On the needles

In NJ the other week, I bought my very first Koigu. Pretty, pretty Koigu. Up until then I hadn't liked any of the colorways I'd found before, but this one -- oh! There is orange, pink, brown and heathered tans all spund together in this beautiful twist.

I had hoped to recreated a feather-and-fan scarf that I'd seen at Spin A Yarn in Binghamton. Unfortunately I forgot to ask for the pattern when I was there last, so I looked online and found something I thought would be similar. It wasn't. After working it in several sizes of needles and ending up with this:

I ripped it out and wound it all back up. I suppose it will be a pair of socks now. Unless I can think of something else to do with it...I am dying to start my next pair of socks, but I really want it to be machine washable. Also, I've heard things about pure wool wearing out quickly at the heels and toes. Sooooo....I guess I'll be picking up some wooly nylon thread (to reinforce) at JoAnn's sometime soon.

A few weeks ago at Knit Night (which, if you remember, is held at my LYS), I finally gave in to it's seductive call and brought this home:

This $36 hunk of beauty had been whispering to me ever since I first set foot in this place. The price tag deterred me for a while, but really, it's huge. I should have put it next to something so that you could fully appreciate the size, but it's probably over a pound. I could make a toddler poncho out of this. I think I'm going to see how it works up as Clapotis. This is what I knit it up into initially:

As you probably can't tell, it was going to be Stacy's "My So Called Scarf", but the texture of the yarn was too much for it. And now after reading things like Thirteen Ways of Looking At Clapotis, I feel as though I must make it. There's no two ways about it. Dropping stitches on purpose -- how much better can it get? My only concern with using this yarn is that because of the nubby factor, it may not drop the stitches all that readily. I'll work up a few rows and see how it behaves.

This is the Noro that my grandma bought me a while ago. At my LYS, The Bamboo Needle (or is it called Three Sisters now?), there was some Noro worked up into this multidirectional scarf, and I've never made a scarf. This pattern looked so interesting, and ended up being quite fun.

Unfortunately this is two skeins worth, and all the Noro I've got in the color. Now I need to pray that Spin A Yarn in Binghamton still has some left so that I can make it long enough. Otherwise I'll just have to rip it out and start again, making it much skinnier.

It's all worked in short rows. Simple, but lovely to look at. I was pulling from the middle of each skein, so it was so much fun to see what color would come out next. Each color is spun with black, which adds depth. There are also little nubs throughout that I found pleasing. Alltogether this was a very relaxing, fun project.

And now look at this!

Could it be? Yes, it is that funky little backpack that I had dropped a while ago. Vowing never to return...I thought, though, how my 7-year-old sister would love it...so, as I predicted, I have picked it up again. After only a little effort, all the pieces are complete. All I have to do now is seam it together, make a lining....yeah, it'll be a little while, but I've made significant progress and am very proud of myself.

So that's what's going on with me. Thank you so much to all who keep stoping by in the cyberworld to check up on me. Our move is, well, moving along, but it's a heck of a lot of work! I don't know when I will be able to blog again but hopefully soon. For those of you who asked, we're moving to Columbus, GA. I hope there's good LYS's there!! Otherwise, it'll be mail order for a while... (I know that there's a ton of them in Atlanta, but that's about 1-1/2 hours from where we're going to be.)

whatever happened to Faith?

Ohmygoodness, so sorry about the recent lapse in posts. After going to NJ two weekends ago, I returned home for two days, then our whole little family headed to Harrisburg for the weekend (for music festival Purple Door). Now the Mr. is in GA finding an apartment for us while I'm staying at my parents house with my little guys. Quite a whirlwind. I have stories from Purple Door, and even a few pictures of WIP's, but unfortunately the batteries to my camera died and I didn't bring the charger, so I can't upload them at this moment...yes, I'm full of excuses, but maybe I'll get back on top of things sometime. Maybe even later today?

Right now I have to bake some cinnamon roll bread (since the ENTIRE loaf was domolished almost as soon as it left the oven yesterday), as well as something for a coffee house tonight. Both my boys are sleeping, so I'd better get cracking!

hurry hurry, everywhere

Yesterday I got back from a trip to New Jersey. Since we are in the middle of our move to GA, I won't have much time to blog until next week, but I have taken a few pictures. Unfortunately I can't currently find my camera. Probably it's in my car, but my husband has that at the moment.

Two different scarves I planned on makeing have turned into something else, due to the fiber being very definite in it's wish to be another pattern (one is yet another scarf, the other is...well, yet to be seen). Will post more on that later.

I had my first big splurge: a (nearly) $40 skein of yarn. It's really huge though, so I don't feel too bad. I've been gazing at this particular chunk of yarn for weeks now at my LYS, and finally brought it home to stay. (Wish I could show a picture, but read above.)

Picked up some beautiful Kuigu in NJ -- the first that I've really liked.

Just a few minutes ago I purchased and downloaded the pattern for this. Shockingly enough, I think I actualy have the yarn for it too! Unless, of course, I decide to use something else...

rush for cheap laptops

Just got back from another little trip, and I don't have time to blog "for real" today, but for now I leave you with this completely non-knitting link:

Panic ensues in rush for cheap laptops

Knitting fans keep eye on the ball

Check it out -- this is pretty cool:

The Seattle Times: Living: Here's a good yarn: Knitting fans keep eye on the ball

Bad Penny, RIP

So I was knitting along, and had achieved about 5 or 6 inches of the sweater, when I began to notice an itchy feeling...so much for knitting with pure wool.

I would make a cardigan out of wool, but it seems that this was just not a good match for a short-sleeved raglan.

Sadly, I pulled the whole thing out, and this is what it looks like now:


At this point, I'm kind of tired of orange (I forgot that's what happens to me and orange -- I always think that I'll love the color, then get sick of it before the project is complete/I get a chance to wear it much/etc.) Oh goodness. I'm going back up to Rochester in a few weeks (where I purchased the yarn), so I can make a return if need be. I still really like the Noro, but now I don't know what I would do with it. Maybe if I return the unused portions of everything, I can get something that strikes me then.

One orange ball of Idontlikeit isn't so bad. I have an idea for a new yarn for Bad Penny...

Now though, I understand what the Yarn Harlot was talking about with seperation anxiety when things are off the needles. At the moment (are you ready for this?): I have NOTHING on the needles. I -- I don't know what to do next!

The Kitty hat is still in it's "regular" hat stage, so I could work on that, but it's not jumping out to me right now. Aha! But I still have that Silk Garden Noro! It wants to be a feather and fan scarf, I think. Tonight is Knit Night, so if I get stuck, I might be able to get some help there. First I have to find a pattern for it...

Self striping texture?!

Well, I finished the socks. The first had been knit up to the 7-8 size, and were just a bit short, so I had to rip the toe out of that and add half-an-inch. Now they fit my long skinny feet perfectly...and I look like a Dr. Seuss character in them. Ah well. I like them though.

Pattern: BMG Footies by Julia Trice
Yarn: Sockotta in multi-purple unknown color; wool, cotton, nylon
Needles: size #2 aluminum DPNsNotes: My first socks! The toes are a little too pointy, which (I think!) is the way the pattern was written. If I were to knit these again, I'd do it with a different toe. These were a great introduction to sock knitting though as they are very simple stockinette, and they're so short.
From cast-on to cast-off: approx. 3 weeks.
My other posts on this project: My First Sock, Fiber Goes Public

Also, I finished the wristband I was making for Sarah K, who won my little contest a few weeks ago for naming this website. (Sarah S, who came up with the name for the link -- flashbangfibers -- is getting stitch markers as soon as I get my memory wire in the mail.) I'll be sending the wristband out today or tomorrow. Hope you like it! =)

Pattern: Powerful Wrist Protection from Stitch N Bitch
Yarn: Plymouth; 80% acrylic, 20% wool

Check out what I've noticed though. Every third row sticks out a little. See in the two pictures? I don't know what causes this, but it's happened to me before when I'm knitting stockinette back and forth (rather than in-the-round). How wierd.

Front:

Back:

The Llama Song

This is seriously cracking me up this morning. It's so bizarre -- you have to see it.

The Llama Song

Cutting my teeth

So I cast on for my first sweater (Bad Penny). Three times. The first time I had to frog it was because something happened with the first cast on stitch after I'd already done a few rows. The tail was a little two short, I think, and un-tied itself (I'm telling you, this stuff has a mind of it's own. Has anyone seen this, on Kate Gilbert's site? It's spreading, and there's no help for it. Guard your yarn!)

The second time is evidence of what happens when you think you're smarter than the pattern on your very first sweater. I'm not sure how well you can tell from the picture, but it took me over ten rows to realize the eyelets aren't supposed to look like this:

It was only a problem with the first set of them. The rest looked like this:

I had to rip out the whole thing. It was very hard for me. I don't think I've ripped out that much in one shot before. I know I'll probably have to frog something huge at some point, so I guess it's just something I'll have to harden myself to. Sadly.

But now it's back on the needles, and things are going swimmingly. (Stayed up 'till past midnight to do this...exhausted and bleary eyed, knowing Elijah would wake up to eat soon, but it had to be done!)

Speaking of things on the needles, I have to admit something: I am breaking Pacts With Myself left and right. I have more than one thing on the needles. AGGHH! Now I'm panicking. I know that everyone does it, but all my life I've limited myself to one project at a time. This way I'm spurred on to finish quickly so that I can start the next thing. However....well, I made this pact 9 weeks ago (of course)...I have three things going. Will I ever finish any of them? And one of them is that damn second sock. And would you believe that it's suffering from a bit of Second Sock Syndrome? Yes. Ah well. I vow to finish it (the sock) this weekend! Let's see if that's a pact I can actually keep.

When in doubt, buy fiber

Well, I'm back from Rochester, and we had a great time. It was challenging traveling with my little men (first time on a trip with them alone!), but we made it and it was totally worth the effort. My good friend, Sarah S, is getting married in four weeks (!!), and I'm moving to GA in about 2 months, so this was kind of a "last hurrah" of sorts, at least for a while.

Sarah was the person who inspired me to take up crochet, and to try knitting again, so it's always fun to inspire/be inspired whenever we get a chance to hang out these days.

The first day we went to Village Yarn Shop, which was kind of a surprise. I'd read a great review on it, but when we got there, it looked like it was a book store...but it was both! I have never been in a place that had so much yarn. Woah. Great selection, although their bargain bin was sparse on merch and discounts. (!)

However, I picked up some Lambs Pride in this great orange color to make Bad Penny by Stephanie Japel. I also found this pure wool Noro for the edging; I'm curious to see how it knits up. There are oranges, pinks, a purple and even a green in it, so it should be interesting. What is it about Noro these days? I feel drawn to it at every turn.

My husband loved the colorway when I brought it home, so that must mean I did a good job picking them out. (He's not easily impressed by this sort of thing.) =)

The next day we went to Spirit Works Knitting & Design, which is not only one of the nicest yarn shops I've been in, (comfy, roomy, and sunny) but also has the best sales! They had bargain baskets all over the front area, organized nicely with DEEP discounts. Just my kind of place! I snagged 7 balls of this Debbie Bliss cotton angora to make...well, something. I swore that I would never buy yarn that wasn't earmarked for a certain pattern, but, here I am 9 week into my Fiber-ized Life, and I've gone and done it. But seriously, they are usually over $7 each, and they were only $4! And it was the perfect color of deep turquoise! (Much appologies for the photo, which does the color no justice) And--! But I realize that I don't have to convince anyone here. I was wholly encouraged to make the purchase at the yarn shop, of course, and everytime I look at the little pile I feel no regret. Only...that vision of a turquoise...lovely something!


So, after all of those wonderful colors, why did I feel the need to buy this?

It looked kind of cute at the store, but now I feel disenchanted by it, and don't really want to think about it. I considered making the Better Than Baby Booties by Interweave, but I'm not sure how the yarn would "self stripe" on something so small. Any advise from those of you more well-versed in socks than I?

Sarah and I got to spend some great time together, and my little guys were fairly well behaved (although it is apparent to all that Andrew is almost two...).

We got home yesterday, went grocery shopping, took a nap, and then I went to Knit Night. I am exhausted today, and I've pretty much depleted my yarn budget until next paycheck, but it was all worth it.

Thanks Sarah (and parents Ruth Ann and Mike!) for the great time!