Blog? Knit? Ravelry? Update Photos? Housework?...

Gads-decisions, decisions! Seems like the housework looses the most often! Which is why I need to work most on that today! And I'm still unpacking, doing laundry, putting stuff away from the trip! All that and 1/2 day spent at the Annual PPS (Parents for Public Schools) meeting and the other 1/2 day spent at Lil Emperor's school at the car wash...The good thing about the PPS, PTA, school meeting type events is that I am usually sitting in an audience listening-and able to knit! Unfortunately, I found myself at the Cedar Creek heelflap yesterday without the pattern and without a second project! BUMMER. If I had not been following the pattern, I would have just continued on. But I somehow remembered that there was something I had to do that was written in the pattern and I just could not recall what it was! Was it decreases? Where? Was it tapering decreases in the heelflap to make more of a trapezoid vs. a rectangle? I couldn't remember!

Anyways, this is what I've got and I don't expect to finish this pair until the end of next week (IF all goes as planned and I am able to knit on it as much as I'd like!)

These are the Cedar Creek socks in the Blue Moon Fiber Arts STR lightweight-Pisgah colorway!

We interrupt this Camp review...

...for my usual proof of total lack of self control in the yarn-buying department!

But first, thanks to Nartian who brought the faulty Knitters for Knockers link to my attention!

I think I confessed to sneaking a WoolGirl order in right before going to camp. So I get to the Post office and pick up not two, but THREE packages: my WoolGirl Anniversary sale order, my WoolGirl sock club package, and a package from The Knittery, since I hadn't been able to resist the laceweight she had on sale in the Moonlight colorway! So the day after I retrieve these packages, I come home to another USPS box. BUT-but-I didn't order more yarn, I know I didn't!!!

I had forgotten that I was rewarded for my lack of yarn-purchase control by Jenn (WoolGirl) by being entered in her Wooly Wool Girl club! What does that mean? It means this...

A lovely thank-you card from Jen, info on her special club, a pattern, Leili sock yarn in Lily Pond, a stitch marker, a tape measure, soap, soap and lip balm set, a notebook with pen! OH...and the cool WoolGirl tote to carry it all in!

Many, many thanks to Jen! (And I guess I have Nartian and IrishGirlie to thank for this, too...! Enablers, I tell ya!)

So I will follow-up on the Camp report next time. But for now, I have to share what Lou got me hooked on...

!

A little treat from Virginia-a "Peanut Rail"...dangerous, dangerous peanut rail that sat on my desk Monday until that afternoon when I could no longer stand it and ate (I think more than) half of it! I finally ate the last tidbit tonight before posting! Thanks, Lou-what a treat!

Oh-and though Nartian has a great pic and many more are showing up in Blogland, I'm sure...I still thought I'd post my KawKaw (special Camp Crows Feet colorway...)

.

Yeah, I was a piggie. Yeah, I ended up with two!

Announcement, announcements, annou-ounce-ments! (In the spirit of Cockeyed, our Camp Mom and Sockateer Extraordinaire!)

Lou Bolster had told us all about her participation in an upcoming Komen Race for the Cure as a memeber of the team Knitters for Knockers! Hope you will all consider making a contribution to help the Knitters for Knockers reach their fundraising goal. As an extra incentive, for every $5 increment you donate, you will be entered into a drawing for wonderful yarny and knitterly goodness!

So far, prize contributions I have seen are from: Blue Moon Fiber Arts (one of the sponsors), Cookie A patterns, Cat Bordhi, Chic Knits, and some gorgeous yarns. Check out the Knitters for Knockers blog for more info!

I tried to fix the above link and edited my post to include this purple stuff you are reading! I clicked 'post' in haste and meant to click 'save as draft'!

Wednesday updates...Camp Crows Feet #3

OK, I've just spent way too long trying to fix the previous link to Nartian's blog! Hopefully it now works; if not, my apologies for the previous post's faulty link!

It was "Curriculum Night" at Lil' Emperor's school this evening and it all went well. However, being PTA mom, I had to be at school early so I switched my day off-which means I had time to go to the PO and pick up all my goodies that were waiting for me: my WoolGirl Sock Club package (absolutely awesome!), my WoolGirl Anniversary Sale package (somehow there was a disconnect in my mind about sock camp shopping and pre-camp shopping-it just seemed like a good idea at the time...that and the fact that Nartian calls me up to ask if I'm going to buy anything and she and I end up going 'shopping' on-line 'together'! And this, all because of IrishGirlie being such a damn good informant!) And then there was my package of lovely lace merino from The Knittery that arrived! And no, you aren't not able to see the pics-I haven't posted any!

But on to Camp Crow's Feet-Day 2-All About the Monkeys!

Today was Craft Day-a new activity this year! And it was all about the Monkeys! We all worked on mini-monkeys from a pattern Cockeyed had written-fun but tiring!

IrishGirlie works hard on her monkey!

Can you believe this...became this..
..

and was on its way to monkeyhood? Whodda thunk we knitters could achieve such wonders in a mere few hours?

We then were forced to put away our (for most of us) unfinished monkeys so that we could work on sock puppets, a less favored activity for some of us. Obviously I was less enamoured with the sock puppets, as I got very little pictures of any...but here is Sheila's....

In keeping with Camp traditions, outrageous entertainment and activities were planned for the evening-knitting and TP relays! I do have to mention that my knitting relay team included Cece (Fiberfish) who had developed a reputation at last year's camp for her knitting speed (she's the one who started her Mystic Sea socks on our boat trip out and had a completed sock by "campfire" that same evening!) and competetiveness ("I want to win!"). So I must confess that I was shocked when she, (first in line and thus having the duty of casting on our 10 stitches of knitting) stood at the table, completing her task well after the other teams had finished their cast ons! What the hell happened to Cece? Turns out that she 'ran out of tail' (Cece-it was only 10 freakin' stitches for crying out loud!)



The relays transitioned into a tp'ing of Tina, Cockeyed and Alice...then we got to watch a baster-knitting competition as well as a demonstration of how knitters can knit with just about any implement they are given-even a pepperoni stick! YES THEY CAN!!!

Camp Crow's Feet...another installment!

I cheated again and wrote this up already. I'm tired. I'll just post what I have. If you can believe, the stash has been held captive in SassyMan's car and I haven't had a chance to get it out yet! He was working this evening and it is now later than I want to go outside and get it. So no pic of the camp yarn (Kaw Kaw) nor the Knitters without Borders yarn. If you haven't already seen them, you can always peek over at Nartian's blog

Day 1, Camp Crow's Feet




E-gads! I think I may already be scrambling the order of things! Can I remeber what happened when? YIKES! I know this was the first day of camp-which was back-to-back classes with a half hour for lunch inbetween.

My tribe, the Tricksters, started our class day out with Cat Bordhi who (in her usual Cat way) did an excellent job with our Insoucient Socks class! She made sure we had our short-rows down and could knit a sock in any shape we desired!

For us Tricksters, class with JC Briar followed lunch as we enjoyed Cast-on Cornucopia. (Don't Sheila, Nartian, IrishGirlie and I look like we've been doing some serious casting on?) This was my first class with JC and she is amazing! Filled my head where it was ready to explode! As if the TP Cover wasn't enough of a drain on this knitter's brain, dealing with a Cat and JC class all in one day just about put me on overload! Luckily, Nartian was there by my side, cuz I will probably have to make her review some of the finer points with me!

Our evening event involved the traditional homework exchange. This year, we campers got to vote on winners of various categories for the TP covers. It was amazing how varied and awesome these projects were. Unfortunately, this is where I lagged in the picture-taking. I think I just didn't bother to bring my camera in to the voting room. For some reason, I decided to keep my homework out of the swap and instead sat back and watched the fun. Afterwards, the camp store was open and we all made a dash for our stash!

Sadly, this is a scarce picture day for me! What can I say? I was distracted and busy! But I'm sure you will find many fine examples of the TP roll covers if you check out Yarn Harlot or other camper's blogs...

Pre-Camp!

First off-confessions-I pre-wrote this part last night because, well...I was inspired! But loading pictures sucked, so I'm glad I waited to finish this tonight. I may not be so quick to post the next days, but I'll see how I do.

I said this before, I'll say this again-Sock Camp is not for wimps, and this camp was no exception! I'm still recovering! Nartian and I were half-dead as we knit this afternoon at work.

And before continuing on, I thought I'd slip in a bit of knitting progress. Still not through Clue #3 on the Secret of the Stole II KAL, but here is what I have thusfar...


And before I go on to the Pre-Camp story, please bear with me while I whine about how quickly it is to gain a good 8 lbs. over a week, while it takes a good 2 months to lose 8 lbs! OK? Just had to share...! (grumble!)


So this is installation #1-Pre Camp!

Yes, there again was homework which I (AGAIN!) did on the fly! Conveniently, there was a "mall" located right across from our motel on our way up which conveniently had not only a Michael's, but a JoAnn's! Score! It seems I always end up needing *some* crafting item to complete my homework that I always seem to not have completed in time for camp!

This year's assignment? Toilet paper roll covers! Really.

Without boring you with my thought process, here is what I ended up with in it's final form. Not the grandiose project I had first planned, but nonetheless, finished!

And a side-view to show off the mushroom I labored over!




Actually, the TP cover wasn't done 'til after check-in. Tammy (Lavendar Knits) and Etta Mae were a happy, familiar site! This year, I was assigned to the Tricksters tribe. Funny...so was Nartian, Irish Girlie, past camp tribe members Sharon and Vicki, hizKnits and Stariel...hmmm...made me wonder!


Nederlass lives in the Washington area and was gracious enough to transport a group of knitters not only from the airport, but on a pre-camp yarn crawl. So look what was parked in front of our cabin later in the day after we arrived and checked in? Looks like the pre-camp journey was a fun time, though I can't report on this portion I was not a part of. Stariel showed me a special 'bus pass' Nederlass' hubby had made for all the bus riders. Unfortunately, I didn't get a pic of it to share, but trust me-it was a cool bus pass! You may catch a glimpse of one around Stariel's neck over at her blog!


And again, this year, I offer you a view of the resort-this time, and emphasis on the Discovery House (the big square building) where camp was held. The mansion is beyond the alcove...


I got to the evening reception a tad early (for me, 15 minutes was way-early), and I was the first person there, so I got my own, personal 'sneak peek'. Again, this year, I offer a picture of the fabulous 'color wheel of socks' table!

The Sockateers and teachers/staff arrived and 'put me out' so that they could prepare for our entry. What were they preparing for? Well, only to guard and protect the camp yarn store which was to open for an hour that evening for us!



(Note the camp store behind the body guards! Think of all the yarny goodness I could've have snatched up during my time alone with it, had I no scruples...)

And of course, camp is not camp without the team of Yarn Harlot and Cat! Here they are, together again! I always say and will say it again-there is nothing like this combination!

So next post will be on to Day one of camp!

Back from Camp!

Wow! Another year, another fabulous Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Camp! This year, our camp was called CAMP CROWS FEET. It's hard to imagine that camp could be as awesome as last year without being the same-same, but it was just as good-probably even better! But, since my tendency is to be long-winded, I decided I should handle camp in installments this time. So for now, I will leave you with this...


I was afraid I'd run out of storage room, so this is pretty much the finale of a fellow-camper's performance. You'll have to come back later for the the details...

Real, live knitting content!

Well, it is now April 5, so you know this can't possibly be an April Fool's Day joke!

March was Malabrigo Madness and I cast-on for three projects. So...(believe it or not), I have a completed project!

"The" completed project, "Tudora" in-what else?-Malabrigo worsted weight! The colorway is Col China.



And a hooded scarf (which looks like a big ol' scarf at this time!) is a little more than 3/4 way done.

And all this time, the new Cedar Creeks (previously ripped-back and now again on its way...) are coming right along. I am now on the foot of the first sock!

Here's a non-approved new project I started on...yeah, I know-naughty!...I couldn't resist and started the Mystic Light KAL. The Dream in Color Baby was IrishGirlie-approved, though, so how could she think I wouldn't cast-on for the shawl I purchased the yarn for?!

Then thing is, this actually isn't really the project because since it was taken-I ripped it all back! Long story, but the beginning basically became a swatch because the needles I started with (I decided) were not the 'right' size, afterall...I then kept knitting with the next size up, then lost a stitch and couldn't find it. I decided at this stage, it was prudent to frog the whole thing! So now, I am just about at that same place.

But alas, homework awaits and I really need to focus on THAT! So...I need no guidance on the foucs for the next week becaue I know I had no business frogging and re-knitting on this one! If I were more disciplined, I probably would have frogged and set it aside to cast-on (as IrishGirlie says, 'as a reward') later...

Great Mail Day!

I could post about what progress I've made on my Cedar Creek socks, but alas, I have no pictures! But for reporting's sake, I am now on the gusset decreases on my first sock. I am almost through the 3rd skein of Malabrigo Chunky for the hooded scarf I'm working on, as well, but it looks like...well...a scarf, so not too exciting...

So this is what arrived yesterday:

A skein of yarn I couldn't pass up at Enchanted Knoll Farm's etsy shop! The colorway is Wood Elves. The skein shows more blue, when really it is quite greeney-brown with a surprising hint of teal worked into it! Not to mention some of my favorite golds, too! The big plus? The price was right AND they are "environmentally friendly"! The live off-grid and power their farm "by solar electricity..." I like that they are 'kind and respectful to the planet'. It doesn't hurt that they included a lovely marker with my purchase, too! It seems like a nicely, snugly spun yarn, too!

And lookie what a non-Knitter friend sent me!

She went totally overboard! She insisted I send her a wish list or she'd kick my butt! So I send her a list and I think she got EVERYTHING I had listed! Then added more non-knitting goodies to the package! I think she has covered Christmas, Easter and Birthday goodies for at least the next 10 years for me!


So in addition to a nostepin and a one-yard niddy-noddy, she got me three sets of stitch markers! A row counting set, cube bead set, and a tiny droplet set on a big ring that 'can be worn as a pendant! HA! Too cool but way too overboard, my dear bud (MsInDebt)!So I guess I should post knitting pics to prove I've made some progress on focus/priority projects? Er...yeah...next post...

Nothing like seeing your gift knitting on the recipient!

I just viewed pics of my "baby" cousin's baby...among them was a recent one of him wearing the hat I knit for him!

OK, now I'm feeling motivation to work on that Baby Surprise Sweater I started for him a while back...

Even I can laugh...

at what a dork I am for letting this slip by, unnoticed! I got the rows set up fine, I just got off-sync with it -and very early on! Like around row 2! How could I have not noticed for a good 2 1/2 inches of knitting! I think I was so thrilled to be starting them that I got all crazy!
See the lovely error, pre-frogging? The sock is now back down and re-knit to about a little over an inch.

And you know what it means if I started this, right?...Yep! I finished my Serendipity socks!!! And can you believe it? I finished them-toe decreases and weaving in the ends!-on Monday afternoon and arrived home to my latest Rockin' Sock Club package! LUCKY is the colorway and I'm not posting pics right now because I haven't taken any and besides, I think all of you who read this blog or care are already club members! If ya reeeeaaaaally want to see it, I'm sure Nartian will have it posted!

I kind of think that I neglected to share my most recent acquisition. Since IrishGirlie was there when I bought this, does that make this purchase ok?-lol! It is Dream In Color "Baby" laceweight in the Gothic Rose colorway! My insane Inner Knitter seems to think she can add another lace KAL to the load!-HA! I will try and resist, but I joined anyway and shall see if I do get motivated to start and stick with this, the Mystic Light KAL.

And this, folks, is why we get 6...

DPNs in our Knitpicks Harmony sock needle sets! (And also why I should immediately put my project saver over the needles whenever I put my project down inbetween my knitting times-even for a few minutes!)

This is the second picture I took since Lil Emperor decided he would like to hold needle for the picture. He proceeded to say 'cheeeese' as I took this picture! Hmmm...hope this doesn't encourage him to run by another loose project hoping to catch it on him in the same way, resulting in this amazing breakage of a needle! I guess another good reason for having a 6th needle is for people like me who knit on 4 needles, misplace the 5th and get the 6th broken!

Lookie what I got in the mail!

NO it's not a yarn order! It is a wonderful gift from a wonderful Sock Camp pal of mine, Blogless Lisa! Lisa is in the Rockin' Sock Club and I think she's even been a member from the start, like me.

She is the one who made the most incredible Hippy Chick for camp last year that I was lucky to get to take home with me. But it turned out someone at camp actually wanted the lovely Hippy Chick and I'm sure had more space to place it where it could truly been seen and appreciated, so I let her have it. And she would not take it without giving me money. And I didn't want the money that rightfully should have been Lisa's. But Lisa wouldn't take the money. And so it went...ultimately I paid Lisa in the only payment knitters WILL accept-yarn! So we should be even, right? Noooooo...Lisa has to go and send me this...
Yes, folks, that would be some SILKIE Socks that Rock in the box! It is a very "Firebird"-looking Rare Gems! And yes, some chocolate goodness as well as hand cream from Madrona, a highlighter and some magnets! How cool is this? THANKS SO MUCH, LISA!!! I can hardly wait to see you again at camp!

And about the 'priority setting'...it seems there are so many projects I want to start and my 'focus' projects have grown in numbers so that there are too many to 'focus' on!

I want to cast on: Pisgah (for the Cedar Creek KAL), the Gluttony socks (Unique Sheep 7 Deadly S(p)ins ), the new purple/gold Spunky Ecclectic (so I can have some union-themed socks and wear the appropriate colors on Wednesdays to support them!), Mystic Light KAL swatch (I am smart enough to only say 'swatch' at this point in time...the KAL begins March 26!) and I am sure there are more I am wanting to cast on for, but these are the top4 I've narrowed down. I'm pretty sure that at this point in time, I will not cast on for any until at least one WIP is off its needles.

Within my WIPs, the 'focus' projects are currently: Ribby Pulli Scoop, Central Air socks
(a friend had her b-day last month and I told her I was gong to make her socks...didn't say *when* I'd complete them, but don't want to be ridiculous about the timeframe, either...so I am about 2" into the first cuff...), Serendipity socks (I am through the heel on the 2nd sock and am onto the foot!), Malabrigo Chunky hooded scarf (just completed the 2nd skein of 4; 1/2 a skein is used for the pom-pom and fringe if I decide to go that route...), Fetching mitts (started but only 2" into the first; my quilting teacher liked them and really would like a pair and I told her I'd make her some), Tudora (a 2nd one I just CO for and am still on the set-up row; IrishGirlie says my 1st Tudora is still a WIP since the button isn't on it yet, so I guess this can be counted as 2 projects, depending on how you look at it...), Monkey Socks (still on the 1st, but am onto the foot), Secret of the Stole II (I'm barely into Clue #3 of 9!), 2nd felted flower purse (remember that Christmas gift...? Still haven't seen the girls and won't be seeing them real soon-without a deadline, I'm a bit slow! I am at the last part-the top/handles)...also on the radar of 'should be a focus' are Kew (single sock syndrome!), Chelsea (single sock syndrome but need to find it first!), Thuja Revised (a fingering weight version for my sis in KPPPM; single sock syndrome...) Of course, there are some Dashings I was working on for my work friend, only I'm not 'loving' them and think he may like the yarn better as house socks...

So...suggestions? Plan of attack? Right now I am working on finishing my Serendipity socks so I can start on my Pisgah Cedar Creek socks. I am really loving the new Ribby Pulli scoop and am about 8" into the body! The Malabrigo chunky hooded scarf moves along rather quickly, as well...The Central Air socks loom overhead and I even have a donation bear I am almost done with-need to knit the feet, seam and knit the sleeves...I think the lace stole is such a lengthy knit that it is fine to just pick up and work a few rows at a time inbetween the mindless/easier knits, so I think I won't even stress over that one right now. But still, I think I need to prioritize a bit!

There is always something...

keeping me 'unfocused' on my other projects!

Actually, I wanted to post a few projects so that I could get some input on prioritizing them, but tonight is not the night that will happen!

As if I don't whine enough about my many WIPs, I am again dying to cast on for new projects! One, the swatch for the Mystic Light KAL, which is a triangular lace shawl KAL that begins March 26. The second is a Cedar Creek sock, since IrishGirlie and Nartian have started up a Cedar Creek KAL and well...I only happen to have tons of STR needing to be socks!

I think I may have not even posted my lovely Pisgah Socks that Rock yarn I purchased at Purlescence the other weekend, while under the influence of fellow knitting buds (IrishGirlie and Nartian, of course!) You see, looking back at Camp Cockamamie, my camp name was "Pisgah". Naturally, I had to get this colorway because of my mental attachment to the colorway name! And based on that train of thought, I still need to get a skein of Chickabiddy, my 'tribe' name from last year!

Will this be cast-on for Cedar Creeks soon?...

Boy, I have to say that Tina (Blue Moon Fiber Arts Depraved Dyer) sure knows what she's doing when she gets us involved in her yarn names. She must know that some of us are crazy-sentimental fools who will buy one of every yarn in the same colorway-just because we are attached to that particular colorway name!-lol! Smart woman, that Tina!

So next time, perhaps I'll have time to post some of the projects I am in need of prioritizing and making my 'focus' projects for the next few months!

I started this, and now I can't stop!!!

Yes, I FINALLY started my Ribby Pulli Scoopneck version! And I am having a hard time putting it down! This child almost didn't get breakfast this morning!

So this is as far as I've gotten and I'm not picking it up until my secret sock project is completed! (Yeah, the secret sock project I will soon be revealing! Oh, heck! I think most of you who read this blog know what it is by now. If you don't, I'll keep you hanging a bit longer...)

So that's all I have for now. Oh-the Tudora is done-sans button. I will try and post a pic of it later.

And the first Deady S(p)in Has Arrived!!!

Ha! You all know I kinda don't care about "Spoilers" cuz I'm that way and by now, if any of you are in common clubs with me and don't want to be spoiled, you must know that this would be the blog to avoid, right?

Well, I just thought I'd put the little warning at the top of this anyway, since I -duh!-figured out that I can save this image on Flickr and upload it as a regular pic for my Ravelry Stash! So...since it is something I can do easily, I thought I'd be nice for this moment and post it here, too!

BUT...I don't think any of you are in this club with me!-lol! Well, actually, I have two friends who are: one who always gets hers before me and doesn't care about spoilers, and another who doesn't get around to reading this blog anyways!

So the first shipment arrived earlier this week for the "Seven Deadly S(p)ins Club" of Unique Sheep yarns that I purchased through Woolgirl, who do the distribution. And being that it would be coming from WoolGirl Jen, I knew she'd be adding in her own swag, as well.

What I didn't realize is that (at least it appears) The Unique Sheep gals treat this as a club themselves and add their own swag! So we are talking double-swag here. Swag-o-rama, if you will! Don't be jealous of what you are about to see, people. Besides, you need to remember that this *is* the first shipment and the theme *is* GLUTTONY, afterall...so of course, this is going to be a 'bigger is better' kinda thing...

Because Jen does such a lovely job packaging things, I had to show off the 'before' and 'after' opening shots. So here is what it looked like when I removed it from its box...(with it's pink tissue cushioning now serving as back-drop)

There were so many jelly bellies stuffed in the plastic bag, that it burst! You can see all them jelly bellies lining the bottom of the bag! I kinda like that look, but I guess not everyone would be pleased to have the candy loose, together with their yarn! The potential for damage could be pretty bad if some horrible dampness occurred. But luckily, there was no such weird/bad stuff happening, so I rather liked it!

In this kit: 4 mini-25 g. skeins of 4 different colors of Unique Sheep "Verve" sock yarn. These are gradient colors and are to be combined for our first pattern, which happens to be a sock pattern! (Note: this is not a sock club, nor a spinning club; we are going to get seven different yarns with different types of projects to go with them...) OK, let's see...I mentioned the Jelly Bellies, the pattern, some sock point protectors, and not only my favorite mini-sockblocker keychain, but a mini-mini skein of sock yarn from Unique Sheep to use for knitting the mini-sock! Jen threw in a WoolGirl pen and is offering discounts on Unique Sheep yarn for us club members, too! I HEART JEN!!!! I HEART WOOLGIRL!!! I HEART THE UNIQUE SHEEP!!! I HEART THIS KIT!!! (BTW, I think I mentioned this before, but my rubberstamping name I go by *is* rubberglutton!...)

Speaking of Jen and her lovely packaging, I did get a package yesterday from the WoolGirl 2-day sale in which I was being very good and only purchased this:

OK, so I also got a KnitSpot pattern which I neglected to include in the photos and which I did not have IrishGirlie purchase approval for! Oh well...at least I was true to my IrishGirlie-Approved yarn purchase! And even applied my sock club coupon to this small order because (*really*) I have no business saving it for some 'big' order that I have no business buying in the future!

IrishGirlie is pushing me to get those second socks done! Marcy and Maria and waiting to see the SW haul revealed! I have a bit of time (not really, but hey-I can post a pic or two...), so I thought I'd share a pic. Not quite the revealing big stash-enhancement photos, but more the pic of all the little extras I got! Know that I have a compulsive buying disorder and am working on it this year. It will take some work to change my old habits, and the change in behavior cannot be expected to happen overnight!

So above, is my treasure trove of goodies that didn't make the "BIG HAUL" picture! An adorable coin purse that I could not resist-even at the end of the day and after purchasing all the other stuff! Come on-you gotta admit she's too cute! I can see myself going with Nartian to get our coffee in the morning, this lovely strawberry cutie hanging from my wrist, holding my coffee money!

And I could not pass up the adorable Lucy Neatby hat pattern! HAD to get a Bob and Ravelry pin and some stickers! The great thing about Ravelry and their designs/logo is that it is not obviously knitting. It's kinda like you need to be in the 'club' to know what the symbols mean! IOW, I could safely stick this to my car without SassyMan being too embarassed to move my car for me!

Some swag: the cute lil' pen/measuring tape, the way-too-cool Malabrigo lace sample in the ever delicious Col China colorway! Now answer me this-if the label says "Col China" is the colorway "Col China" or does it mean colorway, "China"? I need to know this!

Oh, what the heck-I might as well give you a visual of the main haul--sans the (ahem!) BMFA purchase! Yes, the BMFA purchase is a separate pic on its own and is actually its own sub-stash! I'm so shameless! The worst thing is that as I was attempting to take a picture of my purchases, I kept finding more stuff to add. Like the spindle. Like the patterns...

So what you kinda get a glimpse of here is: a Stitch Diva pattern (Giselle) by Marnie McLean, a Fiber Fiend sock pattern (Ruby) , a NEW Cascade spindle!, Shelridge Farms worsted weight in "Sage" for (hopefully) a Hemlock Ring Blanket (yes, Marcy-I think I am caving on that one!). The lovely skein next to all the sage-ey goodness? A skein of hand-dyed from Creatively Dyed (thanks for the recommendation, Maria! I found lots of colorways that I *did* like and if it hadn't been one of the very last stops prior to all the purchasing damage I'd already done, I would have probably bought 2 more skeins! Nothing like supporting the small indie dyer!) Hmmm...some "limited edition" (yeah, just call me 'Sucker') Capistrano Dyeworks sock yarn , Shelridge Farms multicolor dyed sock yarn, Malabrigo lace (Black Forest and some pinky colorway that I think will be fun to mix together for a lacey scarf...-no cracks about my scarf completion record!). In front of the Malabrigo Lace is some Tess Designer sock yarn in a paled out gray-green (LOVE this!), and behind, Baywood Yarns sock yarn (Sea Otter colorway) and a skein of merino/bamboo from the Fiber Fiend!

PHEW! (Again!) Yeah, IrishGirlie-another long-A post, but admit it-you were enjoying every moment of this one! Kinda make you feel better about your shopping spree? Yeah, I exist to make others feel ok about their Stash Enhancement Expeditions!-lol!

Innocent Findings

Sometimes when you go to get a Fried Chicken Sandwhich fix, you can stumble upon some glorious findings! I mean, how can a knitter NOT pop in to Article Pract on such an excursion? And in seeking out rewards for those who are willing to be co-conspirators in mystery projects you conjure up, how can one NOT check out a mystery store with no store-front facing the street; simply an alluring sign with such words that include 'chocolate'?

And so, Nartian and I stumbled upon these lovelies...


Awesome, no? And here, some up-close shots (yeah, I'm not the greatest photographer, but you get the idea...)

And no, your eyes did not deceive you. No, the media is not getting to you. Yes, these are Obama chocolates! How could I resist? I only wished they had some Hilary ones, too-then I could've gotten two of each!-lol! Then it could be a 'you pick'. But sorry, folks, I just have no interest in any McCain chocolates...


This past week has felt crazy to me. Ten days since Stitches West and it seems so far away...probably because I had worked out the afternoon before SW (a weights class, nonetheless, when I hadn't done weights in I don't even know how long...) and my back was definitely feeling it. I felt like I was going to pull a muscle any minute! So by the end of the day, I was exhausted, my back spasming (is that a word?), I was starting to feel headachy, and my throat was feeling scratchy. Perhaps the cold I thought I had the week before had never really gone away?...So I was basically a big baby, sleeping in and laying around the rest of the weekend.

However, Sunday afternoon, SassyMan (SO and father of Lil' Emp) tells me he has called the hospital for an appointment. He later learns that they are soon closing and will see him the next day at 4pm. He was in so much pain that he had no intention of waiting that long and needed to go to the Emergency room. So I spent that evening with him overnight at the hospital. Luckily, it was minor surgery, but did require he be put under and stay the night. No sleep for me that evening! So basically, I was dead to Blogland for a week-very little time or energy to be on-line for very long!

OK, so my Stitches West haul will probably not be flashed at once. I really think it would be overstimulating for all.

Instead, let me backtrack to the President's Day holiday, a mere four days prior to SW. My friend decides she wants to go to a yarn shop and get some 'good' yarn. Don't I want to go? NO! I don't want to go! (Too tempting!) Of course I go, though. And I walk out of there with this...
Actually, this is only a partial pic, since I actually purchased FOUR skeins of the Malabrigo Chunky (in one of my fav colorways-Stonechat!). And I couldn't resist the Plymouth "Happy Feet" at a mere $6.50 per skein!

But it was a fun trip which included a brief reunion with Stephen (HizKnits) and I got to meet his friend, Tammy (PunkRawkPurl). You would know her by the "K-N-I-T" and "P-U-R-L" she has tatooed to her fingers! I knew I'd seen her before because I recognized the hands! Turns out she works over at Article Pract once a week! (Yeah, and she just *happened* to be there today!)

So from this little appetizer to Stitches West, I have now started a store-model hooded scarf (yeah, nothing like store samples to further entice a purchase of four skeins of Chunky Malabrigo!). It's looking like this, so far, and I must say that for this scarf, I have hope of completion! Chunky, mindless knitting of no more than 416 yds? I can do it!



And, as always, I got distracted from other focus knitting (yeah, like my Serendipity socks, one of which is complete...) and produced this single sock (the Two-Yarn Resoleable Socks from the Favorite Socks book)...


Knit from Heavyweight STR of course!

Lastly, you think I only got fried chicken sandwhiches and chocolates today? Of course not! I absolutely couldn't pass up this worsted weight Malabrigo-it is Malabrigo March, afterall! And besides, I got a lace sample at SW in this colorway that I so loved ("China")-I knew I loved this colorway and Nartian reminded me it was the same as the lace sample we had received!
So this came home with me and I was so excited about it, I hand-wound it!
Funny...when it is a single skein of 220 yards of soft-to-the-touch yarn in a luscious color, it is actually quite enticing to hand wind it! I also hand-wound the other 3 balls of my Chunk Malabrigo this evening!

PHEW! Yeah, it's been a long time between posts and it shows, huh?! Maybe I'll share a bit of SW love with you guys next post!