San Diego for christmas

This will probably be my last post till after christmas. We're getting in the car and driving 8 hours tomorrow. From Berkeley to San Diego. Hope the roads aren't too crowded. My husband has offered to do a bunch of the driving so I can knit :) Which is good because I have some hemp washcloths to finish. They will accompany these soaps:

got them at Soap Sistah on Solano Ave in Berkeley. Love that place. Now to get about 6 hemp washclothes done.... I can do a couple next week too.

I'm also working on the Swallow Tail Shawl from IK Fall 06:


got the inspiration from brooklyntweed... gotta look at his photos.

and a kitty (Jack) He's my favorite one (shush):

happy kitties

Well 2 of the 3 cats have made little kitty donuts (kneaded the blanket) on their new blanket. It's made of some of that Lion Brand Homespun that I donated a few posts ago. But I did use some of it :)



happy kitties are a good thing.

a few bulky scarves completed

I was home yesterday and cranked these out. My mom owns a hair salon and sells soem of my scarves there. So I figured these would probably sell as xmas gifts. These are the pre-washed photos so the fringe is a little spazzy still.



Yarn: HandpaintedYarns.com Super Bulky Wool
Color: marine
Pattern: seed stitch
Needles: crystal palace bamboo #15
Yarn Quantity: 65 yards



Yarn: HandpaintedYarns.com Super Bulky Wool
Color: lettuce
Pattern: seed stitch
Needles: crystal palace bamboo #15
Yarn Quantity: 65 yards



Yarn: Colinette Point 5
Color: Castagna 128
Pattern: seed stitch
Needles: crystal palace bamboo #15
Yarn Quantity: 55 yards

stash for cash

Marin Fiber Arts is doing a great "stash for Cash" thing and I brought in some (15 lbs) of yarn to donate. I had no idea that I had so much yarn that I really didn't want. There was a ton of Lion Brand Homespun that I bought when I first started knitting... that I really didn't want anymore. Some random online buys for wool that ended up being colors I didn't like, leftovers from larger projects, acrylic from my grandma, novelty yarn, etc. So it ended up being 15 pounds of yarn. Which equaled $75 in store credit which was awesome.

the donations:

(yeah that is fun fur you see in there... it was a gift. I have never actually bought fun fur.)

And they have a bunch of Blue Sky yarn on clearance 40% off and Goddess Yarns at 50% off. Also got some Cascade Indulgence at 50% off. Blue Sky Worsted, Alpaca Silk, & Bulky. Goddess Yarns Emmanuella and Ellen. I plan to make flip top mittens from "Handknit Holidays" with the Goddess stuff. But of course the needles I want are committed to other projects... so I guess I'll have to finish those :)
Here's what I got:


So my stash didn't really get any smaller (well a little smaller perhaps) but the stuff in it is much nicer. I can't wait to try the Blue Sky Worsted. Their knit samples were great.

new look to the blog and a finished crochet item

I got bored and decided to re-vamp the blog. I want a cleaner look. The new template accommodates wider photos as well, which is nice.

And a finished crochet scarf:


Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted
Color: vera
Pattern: double or triple crochet... I'm not sure
Needles: crystal palace bamboo hook G
Yarn Quantity: one ball (225 yards)

This was a little stiff until I washed it. Now it's like butter. Great yarn and crochet makes for nice color pooling. I like it.

Victorian Lace Today

My copy showed up yesterday. This is a lovely book with some really nice lace patterns. There is even a knitalong for the book that I plan to keep tabs on. I'm trying to learn to be patient enough to knit lace. I'm used to knitting while I watch movies and lace just takes more concentrating than that for me. So now I work on things like the cardi pictured below while I watch movies and the lace while my husband is using the TV for video games. Works out much better because I'm not interested in his game :)

Even though I am learning to enjoy knitting on size 3 needles there is just something about working on a chunky cardigan (like the one I started in Rowan Plaid). It's the "give the people what they want" cardi from Yarn Girls Guide to Simple Knits. It just goes so fast. It's cold enough that I can wear this as a jacket here in Northern California.



I worked the fronts and back all in one piece. Just need to knit arms, button band, and collar and it's done. Now for the real question... can I get it done while trying to do up a few christmas presents? The plaid yarn is awesome. I'm sad they have discontinued it.

trying my hand at lace

I've never knit anything on size 3 needles... but I do own them. So I started a leaf patterened lace from the Encyclopedia of Knitting. I wouldn't actually call it an encyclopedia but it is one of the fist knitting books I bought and it has some good stitch patterns. It's pretty easy to keep track of so far... not too complicated. But I do understand the importance of pointy needles for lace knitting. My addi turbos are really not very pointy. Any good lace needle suggestions?

The yarn is merino lace that I ordered from handpaintedyarn.com a few weeks back (and they appear to not be selling it anymore... which means we sould all see malabrigo lace merino on sale in stores for much more than the $7.90 that I spent on it). They have wool lace but not the merino. Well at least I ordered some before it disappeared. Here are the colors I ordered (before my yarn diet began):

finished a couple scarves

for my dad for christmas:


Yarn: Jo Sharp Silkroad Ultra
Color: Lake
Pattern: Farrow Rib
Multiple of 3 sts +1.
Row 1: *k2, p1* repeat across ending k1
Row 2: p1 *k2, p1* repeat across
Needles: Addi Turbo #9
Yarn Quantity: 4 balls

And a scarf with no recipiant yet:


Yarn: Knitpicks Panache
Color: 23752 Cinnamon
Pattern: cable from Vogue Stictionary Volume 2
Needles: addi turbo size #9
Yarn Quantity: 4 balls (272 yards)

both of these yarns were awesome to knit with. So soft and decadent. I realized that I've never made my dad a scarf. Didn't think he was much of a scarf guy until I saw him wearing a scratchy wool scarf my mom crocheted for him like 20 years ago... figured it was time to add to the collection.

And I'm working on a crocheted angora scarf for my mom using Valeria di Roma 100% angora... she's been wanting a fuzzy black scarf for awhile (I make my mom lots of scarves)...

kind blury and in progress:

just a cutie

so my cat (well one of 3 cats) always lays like this with his little paws stretched out and sometimes crossed... just want to snuggle him.



and here is some freshly spun up yarn:
sweet georgia roving (second batch of the yarn from the same fiber)


and some handpaintedyarn.com merino romm


that's all for now

need to stop looking

Bought some Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk DK... it was so on sale ($35 for a bag of 10... rather than $89). They send me notices in my email and taunt me... so mean. I need to just not click the links. Counter re-set to zero.

47 things you could care less about

47 things you could care less about

1. First Name Amber

2. Were you named after anyone? nope

3. When did you last cry?
This afternoon when I heard that a local man that was lost in the woods was found dead. article here.

4. Do you like your handwriting?
it's ok if I write slowly. But when I rush it's pretty chicken scratchy.

5. What is your favourite lunchmeat?
Pepper Turkey.

6. If you were another person would you be friends with you?
I think so. I like many of my qualities.

7. Do you have a journal?
This is as close as it gets. Not real big on writing. But I take a lot of photos that sort of work as a diary.

8. Do you still have your tonsils?
Yes. Almost had to have them removed in my early 20's but I ended up keeping them.

9. Would you bungee jump?
Not on purpose. Doesn't look like fun to me.

10. What is your favourite cereal?
Special K with red berries is my normal cereal. But my favorite gross sugar cereal is Fruit Loops.

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
Nope. I slide out and leave them tied till I have to untie them to put them on the next time

12. Do you think you are strong?
Weak arms but strong will.

13. What is your favourite ice-cream flavour?
Heath Bar Crunch.... or Cookies and Cream

14. Shoe size?
US 11, European 41 (I'm 5"10')

15. Red or pink?
love both... but I'd say pink.

16. What is the least favourite thing about yourself?
I procrastinate too much.

17. Who do you miss most?
My Grandma Died 2 years ago and I miss her a lot

18. Do you want everyone to send this back to you?
I'd love for people to add it to their blogs to share

19. What colour pants, shirt and shoes are you wearing?
Dark blue jeans, black long sleaved shirt, silver ballet flats.

20. Last thing you ate?
a snickerdoodle cookie

21. What are you listening to right now?
Nine Inch Nails (With Teeth) and right before that Bloc Party (Silent Alarm)

22. If you were a crayon what colour would you be?
Grass Green

23. Favourite smell?
The way it smells right after it rains

24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
Coworker (I'm at work)

25. The first thing you notice about people you are attracted to?
how they look at me

26. Do you like who you stole this off?
http://passionfruit.typepad.com/ Don't know her this just looked fun

27. Favourite drink?
Pinot Noir

28. Favourite sport?
not a sports fan... but I can handle watching soccer or hockey

29. Eye colour?
olive green with coppery freckles

30. Hat size?
I have a huge head. When I knit hats I always make the men's size

31. Do you wear contacts?
I do. But I also own and wear glasses soemtimes.

32. Favourite food?
Good thai or chinese food is a favorite.

33. Scary movies or happy endings?
I'm a sucker for a scary movie... love thrillers.

34. If you could live anywhere in the world where would that be?
I haven't traveled a lot... but I loved New York, and Florence.

35. Summer or winter?
winter... there is something about the cold that makes me feel really alive.

36. Hugs or kisses?
hugs... a good hug always makes me feel better

37. Favourite dessert?
chocolate mouse or cheese cake

38. Who is most likely to respond?
I didn't actually send this to anyone

39. Least likely to respond?
ditto above

40. What books are you currently reading?
I'm sad to say that I am not actually reading anything right now.

41. What's on your mouse pad?
no mouse pad... optical mouse.

42. What did you watch on TV last night?
I rented the Oh in Ohio, so funny. I love parker posey

43. Favourite sounds?
a purring cat, the ocean

44. Rolling Stones or Beatles?
Beatles!

45. The furthest you have been from home?
I'm in Berkeley, California... so the farthest I guess is Venice Italy.

46. What's your special talent?
Knowing what people are trying to say even when they are having trouble expressing it.

47. Where were you born?
Cave Junction, Oregon (USA) in a moter home... parents were hippies and wanted a home birth. They had a midwife...

ok it's time for a diet

this purchase plus another one of friday makes a whole lot of yarn bought in the last couple weeks. So I'm back to activly avoiding buying new yarn....

the friday purchase was some Rowan Plaid in Soft Kelp:


they discontinued this yarn and I love plaid... so I bought enough for a sweater.

ok yarn diet and a counter at the top of my blog to shame me into being good.

almost forgot about the fiber that showed up last week....

8oz of superfine merino in each of these colors (hand dyed by lisa):
milk & honey
mars quake

ok that's all

gnome pattern

gnome pattern

I'm so going to send the money and get this one... very cute

photo of a knit gnome

knitty patterns to keep track of

Pullover Sweaters:
janda 4.5 st/inch pullover w/hood
mesilla 4 st/inch short sleeve w/embroidery
saranac 4.5 st/inch ribbed zip neck pullover
thermal 6.5 st/inch u-neck waffle pullover
3x chic 3 st/inch bulky ribbed v-neck pullover
ungranny smith fine gauge cardi w/ beads

Cardigan Sweaters:
bpt 5 st/inch cabbled zip cardi w/hood
bristow 4.5-5 st/inch shaped cabled cardi
emerald - 3 st/inch shawl collared reglan (cable detail) cardi
josephine 10.5 st/4 inch bulky cabled belted cardi
mariah 5 st/inch cabled reglan hoodie

soliel 5.5 st/inch lace edged tank

misc head coverings:
calorimetry - 4.5 st/inch wide headband w/ button
center square - 4.25 st/inch fair-isle target circle hat

scarves:
argosy - 5 st/inch lacy bias squares scarf
astrodome - 4 st/inch fair-isle star patterned hat
coronet - 4.25 st/inch cable brim hat
wavy - 5.5 st/inch wavy ribs

hand coverings:
tiffany - 6 st/inch deco fair-isle mittens
more coming

crochet

So exciting. A friend at work today taught me to crochet. Can't wait to get home and practice. Seems like the basic stitch is pretty easy. I picked up the Stitch n Bitch crochet book a while back and have been meaning to try... but having someone walk me through the basics was so much easier :)

I have actually been knitting quite a bit lately. Started and finished a scarf for my dad for christmas. It's made of Jo Sharp Silkroad Ultra in a dark/warm blue called Lake. I just did a farrow rib pattern. And once upon a time I started a ballet wrap cardigan from IK and was really enjoying knitting it... got the back and both the fronts done... then I couldn't find the back. It totally disappeared for about 6 months. Last week my husband found it behind a speaker while we were re-arranging the furniture in the living room. Oops. So I dusted it off and started the sleeves for the sweater. It's almost all sewed together now so I'll get some photos posted soon. This is the first sweater I've finished since February. I've started like 5 sweaters... just haven't completed any. Here is the photo of the sweater from IK:

I used bulky merino from handpaintedyarns.com in velvet grapes. Such yummy yarn.

yarn binge

handpaintedyarn.com got me....

one scarf to be:

another scarf to be:

some merino lace yarn:

perhaps a felted bag:

a sweater:
mc

cc

and another sweater:
reglan style sleeves in:

body in:


and a little merino roving:


ummm perhaps I got carried away. Here's what happened. Webs (yarn.com) sent out an annoucement saying that they were now carrying malabrigo merino bulky (the retail version of handpaintedyarn.com). Which leads me to believe that handpaintedyarn.com will not be carrying their merino bulky anymore... so it'll cost me double if I want it. I figured I'd just stock up a bit. That very thing happened to the worsted single ply merino and I kick myself for not buying a sweaters worth of the yarn. oops. Well now I have some of the bulky (which I love). But I paid cash so at least none of my purchase will earn interest.