Commissioned Knitting

Well y'all, I lied about buying more yarn. Yesterday I bought more yarn.

BUT- I had a good reason.

Yesterday someone in the office asked me to knit a hat and scarf (and mitts if there's time) for their neice, for which they'll pay me for. I cautiously agreed- but since the deadline was rather quick, (ASAP), I had to buy yarn LAST. NIGHT. to get started.

Who am I to turn down a trip to Pudding Yarn?

This is Nashua handknits in "Snowbird" in hot pink and spring leaf. It's a wool/alpaca blend, chunky (=quick!) and soft.

I'd didn't have a lot of time to plan my knitting, or a lot of details. The person requesting the hand knits provided me with very little info- a little girl who's ten. When pressed with 9 zillion other questions, (what's her favorite color, what color is her jacket, what does she like... etc) he didn't know. All he could tell me is that she's 10.

Um. Thanks?

So, with that information- and quick day polling on Ravelry about what 10 year old girls like, I figured out the patterns I wanted to knit and I decided to go from there.

That hat will be Robin's Egg Blue - with a green brim and pink top. I cast this project on last night and zipped right through it!

And today- I cast it off and sewed in the ends! (YAY! Fast!) All the hat needs is a funky button- which might end up turning out to be the most difficult part of the project! (Where does one procure funky buttons in Calgary?)

Tonight I cast on the Malibrigo Waffles Scarf with bit of green on the bottoms and pink in the long middle. (Sorry no pics yet!) If I can eek that out and save a little left over yarn, I'd really love to knit the Chatty Bulky Mitts also to match. (I can see the requester questioning the purpose of fingerless mittens- but all I can say is from what I've seen, little girls love 'em.)

I'm fairly positive that I can eek out most, if not all this project over the weekend. It's been fun to play with yarn, (which is really nice to knit with by the way), and experiment with quick and easy projects.

I'm also fairly apprehensive. I'm working off very little information. I have never met this little girl- I know nothing about her. What if she hates pink? (Thanks to the sister by the way who helped me pick out the yarn and colors. I know being in a yarn shop is her idea of purgatory- but she was actually very helpful with color observations.) What if HE hates the whole thing? The hat, which is already finished, has a weird uneven decrease. (Although it's still cute) What if it's too big? What if it's too small?

And bigger questions abound... What do I charge? I know I will fully charge for the wool- but I'm worried the $37 price tag I give him, (I kept the receipt as proof), is going to be considered high. (For four skeins it's actually not by the way... it's very reasonable.) While I know that in hand knitting you will never be fully reimbursed for the time you invest in projects, it feels a touch wasteful to charge only for the wool and nothing for the 4 days of continuous knitting I've committed myself to. **I'd like to note this is me filled with self doubt- not self pity, I would not have committed had I not wanted to. I wanted to do this project. It was flattering to be asked.** I just am struggling right now with what to charge for the whole thing.

Complicating things further- my Loopy Ewe package arrived today and I'm essentially vibrating with desperation to a) share it with you and b) KNIT MITTENS WITH THE YARN!

And so I must head off to knit the project up some more-- stay tuned for hopefully finished photos on Monday!

Freedom To Knit!

Last we left off here- I wanted to start as many things as I could cram into my Ravelry queue. BUT- I didn't. I remained firm. I remained strong. (I may have remained bored...) I finished the red Mystery Blanket! (With the help of licorice and podcasts!)

Behold! A gift for our friends- the red blanket of mystey reveals itself to be the Chinese symbol for FAMILY.


MAJOR kudos go to the husband, who didn't give up, (even though I'm certain he had thought it more than once), and helped me figure out the right gauge graph to overlay on the pattern. I could not have had such overwhelming success without him. The photoshop-fu is strong in that one!


Pattern: Family Blanket- my own design
Needles: US 6 (on my Denise set)
Yarn: (Yarn snobs please look away) Bernat Satin Sport in Rouge (4 balls)
Notes: I knit this in 14 days. I did a garter stitch border, with row upon (boring!) row of stocking stitch. Knitting the symbol was complex and involved much consulting of the pattern- but I was smart and wrote it down so I could technically do it again- or tell you how I did it someday.

I'm quite pleased with this product- it's simple and yet impressive. My only complaint/regret is that I didn't knit this in wool. My reasoning behind knitting wih acrylic for babies is simple- they poop.... and vomit.... and drool and all of this results in needing to wash their stuff 100 times a day. I cannot, in good conscience, give a wool blanket to a new parent and hand them a detailed list of washing instructions. Not when I know they wouldn't EVER have the time to hand wash it. And so- acrylic away. (Although knitter babies might be different...) In this case, if this gift was for a knitter, (which it is not), I would have preferred the wool, because it would have blocked out perfectly. I have beefs with this blanket. It folds in on the sides, it curls a little and ends don't always lie flat. This all could have corrected itself in the blocking-- except that you can't block acrylic. And so I must buck up, tell myself it isn't that bad, (while the perfectionist in me can't look at it without twitching), and move forward.

With the blanket off the needles I celebrated the way any knitter would- with a novelty project.


Yup. The Noro scarf of "everyone-is-doing-it-and-so-must-I-because-I-am-nothing-in-the-face-of-knitterly-peer-pressure". Everyone is making these! (Some of us are making several of these!) I'm not even sure who this is going to be for! (anyone?) But I had to follow like the lemming I am, and make the scarf.

I must admit- I get the addiction, seeing what colors will blend together next is so exciting. All it is, is two different dyelots of Noro Silk Garden self striping yarn, and every two rows you alternate it. It's knit in simple rib- and yet it is ridiculously fun to see the colors change and mix together. I love this scarf more than I should. (Although not the yarn-- while it provides the colors, the jury is out on the yarn-- I'm more of a smooth, merino girl myself, but we'll see how this washes and save the judgement for later.) I'm halfway into this project- and it was the perfect way to knit some stash yarn AND scratch a distraction off the list. (I can now say I knit the Noro scarf...)

In other news- I celebrated a birthday 2 weeks ago. I celebrated like any good knitter does- with hand knits and yarn!

Would you believe this is my first hand knit gift from someone else (as an adult)? The MiL knit these up for me, knowing that I'm often FREEZING in my office. I love them- and have had several people drop not-so-subtle hints that they want a pair too! Thanks again Phyllis- they're great!

And yes- I said Yarn- who doesn't love a little birthday yarn? Yarn on your birthday doesn't count (neither do calories in your cake btw) - and so it was amassed. (Thanks again to Viv, Crystal and the MiL for the Loopy Ewe Certificates and yarn!)

This lovely "precious" is Estelle Yarns Cadenza... and THIS lovely "precious" is Estelle Yarns in Arequipa...

If I haven't said this formally- I will now... the yarn diet is ON.

No Loopy arrival yet- but there's that coming, with the promise of mitten (!!!!) yarn and a sweater pattern. With this blanket off the needles- and the freedom to knit what I want lingering- I can't wait to hit the ground running and get on with the stash diving!

Starteritis

I have a seriously bad case of stateritis.

In fact- it's running so wildly rampant through my veins right now, that I fear I may never recover.

Starteritis (start-er-i-tiss), for you non knitters out there (HI DAD!) is when the knitter is so inspired by the current batch of projects out there that they want to cast aside whatever they're knitting and start something new. This usually happens when you're slogging through a particular project that's lost it's luster.

My problem? I want to start about 10 things new.

My Ravelry queue is getting massive. I've put patterns that I fully intend to make in my Rav queue. We're up to 16 items now. SIXTEEN!!!! Nevermind that I only knit, (aside from hats) 18 projects last year. I've practically planned my knitting for the YEAR.

In between working, I kept switching over to my Stash page on Ravelry, (I love Ravely so much.... I don't say it enough), and looking at my stash. I LOVE MY STASH. I want to knit from my stash!!!!! I have great yarn! I'm ready to use it. I want to use it! GAH!!!!

I think this particular case of starteritis is due to 4 factors:

a) The Red Blanket of mystery is nearly at the end and it's not what I'd hoped. I hold on to blind faith (and denial) that it will work out and that when I lay it down for the first time I will love it and be proud and it will magically be beautiful. And yet there's this nagging voice in the back of my head that's warning me, scaring me, that I'll probably end up knitting another one that's more to my liking. The very thought of knitting another blanket is enough to send me into a fit of tears. Let's not discuss it further. (And no- I'm past the point of no return, I will not even entertain the idea of frogging it.)

b) I want to enter some projects into the Calgary Stampede Showcase this year. Deadline to do so is June 11. It's far enough now that I could be selective with the projects- but you and I both know that June 10 I'll be knitting like a MAD WOMAN trying to come in on the deadline.

c) I'll just say it. I have a lot of yarn right now. I'm scared to say that loudly- in case the husband (who is the only person I know who uses Ravelry for EVIL- and is monitoring my stash page) reads it and holds it over me. But, um, yeah. I bought a lot at Christmas, got a skein for Christmas, got a skein for my birthday and a bunch of Loopy Ewe money, which I may have already spent a portion of. (You'll not the days since I bought yarn has changed... we'll discuss that on the happy day the yarn arrives.) My stash and I need to make a commitment together. It needs to stay pretty and I need to still want to knit it. (Not a problem right now might I add.)

d) Mittens. The obssession continues. I'm trying not to cast on another pair. And yet-- my willpower has never been weaker.... OH MITTENS I LOVE YOU SO!!!

Since I am apparently so easily distracted, and since I won't allow a new cast on until the blanket project is over with- I'll tell you what I'd rather be making instead! (I've tried to use non-Ravelry links in most cases here so non members can see what I'm talking about too.)

1) The 28thirty sweater. I bought the yarn at the boxing day sale. I bought the pattern at Loopy Ewe this weekend. I'm hoping to have this just in time for a (cross your fingers) early spring. My new Silk Road Aran wants to be used- and this is the perfect project

2) The Lakeside knee socks. I knew one day I'd look at a pattern and say "this is worthy of the Wollmeise"- that time has come. My red wollmeise begs me to knit it up and this pattern is so, so, SOOO pretty.

3) The Noro Scarf. EVERYONE is doing it! And because I'm a lemming and would TOTALLY jump off Niagra Falls if all my friends were, I must make it too. And yes, before you lecture, the yarn is already in my stash-- I just have to cast on! (Except I can't... *sigh*)

4) Mr. Pitt's Socks. This is kind of a weird anomaly for me. These are plain jane, boring and easy. And yet I just want to cast them on. My dad's feet look cold. I have the yarn. WHO AM I TO LEAVE MY DAD'S FEET COLD!? What kind of knitter would I be?

5) Mittens. Oh Mittens I love thee. You give me joy on days when joy is hard to find. I want mittens for me. Mittens for my father-in-law. More Mittens for me. AND MORE mittens for me. And maybe mittens for my sister. Mittens are my crack knitting right now-- I want another hit!

Starteritis is a debilating disease with no known cure... except finishing a painfully boring project. Just looking up these links have weakened me further. Will I succumb? Will my deepest desires become realities? Stay tuned...

New Beginnings

It's a new year- and along with it, exciting new beginnings. With that in mind, I show you the baby blanket the husband and I patiently designed during our countdown to the new year. (Yes, I said husband- I was able to come up with the concept, but husband was the one with computer skills {and patience} to make the graph work out right.)

Would you believeI started knitting this on Friday?! I've made incredible progress. (Although let's give some of the credit to good ole stocking stitch!) But since this still looks like a big red blob... (and I'm not giving away what it will be until it's finished), this might be more interesting...

Those are the written out specs and detailed pattern instructions. (I may be planning on publishing this bad boy should there be any interest.) Incidently who ever guessed you could get so much out of a little gauge swatch? (And holy crap it's working too- so far it's knitting to gauge!)

Even though I'm both relieved and happy to work on this blanket and just get it off my back already-- nothing can make me happier today than this. Is there any better cure to a Monday, back from a long vacation, than new yarn? I think not!

Viola- Dream in Color's BUTTER PEEPS... after much yearning for it, the husband surprised me with this for Christmas from the glorious Loopy Ewe. After a long Monday seeing the Loopy package in my inbox was just what I needed to perk me back up again. I love getting Looy Ewe packages so much. (It was probably a good thing there was no one in my foyer, because I also did my little Loopy dance, which resembles Snoopy's first spring dance, where I jump up and down and clutch the happy little package to my chest. Sheri makes every package a joy to open- always with little extras-- just to make your package much more exciting. (I must learn to not rip into the package immediately and snap photos so you can see how lovingly she packs everything up!)

And so with my new yarn and new blanket- I feel like I'm ready to tackle the new knitting year off with a bang.

Now... if only I could buy more mitten yarn....

Snowbird Finale

It seems only fitting to end this year on a very positive note- and so I give you, by far, the nicest (and most complex) thing I've ever knit to date.

I'm so proud of myself for knitting these I just keep picking them up and gazing at them- like I'm sure some new parents would do with a newborn.

Pattern: #06 Snowbird Mittens (Vogue Knitting Fall 08) by Elli Stubenrauch

Yarn: Koigu KPM in coloray 232950 (blue) and Regia Silk 4 Ply in 002 (white)

Needle Size: US 2

Notes: I was knitting these so tight that I had to go up a needle size to compensate- but I tend to knit very tightly on things I have never tried before. (hmmm stress much?) These aren't perfect- I still need to master the art of stranding the yarn on the inside, but I must say I'm proud of the valiant effort I put forth.

I should also note that knitting these has not placated my odd obsession to knit mittens. So much so that I'm already eyeballing other color strand projects. And followers of my Ravlery favorites page will note I've been going to town favoriting as many faire isle mitts as I can. I'm even considering purchasing Folk Knitting in Estonia (book by Nancy Bush) to get her sweet, sweet patterns. Geez. Obsess much?

As if these mittens weren't triumph enough- I also knit up the final number of hats- bringing the grand total to 52.

I won't lie. There were plenty of times when I asked myself, "why am I knitting so many of these?" this year but ultimately I know why. This is the ultimate stash buster project. I chewed through a lot of my acrylic stash that I had purchased and promptly stop using when I became a yarn snob. There are still in roads to make in the stash- which is why I'll be doing the "52 hat challenge" again. Anyone out there with me? (MiL I'm looking at you....)

Lastly but not least- even the purse project has seen some movement. I'm knitting the jaywalker pattern and decided to make the leg a little longer, given that I usually have so much of this style of yarn left over.

Progress continues at a slow pace... but it continues and I look forward to modeling these in the new year.

Looking ahead, I'm hoping to finish up the design on a blanket I have to have knit by the end of January- and of course with the latest stash enhancement, I can practically feel the yarn calling me to knit it. Next year you're probably going to see more of the same items-- sweaters, socks, and mittens- but you never know what will catch my eye.

I'm planning to spend the New Year cozied up to the husband, and knitting- which is just about the most perfect New Years I could plan. Have a happy one- and see you again in 2009!

A Yarn Saling We Will Go...

In what has accidently become the BEST. TRADITION. EVER. the Mother in Law and I set out on Boxing day (26) and the day after to do our annual yarn saling. As a child I lived for Christmas morning, but as I got older- I found the anticipation waning. I feel like a kid again as I count down to the yarnie deals on the 26th.

First we headed over to Make 1 Yarn Studio- for it's annual Boxing day blowout. We waited in line in the cold, along with fellow obsessed knitters with a couple familiar faces. (Hi Viv! Hi Mary!) This year we were to the back of the line and didn't get a chance to pummel the yarn grab bags. MIL walked away with some lovely Art Yarns Sock yarn- yet I was surprisingly restrained and purchased nothing. (I'm kicking myself for not bringing the camera to capture her purchases - just check out her Ravelry page in the next few days... she's "felicity".)

I suppose I should stop here and say quite frankly- I knew what I wanted to buy this year. I did my research and stored the info on my iphone. I also went in with a few rules. No sock yarn. NO exceptions. This was a sweater quantities only spree. I also had three sweaters on the list and I hoped to fill them- I was a lot more discerning customer than I've been in the past.

So with empty hands, we decided to check out Knit One, Chat Too's sale over on 17th. I was fully prepared to skip this one this year as last year's sale left me rather under-whelmed. However, with empty hands, and a relatively clear conscience, I felt we should head on over. AND THANK GOD WE DID. I found my first sweater's yarn- which I had decided I wanted to knit in the yarn that was recommended. Say hello to my new Classic Elite Cotton Bam Boo!!


I'm going to attempt to knit Pam Allen's Cotton Bam Boo Smock Top (Rav Link) in this lovely shade this spring/summer. The pattern sizing called for 8 balls, but being ever the pessimist I bought a "safety skein" just in case I need more. Besides at 30% off the regular price it was a good deal. MIL also scored some baby yarn in the sale bins for all the baby things she's planning to make this year.

I could have probably happily stopped here- given that I was really excited about finding the exact yarn, for a great sale in a color I really liked. I was on a yarn high! But the promise of more yarn deals and the fact that I had a remaining $90 credit on my Pudding gift card couldn't keep me away.

Day two the MIL and my mother (a non knitter interested in yarn sale madness), schlepped over to Pudding to be the first in the store. We were the first in- but that little store filled up fast. MIL again, found some excellent finds in the sale bins, where I hmmmed and haaaaed- and was heavily tempted by Koigu. Ultimately I decided that I needed more information. So, after waiting for poor MIL in line for 30 minutes (not because it was busy but because the staff is woefully unfamiliar with the till), I left empty handed and we drove over to Gina Brown's.

Gina Brown's has been off both the MIL and my radar now. We went a long time ago and were rather disappointed by the selection. This time around we were awed- both by the line that stretched all the way around the store, but also by the selection she had. Gina's is BACK ON the radar! Ultimately we were scared away by the line- but we did wonder around, checking out the selection and mentally noting what was there. There were a couple of interesting things, including some baby bamboo that would have been a great substitution for the Classic Elite- so I guess if I decide to make two tops- I know where to go.

Deciding that I did want to buy at Pudding- we schlepped back there, where the store was a little less swamped. I grabbed some Noro Silk Garden- for the "everyone is doing it so I shall jump off the bridge with them" self striping scarf. (Rav Link)

I know, I know.... it's not a sweater.... but I've been wanting to make this for some time- so really, there's no guilt. So don't even try! Plus- 20% is hard to argue with!!

I also decided to step outside my little knitter box and knit with a tweed yarn for one of my sweater projects. And so- justified the purchase of the Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed- perfect for my intended 28 Thirty.

The pattern calls for 600 yards- but I bought 700, again, just to be secure in the knowledge that I'm not going to have a catastrophic heart attack when I run out with 2 inches left to go on the sleeve. I don't know if I could recover from something like that! (yay 20% off!)

And that is what I bought. 2 days, 4 yarn shops and around $200 dollars later- I bought what will probably be my sweater stash for the year. I'm also patiently waiting for the Loopy Ewe to get their next batch of Malibrigo in, for one last sweater purchase. I'm hoping someone will shower me with Loopy gift certificates for my birthday this year, so that I can have a little falling down over there too! (I'm shameless- I know.)

Stay tuned to the blog for the year end round up and final 7 hats (Hopefully!!) as well as shots of the completed Snowbird mittens (Hopefully!), coming up in the next few days.

Fighting with Faire Isle

So... I was into the mitts.

Really into the mitts. Like only knitting the mitts... staying up late past my bed time because I just wanted to get one more row done. And yes I made progress- but that little voice in the back of my head kept saying "just try it on". I hate that voice.

Houston- we have some gauge issues. It turns out I must be stressed, because these are knit at a gauge so tight they practically cut my circulation off to my wrists! And so- because I want to actually wear these without causing damage to my circulatory system, I did the only thing I could do. (Sensitive knitters look away...)

I ripped them out. Every last, pretty little stitch. Right back down to the beginning.

And then I just felt a little disheartened. I stepped away from the mitts. I stepped away from the needles. (I may have stepped towards the wine to console myself.)

I knit hats instead.

Hats don't fail me. Ever. I can just knit hats and let my brain wonder and the hats will always look right. Yay for hats!

But then... something wonderful happened... (Wollmeise sock club members look away if you don't want spoilers)

I got my half of the wollmeise sock yarn. It is gorgeous. GOR-GE-OUS. I keep fondling it and daydreaming about all the pretty differnt socks I can make with it. The color is regal. I need a regal pattern. Got any suggestions?

So- with the yarn in hand, and inspiration swirling around in little clouds of knitterly joy- I did the only thing I could do...

I picked up the Snowbird mitts and decided to try it again. I can do this. (Just on bigger needles...) Cross your fingers that I'll have some success this time.

Woman Obsessed

I should be really happy that I finally finished a pair of socks. (Especially since these have been on the needles since July 21st!!)

Pattern: Rise and Shine Socks by Mari Muinonen (Blog watchers will note I just knit her mitt pattern too. I must be Mari obsessed!)

Yarn: ShiBuiKnits Socks in 2955 (I really wish they'd name colorways instead of number them)Needle Size: US 1

Notes: Cute pattern- would really look great in any kind of sock yarn. I was disappointed with the way the yarn pooled. The yarn itself though, has a delightful sproinginess to it-- I'd knit with shiubui again if I could find a colorway that was more subtle in the way it colored.

I should be downright thrilled that these are off the needles... and that I immediately cast on a new travelling sock, in my guiltiest of all guilty pleasures, self striping yarn. (Pattern destined to be Sheri's Lace Socks.)

But I'm only feeling mildy interested. I should be even happier that I finally got around to eeking a few more hats....

But I don't care. Like, at all. Because I am wholly focused on one thing and one thing only. So focused that I went bought yarn with the gift certificate, (therby breaking my vow not to spend it until Christmas)

and came home, wound some stuff in the stash, and cast on right away. Folks I am obsessed with MITTENS. They are all I'm thinking about. All I want to knit and all I look at when I'm going through the pattern pages. More specifically- I am obsessed with knitting these. Nevermind that I have never been happy with anything I've ever faire isled, nor have I ever been drawn to those particular style of mitts. NONE of this matters. I. MUST. KNIT. MITTENS.

And so, not one to get in the way of true inspiration- I did as my desire told me- and cast on those mittens with this:

Oh yah, that's koigu, new yarn and addi's- all the things I love most in this world. So excuse me- the sheer act of writing this has me agitated, merely because I cannot imagine anything getting in the way of me and my mittens.

Will Work For Yarn

Look what's finally off the needles and on the hands of two girlies that really need 'em? (Look! Irony! This photo was taken indoors at work, because it was too damn cold to go outside and take pictures of knitting! We were actually wearing our scarves in the office because it was also too damn cold inside as well!)


Pattern: #02 Yellow Harvest Mittens by Mari Muinonen (Found in the Vogue Knitting, Fall 2008)
Yarn: Leftover Cascade Eco+
Needles: US size 8
Notes: PAY ATTENTION TO THE INSTRUCTIONS. In fact, that bears repeating... PAY ATTENTION TO THE INSTRUCTIONS. The charts while simple to execute, are confusing to read, only because the very subtle nuances that tell you to do an opposite cable means you can really screw up. I made two pairs of mitts because I realized after mitt 1 I had cabled wrong. However since they weren't enirely hideous- I did a second wrong one and gave the pair to my sister.

I've been pretty focused on small, stash busting projects as of late and it felt really good to use up some of the yarn and get something quickly finished. There are STILL leftovers-- and if I feel so inspired, I might make another pair of these someday- but for now, it just feels good to have moved on.

Speaking about feeling good- I had something great happen to me at work today. There has recently been some turnover in our office and a lot of the extra work ended up falling to me. I've been working my butt off, (and yet oddly have never been more satisfied at my job- I think it's because I'm busy), especially for the HR department. Today my efforts were rewarded in a very thoughtful gift certificate to Pudding Yarns! It's the little details like that really inspire and motivate me to do better. I don't expect this often- nor do I expect it all... but it was just nice to be surprised. I'll definately work for yarn!

One Time... At Knitting Camp... Part 3 - PROGRESS

So- with a weekend soley focused on knitting with friends- a recap of the weekend would hardly be complete without mentioning the kind of knit progress I made!

First up, the long suffering Zig Zag Socks--- that finally saw the completion of a heel on sock #2. I feel like I've essentially been knitting these forever. (maybe I have....????) Because these tend to only be the travelling socks- they see the slowest progression. But- I suppose a heel is a heck of a lot closer to the finish than knitting the leg.

Even more thrilling was finally finishing the "correct set" of the Vogue red mittens. I still don't count this project as completely finished because I intend to knit a "wrong" mitten to match the other wrong mitten... but getting close to the finish line was very thrilling. Viola, I give you three red mitties... (Wrong mitten pictured in the middle- let's see if you can spot "what's wrong".)

The completion of this project was also convieniently timed, as at the PJ party I met Shelley, who was looking for someone to walk her through the first chart on the same mittens. Shelley, (who said incredibly kind things about me on her blog- thank you), was the picture of patience as I tried to help her best I could converting my DPN version of the pattern to her knitting on two circs. I'm not sure how helpful I was to her- but I hope it at least got her on her way. These mitts look AWESOME all knit up- and I'm looking forward to her posting some pics of them finished some day.

New on the needles is a simple Lace Scarf, using some leftover Debbie Bliss Pure Silk yarn I had leftover from my Mother's Day project.

This was the right kind of project to have with me- "fun yarn" to touch for my fellow yarnies, and a mindless and easy enough project that I didn't have to concentrate too hard on. I cast this on Thursday night, and proceeded to pick it up all over the retreat. I made enough project on this that I'd say I'm almost a third of the way finished! Go me!

Both the Mitties and the Lace scarf are knit with yarn I had leftover in my stash. For so long know I've just wanted to do a few simple projects to use that yarn up. I had enough of the yarn to not even think about throwing it out, yet not enough to commit to another bigger project. It feels so good to do some stash busting and help bring the stash down. Stash Busting = less guilty conscience when I "fall off the wagon" again. OR....

... go to another retreat and end up coming home with the retreat special dyed yarn. This is Lorna's Laces in "Autumn Wine" - the lastest sock (Shepherd) yarn to be added to the stash. I had pre-ordered this and counted this in my purchase count down a long time ago-- so I get to flash this yarn and feel not too guilty about adding to the stash!

Lastly I leave you with this pic of me and my roomie-- if you get a magnifying glass perhaps you'll see us! (Mental note- next time you ask a stranger to snap a pic of you and a friend, show them how to use the zoom.) I made so many friends and met so many new people this weekend- (and my Ravelry friend list has been growing since!), I feel so lucky to be apart of such a special group of people. Ever since I joined the knitting community I've bee so overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of knitters- and this weekend, "communing with my people", was just a reminder of how lucky I am to be part of such a unique, diverse and talented group.

All that remains in this rather lengthy recap of my "REALLY REALLY AWESOME WEEKEND", is to say this: Where do we sign up for next year? I am SO in!!