Sale Preview!

As promised, I'm posting the stash I'm offering for sale at Purl Diva on Saturday, September 29 (this Saturday!) from 11-4. I will also offer any leftover yarns here after the sale is over, to make sure everyone gets a chance at some cheap yarn!

Want some yarn? This is how it works. Contact me via email (sassy_spice1975 at yahoo dot com) and let me know which yarn you're interested in buying. I'll let you know if the yarn is still available (I will try to update the blog as quickly as possible when something is spoken for), and you can either donate directly on my Memory Walk page, or send me your donation via PayPal. The minimum donation amounts are listed with each yarn (50% suggested retail according to Yarndex), but OF COURSE you are welcome to donate a little extra. :) I'll foot the bill for shipping, but please note that if you're in the area, I will also happily transport your yarn to Purl Diva for you to pick up on Saturday. (And can we please talk for a second about how excited I am to spend an entire day at Purl Diva???)
And away we go....

Brown Sheep Cotton Fine, Barn Red, $2.50/ball, 2 balls available


Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille, dark purple, $3.75/ball, 1 ball available SPOKEN FOR


Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille, light purple, $3.75/ball, 1 ball available SPOKEN FOR


Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, Barn Red, $3.75/ball, 3 balls available SPOKEN FOR


Artful Yarns Jazz, Billie, $4.50/hank, 3 hanks available (This is actually an incredible deal! I bought this yarn at 50% off, and am pricing it at 50% off THAT!) SPOKEN FOR


Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport, Child's Play, $5.00/hank, 2 hanks available SPOKEN FOR


Classic Elite Waterspun, fuschia (#5027), $3.25/hank, 3 hanks available


Sandnes Alfa, gray tweed (#3885), $2.50/ball, 3 balls available


Debbie Bliss Cotton DK, orange, $3.50/ball, 10 balls available SPOKEN FOR


Noro Kureyon, #95, $4.25/ball, 4 balls available SPOKEN FOR


Artful Yarns Jazz, Thelonius, $4.50/hank, 4 hanks available SPOKEN FOR


Artful Yarns Serenade, My Funny Valentine (pink and green), $4.00/hank, 5 hanks available SPOKEN FOR


Crystal Palace Deco Ribbon, white with black pinstripes, $2.90/ball, 4 balls available


Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, Aslan, $5.00/hank, 2 hanks available SPOKEN FOR


Hopefully there'll be something here that appeals to you! If you're in the Brunswick Maine area, or plan to be on Saturday, make sure to drop by Purl Diva between 11am and 4pm, I'll be happily knitting away on the porch!
Edit: BREAKING NEWS! Purl Diva is having a SALE that day, too! What a great excuse to replenish some of my stash!

EDIT2: The sale is over! I haven't tabulated the final donations yet, but we raised almost $800 at Purl Diva alone today! THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who helped, whether it by monetary donations or words of support, and a special thank you to Ellen, who made this whole thing possible!

Sweaters & New Friends

Okay, let's start with the exciting news! We added a new friend to our home this weekend. His name is Moose:

Before you go thinking I'm becoming a crazy rat lady, Moose really is IT. Five rats is more than enough for us, but my boyfriend absolutely fell in love with Moose when he saw him on the Maine Rat Rescue website. Also, my finding Moose was too serendipitous to ignore. I received a message through Ravelry from someone who is affiliated with MRR. She complimented me on my icon photo, which is Betsy, and we got to talking about rats and one thing led to another and BAM... we have a huge male rat. We love him so much already.

Onto knitting news! I will spare you a photo of black seed stitch (you'll know I'm desperate for material if I flash that one again before it's finished), but I'm pleased to say that sleeve #1 of Cobblestone is complete and attached, and sleeve #2 is underway.



Not that my enthusiasm for this project was flagging necessarily, but my energy is renewed. I keep meaning to swatch for a couple of projects, but every time I get a spare hour to knit, I find myself reaching for Cobblestone. It's a fun pattern... very simple, but still fun. And hey, I feel like I'm cruising on a man's sweater, that's saying something! They usually start to feel like they're really dragging by sleeve two.

Reminder: The Memory Walk is in only three weeks! I will be on the Purl Diva porch September 29th, selling stash (she's received a couple of donations of stash already). If you are able to help me support the Alzheimer's Association, I would really appreciate it. If not, I also really appreciate all of the kind words and encouragement!

And one more thing! Anyone reading this going to Rhinebeck? Amy and I are going for the first time this year! I am pretty much beside myself with excitement. We'll be staying in Poughkeepsie and attending the festival both days. Have you been before? Any tips on how to maximize the experience?

Memory Walk

So, you may recall that a few entries ago, I mentioned the Alzheimer's Association's Memory Walk. I've walked every year since 2003, and I love it! It's an amazing experience, with hundreds of family members and caregivers coming together for a common cause. A lot of headway has been made in Alzheimer's research, but there still isn't a cure. Anyone who has ever known someone afflicted with this disease knows about how isolating and lonely it is, and has seen how it robs people of their independence. It's commonly known as "The Long Goodbye," a fitting description, since as people progress through the disease, they gradually forget shared memories and, as most people know, family members. I work with people who have Alzheimer's Disease, and it's difficult enough to get to know them for a short time... I can't imagine how hard it must be for family members and friends.

Anyway, it makes me feel productive to do something to help these people, so I walk the Walk. For the last few years, I've wanted to find a way to incorporate knitting and yarn into my fundraising, and this year, thanks to Ellen, I have a way!

Ellen has generously offered her porch to me on September 29th to hold a destashing sale for donations for the Alzheimer's Association! I'll be there from 11-4 selling her stash and mine. I'm really looking forward to meeting some more knitters and having some quality knitting time while working for a cause I love.

And, of course, I'm asking for help! There are a couple of ways you can help:
1. Buy yarn at the sale! I do also plan to offer a preview of my stash offerings for people who can't make it to Brunswick, Maine. Ellen said she would also offer a preview. Details on previews will be forthcoming.
2. Donate yarn to the sale! Email me at sassy_spice1975 at yahoo dot com for my mailing address. Any other stash yarn I receive besides my own, I will also offer for preview, so it would be great if I could have it by the week before the sale. If you're in the area, you can also drop off donations at Purl Diva.
3. Donate! Even if (for some weird reason) you're not interested in yarn, but still want to donate, there are a couple of methods for doing so. You can mail me a check (see email address above for mailing address), or donate via credit card to my fundraising site.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help, and a special, huge thanks to Ellen for the idea, and the space!

Hot! Hot! Hot!

So, remember a couple of weeks ago when I was all, "It's so nice and cool outside! I think I'll start a sweater!"? I swear to all that is holy it was 187 degrees F here today, no one can convince me otherwise. My current knitting projects make me look like a head case.

Exhibit A:

Cobblestone. A worsted weight, men's sweater, using 100% wool. Let me tell you, there is nothing like having this on your lap on a hot fall day! I thought I was at the armholes, but I measured the sweater against a favorite shirt, and discovered that I need a couple more inches. I should be just about at the armholes for real now. I know that I could set this project aside for cooler days, but I do enjoy working on it, and I don't like to accumulate wips.

Exhibit B:



I know you all have been anxious to see the scarf! Ha! I have a feeling I'm a little short on yarn... I'm going to finish up this ball and see how much I have. The scarf is for someone over six feet tall, so the scarf should be at least six feet long, right? This yarn, as I've said before, is heavenly. But it's also wool! Luckily, a scarf doesn't lay on my lap the same way a sweater does. But honestly, if not for that cool, wonderful weather, I would not have casted on for a scarf now!

I'm searching for a yarn for the stole pattern I showed in my last entry. I'm surprised that with all of the positive comments I got about it, it hasn't had more of a presence in blogland!

Hi, there!

So... long time, no update! Stuff's been going on, you know how it is. I've been doing some knitting, some stashing... so at least I have pictures to show you!

First of all, I didn't update over the weekend because I was in Vermont, visiting my best friend and her husband. Michelle isn't a knitter, but she understands the importance of acquiring accoutrement, and so she always makes a point to carve out some time for a visit to Kaleidoscope Yarns. Love this store! They had a few things I'd never seen in person before, including Tilli Tomas silks, Colinette Jitterbug (puuuurty colors), and Malabrigo laceweight (which I almost purchased, but their stock was very low and I couldn't get enough of the colors I liked). I ended up with some Berroco Pure Merino for a Christmas gift, and some stupendous sock yarn, Soxx Appeal by K1C2.

I also picked up a stole pattern. I was so taken by the shop sample of this stole, I wanted to cast on immediately. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything non-alpaca in the color they used for the sample (a pale green), so it'll have to wait until I find just the right thing. I bet Ellen will have a good idea.

Speaking of pale green, look what I finished!



To recap: I used Wendy's Generic Toe-Up Sock Pattern, with a stitch called Grating Stitch from Mon Tricot's Knitting Dictionary, modified to be worked in the round. The yarn is SWTC TOFUtsies in lime green. I don't think I used even half a ball of yarn on these. The fabric was very floppy, and I was afraid that full length socks would droop. I shouldn't have worried, though. After a wash, the fabric firmed up nicely, and became very soft. It wasn't one of my favorite sock yarns, it was a little splitty and felt coarse while knitting, but I do love the finished product enough that if I found more of this in another color I liked, I would use it again. I used my trusty US1 needles, by the way.

I casted on for a simple seed stitch scarf using the Pure Merino I picked up in Vermont, but no photos yet (I'm sure you're on pins and needles). Cobblestone continues. It's time to start the sleeves, but I wanted to push through and finish the socks. I'm planning to swatch for the cabled sweater dress next, and also gear up for some Sidewinders!

Speaking of gearing up, it's almost time for the annual Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk! As usual, I'm walking! This year, I'm taking a cue from Claudia and offering prizes for donations! Watch this spot for more information!

The Heat is On!

So yeah, all of the fabulous fall weather we were having? Gone! Naturally, this occurs on the day I have to walk a mile to pick up my car after its repairs are finished. The car was supposed to be finished this morning, before the sun reached its blazing apex, but no dice. So... while I wait for the garage to call, I thought I'd snap a couple of pictures, make an update, and try not to think too hard about the yarn waiting for me at Purl Diva right now.

I have a sock...

I casted on for the second sock the other night, before second sock syndrome could kick in. Amy just finished a Sidewinder, and I'm aching to bust out the STR.

I made the TOFUtsie sock shorter than I usually do, because the yarn is quite drapey, and I think that, unless I went down to a US0 needle, the fabric wouldn't be firm enough to stay up on my normal length sock leg. I like the short sock, though. I've only ever made other pair of ankle socks. Maybe it'll become a habit!




Work on Cobblestone continues. I love working on this sweater! It's very simple, so I don't have to look away from Dynasty (I rented the first season on DVD and I love it!), the yarn feels great, and the gauge is such that after one evening of work, I actually have something to show for it! Only a couple more inches, and I'll be in sleeve city. This sweater is intended as a gift for my boyfriend's birthday, which is in November. I have a feeling though, that I'll be so excited when it's finished, I'll give it to him right away!

In non-knitting news, I was the victim of heart breaking disappointment this morning, and have to share to provide a lesson for anyone else who may find themselves in my position. You may have heard that Van Halen is doing a reunion tour this fall, WITH David Lee Roth!, and they have a concert in Boston on October 30th. I stalked Ticketmaster this morning, waiting for the 10am on sale. The first tickets I was offered were lousy, so I tried again. Lousy also. Next time I put in for a specific seating section, and again, got lousy seats. On my next try, I got decent seats, but hemmed and hawed. Finally, I decided I liked the seats, and went to buy them. Ticketmaster alleges that I went over my two minute time limit to pay, and released MY tickets! I was pretty bummed, but just tried again. Okay, there were no tickets available in the section I wanted. How about this other section? None. I searched for tickets in the whole entire stadium. Sold out. The time? 10:10 am. Let this be a lesson to you. Don't go being picky when you're trying to get tickets for the concert of a lifetime. I seriously cried, I am so disappointed. All I can do is hope they add another date!

Favorite Mittens by Robin Hansen

While I have been doing some knitting, I haven't been taking a lot of pictures, so I thought I'd tell you about a book I got recently, Favorite Mittens, by Robin Hansen. I bought this book because growing up, I remember some of the girls wearing Fox and Geese mittens, and I loved them. They're not the kind of mitten you can buy in the store, and no one in my family knitted, so I always made do with store bought. Now that I'm a knitter myself, I decided it was time to make some of these mittens, and so I bought this book. I am so glad that I did!

This is the first knitting book I've bought in awhile that I've wanted to make almost every pattern, and the very first one I've read cover to cover. Each pattern has a passage describing its history and origins, all of which are absolutely fascinating. Most exciting to me, they all have origins in Maine and the Maritimes. Some are quite simple, like the Chebeague Island Fisherman's Wet Mittens, which are plain mittens knit large enough that they will felt to the hands of the wearer. Most interesting to me, these mittens are intended to be worn wet, which keeps the hands of the fisherman warm. Other patterns are more complicated, like the Double-Rolled Mittens, which seem to be like thrummed mittens, but with roving held all through the inside like fair isle. I can't wait to try these!

Other patterns in the book are traditionally made in certain colors, my beloved Fox and Geese among them, but I imagine them in bright colors to bring cheer to a winter day. I have a plan in the back of my mind to go through this book front to back and make all of the patterns this fall/winter. I'm not sure if I will yet, but I will definitely be making at least one or two patterns soon!

A recurring theme throughout the book is the importance of keeping these patterns alive. Some of the patterns included took quite a bit of hunting down by Robin Hansen. Most of the time, when she found someone who knew the pattern (and this person had always learned the pattern growing up and memorized it), they couldn't believe that the pattern was in danger of falling into oblivion.

Apparently, these patterns were culled from Hansen's books Fox & Geese & Fences and Flying Geese & Partridge Feet, which I haven't seen in person, but will look out for. I saw a glimpse of a star patterned mitten I would love to make, too. If you love mittens, be sure to check out this book! Check it out even if you're not crazy about mittens, just for the fascinating history lesson.

Yay for fall!

After my last post, things cooled down here considerably. It seemed as though Mother Nature was answering my plea for sweater weather, though I know we'll get at least another two weeks worth of scorching heat before fall finally arrives for good.

I expected I would be showing you progress on my cabled sweater dress, but I was destined to work on something else. How I do I know this? Because it seems that between the final edit of the magazine and when the issue arrived in my mailbox, the put up of Top of the Lamb changed, and I find myself with half as much yarn as I need. I could stamp my feet and curse the yarn lords, but instead I decided to cast on for something else.

I jumped into the fray and started Cobblestone, from the Fall '07 issue of IK. When I showed my boyfriend the photo of this sweater in the magazine, I kind of expected a lukewarm response. He tends to like plain pullovers, with maybe a half zipper and some ribbing. I was thrilled when he said he liked the sweater, and happy to see I had some appropriate yarn in my stash. I do hope that Jared forgives me for not using tweed.

Just socks.

It has been too unbearably hot to work on any project other than the small, innocuous sock. So... that's all I have to show to you.

I'm using Wendy's Generic Toe-Up Sock Pattern, that I've added a stitch called Grating Stitch from Mon Tricot Knitting Dictionary, modified to be knit in the round. Rather than a provisional cast-on, I used an invisible cast-on, because I suck at crochet.

There are two exciting things about this pair of socks. First, and most life-changingly phenomenal, are the heels and toes. I took a photo of the heel.





Please note: NO HOLES! Thanks to a comment by Elgia, I checked out Misocrafty's Short Row Heel Tutorial. Knitters, this tutorial has revolutionized the way I make socks. It's so simple, and so effective. If you have problems with sloppy short rows, definitely try her method.

The other exciting thing is the yarn. It's TOFUtsies by SWTC, which I purchased the minute I saw it at Purl Diva. The fabric is sturdy like wool, but has an interesting drape due to the Soysilk, Cotton and (I presume) Chitin. Plus, I just love that I'm making socks using shellfish shells. The color, which is very bright in the skein, mellows out a little when knit, and the finished fabric is a nice, soft lime color. I will definitely be picking up some more of this yarn. And, even though I had my doubts, there appears to be more than enough yarn in a single skein for a pair of socks. Amazing.

Well, it's time for me to hit the road. Speaking of Purl Diva, I'm on way over there now to get the yarn for that sweater dress in the fall issue of VK that's been giving me fits. Time to crank up the A/C, I'm ready for some fall knitting!

Coachella = Complete

I finished up Coachella last night! I'm pleased to report that the halter modification went swimmingly, and I didn't even have to use elastic.

I did three or so rows of ribbing at the top of the back, just to stop the curl. Shadkitty also did a halter version though, and she said she just repeated the twisted stockinette and didn't have any curling.




Full disclosure: In this photo, the halter portion is pinned behind my neck. When I tried Coachella on immediately upon completion, it fit perfectly. Since I didn't wash it before putting it back on this morning, the yarn had stretched out of shape, making it just a little too big. I'm not too concerned about it, I think a wash will snap it back into shape.

This was fun to knit, and mostly just stockinette, which is nice when you want to knit, but not think about knitting. I love the finished product, too. This is the sexiest thing in my wardrobe right now! As such, I don't know how often I'll wear it, but it's nice to know it's there to fill that gap.
Details:
Pattern: Coachella by Fathom Harvill, Summer 2007 Knitty
Yarn: Berroco Suede, Maverick, 3 balls
Needles: US7 and US5

I casted on some toe-up socks today using my Lime Green Tofutsies! I only have a few rows, nothing picture-worthy yet. They'll be just plain old stockinette. I don't think my heat-addled brain can process much else.

You like me! You really like me!

I've seen this Rockin' Girl Blogger thing prancing about the Internet, but never imagined I could be one! Two of my fellow Rockin' Girl Bloggers disagree. Amy and Wendy both bestowed the honor upon me. And now I can let my freak flag fly:

Aside from Amy and Wendy, who are already recognized RGBs, I can easily name five more, the hard part will be stopping at five!
Kristen, whose blog never fails to make me laugh
Parikha, who was the best Secret Pal a knitter could hope for
Pioggia, whose knitting ideal is getting the most bang for her buck, and making beautiful things in the process
Little Purl, whose kind heart comes through in her writing, and whose knitting is inspirational
and Nicole, the token non-knitting blogger (but she just started knitting!), whose blog is so well written. A perfect slice of life.

I totally agree with Amy's list, too, so be sure to check it out!

Those Sticky Summer Days

It's pretty hard to get all hot to trot over wool and knitting when it's 110 degrees F outside and each stitch sticks to the needles. That said, I am knitting, but only on one project. That's right, the Sock That Rock is back in time out.

This scarf is just not doing it for me. I think that part of the issue is that the two shades of yarn are just too close to one another. After a nice time out, I'll pull the Marbles colorway out again and try the Sidewinders sock pattern. If that pools, I'll make mittens and let the yarn do whatever it wants!

When not endlessly frogging sock yarn, I can be found knitting away on Coachella. I love how this is knitting! The yarn has such an interesting hand, and subtle variegation that adds to the Suede-like illusion. It feels a little stiff right now, but I think it'll soften up some after a wash. Right now I'm in the nice, mindless stockinette portion. Just what I need on a day I want to go to hell to cool off.



I only have about six inches to go, and Coachella will be ready for her debut!

In other knitting news, I got my Fall issue of Vogue Knitting yesterday. It's the 25th anniversary issue, and in addition to several free patterns featured in the magazine and available on the site, this issue is chock full of patterns. There are so many, that I was actually able to pick out a few patterns I want to make, including one that's giving me palpitations. I haven't been able to find a photo of it yet, but I'll take one myself soon. For those of you who have this issue, it's pattern #45.

Well, this entry is late for me. Good night, everyone! Hopefully next time I see you I'll have an FO to premier!

Here comes the sun....

We had a brief moment of sunshine this evening, and I took advantage to show off my scarf!

For those who missed the earlier entries, this is my first actual, factual lace project. This assessment is based on my own set of qualifiers, and includes fancy borders, clever construction, and fine weight yarn. Now that I've had a taste, there's no going back! I've been using all of my willpower to resist stashing more lace weight yarn (I'm trying to abstain until Rhinebeck), and it's been so hard. I feel like that kid who dips their toe into the water, but once they're all wet, you can't get them out.



This isn't the most flattering picture of myself, but I wanted to show the scarf in actual use. To recap:
pattern: Scarf with the Striped Border from Weldon's, Volume 5, 1890, from Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby (pssst... the link leads to KnitPicks, where the book is 40% off!)
yarn: Handmaiden Seasilk
needles: US7 Addis (not the lace ones, though now I see the allure)

I love Victorian Lace Today! The book is beautiful, and the patterns are just incredible. I want to make almost everything in there. The best part about this book is that I feel, even as a novice, that I can make any pattern in there. There are instructions in the back for some lace techniques, and the instructions are so clear, I didn't even need to check another source for a clearer picture. For instance, I had to do a crochet cast on for this project, which I've never done before, and the succinct diagram and instructions had me casting on after my first glance. I definitely plan to make a shawl soon. And I've gone on about the yarn already, but seriously, it's fantastic. If you ever get a chance, snap some up. One hank is more than enough for a scarf!

In less enthusiastic news, war work continues with the Socks That Rocks.
Dear Blue Moon Fiber Arts People,
Please, please, please put your superior dying prowess to use on a true solid yarn.
Best Regards,
Knitter Who Wants the Pattern to Speak the Loudest




The issue here is clearly that, despite my intense denial and wishes to the contrary, both yarns are variegated (even though the word "solid" appears in the Navy description). Since both yarns are changing colors , the effect is less fair isle, and more Jackson Pollack. To make matters worse, there's still the issue of what basically amounts to pooling (both yarns hit the same color sections at the same time).



I thought maybe I could live with it, I even did two repeats of the fair isle instead of just one to make sure it wouldn't grow on me, but I just don't like how these are coming out. So, fine. I'll make lemonade, and make a nice, jaunty scarf using both yarns. My brother says the following whenever I start to lose my cool over an inanimate object, "You gotta be smarter than the [whatever I'm mad at]." Surely I'm smarter than yarn. Right?

So Close!

Still no finished photos of the scarf. I'm hopeful for some nice light tomorrow, right now it's raining. Coachella languishes in swatch stage, because I decided it was about time I make that Socks That Rock behave, already!

Except, it's still not quite behaving. The fair isle pattern looks great with the yarn, it's just that there's a marked difference between the front of the sock and the back.

I think I like this side best.




This side is also nice, though.

I believe that reversing the dominant color in the pattern will fix this issue. I'm going to try it tonight. If that doesn't make this yarn submit, then I'm going to do one of those chevron scarves I've been seeing all over blogland. STR = Scarves That Rock?

Done Business

So, I finished my lace scarf yesterday in the morning and immediately set it out to block. Unfortunately, none of pre-blocking photos came out very well, so all I have to show you is the scarf almost done.

At least you can see the pretty colors! The yarn did an uneven striping, which I actually like in this piece, because it reminds me of ripples in the ocean on a calm day.

Looks like we'll have some sun around here for a few days, so hopefully there'll be an FO picture soon!

In other knitting news, I swatched yesterday for Coachella. Actually, I only half swatched. I knit most of the swatch, but didn't measure. This batch of Suede feels different to me. Softer, and bulkier.

Later, Gaters!

I Give Up.

Obviously the weather is not going to cooperate with my FO shot plans. That's fine. It was ever so slightly less cloudy this evening, and since my Rusted Root is black, I figured the shots would come out fine. And they did!

Honestly, my first time wearing this was for these shots! The moment I slipped it on, I just knew this was my new favorite sweater. It fits like a glove, and is so comfortable. Then I looked in the mirror and saw that it's cute, too!

I made just a few, minor adjustments. I added some length to the waist, about an inch, I guess, which I always have to do. I also added a little length before I started the waist shaping. One thing that has bugged me about some other Rusted Roots I've seen is the way that the lace panel causes a hump in the collar. I decided to try to remedy this by picking up stitches for the collar a few rows below the lace panel cast on, in a straight line. It totally worked! I also omitted a purl row in the sleeves.




I think my favorite part of the whole sweater are those puffed sleeves. I was a little worried that they wouldn't be very puffy, because I've read that some people were disappointed in their sleeves. I find mine to be perfectly puffy, and I only fear that I'll walk into walls as I twist my head to gaze at them.





Okay, so I don't think Tyra will be calling me for ANTM with my wonky hair, but she might want my sweater!
Specs:
Pattern: Rusted Root
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease in Licorice, 2.75 balls
Needles: US5
Size: Small

I'm Making Lace!

There was one other thing I got for my birthday that I hadn't taken a picture of for my last post.

Amy gave me this beautiful hank of Seasilk! The instant I saw it, I knew I would want to knit it right away. Having a single hank, I was pretty sure I'd be making a scarf.

I went through Victorian Lace Today and decided to try the Scarf with the Striped Border. I've done other lace projects (Branching Out, some lacy socks), but never anything I would consider a true lace project, with fancy borders and whatnot. I wound the yarn yesterday and did my first crochet cast on. I haven't been able to stop working on it since.



Please excuse the darkness. It rained all day today, but I didn't want to wait to take a photo! I keep pausing my knitting to admire all of the sweet eyelets and pet the incredibly soft yarn. Seriously, this yarn is exquisite. I'm also amazed by how quickly this project seems to be progressing. I'm already more than 25% finished with the center panel. I can't wait to block it!

PS: I finished Rusted Root Friday night, but don't want to take FO shots until we get some sunshine around here!

Ramblings

I don't have any actual knitting pictures to share (for shame!), but will let you know that Rusted Root is so close to finished, I'm starting to forget it's a WIP. Two rows of ribbing on the hem, then just collar and sleeves. Easy-peasy, and I might have an FO to show this weekend.

Last weekend was my birthday, and I went on a Puffin Cruise out of Boothbay Harbor. I love birds, though I'm not an avid bird watcher or anything, and I've always wanted to see a puffin. Fortunately, that's not too big an order to fill, since the southernmost nesting place in the world for puffins is just off the coast of Maine on Eastern Egg Rock. I was expecting an egg shaped island with a bunch of birds sitting on it, but it's actually called Egg Rock not because of its shape, but because it's where the seabirds go to lay their eggs. I was not prepared for the vision of hundreds of birds flying around in one spot.

As is my wont on nature trips, I didn't try to take many pictures, and instead concentrated on finding the cute little puffins (they are so small!), and watching all of the terns and eiders and cormorants and gulls wheeling about over the water. It was incredible, and I'm sure I'll go again.

I also did some yarn shopping! One of my favorite yarn shops is closing for retirement. While that makes me sad, I'm pretty okay with it, since the owners are closing because they want to, not because they have to, and because now I have Purl Diva to fill the void. Also, the closing yarn store, Willows End is pretty freaking far away from me, so I hardly ever got to go there anyway. I scored a great deal on some Berocco Suede for Coachella, as well as twelve hanks of Classic Elite Renaissance in a fabulous dark charcoal gray. I'm not sure what to do with that yet, but I think it will be cabled.




Speaking of Purl Diva, on my way back home, I decided to stop in and pick up two things I had been thinking about since I attended my first ever knitting group there days before. Jo Sharp's Knit, volume 2, out of which I am most excited about the Ladder Stitch Cardigan and a lacy cabled pullover (I'm hoping Pure Silk will work for that), and a hank of Dream in Colors Gaia sock yarn.



It feels wonderful in the hank! It's a little heavier than I'm used to using for socks, but I think it will make nice, cheerful boot socks for winter. Who wouldn't love a little summer sky on their feet then!?

One last thing: I might be the last person in blogland to discover this, but did you know that WEBS has download-able knitting patterns? I purchased some yesterday and they were emailed today as .pdfs. I'm pretty psyched about the Deep Breath Sweater (which disappointingly doesn't have a picture on the site), a raglan pullover made with laceweight yarn and US8 needles. Also, if you do decide to order a pattern or two (or four), note that a shipping charge will show up on your invoice, but you will not be charged for the shipping when your order is complete. I was worried about that, but relieved this morning when I saw that I was only charged for the patterns.

Enough of my yammering! What's getting your senses tingling nowadays?

Hooray!

I think this may well be my first FO for June, I'll have to look back. Anyway, these socks were so worth the wait! I blocked them last night, because they looked seriously bad, all limp and wonky, and while the stitches straightened out, the Roza's Socks didn't look much more lively this morning.

I should have taken a photo with something for scale, because this photo doesn't really show just how shriveled and tiny these socks look fresh out of the bath. I've made baby sweaters with larger hand openings than these socks appear to have to adult feet. But then! The socks are put on, and something wonderful happens!



Remember how I said that the Jaywalkers hugged my feet perfectly? I take it back. These socks are more than perfect! As I slipped them on, they conformed perfectly to my feet, and went on so easily. I haven't taken them off since I took these pictures. While the pattern is awesome, I think it probably shares some of the credit for comfort with the yarn. I used Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Powder Blue, a yarn I won in a Jaywalker contest! Let the circle be unbroken, indeed. While I've had Lorna's Laces Sock in my stash for awhile, this is my first time actually using it, and, and, I think I'm in love.



The fabric is soft and squishy, and I love the incredibly subtle variegation of the yarn. This is how I wish Socks That Rock shaded solids would behave. The variations in color are just enough to add some depth and interest to the fabric, but not enough to detract from a patterned piece. Love. It. I'm sure I will make another pair of these, as they are just as mindless as stockinette, but so much more interesting. Since the finished pattern is very much like rib, I think these could also work in a variegated yarn, but that subtle patterning won't show as much.



Some details, since I feel like I might have skimmed over those.
pattern: Roza's Socks, by Grumperina, appearing in the Spring 2007 issue of Interweave Knits
yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Powder Blue
needles: US1

Now on to completing Rusted Root and starting my first fair isle sock! Tomorrow I'm hitting a huge yarn sale and taking a cruise to look for puffins for my birthday! Twenty-twelve, here I come!