Farrow Rib Scarf

I needed a nice easy quick project. So I started a farrow rib (k2, p1 over a multiple of 3 stitches) scarf in Handpaintedyarn.com bulky merino on size 11 needles. It's moving along at a quite satisfying rate:

endpaper mits (one almost done)

need to re-do the ribbing at the fingers with a smaller needle... it flairs now. oops.

fitted knits

so I had a gift certificate to spend at amazon. I was trying to decide between Fitted Knits by Stephanie Japel or Lace Style by Pam Allen and Ann Budd. Other than a few photos online I hadn't gotten a great look at the projects in either. But a few months ago I picked up Victorian Lace Today so I figured another lace book might be a little overkill. Fitted Knits on the other hand was very appealing as I love stephanie's designs. Well this book is a huge WINNER. There are several sweaters that I am having a really hard time not starting.

But I'm trying to clear out some WIPS.... not something I'm good at... you know completing projects once the honeymoon is over. But I figure I should either finish these long abandoned projects or rip them out. There are a few that will just be ripped out.

Back to the new book. It's great! Nice unique items. Not all are to my taste, but many are. And they just look very wearable and fashionable. Wish I had more time to knit so I could make them all right now :)

alpaca!

While visiting family in Placerville, Ca over the weekend... we stumbled upon an alpaca farm. We were driving by and I shrieked with joy and my husband pulled over so we could pet them :) The farm also has a gift shop... so I bought some hand spun alpaca too (still need photos of that).

fab list

I need to put something like this together. I have so many wips... might help me to track them better. perhaps I'd finish them :)

In fact over the next couple night's I'm going to try and photo all my wips and figure out what's happeing with them. Need to be knitted, finished, frogged... some really just need to be frogged. after 2 years on needles with no knitting. this will be interesting.

various felted bags - after felting

here they were before I actually washed them. And here's after:





needs bamboo handles sewn in:

currently knitting

I started My So Called Scarf in merino from 100% wool over a year ago. The yarn is identical to Malabrigo... just cheaper and in different colors. Figured it was time to get this one finished up. Not done yet but making good progress:



And still ticking away at my endpaper mits:

Jo Sharp Rare Comfort Mohair

For Sale Jo Sharp Rare Comfort Mohair



colors from top to bottom and left to right:
1 - Velvet 603 (mid purple), 2 - Romany 602 (chocolate with a touch of purple in the light)
1 - Cello 605 (pale green), 1 - Wisteria 607 (icy purple)
1 - Swamp 606 (army green)

all sold except colors in orange above

from a smoke free home with cats (but the cats aren't allowed to snuggle with the yarn or anything)

Rare Comfort Kid Mohair is a unique blend of kid mohair and wool. It is an especially fine, soft yarn, which is a delight to wear and a joy to knit with

content: 80% Kid Mohair, 5% Wool, 15% Polyamide
yardage: 95 yds
weight: Aran
gauge: 4 sts/1in
needle: US 8

original price: $7.50 each
my price: $5.50 each or all six for $30 + actual price of shipping
terms: PayPal, check, accepted
Posted by: amber
If you're interested, email me at virtual_yarnjunkie@yahoo.com

Classic Elite La Gran Mohair - SOLD

For Sale Classic Elite La Gran Mohair



from a somke free home with cats (but the cats aren't allowed to snuggle with the yarn or anything)

La Gran is a classic brushed mohair. Perfect for cozy mohair sweaters, or add a strand in with your felting project.

Stitches: 4
Needle: 9
Content: 76% mohair 18% wool 6% nylon
Yardage: 90
Colors: from left - 6552 eggplant - 6539 eucalyptus green - 6562 blue spruce
Category: Heavy Worsted Weight Yarn

Price: $5.00 each or all 3 for $12.00 (retail $7.50 each) + shipping (I'll only charge actual cost of shipping)
Terms: PayPal, check or check please
Posted by: amber
If you're interested, email me at virtual_yarnjunkie@yahoo.com

endpaper mittens

I'm using some baby cashmere from elann (the lighter blue) and some hand dyed Superfine Superwash Sport Merino from Lisa Souza (stitches purchase) for the main color (denim). Really enjoying making these. I knda love knitting with little needles. The final knit is so delicate :) I started this mitten in two colors of lisa souza sport merino... but the colors were just too similar in value. The pattern got lost. I I ripped it out and subbed in the elan yarn. Looking much better!

various felted bags

Knit these up in the last couple weeks. And they are now felted and drying. I'll get some photos once they dry.

been a busy little knitter

I knit a scarf in this pattern with this yarn....



and then forgot to take a photo of it before gifting it to my Aunt over the weekend. Oops.

Yarn: Berroco Pleasure
Color: deep red
Pattern: cable and lace pattern from Vogue Knitting Stictionary #2
Needles: Lantern Moon wooden straights #10
Yarn Quantity: 3 balls (350ish yards)

new knitty

and for my future projects:

bmp - space invaders socks 9 st inch
ribena - short sleeve fitted pullover 5.5 st inch
torque - assymetrical cable pannel pullover 5 st inch
palette - lacy scarf made from homespun yarn
dashing - fingerless mittens with cable wrist shaping - 4.5 st inch

another felted bag (and another zipper needed)
before:

after:


Yarn: Handpaintedyarn.com bulky handspun
Color: Musa
Pattern: I made it up based on mag knits sophie handle
Needles: Addi Turbo #11
Yarn Quantity: 1.5 balls (about 200 yards)

stitches west

I went on Saturday with a friend. This is the 3rd year we've gone and there are about 5 booths that I always love.

Tess
Lisa Souza
Webs
Carolina Homespun
Habu Textiles

and some others that I enjoyed as well. Considering all the temptation there I didn't but that much yarn...

Lisa Souza:
2 hanks of Petal. One in periwinkle and one in celadon.
2 hanks of Superfine Superwash Sport Merino. one in black/purple and one in denim.

Tess:
1 hank of Superwash Merino in a dark variegated green
1 hank of Silk/Merino in the same dark green color as above
1 hank of Cultivated Silk & Wool in a pale ballet pink (slight variation in the color)
1 hank of their sock yarn in a sage green color

Habu Textiles:
some strange cotton yarns to strand beads on and try to knit some jewelery with.

Webs:
bought a bunch of their stockbridge yarn to felt and knit some toys.

also got a few balls of merino at a booth that I don't remember the name of.

Carolina Homespun had a bunch of spinning wheels out and I really wanted to try one... but I have no idea how to use one and they seemed a bit busy. I want to buy a wheel... just have no idea what kind. There is a spinning studio around the corner from my house. One of these weekends I'll have to spend some time there and see what wheel I want/like to use.

Actually speaking of spinning. I met some nice spinning/weaving ladies at stitches who get together once a month right near my house. I might have to check it out.

http://spindlesandflyers.org/

baby blanket finished

Seed Stitch & Squares baby blanket Yarn: Bernat Denim Style
Color: Weathered Rose
Pattern: I made it up
Needles: Addi Turbo #10
Yarn Quantity: 2.25 balls (about 450 yards)

cool site for stitch patterns

http://www.knitting-and.com/homework/

Poncho

So my mom didn't get the memo... ponchos are so over :) Actually I think people should wear whatever they want and she wants a poncho. This actually pleases me as ponchos are fun to make... I just don't want to wear one. She requested a warm rich brown one. And since I am the yarn hoarder that I am I have two appropriate yarns in my stash already. Some tweedy brown Beaverslide fisherman weight wool and some chocolate brown cascade eco wool. Thought I'd use the Yarn Harlot's pattern as a base. But perhaps add a cable down the middle and no trim. And I now have an excuse to start a new project (soon... I have a couple gifts to finish up first).

Felted star purse

It's got stars on both sides. This isn't quite done as I need to line it and add a zipper. I may re-wet it and try to shape it a bit more. The solid areas didn't felt in width wise quite as much as the stranded part.... it flares abit at the top. Next time I'll do some decreases.

Yarn: Handpaintedyarns.com Bulky Handspun
Color: dark olive and dry blue
Pattern: I made it up (got the star motif from Knitting on the Edge)
Needles: Addi Turbo #11
Yarn Quantity: half a ball of each balls (about 150 yards total)

more patterns I want to make someday

Some mittens!
endpaper mittens by eunny
pirate mittens by hello yarn
aneomi mittens by eunny

weekend in tahoe

We stayed in Truckee right near Donner Lake. Here is a photo from Sunday morning.... since I haevn't taken any knitting photos this will have to do for now :)



oh yeah and some noro silk garden that I bought (on sale at littleknits.com) I've always wanted to make a sweater with this yarn but it's expensive... woo hoo super sale!

how awesome is this bag?

Being a big fan of both tatoos (I have 2 and am planning the 3rd right now) and knitting (I'm an addict)....

this tote is awesome and I now have one :)

teddy bear

I'm knitting that little bear with the H on his chest... sans the H for a work friends baby shower on Friday. Hope to finish in time. White fur, pink shirt, blue pants. The yarn I'm using is Gjestal Naturgarn from Elann (a long time ago). Size 9 needles to get a tight fabric. I've made 2 squareys in the same yarn from this book... see them here

baby silk from Elann

This is a scarf I'm making as a thank you gift for a friend of mine. Using Elann's Baby Silk in Aubergine on size 5 needles. It really is nice yarn to work with and the color is awesome (sorry the photo isn't great... I used the flash in leu of real light). The pattern is from Ann Budds Handy Book of Patterns. I've used tis pattern a few other times. It works great with all weights of yarn. I made one using size 11 needles and 3 strands of yarn that turned out great a year or two back.

Finished my 3rd pair of flip top mittens

Yarn: Goddess Yarns Emanuella
Color: cabernet & aubergine
Pattern: Handknit Holiday Flip-top Mittens
Needles: Knitpicks Options #7
Yarn Quantity: 1.5 balls of cabernet and .25 of aubergine

Finally got them washed this weekend. They are a very late Christmas gift for a friend. I'll be seeing her tonight. She's one of those friends who always appreciates the knitted gifts and actually wears them too. So she's gotten a pile of knit stuff from me :)

Also knit up a small purse that still needs to be felted:


Ether tonight or tomorrow I'll give it a spin through the washer. It's been awhile since I've done any felting. But a couple years back I was in the throws of a serious felting addiction :) made so many bags and whatnot. It's fun :) The items knit up so quickly on the larger needles and I especially love how hand painted yarns look felted. The above was knitt from handpaintedyarn.com handspun bulky wool. So the bag cost about $6.50 to knit. Can't beat that.

screwed up my mittens

Well I finished the main parts of my flip top mittens... except that the flaps are set to begin on the back of one hand and the palm of the other. I made them identical rather than a right and left. So last night I unraveled one and re-did it properly. I hate re-do's... but luckily these are quick to make.

IK Spring 2007

orangepreview is here.

These are the ones that caught my attention first. Who knows... maybe someday I'll actually get to them :)

swallowtail shawl

Slowly but it is getting done. Here is how it looked about a month ago. I'm working on p5tpg's... sheesh that is hard. I slip the 5 stitches off the size 5 needles and onto size 1's and purl them all together there. It's really slow but it makes it possible to purl them.

finally some thank you gifts

I got a couple scarves done as thank you gifts for people who helped out with our wedding.



Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Alpaca Silk
Color: natural / pale lilac
Pattern: moss stitch
Needles: Crystal Palace Bamboo #8
Yarn Quantity: 215 yards (3 balls) of natural and about 1/4 ball of lilac for stripes



started this one awhile back... I just never know what to do with my face when taking the in the mirror photos...

Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted
Color: natural
Pattern: Entrelac
Needles: Crystal Palace Bamboo #8
Yarn Quantity: 440 yards (2 balls)

yummy merino

well I took a little christmas money I was given as a gift and bought some 100% merino:


got it from handpainted wool's ebay store. It's the same as malabrigo merino worsted except that I got 7 skeins for $40 :) Looking forward to getting it.

I've also finished a few scarves but no photos so I'll wait to talk about them. Life sure gets busy!

Jebus I'm 30!

so all of a sudden I woke up today and turned 30. Thankfully I have a good life and am mostly happy. I thought it's be strange to be 30, but it's really not. I figure I'll always feel a little like a small child and a little like an old lady. The years really do fly by though.

In the year 2007 I resolve to: To not care what people think about me. Get your resolution here.

I figure that is a good resolution for my 30th year :) It's a hard one for me.

Some knitted & crocheted wash cloth's

After seeing my mom check out some really expensive hemp wash cloth's at a little boutique I decided to make her some. I use Elann's Canapone

Fibre Content: 100% Hemp
Made In: Italy
Care: Hand Wash/ Dry Flat
Gauge: 24 st/4 inches 3.25 mm (US 3)
Yardage: 165 m (180 yards)
Size: 50g (1.75 oz) ball
Price: $4.75 USD

one ball makes about 4 wash cloths





I knit a couple of these in the car on the way to San Diego for Christmas

happy new year

In the year 2007 I resolve to: Take a chainsaw-juggling class. Get your resolution here.

I will get some photos posted soon. Fighting off the flu sucks :(