Tag: yarn

Mambo! That’s Fun to Say: A YOP Update

Posted on Posted in hats, knitting, scarves and cowls, sweaters, Works in Progress (WIPs), Year of ProjectsTagged , , 15 Comments
Top 9 from Global Gifts Short North

When I was writing about my happy places, I was remiss not to mention Global Gifts stores. That’s where I work, but I work from my home office now. However, I was a store manager for four years, and the store was my happy place. It smells like incense and coffee when you walk in, there is global music playing, everything is handmade, everyone is happy, and there’s chocolate. Lots of fair trade chocolate. It’s a little different now because of the pandemic. There are masks of course, and no coffee samples. We’re at limited capacity to ensure social distancing. And now when I visit I realize I’m another potential germ carrier. So I make my visits quick, and shop online and pick up. I miss being in store. I can’t wait for COVID to end.

And to make good on my resolution-ish to listen to more music, here’s one that reminds me of Global Gifts.

Year of Projects Update

I’m on Franca sleeve island.
Litmus cowl: purple is coming
I’m ready to start the raglan increasing on my Turtledove.
I may sew some PJ pants today with this flannel.

I may also lay out the wool for a new fiber art piece and dye some brown.

I do have another resolution-ish for 2021, and that’s to knit as much yarn as I purchase, at a minimum. So outgoing has to equal incoming, although ideally outgoing will exceed incoming. Since I’m signed up for two yarn clubs, that means I have to knit 24 skeins minimum. I also may have just stress bought a sweater quantity of Peace Fleece. I’ve wanted to knit a Peace Fleece sweater for several years, so I bit the bullet and did it.

Therefore, I’ve added a couple of things to my list:

Peace Fleece Ronan in Siberian Midnight (Ravelry link)

Malabrigo Brambleberry Rikke Hat – I bought this yarn when I was in OKC. I’m not 100% positive on the colorway name but it is berry-related. Or maybe it’s their Anniversario colorway?

I wear my Christmas Village Rikke Hat all the time, so I’m going to need a new color, and this matches my coat. I love this stretchy German Twist cast on. It’s my new thing. I also learned a new stretchy bind off for Franca.

This has been a Year of Projects Update. You can read my updated list here. You can find out more about the group here.

Today is our Blogville Knitters Virtual Knit at 1PM Eastern. If you are new and would like to join us by Skype, please DM your Skype ID to me on Instagram or Ravelry. So far, it’s been me, Sarah, Marilee, Liz, Kath, Bonny, and Laura. Our group is growing!

PS: JoJo loves Meep. Loves her to death with her murder claws.

Sheepy Finn Yarn Complete with VM

Posted on Posted in fiber love, yarnTagged , , , , 12 Comments

I received my first breed specific yarn of the month from Longway Homestead. It’s soft, but not soft enough for neck wear. I’m thinking mittens or hat. I’m going to wait until I take the Breed Specific Knitting workshop before I decide, though. I think it will have nice drape. Can you smell the lanolin? Mmm… schmeepy. I’ve always wanted to try Finnsheep wool.

Speaking of grown in Canada, after yesterday, Bob was ready to make a run for the border.

Finally, if you’re a Clara Parkes fan, you might enjoy The Daily Respite.

Noël d’antan

Posted on Posted in holidays, inspiration, yarnTagged , 4 Comments
📸 Elyse D’Amours Designs

Because I took French in middle school and high school, around the holidays I sometimes randomly break into chanson française. My favorite is “Un Flambeau, Jeannette, Isabella”. I regret I can no longer speak French, but at least I can sing a song fluently… even though I may not know the meaning of the words anymore. Aren’t these Noel socks charming? I think holly is my favorite Christmas motif. Noël d’antan pattern by Elyse D’Amours Designs (Ravelry link)

During the holiday season, I listen to a lot of Kitka’s Wintersongs. This year in December they are releasing a YouTube video each day. Although I love the music the most, yesterday’s video was a sweet little story. Here’s a video with two of my favorites, which you may recognize.

If you like Celtic music, tonight at 6PM EST, Celtic Colours will have a live Christmas performance on their YouTube and Facebook channels. Bob and I are going to tune in.

Moondrake Yarn Advent Day 22

Needled

Posted on Posted in holidays, inspiration, yarnTagged , , 4 Comments
📸 Hunter Hammersen

Today’s HoliDaily pattern share is Needled by Hunter Hammersen (Ravelry link) These would be fun and festive to knit up with scraps, and I particularly love the addition of the beads. I’m still trying to figure out what kinds of holiday decorations I would like to knit, but I’m getting some ideas!

Moondrake Yarn Advent Day 22

I love the golds with these pinks. I think I’d make an entire sweater out of this! It’s such an unlikely combination but it really works.

Playing Those Mind Games

Posted on Posted in holidays, inspiration, knittingTagged , , , , 13 Comments

I got a little too excited about fall this year and bought a few too many gorgeous skeins of autumn and Halloween themed yarn. I clearly didn’t have time to knit all the things.

To prevent myself from ordering a lot more fall and Halloween themed yarn next year, but to still allow myself a yarny good time, I am making myself a fall advent calendar with yarn I’ve already purchased! I’m including an appropriate pattern and each package includes a Halloween or fall stitch marker. My short term memory is so bad, I probably won’t remember what’s in each bag. Hopefully I’ll remember I did this. I know, I’ll put it on my calendar. The best thing about it is I know I will love every one!

finished fall advent bag

I’m a genius! Or I’m crazy! I’m really excited about this either way. I’m allowing myself two weeks in between each advent bag to knit each project.

I do have two outliers. I didn’t include my Celtic Colours Mitts, which I still haven’t cast on. And there’s a skein of Accidental Autumn that I was thinking about knitting into a Barley Light hat. But I’m not 100% on that pairing and I’d kind of like to knit that skein up right away. I’m in love with it.

I will probably finish my Broom Riding Cowl tonight. Just in time! It’s Hocus Pocus night! Are you going to finish all your Halloween projects in time?

Year of Projects Update

Posted on Posted in finished objects, knitting, sewing, what makes me tick, Year of ProjectsTagged , , , , 24 Comments
Finished Arachne Sweater

I finished my Arachne Sweater! I love it! I think the cropped silhouette and short sleeves keep the vintage vibe alive. I had plenty of yarn and I look forward to making a Seamwork Rachel shirt to wear under it in this print.

Surely I’m not the only one whose YOP list stays the same number, or even grows?

I want to sew more Rachel shirts, one for each season. I want to customize the fit and make it my go to shirt pattern. I also want to do that with a pant pattern, but I haven’t found the pattern yet.

Our curtain rods should arrive today, which means my linen curtains just moved up on the sewing list.

Laura Kate asked me to share a sketch of my idea for my fiber art piece. I don’t feel comfortable doing that yet, but I am glad I have a more concrete idea. I will share something later, once I’ve made a little more progress.

This has been a Year of Projects Update. You can read my original list here. You can find out more about the group here.

Bob and I watched Driveways yesterday. Highly recommend. We shared our mutual love of Brian Dennehy. Then we watched the latest episode of Lovecraft Country. Highly recommend. Then I thought we were going to make it a Brian Dennehy weekend with a Lovecraft Country intermission, but Bob surprised me with an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that was a Doug Jones breakout role. I don’t love Buffy (the show, although I love the movie) but we think a Doug Jones weekend is imminent. And I wouldn’t mind rewatching the first season of Buffy in October.

Is it too early to watch Hocus Pocus? It is, isn’t it.

Sock it to Me Monday: PSL Edition

Posted on Posted in knitting, life, socks, sweaters, Works in Progress (WIPs)Tagged , , 14 Comments
Pumpkin spice latte sock #1

I’m enjoying my PSL sock. The garter stitch heel came out nice. I accidentally picked up the heel flap stitches before turning the heel, so I did it afterward and it’s fine. I find this yarn a little splitty.

New to us dining room table

We’ve never owned a proper dining room table. The one at the last house belonged to the landlord. We were excited to find this solid oak table and chairs on Craigslist. Now we can host family and friends, invite kids for Thanksgiving, and play RPGs in comfort and style.

My work trip went like clockwork. I’m happy to report I enjoyed the Vampire Knitting Club audiobook on my road trip and I’m going to get the next book in the series. I’m also watching The Spanish Princess, which is surprisingly well done (because Starz — I couldn’t watch White Queen, or White Princess even though I’m a Tudor nerd and Jodie Comer was in the lead) and we watched Seventh Son, which is ridiculous but it won me over in the end. Speaking of Jodie Comer, if you haven’t seen Killing Eve, I highly recommend.

What are you knitting/reading/watching?

Vintersoll by Jennifer Steingass

Guess what. I’m going to knit a Vintersoll… next year. I have Magpie Fibers Solstice DK in teal (Masquerade) and cream (Fior di Latte.) I still need to figure out the third color. I like this version though. Let me know if you have opinions.

Am I Becoming a Sock Knitter?

Posted on Posted in finished objects, knitting, socks, yarnTagged , , , , , 20 Comments
Pride Socks in TurtlePurl What Does It Mean

Yesterday, The Woolly Thistle started their Sock Sprint KAL. In the spirit of thank you sir may I have another I hurried to finish my Pride socks so I could cast on another pair!

Not a perfectly matching pair, but I don’t mind.

I was thinking about making some Pumpkin Spice Latte socks (just the same recipe with a different cuff) from this West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4-Ply in Nutmeg.

Spicy

Am I becoming a sock knitter? The thought of not having a pair of socks on the needles has me feeling off-kilter. But the Sock Sprint is only two weeks, and I don’t know that I’ll be able to finish a pair in that amount of time. But if I don’t, it’s really no big deal. Right? So maybe I’ll throw caution to the wind and cast on.

This weekend’s movie theme is Joker. First we’ll watch The Dark Knight for Heath Ledger’s interpretation then Joaquin Phoenix’s performance in Joker. I think they were both equally good, but I absolutely loved the film Joker.

Our Blogville Knitters virtual knit is tomorrow at 1PM EDT! If you’re not already in the Skype group, please message your Skype ID to me on Instagram or Ravelry. Hope to see you tomorrow!

We Bought a House Today

Posted on Posted in life, shawls and haps, yarnTagged , 16 Comments

Just add a pitchfork and a cameo brooch and you’ve got American Gothic. But seriously, it’s yellow. I love a yellow house. Especially one with pink tile. Tomorrow we pack and Sunday we move the big stuff with our army herd gaggle of children helping.

Marilee said she buys yarn when she doesn’t know what else to do, and I’m afraid I’m the same. Here’s my most recent acquisition from Countess Ablaze. I love her and their yarn and I am unapologetic. Shoalwater Shawl here I come. (I’ve been wanting to knit that for nearly two decades!)

Going to leave this here because it needs to be said.

Sunday Grace

Posted on Posted in inspiration, knitting, life, lofty thoughts, shawls and haps, what makes me tickTagged , , , , , , 14 Comments

We went for a hike yesterday. I’m thankful for time in nature. And wildflowers.

Bob made soy custard berry tarts for my birthday treat. I’m thankful for Bob.

My boys came to share a birthday meal and treats with me. I’m thankful for my boys. Especially their intelligence and humor and ability to argue any point no matter how ridiculous. Is a bean bag a chair? A bean bag is an armchair but not a chair because a chair has legs. Puzzle that.

My mother always told me I would argue with a signpost. The fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Soon I will have a new blue beanie to wear over my mess of white hair. I am enjoying this mindless knit.

square

I ordered some pink yarn to make this shrug. I imagine myself wafting over pink tile wearing this, but in pink. The designer says this stitch pattern is meditative. I hope so.

Speaking of pink tile, the lender ordered a second appraisal. We are in home-buying limbo.

It will be okay either way. Trust in the Universe.