A New WIP!

This is what I got in the mail Tuesday from The Plucky Knitter. It is a bulky-weight Merino/Cashmere blend. Very nice.........

I really did not need any yarn (as you all know) but then I saw this and had to get some!

So far, so good! I'll keep you posted. (Don't ya know that cowls are the new scarf?!)

A Finished Pair of Socks!

Hey I didn't say they matched! The one on the left is my Ampersand sock and the right is my heel-less spiral sock. The latter has really been a chore. Is is 15 inches of spiral rib and I have really lost my mojo with it.
I love how the Ampersand turned out -- it is a tad snug and I have to coax it over my heel. Notes have been made so I can make another pair that fits better. Its not a terrible fit, but it could have more room.
I don't know if I would do another pair of these (I haven't even done one PAIR yet) because the pattern was tedious. Wait to you see what I got today, and what I am making with it. Must go wind a sock cake now............

More New Yarn

I am trying to catch up with posting my new stash. I have not been buying as much either (I did just sign up for the Magnolia Society through MadelineTosh yarns, waiting for my McGregor's Garden and some Plucky Knitter...other than that, its been slow...NOT! AND my second shipment of The Seven Deadly Spins comes soon, as well as My Romantic Comedy Sock Yarn Club...YIKES!

This is the "Don't Be Blue" kit that The Loopy Ewe offered only to those of us who did not make it into their sock club. First some Dream in Color Smooshy Sock Yarn in an exclusive colorway for The Loopy Ewe.
Click on the photo for a close up of the color.
This pattern looks like fun! It has little snakes running up the leg and you add beads for the eyes. I can't wait to do this! (Click to enlarge)
As always with The Loopy Ewe, you get goodies: An acessory bag, a key chain, kisses, and a big Bath Kiss!
I am making progress on my sock -- post to come.....

April 24th is National Zucchini Day

Funny seeing how zucchini is not in season!

Cranberry Zucchini Bread

PREP TIME 15 Min
COOK TIME 1 Hr
READY IN 1 Hr 15 Min

INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredient. In another bowl, beat eggs; add zucchini, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until blended. Fold in the cranberries and walnuts. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. SUBMITTED BY: Alice Manzo

Sock Progress

Here is my Spiral No-Heel sock it all it's glory. Looks good so far --coming along slowly and it seems its not growing very much.

On the foot, it feels wierd. Now granted, its not over the heel entirely, but I don't know......we'll see. It is also gobbling up the yarn so I hope I have enough to finish.

Fiber Friday (late)

I won't even tell you how much yarn I bought this week...too embarassed! I acutally bought this yarn a month or so ago and just never shared. This is Tempted which I bought at the Loopy Ewe. It's called "One Night Stand" and its just lovely! And this I bought just last weekend when my boys had an all-day lacrosse jamboree. They had a 2 hour break between games and I wandered around Palo Alto to Full Thread Ahead. I bought some yarn there last year, and then some at Stiches West this year. This is new Plymouth sock yarn called "Happy Feet." It is a great deal too at only $6.99 a skein. I had a Stitches West Raverly coupon for $5 off so I could not resist!

Sock Class

This my sock from the class I am taking. I had to rip it back a bit as it was too big. With this 3x3 spiral rib, it will gather inward and so I had to cast on more than I usually do and got carried away.
This sock will continue to spiral upward with no heel -- yep -- NO HEEL. I can't wait to get in done! Both Giants and A's played today, so I have been getting lots of knitting done.

I'm Seeing Green

I am behind in posting my recent stash enhancements. (In my defense, I have also sold quit a bit of yarn the last couple of weeks, so it makes me feel better anyway....) I bought this from Woolgirl as I had been hearing about this yarn for awhile. This is Weekend Warrior from Hazel Knits Artisan Sock and I wish you could all come over and squeeze it! I have another colorway of Hazel's that I have been eyeing as well.

I got this few weeks ago form Woolgirl too -- The Unique Sheep Footprints yarn in "Calming" sportweight.
What's really funny is that I normally don't buy green items. My maiden name was Green and I heard enough green jokes to last me until the end of time. But now for some reason, green colorways are just calling me.....

New Sock Cast On

I am taking a new sock class by Kathy Snyder who teaches in Sebastopol. We are making a heel-less sock, toe up and using Judy's Magic Cast On. I have been knitting my socks toe-up, but with a figure-8 or Turkish cast on. When I was casting this on, it was just like long-tail cast on, but with a twist of the yarn to "knit".
Judy's look just like a stockinette row. See? Yarn is Collinette Jitterbug in colorway " Parrot" --see link below.

Meadow

Not my best work, but I like the pattern. It was designed by Lindy who is a teenage girl who makes a ton of cloths and designs as well. This is my first cloth of the year, as I have been busy making socks! Thanks for the great pattern Lindy!

Ampersand and Crusoe

OK, here's my progress on Ampersand - not bad really, just movin' slowly. This is my first project using a chart, thanks to a class I took at Stitches West.
Here's another view -- I'm likin' it....

...and a close-up (as far a my camera goes anyway) of the stitch pattern

I can't show you Crusoe, because it has been frogged down to the end of the toe increases and stashed for now. Very sad.....

What's New

OK -- I finished some socks. These are my basic rib socks I posted a month ago. I am pleased with these, and they will be worn often!

New sock yarn as well. This is a new-to-me sock yarn call Fiesta Baby Boom -- wow this is some soft stuff! I bought it through The Loopy Ewe.
The colorway is Rain Forest. Ain't it purdy? That's my good news. My not so good news is that Ampersand socks are moving sloooowly. Not a mindless pattern, and I have been tired to think lately. Everything is progessing well, but it's just taking time. My Caruso has been partially frogged! I have real small feet, and so I cast on the required 44 stitches and I can get the darn thing over my heel (I knit toe-up). The foot fit fine (maybe a little short) but the ankle was too tight. I frogged the leg back and added 4 stitches and I hope this helps.

For the next 4 Wednesdays, I am taking a toe-up, heel-less spiral sock class. Sounds intriging does it not? That's why I'm taking it! I did up my swatch is Colinette Jitterbug in colorway Parrot -- very nice yarn!

That's what is happening in my world -- whats happening in yours?

Fiber Fiber and What's OTN

I have been away looking a colleges with my boys who will be applying this fall,

which explains my blog absence....... This is what's on another set of needles (I thinkI now have 3 different socks OTN)

This is Crusoe, a Knitty pattern. I like the pattern well enough, but maybe I didn't use the right yarn to show it off....

I bought the yarn is Skagway Alaska, and can't recall the name of the yarn shop there. The yarn is Rabbit Ridge Designs in a soft wool/soy blend. The colorway is "Glacier". It is lovely yarn and very soft!

Ampersand Update...

Slow and steady -- not a social knitting project - more of a Law-and-Order-Marathon project. I took a chart reading class at Stitches and I this is my first project using charts.

I am also making some cabled mittens, my first cable project as well, and I was on gauge and everything and the pattern is just too big for my hand. So I will be taking it out and reknitting in the "small child" size instead of the "small adult" size.... sheesh!

A Quiz

Take the Quiz here!

Now that Masterpiece's Jane Austin Series has ended, every one has her on their minds -- a quiz even! I am not sure about my results though..........

I Got TWO Boxes Today

...but I am only sharing one for now. It is my first shipment of my Seven Deadly S(P)ins Club. The first sin is Gluttony and and is featured by a "gluttony" of color. This club is through the incredible Woolgirl (see link below) and the yarn is from the Unique Sheep. Checkout the pattern.
You use all these yarns for each sock and it makes a gradual rainbow effect --its lovely...
And lets not forget all the goodies as well!

What's OTN

Here is my version of Ampersand (thanks Renate) and it will be slightly different from the original as my toe-up pattern will be upside down. I did contact the designer and she thought it would be fine and so far, I like it. See the details below for the yarn my MadelineTosh, colorway Umoja.

Here is my mindless knitting project of a standard 2x2 ribbed sock. I can't remember where I got this yarn (Little Knits?) and its just called "Super Socks"

Just trying to use up some of the gorgeous yarn I have been buying....expecting 4 shipments this week --YIKES!

Fiber Friday

A prize came in the mail from The Woolgirl . She has fun contests on her blog and I answered this week's question correctly (shape of a sugar molecule = rings) and she pulled my name! It was a "Peeps" Easter Prize.

The yarn is from White Oak Studio Yarns and it's really soft. I will have to find just the right pattern for this yarn!

I also got my Defeat the Winter Dodrums Swap package from Sarah -- thanks so much!
It's been a fun mail week and I still have fiber to share from Stitches!

March Socks

Yes, I actually knit some of the yarn I buy! I am on a roll with 3 pairs of socks complete. This time last year I couldn't knit a sock!

This is Lorna's Laces Sock that I bought at the Loppy Ewe. Great yarn and I love the colorway. You may remember that I tried some patterns and then decided to just let the yarn do the talking. I'm already working on my next pair!

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.