We interupt the SS09 Report Segment...

(since it is so slow in coming anyway...) to present the latest musings...

Actually, it's kind of a report, because it is very SS09-related (for me, at least!)

First, that ONE sock that I've completed! Actually, this is SS09-related because it is my SS09-Inspired sock! I took Lucy Neatby's "Cool Socks A" and saw her "Almost Saintly" sock and learned of her getting hooked on eyelets for a while. She referred to it as her 'eyelet phase'.


I saw the pattern at SS09 and decided I needed to get it! I had actually admired it at SW, but ignored the urge to get it.

When I got home and dumped out my huge stash from SS09, I purchased a Zauberball after seeing how cool a sock (also knit by Lucy and seen at her class) looked with the colorful, long repeats. I went against my usual 'dull', blendy instinct and went with a Zauberball that was more fun and colorful. I realized that this could be cool as Almost Saintly socks and that I could just use some black sock yarn for the heels and toes.

After hunting for that black sock yarn I *knew* I had *somewhere* and in my excitement to start this sock, I looked at the beautiful single skein of Tartrazine I had gotten from Van der Rocks and realized it actually might work instead of the plain black! (Yeah, boring me who dislikes yellow and was going to go for the conservative, safe black...)

Do you see what I mean about this being such an absolutely perfect yellow? So lemony, so pretty...I acutally had purchased it to accent some purple socks, but what a lovely surprise to find that I was making my own special SS09 socks: a pattern by Lucy Neatby (who's class I attended...) and all yarn used was purchased at SS09! And even the smaller set of needles I switched to for the heels and toe?-purchased at SS09!

Speaking of needles, the needles I used are made by Laurel Hill from Forest Palm. So far, I like the needles, they are very flexible and I must admit that they freak me out a bit in that I fear breaking them. So far, so good, and a size that I love-5"! But I have to take this moment to seriously plug their crochet hooks! If you crochet, you have to try these out! I have to say that Laurel Hill crochet hooks are my favorite hooks!

I purchased my first hook back when I crocheted a hat for my friend. No, as usual, I didn't NEED another crochet hook, but the feel and look were so nice! And the price was reasonable for such a nicely finished crochet hook. I fell in love...

So when I saw them at SS09, of course I got a couple more! Somehow, I refrained from getting a whole set (which was maybe a bit over $100 for a set that came in a silk case...). Really because I already own just about every standard size crochet hook!

The finish is smooth where if feels nice in the hand and glides well, yet has just enough 'grab'. The tip has a point to help get the hook right into the proper holes! And the 'notch' (whatever that part is called...) has a nice, sharp angle to really grap the yarn. It is so comfortable in the hand and from what I understand, they had consulted with the Crochet Guild of America when developing the design. Hey, fellow Bay Area stitchers-Purlescence Yarns says they stock them!!!

At any rate, a surprise arrived yesterday in the mail!

My special Sock Summit (2nd) edition mug!!!
Jennie the Potter sold out on this design but took special orders for her 2nd edition!TOO CUTE! She is talented! And her sheepy/spindle mugs were pretty cute, too...

During Sock Summit, I was keeping KnittingGolfer up to date on purchases and even grabbed a spindle for her. She and I have been discussing her love affair with the Jenkins I picked up for her and I've heard and seen all her spinning adventures of late.

This, of course, gave me urge to work on my G-Rocks again! Spinning it with my Bosworth!

And I also realized that perhaps KnittingGolfer would like to see the bits of spinning here and there that I may have posted at one time or another but haven't shown the multiple faces of..like more of this Pigeon Roof Studios merino (spun on ANOTHER Bosworth spindle-yes, you want one, KnittingGolfer!)...

And some Yarn Wench merino (spun on a basic Schact spindle I purchsed at Article Pract)...
Then I dug out the merino/silk/rayon batt I had been working on in Wild Mountain Thyme that I had purchased from Sanguine Gryphon some time ago (shown on my Avi Wasserman spindle I had purchased from One Planet a while back)...
And I even did the 'coin thing' cuz KnittingGolfer said everyone else does it...so what the heck!

And Nartian must've felt the spinning vibes cuz look at the lovely roving she got me for my birthday from A Verb for Keeping Warm! (BTW, that's my Sanguine Gryphon spindle again!)


I swear, spinning colorways is soooo cool! I love to see the intermixing of the colors!

PDXKnitterati had "Dizzy" running through her head when she posted on her blog. Admittedly, I remember that song, too! But this is the song that runs through my head when I spin! Must be all those college days of my best friend dragging me to go dancing with him!

TARTRAZINE!

The most beautiful yellow sock yarn EVER. Seriously.

http://www.vanderrockyarns.com/superwash_tartrazine

And next post? I'll show you what I ended up making with mine! (Yes, I got a skein of it at SS09!)

Can it really have been a month ago?

Hard to believe that it has only been a month since Sock Summit! The past 4 weeks has felt like 4 months!

We returned from our family vacation the end of July with SassyMan not feeling well. A week later, he still didn't feel well and I worried: a) that he had a flu and I might catch it before SS09 or b) it was worst than a flu in which case that would not be good, either!

I loaded myself up with Emergen-C and Airborne and the following week headed on up to Sock Summit anyway, convinced he would be better when I returned.

Unfortunately, I learned he in fact hadn't been getting better-this after learning it would be an additional day before I could fly home due to a mishap with my flight reservations!

At any rate, here we are, weeks later-SassyMan having just gotten out of a nice 2 1/2 week hospital stay! All is better and here I am, ready to contine the SS09 reporting! But first, speaking of SassyMan and the hospital visit, here is the up side of hospital 'watch' (whereby you are not the hospitalized, but keep vigil by said 'hospitalized' side and thus are well enough and have the time to...KNIT!) The completed ULMUS that I, at one time, questioned whether I would ever finish one!

Ta-dah! A completed (albeit not blocked)
ULMUS! I used lightweight STR in Footsey Foo and Jabberwocky!

The rest of the hospital knitting was mostly the Cat Bordhi sock bookmarks, perfect little gifts for the docs and nurses!

So on to the Market and goodies!

Of course, there was YARN and LOTS of it...especially of the sock variety.
But there were also lots of fun sock-related, non-yarn items! I'm sad I missed the Dansko shoes, but here are some cute DPN protectors and stitch markers...


Jenkins Spindles...so many beautiful woods! And see the silk hankie they wrapped mine in?
Project bags, fibers, rubber stamps, shawl pins, darning eggs...
And the Travelocity Gnomes? Almost! Actually, these are Snicklefritz's traveling Gnomes adorning her booth!
Lantern Moon was well represented. Look how adorable the Lantern Moon Gals are with their Lantern Moon tatoos and raw silk (wait-maybe it was organza!) pants...

And some goodies for the hands! Lo-Lo Bars by BarMaids!
And look how cute "Painty" (Laura from The Unique Sheep) looked in her stockings knit from her "Gradience" dyed yarns! I got a chance to snatch up a Hobbiton sock kit and several mini-skeins of various sock yarns. I must say that the "Sushi Sock" feels wonderfully soft and smooshy, has beautiful sheen and was so nice to work with! I knit a mini-sweater out of it while in the ER...

I did have to snag up a bit of Curious Creek fiber from Carolina Homespun, too! I broke tradition and didn't buy a spindle from Carolina Homespun this time around, though I did get a couple of rubberstamps from them on top of this bit of fiber!


And as if the Jenkins Turkish spindle weren't enough, I fell in love with this one at Sanguine Gryphon's booth, some home it came wth me! The wood is beautiful, the spiral and lines are so elegant. It spins nicely, but in truth, the longer shaft means I have to wind on more frequently and end up bumping it on the ground often!
I have to say that the market was absolutely amazing! So many vendors, so many creative, wonderful indie dyers, so many clever notions and goodies to be had! I barely was able to get through the complete market, was absolutely overwhelmed and never really got to go back to many of the earlier booths I had skimmed in the beginning. I really am not good at markets because I am so detail oriented that I tend to get sucked into everything and anything!

It seemed like a lot of the vendors were really into the spirit of making it a fun, exciting event! Sanguine Gryphon's booth was gorgeous! Very Renaissance Fair-costumes, face painting and all! I'm sad I missed the Handknit Heros booth; I'd been interested in seeing their comic books and I understand they had Super Hero photos they were taking! I may have to knit a mask for Halloween so I can feel like a KnitHero anyway! There were so very many lovely yarns and items! Jennie the Potter had the ceramic mugs and jewelry. Speaking of jewelry, there were also recycled kniting needle jewelry and a vintage knitting supplies booth (hence, my darning egg purchases!)...And, of course, my most-revered Blue Moon Fiber Arts had a wonderful representation and I had the opportunity to snag up a skein of ST-1 and some mill ends for Nartian!

And then, of course, it was fun to see all the knit friends, too! Purls Beyond Price (Nathania) was there, since her store, Purlescence had a booth and was launching their new "Purl up and Dye" line of hand-dyed yarns. Her hubby and baby girl Ellie arrived for the weekend, too!
I think I will have to cover the Ravelry party in another post. Sadly, I have nothing to report about the Sock Hop, since I didn't attend. I heard there were hoola-hoops, poodle skirts and Pink Ladies. As for me, I spent the time with a good friend eating out in Portland and scouting out VooDoo Donuts! Made some new friends, too! What more could I want for that evening? It was perfect for me!

I even found the perfect donut to bring back to Lil' Emp who had asked if I thought they would have a "*really* chocolatey one"? I forget the name of this one, but it is a chocolate cake donut with chocolate icing and cocoa puffs on top!