OK -- I am am fully recovered from Stitches. I would have been ready for a report sooner, but with all the yarn I brought home, a cold decided to hop a ride as well.

It was reported to be the largest Knitting Event so far and we even made Channel 5 news and the cover of the San Jose Mercury News. Knitting has hit the big time!

Well I agree it was BIG! There were over 250 vendors and the quality of yarn was better than last year – in my opinion. I don’t recall a long line last year to get in to the Marketplace on Thursday night, but there was…but we did get a sample of Tofutsie while we were waiting.

Everyone was headed one of two places: Raverly, where I got this cute t-shirt

and Blue Moon Fibers Arts. I decide to wait on Blue Moon because I really didn't want to stand in the very long line and if I didn't look right away, I wouldn't know what I had missed. Later I was able to get 3 hanks of Socks that Rock Silkie and was very happy!

This colorway is Puck's Mischief and it so soft. It's 81% superwash merino and 19% silk in their medium weight. Sorry about the photo below. This colorway, Rook-y, was hard to capture. It's from their Raven series and has wonderful highlights.

This is from Blue Moon's site, so you get an idea of the colors.

I pick up my Raverly passport and went around to the various vendors to have it “stamped”. It was a great idea, as I was able to see some great yarn and meet great vendors like Article Pract. I got this neat blocking system there and now I can block my afghan squares.

I took 3 classes: Chart Reading and Writing with JC Briar and her Get Twisted class the same afternoon. She is a great instructor and I got a lot out of her 2 classes. Then Saturday I took Lucy Neatby’s advanced sock class all day. I learned so much, but I have only been knitting 3 years,so it was a little overwhelming. She is amazing and I really enjoyed it.

I did buy more yarn -- 2 more types of sock yarn and 2 hanks for scarves that I'll tell you about them on some other Friday. I actually have been knitting some yarn as well and I am almost finished with some socks that I'll post those this weekend.

Fiber Friday Week 3 (late)

Not ready to post about Stitches yet, but here's something to tide you over!

How great it is to buy gorgeous sock yarn and support a charity as well. This is what I did by purchasing Madelinetosh yarn in Umoja colorway. It is SW Merino - 395 yards. It is spun like Koigu and feels wonderful! The colorway name comes from a Women's Group in Kenya that advocates for, and enables women's empowerment via HIV/Aids health education, children's education, political participation and community action.
Here is the link on Woolgirl where I heard about the charity. or you can directly to here to go directly to the group itself. Isn't it pretty!?

Today Is National Chocolate Mint Day

I am going to Stitches West on Thursday and will be gone through Sunday. Expect a full report when I get back and lots of fiber for Fridays!

Here's a yummy way to celebrate!

Fudgy Minty Brownies

3/4 cup Cocoa
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
2/3 cup Oil
1/2 cup Water, boiling
2 cups Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2 cup Flour
1 teaspoon Mint flavoring
1/4 teaspoon Salt
20 Mint patties

Directions:

Stir cocoa and baking soda in mixing bowl, blend in half of the oil, add boiling water; stir until mixture thickens. Stir in sugar, eggs, remaining oil, stir until smooth. Add flour, mintflavoring and salt, blend very well together.

Pour into lightly greased 13 X 9 inch baking pan or two 8 inch sqare pans. Bake at 350 degress F for 35 to 40 minutes for big pan, about 30-32 minutes for two small pans.

While the brownies are still hot, arrange the cream-filled mint patties on top, bake another 3 minutes then spread all evenly around. Let cool, cut into squares.

This recipe from CDKitchen for Fudgy Minty Brownies serves/makes 3 dozen

Fiber Friday Week2

Isn't this delicious? It's called Sugar from Dyelicious Additions in Australia.
It is 75% Superwash Wool and 25% Nylon 4 ply and 187m

Those of you who know me, maybe surprised by this color choice. Maybe Valentine's Day to got me. Now I may make this or this, or this
and I got a little Valentine treat as well -- thanks Kelly!

Fiber Friday Week One

OK -- everyone is oooohing and ahhhhhing over Wollmeise. I have tired to order it during the Loopy Ewe sneak-ups, but have never snagged a skein. I just happend to be on the Wollmeise site when they were updating and managed to order 2 skeins. Look how it comes in the mail all the way from Germany!

Under the sticker they had a mini skein hidden -- adorable. Its "Red Hot Chili ."
Now onto the skeins! I had no idea what I ordered, as everytime I added something to my cart it was "stolen" from me so I just kept adding items and checked out with whatever was remaining. Talk about a crap shoot! I was lucky to get one skein of Sockenwole 80/20 in Suzanne . Its a very generous 510 yards of superwash merino.
This is the same yarn in Vincent colorway. They wash the yarn is something that smells wonderful too......soooo soft.
And they included a little sweet treat and translation of German knitting terms.

New Socks OTN

Wow! I love this Lorna's Laces sock yarn. It is the 3rd of my many new sock yarn purchases. You have already seen my Zen Heart Socks, the sKnitches Syncopation yarn, and this is Lorna's "Edgewater" colorway. Purchased at the Loopy Ewe.

I had a pattern all picked out and I ripped it back to just let the yarn do the talking. Its my usual technique -- nothin' fancy.

I also got some Duet yarn at the Loopy Ewe and some Regia from Raverly "itchyfingers." My Dyelicious Yarn (Sugar) has not come from Australia yet, nor has my Woolmeise from Germany. I also ordered this other fantastic yarn from the Woolgirl. It will have its own blog entry as its something special!

I am going to start a feature called "Fiber Fridays" where I will post some of my new yarns

I can't stop myself!

They are Finished!

These were OTN waaaaay too long. Now that I am in SAM5 (sock-a-month 5), it gave me the push I needed to get them finished.

I got the yarn at Stonebarnfibers.com. The colorway is Blackberry Bramble and it feels like Koigu!


The pattern is from Sensational Knitted Socks, called "Baby Cable Rib". I don't have a fancy camera, so I hope this photo does justice to the stitches. They were a toe-up Magic Loop sock, with the afterthought heel.

January SAM5 Socks

I am trying to use up my sock stash, but so far this year I have added 6 to it! You have seen 2 and I got 2 more today and I will post their loveliness soon!

I was glad to finish the Chewy Spaghetti Holiday Club and this is the final shipment called Wintery 2007. You can buy her yarn at http://theloopyewe.com/ -- it is sport weight and knits up fast. This is a basic 2x2 rib, toe-up with the after-thought heel.