flashing my stash
2008 @ 6:06 pm
It’s not all that interesting, but I reorganized my stash to make room for Cassie…
I moved everything from a big suitcase, that I had to haul out of a corner everytime I wanted to fondle my yarn, to this “closet” that used to hold Maia’s clothes. Maia’s clothes now hang in my closet since I don’t really own much that needs ot be hung up these days. Neither does she!
It’s organized by weight, in case you are curious. And the photo doesn’t really do it justice. You can’t see 4 of the shelves and the depth is hard to capture. We’re talking 3 to 4 skeins deep in most cases. I will be knitting through this for a long, long time…
completely over my stash
2008 @ 9:24 pm
I’m so over my stash… and it’s pretty big. The fact of the matter is that I don’t really have yarn suited to what I’m interested in knitting. What I want to be knitting, for the most part, is kid stuff. Little girl stuff, to be more specific. Sure, I’ve got a couple of sweaters in the queue, but I want to get going on new baby stuff, knitting those toddler knee socks I keep dreaming about, and little itty bitty hats. Instant grat and all that, right?
My stash currently consists of several skeins of laceweight, a crapload of cotton ease, and plenty of alpaca that I just can’t bear to knit with, although I do love the way it feels. Yes, there’s lots more, but not a lot of fingering and sport weights. Enter Wool Works. Sorry i didn’t tell you sooner, but I’m sure you understand. My sister, MJ, Jennifer and her daughter trekked up to Pelham (we are here in Brooklyn), NY to get to this shop’s going out of biz sale on the very first day. Hard. Core. Everything 25% off or more 
YAY!
Here’s the haul for you viewing pleasure…
Yes, that IS a lot of Koigu. Single skeins will be used for the aforementioned kid socks, while the others will be used for socks for Mr. S and myself. Someday. The rest will go to new baby knits, yay!
APB–Kidsilk Haze
2007 @ 9:35 am
I am down to my last puff of Kidsilk Haze for the vestee. ACK! Why did I think I could make it all the way through? I lost the ball band eons ago so my best guess is that I am using colorway 600.
I’ve contacted someone on Ravelry who has half a skein… cross your fingers for me por favor.
R.I.P. Pink Pinwheel
2007 @ 1:25 pm
Pinwheel, Pinwheel spinning around… it is done. I knew all along I wanted to do it–thank you for the support! My one dissenter was my sister-in-law… a casual knitter who told me I was crazy. I think she might be right. I ripped this morning and it wasn’t nearly as satisfying as I thought it would be. Actually, it made me sort of nauseous to watch the blankie writhing around as I rewound the wool. This final photo of the blanket says it all. It looks fabulous, doesn’t it? 36″ across.
even the ruffle is nice. *sigh*
Back to square one. I better cast on for the log cabin quick, before mourning and regret set in.
what KAL?
2007 @ 8:56 am
I’ve just barely blogged about joining the no stash enhancements in 2007 KAL and I broke down. Guess that’s my get out of jail free out the window. I just had to make something for MJ and nothing in my stash was suitable to the pattern… a sweet little old fashioned ice skating bonnet. So, i had to do it, see, it has a strap under the chin and little Miss MJ has figured out how to take off her own hat just as the cold has settled in!
I picked out some Noro Silk Mountain with GGH Lara trim. It’s more nubbly than my taste normally, but the colors are glorious.
I’ve also been cranking out Swish baby leg warmers.
At least I’m still knitting, even if i haven’t been posting
would it freak you out to receive this in the mail?
2006 @ 9:09 pm
I admit, i was scared to open this. I didn’t remember ordering anything particularly “medical”. This proves, yet again, that I watch far too much Law & Order. I immediately assumed that a drug company was attempting to get me hooked on something or another. Really though? It was something wonderful I won off Ebay
Miles and miles of bias tape, twill tape and hem facing! Plus, a bonus:
While I was taking photos, I thought I would share the stash enhancements. I don’t know how it happened, but I am drowning in new yarn over here.
A long coveted skein of Blue Heron yarn is now MINE!
and Sandra’s Spider gift is some loverly Yarn Pirate sock yarn… you can’t tell, but it’s shimmering with sheen.
Last, but not least, a bunch of Swish and some sock Solids from KnitPicks for production of Highwater Helpers (baby leg warmers) for commercial resale. The pattern (in size 6-9 mos) is available for free.
so far, so good…
2006 @ 5:25 pm
I’m knitting and blogging about it. Score 1 me… oh wait, score 2–i also got over the i-cord hump. I had never technically tried making i-cord before, assuming that it would be as tedious as most other finishing used to seem to me. I am definitely getting better with completing things. Just don’t try to tell that to the enormous pile of WIPs in my living room. I have photographic evidence…
Here are a few baby hats in various stages of completion.
All the way to the right is MJ’s winter hat. It’s a plain roll brim hat made from Artful Yarns Serenade (cotton angora). My mom has requested a duplicate so more yarn is on the way! At this time, the hat makes MJ’s little head sweaty, so we’re waiting till it’s really cold to make it her daily hat. She is currently sporting something more like the middle hat in red, which gives her the irresistible appearance of a garden gnome. This is the Pixie Hat by Erika Knight from Knitting for Two. Note I-cord. I highly recommend this book–or another baby book by Erika Knight if you aren’t into the time pressures involved in knitting yourself maternity wear (sheesh!). I prefer her over Miss Bliss, although they are similar. The last little hat on the left is the Vintage Bonnet from the same book. You may recall that I was making one of these sweet things in pink angora for a co worker. Well, angora is NOT what you want to put on a baby. See what a little experience can teach you? Yes, I heard all the people who told me, I just didn’t listen. A remarkable skill I possess.
These are the WIPs. I hope you feel better about yourself. In my defense, the large basket showcasing my Denise needle set are projects for Handmade Brooklyn, the craft market that I’m running at my hub’s restaurant this fall/winter. If you are in NYC and would like to be a vendor, please visit the Red Bamboo Brooklyn blog for details! I’m really excited to get it going. I’ll be out there every weekend manning a table made up of my own knits and things made by friends. Nothing fancy from me… just large gauge scarves non-knitters go nuts for!
And last in the knitting category: proof that I am working on the Breton Jacket (IW Fall 06).
And now for the sewing. I should have taken a picture of my completed PJ pants, but they are in a ball under my covers. Instead, here’s what I’m working on now–a Boppy cover! While there are some free patterns available, I wanted to make a cover that included the gusset piece that older Boppies don’t have. It makes it a lot easier to fit the cover over the oddly shaped pillow and just looks better. So, I set about making my own pattern with help from my sewing instructor over at Brooklyn General. And then I dove into the fabric stash–comprised of fabric from my mom and gleek. How kick ass is this cotton???
I used some pattern paper to trace my own Boppy and I’m about to start cutting. This shot includes the tracing paper–it’s got 1″ dots to help you along.
And since someone is bound to ask… here’s the fabric info in all it’s super-seventies-sassiness:
PHEW, that post felt good. It’s so nice to sit down and do a whole post at ONCE. To what do I owe this? MJ is with Daddy at work. AHHHHH. What I didn’t get into in this post is that my embriodery supplies (for my Quantum Futura) have arrived. Now all I need is a PC… so close, yet so far from custom embroidered… um, everything!
Before I go, a little administrative biz. If you are compelled to use the words penis, mortgage, homeowner or poker in your comment, think twice. You will be banished from the Kingdom of Sass!
new yarn, new job, new entry
2006 @ 8:39 am
I finally have some content! Truth is, i have a lot, but no time to get it up here. I’ve started a couple of new projects with some fab new yarn. And, I’ve started a job.
First, the knitting:
A trip to School Products resulted in a large purchase… a HUGE cone of heavy worsted cashmere!
It’s a lovely chocolate brown. At first I thought it would become the long coveted Rouge Hoodie, but it just wasn’t quite right. I went through all of my pattern books and magazines and finally hit the jackpot with the Fall o6 Interweave Knits. I’ve a got a few inches of ribbing done on the Breton Jacket, shown below.
It’s a great sweater to wear to my new job at the Brooklyn General Store! I’ll be adding an inch to the ribbing since I like a longer cardigan.
Bet you’re wondering what that other yarn in the photo is–it’s some awesome sock yarn that Gleek picked up for me at Rhinebeck. I had requested something warm and earthy to make MJ some mittens. These two colors are perfect! I double stranded them for added thickness and it’s making a nice mottled peachytan color. The shown mitten is a teeny bit small. I was winging it while MJ was asleep so it was sort of expected. I’ll post the pattern when I get it right!
TTFN… see you at the store
just like heaven…
2006 @ 3:56 pm
My back and my hands are absolutely killing me, but I can’t stop knitting this up! It’s the wool I dyed at Marie’s party. Merino worsted from haindpaintedyarn.com. Dude, they have been out of worsted FOREVER. I guess it’s because this yarn is amazing.
I am completely addicted to it. You may recall (and I would give you mucho cred if you actually do) that my plan was to knit a Pinwheel Blanket with some sort of fancy edging to be determined. I am not really following the pattern at all as it turns out–conceptually at best, I guess. I had decided to make this a “labor” project since its just a lot of stockinette and I had a feeling that the yarn would be all buttery and easy to work with. Since starting the project (last night) I’ve started to rethink the labor part… I’m so pleased with how it’s turning out that I think I want to take the baby home from the hospital in it. I just don’t see myself finishing off some complicated lace edging in the hospital!
I also finally finished the doomed second angora pink bootee Pics of the bonnet and bootee set to come! I am internetless at home so please bear with me.
to a better future
2006 @ 7:49 am
My aunt and cousin came for a visit this weekend and it turns out most of the family has been knitting! I decided it would be a good time to go through the stash and gift out the yarns that I’m pretty sure I’ll never get around to using. The stash was getting out of hand–I mean, I’ve done a really good job at using us my 2006 Rhinebeck purchases, but I still have to knit up ALL of my MSW 2005 stuff! The yarn will be happy in its new home There are even some dude colors in there, which I hope will work out for my cousin Eric. Even he’s got the bug!
Anyway, say farewell…
