Yarn Diets Suck

I am on a yarn diet. It started on November 12th and i have not bought yarn since then. Yay Me! For those of you who know me, this is impressive, i have issues with resisting impulse purchases. Thanks to Jenny and Nicole, my new favourite people. I have been listening to the podcast Stash and Burn. it is one of the most excellent things ever. I know i am a little late to the party, but everyone who hasnt already seen it should check it out. Yarn and patterns and silliness abound. Plus Jenny says Yaaaay like i do. And she is recorded and broadcast around the world.

Back to the yarn diet. The rules of the yarn diet are as such:

I am not allowed to buy yarn for myself until... we are not sure when. The goal, I hope, is my summer vacation, aka a 2-week yarn binge. However if i actually run out of viable project yarn, meaning there is enough for a sweater or reasonably sized project, I can buy yarn. Two more exceptions, all yarn that i special ordered before the start of the project don't count as cheating, including my new yarn club that i signed up for 3 weeks before the yarn diet start. And yarn purchased for other people does not count. This is yarn that is bought as a gift in yarn form, not yarn to knit a gift. Which turns out might be a problem. Hopefully, it will resolve itself around Christmas, but i have found that i am buying others yarn that i lust after. My best friend is getting Lavender Malabrigo for Christmas, and my mom is getting 2 skeins of Arucan Ranco Multi. So there are the Yarn Diet Rules. At least the ones i have thought of. Thank you for listening, i needed to state them somewhere publicly.

Happy december again! By the way the lack of pics is due to the Christmas Knitting. If all else fails, blame Christmas.

Birthday Yarn and Alpaca Fest!

My birthday was last weekend and it was a good time. No sprained ankles, crashed cars, I didn't get stood up, and my wallet was still with me at the end of the weekend!I got tickets to the blue man group from my parents and i am really looking forward to it. The show is later this week. This week is going to be hell at work so the show will be a nice perk at the end of my week. I also got yarn. Lots of yarn. My uncle bought me 4 skeins of Donegal Tweed and my brother bought me 4 more plus the Debbie Bliss Rialto book. I am debating now about which pattern to make, I think i have settled on Demi from Rowan Vintage Knits but we shall have to see what I actually cast on when i can start working on me-projects again.

The biggest event to hit Columbus came in this weekend. Alpaca Fest 2008! And yes it was as awesome as it sounds. The biggest disappointment was that I forgot my camera. I really wanted a picture of me + an alpaca, but not this time. Ill just have to go next year. There wasn't as much fiber as I had hoped for, but there were 2 buildings worth of alpacas. I had never seen an alpaca before so this was great fun. I got to pet Gus and Augustus, and I am working on convincing my mom to get a pair of Huacayas. She wants a Suri but I disagree.

I did buy some yarn though. There was yarn available from the North American Alpaca Co-op. I bought 1350 yds of DK weight 100% baby alpaca for $35. Maybe it was a silly impulse purchase, but it seemed like a good deal at the time. All me-projects are officially on hold until Christmas is over, but this yarn moved to the top of my yarn queue. Do you think that is mean to my birthday yarn? Shh don't tell it.

My mother is waiting to get into Ravelry and in the meantime, I have let her sign in as me so she can browse patterns. The downside to that is now she has seen the catalogue of my stash. And that is just the yarn I admit to publicly, there is some Lion brand hiding in my closet somewhere. There was some chastising, and I have agreed to not buy yarn until I have knit 2 sweaters, or 2 sweaters worth of yarn.

Finished! Tahki Cabled & Ribbed Vest

Tahki's Donegal Tweed Cabled and Ribbed Vest from the Tweed Collection

I saw this pattern as a sample at my LYS and immediately had to have it. I used my leftover Cascade Eco Wool from the Hemlock Ring Blanket. I think I used just under 2 skeins, about 950 yds. I used size 8 needles. It was an enjoyable knit and I hope to make it again when I find a proper recipient. This one is for me. I would like to play with the cable pattern on the front and perhaps do something more creative on the back. The back is just reverse stockinette.

I wanted to wait until I could photograph some action shots but I cant get the stupid thing to dry! That is what i get for a full wet block on aran/bulky yarn rather than just my normal spray block. So for now you just get to see my blocking picture. If it is not significantly drier when I get home from work today I am going to have to move it to next to my furnace.

Presents!

I got presents in the mail. Its almost like its my birthday or something! (tee hee it almost is my birthday actually.) There was yarn and bath mitts and lotion and bath salts and yarn oh my! The body products are from Etsy and smell yummy. They are on my nightstand right now and I can smell them before I go to bed, and when I first wake up.

The yarn is delicious, it is Berrocco Ultra Alpaca. I am pretty sure that my secret pal is psychic (or a stalker) cause I have this yarn on my wish list at my LYS. And guess what my LYS also has: more yarn in the same dye lot! I am not sure how this happens cross country, but I was amazed. I bought more yarn and now I am making Something Red from Knit and Tonic. I hope my pal doesn't mind that I bought more of the yarn. I am soo excited that I got yarn on my wish list. Yay.

Also, while I was watching the Sox (YAY) sweep and win the world series I cast off my Tahki Vest. I will make a special post for it when it is properly photographed and blocked. I also was a bad kid and bought some lace weight Zephyr to make Muir from the fall Knitty. It will be my first foray into lace. At least lace that is lace sized, does a chunky weight afghan count? I made a gauge swatch and it turned out beautiful, but it took a lot of concentration. I think I will wait to cast on until I have my Christmas presents finished and have time to concentrate and knit at the same time. Ick, knitting I actually have to pay attention to. At least it will be something different.

Finished! Clapotis

I have finished my first Christmas present of the season. It is my infamous Clapotis from Knitty. The only modification that I made was using a DK weight yarn on 5's instead of worsted weight. I used Fiesta Ballet in Morocco. It is very lightweight and drapey, and should be warm because of the alpaca content. The gift is for my grandmother, and hopefully she will love it. The colours are very "her."

Finished! Hemlock Ring Blanket

This is the mystery project. Finished in 3 weeks flat! I knitted this for my best friend Shannon, it was her wedding gift. I have been showing it off around town but unable to post until Shannon opened it.

It is the Hemlock Ring Blanket designed by Jared over at Brooklyn Tweed. I used 1.5 skeins of Cascade Eco Wool in shade 8010. It is natural with little wisps of black. Like Breyer's Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Being the world's loosest knitter, i used size 9 needles. I went one pattern repeat past where Jared did and the blanket ended up about 4.5 feet across. Other than that there were no pattern modifications. This is actually Shannon's second wedding afghan, i started one of the colinette afghans, got about 75% done and decided i didn't like how it was turning out. I have to frog it but i used mohair in a couple of stripes and we all know how much fun mohair is to frog.

I am a lemming.

I joined the rest of the knitting world. And i was quite a bit late, too. This weekend on my tour of the Yarn Market, I bought some Fiesta Ballet in the Morocco colourway. It is for my new Clapotis. I think i am the last person to start this project. I am making with the ballet yarn on size 5 turbos. Obviously that is a smaller yarn than the pattern calls for. The gauge is a bit loose but it makes a nice drapey fabric. It will be a nice shawl. I think it will be a Christmas gift for my grandma, she will like the colours. The yarn is an Alpca/Tencel blend and is quite slippery. I read that you cant use too fuzzy of a yarn cause the stitches wont drop, but my yarn is almost too slippery.


The project is going well. I have gotten to the second section and am having fun dropping stitches. Officially it is back on hold until I finish some other projects that are further along.

In other news...

I got in to Ravelry! (this seems like i am the last knitter on earth again!) I have started my notebook and stash and queue. If anyone would like to come visit me my user name is Stanzi.

Yay

Secret pals rock!

I am a bad secret pal recipient. I received a quite excellent package in the mail (thursday maybe??) and said nothing. Well here is the post. I got a skein of Nashua Creative Focus Chunky, a GIANT box of Baci and a cloche pattern to go with the yarn. YAY. I have tried to be well behaved and feed the people in my office the Baci, but I failed. So instead I am left eating it all myself. Which I'm sure was the general idea, but I am probably not supposed to eat it all at once. The yarn is lovely, and in the perfect Rose shade. However, I am in a cast-on moratorium. I am not allowed to cast on anything else until at least 2 other projects are finished. As soon as i am allowed to cast on something new this is the first thing to go. It looks like it will be a quick knit.

Sorry for the post delay.
mmmmmm baci.

Ahoy Matey!

mystery project, mystery project, mystery project. bachelorette party. mystery project, mystery project, mystery project...

Not much going on here, or maybe there is too much going on here. I am not sure. I haven't had much time for knitting, since I was hosting an all day and all night bachelorette party on Saturday. Thankfully everything went smoothly and we all had a blast. Thank god, cause I wouldn't want anyone disappointed in my mad party planning skillz. I took Sunday and Monday to recover and resumed knitting last night.

This weekend, I am touring The Yarn Market with my knitting club! Their distribution center is right outside of town and there are supposedly warehouses upon warehouses of yarn!! They also have some exclusive colourways that you cant get anywhere else. I am already exited and its only Wednesday. Hopefully ill pick up some yarn for a clapotis. I was thinking about making it a little lighter, and perhaps use Noro Silk Garden Light. Well we will just have to see what i come home with.

By the way, i wouldnt want anyone to forget, today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

SP11 Questionnaire #2

I don't know where this questionnaire came from, but many SP11 participants have posted it, so here I go.

1. What is the one knitting accessory you could not live without?
My j-shaped cable needle.

2. If you're heading on vacation, do you take knitting with you? If so, how much and what type of project?
Yes. Actually I hadn't touched a knitting needle in a year when i impulse purchased a knitting book, needles, and enough yarn for a large sweater on vacation. Although yarn is squishy, I wouldn't recommend doing that while backpacking in Europe. As far as what type of project i would take? I a not sure, probably a sweater, that would last me the entire trip.

3. Where have you travelled to that you'd consider your favorite spot?
Gaaaah, I only get one. No I am picking three. My latest favourite US locale is Charleston. Overseas, it is tied between northern Wales and Paris. They are tooo different to say one is better than the other.

4. What is your favorite knitting book at the moment? Do you own it?
I am really enjoying the Pure Wool Collection by Rowan, and i do own it. I know this isn't a book, but i would love to own all the patterns from Zephyr Style.

5. Do you listen to podcasts? Which is your favorite(s)?
This American Life. Ira Glass is my hero. I saw him live once and have never laughed that hard.

6. If you could only knit with 1 color for the rest of your life, what color would that be?
Hrmm,the bottle green merino that i have been using lately. I have stopped and started a zillion sweaters with this same yarn and i have yet to get sick of it, so i guess thats a good sign.

7. If you were far into a project and then noticed a mistake near the beginning what would you do?
It depends on the mistake. If you have noticed my last posts, i have to rip stuff out a lot.

8. Where is the most unusual spot you've ever knit?
I like to knit at my local pub. I They actually have quite good food and it is a nice place to get a beer and a good sandwich after work. I am not sure if this is a strange place compared to other knitters, but the other patrons seem to be startled by someone knitting.

hrmm.

Lately i have had a little bloggers block. The frustration i felt 2 weeks ago is somewhat cured. The new (replacement) sweater is going well. I have the back done and am a couple inches into the front sides. I also have some secret projects going on, so i cant post about a lot of what i am doing. I locked myself in all weekend and knitted for 2 days straight! (i am very very behind on one of my secret projects) It was a little hermit-like but by the time i figured i would leave my apartment on saturday freakish storms hit and i didn't want to go out. The power kept going out to, so i would rather be in my apartment with no power than the grocery store. Also why would i want to leave the house when i was marathon-ing the office. I have never watched this show, and when i decided i wanted to, i couldn't start until i had seen all the previous seasons. that is how i am with tv shows. Netflix let me stream seasons 1 and 2 and than i bought 3 from itunes. 3 seasons in 5 days. yes, i am a loser. thats what i do when i get into a tv show. The same thing happened in February with a tv show which shall remain nameless. At least this was only 3 seasons of 30 minute episodes, versus 6 seasons of 1 hour episodes.

I was supposed to clean all weekend, because i am hosting a small bachelorette party on saturday, but that of course didn't happen. i am such a mess. i have soo much to do and soo little time. I guess there wont be much more knitting this week, i have party supplies to buy and cleaning to do. i am not even sure if i can make it to knitting club this week. Gawr! Hopefully i can post some pictures of the non secret projects soon. I have awful natural light in my apartment and it rained all weekend.

Speaking of knitting club, i found a new one. It is hosted in the home of one of the ladies at my regular knitting club. It only meets once a month which is sad cause they are a fun group. These are my people. I had a ton of fun.

Well i am going back to work. Pictures of non secret projects to come soon.

P.S. a knitting hint for you out there. one of the secret projects is a popular project using Cascade Eco wool. See if you can guess what it is. :)

Updates

I finally found my digital camera charger so i can post some pictures. Yay. I desperately needed it before the party this weekend too. I am one more skein into my glee sweater. it doesn't look like much yet, and its hard to tell the fit until i start knitting in the round. It looks close enough though.


I also took some of my knitting books to kinkos for rebinding. Now not only do they lay all the way flat, i can flip the cover all the way around without cracking the spine. Quite exciting. I have decided i am going to take the rest of my books to have this done. And, the next time i am using rick Steves books i am going to have this done to them too. I am so tired of chapters falling out from over use. However, the kinkos girl estimated wrong, and my vintage knits got a little cut off. I think the patterns are still readable though. Still, i wasn't too pleased. The kinkos girl did refund all of my money for all the books though.

Well i am off for the weekend. The schedule is packed tight. Tomorrow is the black t-shirt party at the lake, and then Shannon's shower is on Sunday. Eve is going with me, it is not quite her scene (or mine for that matter), so it will be funny to see how she takes it. I didn't think about it until now but I have the complete and total opposite social groups in one weekend. Black t-shirt car junkies vs. Lily Pulitzer Dublin moms. If only they were all together and I just could watch. Oh well, I will leave that up to my imagination. Stories and pics to come when I return.

byee

Twinkletoes II Finished!

Twinkletoes II

I finished these about a week ago, but i lost my camera charger so i couldnt post them. they are very simple, but i think quite cute. They are Twinkletoes from Knitty, using Rowan Calmer. I am not sure what the colour is. it might be cork??? I made these for Eve's birthday. She is more of a mary jane girl than a ballet slipper girl. I skipped the cast on for the laces, and made an i-cord strap. The buttons are just decorative.

By the way, i find it very hard to photograph my own feet in a flattering manner.

New Stuff

Last night i broke down and bought Fitted Knits. My mom and i were at knitting club and there was a new member, knitting a project from fitted knits. my mom saw the book and loved it, so i went to borders and picked it up for us to share. with my borders coupons, it only cost $11.09! that was pretty exciting. This new purchase brings my sweater to-do list to nine miles long. I think unlike most knitters, my stash includes more un-knitted patterns and books than yarn. I actually haven't bought any yarn for any of my new patterns.

I read on a website, I cant remember which one, that you should take your books to kinkos and have them spiral bound so they lay flat when you are working from them. The new girl at knitting club did this too! she is a genius. I am taking my new book and all of my rowan books to kinkos this afternoon. I am not sure how much it costs, but it is certainly better than a broken spine with pages falling out.

Knitting on the Dock of the Bay

Knitting on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
I'm just knitting on the dock of the bay
Wasting time

I finished a project this weekend! I will post the pictures as soon as i find my digital camera charger. It could be a while... It was a tiny one, so its not the biggest accomplishment. I finished a pair of twinkletoes that i modified to be mary janes instead of ballet slippers. Tres cute.

I cast on a new project this weekend to commemorate the completion of Twinkletoes II The pattern is Glee from Zephyr Style and I am using the bottle green "vintage" merino from my mom. Can yarn be vintage???? I am not sure, it is 30 years old so I am counting it as vintage. And it is from France; from a yarn shop in the town of Versailles (the town outside the palace).

It was a long hard weekend...

Soo the weekend is over and I am back to another work week. This one with 7am mornings. yippee.

This weekend was one of the most excellent weekends ever. Both Hashi and Ponti came to visit me at the lake. It rained most of the weekend, but we got a couple of boat rides in and even a trip to the cranberry. Yay for cute bartenders.

Even with the rain, I didn't get any projects done. I started and ripped out the toe for another pair of twinkletoes, but at the end of the weekend it still wasn't on the needles. However, Monday I came home and whipped one out. One more to go. I am having trouble with the size and this time I even checked my gauge. I ended up making the child size again, just modifying them to be longer. Oh well, they are still cute and hopefully will fit.

SP11 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I particularly like alpaca and alpaca blends. I will work with any natural fiber. I am in love with all Debbie Bliss yarns. Out of natural fibres, i tend to use more wools than cottons or linens. I don't like acrylic blends but have had to resort to it sometimes. eww.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have a pouch for my dpns and circulars. I am not so good at organizing my straight needles. They sit in a vase in my kitchen. That is on the (large) list of things to do.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
My mom taught me when i was 12 but i did not really pick it up again until i was in high school. I think i am an intermediate. I'm not sure.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Nope

5. What's your favorite scent?
Lavender. I like herbal scents, not a big fan of sweet or floral scents. I hate vanilla.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Yes! My favorite candy is Baci. They are from Italy.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I knit, dabble in sewing, and crochet some. I have tried spinning but it didn't work out so well. I also have woven (on a public loom, i don't own one) but i haven't had time to go to the arts center lately. I subscribe to Readymade Magazine and sometimes even complete a project.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Alternative indie pop, I think thats a genre, that is the closest i can describe my music. Stephen Malkmus, Elliott Smith, Talking Heads, Elvis Costello, Amy Winehouse, Cure. I love mp3s and am an ipod freak.

9. What's your favorite colour(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I have been on a green kick lately. I am not a big fan of orange, yellow, or pink. i also rarely use varigated yarn. i know thats boring but i dont like the look in sweaters. I dont use much more than a tweed. In socks striping yarns are great, and i already have some favourites picked out for when i venture towards that (click here, here and here), but in the meantime solids for my sweaters and accessories. (plus, i heart cables, and i think they look best with a nice plain colour)

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I am single and live alone. I looove dogs but am not allowed to have one in my current apartment. My parents have a dog which i still consider partly mine.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes, yes, yes, and no.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I like to knit small accessories and sweaters. I am not a sock knitter.

13. What are you knitting right now?
I am working on a capelet from Wrap Style, a sweater from Sublime, Glee from Zephyr Style, and mystery gift. (i am not sure if the person recieving the gift reads my blog, but you cant be too careful.)

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Circular. Bamboo and Addis.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No, but my mom lives nearby and owns both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
2 years, but it is stalled for technical reasons.

18. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas! I love giving presents. It is one of my specialties.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
I am a bibliophile. My apartment is too small for knickknacks, and probably is too small for my stash.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I don't have anay knitting subscriptions but i love any rowan or debbie bliss patterns. I am still debating if i want to spend the money on Fitted Knits. I also really really want to make the Katharine Hepburn Cardigan from Lace Style and the Log Cabin afghan and Mitred Afghan from mason dixon knitting. I guess im too cheap to buy a whole book for one pattern.

***update. my mom said she wanted to make some patterns in fitted knits too, so i broke down and bought it. but with my borders coupons it came to only $11.09!

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I haven't tried entrelac before. Mostly because it is a bit far down on the projects list.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Nope. I wear a size nine. Is that what sock knitters need? I might be tempted to try them if some sock yarn showed up mysteriously (wink wink) but so far, nothing.

23. When is your birthday?
November 3rd. sometimes i get crappy presidents for my birthday.

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?
I am still waiting for my invite, but i am pretty far down on the list.

Christmas at Casa de Rose

Except i don't get any presents in return. Boo hoo. they look pretty in the corner of my apartment though. these are all for only 2 weddings and i still have one to finish and 2 to buy. i guess there aren't that many gifts, they just are big boxes.

So, on my projects i am making lots of progress, but it justs look like they are never going to end. I finished the left front for my basket weave sweater, but i have delayed casting on the right front. im sure i will start tonight at knitting club.

I have officially decided to rip out my Tyrolia Sweater but the Rowan book i bought uses at least 11 skeins for all the patterns and i only have 10. bummer. I think i am going to make Glee from Zephyr Style. i think it will turn out well and it actually takes less yarn than what i have. yay!

new goodies

Soo i went to the yarn shop to get some notions. that was probably a bad idea. I came home with a book i have been wanting for a while, Rowan Pure Wool Collection. I am going to use the yarn from the Tyrolia Sweater that i still have to rip out. I am dreading it. But i get to pick out a new sweater that may hopefully fit. I am torn between the sinead and the damson patterns. although blaze is nice too! aargh. i know i shouldnt have bought another book without more progress but my mother was threatening to take her yarn back if i didnt finsh the sweater. its not my fault it doesnt fit! (well it actually probably is) well there is some progress made elsewhere, i finished the the back of my basketweave sweater last night and i have started one of the sides. i will wait to start a new project until this one (and others) get further.

Happy Harry Potter Day (kinda)

I am going to consider today harry potter day. the book technically is released tomorrow but i am going at midnight to pick it up. i think that if i don't go to sleep it is still the same day, so today i harry potter day. As soon as we get the harry potter, we are driving directly to the lake! we shall see how i fare on the drive. Shannon and ben are coming to the lake this weekend. yay! shannon hasnt been yet this summer and ben has never been. i have my new silly Cote d'Azur hat to wear and shannon has one to match. silly pictures to come. Sunbathing, boats, corona+lime, silly hats, knitting, and harry potter, oh my. quite an excellent combination.

So now is my dilemma, i am in a total knitting kick but i have to finish harry potter this weekend! i cant go back to work on monday without knowing how it ends. I guess i will get some knitting in, there are some times when you can knit and not read.

Soo i am back to work and i will see how the weekend goes. i am sure it will be excellent and hopefully i dont get too sunburned.