cider moon pic and new sock- broad spiral rib :)

like many, i’m trying to pare down my spending on knitting-related paraphernalia. i have a ton of sock yarn….like over 9 miles of sock yarn, not including my newest stash enhancers….so, over 10 miles….must clean out the stash. i have stuff from years ago with which i’ve fallen out of love.

enter terri. she has agreed to take my extra stash, along with the clown vomit. thanks terri!! hooray!! (my guess is that i’ll be at the post office on friday, since i work on wed and thurs nights. i’m sending a packed box!! ps – tricia, i’ll be sending your prize at that time as well!) let’s see (furiously types into calculator…) that brings….(tap, tap) my total….(tap, tap, tap) to just over 9 miles. oh. oh well. i’m loving most everything in my stash now anyway!

like this:

cidermoon ‘flurry’ in jackie o
100% superwash merino | 440 yds: 110 g
note: purchased at kc ’06

i’ve always had a thing for black…and more recently pink….so this is a perfect colorway. the yarn is a light fingering weight and i will definitely be using #1′s on this bad girl. i need some inspiration for a pattern, though. sigh. i’ve never been one for planning pattern to yarn. i guess that’s why socks/sock yarn is good for me!!

speaking of socks. here’s what i’ve been working on. my sister (remember this?) as i expected, she felted the fingerless gloves i made her. she requested mittens for her birthday…but she also asked for socks….so i was inspired to make these:

broad spiral ribbing pattern from more sks
STR in peaseblossom (rockin’ sock club – july) by BMFA
4.25 oz / 360 yards ; 100% superwash merino
started: june 20, 2007
needles: 2, #1 addi turbo circs
notes: in a former life, the yarn was this; toe up, 60 stitches, short row heel, p2k4 ribbing

to give the cuff interest, i offset it with a purl row and added a pattern repeat in the center to echo the pattern in the leg.

the requirements were definitely superwash, simple pattern (the nieces instigate many momentary lapses of concentration), colorful and soft. str fit the bill. and though i am sad to see the yarn leave my stash. at least i can take comfort in the fact that my sister will follow care instructions (machine wash)….and not felt them! but i guarantee you that she will play tennis in the socks…and they will wear out within one year. next pair of socks will contain nylon. (not that i’m against nylon…i just prefer the 100% merino…so luxurious and soft!!)

i have one done and have 30% of the other done….so i hope to be finished with these soon!

oh!!…i almost forgot!! today, i am officially a flickr pro member. i was at the limit for the free account….so i finally took the plunge! hooray!

contest winner!!

i consulted with experts in order to determine the most statistically random and fair way to select a winner for my ‘you lucky dog’ contest. said experts indicated that i should “stuff a sock in it” and to “bug off”, to which i said, “but isn’t the point of the contest to make socks, not stuff them? “( i have no idea how bugs were going to make any type of decision for me. ) so instead, i opted for the following:

though i technically had 19 comments, someone had emailed me a response, making the total 20. i receive an email every time i get a comment…so i selected the 17th email…and tricia won!! hooray tricia!!! select your color and i’ll mail off the yarn!! here are the pics again for your viewing pleasure:

may i add something cheesey? thanks for responding, folks. you can’t imagine how theraputic it is to hear about happiness in your lives.

knitting? oh, i’ve been knitting. but my neices and my sister are in town from california…no time for pictures right now! but i will have some soon!!

win some yarn, you lucky dog! (contest rules)

hi all…i’ve finally the time to sit down to write a post about my blog contest. while i was at knitter’s review, i had the time of my life. how could you not? there was yarn; there was knitting; there was good company. while it would be all too easy to be selfish and keep my kc memories all to myself, i wanted someone to share my joy.

i don’t want to wax philosophical, but sometimes i feel like i take for granted that i am a lucky person. i have shelter and food. i have a wonderful fiance (i love you) and family (i love you too!). i am healthy. and i have a stable job. but it is all to easy to throw perspective off when the details and fussiness of life creeps in. for example, my last three shifts at work were miserable…so miserable they make me question if being a nurse is worth my physical, mental and emotional energy. sometimes that environment is filled with so many poisonous personalities, you wonder why anyone would want to be a nurse. but then i remember that my job is not about me. it’s about healing, helping and supporting. it’s about providing for my family. and (okay, maybe it is a little about me)…it’s about having extra cash to spend on a little something to make me happy. because i am lucky.

so as i sit here, bleary-eyed and worn down, i want to celebrate being lucky.

tell me why you are lucky and what you appreciate about your life, your job, your hobby, or whatever. it can be rather mundane or completely profound.

i’ll randomly pick a winner from the comments left to this post one week from today-ish. the winner gets their choice of colorway of the chameleon colorworks evolution yarn (2 skeins), as posted on my previous post. i also may dig through my stash and find something else to give away, just to make the pot a little sweeter.

i hope this post finds you in a happy mood!

here’s a friday fiber pic (this one, i’m keeping!)

 

yarnlove, joan of arc (sock yarn) in sincerity
1 skein | 50% merino, 50% tencel | 4 oz : 410 yards
notes: such a sheen with subtle color! purchased at knitters connection

share my swag

just wanted to put up a quick post before i headed off to work. knitter’s connection? so. much. fun. it was my first yarny “convention” and was i happy, happy, happy!!

i saw miss lime for the l&v live podcast, listened to cat bordhi’s lecture on new sock architecture (omg, soo cool! her new book will be released at the end of july!!) and some stroke of luck, i was able to get into cat bordhi’s toe-up sock class (thanks cat!!). of course, like kelly, some yarn followed me home. i also met lizzie and some other new columbus knitters (sorry can’t find my notes to link you) and jerry was nice enough to embarrass re-introduce starry-eyed me with the queen of new sock architecture herself (blush).

anyway, i joined knitter’s connection and got a cool bag of swag…here’s a pic of it with some of my purchases:

kc member goody bag – sooo worth the price of membership.

there were at least 3 magazines and 5-6 full or sample sized skeins in there. i stuffed it full of yarn that i bought at the market. some yarn love, neighborhood fiber co and cider moon yarn jumped into my bag (pictures in another post)…the beautiful red yarn is a mini-skein from twisted sisters.

one of my favorite finds was this:

chameleon colorworks evolution sport weight

i bought two colors:

lime and violet

morning dove

it is phenominal! so soft and it has a sheen unlike any merino i’ve ever used! would you like some? i’d like to share the love of my kc week. i’m still up in the air of what colorway i’m going to give away, though. i also have some patterns and sample skeins (from the swag bag) that need a good home. i’ll post the details of the how/when/what in the next week.

ps- check out these socks…they done in str medium weight in fairgrounds and are from my class. we did mini-socks for the class…and mine happen to be baby size.

new sock architecture – class sock

clown vomit and lime & violet tonight!

i’m not sure who coined the term, but whoever it was was RIGHT ON. my colinette jitterbug in popsicle was an impulse purchase from knitter’s mercantile (the knitter’s connection peeps). let me tell you. i love the yarn. i love the colors. it positively sings…and it makes me happy. except…

clown vomit…to the frog pond

i hate how it knits up. seriously. i attempted 3 patterns with the yarn….central air (str socks club ’06)….basketcase socks (redbirdknits)…and anastasia socks (pepperknit)…all beautiful patterns…all desecrated by the clown vomitus resulting from knitted popsicle. i’ll be so sad to see such happy colors leave my stash….but i am ready to let go. i purchased for $20.50, and i’m looking to sell it for $10 plus s&h. i knit from both ends, but now it’s wound into a center pull cake. of course, i don’t expect anyone will want a ball of clown vomit.

ooooo…very excited….i’m almost off to see lime and violet live at knitter’s connection!! i’ll be volunteering at the event, so see you there!

er…didn’t mean to associate l&v with clown vomit (they’re not)….hope i didn’t offend anyone! cheers!