Since I last finished the Phildar Pullover with the enormous batwings, I have been force feeding myself to gain the extra poundage to fit into the sweater. No, seriously. Okay, maybe not. But I’ve been working on importing the blogger posts to the new dig AND maybe collecting sock yarns at an alarming rate.

(all Koigu, all the time baby)

The thing with blogger is that when I receive comments from my readers and get all excited about writing them a response, I am greeted with a “noreply-comment@blogger.com”. You can see how this puts a damper on things. So after 3+ not-so-blissful relationship with blogger, I’ve decided to part ways.  And oh, there’s a Pattern page now too. It’s looking a little skinny right now, hopefully I’ll come up with more things later on.

In the last few weeks, I’ve been working on smaller projects as I wait for the next wave of inspiration to smack me over the head. I’m usually not one for spring/summer projects, but I picked up three skeins of Euroflax Original Linen to play with. And if I am lucky, I’ll end up with a Perfect Fit Skirt.

See I tried this baby on, and it looks like I won’t be experiencing any muffin-top action. That’s good news in my book. Unfortunately though, it needs a half slip. Now I don’t know about you, but I’ve never worn slips under skirts. Will it be way too hot? What’s the point of wearing a skirt if you can’t feel the breeze, right? The closest thing that I ever wore to a slip was a pair of spandex shorts under my school uniform, and that was in 9th grade! I didn’t understand why kids in school thought it was funny to go around lifting girls’ skirts back then, and I still can’t figure it out. Do they do that anymore?

Welcome to my new digs. Always under construction.

The possibilities are endless…. preparation for future projects
Harrisville Shetland (900 yard/cone): White, Loden Blue, Cocoa
Harrisville Shetland: Washed and wound into cute yarn cakes
Komi Cap blocking…
Words later…

A few of you have asked me what yarn I’m using for the real vest that I’ll be knitting for myself, and I finally made a choice- Rowanspun DK. Now I’ve heard mixed reviews for this yarn, but I’m strangely drawn to the tweediness. Terhi loves this yarn, and waxes poetic about it…. so why not? In the end, I went with Eau de Nil - the blue green, and Snowflake - creamy white. In other news, I won a contest! Ann of Fidget held a contest to guess the most popular color and yardage of her stash and I guess I lucked out. She sent me two skeins of Koigu KPPPM (p219) and I’ve been fondling it ever since. What will I do with them? Pomatomus, of course. Thanks, Ann!

Earlier this month, while surfing through the knit-blogs, I came across Katie’s site and we did a little yarn exchange - my leftover Rowan Plaid for her leftover Felted Tweed. The picture below details the three amazing balls of Felted Tweed that she sent me. (Now what can I do with a ball of Crush and a ball of Melody? Suggestions?)
I’ve always wanted to knit Bloom from Rowan 36, and I can’t make a sweater with three different colors now, can I? (Well actually I could but let’s just pretend I can’t). So then I scoured for Felted Tweed sale and hit the mother load. 5 balls of Felted Tweed in Whisper at just the right price - $6.00 per ball baby! Now I have more felted tweed than what’s needed to make Bloom, but who cares. It’s lovely lovely yarn, I tell you.
And then, as fortune would have it, I was just looking at Forecast from Knitty and happened to stop by my LYS to chance upon 7 balls of the exact yarn called for at $4.00/ball. With the amount of yarn I have at my disposal, maybe I can make a Demi from Rowan Vintage Style too, if I so choose.
Okay.. enough yarn porn. I did have a small FO during the break. Another DNA scarf. It so happens that BF would like a cream-colored scarf, and since he adores the DNA pattern, I made another one in Rowan Cashsoft DK. This yarn is delish - 57% extra fine merino, 33% microfiber and 10% of cashmere. At 142yds/50g, I used 3 balls. And get this, it’s MACHINE WASHABLE. Heck, the label says you can even IRON it too. Way to go, Rowan. It’s going to be part of a goody package that I’m sending off to him…. I just gotta finish up a pair of socks before I assemble the package.
Happy New Year All!

2 packages in 2 days! Now what could this be? Oh my lawd, a big honking hank of Skacel Merino Lace, 100% hand-dyed for me! Natasha, you are too kind. Too too kind. The colors are so delicious that I am at a loss for words. Heck it looks gorgeous on a hank that I might just wear it as is. How’s that for a new fashion statement? And look, she even included a card. Aww… she called me “beeeutiful”. Thank you so much, Natasha. Truth be told, this has been a crappy week. Only 2 more experiments to go and I would have completed my thesis, and the machine flat out BROKE and had to be shipped back to the manufacturer for repair. I have a conference to go to at the end of the month and the timing couldn’t have been worse. What can I say? There’s the yin and the yang. Cursed in experiments, blessed in the stash department. A certain knitter dubbed me the Crazy Speedknitting Lady.. girl, it ain’t that crazy when you’re stressed out over work and can’t sleep at nights. Those wee hours in the morning just bought me precious knitting time. So if you happen to drive by my neck of woods and see the light on at 4am in the morning with the moving shadow of a knitter, it’s me. Stressed on research, and knitting like a maniac (and constipated, of course. We must not leave out the important details.)
I don’t know what I am going to make with this yet, but I know that it has to be divine. Incidentally, isn’t life funny? I just totally blogged about how great Skacel Collection is yesterday and today I receive a hank of yarn by Skacel. Ah, the mysteries of life.