All Purpose

So I got my stash enhancements last week.

Remember, I got the Louisa Harding Nautical Cotton in #09 (Forest).

Elann’s Callista in black.

And Elann’s Coto Canapone in Medici Purple, the purple is much darker when not in direct sunlight like the photo.

So that’s all making me very happy. The Nautical Cotton is a great color as well and I’m probably going to start with it and the Ribs and Lace Tank. I’m swatching for that now.

I’m also wrapping up my Charade‘s (hope to finish tonight so I don’t goose egg for June). And I’m ready to start my July socks, which will be the Slip Up Socks from Posh Yarn. I’ll be using that Koigu I got in June for these.

So many pretty yarns now, so little time.

No Comments | In: gifts, knitting, stash, work in progress | tags: 2008, gifts, socks, stash, work in progress, xmas, yarn, year of the sock. | #

Uh, so I have no idea why I would sign up for a stash busting thing on the one hand and then 1) comb through every inch of my stash to document MORE stash that I didn’t count, 2) go to HCW’s and buy yarn and 3) Even look at the Elann and Little Knits sites leading me to purchase 3 sweaters worth of yarn. True I got three sweaters worth of yarn for $100, which is pretty good, but damn it I’m not supposed to be spending any money.

*sigh*

I have been (mostly) careful about the yarn purchases I’ve made, trying only to get things that were unique and/or highly desired for a long time (oh black purl I love you) or were needed for xmas knitting. How that Noro slipped in last time I have no idea.

This time I feel like I’m justified because while most of the time I can tell myself “you don’t need it now, it will still be there in a month, or six”. However, my near past experience with Elann has already taught me if I am interested in one of their house yarns and I like a particular color that I might want to buy it then because in a week, when I’m “allowed” to spend the money the color I want might be gone. The Little Knits purchase was more like, this is a great deal and color and yarn so I should not pass it up. Is that making excuses? I guess it is a bit and I will be definitely NOT buying yarn the rest of the summer (except 1 ball of Kureyon in Long Beach if I make it to a yarn store there; and xmas sock yarn once a month) or the fall, or the winter. Seriously, I’m going to try.

But now let’s talk about what I ordered (such a poor example)…So from Little Knits I ordered a bag of Louisa Harding Nautical Cotton, it was $24. For a bag, I mean really how could I say no! I got the wonderful darker green (#09). I think this is going to be a Ribs and Lace Tank from IK Spring 2007.

From Elann I ordered 10 skeins of Callista in Black (8990) which I think is going to be a Josephine from IK Summer 2007.

I also got 10 skeins of Coto Canapone in Medici Purple (10) which I think is destined to become the Surplice Lace Top from
Nashua Handknits: North American Designer Collection No. 4 (Rav link).

So between that and deciding to repurpose my Louet Merlin for Aleita Shell and the Lush and Lacy Cardigan I think I have enough big projects to last me through the warm months, and then I have plenty of wools in the stash for some projects in the fall/winter. I really might be set for the year.

No Comments | In: knitting, stash | tags: future projects, knitting, money, socks, stash, yarn. | #

So I signed up for June’s Bustin’ that Stash (Rav link), and of course the minute I agree to 1) knit 1000 yards of stash AND 2) not add to my stash I suddenly find all this yarn I haven’t counted. Another 1421.5+ yards unaccounted for to be exact…sheesh.

Here are the things I “forgot” to put in Ravelry:

The yarn I got in Boston at Newbury Yarns, not tagged no yardage so really doesn’t count in that total even though it’s now in Ravelry.

4 balls of this that I swapped some yarn for…maybe swapping is bad.

I think I bought this to make some amigurumi animals, which I’d still like to do sometime.

Plus I had several 1-2 skein leftovers from various projects.

Ok, ok and I bought 4 skeins of yarn. Two skeins were a legit purchase for my next pair of xmas socks:

But then I saw this, which I have been coveting since I first saw it on Ravlery. There was only 1 skein left so I couldn’t leave it there:

And I decided to start my Noro Kureyon collection in anticipation of casting on for the Lizard Ridge blanket after I finish my other 2 blanket projects:

I think this project will be a great travel yarn project, so whenever I travel I will have a “souvenir” yarn to focus on and after many travels I’ll have a blanket. Pretty cool.

In other news, I also documented some of my older projects (ponchos!) and I’ve made some progress on Charade:

No Comments | In: knitting, ravelry, stash, work in progress | tags: charade, ravelry, socks, stash, work in progress, yarn. | #

So one of the better ideas I’ve had was to create my own “sock club” a few months ago by taking the few sock yarns in my stash, pairing them with a pattern and putting them in a little tub so when I finish one pair I go pull another pair out. I’d been doing about a pair a month until May when I didn’t finish anything. So around the same time I decided I wanted to try to do socks as my present for xmas this year and it dovetailed nicely with me also wanting to try various yarns. I decided that for the xmas socks I could not repeat patterns or yarn so it gives me a nice excuse to look at patterns and try to match to the various yarns I want to try.

I also wanted to be flexible with the yarn purchases since there are so many different yarns I want to try and I want to try to keep my costs down. That’s why I decided to purchase yarn each month, so this month I bought the yarn for July’s xmas socks.
So this way I can scout Ravelry for swaps/sales and check out my LYS’s monthly sale and BOLO (be on the lookout) for other sales.

I also wanted to try to stick to patterns I have already (in magazines or books) or that are free, though I would consider purchasing standalone patterns from independent designers. It’s been pretty fun to fantasize about yarn and pattern combo’s and since the yarns aren’t set in stone after I make a selection I reselect the pattern. So lot’s of knitting fantasy and planning going on, which is good.

So far I’ve finished one pair:

Monkey‘s with ShibuiKnits Sock in Jewel

and I’m working on another:

Charade‘s with Claudia Hand Painted Fingering in Plumilicious

I also just purchased yarn for the July pair (Koigu KPPPM in P117) and now need to find a pattern.

I’m hoping to try the following yarns: Austermann Step, Trekking Pro Natura, Socks that Rock, Smooshy, and I’d love to throw in some independent yarnies as well.

Since I’m trying all these yarns I’ll try to comment more on the yarns as I work through them so look for more year of the sock updates.

No Comments | In: gifts, knitting, ravelry, work in progress | tags: 2008, gifts, socks, work in progress, xmas, year of the sock. | #

So not much knitting in May. I didn’t finish anything at all. I started the Charade socks (like 5 times) and a crochet shrug, but other than that not much movement.

I did manage to get my garden started in May though and now I’m ready to really start busting out the knitting/crochet projects.

I have no idea why the Charade (Rav link) socks are taking me so long, except that my iPod died last month so no more podcasts. I got a new nano last week though so I’m hoping that will motivate me to get moving on the knitting. I am almost done with the leg portion of my first Charade and I’m hoping once I move past that I’ll be back into sock utopia knitting.

I have made decent progress on the shrug (Rav link), I’m starting the repeat for the back. I had been planning to buy yarn for a summer project, like a tank or something. But now I’m not sure if I’ll do that or just try to finish some of my larger projects, like the Ella blanket and the crochet blanket, and bust out some xmas socks. I do not want to be knitting socks feverishly the entire month of December.

No Comments | In: crochet, garden, gifts, knitting, work in progress | tags: crochet, garden, gifts, ipod, knitting, socks, work in progress. | #

So here’s my rehash of the April knitting, it’ll be short, and my update on life in general.

I only finished one project in April, the Monkey socks (Rav link), which used about 286.5 yards of yarn not from my stash really since I bought it in March for these socks as a gift.

The gift was a little late. I spent the last week of April caring for my stepmom (my sister and I both did actually) and she died May 3rd (Saturday). I saw and experienced a lot in the last two weeks and I think eventually I will post about those experiences, but not right now.

I did start 2 new projects before I left to take care of Linda. I started Charade and a shrug (Rav links). I didn’t get very far with either one, but hope to finish both in May if gardening doesn’t completely take over.

1 Comment | In: crochet, finished object, knitting, life, work in progress | tags: cancer, death, finished object, shrug, socks, work in progress; knitting; crochet. | #

Not much is going on actually, I have started/frogged/started a new sock project like 3 times. First it was going to be Jaywalkers, then the swatch looked like ass (completely my doing not the patterns) and it wasn’t doing it for me. Frog. So I found Charade and started that, then I realized I forgot the cuff. Frog. Started again, got almost done with the cuff found a dropped (but also extra??) stitch 5 rows down. Frog. Started again last night. Hopefully the third time is a charm. The Claudia yarn I’m using doesn’t seem to like the frogging too much so it better be the last frogging or I’m going to have to cut off the used portion before I CO again.

I’m also dreaming and scheming for my next sweater/tank/cardi/pullover/tee project even though I know I probably won’t realistically cast on for it until later in May or even June depending on how things are going with the family stuff. I had swatched for the $1.50 Cardigan back in March I think. I finally was able to get gauge, but got disenchanted with the project, probably just because of everything going on.

I thought then that I wanted to do a smaller project first and swatched and then cast on for Catherine’s Mini Cardi (Rav link), but after a couple of rows realized despite my swatch results I needed to go down a needle size. Then I really started debating whether the cardi would look good on me, and now I’m thinking I’d rather do something else with the yarn, like maybe Sahara. Of course I’d need more yarn for that. Ah, I just had a brilliant idea…I could make Sahara for my sister and then I think I’d only need 1-2 more skeins. I still can’t buy the yarn or pattern until June though.

I also thought I might do my Fern Wrap Sweater, but I’m doing this in wool so even though it’s short sleeves I know I’m not going to be wearing it until like December. I really want to do a tank/tee for ME for NOW, but I really don’t have the yarn for that right now so I guess I’ll keep making notes on yarn ideas and patterns and if I find myself in the position to start a bigger project before June I’ll go back to the $1.50 Cardigan, since it’s in pieces and has lace and is done in a wool/linen blend yarn it shouldn’t be too terrible to knit it.

2 Comments | In: fever, gifts, knitting, work in progress | tags: knitting fantasy life, project ideas, socks, work in progress. | #

I have finished the Monkey socks! Behold:

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.
Yarn: ShibuiKnits Sock in Jewel (#4401)
Needles: US 1 40″ circular (can’t remember brand)
Ravelry: More details here (Rav link)
Notes: This was a pretty easy and fast knit. The cuff seems a little tight, but other than that the fit is good, better than the Jitterbug socks I made last month. I liked the yarn, very soft and springy. But the colors did pool a lot as the pictures show. I don’t mind so much and I doubt my stepmom will care either though so no problem. I did this top down using Magic Loop and a Kitchner graft on the toe.

No Comments | In: finished object, gifts, knitting | tags: finished object, gifts, kitchner, knitting, magic look, shibuiknits, socks. | #

So I realized this morning that I never did a wrap up post for March. So here it is.

I finished the Jitterbug socks, the Ovaltine cardigan, the Amelia Earhart hat (same post as Ovaltine), and the Brownie hat which I forgot to do a real FO post for.

So I finished 4 projects (yippee!) and got very close to finishing Ella’s blanket, and I knit through 1167.8 yards of yarn in March (only counts yarn used on FO’s, not WIP’s), and 294 yards of it was from my stash. Not too shabby.

I also cast on for 2 new projects: Monkey socks and the Catherine’s Mini Cardi (Rav link). I really haven’t done anything on the cardi except knit 3 rows and decide I need to frog and CO with smaller needles, but I haven’t frogged it yet. The Monkey socks are close to halfway done.

So all in all a very productive month I’d say. I probably am not going to be nearly as productive in April with everything going on, but I’m hoping if I do stall on my knitting that it will be a short break while I get organized and back into a routine that incorporates all the family stuff going on right now.

No Comments | In: finished object, knitting, life, work in progress | tags: 2008, finished object, march, numbers, stash, work in progress, yards, yarn. | #

So not a lot going on right now. I have managed to get to the foot portion of my first monkey sock (pic hopefully to follow later), but have stalled out the last couple of days. I didn’t get any knitting done this past weekend and I’m sure that this weekend will be any better. I’m hoping to get back into my monkey groove tonight, I would like to finish these for my stepmom, maybe this weekend.

No Comments | In: gifts, knitting, life, work in progress | tags: gifts, knitting, socks, work in progress. | #