Sunday, December 31, 2006

Knit from your Stash 2007 and my knitting goals

1. No more sock yarn purchases. Exceptions: yarn for Sweet Pea #1’s socks that I’ve promised him and if I wish to knit socks as a gift and don’t have appropriate color

2. I will knit each boy at least one pair of socks. If they take care of these, then I will knit them at least another pair.

3. I will knit each boy and Popeye a skull cap. Popeye’s head is getting cold at night, so he needs a cap. The hats I knit last year for the boys are fine, but they have decided they look like girls, so they want “boy” hats now.

4. I will knit two shawls. The yarn is just waiting for me to start knitting.

5. If I take a class at my local yarn store, then I will be allowed to purchase the yarn for that project, so I can be supportive of my local retailer.

6. I want to knit a sweater for myself and if that goes well, then I will allow myself the yarn for ONE other sweater. I MAY even knit a sweater for the Sweet Peas…..or maybe Popeye…the boys grow so fast and time is limited. At least dh will stay relatively the same size. Yarn purchases for this will be allowed since it is a “gift”.

7. I am allowed to buy yarn to knit items for gifts. I will first check my stash to see if there is anything that will work before buying.

8. I have much cotton yarn for dishcloths that I plan to knit with at least once per month.

9. I can buy yarn on out of town trips to not-so-local yarn stores. We don’t go out of town but a few times per year, so this won’t be excessive.

10. I will finish the UFOs that I have started (baby blanket for friend, Sideways socks for myself). I usually stay pretty monogamous to my projects, but I got bored with the blanket and procrastinated on the socks because they are difficult.)

It's raining yarn!

All of my current procurements are coming in at once!

First there was an order from Elann.



Both of these yarns will be shawls sometime in the new year. The cranberry/brownish yarn is Peruvian Baby Silk in Oxblood. The purple one is Peruvian Baby Cashmere in Mulled Grape.

Then there came a package from Angelika's Yarn Store



This is all Lorna's Laces and the colors are (left to right) Cranberry, Black Pearl, Pewter and Brick.

Lo, and behold, there came THE package. THIS is the surprise I had been waiting for from the Sundara Petals Collection.




Isn't that just like a perfect gift? All fancy with tissue paper, clear bags, and patterns on NICE heavyweight cardstock.



The flower is a Lenten Rose, also known by the Latin name for the genus, Helleborus, and is sometimes called Christmas Rose. They bloom in the depths of winter.

After my trip this weekend, of which I've previous shared my yarn purchases, I was greeted with this package. I will blame Baseball Knitter for this purchase since she linked me to a website with a nice sale going on. ;)




(Left to right) Lorna's Laces Pioneer, Chinablue, Mineshaft
J.Knits Hand-dyed Tampa and West Virginia

I think sock yarn shopping has now officially come to a halt (with one exception for Sweet Pea #1's sock yarn). I will ONLY buy more sock yarn in 2007 if I intend to make a pair of socks as a gift and I don't have a colorway I think that person will like.

I had intended to purchase the yarn for the sweater I want to knit this year before 2007, but I will give myself permission to buy that yarn when I get ready for the sweater. I'm afraid I may change my mind on the color when that time gets here. For now, I'm writing my knitting project list and will post it soon.

Saturday, December 30, 2006

A Quaint Little Shop

I went out of town this weekend to visit my brother and his family. While Brother had my boys off snow sledding (they had a BALL), my sister-in-law and I went to one of her local yarn shops. Please take a minute to look around that website. I forgot to take my camera with me on our adventure and I really regretted it, BUT what you see on the website is what I saw today! I am in LOVE with this cute little store. The owner and her associate were very helpful and so nice!

Wanna see what I bought? You KNOW I couldn't go without buying something.....



This, my friends, starting on the top left going clockwise, is Fetz Dazzle for a shrug, 2 skeins of Koigu KPPPM for socks and yarn bras. Yep, you read that right...yarn bras....to "support" your yarn and keep it from falling apart as you use it.



More yarn and pictures coming soon.....

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Purrrrrr.....

Can you hear this little cat as it walks up my legs?



The cat foot print socks are finally complete! I'm so proud though that it only took me about a month to do both socks while learning two new techniques!

Here is a closer shot (sorry it's dark) of the little footprints.



Specs: I used Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock in the Lucy colorway. I used two circular needles in size 1 from Knitpicks. These have a short row toe and heel using the method from Misocrafty's blog. I got the cat feet pattern from Wendy's Knits.

Next pair of socks are being swatched now. Can't wait to get started on them. New pix to come once I have more than a toe completed.

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Binge.....and purge

*Disclaimer: This post is not making fun of the serious condition in which some people suffer.

I am following in the shoes of many in the blog-o-sphere. I will be going on a "yarn diet" this year and knitting from my stash. I have not solidified my rules as of yet, but I have a few in mind as you'll find out as you keep reading.

I have been binging on yarn the past few days and there is more on order. As of last count, I have enough sock yarn to make eighteen pair of socks. I have enough on order for 4 more pair. Sock yarn is my latest obsession. I will admit though that there is some yarn in my current stash which I will try to sell or end up giving away. I really don't care for some of it. It is not pleasant to knit with.

I have other yarn in my stash that is for a shawl and I have another order coming for two other shawls. I gave a feeble attempt to the first shawl, but I hope to practice on a slightly less difficult shawl when my order comes in, so that I will be able to tackle the harder pattern.

I will be knitting my boys at least one pair of socks this year. I will choose Lion Brand for these until I see how they treat those socks. I already have yarn for a pair for J#2, but I will purchase the skein needed for J#1's socks.

Other than that one purchase, I intend on not purchasing any more yarn after Jan 1. If I take a class at my local yarn store, then I will be allowed to purchase the yarn for that. I am even going to try to limit my sock yarn purchases, although I will allow myself to "fall off the wagon" twice. In the past, I have bought sock yarn just "willy nilly" with no thought as to the colors I normally wear. I have taken that into consideration during this latest yarn binge.

I mentioned joining the Sundara yarn club so I will have yarn for 3 other pair of socks to come in too. I can't wait to receive that package. My first surprise yarn and pattern should arrive next week.

I want to knit a sweater in 2007, so I will be placing an order for the yarn for that some time this next week. A nice friend is sending me samples of the yarn I'm thinking of using for the sweater. If this sweater goes well, then I will allow myself the yarn for ONE other sweater.

I am allowed to buy yarn to knit items for gifts. I will first check my stash to see if there is anything that will work before buying. I have much cotton yarn for dishcloths that I plan to knit with at least once per month. I joined a dishcloth knit-a-long where I received part of a pattern each day for 10 days. It was fun not knowing how it was going to turn out.

Pictures of my latest purchases



Are you curious? I like how this yarn was packaged.

(Sorry for such a blurry pic) Can you tell where I ordered this?



The Loopy Ewe

Here is what was inside:



From left to right: Fleece Artist 100% Merino in Ebony, Claudia Handpainted Merino in Ink, Cherry Tree Hill Merino in Northern Lights

This is what I bought today at my LYS.



These are all Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarns. Listed from top to bottom: Aslan, Tuscany, Denim

Another shot of the Aslan...I love the subtle shades in this yarn. It screams soft and lacy to me, so that is what it shall be...Stay tuned for future pictures of this yarn.



One last exception to the rules will be if I am gifted any yarn or gift certificates for yarn.

One of my goals for 2007 is to finish any UFOs (Un Finished Objects). I know that that isn't how it goes for most knitters, but it really bothers me knowing I have these unfinished projects. They hang over me and linger in the back of my mind calling to me! Luckily, I only have two or three of these. These may be my spring projects since I don't wear many socks during the summer here, so I can finish the UFOs, then get back to working on socks for the Fall.

Do you have any knitting goals for the new year?

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Heels! I have heels!


Here is a picture of my first short row heels. (Sorry it is sort of blurry.) I think I sort of like doing these this way. Zoomom said she is going to play around with a toe-up heel flap. Once I try that, I'll decide which heel I like best. I'd like to try Eye of Partridge heel sometime too.