A New To Me Yarn

I’ve been listening to the Prairie Girls Knit and Spin podcast for about a year now. They are seriously funny lady and excellent crafters. Danie also runs the One Twisted Tree shop, a purveyor of fine yarn and other wonderful accessories. I’ve felt her yarn calling my name but I resisted until my blanket obsession took over. Then this happened…


That’s the Splash Pad Party mini skein set Danie made for the Down Cellar Studio summer KAL. The colors are great and I get to sample her yarn!


I also picked up a sock knitter profile bag. Because hey why not!

Just don’t tell my husband I bought more yarn….😊

IT’S HERE!!

My biggest yarn splurge ever finally arrived in the mail. I might have squeed a bit and danced away from the mail box. Behold!

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Oh my it’s just so pretty. I resisted buying this for myself because “I wasn’t good enough” or “it was too expensive” but I’m so glad I got over that. These are gorgeous. And the minute I have free needles this yarn IS going on my needles. Alas that means finishing my Happy Vanilla socks or my Husband Socks. My bets are on the Happy Socks….fewer stitches!!

Happy knitting!

The 2015 Purge

Yesterday I talked about my spendy yarn purchase for Christmas. I’ll freely admit that this has caused a bit of guilt (along with my Knit Picks Cyber Monday spree).

So during one of jellybean’s naps I tore through my stash. It is fairly busting at the seams in my storage drawers. I have more than I could ever need. So I’m paying it forward!

I went drawer by drawer and did a long hard look at what I would use and what I never will. I’ve come up with a large-ish bag of acrylics and cottons that just aren’t my aesthetic or fiber of choice anymore. There are several nursing homes nearby that take craft donations for residents who can’t afford supplies. I also went through my needles and pulled the duplicates and triplicates to donate as well. I made the activities directors day when I walked in. And it made me feel a bit good as well.

I feel a bit more in control of my yarn and storage space. Not to mention this perfectly good yarn will actually be put to good use! I’m not trying to toot my own horn or anything. It’s not like I saved the world. But if I brought some peace to my space and a smile to a lonely heart….that’s a damn good day!

Happy Knitting!

My Socks With Sarah Fibery Goodness

I’ve been following along the Socks With Sarah KAL. It has been a lot of fun so far and there is still time to hop on!

Sarah an awesome knitter and blogger. And there are some awesome perks to this KAL. Check out her blog for details….

Check out what I snagged!

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New sock yarn from Cloudlover fiber . I CANNOT wait to get this treasure in my hot little hands!!

Happy Knitting!!

Stash Enhancement

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!!

Stashbustin’ #44: Purl Ridge Scarf

Remember these tasty skeins from my birthday?

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After some petting and smooshing I knew exactly what they wanted to be. I have been admiring Stephen West’s Purl Ridge Scarf on Ravelry. He is such an amazing designer! (I’m not sold on swants….but still)

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(Photo from the westknits Ravlery page)

This tweedy yarn is a mix of merino, llama, wool, and bamboo. It is going to feel so luxurious around my neck. Sure, I have a million other things on the needles. Sure, I have other cowls to keep me warm. But I NEED this one 🙂 Besides, it looks like a quick knit with just knit and purl rows arranged together.

What’s wrong with that logic?

Happy Knitting!

Yarn Splurge

I was a bad bad girl on my birthday. I hit the “Going Out of Business” sale at my LYS like a Kansas tornado. I couldn’t pass up the 30% discount on the entire store stock. I snatched two sweaters worth of worsted weight, three single skeins of DK weight, some sock yarn, and finally some yummy tweed for a cowl or hat.

Wanna see?

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Berroco Vintage in teal

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Berroco Vintage in oatmeal

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Berroco Vintage DK in pink

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Berroco Vintage DK in purple

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Berroco Vintage DK in black

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Plymouth Yarn Happy Feet in burgundy

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Knit One Crochet Two Brae Tweed in green

Now to head over to my Ravelry queue to find some perfect patterns…..

Happy Knitting!

Stashbustin’ Stat Update

This year is almost up!!! I can’t believe how fast it’s gone and Christmas is right around the corner. My Mom and I had a wonderful day this past weekend selling at the craft fair.  And boy howdy, are we tired! Being a knitting masochist, I have another craft fair yet to come before Christmas! I need to get back to my needles to “restock” my wares!

So today, instead of a object orientated post I’d like to share my “progress” this year on stash busting.

  • I have 42 Stashbustin’ projects in 2013 (not counting special request and craft fair wares)
  • I have completed 31 projects, frogged 2 projects, four projects are in hibernation, and I have five current WIPs.
  • I have knit approximately 8.56 miles and have another 1.88 miles on the needles
  • I have donated 1 mile of yarn to charity
  • And despite my best efforts…..added 8.94 miles of yarn back to my stash

Now I am still in the black as far as yarn in/yarn out. But I bought a lot of yarn this year. Some was for specific projects and special orders. Others was just because I could. I did get rid of some of my less than tasty bits of yarn and replaced it with better and higher quality fiber.

My stashbustin’ efforts may slow down a bit as we march towards 12/31, as I do last minute holiday gifts and restocking my craft wares. But I think I have made solid progress this year! I am still debating if I do another year of stashbustin’ in 2014 or some other method of measurement. I’m leaning towards another year of stashbusting just so I can see if I can beat my previous years levels…

Any thoughts?