workin on the scrap yarn

today was full of music and yarn. got some new kimya dawson, tender forever and the blow. and i went through my non-acrylic/non-cotton scrap yarn (and i realized that i separate my stash into acrylic/cotton and everything else). i measured all my scraps, entered them into ravelry and wound them all into nice little center-pull balls.


now i'm just hoping (wishing) that i have enough to make a blanket. i've always loved Ashley's Garter Stitch Shawl but since i don't wear shawls i think it'd make a kickass blanket. and i've really been wanting to knit a blanket lately - could it be the cold weather?

so my yarn came on...satuday, i think. 2 days - that's pretty fast. i'm sure it helped that it came from the same state. i'm pretty sure i'll be going with the olive. i love them both, but i really think this pattern would be lovely in green.

Malabrigo Merino in Olive & Praline

but Foliage will still have to wait, i'm working on some ornaments right now for xmas.

so...yes, hawaii was fun. it's so hard to come back to reality though. i still want to go swimming. apparently now i have to pay for all the fun i had - i have a yucky cold.

back to the knitting...i decided i didn't like the color of Malabrigo that i have so i just ordered some more - this time with YarnCountry.com - it's right here in Washington. i'm pretty sure i can make Foliage with only 1 skein (had bought two before since i'm holding it doubled). i got one skein of olive and one of praline, hopefully i'll like one of those.

actually it's good that i have to wait on Foliage since i should be knitting ornaments anyway.

ok, so i got my yarn yesterday...or the day before. but today was sunny so i could take a picture. it's so soft i can't believe it's 100% wool.


i had to make a trip up to weaving works today to get the needles for this project so i'll have something to knit on my trip.


and ofcourse while i was there i found some lamb's pride in a great color on sale for $3. this will be perfect for the ornaments i'm planning on making for xmas.

i finally finished the scarf - at least the knitting part. now i have to weave in all those ends - ick.

it makes me want my yarn NOW though. i ordered from fabulousyarn for the first time and it said it should be here within 7 days. it's been 10 and the tracking number they gave me still isn't bringing up any info. i'm going to try and be patient though.

to procrastinate weaving in those ends a little longer, to get ready for xmas AND to satisfy my knitting urges i hauled out some REALLY old Wool-Ease yarn and tested out the pattern for Knitted Ornaments in Handknit Holidays (or free here). i think it's my first project that i finished in one day - not only does it feel great but makes me confident i can make enough for presents for xmas. and i had to learn how to do a crochet chain(thank you, youtube) - super duper easy and fast.

oh and i had to write out the pattern for only 4 dpns - size Small only (the rest of the pattern can be found here):

CO 12 sts: distribute evenly over needles. Join for working in the round.

Bottom:
Rnd 1: knit
Rnd 2: [k1-f/b, k1, k1-f/b] 4 times -- 20 sts
Rnd 3: knit
Rnd 4: [k1-f/b, k3, k1-f/b] 4 times -- 28 sts
Rnd 5: knit
Rnd 6: [k1-f/b, k5, k1-f/b] 4 times -- 36 sts
Rnd 7: knit
Rnd 8: [k1-f/b, k7, k1-f/b] 4 times -- 44 sts

Work even for 5 rnds.

Top:
Rnd 1: [skp, k7, k2tog] 4 times -- 36 sts
Rnd 2: knit
Rnd 3: [skp, k5, k2tog] 4 times -- 28 sts
Rnd 4: knit
Rnd 5: [skp, k3, k2tog] 4 times -- 20 sts
Rnd 6: knit
Rnd 7: [skp, k1, k2tog] 4 times -- 12 sts
Rnd 8: knit

i HAVE to stop looking at ravelry. oh man. there are just too many patterns out there for this little, slightly inexperienced knitter.

as i previously mentioned my next project is foliage and i just purchased yarn for her! it's the called for Malabrigo Merino(apparently it's super soft even though it's 100% wool) in the beautiful Chapel Stone colorway. can't wait! my first hat (that's for myself)!

i got my yarn on friday! it's 75% new wool, 18% nylon, 7% acrylic and it feels really soft. i think it's going to be really great for the legwarmers. the color is off in these pics by the by.


i still need to get the needles before i can actually start on the legwarmers but it's getting close!

on a side note, i LOVE ravelry. it's still in beta and adding people slowly so hurry up and add your name to the list!

well, there's no turning back now. i just ordered some Lang Jawoll yarn for the Leg Cozies. i searched and searched online to see what others were using for this pattern and finally asked Delana at Memoirs of an Obsessive Compulsive Knitter what she was using - thankfully it's cheaper than the Zarina. now i just have to get the needles before the yarn gets here.

well, after finding that Weaving Works only had 2 colors of Filatura di Crosa Zarina i came home with the intention of just ordering it online. then i started having my doubts about paying about $50 for the yarn plus i still need to get the needles. so i think i found a good substitute for those Leg Cozies - Laines Du Nord Giunco - which i've never heard of before but it's a good price and the right color (#608). so i posted on livejournal to see if i could get some advice cuz substituting yarn gets me kinda itchy.

have i told you before that i love Miranda July? ya she's great. we got to see her do a reading & interview at Neumo's last thursday. she's so real and so talented - i can't wait to start her book - i just bought it yesterday. from what i've heard it's amazing and i love the website for it. i'm not too into Lavender Diamond but Becky Stark was great - she's really funny. Sarah Rudinoff has an amazing voice and her original song was very Fiona Apple-esque.

ok, so i think i know what's going on - with the knitting. i think i've been in a standstill because of my sis's scarf. she left it up to me what pattern to choose and i really want her to like it so i keep changing my mind about which pattern to use. i need to get excited about knitting again and not feel like it's another thing "i have to do". i don't want to spend a lot of time on a scarf that my sis potentially won't even like or use. oh ya, and the fact that's it's almost summer and i'm trying to knit a scarf? maybe that's slowing me down too. i may just force her to choose which pattern she likes so i can be sure it'll work out - now i just have to worry about the yarn i've already purchased working with whatever pattern she may want.

i have to add that while i'm typing this i'm thinking that maybe i'll just go back to the originally planned pattern - the Here and There Cables. maybe i gave up on it too quickly - i was having problems at the beginning. i always want to jump into a project and have it go smoothly from the very beginning - if it doesn't i get really discouraged.

so i'm thinking of jump-starting my knitting by starting a new project i'm excited about - those sexy Leg Cozies from Lace Style that i've mentioned before. i think i'll use the recommended Filatura di Crosa Zarina but in Dark Camel #1730. i'll try to stop by Weaving Works on thursday when i meet my friend for our stitch n bitch.

i finally got some pics from last week when my mom was here. this peacock was showing off at the Chateau Ste. Michelle.


Seattle from the ferry:


Seattle from Pier 66:

Zitron Unikat

so...i fell in love with this yarn quite a while ago in Portland when i was visiting some friends and the only reason i haven't purchased any (besides that i have no idea what i'd use it for) is cuz it's so freakin expensive. but i still keep checking online every once in a while to make sure it's still there and so i can remember it's cute little name. part of this whole blogging thing is just so i can have a resource all in one place of my projects - past, present and future. and ofcourse for the yarn i love.

First order from Knit Picks

yay! so thursday i got the yarn i ordered from Knit Picks for my sis's scarf. it was just in time too cuz friday night i had to go to a basketball game with the boy and i really needed something to occupy my time. hehe...here we have it in my brand new plant pot made from recycled materials from Madison Market.


even Raja can't take his eyes off it