A home for socks

Look what I made! An ickle sock knitting bag. I was bull-headed and decided to just wing it based on a bag I liked.


I LOVE this bag and all it's imperfection. It was a nightmare to sew together. I am certainly not a pattern writer - but insanely thought I could do it after sewing from one pattern...once.


An important lesson I learned, metal zippers and fingering weight yarn just don't mix together. I'm off to make another bag, right after catching up with some bloglines reading.



Merry ChristmaKwanzaKah to one and all. Have a wonderful, safe and happy time.

Somewhat Cashmere Hat

FIL's hat is complete, with me modeling.



Pattern F&P Jess's Cashmere Ribbed Hat.
Yarn Noro Cash Iroha (in color 16) a wonderful blend of 40% silk, 30% lambswool, 20% cashmere & 10% nylon - thanks Alyson!
Needles Denises size 6.
Adaptations Unless you count using the Noro, none. The hat seems perfect, let's hope Mr. B. Senior agrees.



And the money shot, the top decreasing is so simple, but perfect...

Mmmm, Mmmm, Good.

What is that I see before me, is that more Malabrigo? Yes! It's Malabrigo in color 137 "Emerald Blue". This is such a vividly colored yarn, I can't wait to see how it will look for MIL's So-Called Scarf. Thanks again Alyson for the introduction to this stunning yarn.


This is the beginning of FIL's hat made using Noro Cash Iroha (in color 16) - thanks again to Alyson for the fantastic prize package, I know that Mr. B. Senior will love this color and fabric, so soft. The hat is going to be F&P Jess's Cashmere Ribbed Hat, I love the top of the hat, the decreasing is special.

Finally, the Shedir hat.



Pattern Shedir cap.
Adaptations I only did 3 of the 5 pattern repeats as I felt that I was going to run out of yarn and it would be long enough, and it is, except for the bottoms of my poor little ears, I wish I'd done 4 pattern repeats now.
Yarn 3 balls of Elann's Baby Silk in "Oxblood", a soft, beautifully colored 80% baby Alpaca, 20% silk yarn. I doubled the yarn.
Needles Addis Turbos, 32" #3's (magic loop method).


I love this pattern, isn't the top so pretty?

That was fast!

Sewing machine is here already - I can't quite believe that it came that fast. Okay, right I have to go play with the machine and the new fabric I got. While I'm busy doing that, here's a couple of shots of my first finished Ripple Weave Sock from the Fall 2006 issue of Vogue Knitting.

It fits!

So I finally made something that fits, which has been a tall achievement for me recently. It warms a knitters heart to complete something that can actually be used for it's intended purpose. I have to say that I love, love, love this scarf, the stitch pattern is perfect for this scarf, it shows off the beauty of the yarn so well.


Pattern: My So Called Scarf by Stacey.
Yarn: Malabrigo in "Velvet Grapes", courtesy of Alyson (thanks Alyson!).
NeedlesDenises #11
Adaptations: I only had one skein of Malabrigo, so cast on only 26 sts, giving me a 4 1/2" wide scarf, that was 56" long. Because of the tendency to curl, and since I'm getting a dab hand at it, I added a single crochet border, which completes it perfectly.



Coming up... one completed sock, and a hat (yes, that fits too).

In other news, the sweater, after blocking, is not only wide, but super-long now too - on to plan B.

Something new

I bought a sewing machine! Now before you go getting too excited, I don't have it yet, it will be with me in 5-10 business days (can't complain at $1 shipping) and it's only a pretty basic machine, nothing too fancy. However, I did get a $300 machine for less than $90 - does anyone else love overstock.com as much as I do? This machine had a lot of great reviews, okay, it's factory refurbished - but I've had a lot of luck with factory refurbished items in the past. Anyway, the machine is a Brother XL3500T machine, here's a picture for ya.

FO-less

I know some of you have been anticipating a modeled picture of my proudly finished Nantucket jacket. What I can say, is that it is finished, however it's far too wide for me, so I'm re-blocking it, stretching it length-wise, giving it length and thus, making it narrower (or so I hope). Failing that, I try shrinking it, failing that I re-seam - thanks Spiders for the hints and suggestions. Anything to avoid knitting it again. Just in case you're wondering, yes I did gauge swatch, I think I may have knit one size too big.


In the meantime, I cast on for My So-Called Scarf with that mmmmmmmalabrigo. I'm in love...

Defeat and Joy.

Okay, the Thanksgiving deadline drew closer and closer and I gradually came to realize that Mr. B's zipped raglan would not be done (I had finished it - AGAIN - but the collar needed frogging and re-thinking). My sweater still had hope, until my social life became hopelessly busy, and before I knew it, I'd seamed only one side and BAMM! my family had landed. It was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and I, sadly, admitted it could not be done, all blog reading and posting stopped (well, almost all) and I was 'indisposed' I have the day off today, but they're still here until Wednesday. On the bright side, both items are so close to completion, it won't be long before I have some FO's to share with you all.

I had a wonderful surprise for me the day after Thanksgiving, a package from Alyson, not just any package, but a prize-winning package, and I mean this in more ways than one. I won the goodies just by commenting on her blog, which is no hardship, I love it, it makes me smile, and she has some pretty pictures (esp. now she's taken up spinning, they get yummier). If you don't read her blog, you should definitely check it out. The Haiku is fantastic.


Anyway, on to the what was in that pretty little package.

Number 1, Malabrigo in "Velvet Grapes". I nearly deafened Mr. B. when I opened this. I then had to see, touch and smell it - have you sniffed Malabrigo? Yum! The color is stunning, the texture is soft as a babies, you know. I'm already wondering what kind of knitter I am to have never even touched this stuff. This could be a dangerous affair beginning.


Number 2. Elann's Baby Silk in "Oxblood", a soft, beautifully colored 80% baby Alpaca, 20% silk yarn. If I wasn't sure about Elann.com before, I am sure now, I love this yarn, it's love and luscious.


Last, but not least, number 3. Noro Cash Iroha (in color 16). I do believe I am one lucky, lucky knitter. Thank you Alyson, you really spoiled me.


Just one last look at the prettiness all together. Excuse me now, while I go and play :)

Sweat shop.

The Bloglines plumber has been in and clearly fudged things up - trying to tell me I had 100+ posts to read this morning, eh? Ha! They lie!

Anyway, I've got some pictures for ya! First of all, the love of my knitting life right now, the Nantucket Jacket. The back is complete, and have started the right front - no pics of that since it's just a smaller version of the back ;) I'm making the jacket longer in the body, since I like longer tops. I'm going to make the sleeves longer though. I just haven't decided between 3/4 length, or just going full length - ideas? opinions?


Now the neglected, but definitely not forgotten Man's Zipped Raglan from LMKG. Can you see in the picture that I partly blocked the right front? I'm posting a photograph of it here is to make me feel the urge to finish the damn thing (again!).


My goal (dream?) is to finish both of these for Thanksgiving - am I being too ambitious? Considering I've never knit a sweater before, it's quite possible that I am, but that's not going to stop me. I better be off to get some knitting done...

Endings and Beginnings

Those of you with bloglines will probably be told that there are two new posts for this blog. I updated my list of FO's (I added pictures). So that's the endings.

As for the beginnings, here's a quick progress shot of the Natucket Jacket from this winters Interweave knits - I'm loving the pattern so far, but am a little concerned about the amount of seaming ahead of me...



Have a great week.

The Mailman Rocks

Guess what I'll be reading on the train tomorrow...

FO-licious.

EDIT: I just added new, better pics of the socks and shawl.

Man alive I've been busy, and I have lots to show for it too. Last night was the weekly meet with the spiders, at my favorite coffee shop, which is always a pleasure. And a double pleasure it was, as we got to meet both Colleen, who's in visiting from Boston, and Neoknits Melissa, who's a total sweetheart.

I had to dash off to get changed and off out again to The Rodeo Bar to meet up with Sharon, her hubby and friends to see some some live music (thanks so much for the magazine Sharon). Much fun was had my all, a little too much for Mr. B. who was bouncing off the ceilings after 3 of their famous Margaritas.

Okay, on to the real stuff. I promised FO's and here I am delivering. First of all we have the Wyvern socks:

Pattern: Wyvern Socks by Marnie Maclean
Yarn: This was knitpicks superwash - hand-dyed by yours truly.
Needles: Pony Pearls US#2
Adaptations: None

Next up with have the swallowtail shawl which I started last Friday at the Point (and re-started on Friday), was finished on Thursday - 5 days to knit, now that is a quick knit, I guess it helps that I was home sick on Monday, I found knitting to be very soothing :)



Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl from the Fall issue of Interweave Knits 2006
Yarn: Yummy Baby Cashmere from elann.com - 3 1/3 balls.
Needles: Denises US #7.
Adaptations: I did one less repeat of the Budding Lace 2 since I thought I was going to run out of yarn - ha!

I'm not sure I'm that into shawls, I don't know if I'm really a shawl kind of girl - I think I will stick with rectangular shapes if I'm to make any more. One more thing to show you. The spun and plyed Sage Merino from Carolina Homespun.


I love the subtle colors in this yarn. I'm just not convinced that I should have plyed it - I guess I got Katie's advice too late. I'm still pretty happy with it though.

One last picture (assuming I haven't completely bored you to tears). This is progress so far on the Ripple Weave socks from this years fall issue of Vogue Knitting. I love the yarn, and the pattern (it is so much like Cookie's Pomotamus socks). I like the Addis, except my toxic sweat is already getting to them - GAH!

No more secrets

So I kept you waiting on the Addi secret? Sorry, life gets in the way sometimes. I got my Addis this week, and immediately cast on with Marie's signature yarn, and what a yummy yarn it is. I was a little worried that I wasn't going to like Addi needles, I've not had good experiences with metal needles in the past. Convinced that I have toxic sweat that destroys the coating of needles, making them super-sticky and almost impossible to knit with. However, if I'm able to knit a pair of socks without melting the coating, I will become a true believer. So far, knitting with these babies has been much fun - once I let go of the death grip of course :)

My new toys.
But you don't care about any of this do you? You want to know where the hell you can get cheap Addis, and how cheap you can get them, right? So here is the tale: I was reading some blogs the some weeks ago and I saw someone who wrote of cheap Addis from a store in the UK. While I forgot the person who wrote the blog, or which blog it was from (sorry nameless blogster), I didn't forget to bookmark the site. So I ordered 3 pairs of 80cm/32" circs (2's, 3's and 4's), from kangaroo.uk.com. My order was less than $20, yes! You read that right! $20 for 3 pair of circs, including shipping, and that cute sweetie candy. Clearly the exact cost will depend on the exchange rate at the time of buying. There are other bargain places, in NZ, Hong Kong and that auction site.

I actually have some FO pictures to shoot and post, honest! I'm just waiting on some time and daylight, both of which I hope to have aplenty this weekend.

Baaaa!

Yesterday Sharon and I took a drive to a little festival known as the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival - AKA Rhinebeck. This was my first time meeting Sharon, and hopefully not my last. We ate Darrell Lea liquorice and her homebaked, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate cookies and chatted all the way there. She is a great person, very funny and interesting and it was a pleasure to spend the day with her. So, on to the day and a picture heavy post.

I was a Rhinebeck virgin, so "Oh My God!" was pretty much what was going through my head for the first hour or so at Rhinebeck. You've heard the chatter about "sensory overload" and all that. All I can say it that it's true. There is so much to see, touch, smell [well, sniff and smell] and hear. We saw cute bunnies,


petted alpacas,


saw sheep

Okay, not a real sheep. Here's a close up of a sweet friendly sheep.


and goats more sheep. This was a Jacob Sheep [thanks for the correction Karrie.


and llamas (at least I think this one was a llama).


So much yarn to see. And fiber to touch.


Sharon and I met with Cindy [it was great to finally meet you Cindy] and her blogless friends Ebony and Trina for Bratwurst and a beer. We drank warm cider and tasted wine. I bought a bottle of the Brotherhood Riesling.


In a very important moment in my life, I TOUCHED QIVUIT!!


It was better than I thought it would be, and took a lot of effort to walk away from it, but at $40 an ounce, I had to resist the urge.

Instead I took a 'step down' and got some bargain Cashmere and Alpaca - thanks Sharon, for putting up with my near panic at not being able to find Little Barn. I got enough wool to knit my first sweater of my own.



I found my perfect spinning wheel. EDIT: NO I DID NOT BUY THIS WHEEL, IT IS JUST SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO THE ONE I ALREADY HAVE IN THE PICTURES BELOW. Sorry for the confusion everyone. While I'm going on looks mostly (the wood in this beautiful hand-made wheel was stunning). I saw one in action, and was pretty impressed. They are Robin Spinning Wheels and were stunning.

As for what else I got, I made out well, and can't wait to start playing with everything I bought. Well, if I'm honest, I have already nearly finished spinning this sage Merino. I'm so happy with this merino roving from Carolina Homespun:


I'm really starting to feel confident with my spinning, I actually want to show this to everyone I know before I send it out to my Mum - my big decision is whether to leave it as singles, or to ply it.



I also got some Corriedale Wool roving from them. I bought some tie-dye looking merino/tencel from Sheepshed, it looked so pretty spun up.


Last, but certainly not least, I could not resist this lace weight alpaca from Briar Rose, all 2,500 yds of beauty.


It was funny, because as I was stalking reading blogs last night I saw that Melissa couldn't resist it either, the color she bought is equally gorgeous.

And here's the money shot (the wheel is not one of the purchases, it's a wheel I've had for a while now).