Bags and Books

For those that prefer to do a little crafting for the holidays, there are a couple new books out that might provide some inspiration to you:


Bag Bazaar: 25 Stylish Bags to Sew in an Afternoon is a great DIY sewing book for the adventurous bag-loving crafter. The book starts out with a great chapter on basic sewing and bag-making techniques, including information on inserting zippers, creating gussets, attaching bag feet, and sewing pockets (both of the zippered and open varieties), amongst other things.

From there, the book gets into the designs. While the book provides information on materials and instructions, it does require some basic skills on the crafter's part in the creation of the template or pattern for the pieces of each design. Each project is accompanied by a nice drawing of the finished product (similar in style to the bags on the cover), along with appropriate schematics illustrating some of the assembly steps as appropriate. The designs are varied, and are simple enough for even a beginner to attempt.

If bags aren't quite your thing, or you're looking for something to accompany or put inside your gift, you may be inspired by a project in this book:

Magic Books & Paper Toys. I've always had a fascination with handmade books and cards, and I remember making all sorts of things (including my own illustrated flip book movie) when I was a kid. This book is whimsical, and split in two sections - the front half is all about handmade books and cards, and the back half (printed upside-down and reversed if encountered from the front - or reads perfectly normally if you flip the book over ;) ) is all about paper toys, some of which I remember from childhood and others that are completely new to me. Each project shows finished samples featured in clear full-page photos, along with illustrated instructions for successful crafting.

Not quite productive...

Ever take time off with all kinds of plans for productivity, but find yourself distracted and not able to focus?

I must have been in some serious need of just relaxation and rejuvenation, because the long list of "to do's" didn't get even remotely done....though I got lots of reading, napping, cooking and knitting done :)

I did manage to get a little blending done, see?


But I still have about five pounds of fiber to get through...yep, five pounds...and that doesn't include the other colorways that are bouncing around in my head...

I did manage to remember to queue up the random number generator for the Made in Spain drawing...



Congratulations, Cayli! You're the winner :)

Seriously. How did they know???

Just in time for Black Friday, would you look at this holiday card/advertisement* that I received??

While I have no little dog named Toodles, I am a knitter, and when it suits me, I do indeed knit for people for the holidays....

The inside of the card:

I was astounded. Simply astounded. What are the odds that they would pick a card like this one? Or does this mean that there are far more knitters out there than I am remotely aware of? Anyhow, I traditionally view Black Friday as Buy Nothing Day...and I most certainly am not brave enough to venture forth with the masses...at least not while I have knitting and the internet at my fingertips ;)

Hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving!

* card from Helzburg Jewlers, enticing me to go in for a pair of pearl earrings.

Getting back into the swing...

Before the holidays hit, I figured I should attempt to get myself back into the habit of working out...especially since I've been told to get myself back into trail-shape to better eval how my knee(s) are doing. While I'm not back into running (or re-attempting the Cto5k program, though I did re-download the podcasts for training), I've started getting out for some brisk walks to the local park. Once I am certain my feet and knees are okay with the fast clip, I'll give the trails a go - and if all goes well, I'll hopefully be back to the Cto5k program in no time!

Friends and Family invited...

to take advantage of the Holiday Horny Toad sale.

60% off for orders placed by 12/1
50% off for orders placed by 12/8
40% off for orders placed by 12/15
30% off for orders placed by 12/31

To make things even sweeter, Horny Toad is donating 1% of the sales made during this sale to charity.

Use this link
and use: frosty as your login.

I always like it when companies give back.

Speaking of sales, don't forget, Spritely Goods is running an extended holiday sale - portions of all sales always go to charity!

Speaking of Mittens...

Mmm cables - mmm mittens - meet Chevalier, by Mari of Made by Myself. I'm knittin' more mittens...these are being knit from Spritely Goods Superwash Merino in Fey - in a limited edition colorway (red maple). There's just enough variegation in the yarn to make things interesting, especially while it's held double. In some ways, the twisting cablework and the variegations in the yarn make me think of dancing flames. One of these days I'm going to have to refocus on my queue - it seems I have several projects that have been lingering on....I counted 8 other projects currently on needles according to my Ravelry Project Page - yikes! The oldest of the unfinished projects appears to have been cast on in September 2007 - and it hasn't made much progress since then since it's a semi-complex piece of lace that requires much counting and paying of attention to the chart...though I'm betting that I finish the lace before I finish the Mitered Square blanket!

Mitten Knittin...

Well, okay, not mittens, but fingerless mitts - regardless, they kept me warm at Rhinebeck :) (yeah I know, I'm really stretching out the Rhinebeck mentions, aren't I?) I rarely wear full mittens, and I seem to be awfully fond of wearing shorts and tee-shirts, only to decide I'm chilled...then I add handknit socks, then depending on where I'm feeling chilled, I'll then add mitts - usually of the fingerless variety so I can still easily carry on doing whatever I'm doing with my fingers...if I'm still cold, then I'll usually give in for a scarf/wrap and/or a sweater. Keep in mind, this is generally in the comfort of my own home, where I seem to refrain from turning on the heat for as long as possible so I can get the most use out of my handknits...a girl has to resort to certain strange behaviors sometimes, I'm afraid.

Anyhow, additional photos are over here, as usual.

Holiday Sale...

Rather than wait for Black Friday, Spritely Goods is offering extended Holiday savings* on many yarns in the shop - cruise over for more details!

*Sales pricing is good through December 14th, and is limited to stock on hand.

Taking me back...

Various things trigger memories - I didn't expect it from a cookbook - but what a delightful surprise, to find myself reminiscing about trips to Spain while flipping through my new copy of Made in Spain. Since I am a food-tv junkie but don't have cable, I have to satisfy myself with programs available via my local PBS station - Made in Spain is one of those programs that I've enjoyed watching.

The book is arranged by food "courses" and region parings - starting in the very south of Spain, in Andalucia (and Salads), wending its way through and around the country, each chapter is introduced with a brief personal story from the author and chef, Jose Andres. In case you're wondering, the other pairings/chapters are as follows: Madrid (Soups), Pais Vasco (Snacks), Navarra (Vegetables), Cantabria and Extremadura (Cheese and Eggs (a perfect pairing, if I do say so myself)), Valencia (Rice), Murcia (Fish), Galicia (Seafood), Cataluna and Castilla y Leon (Pork), Aragon (Other Meats), Asturias and Castilla La Mancha (Sweets), La Rioja and Baleares (Drinks) and Canarias (Sauces).

In addition to the clear instructions and ingredients, most recipes are accompanied by an enticing photograph of the finished product. Along side the recipes, is typically a tip from the chef in addition to a little back-story on the recipe. While some of the ingredients may be difficult to find locally, there are some merchants listed in the back to assist you in your search.

The recipes in the book are simple and straightforward in execution and there's a wide variety to satisfy both conservative and adventurous eaters alike. If you've never tried Spanish food before, this book has a great variety to choose from. I'll even make it easy for you ;) Leave me a comment (and make sure there's a way to contact you should you win) before Sunday November 30th, and I'll use the ol random number generator to select a new lucky owner. US only please, unfortunately international postage on a heavy book like this one is a bit much.

365

On several of the blogs I frequent I've seen folks participating in photo-a-day activities - some just do fridays (eye candy friday) - others do apad (a-photo-a-day) - and others do self portrait photos.

Since getting myself a much more portable camera, the idea had been to carry it around with me, attempting one of these photo-a-day kind of activities. I've not been so good at it - though I was recently convinced to give it another try.

Here's day 1 ;) (worry not, I won't blog all my photos) - clearly I need to get better at regularly wearing sunblocking facial moisturizer...I've apparently developed quite the fleet of freckles. Amazing the things you learn when taking a self portrait!

oooh..shiny....

...and it spins real well too ;)

You didn't think I could have possibly left Rhinebeck empty handed, could you? LOL! I've been wanting one of these lovely spindles for a really really long time - and of course, Golding Fiber Tools was at Rhinebeck and I couldn't resist. Instead of the typical Golding brass ring, this spindle has a raised cloisonne ring....and did I mention, it spins for what seems like forever?

Honorable Mention....

Pretty cool - My husband's website got mentioned in the local paper (the Arizona Republic) in the Travel section on Sunday.

In case it's hard reading (even if you click on it for full size) it says:

Canyon Sweet
"...avid 'canyoneers' scramble through canyon waterfalls, clamber up limestone walls, rappel down rocky cliffs and plunge into pools of icy water --- all on purpose!

Arizonans can canyon to the hearts' content as nearby Coconino National Forest, the Grand Canyon and Tonto National Forest.

Todd's Hiking Guide offers a comprehensive list with hike descriptions, required skills and photos..."

Oh dear.

Sheep and Wool

If you've been reading other knitters' blogs or skimming through Ravelry, you probably already know that Rhinebeck was wonderful this year...

There were plenty of sheep and other adorable animals (Angora bunnies are really really cute...and the alpacas aren't bad either!) Of course, knitters and spinners were all over the place, and there was plenty of yarn and fiber to ooh and aah over...and all the finished objects. My goodness, I don't think I've ever seen quite so many handknits all in one place ever!


To top it all off, the leaves were stunning - Rumor has it that the leaves all fell off during Rhinebeck weekend - I'm not sure though since I unfortunately was only able to visit the festivities on Saturday.

I had such a fantastic time, hopefully I'll get a chance to do it again in the future :)

Do your Duty....

If you are a US Citizen and have not yet submitted your ballot, do your homework, get on out there and vote! If you found yourself in a long long line at the polling place today, consider getting onto the early voting list, or the vote at home list - or whatever alternate your state may offer. I voted from home for this election, and found it convenient and conducive to taking the time to do my research on various ballot measures and propositions.

After today, I'm sure the candidates might need to hoist a drink - either in celebration or condolence, the following book may be useful (and a good one to keep in mind for entertaining this holiday season too!):



The Essential Cocktail: The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks is a fantastic book - especially if you are an aspiring mixologist. The book is well put together with approximately 100 "essential" drinks (plus variations) - each drink recipe includes a stunning photo of the finished cocktail in addition to a brief history on the drinks creation. The book is broken down into nine sections for the drink recipes and also includes a few appendices to address basic recipes (basic syrups), garnishes, and glassware/tools. The Drink Sections include: the Classics (prohibition era drinks), the Modern Classics (cocktails born post prohibition) , Martinis, Sours, Highballs, Tropicals, Punches, Sweets and Innovations (did you know there is a cocktail out there that uses avocado as an ingredient?!).

Simply reading the book has proven entertaining, and has brought back memories of playing at tending bar way way way back when! Coincidentally, the book has a recipe for from-scratch eggnog that I may just have to try this holiday season, especially since I generally object to most of the commercially available eggnogs, what with their strange thickeners and liberal use of corn syrup! I've also discovered that I apparently like Bloody Caesars (though I don't object to a simple straight up Bloody Mary).

Fresh!

Phoenix Bess is amazing - she's only 16...and she's a talented designer (apparently, she's been designing since the tender age of 12!) - and she just got her first book out!


It Girl Knits, while perhaps targeted at the younger knitter, has patterns that I think are suitable for a range of individuals. The designs are clean and simple, and many of the projects are suitable for beginners. Broken into different types of days: Sunny Days, Days Off, Play Days, and Nights, the patterns include knitted bottoms, tops, dresses, jackets, accessories (bags, headbands, a cap and a hair wrap) and even a couple bikinis and a pair of felted boots!

Each project is nicely photographed and has clear instructions and schematics. The various tops and bottoms appear figure friendly to different body shapes - though they do tend toward fitted, body skimming styles - and most of the patterns are definitely best for warmer weather months (almost all the tops are sleeveless designs). While I wouldn't be able to carry off all the apparel designs (certainly not the bikinis), there are plenty of options to choose from - I'm amazed at Phoenix's talent, and look forward to casting on a few projects.

If you're on Ravelry, you can pop over and have a look at Phoenix's portfolio to get an idea for her design sense - while patterns from the book don't seem to be listed there yet, I suspect they will make an appearance eventually.

Happy Halloween!

Slipped and Twisted

Round 1 of test knitting was completed just in time for my Eastern Seaboard Tour. I love how the pattern breaks up the little bits of color on this yarn in the small cable section...

The bigger cables aren't half bad either...see?

Wondering what I made? You can see the finished object details here.

The yarn was a pleasure to work with - with regular addi's I had no issue - though with my lace needles I'd occasionally split the yarn. For hand, the yarn is wonderfully soft, and it seems to wear quite nicely - I'm thinking I'll likely add this as a base, I just need to find space in the house to put it...and decide on a name :)

A brief Glimpse

Despite my best intentions, it seems I keep getting derailed from blogging...Life simply is not cooperating ;)

Anyhow, here are some little looks at what I've been up to lately:

more test knitting with the new base - these are Orchid Lace Mitts by Anne Hanson (Knitspot)...I'm knitting the pair at the same time, but on separate needles since I have to shift the stitches around.
Gorgeous fall colors - this was taken in Maine, where peak colors seemed to be had. I was amazed that the leaves hadn't all fallen off the trees yet. Of all the seasons, I miss Autumn the most. It's just wrong to find myself at the end of October, with the house still sealed up and the air conditioning blasting because we are still having 90 degree days.

And this is a shot of the hills in New Hampshire....its fair to say I had a grand East Coast tour, which is one of the reasons I find myself short of time blogging - I'm still digging out from the pile that amassed while I was away! Stay tuned, I've got more photos from out east...and yes, there is one of a Sheep...

Testing, Testing...1...2...3...

While I haven't been doing a ton of dyework, I've been working on some evals...there were 4 skeins total, one of them has already been appropriated for some knitting evals:

see? Sorry for the flashy flashy photo - I kept forgetting to take photos while I had good natural light. I don't know how to explain what I was knitting - other than to say it's basically a pair of short close fitting leg warmers. Anklets - but taller. No feet - fancy tubes with a little bit of shaping to accomodate my shapely calves :)

More interesting perhaps is the fact that it's a true fingering base, about 420 yards per 4 oz sk....it's soft and lovely...and it has some nylon content to make it more robust! I'm still working on the eval...and on the name selection :) stay tuned!

Blanket time?

I'm back from my whirlwind tour of the east coast. I still haven't gotten the photos off the camera yet, and it's safe to say that the day job is a wee bit hectic. I've got some new finished projects (that I even got to wear during my trip!) and I didn't leave Rhinebeck empty handed....

The crisp cool weather back East had me thinking about blankets. And a perfect complement is Kaffe Fasset's new book: Glorious Patchwork

Colorful as always, this book is full of inspiration. While I have yet to sit down and cut fabric for even a sampler (I love quilts, and I can sew, but I have a love hate relationship with the sewing process - especially the cutting of the fabric part). Should I decide to get off the couch and make use of my modest fabric stash, this book is definitely one that I can turn to - the projects seem to vary in difficulty, and the book includes information about the basics of patchwork and also includes templates for the projects included in the book.

The book is broken down into several sections: Soft Pastels, Circus, Leafy Gardens, Antique Stone, and Renaissance - each of the projects are all patchwork designs, with different fabric motifs and styles featured in each section - my favorites seemed to be Antique Stone and Renaissance, though each of the quilts in the other sections would satisfy my love of simple (and sometimes not so simple) geometric designs.

While it may take me a while to get to cutting fabric, a clever crafter could learn to adapt some of the patterns into other mediums - Mitered Squares and Log Cabins both have their backgrounds in quilting, I'm sure. So inspired was I with this book that I immediately cast on for some additional mitered squares to contribute to the very meager pile that I have already created...now if I could just stay focused I'll hopefully have a blanket to show you in the not terribly distant future!

Down the rabbit hole...

things, as you may have surmised by my absence, have been a little crazy - I'm taking a detour down the rabbit hole and popping out at:

Rhinebeck. Hooray! Sheep and Wool! I've only been to one other fiber festival before...and that resulted in the launch of Spritely Goods...I think it is fairly safe to say that I don't foresee any other huge endeavours coming out of this visit - though I did make mention to my husband of bringing home a sheep (too bad I have no place to put the poor thing). I have my camera. Hopefully I won't be so goggle-eyed at the goodies that I forget to take photos!

Forget the Pants...

...All I want is a plain ol button down, long sleeved shirt. You know - similar to the kind that seem to be ubiquitous for men - but cut for a woman, and preferably with a touch of stretch to the fabric. And wrinkle resistant. Is that so much to ask for? Apparently, it is - either that or I simply don't know where to look to find one locally* - honestly - I was more successful at shopping for pants, believe it or not! So...the next time I find myself in this predicament (having to shop for business attire) - any of you have tips? Or should I just make sure to give myself enough time to order online? I see LL Bean has a nice selection of oxfords and strech poplin shirts...

*Places I tried include, but are not limited to: Old Navy, Nordstrom (had some, limited selection - $75 ea!), Gap, JCrew, Macys, Dillards, Eddie Bauer (turns out they have a fantastic online selection, but had nothing to see in the store that I could find), Ann Taylor, and Banana Republic (had some, limited selection).

*sigh* keep those suggestions rolling in. Looks like next time I'll be resorting to ordering online!

All Spun Up.

...in more than one way! Seems I've taken an unforseen hiatus from blogging - I'm here - just all wound up from worldly goings on. Hopefully things (all around) will settle over the next month or so! So, instead of carrying on with boring things, how about some yarn?

mmm. Squooshy. That would be a wonderful closeup of this:

Fresh off the bobbin...it only took me about a month to get it off the bobbin...then another week before I actually stuck it in the sink to set the twist - speaking of which, I better go fish it out and give it a whack before hanging it to dry! I love how curly the yarn is when taken fresh off the bobbin, and how a simple soak and whack will transform it into happily behaved (for the most part) singles. That big pile o yarn is 5.3 ounces, and approximately 400 yards. It's made up of a blend of a bunch of fibers including wool, tencel, bamboo and maybe even a little bit of ingeo (I can't remember) - there's a little sparkly in there too, but not much. When I pulled the fibers together, I was thinking fallen leaves and a different take on autumnal colors.

Speaking of yarn, there is some new yarn in the shop - I had some new Mooi colors arrive, and a whole shipment of 1855 Handspun Merino - if you've never heard of 1855, I recommend checking it out - the yarn is lovely, each skein spun by hand and dyed using natural dyes!

Perfect Timing

Just as I'm getting ready to embark on another cabled sweater, this book arrived for perusing (pre-order now! It's officially released next Tuesday, October 7). I adore cables. Always have - there is something magical and wonderful about their squooshiness and meanderings.

This book starts out with a primer on cables and how to go about making them (instructions complete with clear illustrations, vocabulary, knitting symbols and charts). Because this book also specializes in knots and rings, there is a section about closed-ring cables (a technique I have not yet personally tried - but look forward to doing so!)

Projects in this book are broken up into four sections: Simple Starter Projects (a pillow and a hat), Accents for the Home (a rug, a throw pillow, some blankets and a placemat), Clothing for Women (sweaters/cardis and a skirt), and Gifts for Friends and Family (sweaters, baby blocks and a bag). Overall, there are a nice smattering of patterns, all featuring wonderful cables and knotwork. Each pattern includes a large photo of the finished project, along with several detail photos in addition to clear schematics and charts (along with a chart key so you don't have to flip between the pattern and the front matter of the book!). If you've never knit from a chart before, I think this book does a good job explaining (and illustrating) technique and walking you through the reading of charts.

Believe it or not, the above material only occupies the first 128 of this 191 page book! Starting page 129 is a glorious stitch dictionary - perfect for working into original designs. Broken into several parts (Panels, Closed-Ring Motifs and Horizontal Bands), accompanied by a clear photo and a chart, the stitch dictionary includes 87 glorious cable samples. I look forward to working some of these wonderful cables into my projects!

On Sweaters and Surprises

Well - the greatest plans can often be waylaid...no Steek practice here - I've decided to roll up my sleeves and call things done. Details and more photos over yonder at the finished items blog...call me fickle. I want to get moving on another sweater ;) Either something wonderfully cably and textured...or maybe a simple short sleeved pullover...or perhaps I should just get moving on Venezia again - poor thing is not much further than that lonely post way back in May of 08!

...then again, maybe I should cast on for yet another pair of socks - Anne surprised me today with a preview copy of her Winding Diamonds sock pattern (scroll down past the gorgeous produce to see the socks) - she designed and knit them from Spritely Goods Sylph in the Eaving colorway. I'm looking forward to seeing the pattern finalized, and will be bringing some over to stock in the shop - Thanks, Anne, for such a wonderful surprise :)

Sweaters in the making...

So...the Birthday Bog-along (named such because the Start and End Dates were participants' birthdates) is coming along fine - mine is actually in a state of completion, but I'm currently pondering the project....here it is pre seaming/kitchnering:

Doesn't look much like a sweater, does it? And yes, that is a vcr tape up there - I wish I could tell you it's for reference, but I'm old school and I do not have a DVR, so if I'm going to miss something on TV, I actually run the VCR!!

Anyhow - The sweater is actually in a "done" state - but due to the very very stretchy nature of garter stitch, I might be getting some steek practice in - I need to shorten the sleeves...by a lot. I'm not sure how much, I'm reblocking the sweater right now with the sleeves stretched out to make them a little thinner too - once it's dry, I'll put it on and figure it out.

I have to say, the Bog Jacket has a rather unique construction that does have its own quirks, but now that I've made one, it has my mind going on sweater construction....though I have to admit, my brain has already moved to the next sweater...I'm thinking this - out of some Alpaca-Merino-Silk...Course I could just chicken out and see if I can't find some marled natural colored yarn to knit it in....white is gorgeous, but it's also a magnet for stains!

If you're in the mood for a faster knit, there's a new Twinklebook out...

As always, the projects are all knit with fast knitting bulky weight yarn. Photos, as usual, are stunning - and are found all up front in the book with project descriptions and page references to the pattern material further back in the body of the book. The pattern pages feature a smaller image of the projects sans models inside - it's a real eye opener on the use of negative ease, comparing those photos to the ones in the front of the book with people modeling the garments! Also included with many of the patterns are clear schematics of the garment and tables outlining the shaping for the various sizes, row by row.

While I can't picture myself in many of the garments, there are several keepers in the book. I love the fair-isle inspired (Holyoke) sweater on the cover - along with several of the scarves and other cardigans (I really like the nantucket, sirocco and vineyard potter's cardigans) - and I've plenty of bulky weight yarn to knit them up in! I just need to find some other folks to knit for, since bulky weight wool garments would rarely see the light of day here in the desert...then again, that hasn't stopped me from knitting something before ;)

Autumn is here!

Happy first day of fall! While the days are still over a hundred degrees here, the evenings are finally starting to get cooler :) I can't wait! It looks like that Bog Jacket will be done just in time!

If it weren't for all the pinks in this yarn, it would really remind me of fallen leaves - it's a bunch of Spritely Goods batt remnants and other mixed wool, all blended together at the wheel - I'm looking forward to getting it off the bobbin and measured. It'll probably look totally different on the skein - Stay Tuned :)

Inspirational

I've been a long time fan of Kay and Ann's - so I was pretty happy to hear they had another book coming out. I was even happier when I found out that my friend Kiki provided some inspiration for a project in the book!


Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines follows nicely in the footsteps of Ann and Kay's blog and their first book. In addition to some pretty fantastic patterns they continue their dialogue and commentary in similar style as their blog.

The book is broken into several sections, each with a different focus. The first has to do with decorating oneself - from apparel to accessories, this section is sure to inspire your knitting on one way or another - I've already started eyeballing the inventory of Shibui Silk Cloud with thoughts of knitting up the lovely plaid wrap - or perhaps the light-as-air cardigan (Cardi Cozy).

With my current coat/jacket/cardi fascination (yes, I'm making quite the progress on the Bog Jacket - it just doesn't look like a whole lot other than miles of Garter Stitch...so hang tight, if all goes well, I might be seaming by the end of the weekend!), I find myself drawn to Metropole - a great swingy coat with lovely texture (yay linen stitch!)

Moving onward, the book progresses into another recent fascination - Fair Isle - and of course, Ann and Kay have a special take on it - if I don't manage to make faster progress on Venezia, I may well cast on for one of the wonderful Fair Isle projects in this book to get a taste for Steeking!

The next chapter touches on knits for kids - perfect for toddlers to tweens, there are some patterns that are a fresh take on kids knits - I especially like the Blu Jeans. The book is rounded out with chapters on "Occasional Knitting" and knits for the Kitchen (where we see the wonderful dishcloth stitch pattern from the first book remade into something new...and of course, mitered squares make an appearance also!)

If you're a fan of the Mason Dixon ladies, or you're looking for some fresh ideas for your knitting, I definitely recommend adding this book to your library. Stay tuned. Photos of fresh yarn on the bobbin are coming...and that bog jacket is making some serious progress (i finished that huge cake of yarn btw)

Now that's a Cake!

Thank goodness I have a jumbo ball winder ;) I've cast on and started my endless garter stitch - I forget how slowly garter stitch grows, but at least it's going smoothly :)

I'm not sure that that whole cake will be used, after all, I'm still thinking of adding a couple accent colors for the trim - we'll see as the knitting goes along...and I do have more yarn just in case the cake *isn't* enough!

I'm 4!

Today is my 4 yr bloggiversary :) I can't believe it. My blog is a preschooler.

And to make things even sweeter, the fall Knitty is up...and there's a nice review about Spritely Goods Handblended Batts inside! (scroll to the bottom - we were the 3rd fiber featured)


Speaking of Birthdays, I'm embarking on a Birthday Bog-along - along with Kiki and Illanna, and maybe a few others too. We had too much fun with the mitten along, so we're going nonstop garterstitch for an EZ Bog Jacket (check it on Ravelry!) The yarn is wound and we just cast on. I've gotten all of 4 rows in ;) I foresee some long nights knitting....and look! I even swatched :D

Feverish.

Seriously. Knitting progress - and a fat bobbin to be reported on soon :) just as soon as I get my brain to function properly again after being struck by the first flu of the season!

Turning Right Round...

Look! Knitting Content! I turned the heel on these wonderful socks, designed by Blogless Erika. I love the way the little scales are incorporated right into the gusset. Unfortunately, it looks like I might need to rip back to the heel turn and work out some pattern modifications for myself - I appear to always have this issue (baggy ankle syndrome) with socks with lovely non-ribbed patterning around the ankle. Apparently it has something to do with the shapeliness of my leg - or that's what I'm sticking to ;) I have flat, somewhat wide feet, quite large calves (as was evidenced in with my Kilt Hose) and dainty ankles :P I had hoped that the scale pattern would help draw the sock in more, but it didn't do it enough, and as soon as I got into the lace pattern, I realized that pattern modifications were going to be required.

Ah well. I guess these are in a temporary time out while I try to figure out a solution. Anyone have any suggestions?

Happy Labor Day!

To those in the United States, I hope you all are having a fantastic Labor Day weekend - it actually feels like fall is on the way, even here in the desert :) I'm celebrating by relaxing, cleaning (stay tuned, I'll probably be posting a mess of books to destash at some point - I'm running out of bookshelves!), and swatching for a new sweater...

...and also by following my routine. It's the beginning of the month, you know what that means, don't you?

Spritely Goods is updated :) Not only have a got a bunch of my own yarns updated, I've also become a ShibuiKnits stockist. If you haven't tried it, and you're a lace knitter, I highly recommend the Silk Cloud - it's an absolutely gorgeous yarn. If you're looking for a single skein pattern to give it a try, I recommend the Swirl Scarf.