Things have been pretty quiet around here. I’ve been getting some easy knitting done. Once I get that wheel, I fear my knitting is going to move to the back burner for a bit.
A big rave goes out to Zen Yarn Garden. My sea yarn skein of Cafe Au Lait is wonderful. The seacell has a little less give than say a tencel blend but not in a bad way. I don’t have any other reference points to compare it to as this is my first time using a seacell/wool sock yarn. It has worked up beyond fantastically with the Roza’s sock pattern from Interweave. This pattern is super easy, with a nice twist on regular ribbing (I used it before on some Yarn Pirate Daisy in merino/tencel). I used size 1 US needles to make a nice, tight knit. Now if Roxanne starts dyeing up roving again, I am in trouble.
I’ve been commissioned to dye up a yarn of the month club colorway for a new shop. I did a test sample yesterday; so far I am very pleased. It’s not self striping which is a nice change up from what I normally dye. I am using a new nylon/wool blend base yarn. It is much soft than what I was using before. I’m going to knit some of it up as soon as it’s dried. I don’t think it is going to be available for a while - like 3rd or 4th quarter of this year. I’ll post more info when I can. Oh - it isn’t teal, green or blue! Yay for breaking out of my favorite color rut.
The Crocus socks are done. I’ve already worn them too. The louet base yarn is very scrumptious and makes my feet happy. You cannot go wrong with 3×1 ribbing.
The Sweet Sheep should be updating soon with some yummy new superwash DK merino. She even has a new exclusive colorway to show off (of which sadly I did not take photos). I sent her some surprise roving in her Lovesticks exclusive colors.
I think I’m starting to get the hang of dyeing roving.
Here’s some of my wayward Yarn Pirate. It was worth the wait. All the pictures are in my photostream if you are curious. The honey one is really fantastic in person; it has subtle color shifts that are hard to photograph.
It’s official. I have caved and am getting a wheel. I contacted the vendor at the Great Lakes Fiber Show to reserve one or make sure they were bringing this wheel in the first place. Susan has even offered to assemble it! Now I just have to wait two more weeks. Argh!
Yay! I finished the first super scrappy sock. I’m infatuated!
I wove in the ends as I went along so I didn’t have the daunting task of doing it all at once. I think this sock would blind a clown.
I have enough yarn to do the mate and perhaps at least two more.
On a happy note, my yarn finally stopped at Yarn Pirate HQ where it was beaten into submission. I really have to sing Georgia’s praises. Her customer service rocks as hard as her colorways.
Why couldn’t the post office have left a note in mail box that postage was due? Instead they waste money, time and gas mailing it back and forth across the county. I guess it makes about as much sense as this story.
One of the Crocus socks is done. I’m really happy with how it turned out. The little bits of periwinkle are so cute. The 3×1 rib got a little monotonous. The second pair is not knitting up as fast.
Julie’s sneak peak pictures prompted me to try knitting another pair of scrappy socks. This one is going to have a mate. I’m elated at how well the plain stockinette sock is knitting up. There is really not much of a pattern to the colors, other than I’m trying to rotate the skinny stripe being white or a color. The cuff, heel and toe are in done a semi-solid wee skein. I don’t want to spoil it so I’m holding off on taking a picture until I’m done with the whole sock.
My Yarn Pirate order is taking a tour of the west coast. What pisses me off is that the freaking thing was in OH on Saturday and they sent it back to the Pacific!!! The best part is that my 5 skeins - not say my Booty Club which can be easily reshipped - are one of a kind overdyes. Update: the package has stopped at G’s house after a side trip to Oregon and is being whipped into submission! Hopefully my naughty yarn will be here next week. Three cheers for G!!!
Processed, April 29, 2008, 8:09 pm, PORTLAND, OR 97218
Processed, April 27, 2008, 9:30 pm, FEDERAL WAY, WA 98003
Arrival at Unit, April 26, 2008, 9:38 am, MY POST OFFICE!!!!!, OH
Processed, April 24, 2008, 9:50 pm, KENT, WA 98032
Electronic Shipping Info Received, April 24, 2008
I’ve had this song stuck in my head which is sort appropriate.
The Le Printemps socks are done. They are a nice pair of ribbed socks. I love the way the color on the toes looks.
I’m working on a super secret non-sock project right now. Oy! I remember why I only knit socks now. This thing is slow going. The straight needles are a big pain in the butt and I almost bought a pair of Addi lace circulars for this one project. The blunt tip on the regular Addis I have has always been problematic for me because I knit so tightly.
But I can only take so much non-sock knitting without having a breakdown. I decided to knit up another scrappy swatch sock. The cheesecake colorway looks amazing, even though there wasn’t enough to knit a full stripe repeat. This one flew off the needles in less than a day!
I’m working on the Crocus socks too. The yarn is most fascinating to watch being knit up. You can see where the full skein was added onto the small part I already had knit up. I probably should have frogged and started over but I hate frogging. I do like the fingering Louet base yarn.
The Sweet Sheep order was sent on its merry way this afternoon. I didn’t have time to take pictures last night. I was scrambling around trying to twist up and tag the skeins that refused to dry on Sunday. The new DK superwash merino base yarn is uber squishy and almost as nice as the superwash BFL DK. I hope everyone likes it.
Here is a picture of the Le Printemps sock. I’m about half way down the foot on the mate. It’s been slow going this week.
And in case you missed it, I updated the shop over the weekend too. I did some serious dyeing last week and I’m thisclose to having the Sweet Sheep order done. Can you tell I had food names on the brain? Custard is more for Strawberry Shortcake’s cat than the eating kind. I was obsessed with all things Shortcake growing up.
The spinning wheel desire is getting ridiculous. I want one so bad I have been dreaming about spinning yarn. I’ve been reading just about every review I can find on wheels - which one does what, why it’s better than all the others, etc. I’m in love with the Majacraft Rose. Of course it is one of the MOST EXPENSIVE wheels on the market but from the reviews I’ve seen, you could call me Rumpelstiltskin on this baby. I like the whole double treadle that can be used as a single aspect of the Majacrafts.
The Mach 1 caught my eye too not just because it is made in the USA but it’s also different and new. It is no where near as expensive as the Rose. I really want an easy to use, dependable wheel that will spin sock yarn in either fingering or DK/sport weight.
There is a fiber festival coming at the end of May that looks like they will have wheels available to test and purchase. I think this is my best option as seeing one online and using one are two different things. I didn’t love the Louet I used in August, not that there was anything wrong with it. I just don’t think it is my right fit. I’m pretty sure I want a modern looking wheel - no fairy tale wheels for me.
I’m still trying to figure out this whole dyeing roving thing in a way that works for me. I think I’m going to keep this one for a while (in case I buy a wheel next month ). Plus I think it will be cheaper for me to dye my own while I’m figuring out how to spin.
Will someone who has a clue about wheels steer me in a good direction? Or can someone talk me out of this?
I’m been meaning to blog all week. I still don’t feel 100% normal as my flu has morphed into this icky cough. Nothing like being sick while you were on vacation - your birthday vacation no less. At least these delicious cupcakes from the White Flower Cake Shoppe made me feel elated. Real buttercream - yum!
I managed to get a ton of dyeing done. Now it’s mocking me, hanging, just waiting for the reskeinning fun. I also decided to do a hand paint last weekend. I don’t do very many of these but I am very happy with the way it came out. I even knit a test swatch.
I started a run of the mill 2×2 ribbed sock in Funky Carolina’s Lily Pad. The first sock was actually finished last night and I’m already onto the mate. I haven’t had time to take a picture but the foot looks completely different from the cuff.
It’s so bright, flowery and cheery. You cannot go wrong with a ribbed sock.
Big thanks need to go out this week to Jen at Piddleloop for helping me get my pattern pdfs to loose some much need file size weight. I had no idea they were that big in comparison to normal pattern pdf size. So if anyone wants a new copy of a pattern they purchased from me, let me know and I will send you the new slimmer version. Nothing text wise has changed.
More thanks to Olivia, who sent me this wonderful blue Madeline Tosh mini sock. It made my day!
It has an honored place on my sock blocker keychain. Now I want to knit some of these. Lord knows I have enough leftover sock yarn laying around.
The last thanks goes to Manon for finishing the test knit of the Chain Lightning sock pattern. I have a few things I have to fix it as I’m not sure what fumes I was inhaling when I wrote a certain part. Then it will be off to the copyright office for registering. Her sock looks gorgeous and I think they put my blue Wollmeise pair to shame!
I took five days off from work. I really need a break from my “real” job. I’m going to knit and dye lots of yarn. I checked out the new Sephora at the nearby mall this morning and picked up some new jeans at the Gap. I even got some yarny prep work done. So far, I’m feeling refreshed and relaxed.
These Wild Oak socks are flying off my needles. I already have one completed and I’m about to the turn the heel on the second. I tried the one on and it is a transcendental experience. Talk about squish!
Blue Moon Fiber Arts has completely overhauled their website along with adding some new colorways. I never really got into the STRs mania/cult like following. But this color was too good to pass up.
I had the non puke-y flu the past two days. I didn’t go to work yesterday I felt so blah. I did get lots of knitting done since it hurt to do much anything else.
The parrot socks are done. I love them despite their fraternal color scheme from mate to mate.
The pattern is super easy and looks wonderful knitted up. I wore them last night. There are another great pair for my sock drawer.
I cast on some Fiesta Boomerang in Wild Oak. This yarn is the BOMB. It’s squishiness is making for a nice firm but soft pair of socks. The color is even knitting up in an attractive display of blues and brown. As a side note, I don’t get the Wild Oak name (oaks make me think of trees which equal green/brown combos) - more like riverbeds or streams here.
I’m using a modified version of the Elongated Rib Check from A Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara Walker, with 7 rows before alternating the ribbing. It’s a quick knit on size 3 US needles. I think even size 4s would work well with this yarn. I almost hit the Loopy Ewe to add more to my stash - almost.
The only con with this yarn is it was a bit splity casting on and picking up the gusset stitches but otherwise so far so good. I’m curious to see how it wears over time. There is a fingering weight version by Fiesta called Baby Boomerang. The DK weight yarns really have my attention right now so I probably am going to stick with the Boomerang.
The shop did get updated on Sunday before the flu really tackled me hard. There are some great new colors too. Lotus is my new favorite.
There has been this bright yellow orb in the sky for the last few days. OMG! It’s the SUN! I was beginning to forget what it felt like.
One of the Parrot socks is done. I finished it Tuesday. It looks good.
I’ve barely worked on the second one - 3 inches or so. I’ve been too busy doing boring life stuff. I can tell the second sock isn’t going to match exactly. Why can’t Fleece Artist fix this problem with the inside of the skein being lighter? The blue is almost non-existent in the second one. I try really hard when doing semi-solids to make sure the inside is just as vibrant as the outside.
Has anybody seen the Nature’s Palette line of sock yarns? They are all stunning and reasonably priced for hand dyed yarn. They use natural dyes to achieve the colors on their yarns. I really wanted to get some semi-solid sky blue or teal. Even the Acacia shade of yellow is amazing. I decided Odd Duck #3 was the route to go. I checked it out on Ravelry and it is gorgeous knit up.
The US Copyright office approved my Catawampus Sock Pattern submission. Hurray! I want to stick it up on Ravelry if I can ever catch the pattern sales posting as being “OPEN” to get signed up. In the meantime, if anyone would like a copy, it’s $5. That seems to be the going rate for electronic patterns. I’ll have to email you the pattern directly as I don’t have any other way to set this up. I might put it on Etsy but I’d still have to email you the pattern. UPDATE: It’s now on Etsy! I started off with 5 available and if they sell out I’ll list more.
I’ve got a bunch of reskeinning to do this weekend. This is probably the last shop update for a bit. I’ve got to work on a Sweet Sheep order (YAY!).
I hope everyone had a nice Easter weekend with lots of chocolate and sugar. Productivity abounded this weekend. I was dyeing like crazy. There may even be a shop update next weekend.
I also managed to start some Fleece Artist Parrot socks. I forgot how nice Fleece Artist merino knits up and how good it feels on the needles.
I am delighted with the way the yarn knit up on the cuff. The foot is another story (I’m about halfway down). It went all wonky on the gusset. I don’t know what happened; the yarn has gotten lighter since I’m almost to the middle of the skein. I’ll have to rewind the yarn cake backwards to make the mate match better.
I still enjoy the coloring and the basketweave stitch is easy enough to follow. This pattern doesn’t look like the swatch pair they have in the Sensational Knitted Socks book but it does look like the little picture above the stitch directions. It’s a nice switch for a ribbed pattern. I’m using size 1 US with 66 stitches.
I really need to stop browsing all the yarn sites and yarn search on Ravelry. I keep finding all these pretty yarns I have to buy. Madeline Tosh got me last week with her sky blue speckled beauty.
This is Victory Garden. It doesn’t look like this on her website so maybe this is a limited edition or variation of the colorway. I like the orange better than the muted mustard.
Not much else is going on. Just more cold crappy weather.
I hope everyone had a great St. Patty’s Day. I went to breakfast with some of my Irish family, which was very nice. It is so rare I eat anything other than cereal for breakfast. I ordered French Toast (LOVE) and it was extra delicious.
Then I made some Irish Soda bread to eat with our yummy corn beef.
I finished my Lime Slushy Embossed Leaves socks. They sham-rock! The extra purl stitch was most definitely needed.
The socks are snug but not too tight. If I ever knit this pattern again, I’m making the cuff at least one repeat longer.
I cast on some Fleece Artist merino in the Parrot colorway last night. It’s very spring. I only got three rounds done last night. So far I like what I see. It reminds me of Yarn Pirate’s Rosie without the white.
Thanks to everyone who guessed correctly on the contest (and thanks to Erin for the giggle). The random winner was number three - Wannabe! Congrats. I’ll be contacting you via email soon.
Can you believe Easter is this weekend? I went a little crazy making Easter cards last weekend.
The etsy shop is updated as of 4 PM EST. All of it is self striping. I’m trying to do an update every 2-3 weeks just so I’m not stuck on etsy for hours listing skein after skein. There are fun new spring colors I’m working on for the next update.
Monday is one of my favorite holidays, so much so I always take vacation for it. My great grandparents were from County Mayo. I still struggle to believe my great grandma changed her name from Bridgette to Agnes when they arrived in America because of all the anti-Irish sentiment. I’m only a quarter Irish but I love celebrating my heritage. It’s only fitting that the contest this month relates to the wearing of the green!
You can win this skein of Rainbow’s End (which now looks like daisies to me - oh well) and some other assorted goodies.
Leave a comment below telling what what famous Irish phrase these initials stand for:
EGB
All correct entries will be entered to win. One random winner will be picked. You must enter by 4 PM EST on March 17, 2008. Only one guess/post per person. I’ll pick the winner either after 4 PM Monday or sometime on Tuesday. May the luck of the Irish be with you!
Please stop with the snow. We, your residents, cannot take it anymore.
Extreme amounts of snow = me busy. The two other skeins of superwash BFL DK I dyed are done. The blue green one is Leviathan and the other one is Bauble. Leviathan is fluffy heaven. The Bauble has me feeling meh. I’ve dyed this up before and it’s looked better. Oh well. It makes for good gift knitting yarn.
I’m trying not to enhance my stash for a while. However, Funky Carolina had this luscious handspun. Carrie really outdid herself with this one. It is teal blue perfection that was worth every single penny.
The Embossed Leaves pattern has been in my “to knit file” since Interweave Knits released pattern. I’ve always been a bit intimidated by knitting charts. I don’t know why. I had no problem reading cross stitch patterns, which aren’t much different than knitting charts. I enlarged the teenie tiny chart (why can’t they splurge for some bigger charts - I’d pay a couple of extra bucks) and dug out some overdyed Cherry Tree Hill stash yarn.
I caught on to how the pattern worked and it is surprisingly easy. After a few repeats, I didn’t need the chart anymore.
I made some slight adjustments to the pattern. A purl stitch was added to increase the stitch count to 68 since I wanted to use size 1 US needles. I did a regular 1×1 ribbed cuff for 1″ and only worked the leaves pattern until the cuff measured 6″ total.
I did my linen stitch heel and the normal toe I always use.
The color is very fun and a great knit for the upcoming Saint Patty’s Day. I’m in the mood for a contest. Perhaps in the next blog post I’ll have something more solid worked out.
They sent us home from work early today. We already had to deal with an ice storm on Tuesday.
The snow is coming down pretty constantly. The high winds are causing really bad drifting due to it’s powdered sugar like consistency. This is the snow that stings when it’s blown into your face. The drive home took twice as long. The snow on the roads is really thick in spots and non-existent in others. The bright side is I get an extra 1 1/2 hours to knit and dye yarns. Hurray!
Update: We are now into blizzard territory.
I finished the Hidden socks yesterday. They were easy peasy and a nice change up from normal ribbing. I even had a fair amount of yarn leftover.
I also did some kettle dyeing this week. Here is the first of three; the other two aren’t dry yet.
I’m calling it Wild Onion. I was thinking “Herb” when I dyed it up but the finished product didn’t look like herbs to me.
