Christmas is a time to say "i love you"
Annnnnnnd a feeling that will last all through the year...
Oh, Billy Squire. How you rawk. How I suck, because f**k f**k, f**k, I had this entry DONE and lost it. This is the first time this has happened and WOW DOES IT SUCK THE BIG ONE. I want to throw up. Yeah, my time's not valuable or anything. GRUMPY!
(grump). Klaralund is done.
We are in NC for Christmas which we did early, cause of my work schedule. Therefore, I can know show you the Klaralund I made for my mom.
Knit with Noro "Silk Garden" which despite it's twigs and easy breakability I still like it ok.
Smart Aleck
I came home to find my sister wearing this:
However, the lil stinker gave me yarn for Xmas. Good sister.
I never said I wasn't a follower.
Like everyone else on the planet I'm knitting some Jaywalker socks. I almost didn't, cause they lost their flair being all over the knitblogweb, but I saw Carrie's and AM's in person, so I had to. And if Cara has knit like four pair, well, what does that say?
Uh Oh. We got a spinner.*
I made the teeniest skein of yarn:
This was from random roving sent with my new Charis spindle, recommended by Bobby of the super fabulous Thuja socks. Fortunately for me, I think I got the last one at Kendig Cottage. I love the spindle so far. I am getting better at it. But overall I still suck. This yarn is 2-ply and of course is thick and thin and feels scratchy and uneven, but whatever. I MADE YARN!!!! WOOT!!!!
Here's a pic of it knit up into an ?elf scarf? pen cozy? crappy way-too-thick-to-use-bookmark?
Hope you all enjoy whatever holidays you celebrate! I'll be working through the Christmas holiday. THANKS for the kind words about Madli's Shawl!
* anyone who can tell me what I'm quoting wins HEK blog-reader of the year.
Madli. Finally.
Without further ado...
I present Madli's Shawl:
This was really fun to knit. From Interweave Knits Summer 2004, by Nancy Bush. Knit in Rowan Kidsilk Haze, color Trance, on US 4. Click here to see it big and laid out.
I loved loved loved knitting this, and I loved wearing it. It's actually pretty warm! And yet so light. Pin courtesy of this good friend.
Notes: Really not many. When you knit the bobbles, do them very very very loosely. That's about it.
And also.
I succeeded in dyeing the yarn from my old brown sweater. I'll call it "Resurrected Sweater" for now. Here it is:
Kool-aid "Black Cherry" was what I used. I don't think this yarn had been dyed, I think it was brown off the sheep, so it really took color nicely.
What's all this about SPINNING?
Well, really, you knew it was a matter of time, didn't you. Yes, you all did. I had to try it. I just had too, if just to see if I could. You know how it is.
So I got me a bottom-whorl spindle and some bright blue $3.00 roving and went at it. I made a tiny ball of singles to ply and was working on another tiny ball, when THIS happened:
I am Bear. I am the Destroyer off all things fuzzy.
MUST he be a stereotype? Really. Hi, I'm a kitteny-cat and I love small balls of yarn. Haven't we heard this? Hasn't it been done and done again? Dipshit. I'm disappointed in him. No originality at all.
Also no remorse. I can't bear to show a picture. More will be spun soon, I'm sure.
Stash update: One item remains. Check out the Stash page to see! If not sold by the early next week, it goes on ebay. Thanks so much to everyone who bought/took in yarn!!!!
Yarn sale!!! And Ripppppppppinnnnnnnnn'
I'm an enabler.
Yes, it's true. I will decrease my stash by adding to yours, and I am not ashamed to admit it. Want some new yarn??? Prices are low low low and everything must go. Click here to go to the stash page, and tell a friend. Hell, tell two friends.
Guess what I did.
I'm so excited. Really. I just can't hide it. I'm about to lose control and I think I like it.
I had an old sweater I loved. Loved so much it was falling apart:
This was from REI, was machine washable/dryable and went with me everywhere. Numerous camping trips. Warm, boxy, good. But it's been loved to death and the neckline was ripping, there were holes in the sleeves, and it was stretched.
But as I was debating about giving it away, I thought, "Wait a minute... Haven't I seem some folks rip out old sweaters? I think I've read that somewhere..."
And so I did. Took forever to rip. I washed it in Eucalan:
Wow, that's water's gross. I SWEAR that sweater has been washed!
I hung it to dry:
Then, recalling the sweater label said "100% virgin wool," I got ANOTHER bright idea:
Koolaid, I love thee.
FUN TIMES. I think I'll do the whole thing in the ruby-ish color (Black Cherry Koolaid). I hope to either make the Eris pullover or Demi from Rowan Vintage Knits.
How fun! Next up: The I-sort-of-forgot-my-cousin's-baby-was-due-in-December hat, more Klaralund, an update on my sister's hemp sweater, and ? High Energy Spins??
And remember, Everything must go!.
Mittens! Stash sale! Did I mention Mittens!
NO, it ain't another hiatus...
Hello there! Sorry I've been away so long. Had tons to do, but have been really productive, so that's good.
I also went to my first DRIVE-THRU pharmacy. What a good idea! Why hadn't I done this before? Going IN to the store? It's so passé!
SOME NEWS: There is a big stash sale coming your way from HEK. Stay tuned, will post this weekend. Seriously good deals for seriously good knitters.
Update us.
1) I started a Klaralund (from Cornelia Hamilton Book 2) for my mom:
Knit during the Harry Potter 4 movie. Completed during Scrabble. Which I won. Ha!*
This is the second one I've made. Only for family could I knit something twice. It's going to be SO. COOL. Silk Garden, I love thee.
2) And, I did some more work on the Nordic gloves:
I'm in love with this gusset.
3) Madli is done, but no picture yet. I want to be able to take a good one, and today it's overcast. Soon, though. I'm super pleased with this helpful blocking post by the Harlot, as it made blocking Madli much more easy. Thanks so much for all your sweet comments on Madli so far!
4) And, I never did post a picture of my NBaT, but I finally finished it (in like SEPTEMBER, hello!):
I hated that intarsia. It actually looks like crap close up. No more for this girl for awhile. Onward and upward. Forward ho! Or something like that...
*Ok, but only by like a few points. My sister usually kicks my scrabble ass. And our dad ALWAYS, and I mean without fail, wins the following: Parcheesi, Clue, and Croquet. Amazing. Mom kicks all our butts at Wheel of Fortune. My mom can guess a wheel of fortune clue with NO letters on the board. Vanna ain't got nothin' on my mom.