Introverted

Ahoy-hoy,

I originally made this quite a few months ago, I finished it in a day and a few hours. I took the photos, I cropped them, resized them, eventually uploaded them to my Notebook, I've been wearing it since November at least once a week, but I procrastinated like crazy on the pattern. Finally it's done and up for the knitting.

It's a cabled and ribbed scarf, both of which are introverted. Well, I guess the rib isn't technically introverted, and I guess it could be considered a cable on it's own, but let's just play along. It's knit with just 2 skeins of Patons Classic Wool Merino, which I think just about everyone has laying around in their stash so it's nice for stash diving.


Yeah, I know, super quick post. I'm trying my hardest to make a post once a day and yes, I know I missed yesterday, but I haven't been to bed yet so in my mind, it's still the day I think it is. Expect a post on my first real attempt at spinning soon, I'm nowhere near done, but it's been quite hilarious.

Toodles.

Princess

So before jumping into the finishing of Starsky, I decided I needed something quick. So I sat down and cranked these out in an afternoon. These ruffled wristlets make me feel like a princess and are knit cuff down. The purple is Blue Sky Alpaca's 100% Alpaca. Oh, did I mention it's discontinued? It took me a while to figure out how I aquired this yarn, because I had one full skein and half a skein. Which would mean I would've had to make something out of it before. I thought about it for the entire time I was knitting, and then I remembered my mother gave it to me years ago and told me that someone at work was knitting a sweater and had left over yarn. She actually gave me quite a few odd balls that day, and I couldn't help but think "Who gives away their left over yarns, especially if it involves a full skein?" the other yarns she gave me were at least a few full skeins. How odd. Oh, and the white is Patons Classic Wool Merino which I always have a few yards hanging around here and there.
It wasn't just a super quick knit, but it was also great to get rid of all those scraps I've accumulated over the years, both layers clock in at just about 200 yards.

I love how it just peaks out from under sweaters/coats. As you can tell, I'm on a big of a spring kick, it's been kind of warm lately and I just want to get a head start on dressing for spring because I always wait too long and before you know it, it's summer and I don't think I'll be wearing wool around my wrists in august.
I've made similar ones before, but they were on a whim and I'm glad I remembered what I did (even if it was at least a year ago) I'm working on a pattern (and better photos)

A break from knitting

Well, not really. I mean, I've been working a lot on Starsky, I forgot about the collar and the belt and thought I was done with the sleeves. But because it's a WIP, not really much difference from one photo to the next, so no photos until it's finished. I'm not sure if I should make the belt in the same purple, or make it in black.

After realizing that there is still the collar and the belt to do, I needed a break. So I took out an hour and made some jewelry. I suck at taking photos of jewelry, sorry.

Puzzle pendant on a chain, really simple. And blurry. I need a tripod, or non shaky hands.

And earrings to match.

And some more, these ones were impossible to photograph, so I just gave up. They're quite dangly and jangly though which I really dig. Pink seed beads, blue glass beads on a small hoop.

Pink marble-esque shells

Originally going to be a stitch marker, but changed my mind because the bead was so large. I can't seem to capture silver all that great. Bah.

Bought that bead a long time ago, it was crocheted and I just really dug it. Okay, it was an impulse buy.

Speaking of crochet, I've finally jumped in for real this time. I'm participating in the 2009 12" crochet block-a-month-along I figure this is the best way to ease myself into crochet, trying lots of different stitches and techniques on a small instant product, if it weren't for a screw up I would've been finished this months block. But thankfully, the more experienced crocheters helped me out. And yes, I do have to go back and do the Jan block.

And the stash is born again

So last year I decided to use up my stash. All of it. I still have a few odds and ends (100yards or less) and a few things that were dedicated to a certain project, which I don't count as stash because if I just knit more, it'd be gone.
So now I have nothing, well, I have a few sweaters worth, but they're already dedicated to something so it doesn't count. I'm all over Toronto Craft Alert everyday, and have been since just about the very beginning. It's kind of your one stop shop for local craft news, which I absolutely love. Back in December I saw a posting about a huge destash, I was dying to go, and then I don't even really remembered what happened, but all of a sudden it was the day after and I was so sad and upset with myself because I had missed this great opportunity (especially since I had just used up my stash) I thought for sure, the opportunity would never come around again. Then yesterday I was reading TCA late at night and discovered this. I was beyond thrilled! I couldn't believe after hearing about the experience from other people that they would even have anything left.
My plan was to wake up early and get there first thing, just so I didn't forget again. Of course then I looked at my Starsky and decided to knit a little bit before more yarn was brought in. Oh, I knit alright. I knit until 7 in the morning! So my Starsky is just about done, but I was dead tired and wouldn't miss this no matter what. I ended up passing out, I was completely out and then all of a sudden it was time to go.
So instead of sleeping, I've wound a few hanks, and just sucked it all up and now I can't sleep because I'm high on yarn fumes. I walked away with three bagfulls. Here's what I got today for $45:

I'm not sure what this is (some of the things didn't have labels) all I know is it's kinda mohairy, but it's also soft. Which is good enough for me. No idea how many yards, and I'm not about to find out manually.

I just noticed that this isn't actually blue, in fact it looks nothing like that. It's green/brown. But whatever. It's Little Wool CO's New Wool in Forest and there's about 900 yards.

A hank of Cascade 220.It's not a lot, and I have no idea what I'll do with it, but it was $2. And can you say you could pass it up? Something will be made out of it...one day.

15 skeins of GGH's Relax. It's discontinued as far as I can tell, and it's so so so soft. I had one bag in my hand, and was contemplating the second bag, by the time I turned around the second bag had five skeins taken out. Ah well. Trust your instincts!

Yes, I know it's purple and I know I said I wasn't going to do purple anymore, but it's also a different shade of purple than what I've been knitting with. I have a vague idea of what I'll make with this, but I'm not totally sure. 1800 yards.

I also got a few more hanks (without labels, and none of which I recognize) but my camera died and I really didn't feel like finding more batteries or charging mine right away. I gave myself a $50 budget, only took cash and only $50. So I came in under budget!

Starsky Update!

So I was working on this sweater since new years day, I worked on it on and off for a few days, then I shoved it in a bag (to take with me somewhere) and had forgotten all about it. Then a few days ago I was cleaning up and trying to organize all my projects I found it! I immediately started working on it again, I left off at the armholes (the point where most of my sweaters are abandoned)

I finished the back while, erm, watching Bromance. Then I started on the left front, which I started and completed while watching other very bad MTV shows. I called it a night and decided to start fresh in the morning for the right front. Starting fresh was not such a great idea because I noticed that I had missed five or so rows of ribbing, I decided that instead of butchering it while fixing it (I was never good at fixing ribbing mistakes) i frogged most of it and started again.

Then going over my notes I notice something else, I've accidentally added an extra repeat (12 rows) before the armholes on the left front. I threw the back and left front down onto the nearest flat surface and began to measure. Yep, a few inches too long, but nothing blocking won't fix. As long as I remember to screw up the right front as well, I think I'll be fine.

The super bad news is I'm getting so tired of purple, and I don't see myself wearing it when I'm finished. But it'll be done in time for my next purple phase.