Wednesday, November 30, 2011

FO: Saroyan

This one was on the needles for a while, after the initial few leaves being done, I got bored with it and it just sat for a while.


I finally picked it back up and finished it.


I love this yarn. Mostly it comes in solid colors, but there are some of these variegated ones. The subtle variations in the color are beautiful. I have used it in three different colorways and loved every one. Its a little scratchy to knit with, but once washed it softens up.



Pattern: Saroyan
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted
Colorway: M210 Forest Shadows
Cast On: 1/22/11
Cast Off: 11/17/11

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Weekend Update (with goodies) 11-27-11

Did you know its almost December? I just figured that out and realized that this project is one has to get done this year. I dug it out and started working on it again. It was supposed to be a Christmas present in 2007 (and the recipient is well aware of its existence, he's my husband).

I have finished 325 rows and that leaves 172 to go. It doesn't match the pattern for size or gauge because I substituted a different yarn weight and needle size. I don't know if I knew that it would work out OK when I started it, I was only knitting for a few months back then. Right now it is 41" long and once finished should be about 62" which I think is a good scarf length.


I was very naughty recently and blew about $150 on roving and accessories ($98 of that was to Blue Moon so I could use my Rockin' Sock Knitters discount for the year). Now I understand how my sock yarn stash exploded. Apparently when I learn how to do something I start hoarding supplies. I learned how to spin and all of a sudden I order 4 rovings when I have seven in my stash ...

No, I am not loaded with money, I'm stupid. I pretty much have broken even at this point because I did several hours of OT at work that amounts to what I spent.

First was a 1 yard niddy noddy. The one that I have from Knit Picks is about 40 something inches - I wanted one that was exactly a yard for my handspun so I could easily figure out the yardage (even though I have a yardage counter - I haven't actually used it yet though). theknitstore had a niddy noddy and spindle for $9.95!! My order was received super fast and both items are well constructed and finished (I can't think of a better word than finished, what I mean is that the wood is not finished with any lacquer, but there are no rough spots on anything).


Now on to the roving. This is from Chimera Fibers in the colorway Spooky. How can someone who's favorite holiday is Halloween resist?????


Then this amazingly beautiful batt that was reduced in price because it was a little roughed up from being toted around to shows. Looks fine to me! Its from KnittyAndColor and its made up of BFL,Tencel, Angelina, Firestar.


I've been spinning a lot this week. I decided to jump into one of the rovings in my stash so that I had an entire 4 oz. to work with. I am loving the color changes on this bright and funky roving.


At JoAnn's the other day I was thinking of getting a basket to store the roving that I am currently spinning. Then I was thinking to myself, really, how many baskets do you have kicking around, just use one of those. Until I saw this one and its mate. The perfect shade of purple, completely open on top so easy to access the roving and did I mention they are purple??


I've also been spinning on my trindle. I don't think I posted about it since I got it. Its a lovely spindle, very cool looking and it works wonderfully.


And lastly for crafting I got my Christmas card design down and will be using mostly stash stuff to make them! I may have to go out and get more black paper, but that's less than a dollar I think.


I love this little cat a lot, but sometimes I want to squeeze her little neck until her head pops off. She is the sweetest, cutest little thing, but she's also a monster. Let me give an example: I am not a moron, if a cat is busy I do not pick up said cat and try to snuggle. However, if a cat is doing the snuggle and love me dance around my feet, I assume said cat wants to snuggle.


If you do not want me to pick you up and give you a smooch, a simple "I don't like this meow" would suffice. 1) I do not need to be screeched at and walloped in the head for your point to get across. 2) You know from past experience I always put a wiggly, wants to get down cat down immediately, and 3) Don't do the snuggle and love me dance again 2 seconds after you whacked me in the head!!!

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Sometimes things never change ...

I was looking back through old blog posts ... very old blog posts from 2007 and I found this on a to do list:

"I have approximately 20 skeins of sock yarn in my stash give or take a few ... I should probably make socks out of those before buying any more, but I am such a sucker for sock yarn!

Finish afghan started in Sept. 2006."

Really?!?! 20 skeins of sock yarn and I thought that was a big stash?? And that perhaps I should knit some of it before buying more?!?! This is a photo from my old blog ... and I still have EVERY SINGLE skein in my stash today!!



And yup ... that afghan is still unfinished ...

Friday, November 25, 2011

November TUSAL



Here's my November 25th TUSAL update in front of a frosty window.

Friday Feature Film

How to Knit with your Fingers

Thursday, November 24, 2011

War of WIPs Call to Arms #19



Want to join the war?? Check out the 2011 War of WIPs page.

In addition to finishing WIPs, there will be optional side quests to organize your knitting life! Check out the War of WIPs page for more information!



Saroyan still needs to be blocked. I went out and got more T-Pins yesterday, I don't think I had enough for all the leaves.


I haven't worked on anything else on the list since last week.

Next Battles on the Horizon:

Bat Shawl Vanquished 8/27/11
Celeano Shawl Vanquished 10/16/11
Niantic Rose Shawl 12/31/11
Ribband 12/31/11
Coriolis Socks Vanquished 9/8/11
Nugatory Socks Vanquished 10/28/11
Derek's Scarf 11/30/11
Reversible Cable Scarf 11/30/11
Saroyan 11/30/11 Vanquished 11/15/11


Optional Side Quest

Catalog your Stash
Nov 16th - Nov 30th
Do you really know what you have in your stash? Here's an opportunity to get it down on a list. If you are a member of Ravelry, consider listing your stash but omitting the photos, there's also a list view option. Do you know some things that are destined for something in your queue? Put that projects under the notes!



Want to join the war?

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Men Knit

A co-worker asked me to show him how to knit. He wanted to knit his daughter a throw ... for her birthday in February ... I laughed. I said I couldn't finish a blanket by then, however, I would gladly teach him to knit.

So I got cheapo needles and yarn and off we went.


He actually did quite well. He was even long-tail casting on ... I told him that was for learning later, but he was determined. He learned the knit stitch. Later we'll do purl, and casting off.

Stay tuned!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Spinning Success!

I think I was actually afraid to use my new wheel. I spent hundreds of hard earned dollars on it, I spent hours putting it together and then ... it just sat for a few days.

I learned to spin on the spindle last year. I have some experience spinning and drafting. Mainly I was still trying to decide which roving in my stash to use, I know when I first started spindling, it wasn't pretty.

I bit the bullet and just did it ... and its coming out beautifully!!


The single is fairly even and well spun.

This is the first roving that I tried my hand at dyeing ... it was a little messy. So what better roving to make a mess out of spinning?? I've used up some of it already on a spindle that I made. So this is my best practice roving so far, LOL!! Its gotten a lot of use.


I am so enjoying my spinning wheel!!! Too bad I have to go to bed now so I get up on time for work :o(

Don't forget to check out my post on Surmount the Stash 2012!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Weekend Update (with stash) 11-20-11

I finished cataloging my stash! Some things are missing, I did not include left overs or weird odd ball stuff (maybe 10 skeins), or Red Heart and Lion Brand Homespun (those maybe total another 10 skeins). I also did not include crochet thread or roving.

I came up with 514 skeins and 117,866 yds total. That's actually 282 entries ... doesn't sound so bad now does it?

Now let's see if I can maintain this list. Since I made such an effort to catalog it, I hope I keep it up and remember to edit the list as necessary.

Here are some interesting stats:

178 Fingering Weight (128 entries)
23 Light Fingering (18 entries)

Total of 201 skeins of sock yarn - In the past I would give up counting at 100 .. but I really only thought there were maybe 120 ... 130.

27 Lace (19 entries)

8 Sweater quantities

My view of my stash was seriously flawed. I thought I had enough yarn for 4 sweaters and maybe 6 lace shawls. Wow - this is an eye opener.

Currently I am trying to pay down debt. I am not seriously in debt, I can pay my bills comfortably, but credit cards ... I don't even know what I bought years ago that I am still paying for. I hope I enjoyed it! This money could be much better well spent paying down debt, rather than adding to my collection of yarn. Last time I checked credit card companies do not take skeins or hand knit socks as payment.

Last night when I went to bed I found this on top of the dresser. Mr. Bear has been around for a long time. My husband (then boyfriend) got him for me when I was in the hospital many years ago, so he is special and is in our bedroom. Willow found a nice place to nap. We have three cats, there is a blanket on the dresser to prevent scratches, it makes for a nice cat bed too.


Now I am trying to decide which roving I want to ruin practicing on my new wheel.


1. Freckle Face Fibers BFL in Jacaranda
2. knittyandcolor BFL in Topsy Turvy
3. Knit Picks Stroll Roving (Merino/Nylon)dyed by me
4. Knit Picks Stroll Roving (Merino/Nylon)dyed by me (some spun on spindle)
5. Frabjous Fibers Merino Top in Green with Envy
6. Birch Hill Spinners BFL in ... they forgot to write the colorway
7. I think another Frabjous Fibers in Stained Glass Window, not much left, practice for spindle
8. Fiber Fancy Merino in The Fair
9. Knit Picks Stroll Roving (Merino/Nylon)dyed by me

I'm thinking one of the rovings I dyed ... cuz I don't care if I make crappy yarn with it. But I have learned and experts agree, that BFL is easier for beginning spinners ... thoughts?




Check out the 2012 Surmount the Stash A-Long post and please leave your comments and opinions on the questions I posted!!!

Surmounting the Stash

Friday evening I continued with my quest to catalog my stash. I think I'm about half way through. I have cataloged 212 listings. I am up to 351 skeins. 207 of those are sock yarn and 29 are lace. A handful of those sock yarns are doubled because they are 2 50g skeins. For lace 19 of those are actual colors. Wow, I am kind of scared to find out what the actual count is when I am done.

So far I'm up to 94,006 yards ... and some are missing because I couldn't find them in Ravelry.

This does not include my hand dyed 14 skeins of sock yarn and 3 440 yd skeins of lace weight.

Now its down to the craft room closet and finally down to the plastic totes in the basement. Then my entire stash will be cataloged!

I find it very interesting that I have several skeins of yarn that I purchased more than one of ... without ever knitting the first one I bought. How do I know I even like this yarn? What was I thinking? That they may get lonely without their own kind?



I haven't quite finalized all of the details for this, but in 2012 I will be hosting a Surmount the Stash A-Long here. At this time I would like to know if you are interested in participating and what you think of the following:

1. Frequency of posts: Weekly, Bi-Weekly or Monthly?
Participating will involve posting on your blog a running count down and up of how many skeins of stash you have used (given away, sold, etc) and how many you have added. You can start with a total count, but if you don't want to catalog your stash, then don't.

Clearly as you can see I am not banning myself from yarn purchases ... that just won't happen. I am hoping though that if I am fixated on this being a regular posting, then I will be more likely to turn to my stash to knit from so that I have blog content. My hope is to get my stash down to a manageable size and stick with that size in the future.

2. Categories: Strictly Yarn or Including other Crafts?
Would you be more likely to participate if this was strictly yarn related or if this included fabric, crosstitch and any other crafts?

3. Prizes?
What would a prize be? We're trying to control our stash aren't we, do you want more? How about a "badge" or "award" that you could post to your blog and be the winner of the week or month?

Maybe patterns, books or knitting accessories - something to help use up stash? This would be more difficult to control if several different crafts are involved. Thoughts or suggestions?

4. Ongoing Stash Exchange?
I can create a page on this blog and post photos and info on yarn (other items if several crafts are involved) you would like to trade or give away. Interested parties can contact me and I'll forward along (this way your email, etc. are not posted). Thoughts?

5. Splitting the A-Long into Quarters?
This would allow for sign ups throughout the year. Having deadlines to complete projects? Maybe have different themes, knitting certain things at different times of year?

Let me know what you think. Either way I will be Surmounting the Stash in 2012, but I think it would be more fun if I had a party along for the ride!

Friday, November 18, 2011

Friday Feature Film



How to spin beads into yarn.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

I got my Spinning Wheel!!

I am in love with my new little wheel. Its an Ashford Traveller.

I ordered it after taking a class on Spinning on a Wheel the other weekend. I just knew it would come in this Tuesday when I was traveling for work and wouldn't be able to get it! It most certainly did. So Wednesday I snuck out of work picked it up on my lunch break.


It was packaged wonderfully. Carefully wrapped and stored in the box in such a way as to prevent any damage. I should have taken a photo when I opened it, but I was just too excited!


Three hours on day one, I had it almost finished, but it was midnight and I had to get to bed.

The box contained every single piece required for assembly as well as very good instructions. One thing I had trouble with is that some of the screws had really large cut outs, that were also very shallow and it was difficult to screw in without stripping the head, it took a lot of extra time to get some of the screws in.

The only other thing I wasn't pleased with is that you have to put a pin in the back of the wheel that goes through a hole in the shaft that goes through the center. In order to do this, you have to whack it with a hammer (as per the instructions). Well its such a cramped space and I whacked the wheel and put a dent in it. I initially tried with the rubber mallet, knowing damage was inevitable, and all I succeeded in was putting divots in my mallet. So I was forced to use a metal hammer.


About an hour and a half on the second day, and it is successfully assembled ... and works!

I have several rovings because I spin on a spindle, but I saw this one when I went to pick up my wheel. The owner of the yarn shop gave it to me free with my purchase of a wheel, she had some in some solid colors set aside for me to choose from, but asked if I would rather have this one since I was planning on purchasing it anyway. So free roving too!!


Initially I wasn't too keen on putting it together myself. I was thinking there are too many spots I could mess up and strip out a pre-drilled hole or do something completely unrecoverable. In the end, I am glad I put it together myself, it gave me a fundamental understanding of how the wheel functions and what parts do what and how they work together. I think I appreciate it more and feel more comfortable with it having put it together myself.

War of WIPs Call to Arms #18



Want to join the war?? Check out the 2011 War of WIPs page.

In addition to finishing WIPs, there will be optional side quests to organize your knitting life! Check out the War of WIPs page for more information!



Saroyan is done! Just needs to be blocked.



Next Battles on the Horizon:

Bat Shawl Vanquished 8/27/11
Celeano Shawl Vanquished 10/16/11
Niantic Rose Shawl 12/31/11
Ribband 12/31/11
Coriolis Socks Vanquished 9/8/11
Nugatory Socks Vanquished 10/28/11
Derek's Scarf 11/30/11
Reversible Cable Scarf 11/30/11
Saroyan 11/30/11 Vanquished 11/15/11


Optional Side Quest

Catalog your Stash
Nov 16th - Nov 30th
Do you really know what you have in your stash? Here's an opportunity to get it down on a list. If you are a member of Ravelry, consider listing your stash but omitting the photos, there's also a list view option. Do you know some things that are destined for something in your queue? Put that projects under the notes!




Want to join the War?

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Work Trip = Knitting!

Today I had to travel 2 1/2 hours each way for a work trip with a coworker. A coworker who drove! In the past I've gotten car sick knitting (or doing anything for that matter), I usually drive myself because I prefer to be in control of the motion of the car. I was determined to use a portion of these 5 hours productively to knit.

I brought the Morderne Baby Blanket because its garter stitch, no fancy pattern to read and the yarn is worsted. I really don't have to look at it while I am knitting, so I was still able to watch the road ahead which prevents any motion sickness for me.

I am so happy I was able to complete the third block (tan). When I got home (even though that was 13 hours since I left in the morning) I picked up stitches and started the next block!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Stop the Insanity


"Stop the Insanity!!" - who was it on tv that always said that?

While I was cleaning out my craft room closet I came to the realization that I really need to stop buying craft stuff and start using up some of what I have. I'm lucky I don't live alone ... I might go missing one day and be found under a pile of yarn.

I think one of the biggest problems with having such a large stash is that its easier to go out an buy something for a project rather that go through the stash to find something suitable. Obviously if one doesn't have the correct weight, well then, you must make a purchase. But just because you forgot you even had something is no excuse to get more.

Here's my plan of attack for this problem: go through my entire stash, catalog it on Ravelry. Not with photos, because then I'll never complete this, but just listing the yarn types and quantities (maybe where they reside in the house) so that I have a list and can look it up easily if I am looking at a pattern.

Off the top of my head for example, I know I have 8 sweater quantities of yarn around here and over 100 skeins of sock yarn and 20 skeins of laceweight for shawls. And I'm still buying yarn ... really!?!?!

I think I am just really getting sick of the overwhelming abundance of choices everywhere. I went grocery shopping yesterday ... 40 different types of laundry detergent. I don't really care as long as it cleans my clothes, but then you have to sort through and find a good price (if you are me and don't care what brand). Typically I spend a lot more money when I shop by myself and I think I figured out why. When we walked down the detergent isle I went to grab the brand we usually get at Wal-Mart as the cheapest, hubby said, whoa that's $7.99 and I said, huh? He said look, this one is $4.99. Then I looked down the isle and saw the rows upon rows of different brands and versions within those brands and prices. UUgghhh! Too much!


My knitting is getting that way. Too many new and exciting patterns, too many books, too much stash (no you can't have any, I'm not trying to give it away here). Its just too much.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate choices and variety, but sometimes its just information overload.

With what was already on Ravelry and about 1/8 of my stash in my room I'm up to 169 skeins. I'm systematically going through the room in small intervals so I don't get burn out and give up on the project. I'm not going to post photos of everything, then the list would never be completed. But this way at least I have a listing of yarn weights, approximate colors, yardage, etc all in one spot.

I'm making good baby steps in getting organized. This weekend I went grocery shopping and got things I would run out of this week. I made three meals that have left overs for lunch and dinner during the week. I also packed my lunch up and its waiting in the fridge for tomorrow morning :o)

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Weekend Organization

Did I ever mention I was tired of being a disorganized idiot? Pretty sure I have. I like to dabble in several crafts: knitting, spinning, scrap booking, rubber stamping, beading, crosstitch ... there's probably more. At this point I'm only knitting and spinning because those are the things I can get to in my craft room.

Welcome to the closet. Scary, huh? Yeah that stuff is being held in there ... barely. And yes, I've had things fall on me before.


Today I was determined to clean it up once and for all. I've tried unsuccessfully several times in the past. One of the main reasons I am determined to do this is so that I can use the closet more and get stuff that is not constantly in use off the floor and other surfaces of the room ... lets take a little tour around the room, shall we?


Under my crafting desk ... would you like to sit here? I don't. Currently I don't use it, I just pile more stuff on it.


This is next to my computer desk. My swift and ball winder and niddy noddy reside here. They are not used all the time and really don't need to be out. Oh and this is the yarn that I can't find homes for and a scarf project in that tote bag.


Here's the chair in the other corner ... somewhere under there. Now up to this point you may be thinking, two desks and a chair, must be a big room. Nope, its 9x9 feet. I've just utilized every inch of wall space available.

I'd like to take a moment to mention that I'm lucky that the rest of my house does not look like this. You see, we live with three cats. Cats who like to destroy things that are not theirs. One in particular who loves to tear up yarn, sniffs it out actually. So there is NEVER, EVER yarn (or any other crafting item or anything I don't want chewed) in any other room than this one.


Buried under all that mess is a bookcase. The original idea was for shelves to separate different crafting items and have everything organized ... HA!


This is typically where I get to in the closet when I lose momentum to continue trying to clean it and I turn around and see the room ...


and then I throw everything back in the closet and say the heck with it.

Not this time. I took a short break and gave myself a pep talk and another 45 minutes to 1 hr later I had this:


Still, the closet is small, but I organized all like items together. For the most part they were together, except for recently used items or recent purchases which where on a shelf or on top of something. I threw out some trash. Moved some stuff that could be stored in the basement down there (yarn dyes) and made sure to put everything I use more frequently within easy reach of the door.

Another reason I wanted to do this was I was starting to worry things were going to get ruined. I was mostly concerned about my spindles getting broken if I threw something on top of them accidentally. Another reason was that I ordered a spinning wheel and was thinking, where the heck am I going to put this?!?! Don't forget the mention above ... can't go in another room in the house if I don't want three furry felines to think its their new scratching post.

Oh did I mention thinking things might get ruined or broken?


My poor aloe plant took a tumble when I was pulling some stuff out of the closet. Luckily it was in a plastic pot inside the ceramic one, so its fine. I did like that pot though.

There were a lot of magazines in the closet too. I pulled them all out and will go through them periodically and recycle some that I know I will never use the patterns in. They weigh a ton and take up so much room. How do you handle your magazines?

Thursday, November 10, 2011

War of WIPs Call to Arms #17



Want to join the war?? Check out the 2011 War of WIPs page.

In addition to finishing WIPs, there will be optional side quests to organize your knitting life! Check out the War of WIPs page for more information!



Saroyan has seen a little more love and I am on the decrease section now! Only 6 leaves to go to be finished and the stitch count is less each repeat!!


Next Battles on the Horizon:

I've revised my list a little bit. It was starting to become obvious that there was no way I was going to complete everything. What is left on it I think are feasible to complete by the end of the year.

Bat Shawl Vanquished 8/27/11
Celeano Shawl Vanquished 10/16/11
Niantic Rose Shawl 12/31/11
Ribband 12/31/11
Coriolis Socks Vanquished 9/8/11
Nugatory Socks Vanquished 10/28/11
Derek's Scarf 11/30/11
Reversible Cable Scarf 11/30/11
Saroyan 11/30/11


Optional Side Quest

Reacquaint with your Stash
November 1st - November 15th
Have you been through your stash lately? Is there anything you want to sell or give away? Is there anything you may find that's perfect for something in your queue?




Want to join the War?

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Spinning on a Wheel

Today I took a class on Spinning on a Spinning Wheel. OMG what fun!!! It was from 10:00 to 3:30pm and when I signed up I thought, 5 1/2 hours, no way. It was all of a sudden 3pm and I didn't even feel like an hour had gone by!

Let my preface this by explaining that I have spun on a drop spindle, and am getting quite good at it.


So I have experience spinning and drafting.

But I usually spin, processed, prepared roving. Today we spun in the grease. Which I admire and enjoyed the experience, but will never, EVER do again.


For those of you that don't know, spinning in the grease means right off the sheep, dirty and full of lanolin.

We started with carding, which I had done before in the drop spindling class. With previous experience that went quite well.

Then we began spinning on the wheel. It was much the same as beginning spindling, messy, thick and thin yarn, breaking the yarn, tangling mess. We were learning on the Louet S10.


A nice wheel, but I wasn't keen on the solid wheel structure or the single treadle. My back began to ache. I have back problems anyway, so I was starting to think maybe getting a spinning wheel wasn't such a good idea.

Later we got to try various wheels. I chose the Ashford Traveller to try. Its such a pretty thing.


Double treadle, oh wow!! Solved the aching back. Spinning just became so much easier.

Then I tried the Lady Bug.


Also a very nice wheel.

Now I was torn. I thought the Traveller was the one. However, after much deliberation, I think the Traveller is the one. Its much more quaint and lovely than the Lady Bug. They both work wonderfully, but aesthetically the Traveller is much more pleasing to my eye.


During class I thought, oh what a lovely caramel colored fleece (see raw fleece above). After washing I found that, nope, its white ... again did I mention dirty and right off the sheep!?!?!


I thought the woman teaching the class looked familiar then I figured it out, I had been to her farm before!

So I am pretty sure tomorrow I will be going back to the yarn shop to pick up an Ashford Traveller!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

War of WIPs Call to Arms #16



Want to join the war?? Check out the 2011 War of WIPs page.

In addition to finishing WIPs, there will be optional side quests to organize your knitting life! Check out the War of WIPs page for more information!



Saroyan saw a lot of work this week after we had an early snow storm that felled a lot of trees causing massive power outages ... including my work.



Next Battles on the Horizon:

Bat Shawl Vanquished 8/27/11
Celeano Shawl Vanquished 10/16/11
Niantic Rose Shawl 11/30/11
Ribband 11/15/11
Coriolis Socks Vanquished 9/8/11
Nugatory Socks Vanquished 10/28/11
February Lady Sweater
Derek's Scarf 11/30/11
Reversible Cable Scarf 11/30/11
Saroyan 12/15/11
Icarus Shawl
Stenciling storage boxes
Hummingbird Cross Stitch

Optional Side Quest

Reacquaint with your Stash
November 1st - November 15th
Have you been through your stash lately? Is there anything you want to sell or give away? Is there anything you may find that's perfect for something in your queue?




Want to join the War?