Tag Archives: yarn

My First Yarn Shop Hop

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I’m finally attending my first yarny event! The Central Kansas Yarn Hop is in less than two weeks. I’ve started by making a budget and pulling projects requirements for which I need yarn.

  • Sweater/vest quantity for Jellybean in Royal Blue or Teal
  • Sport weight sock yarn in hubby friendly colors 
  • Fingering weight sock yarn for me 😄 (possibly a merino/cashmere/nylon combo)
  • Wild card for something special for yours truly

I’ve also started a game plan and travel route for hitting five of the 10 shops. The only thing I don’t know if I’m flying solo or or if I can find a fiber friend to go with. I’ve put out feelers.

I’m terribly excited for my first “festival” as it’s the closest I’m going to get to a Rhinebeck or Stitches for the foreseeable future. What is your favorite yarn event? 

Mothers Day Yarn Splurge

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My husband surprised me with a lovely lunch with friends last Saturday! We had yummy Asian food in Lawrence and both jellybean and his friend were fairly well behaved. Jellybean was still in a good mood after lunch so I batted my eye lashes and convinced him to let me wander into Yarn Barn which was just a block away. I mean how could you not visit a LYS when you are that close!

  
Not much damage but still three new to me sock yarn! A very nice Mother’s Day to me indeed!

First up, Saki Bamboo in Crayon box.

  
This is 50% merino, 25% nylon, and 25% bamboo. It feels just so soft! And the yardage is very generous at 462 yards. These will probably be socks for the husband and maybe a matching set for jellybean!

Next up, Flouromania Color by Regia

 
This was so wild I couldn’t resist. And again very generous with 460 yards.

Lastly, Heritage Silk by Cascade. This is 85% superwash and 15% mulberry silk. This feels divine and just might yarn for petting. At least for a little while 😀.  

 
Happy Knitting! 

Today On My Needles #6

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I conquered the heel but not with out a couple of mistakes along the way. I’m pretty sure I miscounted some where but by the time I finished the heel my stitch count was back to the correct amount? I’ve decided to thank the yarn gods and move on…



I seriously can’t put this down. The minute Jellybean is down for the night I pick up this sock. I only have two colors left!!  (And a whole other sock, lol.)

I haven slipped this off the needles yet to check the fit. I know my gauge at this yarn weight and needle size thanks to my recent sock binge. But even with that these might be a tad bigger than normal. If it is, oh well I guess I’ll just have to redo and keep playing with this wonderful yarn!

Happy Knitting!

Knitters Are Amazing People

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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

Socks With Sarah Winner!

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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!

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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!

Biggest Yarn Splurge….Ever

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My favorite Aunt did something wonderful this year. Instead of trying to find something I didn’t already have and would love for Christmas, she did something genius. She wrote a letter and tucked in some cash, with one rule. Rule: Spend it on something personal and luxurious! It was something she had always wanted to do and would have loved herself at my stage of life.

I knew right away it would be yarn. And deep down in my knitters soul I knew what I wanted….beautiful gradient sock yarn. I’ve been honing my sock skills this past year. And I’ve always wanted badly to work with gradient color. I went to my favorite Etsy store for gradients: Knitcircus Yarns! I’ve drooled over their yarn forever but couldn’t justify spending that on myself.

I chose carefully…Over The Rainbow custom gradient matching sock yarn. My little knitter hands CANNOT wait to get my hands on this. I had a mini panic attack as this is the most I’ve ever paid for yarn. But I’m worth it…I hope!

Stay tuned and I’ll hope to do something very magical with it. Happy knitting to all!

Holiday Stash Enhancement

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I was weak and couldn’t resist the Knit Picks Cyber Monday sale. Here is proof of my shame weakness great deals…

/home/wpcom/public_html/wp-content/blogs.dir/f00/39837473/files/2014/12/img_2035.jpgI 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?

 

Stash Enhancement

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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….20140706-153210-55930526.jpg

 

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!!

Hallelujah, I Finally Have A LYS!!!

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Hallelujah and Praise the fiber gods!! My happy hamlet of Topeka, KS has officially opened a LYS!

I introduce to you….Yak ‘n Yarn!

They are all about knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving, and so much more! I have been following their Facebook page and their Grand Opening at the end of March. They are going to even offer classes and Knit Nights! My inner knitting nerd is doing back flips! They have sort of odd hours right now so I sadly haven’t been able to get in there and explore the store. I am definitely going remedy that soon!

What is your favorite part of having a LYS near you?

A Foray Into Handspun

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I may or may not have purchased some hand spun from the Topeka Twister yesterday….oh who I am kidding, of course I did!! This is really my first foray into hand spun yarn created by a fiber artist. I’m excited, here are my purchases:

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I’m thinking a headband for this. Maybe Calirometry by Kathryn Schoendorf?

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And for this wonderful skein, I’m thinking socks? It is a bit scratchy but I think a good bath with a lanolin based wool wash will soften it up a bit!

Happy Knitting!