Coming up for air...

I'm feeling like a very bad blogger. Things have been a bit more busy than usual at work and consequently the blog, among other things, has been neglected. I haven't even made it to knit night the last few weeks.
So here's a quick update of what's on and off my needles!

I'm knitting myself a pair of socks with the Hill Country Yarn that my friend, Knittng Novice gifted to me on my birthday. Spring just doesn't want to come to us, here in Philadelphia. It's been a very gloomy March, so I cast this on in hopes of coaxing spring out of hiding. It reminds me of those early spring days when all shades of green shoots are poking up through the dirt and buds are starting to pop out on the bare trees. The yarn is really lovely to work with. This is my daily train knitting project so I'm further along then this picture demonstrates. I'm actually working the gusset of the second sock. I don't seem to be afflicted with SSS.

Yarn: Sweet Feet, 100% merino by Hill Country Yarns
Colorway: Pecan Orchard
Pattern: Plain Ole Sock top down on size 1 US dpns

I'm also making slow but steady progress on my cardigan. It's my knit night project because it's back and forth stockinette and great for knitting and talking. But since I haven't been getting to knit night you get the picture...
Yarn: Ella Rae Classic 100% wool in color 109
Pattern: Knitting Pure and Simple Scoop Neck Cardigan #278

My Celtic Tote has come out of zzzzzzzz..... and I finally finished the first side and am ready to start the handles. It's my 'evenings at home' knitting project.

Yarn: Lion 100% Wool (main color is Cocoa with cables outlined in Lemongrass)
Pattern: Celtic Tote by Jennifer Tallapaneni in Winter '07 Interweave Knits

I had some yarn leftover from my Foliage Hat so I made a Foliage scarf to match. I did get to wear it once or twice, but now I'm ready to put it away for next winter!

Yarn: 1 and 1/2 skeins of Araucania 100% Nature Wool Chunky
Pattern: The leaf lace pattern from the Foliage Hat by Emilee Mooney
Needles: 10.5 US

I don't think I shared any of the goodies I picked up on the yarn crawl last month. Our stop at Rosie's Yarn Cellar resulted in this score... 2 skeins of Manos Silk Blend. It's been calling my name ever since. So I wound it up and I think I'm going to give in soon and show it some love.

And just in case you were wondering.... I blocked my clapotis and it's officially a FO. I still am not sure I can pull off wearing it, but I enjoyed knitting it, I enjoy looking at it and I'll probably make another one.


Whew!!!

Playing Catch Up

I've been a bit out of touch between my computer crash at home and an unanticipated increase in activity at work but in the meantime due to some solid train knittng I finished my clapotis!!

It's a little smaller overall than I would like, which is really a shame since I had 2 - 560 yard skeins of yarn at my disposal!! I just knit it to pattern, no increases in either the width or straight rows and thought my gauge was good but off the needles it's about 15 x 58. I toyed with the idea of ripping it and doing more increase and straight rows since I have plenty of yarn. I used 1 full skein and 'a little bit' of the second. But as I type this, it's in the bath and I'm going to see what blocking does for it. Otherwise it's into the frog pond!!

Anyway in case you're wondering....
Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert
Yarn: Miss Babs 100% merino superwash worsted
Colorway: Bronze Plum
Needles: size 7 us


A very enjoyable knit and I'll probably knit another one at some point. I absolutely love the yarn! It feels and looks more like a fall clapotis to me so my next one will be summery and very neutral, sandy, beachy colors! Can you picture it??

Yarn Crawling in Philly

Last weekend Suzy Girl, myself, Knitting Novice, and a bunch of great gals from the PhillyKnitters blog went on a yarn crawl. Although the torrential downpours may have kept the sane people in doors, us crazy gals braved the weather for some yarn purchases and to meet other knitters. Despite the rain and the need for Noah's ark, I kid you not, we have a fabulous time. We laughed, got wet, bought yarn, knitted, and made friends along the way.

Sparkcrafted was the organizer, and she did a marvelous job. There are 4 yarns shops in center city Philly: Rosie's Yarn Cellar, Sophie's Yarns, Nangellini, and Loop. We started out at a coffee shop, and went in groups to Rosie's. From there we went in the order that I mentioned. I would have to say a good time was had by all.

Now obviously I got some yarn, because how could I pass up this opportunity, especially when my first stop had a sale basket. I told Suzy, I wasn't going to buy a lot, because I had a lot of things going on, and my stash was pretty big. just some yarn for a hat. You know nothing major. Now to some of you, my purchases may not be major, but when then don't quite fit in the stash container, well....lets just say I won't be making any purchases any time soon.

This first one I got at Rosies for $7 a skein on sale. The red was screaming out to me. The color is actually a little variegated, in that it is light and dark. And it is so soft. It really just jumped into my arms. I'm thinking clapotis.

Next purchase was at Sophie's. Just 1 skein of this Cascade Pastaza in blue. What? Blue? Yeah, I know I never really buy anything blue, but I do like the color. And my favorite football team's colors are blue and white (Colts), so you know. I'm thinking a hat.

The last purchase was at Loop. I saw this Lamb's Pride and immediately Celtic Tote came to mind. Gotta have it!!! There are 3 grey skeins and 1 black for contrast. I already have that pink and brown I want to use for a felted bag, so that's why I chose a different colorway.

Yeah, don't know when I am getting to these projects, but at least I have the yarn for them.

TTFN!

Big Ball 'O Yarn

I spent some quality time this afternoon with an empty paper towel cardboard tube. Standing on a chair, listening to a podcast and winding my latest yarn acquisition into a big ball 'o yarn. Ahh, the excitement of my life even overwhelms me at times.

This yarn is intended for a clapotis. I've been wanting to knit one for some time now and the hunt for just the right yarn has, at times challenged and obsessed me. I've spent hours, (I hate to think of how many hours), looking at finished clapoti on ravelry, searching out hand dyed merino/silk blends on the web, reading all the blog posts on the multiple Clapotis KAL's.

I came very close to buying Sheep Shop 3, a 70/30 merino silk handpainted blend. I've considered Brooks Farm. Several etsy sellers. Maybe even dye my own. I even, for a short time, considered saying to hell with it and just spend $90-120 for the Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb (but I always came to my senses before getting too attached to a LL colorway).

Well, a couple of weeks ago I came across some hand dyed yarn by Miss Babs, on the Woolgirl site and fell in love with a colorway called Bronze Plum. It's a %100 merino superwash in a 560 yard skein, very reasonably priced. No silk in it, but merino alone is nice too. And since there were only 2 skeins left, I decided to just buy them before anyone else did. Regret, over a yarn purchase not made, is a terrible thing.

It was the first time I ordered from Woolgirl and it was a very positive experience. The yarn came quickly, wrapped in pretty color coordinated tissue paper, tied with matching ribbon, a couple of sample products, and a sweet thank you card with a kitty cat. I'm a sucker for presentation, and cats. Nice!

So I decided today was as good a day as any to swatch. And I recently joined the latest clap KAL, Fashionably Late in '08 so that was a little added incentive to get going. I don't have a winder or swift. I usually just wind a hank of yarn on my thumb and carefully drape the skein over my knees or around a chair. But I thought 560 yards of worsted weight yarn called for an alternate plan, the paper towel method. And in my case, it also involved 4 cans of Progresso soup. Don't ask.

I only wound up one skein. I know I probably should alternate skeins since it's a hand dyed yarn but I'm going to live dangerously and hope there's not too much variation between the 2 skeins. What do you think? I swatched on size 7 and 8 needles, I'm going to go with the 7's.

I also "made" some sock blockers for my finished Monkeys. I'll probably treat myself to some nice wooden blockers at some point (or hint to my family when they're looking for Mother's Day or birthday gifts) but in the meantime I did the DIY thing on a very simple level. I found a blog, Little Sesame Knits and following her general directions went ahead and cut up a gift box. I'll try to find a heavier cardboard or other more attractive material next time I'm at the craft store but these do the trick for now. So here's the finished purl-less Monkeys by Cookie A. in Louet Gems Wild Cherry colorway. They are %100 superwash merino and very soft.

So it was a fairly productive start to March. Come on Spring!
Happy Knitting!

True confessions... or sometimes you just have to treat yourself!

I bought more yarn. This is what happens when I take a day off from work. The yarn store is too near my house and well, I found myself over there this morning fondling the Sheep Shop yarn. I've had my eye on Sheep Shop yarn for a few weeks now. Checking out all the colorways on the company page. Stalking it online at WEBS. And online at Loop in Philly. And even on ravelry, I've been perusing stashes, looking at Sheep Shop. I'm considering it for a clapotis. Sheep 3 is a merino/silk blend that I think might be a reasonable substitute for the Lorna's Laces. But I really wanted to see (and touch) the colors before committing and just ordering online.

Well, I just happened to finally track some down at, of all places, the LYS 3 blocks from my house!! Obviously, she doesn't have all the colorways. But I really liked what she had and think when I get ready to cast on for the clap, it'll be with Sheep 3. Today, just to test the waters, I bought some Sheep 1, 100% wool, in color number G129 and I'm going to cast on for a scarf. Probably this afternoon. It's so pretty!! Oh well, so much for finishing my socks.

The other recent purchase I want to share with you is some Araucania Nature Wool I bought when I went to a knit night at another not-so-local yarn store with my friend Knitting Novice. This yarn isn't really mine, so I'm trying not to get too attached to it. I bought it for my daughter. I'm trying to lure her into the knitting world. She's expressed an interest but isn't sure she's "crafty" enough. And let's face it, if I keep giving her scarves and socks, there's no incentive for her to learn. I love her madly, but I think it's time she made her own hats, scarves and socks. She's 27. Now if for some reason she doesn't catch on.... well, I'll adopt the Araucania.