Adding to Stash

Numma Numma is back and I was able to get some new yarn.  In the Usual base, I got Lunch with the Knitgirlls, in the Toasty base, I got Fresh peppers and Blackberry jam.  I love Numma Numma Yarn.

From Twisted Limone,  More Tangy in the color firecracker.

From Abstract Fibers, Their Supersock yarn in Koi pond and Sweet Pea.

From the Sanguine Gryphon, Skinny Bugga in Sundowner Moth.

At the Knitter’s Edge, I got two different types of Manos del Uruguay yarn.  In lace, which is 70% baby alpaca, 25% silk and 5% cashmere, I got color 7805.

Then in a silk blend (70% merino and, 30% silk) I got color 300A.

Finally, from the Loopy Ewe, the April Yarn club came. It was comprised of Madelinetosh Sock in the color Midnight Rendevous with a shawl pattern called Nefertem by Kristen Kapur and a sock pattern called Rubux by Jeannie Cartmel.  Also included in the package was a BIG Baggu Bag

Guess, I better get knitting.

I Got an IPAD2

I am so excited.  I finally got my Ipad2.  I ordered it about a month ago since it was so hard to get in the store.  I was suppose to get it next week, but it came 2 weeks early.  I am in heaven.  I got it all set up and I’m ready to go.  I have been playing Angry Birds Rio like crazy.

Even though this has been a distraction, I did finish another project.  It’s called the Lush Sampler Cowl by Classic Elite.  I used Madelinetosh yarn in silver fox with size 8 needles.  It knit up fast and I like how it turned out.

Since I finished my Wollmeise sock, I cast on another sock.  I am using Twisted Limone’s Tangy yarn in the color fruit salad with size 1 needles and a basic sock pattern.  I am going to try the afterthought heel with this yarn since it has wide stripes.  I thought this looked bright and springy.

I also plan on going back and finishing up a thrumbed mitten that I started in 2007.  One mitten is finished and I have to knit the second one.  I know I won’t be using the mittens this winter, but I will be ready for next winter.  I am doing well this year finishing old projects.

When will it be warm for a whole week?

Today the weather was nice, but yesterday was beautiful.  The sun was out and I had windows open.  However, most of this week was dreary or rainy.  I believe we are suppose to have some rain next week too.  I hope this stops soon.  It would be nice to have a whole week of warm sunny days.

This week I finished my Wollmeise basic socks.  I used Red Hot Chili in the 80/20 blend and used size zero needles.  I really enjoyed knitting these socks.

I’m doing the happy dance too because I finished a shrug that I started back in 2006.  The pattern is Rena by Berroco.  I used Berroco Softy yarn with a size 11 needle.  I am so glad to be finished with this project.  I really didn’t have much to finish.

I got my April shipment from the Cookie A sock club.  There are sock patterns and cookie recipes of course, but the yarn is a new yarn by Lorna’s Laces.  It doesn’t even have a name yet.  The yarn is made up of 55% superwash Merino, 15% nylon, and 30% Outlast, a fiber technology that continuously interacts with the body’s microclimate and the environment to moderate temperature from being too hot or too cold.  The color is Boysenberry Jam.  The yarn is really soft.  I love it!

I also bought two skeins of Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in Watercolor and Glenwood.

I’m behind on my reading

I haven’t been reading that much in the last couple of months.  I guess I have turned my attention to finishing up some knitting projects.  I know that I will catch up as the weather gets warmer and I can sit out on my back porch to read and knit.

The latest books I have read are:

Think Twice – Lisa Scottoline

Needles and Pearls – Gil McNeil

Best Friend Forever – Jennifer Weiner

The Inn at Angel Island – Katherine Spencer and Thomas Kinkade

Wild Orchids – Jude Deveraux

From Dead to Worse – Charlaine Harris

True to Form – Elizabeth Berg

Miss Julia Paints the Town – Ann B. Ross

If you Believe – Kristin Hannah

The Last Time I saw You – Elizabeth Berg

The Carrie Diaries – Candace Bushnell

Pinheads & Patriots – Bill O’Reilly

This Time Together – Carol Burnett

Roses – Leila Meacham

Another One Bites the Dust

I finished the Inside Outside Scarf by Elise Duvekot.  I started this scarf in November of 2008 and I’m glad that I finally finished it.  It’s a tricky technique as you knit a stitch below the stitch on the needle and you really need to be careful when knitting it.  If you make a mistake you have to pay attention to getting the stitches correct.  I had to talk myself through the pattern to help me stay on track.  The pattern tells you to knit the scarf until it gets to about 50 inches.  I went a few inches longer, but when I blocked it, the scarf grew to over 70 inches.  I used size 10 needles with Noro Silk Garden in colors 201 and 205.  I was NOT real thrilled with the Silk Garden yarn since it had knots in the skein.  Also, the pattern calls for 1 skein of each color, but I had to use a small part of a second skein in each color (not because I made the scarf longer) to finish it off.  Fortunately, I had the yarn.

I also finished the April KAL from my dishcloth group.  The pattern is Geffrey the Giraffe by Janet Nogle in Peaches and Crème camel colorway with size 6 needles.

I finished one sock in a basic pattern using Wollmeise 80/20 twin in Red Hot Chili with size 0 needles.

And, yes I got more yarn.  From the Loopy Ewe, I got Kollage Riveting yarn in dusk denim and storm denim and Gale’s Art sock yarn in the color crayon box.

Also, from the Sanguine Gryphon, I got Skinny Bugga in Strawberry Crab.  This is a new Spring colorway.

I’m currently working on the second Wollmeise sock and started another cowl called the Sampler cowl.  It’s a Classic Elite pattern.  I’m also hoping to work on two other older projects to get them finished.  So far this year, I am doing well with getting projects completed.  I may actually do well this year with my goals for 2011.

Spring may just be here

Today was the first day that I felt we were starting to get into Spring.  It wasn’t real warm (about 50 degrees), but it was nice and sunny out and there was no snow on the ground.  We were suppose to get a bad Northeaster Thursday night into Friday, but I guess the weatherman got April Fooled because the storm moved out along the coast and we were spared.  I was NOT upset.  I am hoping that we are now finished with snow.  It’s time to move on to the next season.

I finished the Sunny Baby Blanket by Lucie Winkler.  I used Plymouth Encore in color 9626 (a blue tweed that reminds me of denim) with size 8 needles.  I enjoyed this pattern and would knit it again.  The only problem was that it called for 4 skeins of yarn and I could have used 5.  I only did 12 repeats of the pattern rather than the 13 it called for.  I just have to wash it and it’s finished.

I am still working on my Wollmeise Red Hot chili socks.  I am enjoying the yarn.  It’s just a basic sock pattern with size 0 needles.  I probably could have finished the one sock, but I wanted to get the baby blanket finished.

Of course I had to buy more yarn.  I got the Sanguine Gryphon’s Bugga in Emerald Swallowtail.  I am so partial to green.

Knit One Crochet Too in Crock-O-Dye color 559 (seagrass – another green).  This has silk in it.  It’s a very soft yarn.

Last, but not least, I got Lornas Laces Shepherd Worsted in Zombie BBQ to make monsters.