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.

Never say Never

When I started to knit socks, I never thought that I would knit them with size 1 needles.  Well, that changed.  Now I love using size 1 needles.  I feel that the sock is a denser knit and fits my foot better.

Then, I always thought that I would NEVER use size 0 needles.  Well, guess what?  For the first time, I AM using size 0 needles and it isn’t so bad.  I wanted to knit a pair of socks using a skein of yarn from my Wollmeise stash.  I picked Red Hot Chili in the 80/20 twin (since I have two skeins of this color).  I started out with size 1.5 needles using the no purl monkey sock pattern.  I didn’t like how it was knitting up and I didn’t like the pooling.  I went down to size 1 needles and used a basic sock pattern.  Still more pooling.

Then my knitting teacher pointed out that the knitting was loose and the repeat was longer.  So, stubborn me, decided to go down to size 0 needles with the same number of stitches on the needles (64).  I decided if I was going to use size 0 needles that I would use Addi’s and bought one in lace circular and one regular circular.  The striping is much better and I do not mind knitting with the smaller needles. Go figure.

It’s hard to tell from the picture, but the red striping also has a hot orange stripe on the top and bottom of the red.  I am so happy it finally worked out.

This week, I finished the Hearts-O-Plenty socks by Monica Jines.  I used size 1 needles with Sanguine Gryphon’s Bugga yarn in Pink Katydid.  I love these socks.

I also finished the March Mid Month KAL.  The pattern is Waves of Love by Sue Schaeffer.  I used Peaches in Crème yarn in Strawberry Cream with size 6 needles.  It’s a nice pattern.

I guess March was a pink month.

Spring is getting closer

Well, tomorrow is the first day of Spring.  I am so glad for that.  Yesterday was beautiful.  The temperature got close to 70.  Today is a little cooler, but the sun is shining.  Soon Maggie and I will be sitting on the back porch.

I am still working on my Hearts A Plenty sock by Monica Jines.  I am using Sanguine Gryphon’s Bugga in Pink Katydid.  Boy, do I really like the color of this yarn.  I would love to have another skein of it to make a small shawl.  I think it would look so cool!

I am close to half way finished with the Sunny Baby Blanket.  I really like this pattern.  I am using a size 8 needle with Plymouth Encore in colorway 9626.

I got my Loopy Ewe Spring Sock Club Shipment.  The yarn is Lorna’s Laces Honor, which is a 70% baby alpaca and 30% silk.  The colorway is called “The Loopy Ewe Shuffle”.  We got two patterns.  Wendy Johnson designed a shawl called Fire and Ice and Debbie O’Neill designed a cowl called Trickle Down.  Also, another Baggu bag came with the package.  This is the larger size.  It’s nice, but I prefer the smaller size.

One more shipment of this club will come next month.  I believe that I will not renew this club for the last half of the year.

Yes, I know…..more yarn?

I’m sorry, but I can’t resist.  I had to have these skeins of yarn.  If it makes me happy (which it does), then I say go for it.

I love String Theory Colorworks continuum yarn.  Simply Socks had a skein of the color Trifolium for St. Patricks day.  The yarn is so colorful, I couldn’t resist.  Can’t wait to see how this will knit up into a pair of socks.

Of course, I couldn’t pass up another skein of Twisted Limone’s Tangy 100 yarn in the color Northern Sky.  I guess you could say that stripes are really on my mind.

I was at my local yarn shop (The Knitter’s Edge) and they had a sample made up in the pattern 198 Yards of Heaven scarf by Christy Verity in Mountain Colors Twizzle in the ruby river colorway.  I love the yarn and the pattern looks great in this yarn.  It only takes one skein of yarn (198 yards), so how could I pass this up?

I was checking out the Loopy Ewe web site and came across Stricken Smitten's sinful sock yarn.  So, I had to try this in the color Plink.  Purple is one of my favorite colors.

Finally, one of my knitting friends put out a request for knitted baby blankets for a niece who works in a cardiac unit for children.  The Knitter’s Edge had some colors of Encore on sale, so I bought 4 skeins of color 9626 (it looks like a light denim color) to make the Sunny Baby Blanket.

So yes, I bought more yarn, but I am furiously knitting away with a smile on my face.

Girasole is Finished

Yes, I finally finished the Girasole.  I am so excited.  I just have to block it.  I really enjoyed knitting this pattern.  I got tired once I got to the edging and it seemed that it would take me so long to complete that I let this project sit on the needles for over a year.  I finally got it back out and after getting back in the groove, it took me less than a week to complete it.  I still have to block it, but here are the pictures.

I used Cascade Eco Alpaca in natural with size 10 needles.

I also blocked my Multnomah scarf.  Here is a picture of it blocking and after blocking.  I love the blocking wires.  This is the second project where I used the wires.

I also started another pair of socks.  The pattern is Hearts-a-Plenty by Monica Jines.  I really like her patterns.  I am using The Sanguine Gryphon’s Bugga yarn in Pink Katydid (from the bon bon kit) with size 1 needles.  I love, love, love this color and would really like to make a lace scarf out of it.  I hope she offers this color again.

I have had another busy knitting week.

Spring May Just be Around the Corner

It has been a little colder, but the temps have been in the high 30’s or low 40’s here and it feels a lot warmer than it has been.  It seems as if we will be in for some warmer weather for the next week, although we may have some rain.  Rain is okay.  What really makes me happy is that all the snow is melted in my yard.  So, no snow is wonderful.  Even Maggie keeps going to the back door to go out on the back porch.  Once I open the door, she sniffs and walks back in the house.  She’s ready to be sitting on the porch.

I did get quite a bit of knitting finished this week.  I finally completed the ripple afghan I was knitting for our new lazy boy chair.  I used Fantasy Naturale in color 8013 using size 8 needles.  I was really glad to be finished with this.

I also got the multnomah scarf completed.  I started this project back in 2009.  It feels good to get this off of my needles.  It wasn’t a bad pattern.  I guess I just got caught up in casting something new on the needles and this got put on the back burner.  I used String Theory Caper sock in color oban with size 3 needles.  I still have to block this and will probably do it over the weekend.  I will post the blocked scarf once that is done.

Also completed is the Eternity Scarf using Berroco’s Flicker yarn in color 3307 with size 9 needles.

I finished the March KAL for my dishcloth group.  The pattern is Katie the Kangaroo by Sonia’s Knits.  I used Peaches and Crème yarn in color misty grey with size 6 needles.

In my one dishcloth group, we had a dishcloth swap.  I was a  partner with Norma in Missouri.  She lives around St. Louis so she sent me a Darrel Waltrip dishcloth and a postcard from St. Louis.  I love the color.

After all of this finishing, I cast on for a new sock and cowl. I also plan on finishing my Girasole. I just need to knit the edging, but that will take some time. Pictures and details will be on the next blog post. Only 14 more days until Spring.