I'm officially off the "Knit From Stash" diet

I'll still try to not buy excessive yarn, but it's too hard to overlook a fantastic sale. So I figured I would pass it along.

Knitpicks has a one week sale (through 5/4) on their:

• Decadence (100% Superfine Alpaca)
• Panache (40% Baby Alpaca, 20% Cashmere, 20% Silk, 20% Extrafine Merino)
• Ambrosia (80% Baby Alpaca, 20% Cashmere)

all for $3.99/skein.

I've been dying to purchase some Ambrosia for myself since I gifted my Secret Pal 9 spoilee with it last year... it's incredibly soft. And since I needed some sock sized needles, it didn't take much encouragement to put in an order last night (I blame the stress from my statistics final project). I did manage to look around for a project to use the yarn on instead of just randomly purchasing it.

Now I'm wondering if I should have ordered some Decadence in the Winter Berry colorway...

A peek at the stash (sock stash, anyway)

Shelby, my hostess for SP10, asked about stash organization and I am probably not the one to ask. I normally seal mine up in zippered plastic bags and store them in a plastic bin with some lavendar cedar balls.

But here's a peek at my sock stash that's under my bed... I took some of them out of the plastic bags since the glare was terrible. I'm in the middle of a major statistics project so this is as artsy in my photography as I can get.

• Sweet Georgia
• Online
• Trekking
• Lisa Souza Sport
• Hand dyed (mine)
• custom dyed Scout's Swag
• Lorna's Laces Sock
• Fleece Artist Sea Wool
• Tofutsies
• Knitpicks Gloss
• Cherry Tree Hill (in Sport/Sock/SuperGlitz)

And yet, there's still more I'd love to get and try! At the moment I am far more interested in sock yarn than any other weight. I've got two pair on the needles right now and I'm really curious about knitting up a pair of worsted weight Artyarns Supermerino Thuja socks too. I think three pair on the needles would be best... one heavier weight for a quick knit (home), one sock weight (home) and one portable pair to take with me for lunch hours, waiting rooms for doctor's, etc.

Still alive and kicking...

I'm in the last 3 weeks of my graduate statistics class and our final project has me ripping out my hair. I am in no way a person who enjoys statistics. So I'm still alive, but not as active in knitting as I'd like.

However, we do have most of our veggies planted in the garden with the exception of my herbs and strawberries which will be done this week. Thank goodness it finally stopped with the chilly dreary rain.

I did a bit of spring cleaning this weekend and put all my Dulaan items together to be sent out. I have the socks, four hats and I'd like to make one (or two) more hat(s) out of assorted yarn leftovers before I mail out the package. (Here's the pattern) I tried to match up most of the yarn so it's coordinated but bright- but then again, I loved my previous hats where I doubled up the worsted weight yarn and used unlikely colors. The brilliant colors came out looking awesome!

Quick sock progress shot

Not much to accompany this since I'm on my way to bed. But I'm very happy with this pattern (although it is not the easiest thing to knit while watching a TV show about a road race).

But it did have Nathan Fillion in it. Yum.

I hope my sock buddy is enjoying the pattern too! Let me know how it is going for you.

Yarn recommendation?

I'm planning a pair of boot socks for G, and need to find the right kind of yarn for it:
conservative in color, thick and snuggly, sock but long wearing, superwash.

I was thinking of Socks that Rock Obsidian, Terra Firma or In the Navy but I'm not sure if I should try heavy weight or medium weight. And I'm not 100% sold on the colors- In the Navy is probably my favorite for him out of the three. I have some CTH Supersock in Bark set aside for him but I'm not sure if that is too thin for boot socks.

Otherwise, I was thinking... Artyarns Supermerino? Interlacements Toasty Toes? Lorna's Laces sport?

Edited to add: I already have some Lorna's Laces Worsted in a nice Charcoal color Would that be too thick?

Does anyone know of any other kind of sock yarn that might be suitable... or if DK/sport weight would be thick enough?

Change of Plans...

I'm knitting Ampersand with my sock knitting buddy, who also has STR Medium Weight and knits about the same pace I do! This should be fun. :) So no Jaywalkers for a while. Tonight, I am going to swatch from the other end of my yarn on size 2 needles to see how that works.

That will leave me time to also do Sockapalooza 4
Signups are later today, I think.


I did however find a new pattern that will probably be my next sock project after this:
Thuja in Artyarns Supermerino (worsted weight for a quick knit, woohoooo!)

I had about 2 hours of sleep last night- worrying/stress sucks.
So does waking up at 5 a.m. to work out. And yet, I'm doing it again on Thursday. (I'm insane)

The start of startitis...

I cast on my ampersand socks out of STR Mediumweight Watermelon Tourmaline (pattern found on Kirsten's sidebar here). I'm really liking the pattern- the chart is only two lines but after only knitting stockinette and basic ribbed socks, this one is a lot of fun without being overly complex. I'm going to double check gauge before I continue.

You know, I've been pretty lucky with the yarn I've used so far- tried Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock and loved it. Tried CTH Sport and loved it. And this yarn is absolutely amazing- it is so sproingy and soft that I am really enjoying the act of knitting itself. The colors in the picture are a bit washed out- they are a gorgeous combination that reminds me of Easter Eggs.

I have a sneaking suspicion I will be buying more STR even before I finish these socks, maybe in Nodding Violet or Scottish Highlands. Or Rocktober. It's really bad when you are enjoying the yarn so much that you stop your knitting to go see what other colorways this yarn comes in!

I decided to cast on two different pairs of socks, to prevent boredom and to have one to take with me to work, and one to keep at home. So tonight, I'm starting to swatch for Jaywalkers with some Lorna's Laces that my Secret Pal purchased me last round. I've found someone interested in making those as well, so it will be fun to have a buddy to knit along with.

I still haven't cast on for the Feather and Fan bamboo stole yet, so I'm going to try to get that done this week as well.

Cool pattern: Ampersand Socks

I haven't knit since I mailed off my Sockret Pal Reveal Package. I've been under the weather which has just left me exhausted, so I've been more 'futzy' than 'productive'. Mostly I've pored over the stash and different patterns to see what I wanted to do next (sockwise), and started winding the Bamboo yarn for the Feather and Fan Shawl but have not cast on.

I knew I wanted to use the Medium Weight STR that Kirsten (my Sockret Pal Spoiler) gave me but I wanted to make sure I picked a pattern that would complement the colors, not accentuate pooling. And since it was my only skein of STR I wanted to be sure it was the best pattern I could find for that yarn, but one that matched my skill level. I was looking at RPM but then I came across a free pattern called Ampersand on... where else... on the sidebar of Kirsten's blog! (check out her other free patterns, too- she has some great ones)!

The Ampersand pattern is exactly what I was looking for- top down, two circulars, same exact yarn so no fiddling with math for me, heel flap, simple enough pattern for me to follow. :) And I love how the sock looks.

So now I have a game plan... and will cast on this weekend.

Latest Socks

I finished my Lorna's Laces socks using the KAL Pattern (3x1 rib). The colorway is Child's Play, and I used size 1 needles (Knitpicks Classic circulars).

I loved the feel of the Lorna's Laces shepherd sock, and will definitely use it again. I might go down to size 0 needles, and look for a pattern that works well with the striping/variegation of colors.

These were definitely the socks I learned the most with: tinking, lifelines, fixing errors. If you count what I unknit, I am sure I knit an extra sock in there somewhere.

They've been washed and blocked, and shipped off to surprise the giftee. As soon as she receives her package, I'll adjust the date to make it public on the front page of the blog.

Edited to add: LaVerna received them!

Voila! Dulaan socks

I was burned out working on tiny needles, so I took a break to finally finish my Lamb's Pride socks. It only took an hour or so, and I feel much better having finished a WIP (and making my March deadline for Sock a Month 3)

Here's the info:
Lamb's Pride Worsted (Orchid Thistle)
Size 5 circulars (Denise, Knitpicks Options)
CIC children's sock pattern

These didn't make the sock deadline for Afghans for Afghans sock drive, so I'm including them in my shipment for Dulaan with the hats I've been making. The picture is washed out due to the flash... it's more of a rose/deep lilac color.

And these are REALLY thick socks, very durable and warm. I'm not sure I could wear socks this warm, but then I'm not in that type of climate. But they will keep someone's feet very warm and snuggly.