Yarn & FO's

It's been the start of another fun knitty weekend. It started with the completion of my 1st STR sock club sock on Thursday night.



Blue Moon Socks that Rock Lightweight - Dragon Dance colorway
Pattern: Serendipity by Adrienne Fong
US #1 Needles - 2 circs 24"

I still have one sock to go - but really enjoying the pattern. I like the way the striping worked out for me.

Then, Friday night was the Winter Yarn Tasting at my LYS (http://www.spiritworkknit.com/servlet/StoreFront). Great fun! There was wine, food, yarn to try to your heart's content and lots of new stuff. As usual - I couldn't resist a few things:

Handmaiden Sea Silk - A bit of an indulgence, but I still had some gift certificate left from xmas. I'm planning on making the Tuscany Shawl from No Sheep for You. Apple Laine - Apple Pie sock yarn in two colorways - Godiva and Army Surplus. Amazingly soft - my downfall as usual. Berocco Comfort Sock - to make some dress socks for my husband.



Plus, much to my delight - my yarn love continued when I got home on Friday. My Loopy Ewe Sneak Up package was waiting for me. I got another small sock blocker (why I only ordered one the first time around is beyond me - I do have two feet right?), plus some more YARN:
Shibui Knits Sock in Denim (I think?), Dream in Color Classy in Grassy Green (for a baby sweater) and Numma Numma in Baba Ganoush.



But, the yarn saga doesn't end here. Today - I had the second session of my Learn to Crochet class. Since I finished my neck warmer last week. I picked out a pattern at the yarn tasting and some Blue Sky Organic Cotton in cream and I made a Crochet Beanie (Blue Sky pattern by Kathy Pususta. I made the repeats a bit longer because I wanted it to cover the ears and used a smaller hook (size H rather than J) since it was getting loosy goosy as I was crocheting. I still have a pretty good amount of the Blue Sky left. I think I can crochet a small washcloth. This stuff feels phenomenal. Here's an almost done photo and finished (sorry my lamp is a poor excuse for a head - but I don't like pics of myself). Done in a couple of hours = cool.



I still prefer knitting to crochet - but it is fun to whip off a quick project. Hope you all have a happy knitting weekend as well. Tomorrow it's on to the Bacardi sweater.

Think I had fun the last few days?!/?

**** Caution, please be warned that the following images may cause temporary blindness, severe loss of cash, detrimental credit, yarn lust, images of super knitting powers, etc. etc. Therefore, please do not proceed unless you are prepared to accept the consequences of such actions****

Wow - so much to talk about. I almost don't know where to begin. My HSKS 3 swap package arrived from Stephanie on Friday and Saturday I went to Rhinebeck - Need I say more.... Of course because I wouldn't be my usual rambling self otherwise. ;O)

HSKS 3 - Stephanie sent me a wonderful package. Check-out all the goodies:

It was all so amazing - A bag and tool kit made out of Hogwarts Fabric. The bag even has a Gryffindor pocket inside. Foody goodness - Harry & David chocolate covered pretzels (opened these the day the came), warm delights, and a Starbucks Gift Card! Harry Potter trading cards - which are too cool. Knitting stuff: KA US sz 2 DPNs, Just Socks Pattern Book (great patterns that I can't wait to try), Superwash Merino sock yarn from Etsy in a gryffindor colorway and stitch markers - they have a mini snitch! Thank you so much Stephanie! You did a beautiful job with everything...

Close-ups:

RHINEBECK - OMG - It was amazing. I'm not quite sure what happened to me.... See - I think it was the yarn fumes:

I am so ready to start a bazzillion projects now! I'm in love with all the yarn I brought home, plus I almost want to move to a farm just so I can have some of these (if you knew what a not country, dirt, bugs, farm person I am - even though I grew up in the boonies -- you would know what a true yarn drug induced state I'm in):

They were all so sweet and lovely. I really wanted to come home with an angora bunny ('cause I think they look like an ewok (sp?)) -- but I think my bus mates and husband would have killed me.

Rhinebeck was really quite amazing - not only do they have barns of adorable animals - they have more vendors for hand dyed and spun yarn that have ever seen in my life. It is almost overwhelming because the quality and uniqueness just continues from stall to stall and barn to barn. It was really hard to restrain myself - especially when starting with The Fold (Socks that Rock). That booth was an experience in an of itself. I love their sock yarn and know that I can buy it online - but when a hundred people are all going at it at once and you stand in a line 4 booths long to pay - you feel like you are obligated to get as much as you can before it goes poof! I bought 5 skeins and three patterns?!? Then, we traversed through the Shelridge Farms booth and I got 4 skeins of their Soft Touch Ultra. By this point, I was supposed to be putting the kibosh on my sock purchases, but I couldn't resist two rather unique sock yarns at Autumn House Farm (pics below) - a worsted and twisted ply (the sample is what sold me on it).
They are all wonderful and I have plans for all of it - but it's going to take me forever to get through all the sock yarn I've accumulated. I can't wait!

I tried to be focused by taking my Ravelry queue with me (Thanks to Casey for programming a print feature at the last minute for all the users!). As a result, my other purchases have a specific project to go with them - how I'm going to get them all done is the question!

Mr. Greenjeans from Knitty Fall 2007 to be made from Maple Creek Farm Superwash Merino:

Retro Redux Shrug from Lace Style to be made from Brooks Farm Mas-Acero (Merino/Silk):

Marigold Vest to be made from Decadent Fibers Marshmallow:






Then to top it all off - I also got some worsted wool for a felted bag or 2 and some alpaca for fingerless mitts....



Now- I think I'm going to have to go on a diet..... until I finish something

SP 11 Package!

Holy Cow - a three post day. It has been a bit crazy, but I just couldn't wait to post about the package I received from my Secret Pal 11 swap pal today. She is absolutely fabulous - not just because of the lovely gifts. I've really enjoyed conversing with her via email. That is my favorite part of the swaps. My upstream and downstream pals have been really fun to get to know.

So without much further ado - here is my SP package #1 yummy goodness...

Beautifully packaged - I was so excited that I almost didn't know where to begin.



Book wrapped in fabric - double whammy!


"tool" box - with pull open drawers - how cool is this?!? I've got to find more of these.


The 3 P's = Post-it, Peppermints & Paper-


Last, but not least - Yarnny Goodness - 2 skeins of Trendsetter Segue (ribbon yarn)


She really took the time to pick-out things that are complete me! Wow, I have so many ideas streaming through my mind with all the goodies that she sent. Purse lining or a tool kit with the fabric, and oh so many knitting projects from the Romantic Knits book. I skimmed through it and found numerous projects that I want to try - I'm going to add some to my Ravelry queue tonight. I also saw that one of the patterns calls for ribbon yard (holiday shawl) and they talk about how the yarn came from Buffalo, NY. Which is so cool because that's where my husband's family is from. I may try the gigi scarf with the ribbon yarn, but we'll see - I don't want to pick too quickly. I'm a goof - it is so lovely that i want to pick just the right thing. Peppermints - old fashioned ones to boot - I can't wait to eat them. I'm going to have to hide them before my Dad comes to visit - otherwise I won't get them all to myself.

Thank you very very much secret pal!