Tis baby season in these parts! I have three baby showers coming up. And lest I get caught with my circulars around my ankles, I started early. As part of my cast on storm this week I started a tutu (pattern by Smashlee Stitches)
These are so smart looking and easy to make. Totally my go to baby girl gift. (And a great stash buster for all the ruffle yarn I stashed when the scarves were all the rage, lol.)
TGIF and Happy Knitting!
This is an actual conversation in the car with my husband this morning:
Hubby: You are like a squirrel stashing nuts.
Me: (looks up from my knitting) Huh?
Hubby: You have knitting stashed everywhere.
Me: No, not really. Just on my nightstand, in the car, in my desk at work, in the living room…..oh….
Hubby: (Devilish smile)
To be fair he is not bothered by this but rather amused. I’m just doing my best to take advantage of what little knitting time I have these days. I wonder if squirrels can knit with their tiny hands? But I digress, lol. I’m quite happy with my stashes of UFOs. It’s nice to sneak a stitch in here and there!
Happy Knitting!
It’s no secret I’ve been on a sock binge lately. And I’ve been trolling my sock yarn drawer and petting all the lovelies. It came to my attention that I have some single skein of Knit Picks Felici hanging out in there. How did I do that? You can’t make socks from one measly skein!
So I did what any good knitter would do and took to Ravelry. I hit up other Ravelers with single skeins in their stashes and pleaded my case for a swap or sale. And oh boy did they ever come through! I found willing matches for all my colors. Be still my knitting heart!
One of my swaps showed up today:
A gorgeous skein and a thoughtful handwritten note! They took the time to wish me and the yarn good luck. I firmly believe that knitters are the best kind of people in the world!!
Happy Knitting
I was beyond excited to win in the #sockswithsarah giveaway. Her blog has fast become one of my favorites. From all the yummy fiber and yarn to her gorgeous chocolate lab (I’m a sucker for labs!)
Here is a little yarn p0rn of the delicious skein I won!
It’s Plucky Feet by the Plucky Knitter in the medieval color. I literally smooshed this yarn on my face the minute I unwrapped it. I might have to pet this one awhile before I knit with it!
Happy Knitting!
I was weak and couldn’t resist the Knit Picks Cyber Monday sale. Here is proof of my shame weakness great deals…
I managed to grab some Knit Picks Biggo in a neutral color for a baby blanket. I also chose several skeins of Shine Worsted, Comfy Sport, Cotlin, and some Stroll Fingering. While putting this away I realized I have more yarn than I could ever knit but these were such great sale deals I just couldn’t pass it up. I’m hoping some of these skeins will turn into some sweaters and accessories for Jellybean…time will tell!
Did you hit up any Cyber Monday sales?
My OCD/planning has kicked into high gear while pregnant. I have a plan for the nursery, budget for daycare and diapers, and a tentative holiday schedule to get Jellybean to all the relatives. Our finances will definitely change post baby with fewer dollars for creative activities like knitting and video games. So the hubby and I sat down and for our anniversary we splurged on each other before the baby gets here.
I got a little stash enhancement courtesy of the Knit Picks Summer Sale….
I picked up:
– Felici self striping – Lighthouse colorway
– Stroll Fingering – Blue Topaz
– Stroll Tonal – Canopy
– Brava Worsted – Caution yellow
– Stroll Hand-painted – County Fair
– Brava Sport – Eggplant
– Stroll Hand-painted – Lullaby colorway
– Heather Stroll – Merlot
Just enough for a couple of sweaters and several pairs of socks to stock up my drawer. I’m guessing what little knitting time I get after Jellybean gets here that socks will be my best “pick up/put down” project.
Pardon me I need to pet these lovelies before they got into my stash drawers 🙂
Happy Monday!!
Happy New Year!!! I hope every had a safe and fun celebration! I worked 13+ hours at my big kid job as I always do on NYE. The blessings of being an accountant at year end, oh wait! So I wasn’t feeling very festive, but I made it to Midnight for a smooch with my hubby. Then promptly off to bed 🙂
In knitting news, I have decided to do another year of stashbustin’ in 2014! And in honor of the first day of the new year, here is my first project…
Jericho Baby Blanket by Shana Schasteen
(Photo from Shana Schasteen’s ravelry page)
This is a center out blanket made with super bulky yarn. Awhile back I discovered I had several skeins of Wool Ease Thick and Quick in black, dark grey, and cream/off white in my stash. I can’t remember why I bought them…I dislike scratchy wool. So I gave the skeins a gentle tumble in my washing machine to soften them. Thanks goodness with only minimal tangling! And off to knitting I go…
I plan to make this pattern with alternating stripes of light and dark. The four row pattern repeats offer a nice way to change colors and keeping the stripes the same And the bonus side of center out construction, I can work until I run out of yarn! Not to mention this super bulky yarn on size US 11 needles should go CRAZY fast! What better way to kick off the new year?
I don’t know what I will do with the FO? Maybe donate to the local women’s shelter or homeless shelter? I have enough blankets in my house already to fill two tote bins. This blanket is wool so the offset to being very warm is that it will require special washing care. I hate giving people items that require a lot of extra special care. Most non-fiber people I know find this very annoying…what’s a knitter to do?
A very dear friend had a baby not long ago. That wee one is now a healthy and colicky six week old baby. I took some time to help my friend out as she is on maternity leave and her husband had to go back to work. Nights no less! So we talked, ate, and walked many a lap around her house trying to get a gassy/colicky baby to burp/poop and feel better. It was a long 36 hours for me as I’m not used to an infants schedule. Pretty sure I saw 2 am whilst sitting in a rocking chair holding a crying child. It’s a good thing she’s cute…
But I digress…on my way home I stopped by the LYS in the area. I just wanted to browse and chat with the amazing ladies who work there. And I found these…
Lorna’s Laces sock yarn – Soulmate colorway
Ruca Multy from Araucania – Color #23
Such beautiful yarns! I wish I had snapped a photo of the Lorna’s Laces before it was caked. It was breathtaking! I admit these two skeins were a splurge but I worked hard right? Oh, and the Ruca was a PAIN to cake! Thank goodness for the two yarn shop ladies and their persistence 🙂
I can’t wait to find projects for these! But I think I will finish a few WIPs first….for my husband’s sanity….
Happy Knitting!!!
I took a step (or several) backwards on my 2013 destashing project. And it was worse than last time, lol.
I had several special requests after my 10 year reunion from old classmates and family members who saw me knitting. Not my fault right? I mean the FOs they requested couldn’t be filled from my stash without detracting from the usefulness/beauty of the item. (Which by the way is sort of the point of de-cluttering my stash. I want to get to where I buy yarn a few projects at a time!)
So here is a little stash flash of what I purchased from Knit Picks…
Brava Bulky in red, black, peapod, solstice heather, and cobblestone heather
Easy care acrylic yarn that is destined to be a multitude of baby items requested at my reunion. (It’s also easy on the pocketbook!)
Swish Worsted in Lost Lake heather and Squirrel heather
This wool blend is for some warm hats for a friend who works outside all winter!
And finally Felici Fingering Self Striping Sock Yarn in mixed berry, aquarium, and peachy!
This was a little “just for me” yarn I threw in my shopping cart. I needed some incentive to teach myself to make socks! How can I go wrong with a beginner sock pattern and self striping beautifulness?
Just nobody tell my hubby I bought yarn again, ok?
Happy Knitting!!
I broke my stashbusting trend a bit. I had to swing over to the Yarn Barn, my LYS, and get more Soak. And I browsed while I was there….
I have been watching other knitters post about Neon by Joji Locatelli. So I bought the pattern online and picked the lovely yarn above…
It’s 12 hanks of Berroco Pure Pima cotton in green. It’s a new yarn from Berroco. (I think I’m quickly becoming a Berroco kind of girl) It’s very spring like to me and just called my name. It’s a very soft cotton and I can’t wait to try it!
I have so many other WIPs it will have to wait a bit. For now I’m just going to mark up the directions for my size and read the pattern through a few times. It’s by far one of the most complicated sweaters I will attempt. It uses the contiguous construction method, which looks amazing.
For now it sits in cakes on my craft desk and I fondle it every time I walk by, lol! The hubs and I are off to a BBQ for lunch with friends and some relaxation!!
I hope you have an awesome Sunday!!
P.S. I did remember to buy Soak as well. That justifies my trip right?
Michele plays with yarn, food, and music in Portland
Musings from a teacher, runner, knitter, baker and reader
Journeying thru the fiber world, learning new skills, being challenged and making connections.
A Blog exploring yarn, glass and leather crafts, and other things too.
Finding happiness one skein at a time
Adventures in life and knitting in a warm weather climate
my life without spoons in Canberra
Pictures in every post
Do one creative thing a day, and stay positive.
My adventures in the world of crafting
I chronicle my life as an aging homeschooling mother of seven--in nauseating detail.
aging - kicking and screaming
knitting : coffee : tea : life
Encouraging Thoughts About Knitting And Life
with Cia & Pip
Raising two children on 1/2 acre of land
Celebrating life, literature, and the persuit of fiber-y goodness.
Yarning about yarn
the illusion of progress
Farm-->Fleece-->Fiber
Crochet, knitting, spinning, felting, drawing, painting → ∞
A place for fellow yarn addicts.
A Texas city girl in a small New England town …
About my life in wool and yarn, and my explorations into the world of machine knitting.
A blog about running and knitting. Not at the same time.
Just a little crunchy.
A knitter's humorous adventures with one hubby and three cats.
yarn hoarder...accessories fanatic...lover of all things creative
A Norwegian knitting enthusiast with a monthly theme for projects
From Crocheting long chains to knitting sock monkeys and beyond
Chronicles of an Adventurous Beginner
Repeat as required to achieve results
Crafting in the West Country
handsewn bespoke and heirloom quality textiles
Making, Baking and Blogging for the first time...
Affordable accessories from the North of England
Fundraising via handcrafts since 2015
Knitting designs for the hand knitter and more...
Knitting & Crocheting
My Tangled Yarn Knitting Adventures 