Tag Archives: yarn

Caution: Wool Fumes Ahead

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Okay, even for me…..this was unprecedented. I fell victim to the wool fumes and blew past my budget. I am aware this is a privilege and I am incredibly grateful. I just was surrounded by so many great SSK vendors that I had to support them all. Now I have a lot of crafting to do to spend this down….

I focused on adding to my spinning fiber inventory and one sweater’s quantity. After I achieved those items I added to my single skein stash for worsted and DK. I don’t believe I had yarn from any of these dyers except for maybe Miss Babs?

  • Oink Pigments
  • Old Rusted Chair
  • Geektastic fibers
  • Miss Babs
  • Urban Girl Yarns
  • Republica Unicornia
  • Sweet Tea Yarns
  • Another Crafty Girl
  • HipStrings

It is my intention to talk more about these skeins as I use them. I also grabbed some Tuft Woolens restock of hand lotion and wool soap. I had just run out earlier this year so it was nice timing.

Happy Yarn Fumes!!

Bliss Yarns Haul

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On one of my breaks from SSK classes, I hopped in my car and navigated to Bliss Yarns in nearby Brentwood.

It was a lovely store where there was a knitting group going on. They were so delightful and we shared lots of regional crafting information. Turns out the shop owner grew up in Kansas and was delightful.

I walked away with a skein of Twisted Ambition Yarn Sweet Sock in the “Gold Rapture” colorway, a skein of Big Sky Yarn Squish DK in the “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” colorway, and finally some Whimzee Stitches Yarn Co Select Worsted in the “Love My Tennessee colorway”. And as a SSK bonus prize, I got to pick out some needles stoppers and I chose cacti.

I would highly recommend this yarn store to anyone. It has a great selection, easy location and great customer service. Happy Shopping!!

Tossing The Stash 2024

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Thanks to the basement flood, I had some wide open and clean floor space. I decided to toss the stash! I happen to be headed to an event where I can rehome my yarn to appreciative new homes.

The kiddos and I worked through all the Sport to bulky bins. We checked everything for bugs, dirt and damp. Then made sure all the items were safely tucked into ziplocks. I had kind of fallen off that practice.

The fingering and lace weight stash was next. This is the bulk of my stash. I got this nicely organized and I really need to make some big shawls or blankets with all these single skeins, lol.

In the end, I cleaned half a large trash bag of donation yarn out of my stash. I was Type A enough to even remove it from my Ravelry account. All my yarn is safely organized and tucked away. I do actually feel lighter!

Happy Stashing!!

Sonic And Sunflowers

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It’s busy season at work, a stomach bug has hit our house and summer time kid activities are in full swing. This means LOTS of hydration and windshield time. PB and I ran some errands and then pick up Sonic as a treat. It was happy hour, therefore SUPER busy so I got some stitches in on my Sunflower Beanie.

The beanie brim is done. I really like how fast the folded stockinette brim works up. I am consciously trying to make this hat taller/slouchier. And for the record I got a Route 44 ice water with extra ice (because it’s the good ice) and then a kids lime slush.

Happy Knitting!!

KITH Yarn Haul

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In between Knitting In The Heartland events, I did some time in the market. After an initial lap around the vendors I decided to focus on mini skeins for my scrappy granny stripe blanket.

I have all my scraps organized and I noticed some gaps in the color wheel. So I tried to pour through booths and find colors to help fill out those missing areas. Mostly I need the warm colors of red, yellow and orange and some more jewel tones.

I think I did well! I also nabbed a tshirt going out on clearance, a knitting book for my friend and a couple of worsted skeins to replenish my hat stash. I am pretty proud of myself and saving most of my yarn funds for SSK this summer!

Happy Yarn!

This Could Mean Trouble

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My new job means a new commute. The silver lining? The new area I work in has a LYS! And on a break this week I fell down in the store and my card bought new yarn.

Am I going to Knitting in the Heartland conference in less than two weeks? Yes. But I was feeling good this day and the yarn fumes got me. I picked up three skeins of Malabrigo Rios in Matisse Blue, Cian, and Purpuras. Then one skein of Malabrigo Arroyo in Sea Slug. All of these skeins are destined to be hats. My brain cells are taken up by the new job some easy hat knitting feels good.

Next up was two skeins of 316 Dye Studio in their House DK and graffiti colorway. I have some of this in my stash for a sweater and my post COVID body needs more yardage. They are different dye lots so I will have to shade/alternate. But I’m okay with that. Lastly are two bunches of fiber from Malabrigo Nube in Solis and Indiecita colorways. I think I will spin each as singles and ply together. They coordinate nicely.

Someone asked me what I was making and I said ‘Happiness’ because you should never ask a knitter about their stash!

Worsted Haul

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The Hat Mojo is going strong into 2024. And I have worked up almost every single worsted weight skein that is not handspun in my stash. Therefore, I got more. This time from Treasure Goddess Yarn, which is local (ish) to me.

My hat stash over-floweth here at Casa Rachelle so these hats will definitely be donated or gifted. So I went with some basic and easy to coordinate colors. I totally understand my color sense doesn’t always jive with other peoples.

The tonal black skein on the right is going to be a pony tail hat for a coworker friend. In 2023 my proverbial tanks were so low that trying to work on “duty bound” knitting really had me avoiding it. And towards the end of the year I just worked on project that were easy and gave me joy. I was much happier and more engaged. So that’s the plan for 2024.

No lists, no duty…..just knitting joy. Even if it’s 1,000 basic beanies 🙂

Happy Knitting!!

One Of These Things Is Not Like The Others

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I have basically knit through all of my worsted weight stash (that isn’t handspun) and I have been getting great joy from knitting hats lately. So I jumped on Etsy and grabbed some more worsted from one of my favorite dyers, Lilliput Yarn.

Though my brain has not been working lately. I came down with an upper respiratory virus from my conference and my husband caught COVID from a work exposure. So we have been feeling really puny around here. I THOUGHT I purchased three skeins of worsted. But what I had done is two skeins of worsted and one skein of Rudy’s sport. Score one for cold medicine and brain fog.

The sport skein is a mix merino and nylon and will make an excellent pair of socks. I think that might be my next cast on after I finish my Emotional Support Socks. And I think I will try to get the other two started as hats ASAP for TV knitting and travel knitting.

Happy Knitting!!

Gal’s Gifts

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I firmly hold that one’s “gals” give the best gifts. I had the good fortune to bond very deeply with a work colleague who moved on to another City. And we developed quite the group chat with one of her new coworkers because we missed hanging out. We all three enjoy crafty things and each other’s senses of humor.

This lovely box was delivered to me from those two gals. Without asking they know exactly what to gift me.

This box contained many yummy chocolates and two full sock sets from Amber Waves of Fiber. The color is called “Santa’s Workshop” and the content is 80% merino, 10% cashmere and 10% nylon. I have enough yarn for a large shawl or multiple socks. I need to meditate on what this yarn wants to grow up to be.

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Pink Merino Sparkly 2-ply

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My tiny 85 gram batt of shedding merino and sparkle is finally complete and done leaving a trail of fluff in my house! I have a finished Pink Merino Sparkle 2-ply to show for it!

I ended up with an 84 gram skein that made 88 yards. So I lost very little of the original batt despite the fluffy shedding. This skeins is a little inconsistant. Some parts were worsted at 9 wraps per inch and other sections were closer to 11 wraps per inch which is more DK weight.

Still, I’m happy with the skein. I don’t know what I will make with it as it sheds. But for now it will join the precious handspun stash. Now its time to make Christmas cookies!!! Bring on Christmas break 🙂

Happy Spinning!!