Remnants...

So Cupcakefaerie said that in my last post, I was like the "Miss Marianne... of Knitting"!-lol! Hmmmm...I guess it was kinda like "Romper Room"! Actually, I felt more like I was being Dorothy waking up from being in the land of Oz, "And you were there, and you were there..."!

But, like Miss Mary Ann who would never seem to see *me*, I don't want to be like her and not name my work knitting buddies and have them feel left out!-lol! So, pardon me for a second:

"Romper, bomper, stomper, boo.
Tell me, tell me, tell me do.
Magic mirror, tell me today.
Did all my friends have fun at play?"

...I see Calafia, Neri and Yarnkabobs, cuz they were there, too!

And why not share a bit of yarny goodness while I'm at it?...How about some Stitches West acquisitions...?

PurlescenceYarns had an after-SW "Show off your purchases" gathering at their shop on Saturday; I got the lovely shawl pattern shown in the background of this photo. The large skein is a laceweight merino/silk from A Verb for Keeping Warm. Below is the bit of spun and plyed G-Rocks and on the needles is my second Count Cluckula Leyburn! Yes, I'm still working on them!

As I posted last time, I stopped by Miss Babs. I couldn't resist this pattern and these mini-skeins to use to make my new baby-cousin-in-process a hat. She is due to arrive in June!

Addictive, this G-Rocks colorway is! I started a second spindle-full!

And just finished plying it this afternoon!

So far, I'm sure the purchases look fairly harmless, huh? Well, they would've been but I for my big BMFA purchase at the end! A few other Miss Babs made it home with me, too, along with miscellaneous accessories-mostly shawl clasps/pins. Yeah, I'm bad. Very bad...

BIG THRILL!!!

Though not yet blocked, I am happy to report that the Mystic Light Shawl is DONE!!! Nartian witnessed the cast-off on Monday afternoon. I thought I would not be able to resist and would block it soon after but alas, it still is in a lump, unblocked.

This was a KAL I had started back in March and am quite proud to have plugged through this. See guys? I finish things...eventually! It's kinda my first "Big Girl Knitter" lace! I mean, I did do the Forsest Canapy, but that was maybe 1/2-1/3 the yardage, smaller, and done with heavier yarn.

I made one of my work buds model this for me.
She's waaaaay tinier than me in size, but maybe a tad taller than me.

I wasn't happy showing just ONE pic, but I realize you can't see much from this!
So what was the point, really...?

And look what arrived at Purlescence last week and is now a part of my stash?!

STR lightweight: Potomac, Jubilation, The Cookie Next Door,
Muckity Muck (much more of a rich, deep reddish-tinged orange
than what is shown at the BMFA site-me LOVESES this!)

And more gifties on the needles...all are quick-to-knit projects for yarn-rich, cash-po' me!

A second Capitan hat! (Oh...these are so quick that I don't think
I even posted the one I made for me which is nearly finished!
Next time...maybe even modeled!)

And a Silky Malabrigo "Ivy" cowl knit in the "Mint Frappe" colorway...
funny, too...not a hint of green in this yarn!

Sometimes it's not ALL about knitting!

So I'm sure there are some of you out there who are like me and start stuff like this...

and well...maybe it just doesn't get completed?! And...maybe you don't quite know what happened to the patterns/instructions?

Yeah, well...I just resurrected this and from what I recall, it was VERY close to being finished! I think it is a bracelet and I was on the last portion. I also think I can probably figure out the last portion to finish it, but will have to either find the instructions for the clasp portion or wing it. It was a pattern from a 'Bead' magazine I bought a while back and I'm pretty sure it will turn up...

And speaking of BEADS...as you all know, the projects have been all about beads these days with the Mystery Stole 4 and Secret of the Stole iii KALs well underway.

I am happy to be able to show you two finished clues:

Secret of the Stole III is now completed through Clue 2. There are now 6 clues that have been released, so I am now 4 clues behind! Oh well...I will plug on!

Mystery Stole 4 is coming along. I am not thrilled with the laciness and think I should have done a smaller gauge, but long ago, I had decided I would not frog. I'm sure I will still be happy with this once it is completed, and I am getting more used of this tiny-thin yarn knit at this larger gauge, so at least that part's gotten better.

And now, after a school picnic at the park, I'm tired and am thinking 'nap' more than 'knit'...I'm dying to continue on my stoles, but I think the nap is going to win out! Besides, I really should be doing housework!

Yesterday morning was spent at the beach participating in Beach Clean Up day with Lil' Emp's school, then off to take care of some business in Vacaville (and hour and a half drive from here), then on to Sacramento (another 1/2 hour-45 minutes drive) for a visit/dinner with relatives. We made it back home at midnight. The good thing about long drives where I'm not doing the driving is that I got some knitting done! The bad thing about being away so long is that I have all the house stuff to continue to attempt to catch up on! But like I said...the nap is winning out at this point! ;)

Today, a color theme...

can you see it? And even the cute lil' "Harajuku Girls" bag that Purple Rain Knitter gave me matches the theme!
It's all about green! These three projects are the projects du jour, and probably of the week...I'm barely half way through the first clue for Mystery Stole 4. Carmen still has a ways to go. And--what's this? A sock? Now where did that come from? Certainly I couldn't be starting another sock?! ;)

Truth be told, I am starting another sock! Accidental, really...You see, I was admiring the Grace Note socks on Ravelry; the pattern isn't released yet. The author sent me the draft version, so I decided that I'd better knit it up now so that I can properly thank her for the pattern and give her some input. So that's my story. And I'm sticking to it! Yarn? Socks that Rock medium weight in Falcon's Eye.

Must be I'm focused!

Phew! With my parents' surprise 75th Birthdays Lunch behind me, I am wiped out! During a time of brief moderate sanity (moderate, I say, as I actually contemplated participating in the Ravelympics and brief because shortly thereafter came the insanity of the thinking I'm doing both shawl KALs...), I had decided I would NOT be participating in the Ravelympics on Team Blue Moon when I realized the planning of and this actual event fell at the same time. Probably a very wise idea...

But I am happy to report that the Central Air socks are now a pair!

And I have now finished Clue #3 of the Mystic Light Shawl. There are still 2 more clues to complete, and Secret of the Stole iii the begun! And I've not finished swatching with the Habu-possibly because I am realizing the error of my way in thinking that this was a good idea to knit something so big out of yarn so absolutely thin! But I need to figure this out soon!

I stretched out one half of the shawl on the clothesline. As always, not the best pic, but: 1) I live in the City; it is overcast today, 2) it has grown much bigger where the width exceeds the circ length, 3) I'm trying to give you an idea; I am not a photographer!, 4) You all loveses me anyways, right?! ;)

In the meantime, I got this out of hock at Article Pract!
They were able to look up my past gift certificate and I was able to use it to pay for this lovely skein of Yarn Place Gentle. The color is Wet Stone and it is a very dark, olivey-tealy green with a grey tone to it. I LOVE this and it seems to have a nice, tight twist to it. $20.25 for this 100g ball of 1380 yards! Not bad, huh? And I have $7.38 worth of credit remaining on my gift certificate! YAY, ME!!!

Now, off to go play me some BRAIN AGE cuz it taught me, "...knitting can activate your prefrontal cortex...Using both hands to create something can be a stimulating brain activity." Or maybe I should just go and...KNIT! ;)

Got me some lace!

Well, not exactly lace, but lace weight yarn! And at NO COST. In fact, I got back $1.78 in change! I made it over to Article Pract and found that they do, indeed, carry Cashwool. And I was able to find a beautiful cranberry red color. In addition, I was able to snag 2 cones of Habu in a gorgeous sage green color!

I loved the color of the Habu, but it is REALLY thin. I mean REALLY. THIN...Nartian suggested I swap out the BMFA Laci for the Habu; use the Habu for the SSiii since DK is using a fairly thin yarn for hers. I agree with that, so long as the Habu swatches up ok. It may drive me nuts to knit with in which case I can always carry it along with some other Habu for a lacey scarf or something if it doesn't work out. But I will swatch and see...

But for now, the results of the ssiii swatching:

Size 2 needles with Colonial Grey-lined crystal beads (I stupidly didn't realize I was supposed to add the beads as I went, so only ended up beading 2 of the 3 beaded rows...):
Then I realized I needed to go up a few sizes on the needles. I went up to a size 5 and tried out the Orchid-Lined crystal 6/0 beads:
I haven't completed this swatch, since I am now starting to swatch the green Habu so I can decide whether I need to switch this yarn out to use on the MS4. If not, I can use the Cashwool for the MS4 or (if I can find my other gift certificate for Article Pract) purchase this other lace yarn I found today--a gorgeous heathered greenish-teal color. It's on hold as I write! Keep your fingers crossed that I find that gift certificate!

Beads! Beads! More Beads! Cake!

I can't believe I FINALLY got the whole 1750 yards of Laci wound into a cake! And without the help of the Jumbo winder, since I had returned it and hadn't gotten around to borrowing it again! Nartian was right-go S L O W... And here it is!


I think alot of the driving force in finally getting this wound is that my beads arrived!

Above, Laci is shown with the three bead choices (left to right): Colonial Gray-lined Crystal, Orchid-lined Crystal, Gilt-lined Peach. Off the bat, I think a NO on the peach. The Silver-lined Rosaline is in the background and I think would be a lovely choice, except they didn't offer it in the 6/0 size. The ones in the background are supposed to be for the MS4 KAL and are size 8/0.

So now I REALLY have to swatch!

Choices, and the possibility of a lone lace KAL!

I swatched the "The Knittery" Merino Lace Moonlight colorway for the Mystery Stole 4 KAL. Rather, I started to swatch. Here is how it looks thusfar, after 1 1/2 pattern repeats:



I'm thinking it is too variegated for this project! I will continue the rest of the repeats for the swatch, then block it for a final verdict.

In the meantime, I've been pondering what to do:

1) Not do the MS4 right away, thus postponing the yarn purchase (cost-$0.00)
2) Buy a second skein of this lace yarn I pulled from my stash (cost-~$15.00)
3) Buy enough lace yarn for this project from The Loopy Ewe with my $25 gift certificate (cost-~$50 less the $25 certificate+shipping=~$30)
4) Same as idea 3, only purchasing at Article Pract with a $30 gift certificate (cost ~$20.)
5) Shop for some cool new lace yarn (like perhaps 4 skeins of this?!) from somewhere (cost-$45-50)
6) Buy some BARE from Knitpicks and dye it myself (cost-$15 w/shipping)
7) Buy some undyed lace yarn at Dharma Trading Co. (cost-not sure, but I think they have some around $30; add gas and bridge toll of $5!)

As you can see, only option 1 is a zero cost proposition. Option 2 won't be more than $15 (I think they run $12 but the price could have gone up...). BUT...this assumes they have said yarn. And another thing to consider-no shipping and I could probably postpone the purchase until next month. And then, there is the risk that the dye lots may not be the same even if they DO have said yarn...Options 3 & 4 also assume that the said stores actually HAVE a lace yarn that will meet my requirements (light, non-variegated). Options 6 & 7 will take extra time to dye, but I know I can make a solid/semi-solid yarn that should work.

So my more practical, disciplined, knitting pal says, 'DON'T DO IT!!! DON'T BUY MORE YARN!!!'' (Yeah, definitely not of the same Knitter Species as many others of us are!) What can I say? She is much more practical-minded with her purchasing and she's not what I consider 'frugal'; just not the compulsive/emotional yarn purchaser I am...

So for now, I will endeavor to finish the MS4 swatch, then I'll post it and poll the rest of you for your input!!! As always, feel free to comment at any time-no need to wait for the big Swatch Post!

Always falling short! (...or, what the ---- am I thinking?!)

Falling short on time. Falling short of intelligence-I signed up for two more stole/shawl KALs! Which brings me to the third FALLING SHORT: laceweight yarn!

So I'm on spending hiatus, no? YES! I decide it would be soooo fun to join yet another two KALs! The Secret of the Stole III is about to start, and Mystery Stole 4 started taking sign-ups! Am I losing my mind? I signed up for both and am now mentally rummaging through my stash. OK, my Blue Moon Fiber Arts "Laci" that Lara gifted me will be PERFECT for SSSiii! Generous (1750 yards, baby!) yardage! And the right color for SSSiii! But doesn't it figure that MS4 calls for just about 'anything goes' on the color part, states that beads are 'non-optional' and the 4 skeins of Optim I own have 246 yds each to them! Yeah, 246 yards! People-that's 984 yards total-I did the math...I think the second largest amount of laceweight I have (or something close enough for substitutions) would be 800 yards! And the rest would all be around 350-400 yards! OK, I just remembered one other skein--I'm holding out hope-let me revisit my skein from The Knittery and I will return with the verdict. Keep your fingers crossed for me, though I seem to recall that it is around 1046yds (though 1046 is something I may be willng to take a chance on!)

So Nartian and I are both embarking on this two-stole journey! But, as many of you know, she would be the one to place bets on! Join us on this journey if you aren't already signed-up--maybe you can help push me along!!!