Just Knot Sure...

Ha ha! Get it? "knot"=not? I'm so witty today, aren't I? Well, not really, but it was my lame attempt at having a more interesting subject line. I mean, I read all these other blogs that are so witty and I think, "Why isn't my writing entertaining?" Not even as much as the others, but at least entertaining? Well, I just have to continue relying on people with this mutual obsessive knitting disorder who will find this interesting for the sheer fact that there is knitting content in it!

OK, now to further illustrate my whining about the Apple Pie yarn from Apple Laine. Here is a photo of where the knot was, and how far out it was to the splice that followed approximately 15-18 yds later...(Ball in upper left, first portion of skein...ball below, the 15-18 yds...splice is shown in yarn between tiny ball in lower corner and larger ball in upper right hand corner...



I will tell you this-the splice really seems quite strong. But you have to admit it is ugly and would have to be strategically hidden or trimmed or somthing!



BTW, after inspection of the other two Apple Pie skeins (Pastel Petals colorway...), my initial assessment is there are no knots and I didn't detect any joins. I will have to wind the skein to confirm this, but so far, so good...

To Prove I'm not always a Yarn Snob...

If you saw my earlier pic of one of the colorways of Koigu PPPM I had to buy at the last Greenwich Yarn sale, here is it's "partner in crime"--the light blueish-purple skeins! Also, here are some other KPPPM I purchased a while back...just to reiforce that I don't need *more* Koigu! (This is not my complete "KPPPM Stash"-yes, another sock yarn sub-stash!)

Oh-and the fluffy purply-blue (to the left of the blue KPPPM) is the other half of my Northern Sunshine Designs order for Apple Laine's Apple Pie yarn, shown in "Pastel Petals". Is it not gorgeous? I love the colors!

And to prove I'm easy, just look--it doesn't have to be handpainted pricey yarn for me to buy it! It just has to be attractive sock yarn or cheap sock yarn or...BOTH! Observe my latest stash enhancements from Knitpicks...Gloss, Dancing and Essential Tweed herein represented. I'm sick. I know it. That's all I'll say...

Yeah! More new sock yarn!

What would life be like without new sock yarns to try? I have purchased patterns from Northern Sunshine Designs, and now they are carrying Apple Laine yarn! Had to try, no? This is a wool, silk, mohair (uck-I can't breath the stuff in normally...), nylon blend. I purchased 4 skeins-enough for 2 pairs of socks! This is the Arizona colorway and I'm knitting them using the "Carnations and Cranberries" pattern. So far, I'm quite happy with the way this yarn knits up and the soft feel and the sheen of it!

The bad side: (now, I know knots happen in skeins...) BUT...one of my 2 skeins had a knot almost 1/2 way through...then about another 15 yards down, a splice! The splice seems strong enough, but has a bit of a 'shaggy' edge to it. I'm still contemplating the course of action to take. Probably will cut the splice out and join the two broken ends.

The other skein has no knots, but I so far have (twice since starting this pair) come a cross some slightly thicker portions that feel suspiciously like really good splices...I kept knitting and am confident they will stay and that I don't need to cut and splice on my own. So basically, I like this yarn and the colors, but will have to see how the other two skeins are and decide what my final verdict is regarding whether I'd buy more...


Sometimes it's easier just to throw the stuff onto a scanner bed; amazing the pics you can get just scanning vs. using a digital camera! I adjusted the color a tad; in real-life, the yarn color is a bit lighter than how it comes out as shown in the background sock...but then again, "it all depends on your individual computer monitor, blah, blah, blah..."

Puck's Mischief and a sewn project!

Earlier I posted about my new Puck's Mischief STR colorway. I couldn't resist and had to start knitting it up, so here is how far I've gotten
On the left is a toe-up sock knit in the STR Citrine colorway. The other two are my toe-up "Jasper" socks in...PUCK'S MISCHIEF! I started on one heel and am not sure a) if I am doing it correctly and b) if I actually like this type of heel...I may have to examine other toe-up heels to consider because I don't think I'm sold on this one...I guess that means I'm at a stand-still for now! RATS!

OH! and remember how I'm getting re-interested in sewing? Here is what I recently made for my spoiled Only Emperor Child
I made the shorts, too. Guess what The Mighty Emperor told me? They need to be SOFTER! SOFTER! (I think the kid is thinking fleece for his oh-so-tender skin!) Well, I'm proud I finished it, despite the fact that I still need to put snaps or buttons on the top!

This weekend's project...

Well, I noticed this pattern at Simply Socks Yarn Company (http://simplysockyarn.com) and bought two skeins of "Gramercy" to complete them. I didn't realize that the Gramercy is a DK wt, vs. Chelsea which is a sport weight. Luckily, I may be able to barely SQUEEZE a pair out of the 2 skeins and if I'd realized earlier, I would have worked the cuffs about 1/2" - 1" shorter...Oh well...This is the first time for me doing this type of heel. At this point, I still prefer heel flaps. Maybe after the second sock, I'll feel differently. As for the pattern, it has been interesting to do, but I've definitely had to concentrate on it. It is an 8 row repeat and while knitting the cuff, you have to shift the beginning and end stitches alternately every 4th row or so. This may be a cinch for advanced knitters, but I found that this is not the type of pattern to start and set down for too long cuz you could easily loose track of your place! In fact, I did! I started this a while ago and over the weekend; while trying to pick back up where I left off, I decided that the prudent thing was to rip out the 1 1/2" or so that I had created and start again from the beginning. This is as much as I was able to complete over the weekend...




Lily Chin "Chelsea Cabled Socks"-only I didn't use "Chelsea"... 

I guess I've never confessed to the fact that I also subscribe to the Yarn of the Month Club. It's fun to get the yarn to play with, but quite frankly, I haven't done much swatching and am starting to come to the conclusion that it is not for me. I just don't have the time to play with the yarn and design a bunch of stuff. I did learn of a stretchy, fuzzy, fine yarn from Mango Moon called "Capelli", which I think would be an EXCELLENT "Kidsilk" substitue for those of us that are allergic to mohair, so that's one way the club has been great... But here's the shipment I just got...


My recent "Yarn of the Month" club shipment... 

And yes, more true confessions...I hit the end of the Greenwich Yarn sale-literally! My friend and I were there the hour of the last day of the sale and they even stayed open an hour longer for us! Now, if it wasn't enough that I purchased more sale yarn than I should have, I definitely did NOT have to throw the 4 skeins of Koigu in with the haul-but I did. And here are two of the four I purchased. The other two are a bluish color and maybe one day I will dig it out and it will be posted...but for now, my latest Koigu PPPM...


Always adding to my stash... 

Spread out in all it's glory...just to give a better idea of all the wonderful colors! 

My new "Puck's Mischief" yarn. (shown on earlier card pic as #4...) 

What AM I working on????

It feels like I haven't done ANYTHING, though I've spent most of my knitting time working on a second sock...

Well, I have almost finished seaming my too-large Jo Sharp vest, but I think I'm going to go ahead and weave in the ends and see if I'll wear it as-is. If I don't, either my sister gets it or I will rip out the back panel and knit it a few inches narrower!

I've been focusing on finishing the vest and getting the second sock done--actually, the Blue Moon Merino/Tencel "Retro Rib" sock's mate! No pic, since really, it looks much like the other that was posted a while back!

I took advantage of the $1.97/skein sale that KnitPicks had on the Main Line yarn and am trying real hard not to start up the planned project YET! I will try and finish the vest weaving/re-working (of one seam) and the sock. Believe me, there are still other single socks awaiting their mates, as well! I must admit that the main factor in not having started the Main Line project is that I don't have any size 7 circulars free at this time! And yes, the temptation exists to rip one of my projects off one of my size 7 circs, but then I need to find the stiches holder-and really, I just need to finish the quickie shrug that is currently occupying them!

My other big deal is my renewed interest in sewing clothes! Is it because I am short and chubby and realize I can custom make stuff for myself? Is it because perhaps my picky 6 yo will be more likely to wear a "Thomas the Tank Engine" pajama vs. the lovely knit sweater that he has so far refused to wear? (OK, he DID appease me by putting the sweater on for a good 5 minutes-only enough time for me to get a few pics of him in it...) At any rate, production for the past weekend? The cutting of the "Thomas" flannel pajamas-to-be...Now, if I can just get my machine back in working order...

More about the Rockin' Sock Club...

Part of my last kit contained this card, announcing their second contest for us members. We were shown all but one of the new colorways in this last batch and given clues as to the 'theme', which was "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

I submitted "Puck's Mischief" and was thrilled to learn that my entry was among one of the winners! YAY!!! I get my choice of a skein (fingering or med. wt) of one of the new colors! Can I not love this club more? Hardly. As if all the goodies that came with membership aren't enough, I have actually won an additional skein of STR! Too cool!

HAPPY, HAPPY! JOY! JOY!!!


The missing item... 

OK, to avoid confusion for anyone trying to figure out the actual names of the above colorways, here they are, in order as shown: 1) Peaseblossoom, 2) Love in Idleness, 3) Nodding Violet, 4) Puck's Mischief, 5) Moonlight Revels, 6) Titania, 7) Midsummer Night.

My Jo Sharp vest...

All the pieces were completed and ready for seaming! But...I seamed two sections and putting the vest up to me it looks like I maybe should have done the smaller size back...My shoulders are narrow and this vest will hang over them further than I wanted, but guess what? I'm going to live with it!

Two seams to go and I can finish weaving in and see if I need to re-evaluate my decision not to re-knit...


Front-done! 


All pieces are knit! 

Something I just did...kinda fun

You Are 22 Years Old

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

Inspiration abounds...

Because I had to share... 

Have you ever checked out the Super eggplant blog? Well, this is the person who made up the Java-a-go-go coffee cup sleeve. She also sews some awefully cute stuff and I just HAD to go to J-town and check out the Kinokuniya Bookstore and see what the Japanese Sewing book offerings were.

I didn't find the book she has, but I found a couple others. Of course, I can't read Japanese, but I decided it is still fun to have the ideas and pretend I could pull some of this stuff off! Unfortunately, I think that i'm supposed to be good at pattern drafting in order to execute alot of the lovely fashions shown in these books/magazines. And no, I have yet to acquire pattern-drafting skills beyond the simplest ones I've done for quilting...

And how about the cute purse?!

What I love about the Rockin' Sock Club...

My latest Socks that Rock Club Kit!!! 

You know, Blue Moon Fiber Arts is one awesome place! The Rockin' Sock Club is awesome not only because their sock yarn is wonderful, but...
LOOK WHAT THEY SENT?! I first joined for 1/3 year, and then upgraded to the full year. I STILL got the binder and extras! Hoorah for Blue Moon Fiber Arts! (Tina, Kaci and the rest, to be exact!) They could have easily not given me the extras, since I didn't initially sign up for the full year to begin with, but they took care of us late-comers!

So the treat of this shipment? Of course, the mini-skein and newsletter, but I also got a cute STR tatoo! I'll have to save it for the right occasion!

WOW! Long time, no post...

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I last posted. Well, I have been busy with the MIL in town and a nice side trip down to San Diego!

Since the last post, I made a felted bowl for a friend's birthday--no pic of the finished piece! I did get a pic of the 'before'. BUT...I did receive my THIRD Socks that Rock kit! The pattern is "Hippie Crunchy"...soon to post pics!

So much to share!

I have so much to share! I love quick and easy projects! I finished this baby set while I was home sick yesterday.


A baby set I made yesterday. 

And on Monday night, I got to meet Jo Sharp! (And buy more stuff...) She is such a lovely person and so talented! And she's thinking of moving to San Francisco! Wouldn't that be cool?! I am so motivated to knit up one of her patterns! I'm more timid about starting yet ANOTHER project (though somehow, socks are a totally different story...)


I got to see Jo Sharp at ImagiKnit on Monday night! 

My spinning endeavors!

OK, before I get myself in big-ass trouble, let me first say that the coffee sleeve idea is not mine! I got the idea at MagKnits from Mariko Fujinaka's "Java a Go-Go" pattern.

I didn't follow her pattern because I was just not into the gauging idea. However, the idea is too cute and I decided it would be a perfect project for my tiny bit of handspun yarn, so I made mine by taking advantage of the increasing gauge of differing stitches. (Ribbing, stockinette, seed...)

Here is what I did:


My Not-so-Clever coffee cup sleeve 

Using my homespun (close to worsted wt) and size 3 DPNs (approx 4.25 st/inch), I CO 36 stitches and joined in the round.

Rounds 1-5 (5 rows) (K1, P1)* all around

Rounds 6-11 (6 rows) Knit. (stockinette stitch)

Rounds 12-17 (6 rows) in seed (moss) stitch

Round 18 Knit 9, increase 1, Knit 18, increase 1, knit 9next row, increase 1 (38 sts)

Rounds 19-20 Knit.

Bind off and weave in ends.

It will look a tad bit small, but once you put it over your first cup, it will fit perfectly and block itself! I think that any larger (given the stretch of the ribbing) and it would stretch out too much.



A coffee cozy I made out of my handspun yarn!  

I just gave this baby the booties she has on--what a coincidence it matched her outfit today! (Notice the appliqued pink flower on her jeans?...) 

And now, the finished Rock and Weaves!!!

Off the needles and buttons on! 


Interesting how the orange pooled up in the same place! 

I'm so impressed that I stayed the course and got these done! Though I still haven't finished the Cedar Creeks, at least I got the Hederas and these Rock and Weaves done! I was trying to use buttons from my already burgeoning collection, so only did one button for each sock. Being limited on my button selection, I ended up using these greenish-olive ceramic buttons. They work. Probably look better than the pic shown here--almost look a bit like jade.

Forget that last picture!

Since posting the last pic of my Socks that Rock KAL "Rock and Weave"'s, I tried them on and realized they were a tad too big. Frogged both back to the cuff and again picked up the stitches.

By now, I guess I could really substitute in that past pic for the present, as the progress looks close! Oh well...does frogging mean I'm a better knitter or bolder? Maybe more picky?

In the past, there was NO WAY I was frogging-I'd wear one bigger and one just right and that is just how my first pair of socks went! Now, I guess I'm getting a bit more picky about the fit. I think I am also realizing that tearing back to the cuff at 7 stitches per inch for socks is really not all that big of a deal. Now, if it had been 9 stitches per inch, I probably still would have torn back, but definitely would have been more disgusted and probably would have put it away for much longer before returning to the project.

So I find out that Little Knits is getting rid of their Lorna's Laces line, offering 25-30% off! Here I've been resisting ordering more STR. resisting ordering that Cherry Tree Hill that Simply Socks Yarn Company so sneakily included a sample of in my last order! resisting ordering the "Special Edition" Fleece Artist wool from them--though I DO hope to actually postpone this order vs. avoid it cuz I'm a sucker for limited edition stuff!...What can I say? I wasn't strong or disciplined today. It was all about me and I guess I was feeling deprived from all that 'resistance'. Can someone please invent a 'discipline pill', because I have none, whatsoever!

So, at $7.50 a skein, I ordered 8! What's an undisciplined sock knitter to do?

Don't Come a Knockin' Club-Kit #2

The latest Rockin' Sock Club pattern... 

And here, now, a pair I have started and actually feel like I'm making progress on! (Gotta love that medium weight!--AND the linen stitch!) The pattern is "Rock and Weave", the new colorway, "Fairgrounds". The linen stitch was really fun to knit and I liked the 'wrong side' (the one with the purl bumps) so much more that I used it for the outside of the cuff. I understand others are doing this, too. There are a couple of buttons I had in my stash that I thought would work, but I only had two of each, so I decided to do only one buttonhole per sock. I think it will look fine with a single button, but as for WHICH one, I will wait until the socks are actually completed, then try and figure it out!

A Knitting story...

So there I was, at the YMCA, ready to cancel my membership! I passed by one of the rooms where the Senior's were having a knitting session-I could see all the needles sweeping through the air...

Being my nosey self (and oh-so-obsessed with knitting), I struck up conversation with a couple of ladies as the session was letting out. They probably thought I was stalking them, since we were all leaving the building at the same time and I happened to be walking in the same direction. So I asked what they were working on, showed them my new Hedera's that were on my feet, blah, blah, blah...Their interest perked when I mentioned that if they were doing charity knitting, they should contact Coats and Clark for a yarn donation.

At any rate, we finally introduced ourselves (nice meeting you, Wendy and Jean...) and I showed Wendy my socks, she said, "Oh! I haven't knit socks in *ages*! I used to knit them for my boyfriends--every time I had a new boyfriend, they got a pair of argyle socks--that was the 'in' thing to do back then. I don't think I could even make them again--I don't know HOW I did that! But you know, in those days it was in and I was younger."

My gosh! Can you believe that? Notice the plural in "boyfriends"? ARGYLE SOCKS for your boyfriend? Unbelievable! Any of my friend's getting plain knit socks from me had better be pretty happy-I can't even phathom making ARGYLE socks for *anyone* but ME! (But, alas, I do not like argyle and shall not have a pair...**)

**though I understand it is a requirement to knit one for part of TKGA's Master program...that would be the only exception...

And yet more yarn...

Can you tell that I am sold on Fleece Artist Merino, since I put in ANOTHER order with Simply Sock Yarns?! This one is the "Mermaid" colorway and I couldn't resist purchasing more of the "Gramercy"--nice feel-reminds me of Zara and Aurora 8, though it is DK weight. And I LOVE the celery color...

Notice that they sent me yet *another* teaser--this time Cherry Tree Hill! I *hate* them...Now I'll want some of that, too...



Stash Enhancement! 

In the beginning, there was a bag...

...circa 1970's. I was a girlscout and like all good girl scouts, we worked on our badges. This was one of our projects: a tie-dyed, sewn bag with embroidery. My first embroidery and the beginnings of my journey into all things needle-worked!

I would go to the local Woolworth's yarn section and purchase thin books on embroidery stitches, needlepoint, crocheting, knitting, tatting...I would buy kits for hooked rugs, crewel,plastic canvas needle point, and eventually counted-cross stitch. By the time I was 18, I was teaching stitchery and selling 'Creative Circle'kits! Never did quite get down 'tatting' and never got past plain knitting and purling until I picked up knitting again 2 1/2 years ago! Of course, I haven't even mentioned my Singer sewing class I took as a pre-teen and all other handwork investigations/passions I've gotten into since: lapidary, cake decorating, quilting, stamping, scrapping, "paper arts", polymer clay...

Girl Scouting-what a great thing!



The beginning of it all... 

STR Club craze...

Same? Similar? Different? What do you think? 

So I'm at my cubicle, showing my co-worker/friend/non-knitter-who-could-care-less, my newly arrived colorway, "Fairgrounds" from the Blue Moon Fiber Arts "Don't Come a Knockin'" club. Is it my imagination or does this look like the same colorway used for all our goodies last month? Could it be?! Now I MUST KNOW...

Off the feet...