. But I like the pattern on the second one. HRH tried it on, and it fits. So I might make another one for her in acid green and purple, to match her winter jacket. I enjoyed knitting the snowflake hat much more--maybe because there were much less yarn flopping (that's a techincal fair isle term, right?). So I won't be divorcing fair isle just yet.

Then I started a pair of finglerless mitts (pattern from KnitPicks) in some koigu I've had hanging around for ages. Note to self--don't let koigu hang around so long. It's perfect for this pattern! One skein makes exactly two mitts, and it's so sproingy that the ribbing will fit any size hand. Even my fat one! I'm about to finish sewing up the second one as soon as I finish this post, and then I'm casting on for the final Christmas gift--a pair of socks for mum in Lisa Souza's sock yarn--color garnet. Not quite sure about the pattern yet.

So all in all, I'd say it's been a pretty productive week considering I had a bazillion other things to do. And I also started the holiday bakathon this weekend, in which Jenn tries to bake 50 dozen christmas cookies without swearing and throwing things. I've got 13 dozen down this so far. I'm supposed to finish by the end of the week.

Ask me about the year I made 83 dozen.

Thanks Mr. Postman!!!

2006-12-03T16:21:00.000-05:00

My surprise package did indeed arrive, and prepare yourself for some gushing. I read about Yarntini's yarn on someone's blog, but it was all sold out at www.purenits.com Wahhhh! I subscribe to her blog, so I was alerted to her adding some inventory to her Etsy shop. By the time I got there, there were only two variegated colorways left--the elusive cherry cordial, and pumpkin twist. So I ordered one of each (fingering weight). Well let me tell you, Yarntini is just a doll to do business with, and they yarn? Oy. It came prettily wrapped in pink tissue. Each skein was in its own plastic bag (great drool protection), AND she included a pot of lip goo in chocolatini flavor. Yikes! Is this the most gorgeous yarn you've ever seen? Love it, love it, love it!

On a sadder note, my love affair with fair isle is over, I think. I don't know what went wrong. Maybe it was the hat. I haven't made one in over a year, and I'd forgotten how niddly it gets towards the end. Maybe it was the monotony of the pattern. I'm committed to finishing this one (there's only 2 rows left), and the second one for my SIL (unfotrunately in the same colors, but a different pattern). After that I'll take a break. Which is unfortunate, because I really do like the end product. I'd like to have one for myself in fact. Anyone out there want to knit one for me? And then I was contemplating making one for Da Man. He wants a hat with the Boston Bruins logo, and I'm wondering if I can take a black background, with yellow B's and turn it into fairisle.

By Christmas.

I've been busy!

2006-12-01T08:34:00.000-05:00

I finished the second braided scarf in 10 days. That's less than half the time it took me to knit the first one. I don't think I'll be making that one again. The finished product looks ok, but I'm not a big fan of the ends, and it was just a big pain in the neck to knit. I hope the teachers like them.

Then I cast on for my Mom's Shetland shawl in the Tilli Tomas silk. This took only eight days to finish. I don't know how--it was a very fast knit. The only modification I made was adding an extra repeat on the main body, and I'm glad I did, because it didn't block as large as I thought it would. I guess I should have realized that silk won't stretch as much as wool when wet. This yarn was nice to work with. Blocking, however revealed that this yarn bleeds. A lot. When I lifted it out of the sink after its soak, it look like the sink was filled with blood. It was that bad. I rinsed, and rinsed, and rinsed. It was still bleeding a bit when I called it quits. I'll have to tell Mom not to where it over white, or when it rains!

Last night I cast on for my first fair isle project. It's one of Bea Ellis' hat kits. I discovered these on someone else's blog--can't remember who, and they looked really neat. So I ordered one for my brother, and one for the sister-in-law. I was kinda scared when I started the double stranded knitting. I've read how hard it is. But I found that as long as you keep the two strands separate and untangled, it's not bad at all. The stitches on the first few rows are a bit wonky, but I think I did just fine on my first attempt. I'll definitely be ordering more from Bea Ellis--she is so friendly, and quick to ship.

My next post will include a surprise! I was EXTREMELY lucky to snatch something off an Etsy shop earlier this week. This stuff is in hot demand, and I can't believe I was so lucky! More later...

This N That

2006-11-18T10:44:00.000-05:00

THIS....

Is the Vogue holiday braided scarf. I finished it on Tuesday just as I had hoped. I even had enough time to cast on for the second green one. I'm almost done with the second finger, and I'm hoping to finish the green scarf by the 30th. Right now I'm ahead of schedule, but I'm cooking on Thursday, so I'm sure I'll lose at least a day of knitting there.

And THAT...

Is three skeins of Tilli Tomas Pure and Simple in colorway Ruby Wine. This is for the Shetland Triangle from Wrap Style. It's a Christmas gift for my mum. 97% of mum's wardrobe is black, so this is a bold move. I wonder if she'll ever wear it. But honestly, a red shawl over a black blouse is going to look a heck of a lot better than a black shawl over a black blouse, right?

RIGHT????

Knitted Intestines

2006-11-13T07:57:00.000-05:00

Can you guess what this is? It's the scarf from the Holiday issue of Vogue Knitting. I'm using the prescibed Lush. Here's another photo which gives you a good idea of how it's knit:

I'm about halfway through the last (sixth) finger. I'm hoping to finish this one tomorrow. It's for herself's teacher Ms. B. Then I get to knit another one in green for her other teacher, Mrs. L. Despite it being a scarf, this is NOT a quick knit!

New Beginnings

2006-11-10T08:23:00.000-05:00

I quit my job last week. I'll spare you the long explanation, but this is a very good thing for me and my family. Herself started kindergarten this year, and my working became too difficult for all of us on a number of levels.

So here I am with an extra 25 hours per week of knitting time on my hands.

More posts coming, with more pictures.

Bobble/2=Bob

2006-05-22T18:41:00.000-04:00

Here's the back of bobble shirt completed, and it's now off the needles and in a bag with the rest of its yarn. I've got some Lorna's Laces that will be arriving on Wednesday for a Clapotis for one of my daughter's three, no, make that four preschool teachers. Since she's finishing preschool in mid August, those absolutely have to be done. So I'm detouring bobble for a Clapotis or two or three or four.

I've also got to make a pair of socks for a houseguest arriving on June 15. Yes, sleep in our bed and get a pair of handknit socks to go home in.

Don't ask me to knit you a bathrobe.

Numbers don't lie

2006-05-20T18:10:00.000-04:00

173.

That's right. One. Seven. Three.

The number of skeins of yarn in my stash.

Crap.

Day One

2006-05-19T18:49:00.000-04:00

What's on my needles? Bobble shirt in a slightly different color scheme. Well, a completely different color scheme.

What's my stash like? I'm going to guess I have 64 skeins/balls of new yarn. Maybe I'll count them tomorrow to see how far I'm off. I've probably greatly underestimated. (Husband, don't read that).

And that's not counting the 4 skeins of Lorna's Laces Worsted for a clapotis, or the 7 skeins of Cascade 220 (felted bag from pickup sticks) on its way from http://www.yarn-store.com/.

Better not read that either, dear.

FO's this year include a baby blanket that just...would...not...die from Sarah Dallas Knitting. Man, that thing just went on and on. It took me about three weeks to finish. One of my longest projects.

Also finished is a Seraphim shawl, still waiting to be blocked as I don't have a blocking board yet. But I guess I'd better get one because the shawl is for my Gram's 90th birthday in August.

I honestly can't remember what else I've done this year--probably some socks, a few scarves maybe. Must document better.

And now for a dirty little secret. So many knitters talk about the yarn stash. Well, what about the book stash, hmmmm? Magazines anyone? Loose patterns floating around? Those babies are REAL easy to hide.

Time to fess up everyone. Flaunt that pattern stash too!

And if I have the guts, I'll do it on my next post. Cause day one? She's done.

'night.

2006-03-30T10:03:00.000-05:00

I'm married to a geek, and swore I'd never go down this road, yet, here I am.