I didn't show this to you, did I?

Ummm, yeah. That's two pounds of merino/cashmere blend. Bulky weight. From School Products. Marissa, some day we're going to make a date to go there in person! But for now, I'll settle for this. I couldn't resist when this showed up on destash. I'm thinking about a coat of some sorts. My only concern is this would not be a mobile project. I don't think lugging a two pound cone o' yarn to the park would work out so well.

The issue du jour is gauge, since the yarn is full of spinning oil. I knit up a swatch on US10s and washed it, but the stockinette still seems pretty open. I'm not sure whether to wash the swatch more ... um ... forcefully. Or go down to US9s. I'm usually prety close on gauge (and they recommend US10 or 11*), though, so I think I'll give the swatch a roughing up first.

And then, of course, I'll have to come up with a plan for what exactly to knit. One idea I had over the weekend was something sort of Jack Sparrow-ish. Yes, I did just watch Pirates of the Carribean over the weekend. I didn't have a whole lot to do except finish the Top-Down Raglan. BTW, that 100purewool yarn bleeds like crazy when washed, but the sweater looks good on the drying rack.

Anyway, some sort of swashbuckling coat with skirts and some cables in place of the braid closures traditionally found on the chest. I'd be all set for Dress Like a Pirate Day. Hmm, I'm not sure.

I am getting some other bulky yarn ideas from browsing through Loop-de-Loop. Teva Durham has some great ideas in there.

*"This one goes to eleven." Hehe. I'm such a geek. Just wait until I do my Eight Things. Thanks, Tanya, I feel I've really joined the knitting blogosphere :)

Shepherd's Market, Door County, WI

A good time was had by all at the Shepherd's Market at Whitefish Bay Farm last weekend. The weather cleared up before we arrived, which was nice. And the sheep baa'ed back when Isobel baa'ed at them. Unfortunately, I was fiddling with the camera and didn't capture the look on her face. Feel free to use your imaginations. She was stunned!

And the market was nice. Mom was surprised at how crowded it was. Isn't she a funny muggle! Lots of roving, some drop spindles, yarn, and finished pieces. I stayed away from the roving, since I'm not ready to start spinning yet. But I did come home with two hanks of surprisingly heavy adult mohair that will make a gorgeous shawl (about 600 yds). I couldn't resist the colorway, and I would say the 3/4 lb. worth of yarn is about fingering weight and 2-ply. It just glows with its mohairiness. And it's heavy. Odd and pleasing, I have to say.

There are more posts rattling around in my head, and I will do my best to catch up here. Life has been challenging, and I've just needed some "veg out" time. There is a finished shawl to share, a sweater on the needles, and, of course, dreams and plans for more projects than you can shake a stick at, including a Venezia, if I can decide upon a yarn.

Blue Moon

OK, so I'm mooning over the Blue Moon Fiber Arts website, obsessively checking my account to see if they've shipped my new Rockin' Sock Club kit (no, "sigh"), and I wanted to mention that some of the yarn at The Fold was stuff I haven't seen on the site. Colorways and fibers. I've only seen the Bliss yarn is snagged in a sock kit BMFA sells. And the Siren Song colorway is not on the site at all. Stalk The Fold, people! And BMFA, of course.

What do you think of Lucy in the Sky? Of course I heart "plain" Lucy. I remember Nodding Violet was just as pretty in person. Why didn't I get it? I think panic set in. We'll have to see about going out to visit Grandma again soon. She'd get a shawl out of it for sure.

Oh, I've stalled on sewing up Isobel's cardigan.

I checked out Twinkle's book at Borders today, and am considering an addition to the knitting book pile. It will just be a matter of figuring out which size to really knit up and possible yarn subs.

More crack

I should post this over on the Kidsilk-along, but I'm lazy with the snowstorm and all.

I bought two skeins of KSH (click link for colors on Webs' yarn.com) in Heavenly off Destash this morning. And then I went to Woolcott at lunch (helping a friend "return" an unknit skein - you know it was an exchange), and they had a skein of KSH in Fondant, which will look gorgeous with the Candy Girl I'm knitting up into one of those Lala Scarves Kat Coyle designed for Greetings from Knit Cafe. And I have a skein of Knit One, Crochet Two's Douceur et Soie in Cornflower from forever ago, which will make a great edge. Yum.

I was between Fondant and Grace and am so glad I went with Fondant. Grace is very pretty but too ethereal next to Candy Girl. I wish they'd had some Jelly or Villain or Liqueur. Those colors are delish.

So, what will I do with that destashed Heavenly? I don't know, but it will be something heavenly, I'm sure!

In other knitting news, I'm swatching for the Hourglass Sweater in Schaeffer Elaine. I think I keep saying it's Nancy, but it's Elaine, and it has 600 yards in a skein. Craziness. I was thinking of going top-down raglan on this sweater, but I'm not sure what I want to do with the neck, so I think I'm going to end up doing a bottom-up shaped raglan and figure the neckline/collar out lately. Maybe I'll knit up a separate cowl...

Mooore Yaaarn!!!

Hopefully, this will be the last of the SABLE stuff until I'm able to knit the stash down a bit. My Rockin' Sock Club kit arrived yesterday. Squee! The yarn is beautiful and a colorway I wouldn't have chosen myself. You can really see how it will work in the reskeined Emergency Sock Yarn skein. How cute!

I didn't even have time to read through everything in my binder last night, but I did put my Rockin' Sock Club pin (looks like the colorway on the pin is Rhodonite)on my knitting bag, which is bright pink.

The reason for the lack of reading? More progress on the Sheep 3 shrug.

Sheep 3 is a gorgeous yarn! The silk gives it the most amazing shimmer. And I'm a sucker for anything shimmery or sparkly. Ask anyone. And, of course, I'm in love with this turquoise, variegated colorway. The hand of the yarn is a little dry, almost crisp, when knitting, due to the silk, I guess. But the finished knitting is soft and lovely. Can't wait to finish this one.

As for the Capecho yarn decision? Bridget is absolutely no help! Thanks a lot. Hehe. I'm tabling the decision for a little while but will keep you posted.

Capecho

What a horrible name for a beautiful-looking pattern. Why didn't Norah Gaughan call it the Starfish Shrug or something? Anyway, would someone, please, for the love of wool, take my computer away from me? I am obsessing over yarn choices for the Capecho at Webs, thanks to listening to Ready, Set, Knit on the way in to work this morning. They have the original yarn (Berocco Pure Merino) but only have four balls of ecru (24 balls of ice grey). They also have Queensland Uruguay DK on clearance, and enough of the cream color to work. I made the first Hourglass Sweater from #8 (the pale blue), and it's a nice yarn. Then there is Vermont Organic's O-Wool in either Oatmeal or Sky. I love the idea of this yarn, and it has good yardage for the price. But I have been seeing a lot of grey for fall out in the fashion world, so maybe grey is the way to go. It would have to be a light grey, since I want the cables and construction to show nicely. Oh, man, what about Valley Yarns Colrain in Steel? The Tencel gives it a nice sheen, no? When I make this, I think I'll go longer on the sleeves.

I finished up the socks for my husband from the Yankee Knitter Classic Sock Pattern. They came out nicely, though I had a couple of holes on one side of the second sock where I must have picked up the stitches funny. I fixed 'em up afterwards, and it will be our little secret.

The Sheep 3 Shrug is coming along nicely after I frogged the first attempt. I just wasn't feeling the love, so I did some more math and adjusted stitch counts and whatnot. I also added some yarnovers between the neck ribbing and stockinette sections, which I may use to thread a ribbon for closure or just leave alone. Remember the ribbon obsession? I may call this the YO shrug. Teehee.

Oh, the reason someone should take the computer away? I have more than enough yarn, people! I picked up my Schaeffer Elaine in Jane Adams order Thursday afternoon at Yarns in the Farms and grabbed a couple of skeins of Blue Sky Alpacas Brushed Suri in Pink Lemonade to do Pam Allen's lace shrug from the Spring Interweave Knits Staff Projects. I like the GGH Soft Kid called for in the pattern but have longed to find something to do with that Brushed Suri (suri, merino, and bamboo, for wool's sake!). And I'm excited for the color and a chance to do some lace, since I don't have time in my life right now to commit to a shawl.

Icarus? Kiri? Print o' the Wave? Stop that.

What have I done?

I just joined the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club. Thank goodness I just picked up some freelance work. But, really, how could I not accept the invitation after all those folks went through with their dunderheaded bank? And they're in Illinois, land of Lincoln and birthplace of Kathleen. Socks are in my future, I guess. And it's a good thing that Sheep #3 won't be in my LYS for a month or so.

Shhhh (Sheep 3)

I have a skein of Sheep 3 from Sheep Shop Yarn Company at home. I tried smuggling it out of Yarns in the Farms a couple of weeks back when they got the sample in, especially since it was in this new, gorgeous, turquoise colorway. I think it's a new color or else they've really changed their light blue.

I'm going to knit up a sample something or other for the shop. Just have to figure out what the right thing is for one skein of this stuff. 70% merino wool and 30% silk. 325 yds. Scrummy. No idea on price. Ultimately, I want to do the Slouchy Cardi from Greetings from Knit Cafe in this yarn, but that will have to wait for a few more skeins. Some time in March is the word on the street.

I'll post a picture soon.

Etsy: LuLu

Have you seen LuLu's Sock Yarn? Oh. My. Goodness. <-as Isobel said upon seeing a spinning, lit up, Christmas tree one night

Gorgeous. My heart beat a little faster when I saw Lamponi. And I love her Italian names for her colorways. She is Italian, after all.

I'm trying not to order. I'm going to check in on Isobel at daycare (she has a cold) and see if I can resist. Wish me luck!

I know her!

Check out the Crochet winner in this year's Excellence in Needle Arts Awards from PieceWork Magazine (an Interweave Press publication). Elena is a high school student in Beverly and a Knit Night regular. Can you believe she designed and crocheted this? Amazing. She's very talented.

I cast on and bound off a pair of Fetchings over the weekend, which was fun, though I ran out of yarn (#201, a flinty blue, for those interested). Glad I didn't do the thumb on the first one before starting the second. I ended up just picking up the thumb on each and then binding off, rather than doing four rounds. I have some more DB Cashmerino Aran in other colors, so if I make more of these, I think I might go down a needle size to see if that makes a difference. They're very nice. And I did the picot bindoff, which not everyone likes, but I like the little points mirroring the cable bumps. Looking at the pattern again on Knitty, I guess I should steam them to straighten out the roll at the top a little. They're very helpful since it's frigid here in Massachusetts.

Yarns In the Farms had a Super Bowl Weekend sale, and I scored some Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca & Silk (eight skeins in the dark blue colorway) to make a variation on an Hourglass Sweater. And I grabbed a skein of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in the Blues colorway (I think - it's at home). I could have gone much crazier, but it's probably best that I didn't buy out the store :)

On a less exciting note, I've got some personal stuff going on right now, so I may not be blogging regularly.

McQueen

As in Alexander. Just found this genius sweater on Andrea's blog. She is the owner of Fable Handknit. Anyway, that sweater is gorgeous - the color, the scale, the simplicity. I might have to work out something similar for myself. But then that would be the end of the bulky sweaters, as the Regal Alpaca is also on the bulky/heavy worsted side.

And it's almost done! I finished knitting the sleeve and did up all the seams last night, while watching Terminator 3. In case you didn't already know, it's awful! I enjoy the occasional sci-fi/action/adventure movie, thought the first two T movies were pretty good (loved Linda Hamilton's biceps in T2), and I like Claire Danes. But this was filled with expensive explosions and baaaad acting. Wow. But that was good for finishing work. Now I just have to sew in the sleeves (eep) and figure out how I want to fasten the fronts. I'm dreaming of ribbon bows in some floppy, scrummy, ombre silk, which is probably impractical.

Oh, and then I have to crochet around the edges. I think I get the single crochet thing, having watched a couple of Knitty Gritty episodes lately that used it. But then you're supposed to do a row of "crab stitch", which is, apparently, backwards single crochet (!). Guess I'll be googling that one.

In yarn acquisition news, the yarn buyers group I belong to is doing a group buy of 100purewool yarn. They have merino worsted (similar to Mmmalabrigo according to some) and merino laceweight. But I'm not as wild about the colors as, say, Handpaintedyarn/Malabrigo. But the laceweight merino seems to have disappeared from HPY's site, so I'm guessing Malabrigo will have that line soon. And 100pw's site is tough to navigate and get a good idea of the colors without clicking fifteen times. That makes me crazy!

But why am I cooing over lace yarn anyway? Am I a shawl type of person? It must be the artsy me. So, what pattern would I do: Eunny's Print o' the Wave Stole, Anne'sWing o' the Moth Shawl, Polly's Kiri, Stephanie's Snowdrop Shawl? And those are just the free ones (oops, Anne's isn't free, but that's OK). Then there's Victorian Lace Today, which seems to have taken parts of the knitting world by storm.

Knitting around the 'net

Thanks to Heather's nudge I put myself on the Socks That Rock Rockin' Sock Club waiting list. By the time I am invited to join, hopefully, I'll be ready to tackle socks.

And I'm not ready because I'm still working on sweaters. I want more of my own handknits to choose from a la Brenda. Get better soon, lady! In case you've been under a rock (or don't listen to knitting podcasts - same thing), Brenda Dayne usually includes a Today's Sweater segment in her 'cast wherein she talks about the sweater, yarn, pattern, and saga that went into its creation. Most enjoyable. I want that.

MapMuse is updating their knitting/crocheting/yarn shops listings, and, I guess, since I put Yarns In the Farms on there, I just got a request from Cindy asking for any updates to shops and groups in the area. It's such a great idea to have a central repository for this information.

Another invaluable repository is Yarndex. Someone on the Knitlist asked for a yarn sub recommendation yesterday, and when I pointed her to Yarndex, she said she didn't know anything about it. Amazing how many resources there are online. And it's always nice to be able to help people out.

As the chief knitting enabler in my Knitting Lunch group, I gave my departing co-worker a copy of Last-Minute Knitted Gifts so that she can make an Hourglass Sweater with me. Hehe. I'm a few stitches closer to asking my dear LYS ladies to order me two skeins of Schaeffer Nancy in Jane Addams, though it keeps bothering me that online stores recommend three or more skeins for a sweater. I suppose I'm small in the range of sweater sizes.

Ooh, have you seen Tess' Designer Yarn? I found them via Rabid Knitter, where she made a Placket Sweater from one skein of their Superwash Merino (with yarn left over for a hat). 'Twould be great for Isobel in Rose Blush.

On the cardi front, I sewed up a sleeve as mentioned yesterday and am starting the decreases for waist-shaping on the back.

Yummy, Hand-dyed, Luxurious Goodness

Have you seen Posh Yarn? It looks to die for. I have to stop buying yarn until I complete some more projects. I know, I know, stash enhancement and all that, but I want to knit with the divine goodness I've got! Patience.

Coop blues

So, I join the Yarn Coop group on Yahoo! and am about to join my first buy (Jojoland cashmere) when it all goes south. Sigh. Seems like there are some sensitive folks in that group. The problem is that you don't get to know people on that list very well, since emails are all about the buys. It's probably just as well. I don't need to enhance the stash right now. Right now I need to knit!

More crack

Yes, I did buy more KSH from someone else's destashing. Sigh. Three skeins of caramel color and most of a ball of Trance (beautiful teal blue), as well as a couple of skeins of DB Cashmerino Aran for some Fetchings. Do I need more yarn, probably not. But I can't resist the siren song of Kid Mohair and Silk.

I worked on Grandma's shawl last night. It's good mindless knitting for those time when you have to watch ANTM. And Top Chef (tonight's viewing pleasure, thank you, Tivo). The color is scrumptious. I hope she'll enjoy it.

So, what shall I make with the new KSH? I think the Haze will have to go towards something like Mrs. Beeton's or maybe the little lacy scarf in Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. Maybe I'll do a Wing of the Moth in the Beige. Although I also have this handpaintedyarn.com black laceweight merino... I think after the holidays I'll be ready to give lace a good crack.

FO display

Took some FOs to Knit Night last night: Clapotis, Asymmetrical Cable Hat, and Sheep Shop Garter Gloves. It's always nice to have experienced knitters appreciate your work. I finished one of the Last Minute Knitted Gifts wristlet, but I just did a straight bindoff, and I think it's too tight. Must assess coworker's hands, but I think I'm going to have to tink back the castoff row and cast off on larger needles or something else. I think I must have cast off in rib when I made these last year for Isobel's teachers. Maybe that's what I should do.

Man, I need to snap some pics of all these FOs. It's so nice to finish things. I should also write up those summary posts I see other bloggers using. They're nice for future reference.

More thoughts on the year of knitting for me (mama needs some sweaters and socks!): just received Sahara come-on from Stitch Diva. Beautiful! I might need to make that one. But not with Tilli Tomas yarn, ya know.

I visited Seed Stitch in Salem last week, and it's a lovely space. The owner seems very nice and has a thoughtful selection of yarns. I like the work table down the center of the shop. Just wish they were more convenient to Gloucester. They have the orange Malabrigo I wrote about yesterday and are open from 6-8 this evening. I might have to hop in the car after Isobel goes to bed.

In stash enhancement news, I hope to score some Kidsilk Haze and DB Cashmerino Aran from someone's Destash sale. What is it with the KSH? Total crack. I'm not even sure what I'll do with it, but three skeins in the camel color want to come home to mama.

Cracksilk Haze

It's not enough to own a bag of Alchemy Haiku. Now, I have three skeins of Rowan's Kidsilk Haze in the Marmalade colorway. I'm making a stole for Grandma. I thought about doing Kiri, but then I got a little dizzy and had to come to my senses. I just can't do my first lace shawl. In mohair. So, I was inspired by the tube shawl in Alterknits, but I'm not doing it in the round. Well, I started it in the round yesterday, panicked, frogged, broke the yarn somewhere in the cast-on mess, contemplated Kiri, then decided to just do a simple stockinette stole. I don't think there will be much rolling with this yarn in stockinette on US8s (Bryspun circular for those keeping track).

The tube shawl wants a piece of fabric threaded through. And I worry that the 24" circumference tube won't really cut it as a wrap for Grandma. But if I think the flat shawl is just too flat, I could seam it up and do the tube. I hope to get it done before the trip to Chicago in two and a half weeks. Eep.

That yarn is so yummy.

New places to drool

Thanks to the newsletter from Lime 'n' Violet, I spent a little drool time at etsy, now that the site is back up and running. People are producing beautiful things all the time. And from there I somehow ended up at pureknits, which has more droolworthy yarn and patterns. And they led me to Fable which produces a pure alpaca yarn. Drool. Pureknits has a really nice site.

I'm in the home stretch on Clapotis now. Maybe I'll even complete it before the weekend, though there are cupcakes to be made tomorrow night (the little lady turns two on Sunday).

Laceweight

What's my fascination with the stuff? I'm not even that into the look of lace shawls. Sure, they're beautiful, but I'm not really at a place in my life where I want a lot of complicated lace around my shoulders. But the idea of laceweight makes me drool-y. And there aren't a whole lot of people in my life who would want lacey shawls. Weird. But I just spent a bunch of clicks on "Fleece Artist Kasura" after seeing a skein of it on the Destash blog. I even considered joining the Yahoo! Yarn Coop. Oh, that's just what I need, more yarn.

Superwash

I've been thinking about making another sweater for DD, something out of a superwash wool. It's tough raising a toddler, working, taking care of (or trying to) a big, old house, etc. etc. We all know the story. But the last thing I want to do is handwash sweaters that get covered in ketchup half the time. I'm pretty much pro-natural fiber, so I can't just knit everything for her out of acrylic (I did start one for her but it's turned into a UFO).

So, today I found this bit of information, which may help me make a decision on some yarn. Like I need more. But I would like to add a supwerwash fiber option to my repetoire, and it looks like Cascade 200 Superwash might be it. Now, I just have to find an LYS that carries it so I can fondle before I buy.

Then I'll have to find a pattern.

In other news I attended the Tuesday Knit Night at my LYS, which is the new night so is less crowded. It was nice to meet some new folks and see others who can't attend Wednesday's KN. I got to drop another stitch on Clapotis and think two more repeats of the straight section might do it, which is good as I want to start knitting other things! But this must be finished before I start anything else.