WIPs and stuff

I'm behind on my blogging, so I'm just going to start with some WIPs.

I've been both inspired and overwhelmed by Stash and Burn's One Skein contest. I have so many ideas and I'm debating how to match them up with yarn. I started to cast on Calorimetry in Artful Yarns Fable, then decided the cotton silk blend was a) not stretchy enough for this pattern and b) too nice for a headband. So now I'm debating what do with the yarn and what to use for Calorimetry.

I went back and forth on the bits of Dancing Fibers Serendipity leftover from my Mardi Gras scarf. It ended up being itchier than expected, so I decided felting was the best choice. I finally settled on the basic potholder, thinking that there wasn't enough for a set of four coasters. I think I was wrong. I still have some yarn left.

I also had debates about my Bernat Galaxy, and finally decided to use one of the skeins for a simple garter stitch scarf to see how it knits up, then use the other skein for something more creative. It's nicer than I expected. Too bad it's discontinued. Actually, it's probably a good thing, because then I'd buy more, and then wonder what to do with it all over again.

Someone on Ravelry called the scarf she made out of it a Snot Scarf, and I'm trying not think of it that way. But in this colorway, it looks even more "snotty." What do you think?

The scarf was also a good chance to pull out the Knit Lite needles Mom and Dad gave me last Christmas.

Now I want to go to the movies and see how well they really work.It's not like you can see your entire project in the dark, but if it's the type of this that you can almost do by feel (like a garter stitch scarf,) you can manage in the dark. It's also good for novelty yarns, as a way to see through fuzzy yarn.

Blog Bits Saturday

And now for this week in yarn:

Yarn Pirate wins ribbons at the state fair.

Knitgrrl posted this. You don't need to be a knitter to laugh at it.

Knit and Tonic has breakdowns over sock yarn and Disneyland. Good thing she didn't go to EPCOT.

Deceptively Packaged and Shrodinger Knits are having contests for free yarn. Be sure to tell them Large Marge Sally Comes Unraveled sent you. Yarn Pirate is also having a contest to guess the sex of her baby.

Grumperina comes clean about sweater knitting.

The Sweet Sheep has a nice sale and some new yarn.

Persistent Illusion comes up with a retirement plan even I can deal with. I even put a button on my blog.

Fpea knits a star-nosed mole.

Sales of Wendy Knits' "Healthy Spine Sock" pattern will benefit the Arthritis Foundation.

Empty Nest Knitter shared an awesome cartoon with us. (I wonder when auditions are?) Also, the store is coming along nicely.

Brainylady reviews "Romantic Hand Knits."

Yarn Harlot has all you ever wanted to know about washing fleece and a pattern for man socks.

Finally, Shut Up, I'm Counting has proof that knitting is good for you.

FO: Boogie Time

I checked with the ladies at Stash and Burn said I could enter something in the one skein contest even if I started it before the contest began. (I finished it in the allotted time period.)

So I present, Boogie Time, a project I didn't get done in time for the Knitty Calendar Contest.

This used less than a skein. Waaaayy less than a skein. In fact, it took the leftovers from another one skein project.

I had a tiny bit of Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb in "Watercolor" leftover. This was very coveted yarn, and I wanted to make the most of it. I watch face was on sale at Joann.

I decided this was the time to finally learn Magic Loop.

Personally, I've used dpns from the beginning. In fact, I tend to use them when normal people use circulars. And my Mom agreed with me: all that extra cable? What's the point? But I wanted to challenge myself. So I got out some long circulars and some acrylic and tried it out.

I got the hang of it. I think I'll try it some more. It is good for hats, sleeves and other things that require changing to shorter needles.

(I think it would have been easier if I'd followed the directions and steamed the cables first.)

I was going to use magic loop for the whole thing, but I had trouble getting a good gauge....












So I switched back to dpns, because I didn't have the size I needed in circulars. (These are size 3 dpns. I know, my gauge is huge.)

So I completely changed the pattern because I was using a completely different gauge. And my wrists are so tiny. But I liked it, and I may make more for gifts.

And the best part....


There's still some leftover.

One Skein Candidates

I'm really excited about the Stash and Burn One Skein Contest.

I started wondering if I had some good one skein candidate in my stash. Most of my single skeins are "dedicated" for something, or meant to be combined with something else.

As you can see, I had no reason to worry. And plenty of reasons to start logging stash on Ravelry.




Handmaiden Sea Silk - You saw this from Hill Country Weavers sale. Will I have time to make Lacewings before the September deadline?







Lorna's Laces Grace - What can you do with a single skein of loopy mohair? (For that matter, what do you do with any amount of loopy mohair?) I was originally going to combine with the tiny bit of Lion and Lamb left from my Moebius. What was I thinking? (I was thinking it was cheap.)








Lion Brand Color Waves - Originally intended for the Size 50 Throw but I ended up not using it.












Joann Sensations Splendor - Hmm..not online. I wonder if it's discontinued. I have one full and two partial skeins. The rules allow for the equivalent of one skein if you're mixing partials, or using really tiny skeins.










Katia Jamaica - Not quite a full skein, left over from my Cherry Bomb. There are some new knitters at Bluebonnet using it for dishcloths. I don't know if I can bring myself to do that with my precious Jamaica.










Dancing Fibers Serendipity - Speaking of partials, this is leftover from my Mardi Gras Scarf I was originally thinking hat, but it's kind of itchy. Maybe I'll felt something. Love the colors.










Robin Pascal's Superwash Merino - 300 yards of sockweight from the Lone Star State Knitters Christmas swap. Is this enough for one pair of socks?











RYC Wool Silk DK - Almost forgot this one. It's left over from my Knucks.













Claudia Handpainted Yarn (Sport Weight) - I swatched this a while back. A hat or something, maybe?











Feza Kid Mohair - This was purchased at the Knit n'Knibble at a sale ages ago. I have no idea what I was thinking. I think the lace weight scared me, so I bought it to challenge myself.











Joann Sensations Bellezza Collection Dolcetto - Sooooo soft! I may save these and combine them.












Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande - The lime was another Knit n' Knibble purchase. They asked me what I'd do with one skein. I said "probably a hat." The sad thing is, it's perfect for my next Knitty Submission, but that means I can't post it for the contest.

I also have a partial skein left from a Basketweave scarf I made for my uncle.






Caron Felt-It - I think the name says it all.















Berroco Ultra Alpaca - I bought these for Knucks, but ended up doing something else with it. However, when I saw them, it hit me - Center Square!












Plymouth Encore - I've saved this for ages for the Mike Nesmith hat I want to make.













Schaefer Anne - I bought this from Sandra Singh on the yarn crawl I went on. It's one of the one-of-a-kind "potluck" colors. I know Anne is sometimes considered a sock yarn, but with my loose gauge, I made need to knit some lace with it.










Yarn Bee Sweet Delight (Hobby Lobby's store brand) - I bought this on a whim because I loved the color. It's handwash though. But I'm thinking socks, maybe? Or mittens?












? - I bought it on eBay. Not sure why. It's 100% Wool.














Crystal Palace Party Ribbon - I know exactly what to make with this.














My yarn from the Hand Dyed Yarn Swap - I'm thinking Jaywalkers for me.









Schaefer Marjaana - I fell in love with it at Sandra Singh's just after it was discontinued. I didn't care much for the colorways she had, but I did snag one in Rosa Parks (right) and another on eBay in an unknown colorway. Still wish I could get it in something less neutral-ish. (Yes, I know it's back at Little Knits.)

BTW- Is it cheating to use worsted weight yarn in 550 yard skeins in a one skein contest?







Debbie Bliss Merino DK - Some more from the Knit n' Knibble sale. The 2 dark blue ones will be used together. Now the other three, I was originally going to use together. I don't know. We'll see.











Bernat Galaxy - There should be a waiting period before buying Walmart clearance yarn. It's ok, but what am I going to do with it?













Various "No Boundries" yarn from Walmart - See above.













These are leftovers from my (pathetic) No Sheep For You submission swatches. The top right is Mondial Splendid, the top left is Artful Yarns Fable and the bottom is the now discontinued Berroco Denim Silk I'm going to trade to Nicki.











Wool Ease ChunkyThis is a partial skein left over from a hat, I think.












Wow, that's a lot. And it's all on Ravelry now. I'm taking pattern suggestions. Please comment.

Blog Bits Saturday

Knitty is now a registered trademark.

Stash and Burn is holding a one skein project contest. See the blog for details.

The Sweet Sheep is starting a self-striping sock club.

I'm loving Grumperina's "Elegant Scarf."

Yarn Pr0n and Healthy Spine Socks are at Wendy Knits.

I've loved these socks since the beginning, even the colorway (which isn't normally the type of colorway I go for.) Now, Persistent Illusion has the finished product. (BTW - One summer, we learned all about the Bo Diddley beat in drum lessons. But that's another story.)

Speaking of Persistent Illusion, everyone is buzzing about Cat Bordhi's new book, but she saw her in person. (FYI - She also contributes her cast-on method to the book.)

Go see Spinal Cat's Knitty Calendar Contest entry. Her entry looks better than mine. Spinal Cat also spun some yarn from an interesting source.

I have to thank Needles for her shout out. And now I must try Zitron Loft.

Crocheted Crabs are awesome!

There's another contest at This Kitten Knits. Be sure to tell them Sally Comes Unraveled sent you.

Finally, Amy Singer and Knitgrrl are posting their Knitting Scout Badges. I'll have to put some up some soon.

Fitting and Happy Rejection

Before I do Saturday Blog Bits, I need to catch up on a couple of things.

For starters, is it just me, or does Cherry Bomb not fit as well as it used to?

Last Sunday was the first time I wore it since I washed it, and despite the careful blocking, it seemed...off. Were the short rows in the right place? Did it get stiffer with washing? Did I block it wrong?

I actually took it off, adjusted my bra, and put it back on. (I don't know if these pics were before or after I adjusted my bra.) I know, Big Girl Knits and everyone else is so big on finding a bra that fits. However, any bra that "fits" in the traditional sense is never very comfortable for me. I think I need to knit with my saggy boobs in mind.

Seriously, my breasts have always aged faster than I am. I got the bra in the fifth grade, stretch marks by the sixth grade and now they're drooping at age 27. And Mom will tell me if I didn't rip off my bra the second I got home, or if I had better fitting bras to start with, it wouldn't be happening. But I've accepted my grandma boobs a long time ago.

At any rate, I think adjusting the bra helped some, but maybe I just didn't notice the imperfections before.

And the way it gaps at the armholes seems new. Is it too big? Did I lose weight?...

Nah.

At least the bottom doesn't curl as much.

In other news, I got a very nice rejection letter from Amy Singer at Knitty. And I'm not being sarcastic or sucking up. Maybe it's all in my mind, but I feel like my last design was really in the running. She said she really liked my style and that my pictures have improved. I'm getting closer.

Blog Bits Saturday

It's 1:18 p.m. - ish on Saturday. Do you know where your knitting is?

Time for blog bits:

Knit and Tonic has a cool lace scarf pattern up, and some very valid points on rolling scarves.

Grumperina finished her "underpants blanket."

Speaking of Grumperina, if you read about her bleeding yarn drama (and the follow up,) be sure to read the happy ending. The good people at Schaefer offered to replace her yarn, and assured her that they were well aware of the problem with that particular dye and fiber combo. They have discontinued Clara Barton in Andrea. Does anyone else thing it's ironic that the Clara Barton colorway bleeds bright red? (BTW - the problem seems to only be when Clara Barton is combined with Andrea, not the other yarns.)

f. pea talks about tags for handmade gifts. I tend to use giant slips of paper, but I may have to make some fancy ones like she does. Also, there's a pattern for a felted Elph case.

The Sweet Sheep is taking suggestions for incentives/discounts for its customers. Also, read about the "Knittin' Kitty.

Persistent Illusion tackles gauge and lace.

Speaking of lace, there's another masterpiece in the works at Knitspot.

There's bamboo, sock bags and enabling at Shut Up I'm Counting.

I'm horrified, but I can't look away from this bit of inspiration at Rosy Delights. I wish I knew where it came from and, why anyone would knit sweaters for dead sparrows.

Finally, get out your needles, it's a giant ball of twine!