You are so not going to believe your eyes!!!

Ha! For my past SP Pal's, I've always answered this question: What color yarn makes you hurl/run far away/just wanna cry??? Answer: YELLOW

So..ahem, *cough* what do you see below huh? In defense of my all time answer. I don't like solid yellow's! A bit of variegation is ok.

Okay, I know this is a bit more that a "little bit" , but I loved it at first sight when Scout first did this colorway as a special order this past fall. She got a lot of new base yarns at that time and I picked the sportweight, which is so soft!! You can see her other colorways and base yarns at Scout's Swag.

Silver Streak


If I liked football and the Steelers, bet this would be a good choice huh?







Sometimes I get sock yarn for the colors, sometimes for a certain pattern. Well, this skein was in the stash as the colors. Well it had no pattern until.... I found this Seize Diamondbacks pattern from John at Yarnballboogie via Scout. I think it will be perfect for these. The pattern does call for 2 skeins of Colinette Jitterbug, but I don't have 2 of the same, and I think I'll have enough to do at least 2 repeats of the pattern. I put the two yarns beside each other and this isn't hardly any bigger than the Jitterbug, so I think I'm good! If I like the pattern enough, I do have a skein of Socktoberfest that will have plenty if I want them longer.

Well, off to get some socks done. I have not even let myself wind this yarn, cause once I do, I'll want to knit it..well it would be hard as I have no size US 2 needles free...must...knit...socks...faster! :)

Have a great weekend everyone! :)

Teensy, Weensy....

Socks! These are the quickest socks I've ever knit in my life. (oops! I lied..I have another small pair, but since I totally messed them up, they have to be reknit and I got shorter dpn's for them so you haven't seen them yet!) Total time probably 3-4 hrs, most likely less..but who counts, a pair in 2 days is a record for me. Norma started making these teeny socks (she's up to 11 or more pairs!) and well, a bunch of us have started too! Great way to use up leftover worsted weight wools! Feel free to join us in making them! Magic 28 Socks-Stamp out Cold Feet! Donate them to the charity of your choice. Well, you know where mine are going !



Lamb's Pride Worsted in Thistle
Size US 5 's - 1 knit in Bryspun short dpn's and 1 knit ML with KP circs. Let me tell you, I did start these 2 on 2 circs...but, man I'm having issues this week with the yarn tangling. Too much trouble, so I switched.



Looky here! I made homemade sock blockers!! Bezzie will be so proud of me!! She's my hero in all that is Creatively Cheapa$$! The things she comes up with! Made with plastic inserts from xray film!! Sadly, we've gone to CD's so no more of this plastic. Was great to firm up purses too! sniff.. **yeah, I know the left one looks wider, it has since been trimmed and both socks are the same size now...whew...why do I have to be so..um...just so AR sometimes!!!



Who knew!! I cut the tops like that for the heck of it!! See, now they are partially self-standing/drying sock blockers! I'll be making more of these! I have about 2 month's before mailing...eeek! If I don't get going...those Panda Cotton socks won't be used for any KAL this month. Phew, good thing I whipped these up!!

See you tomorrow!

Knitting is going on...

Albeit a little bit on this project and a little bit on that project. You know one can't always knit with teensy needles. One must exercise the hands and play with the wool. So I present playing with wool on larger needles!! My first Dulaan hats. On the left is the Avalanche Hat. I saw it at Noolie's blog. I swear I didn't notice it last year. It was so fun to knit! I really like that seed/moss stitching. Very fast too! On the right is the ever popular Zud Hat. I like knitting this hat, I did a few last year.

I used Valley Yarns Bershire Bulky-85% wool/15% alpaca in Copper. I got it last fall, or whenever it first came out. I needed to add another item to an order and thought what the heck, so I got 2 skeins. Both hats are knit double stranded to be extra warm!



OMG! let me tell you, not only is this pretty cheap, it is soooooooooo soft. I was very sad when there was no more left to knit. I've always heard people say Alapaca is lovely to knit with, this was my first time (eek, I confess, you haven't seen the very first project I knit in Alpaca yet ;)

As you can see from the Zud hat, I had to finish with another yarn. A coffee color Lambs Pride Bulky leftover that my Cheapy SP sent last year! I had just enough to finish this too! Oh..I may be a convert to this yarn...it was that good! You all know how I love my LP worsted and bulky, but I may have a new love. It will be coveted from afar though...sigh...until my LP stash is gone...(p.s.-please don't say anything about my possible conversion though...the LP could get quite jealous and hide from me...or worse ;)

Ok, now for the reason my fingers ache tonite! Can we say C O T T O N! Well, at least it has some acrylic in it. About 2 1/2" progress from last time. I can only work on this a bit a day and it has been on vacation for about a week. ;) I have about 8 more increases to make on the petals and then the separation for the petal ends. The garter stitch rows are the edges of the petals.

I had to fold it in half to show the progress, or be picking up stitches...

Which is what I've been doing today on my Panda cotton ankle socks. This yarn is very nice and soft, but does not like frogging, which has been happening a lot over the last 2 days. More on that later! Off to rest the hands!

YPF......

Alchemy Pagoda 100% silk-Forest Waltz Colorway
Posed amidst my only surviving Azalea bush. The freeze we had a week or two ago, killed all the blossoms off the others. Hey, we are so surprised they are still living anyways..I do not have a green thumb! ;)


Awesome colorway, the giftor certainly knows a few of the colors I love!



Now, finding something lovely to knit this scrumptious yarn into....it arrived the same day as a skein of Lorna's Laces Chocolate Worsted, and they hung out together for a bit...but I think she's a bit of a loner...she needs to be knit alone, or with something equally as delicate.

Ideas anyone?

Spa treatment done!

Yes, Miss Hot Pink got her Spa treatment (a good steaming and a bit of embellishment)

Spider Chrysanthemum Pre felted

Post-felted. This was so cool and easy to make! It took 2 trips through the washer due to my wrong settings. I have a front loader and felting can be tricky at times, but doable. The pictures basically seem the same size, but it is more the difference in the petals.

Noni Skinny Baguette Bag, Spider Chrysanthemum pattern sold separately (I love typing chrysanthemum!) Cascade 200 for all colors except for Hot Pink which was Patons Classic Merino. I was interested to see how the 2 would felt together. They to me are basically the same type of yarn. Both felt quite well on their own and my experiment proved fine!


Close up of the Spider Chrysanthemum. The pattern shows it with beads on the petals...meaning either beaded clear thread or attaching each one singley..um..nope not happening.

I'm happy with it. I'll use it and will probably have people wanting one..Well they can knit their own! ;) BTW- I did take photos of how I did the lining if people are interested in a somewhat easy way to do a tubular lining. Let me know!

A tale of 2 Noni's

This is a tale of 2 Noni Skinny Baguette Bags.

Way back last year around February 2006, two friends saw this bag and had to make it. One friend (whose Noni is called Hot Pink) started in March 2006 and finished January 2007 . Her friend (whose Noni is called Cool Pink) Finished much sooner June 2006.

Both friends agreed it was an interesting pattern to knit, many emails were exchanged to try to figure out a few things! Once they were finally done...they sat and aged while the two friends got busy with other knits, and besides, they were Spring/Summer colors, so they didn't want to be out of style or anything!

So, finally Hot Pink said we need to get them ready for this Spring so Cool Pink traveled across the miles to stay with Hot Pink and get all decked out.



Click on pics if you want! :)


Hot Pink would like to thank Wendy Knits for the information on making the loops to hold the handle hardware. Her suggestion of doubling the grograin ribbon, stitching it, then tacking it to the inside of the bag was very helpful! Hot Pink would also like to thank whomever invented long needles that one would use for doll making, stuffed animals, etc. as due to using such long needles, Hot Pink did not have any sore fingers while sewing!! That makes Hot Pink a very happy camper.


So here is Cool Pink getting her lining and zipper attached. She too had the Pink ribbon treatment.

Here they both are getting their feet properly placed.

Here's a pose with their Acrylic Faux Bamboo handles

Sigh..here they are, Hot Pink is not as smooth and refined as Cool Pink. Hot Pink is a little bit frumpy right now. She needs a salon treatment and steaming session to smooth out her wrinkles.

BFF, although Hot Pink had to show off her colors, Cool Pink was very understated and just let the swirls do the talking.

Sniff...Hot Pink saying good-bye to her pal Cool Pink. Have a safe trip. Hope to one day hang out again!

There will be a few more pictures another day for Hot Pink. She's got a few issues going on right now.

Leaf over Yellow......

Today's YPF courtesy of Sundara Yarn


Leaf over Yellow Sport Merino Somewhat Solid Colorway

Very soft yarn! I know it'll be a pleasure to knit with!

I had to tweek the colors a teensy, weensy bit. I didn't take advantage of the sunny day to go outside..um..remember the *P word ;)




Sundara dyes in small batches and rarely does the same colorways.



Her somewhat solid line usually has 1 base color (in this skein it was yellow) and dyes another color over it. Some of you may already know that if this skein was totally yellow....



it wouldn't be here on the screen! ;) But put some green over it and ahhhhhh!
*enable alert, she may still have space available for her Petals Collection too!

So now that I've tempted you..um..I got this yarn sometime this past fall...

My plan for this yarn and it's mate....Roza's Socks by Grumperina in the Spring IK. But will probably be knit in the fall..hmmm...

Sigh, vacation is over today...2 more days off then back at it....Project pics tomorrow! A certain "FO" to make it's Spring Debut!

Joining 101

Ha! Bet you thought it was some sort of lesson on spit-splicing or sewing didn't you? ;)

I've been slowing down on them, but one sometimes needs added pressure inspiration in her knitting.

I joined this one, and waiting for the book! Right now they are knitting House Hats and donating them to Warm Woolies! So stay on the lookout for some neat hats, and DD's Gryffindor Socks as pre-book/movie time is getting closer.



I gone and done it, joined Sockapalooza 4. I wanted to last year, but only knitting socks for barely 6 mos at the time..I chickened out! I even chickened out joining the recent Knittyboard sock exchange. I think having almost 3 months was more enticing to me! So the info is in, no backing down now! Now I'm just hoping my sockpal likes thick socks ;)

Knitting progress is happening...pics soon!

Burly YPF!

Giggle, wonder what a search on that will turn up?

May I present, a yarn I do not need to fall too much in love with, at least living in NC. But I do love the Company that produces it! Any guesses??

Strawberry Patch Colorway
The first time I had ever laid my paws on a skein of this! It'll be like knitting with rope, but that's ok..it's from BS!

Sapphire, sniffing yarn just like me! ;) Well, only caught the label action LOL!

From So Much Yarn in Seattle. I found that place less than 1 hr after arrival. Only a few blocks from my hotel. I went around the store, gosh at least 6 or more times...this kept jumping out at me everytime I walked by. Nice store with a lot of good yarns, I left with this and 2 other skeins you saw in my cotton post below (the Candy yarn at the top of the yarncolander) ;)

Note to self...yeah, its fun to take yarny pictures outside, even in pollen filled magnolia tree (trashed those pics, they weren't good)..but geesh..don't wipe your eyes....and do not go outside during pollen season unless you HAVE to!! 'nuff said...*stumbles to find eye drops and sinus meds!) No animals were injured in this post, just the photographer! ;)

We Interrupt Your Scheduled.....

Sock knitting! The wool and wool blends are going to have to be patient and move to the back of the queue...cause it's getting hot 'round here!!

I wore my Monkey's into work today! (thank you for your lovely comments BTW!) My feet were so hot going to and from work and the little bit of running around I did! At work we have extreme AC so they are needed, but once I left work they were on fireeeeeeeeeee! (oh..and no comments about being close to a "certain" "time of my life" either ;)

So we must now start extreme ankle sock knitting! My collection of Fixation and Esprit, I have a few doubles, but they'll be longer socks one day, the singles will be ankle socks for Me, MIL, and DD. Some wild colorways huh? I plan on a few toe/heel contrastings going on!







The cottons! Mixed with a little of this and that. Gee..um..I see a lot of blues, greens, pinks, a bit of brown, but you'd never know that I love red by looking here! Hint, hint to my future spring fling pal! ;) I've been collecting all of these here and there for the last year and a half, time to get knitting (on them and a million other things LOL!)

sockpr0n gave me the idea of using RYC Cashcotton DK, cotton with a little luxury, but I see that she used 4 ply, so I'll be using bigger needles..bigger needles..faster knitting?? We'll see. Again, I got a contrasting color for possible toe/heels. Anxious to see how the Wick turns out, hoping it has great wicking qualities..anyone use it yet? Big needles again, and contrasting yarn for possible toe/heels.

Panda Cotton to try and my Blue Moon Fiber Arts Sock Candy thanks to Cpurl and Carrieknits who both happen to live near the same shop that sells it, as they don't sell it on the website. Those will be longer socks too, but being cotton/elite, hopefully they'll be cooler.

Oh and check these out! Short Toed Socklets! Don't you hate it when you wear your thong sandals, flip flops, or whatever you call them, and it hurts/scrapes your insideofyourbigtoeareathatconnectstotheothertoe by the wearing of said shoes? Well I got the stretch yarn last year, but I think almost anything may work...we'll see....

Well I'm off to plan what goes on the needles first. :)