Blogless...ready to go?

Well, besides being busy celebrating my birthday, I have been blocked out of my blog! So here is a test to see if they have returned my blogging powers. If not, then I will save this entry like the few others past, to post when I am again allowed. Sucks, really...

So I thought I would share what a friend brought back to me from Hawaii. I picked him up the other week and he provided me these most-awesome treats! Friends should not start such addictions; then again, we do it with yarn all the time, don't we? ;)

Don't try them. You won't be able to get them out of your mind. My major weakness-shortbread. And the chocolate is absolutely creamy!

Taking the time...

So it appears I am again able to post to my blog-well, thank YOU, oh mighty Blogger! Glad you have decided I am not a spam blog. So...following, my previous entry...






I guess I can do what Stilaholic is doing and read my new HP book, instead of blogging, but I figure that I actually have something to prove I knit (and finish) *some* items! So here, a nice day project, the "felted cap" from Bev Galeskas. It was supposed to be for me, but I let it shrink too much! So it is a snug-fit hat for me, or...a cute 'ol hat for the Lil' Emperor, himself.

Lil' Emperor says, "It stinks!"...yeah, another reason not to knit him anything!

A Penny Returning to Heaven...

(Me, Pen and her sis, Car)

Early this morning a dear friend of mine passed on after an up and down battle with cancer. I just found out tonight. I adored her. I loved her; she loved me...I know because she told me so, and often...and because that is how she was-full of love and not ever forgetting to say anything she felt because she knew life is too short. Full of love, warmth, passion, mischievousness, generous...that was Penny. Towards the end, even more philosphical, though I think that happens when you face death so frequenty...Of course, there were so many other wonderful things about her. Hell-she was embracing life even before she was diagnosed with the beginning breast cancer. You couldn't help but love her and I know she is now in complete love and comfort on the other side.

I had just weaved in the last ends of the hat I had knit for her while on my Sock Camp trip, having seen her a week or two prior to leaving. That was the last time I saw her, and the first in some time that we had been able to get together. It was for Norouz-Sizdeh Bedar, the 13th day of (and ending the) Persian New Year. I wish I had gotten the hat to her earlier, as planned. Wish I had been in touch sooner. But I also do not believe in regrets in life and that it was meant to happen this way and in this order.

But don't let me kid you-my heart's breaking right now and I need to go grieve.

A Happy 7yo...

No cake or cupcake pics to share...I actually forgot to take pics, if you can believe that! Hopefully my parents or some other party-goers got the Emperor's Birthday captured on film/digital...I know my dad took a video...

But here is a Happy Lucky 7 Emperor!

(see the smile?...)

If You Don't Have a Knitting Buddy, Get One!

Ah, yes...now we know why 'buddies' are important. They enable us, and us them. And sometimes, when we end up in need of another skein of hand-dyed yarn (that the dyer is challenged in being able to re-dye anything remotely similar in color to...) because we decided to make larger socks than planned...our KNITTING BUDDIES can bail us out cuz, by George-they bought that same damn yarn at the same time you did because you were both drawn to it at the same time! (Nothing like sharing, huh?) So then the skeins are the same dye lot, too, cuz they were from that same batch! Well, whadda ya know?! Stilaholic Nartian came through with the Sanguine Gryphon Traveller yarn in the (trying to be re-done colorway, "Mali")!!! Thanks so much, Nartian!!! Couldn't survive this knittng adventure without you!

Oh...and another happy-happy to share...my Horcrux pair is finished-in time for the new movie and new book releases!

And I missed YPF-even purchased some yarn yesterday on the way to BINGO (yes, my friend got a bunch of us together to celebrate her birthday and play Bingo!). So I'll have to get the pics loaded to share. Guess it'll have to wait for next YPF...

Lookie what I got today!

A package from Sanguine Gryphon! What can I say? I saw the new "Little Traveller" fingering weight yarn and *had* to get a skein "Ghana" colorway! Threw in a bit o' batting (Wild Mountain Thyme) to justify the shipping... and there you go!

Well...Etsy can be bad for me. Very bad.

That same day, I saw this and this...LOVED them! HAD to get the sun one for me and the lady bug one for my friend's daughter who shares my birthday and who has always been the 'ladybug'...

Now, as if that wasn't enough, when I placed my order for the Little Traveller yarn, I passed up the "Brazil" colorway. Gryphon emailed me thanking me for the order and mentioned that if I had knit up my previously ordered yarn (Traveller in "Mali"), if I wouldn't mind sharing pics. Well, that very yarn was in line to be knit into Ann Budd's "Flame wave" (pic shown at someone's blog I found...) pattern from IK "Favorite Socks".

I got motivated to start them NOW, and got to it, failing to remember the cuff was only to be knit to 3 1/2"...So now that I am past the heel and into the gussett decreases, I realize I may not have enough yarn! (Picture coming soon...) Becoming so enlightened, I thought perhaps I should check Gryphon's site for more of the Traveller yarn and see what other colors exist that may work for Flamewave toes...No Traveller at this time, but one last skein of Little Traveller "Brazil", looking just as fantastic and irresistable as ever! What is a knitting sock-gal to do?! Self-restraint is not my strong point. Needless to say, it is on order and I asked Gryphon to hold it until I figure out whether a third skein will be needed for my Flamewaves or not...I know it will not exactly match, but I need the yarn type to match and I'm hoping she can dye up something that will coordinate, maybe in darker shades...Apparently she is due to dye up more of the Traveller yarn soon...

Did I ever tell you how dangerous Etsy is for me? God, I *love* that place!

Missing YPF...

As I prepare for the Emperor's 7th Birthday party! Cake, cupcakes, treat bags, food shopping...all that! But this is a once in a lifetime birthday, as he turns 7 today-July 7th! So I decided to give him a Lucky 7 Birthday Bash!

I did manage to dig out some yarn that was never flashed that came not too long ago...They are both from Zen Yarn Garden. Frosty Freeze and Creamsicle colorways. Oh...and let's not forget bootey I picked up as a result of Stilaholic Nartian merely mentioning Wool Girl...no sooner do I read about the site, I click the link and what do I see? Yarn from Pigeon Roof Studios in a colorway I could not pass up-"Atticus"! So several skeins later, I am checking out and have added on some Route 66 by Spunky Eclectic. I knew I was good, but I don't think I have ever impulse shopped any quicker than that! But look how stinkin' cute that stitch marker is? Who wouldn't want a lil' lambie marker?

And then, of course, knowing that Lis at One Planet was posting more goodies, I ended up with some Madelinetosh batts and a new Avi Wasserman spindle. I love the batts and have since finished the 'Cools" batt shown partially spun.

Must-get-sleep! (Even though I'm dying to work on the Flame Wave ala Paula socks I'm working on in some yarn I got from Gryphon...) I'll have to show off my Etsy purchases and the recent cupcakes and cakes...later...

Non-Knitters-Hrummmmph!

I had been meaning to post on this topic a while back but, you know, somehow there is never enough time just to blog!

So a non-knitting male friend of mine had seen my blog earlier on and wanted his friends to see it. He gets the addy (cuz, you know, he's male and a non-knitter, so he just could care less about my little ol' blog full of knitting and knitting-related stuff...he certainly didn't have it bookmarked! Matter of fact, he probably doesn't even know about bookmarks!)

OK, so he sees it again and is all disappointed that there aren't tons of projects posted all over my blog. "Just yarn..." Well excuuuse me! As much as you want to believe I just crank project upon project out, it takes a bit more time than that. Besides, part of "knitting" IS thinking about yarn, purchasing yarn, imagining all the yarny possibilities, finding just the right possibility, trying it out, realizing maybe it wasn't the 'right' possibility, frogging or not, figuring out where you left off...or not...you know? All the steps getting you to that final outcome-the finished product!

Some people just don't "get" it. I loves all you guys out there who read this and DO 'get' it! You are all wonderful people! Knitting is just so much deeper than some people realize...

It's NOT YPF!!!

But I'll share anyway because Terry would care...(Terry-I am assuming you are Blog-Free...?

I hadn't revealed my latest sock kit. I guess because so many people I know already have theirs up that I just figure it's old news. But here it is-and my pic of our pattern is from the back so that you can get a better view of the pattern (they use a larger pic on the back). The colorway is Firebird and the pattern is Summer Solstice, which is a slip stitch pattern. I am dying to start it, but with Nartian being the more focused one, she sets a good example for me and I am trying to at least finish my Horcrux before casting on for the Summer Solstice.

And remember how we were talking lemmings? Well, me following a lemming, I guess it make's me a lemming's lemming! As a result, a lovely new skein of merino/cashmere (Moonlight colorway) from The Knittery in Australia. If you can believe it, I only purchased one skein, despite the shipping...Yeah, every once in a rare while I behave! It helped that I wanted another merino/cashmere and I didn't truly 'love' any of the other colors left. Well-I did love a few, but they were probably too close to the color grouping I have waaaay too much of!

a Birthday Meme...

Stilaholic Nartian tagged me on this one...



The Birthday Meme rules are to go to Wikipedia and type in your birthday month and day only. Then post 3 events, 2 births and one holiday that occurred on your birthday, then tag 5 friends.



So...on July 26...

1788 - New York ratifies the United States Constitution and becomes the 11th state of the United States.
1803 - The Surrey Iron Railway, arguably the world's first public railway, opens in south London.

1847 - Liberia declares independence.



2 Births: 1943 - Mick Jagger, English musician (The Rolling Stones)-because everyone has to point out to me that it I share his birthday. He does have Leo-traits...

1964 - Sandra Bullock, American actress -yeah, she looks quite Leo-ish to me, too...and we were actually born the same day...(now I'm revealing my age!)



Based on the events I listed above, it stands to reason that one of the few Holidays on my birthday is Independence Day in Liberia!



Tagging 5 friends:

Most of my friends who even read this are blogless (or "blog-free" as Cat Bordhi would say...)
so I am sad and have no one to tag...sniff-sniff!

This one's for Alice...

I told Alice I'd post my new Blue Moon Fiber Arts "Socks that Rock" Backstabber colorway opened up. So here it is. Actually, the pic at their site is pretty accurate with the colors from what I can tell. But here is the skein opened up...

Some things just take time...

You have to know about the long road taken to knit these to appreciate them...Luckily, these were still a 'quick' knit and if they weren't, I probably would not have gone through this triple knitting exercise.

These are a pair of socks I finally finished for a little girl wanting "socks with no seams." Like I said before, a little kid says they want socks, says they'll wear them? I'm there!

So I don't do the recommended 'shop from my stash', as I think I had earlier explained. I knit one sock-the dastardly hole at the heel-flap rears its head-(is this a Cascade Fixation thing? It's my first time knitting socks with the stuff and so far, I'm a bit wary...). I push through the first sock anyway and start the second. I match up the cuffs, knit, match up the length, knit to the toes, kitchener up , weave in ends and SNIP that yarn! Yes, after closer investigation, I realize the two do NOT match up and the shorter length of the second looks quite obvious.

Well lucky me-I had purchased a second ball and one ball was enough for the pair! So I had committed the leftover yarn to my co-worker friend so that she could knit a pair for her grandaughter. Rather than tearing back another sock, I knit a third sock that -yes!- seems to match quite well. I gave the mismatched sock to my friend and now she only has to knit one sock. But she has to match it to mine! >;P

I know, I'm a big baby because I didn't have to frog a thing and I only had to knit one extra sock that is practically mini and done on a big gauge. I'm just bummed I wasn't more careful and that what I had hoped to whip out in a week, actually dragged out to 3 weeks.

So that's my story and I'm posting pics to prove I knit 3. They are small and they are DK weight, so it could be worse-like Nartian's ripping out a whole sock in smaller gauge! And no, I didn't play with my PhotoElements to fool ya'll...the striping is different in all three socks and it would have taken my inexperienced self waaaay longer to change the striping in the pics to fool you than to knit the third sock!-HA!

So much to share...

Sometimes there are days where I just have soooo much to share-and the time to do so! Actually, I realized I held out (I must be in denial that I could possibly have new yarn to post in a mere week's time...) and forgot about the pic I took of my STR order that arrived yesterday (well, and a couple from the prior week...). Of course, being a good friend, I have to post the pic so that Nartian can check it out, too. You know-I'd hate to have her wait until Monday to see it!-lol!

Brick, Silkie Socks that Rock (Puck's Mischief, Walk on the Wild Tide), Backstabber, Bambu (SeaBreeze).

And yet another post today...

because it's YPF!!! Well, no yarn-gasp! Well, actually, I can never disappoint! I have a couple of new rovings I bought from the Yarn Wench. (Yes, the Leming Syndrome that Nartian has made me aware of...) I popped over to Knitters Anonymous and read about how much Kristie 'loves' the Yarn Wench's rovings...so...I bought some! I really only purchased ONE...but then she posted more and so, of course, despite doubled shipping now...I bought ANOTHER. These are the 'Retro' and "Islander" colorways. So no new purchased yarn, but some roving and pics of some handspun yarn from the three lastest purchases of Funky Carolina "Toadstool", Yarn Wench "Retro" and Yarn Wench "Islander" rovings!

The colors appear in this pic a bit more browned out. Picture, if you will, a bit more yellow to these colors. So picture, if you will, the center "Retro" color REALLY looking, well..."Retro"-think back to the old days of harvest gold, avacado green and burnt orange kitchens/refridgerators...remember the upholstry? Kind of a furry, velvety type damask with the gold in it? Well, this yarn reminds me so much of that. It really is a swirl of those three colors! And definitely more gold/yellowish in color vs. the brown tone. And the Islander? Look above at the rovings, which are more true to the colors. I can hardly wait to get around to getting a whole braid spun, but since I am still only handspindling, progress is slow. Sock Camp was my splurge this year, setting the spinning wheel back for now. Definitely in the next two years!

Yay, ME!!!!

Well, I think if you read this blog, you know that I am not too clever in coming up with titles for my entries...Literary I am not. But-on to why I'm so proud of myself! I purchased, started and completed my Celtic Vest I purchased from One Planet Yarn and Fiber! AND...it fits! Here, pics of before and after blocking (or, what I referred to as 'reverse felting', since the wool/silk blend actually "grows" by about 20% when blocked!

I'm of pudgy, apple-y proportions, despite the waifly proportions of my little representative doll (but hey, they don't give pudgy body options when you make them and they are fantasy 'dolls', afterall...not look-alikes!), but hey-the vest fits and I like it! LOVE the colors and the feel of the fiber, too. Now-to either finish the ever-haunting sleeves of my origami wrap or to get moving on the Ribby Pully. My one excuse for not progressing on Ribby-Pully is that I'm waiting for Stilaholic Nartian to finish some things so we can do a KAL with it. But then again, considering how I still haven't finished my Kews and Nartian breezed through those, I could probably use all the head start I can get!-lol!

Have I reached SABLE?

Well, I think I reached SABLE (Stash Aquisition Beyond Life Expectancy) a looong time ago, but if not, I probably clinched it at Creative Accents. Well, today I went to tea to celebrate my friend's birthday. NEVER go out with a group of knitters because you will inevitably have cause to go the LYS (ImagiKnit)...which we DID...And I could not pass up some of the Jitterbug colorways that were in stock! And they also have the Sheep Shop Yarn Company bulky yarn on sale for $10 a skein. What was I to do?! Had to get some for a future vest! Yeah, I'm on a vest kick now.

Many pics to sort out-sure wish I were better at editing these pics and such...

OK, the first is today's acquisition. The second is my Smooshy acquisition from Knitter's Palette. I was a bit disappointed in the In Vino Verite colorway-not as rich as I'd hoped, but just as Smooshy! The next pile is my order from One Planet Yarn and Fiber-a Celtic Vest Kit, roving in Toadstool colorway, and Yarn Botanika Radiance in Amber. All gorgeous!

So...back to vests...I started the Celtic Vest kit! And it is coming right along. Let's see if I actually complete it!

Lastly, ONE Horcrux sock finished today! Now to cast on for the second!

Now What?

I just finished spinning and plying the last of the 2oz. of Chasing Rainbows merino/bombyx! I figure it totals around 150 yards. So what now? I was thinking lacey shawl shaped scarf, though I'm not sure if it is even enough for that..

Any ideas or pattern suggestions? I counted around 95+ strands at about 1 1/2 yds, each. I didn't figure out the wpi yet, but I think it is maybe DK I guess other options at this time is do nothing. Just toss it in with my other spun stash and maybe it will look good with something else I spin down the line and it can be part of a shawl...Well, not like I don't have other projects looming at this time...

An ALMOST Finished Object!

Boy, I sure love the quickie projects! I started this last Monday and got up to this point last night-that would be five days! A more productive knitter could have done this in a day or two, but I just don't have that kind of time to work on my projects. The fact that our household has been sick and the Little Emperor has had a fever over the past couple of days also boosted my down time to knit!

I didn't care for the ribbed cuffs and hadn't read about doing the provisional cast-on until after this was started, so this is the 3/4 length sleeve version. I may still try and pick up and knit the edge of the sleeves. Another thought is that I may just do a crochet edge at the neckline and sleeves in the cocoa color, since I like having the cocoa frame the brighter colors.

I found the collar suggestion (thanks for the tips search suggestion, Carla!), but I'm not sure if I'll go that route.

I also committed to making a pair of socks for a little girl. She has wanted seamless socks and well-if a little kid wants them and says they'll wear them, who am I to say 'no'!-LOL! She didn't ask me to make them-I offered!

Now, the sensible knitter would go shop in their stash first, which I did. The little girl's mom had said that yes, it probably was best to avoid wool. Well, I knew I had a bunch of Fixation and Esprit that would be just fine. I found a ball of pink (the child's preferred color), though it was a pale pink and I just didn't think it would match her mother's 'edgy' style. So, like any good knitter, I used it as an excuse to go check out Article Pract and their on-going Memorial Day Sale! I must say that I was rather behaved, having left with 2 balls of Fixation, 2 skeins of DK twisted Lorna's Laces (45% off-how could I resist?), and a coin purse that I couldn't resist. No other yarn.

Am I proud of myself? Hell yeah! Did I really *need* to go there in the first place? Well, that's not the point now, is it?

I did receive my two skeins of Smooshy, which I will have to flash for Terry. And I also completed a scarf that I made from some recently acquired yarn from the big Creative Accents Closing Sale Purchase, so I will have to post those later...

A little revelation...

OK, I think I admitted to being weak and finally caving and going over to Creative Accents for the big closing sale. I also seem to think that I didn't reveal what I got or how much, just that it was in character with my behavior-excessive! Well, I will slowly reveal what I purchased over time, I'm sure.

So...while I am at Creative Accents, Nartian and I see this very cute sweater-a Baby Surprise Sweater, nonetheless. So I end up buying 6 skeins of 2 color combinations to knit up into this sweater which I've never made before! Got the pattern, too, of course...

Fast-forward to yesterday--place: Beverly's (Crafts and Fabric) . It is Memorial Day and everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) in the entire store is 25% off! So I see the Vanna's Choice ACRYLIC yarn by Lion Brand in some awesome colors! What do I do? Of course, I lay them out together and decide yet another color combination is in order for yet ANOTHER Surprise Baby Sweater (such named, still not even made by me...pattern untouched...). And yet-I have the pattern ON me!

Not only did I buy some Vanna yarn and yet another set of circs, I get a few other fun items. I get out the door and am immediately casting on for this baby sweater as my friend and I depart from the shopping center!

So here I am now, hooked on this crazy sweater! Thought I'd give my Horcrux sock a viewing, too, since I am now on the foot portion and oh-so-close to the finish of "a" sock! Ain't knitting wonderful?!

Mystic Sea Socks completed!

Well here they are, finally finished! I ended up tearing back the first sock to lengthen it a bit. Of course, I had already cut the yarn and had to add a new end to it, but I think it was worth having it a tad longer in length. Can I reiterate how much I love the Lunasea colorway?! The color got a bit washed out in this pic, but you can see the texture pretty well. I really like the way the heel flap is designed to taper in a bit, too. Great socks, great fit! And my first socks with STAR TOES! The pattern is great and combined with this colorway, there are absolutely no regrets with this purchase!

Now, as for resisting the closing sale at Creative Accents-well...my resistance had worn down and I finally made my way there. I won't discuss my purchases at this time, but let's just say that we all know how weak I am!