Stash Enhancment - Lots of Pics!

First off is my second installment of Plucky Classics from The Plucky Knitter. These colorways are based on Hitchcock's movies. Meet "The Cat" from "It Takes a Thief"
Love the stichmarker as well and this yarn has cashmere so it really soft !
My first shipment from the Magnolia Society Fall/Winter 2008 came yesterday from Madelinetosh. I chose the "intense" colorway and this little lovely is called Black Mediera Fig. I love her yarns! My Sock Yarnista Club shipment for The Three Irish Girls came -- this is soooo squishy!

Both colorways are "Barcelona". This one is worsted from the Stash Enhancment Club. This is My Seven Deadly S(p)ins -- PRIDE shipment. I love the yarn, but I'm not a lace/shawl kniiter, so if anyone wants this let me know. You get the pattern and the 4 hanks for $55.00 --US only please.
I'm keeping the stitch markers though -lol!

I have been busy knitting as well and I will post those in a few days......

What's Goin' On

Well I am still recovering from the kids' school event -- it's 50th Anniversary Celebration for 460 people. I have hardly knitted anything latley until last night. my prgress of my Blueberry Waffle socks. Past my provisional row now, and only have about 2 more inches on the leg.

This is White Oak Studion TV yarn in the High Fidelity colorway you may recall from a previous post.

My Primavera's are coming along slowly as I actually have to pay attention to them as I knit!

I'm very happy with them -- what's not to love as it's MadelineTosh Sock yarn.

All Hallow's Eve Dishcloth SWAP

1. Do you knit or crochet? For how long? I only knit and have been for 4 years
2. What sort of needles or hooks do you enjoy using the most? I love the new Harmony Knitpick Needles. I do all my sock Magic Loop style. Are there some you've been dying to try out and haven't? Harmony Straights
3. What kind of projects do you most enjoy? Small things you can take with you, or big complex ones that are just gorgeous when they're done? Both, but I am addicted to socks and cowls at the moment
4. List one pattern for a dishcloth that you love to make, or just tell us about one you've made or received that you loved. I love the Diagonal Ripple and have made it a lot but not for myself.
5. What are your 'must have' notions? Are there any notions you need or can never have enough of? Any that might make you cry if you owned more? No needles protectors please or finishing needles.
Petting Yarn
6. What are your favorite yarns to work with? Any you hate or are allergic to? I love alpaca and merino. Not a fan of the course, feltable stuff or mohair. Not an arylic or novelty yarn fan.
7. What colors do you like to use in projects? Blues, green, pink, brown. Any we'd never catch on your needles? Orange, yellow
8. Any cottons you'd like to try you can't find by you, or just haven't gotten around to getting? I have used them all I think.
Halloween, Fall, and General Stuff
9. Do you like to use bar soap or shower gel more? Both What kinds of scents do you love? What kind do you hate? I dislike rose and super flowery stuff. I like spicey, ginger, fruit smells. Lavender is my fav!
10. What's more 'Halloweeny' - Ghosts, Pumpkins, or Witches? Ghost and I love skulls! I don't have little kids anymore so I am not a fun of cutsey Halloween stuff - more authentic and scarier...
11. What's your favorite Treat to get? Sweet or Salty? Anything you're allergic to or just hate? I love it all, but no nuts please. I like mint 3 Muskateers, Popcorn
12. What was your favorite Halloween Costume as a kid? As an adult?? As a kid I guess it would be Caspar and as an adult my husband and I went as Sonny and Cher and it was a hoot!
13. Are you on Ravelry? What's your ID? jillglove

New Stash

Things are crazy here! I am on the planning committee for a celebration for my boys' high school. It the 50th Anniverday Party that will be held 2 weeks from today. You may not see me around much, so here is some yarn to tide you over! First up is Merino George Emerson from Sockpixie. She does not put lables are her yarn -- that bugs me -- I think I'll make my own...... Then I bought from Mud Creek's stash some Gypsy Knits I have had on my wish list at the Loopy Ewe. Friends must help friend destash you know! Colorway is Mountain Rain.
My August shipment form Three Irish Girls Sock Yarnista Club "Artic Circle"
And then the same colorway in thier Bulky weight from the Stash Menagerie Club. What I love of the Three Irish Girls Clubs , is that you have 2 colorways to chose from so you get what you want. Next month will be my last shipments as I did decide to The Magnolia Society again. Can't swing both clubs...........
We also got these great stitchmarkers!
I did finish the socks in my last post -- no photo yet but the sceond looks just like the first one.

I'm See'n Green

Here is ONE Baby Backward Rib sock. ONE -- Didn't get much knitting time this week Here's the stitch close-up -- Mista Alpaca Sock Yarn
My final shipment for the Magnolia Society -- MadelineTosh Yarn. This is her Sock yarn in colorway Verdent
And then her worsted (only available for Magnolias) is Celdon Pottery I just got my renewal and I am hesitating. You get 2 sock yarns and then 2 lace when I don't use. Its absoluting stunning, but have no use. Thinkin' cuz its on the pricey side.

Miscellaneous FO's

Here's some miscellaneous finished objects. First the August Dishcloth KAL project called Redbud Leaf. This is S&C Pumpkin colorway -Fall will be here before we know it.
Then I made this Ribs and Ruffles Scarf for a friend for her birthday. Love this Misti Alpaca Chunky and it made a perfect one-skein project.
I took a class from my friend Kathy and it was this Spa Set. This is done in Unique Sheep Pima Cotton -- you may remember from my sheep cloth from the Seven Deadly S(p)ins.
I love this Soap Sachet. No patterns to share as they belong to Kathy.

Law and Order Rerun Socks

Well I made a big mistake with these, and so it took a while. I finshed the first sock, and then went to work on other things and then started working on the second. The first I did 2x2 ribbing and it wasn't until I went to bind off the second, did I realized I did it all in stockette. Yikes -- really how hard could it have been? Wednesday I frogged the leg back (thank goodness I knit toe-up) and finshed late Thursday night, just in time for the Sock-of-the Month deadline!

There was also a delay because I sat on the needles getting my *bling* pedicure and then had to reorder (and a spare) from Knitpicks.
This was supposed to be my mindless sock project -- ahh those knitting gods have a sense of humor -- The Yarn is Knitterly Things -- Vesper Wee Skeins Kit #1

Clubs Galore!

These first two are from Three Irish Girls Clubs. The first is from Stash Menagerie, called Chocolate Orchid and it will be this when it grows up. And this is Lady Slipper from the Sock Yarnista Club. Pretty......... I live in the same town that Snoopy was born and raised, so it only makes sense I would love The Woolgirl's Joe Cool kit. Jen is awesome and puts together the greatest packages! I signed up to get the Peanuts Falls kit too.

The bag is perfect for a sock project from Stuck in Illinois. They are a great deal and the cost includes shipping ($10). This is one of my favorite yarns and you may remember it from my Romantic Comedies club I was in.
Isn't this the cutest stitch marker?
And the last club shipment this month was my Seven Deadly S(p)ins -- SLOTH.
The hat pattern, even though is is sloth-like, is a litle over-my-head, so it may be something I work on later when I am feeling adventurous. The black ball is angora to line the ear flaps.
So many projects, so little time!

Sock Update

These are the Baby Backward Rib socks I have been working on. My friend Patty gave me this Misti Alpaca Sock yarn for my birthday. My Mom loves them and too bad they are too small for her. I have some Unique Sheep yarn that is very similar so I will make her some for her birthday in October.

My Law and Order Rerun socks are hibernating because when I went to go a pedicure (see below), I sat on the needles and they broke. Now waiting for replacements from Knit Picks. I was almost finished, too! I had to frog my Wendy's Summer of Socks Pattern. It was just too lacy and big for me so thanks to Joansie I am doing Blueberry Waffle socks and I love it! Thanks Joansie!

Found a new indie dyer -- Colorplay! Very nice! Featured here is Clark's Pool. Her colors and rich and vibrant and the fiber is soft and squishy.I also got a hank of Plucky Kniiter's Sock in "The Gang's All Here"

Here's what I'm wearing on my feet now (not the shoes -- there from my sister's wedding!) Very sparkly!

Wedding Photos

I am tired. Happy, but tired. The last 5 days have been a whirlwind of wedding related activites. I think my sister and her husband are a beautiful couple, don't you?
Here are my sons, the ushers, who were so great that day. When you have teenage boys, you don't get to see them in their social environment. They were so polite, helpful, funny, and charming. Yes! They will be able to go out into the world and communicate beyond grunts and look at people in the eye when they talk to you.....
Now that we are at home, its back to usual! Ah, boys!

Lots of Socks!

I have so many sock patterns/yarns in the queue its hard to decide what to knit first. Here's my "Law and Order Rerun" sock that is mindless. Vesper Wee Skein Sock Yarn #1. This is so fun to see how the colors will play out and I'm really enjoying it. The second sock is cast on already.
Here's Shadow showing you my Primavera Sock in MadelineTosh Sock yarn in Nightengale. It was the first shipment for The Magnolia Society. An out-of-the box colorway for me, but that's good!
And you may remember this from a post recently -- its High Fidelity from my TV Sock Yarn Club shipment #3. It's Wendy's Summer of Socks pattern and my first lace sock. The SSKs are killing me! Again, the black in the background it the cat! The wedding is next week, and I am going down to do some last minute prep with my Mom and sister and won't be around much. Have a Happy 4th USA friends!

Yes, I Do Knit Yarn -- Not Just Buy It!

Well it took me a while, but they are finished. These were written for cuff-down, but I think toe-up is just as nice. It was an easy pattern to memorize -my first pattern I followed by chart so I learned something new and built up my confidence some. I would definitely do this one again!

I have blogged about these before and if you want specifcs here the Raverly link. The gal who wrote this pattern wrote the one for my Chickadee Cowl as well. You can see her great patterns and blog here. I also finished the second installment of The Seven Deadly S(p)ins with was anti-Wrath = Peace. I am in 5 yarn clubs now and I am really trying to do the projects and knit up the yarn before the next month arrives. Yikes!

Cowls Galore

First, my Blueberry Picking cowl is finished. Pretty happy with the colorway.


I had my other Chickadee Cowl I knit out for comparison and Shadow decided he needed to nap on it!

I have 4 socks OTN ...knitting ADD. Maybe all the smoke from our 840+ fires here in California is gettin' to me!

Berry Picking

First here's another close-up of the stitch pattern for another Chickadee Cowl. The yarn is from The Plucky Knitter (again) but in her new Bulky Merino. The colorway is more "me" and it's called Blueberry Picking. On a side note, I was also able to snag a spot in her Sock Club!

Speaking of berries, my July/August issue of "Everyday Food" came and I made this salad, which is now my new favorite summer recipe.
Mixed Berry Salad With Mint
Ingredients
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered if large
1 cup raspberries (4 ounces)
1 cup blackberries (4 ounces)
1 cup blueberries (5 ounces)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and liqueur. Gently fold in strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and mint. Serve immediately (or cover and refrigerate, up to 4 hours).

ENJOY!

Where I Have Been

Been away -- June 1st was my sister's birthday and so we made the trip down south (1 1/2 hours) to spend the day with our whole family. I bowled 3 games and the next day I couldn't lift my arm! Getting old ain't for sissy's!

Then the following week was filled with work, laundry, and meetings. .The next 2 days were filled with cooking, cleaning, and decorating at my Mom's for my sister's tea-party bridal shower. The Ginger Honey Muffins and Lavender Cookies were a hit, along with the chocolate dipped strawberries, tea sandwiches, stuffed mushrooms and cupcakes! She loved it! Pretty bride-to be and me poring tea! (see the cupcakes?!)
I decided to spend Saturday night as well because I was pooped and then I could drive back up in the light Sunday AM traffic. When I came home I found these waiting for me:

I just found her yarn on someone's blog I can't remember, but the yarn is heavenly. I think they will be cowls when they grow up