Everybody Loves Saturday Night

this right here

is a hot yarny mess.

But hey, it only took 2.5 hours to get it to this:

Sheesh.

hey, I finished a sock!

Today's post is brought to you by the color purple and KnitPicks, who knew I needed to get something good in the mail.

I started a lace project at the beginning of this week, but it wasn't going well. The yarn was too thin even for my 3.00mm needles. I have had this trouble before, and compensated by doubling the yarn. This time I decided to bend to the yarn's will instead of the other way around, but this required new needles.

I turned to KnitPicks, and given how slippery laceweight yarn can be, opted to go for the Harmony despite my general preference for metal needles. What you see above are 40" Harmony needles in sizes 2.00, 2.25, 2.5, and 2.75. I figured it would be wise to cover all bases, and wise to get the 40" so when I'm not knitting lace they can be used Magic Loop-style, and wise-ish to buy four needles for a little over the price of one of the Addi Lace needles.

And then I couldn't pass up the chance to get free shipping, especially since I could buy a sweater's worth of yarn and only just push my total over the free shipping mark. I am aware that I probably shouldn't be buying yarn at all in the first place, but you know, I wanted the yarn therapy (hat tip) and whatever. I justified it somehow. It's not like I'm buying Koigu cashmere. Onward.

I perused my Ravelry queue and came up with Thermal, so that skein on the right is Gloss in a new color: Cosmos. I had a hard time deciding between that and Parsley, flirted with the idea of getting both for the additional shopper's high, then rationally opted for only getting the yarn I knew would be used. And I do love the color, and I believe I have the buttons already. I also know that I'm going to start this sweater as soon as Dollar and a Half is done (I'm nearing the armhole shaping on the back).

On to the sock. Yes, I finally finished the ONE sock I started ONE MONTH ago.

Would you guess that this is Koigu? Look at that striping action going on! I didn't even realize how uniform it is until Juno pointed out that Koigu doesn't usually act like this. At least, not typically. Or are we both wrong on that?

At any rate, I started the second sock and have a sinking feeling that it's not going to turn out the same way. But the pattern is absolutely delightful. Again, it's Flint Knits' Marigold (Ravelry link to free download). Super easy to memorize, though there is a spot on the foot where I forgot to do a purl row, so it looks like an extra-wide band. Because of the color changes it's less noticeable, not that I would've ripped out and reknit had it been glaringly obvious.

your order has been submitted

I'm going to run out of yarn on Starsky.

I finished the second sleeve last night, and out of the 12 skeins of Cadena I ordered I am down to two full skeins and two partial skeins. Small partials, less than 25% or so. I think the shawl collar alone will eat up at least two skeins, what with the deep ribbing and short rows.

KnitPicks.com's customer service is quite lovely. I called to find out if they still had any Mahogany from the dye lot I'd purchased, back in September or August. I knew it was a long shot, but it never hurts to ask, right? The rep I spoke with clicked a few times on her keyboard and told me that "they're currently pulling from a lot number ending in 76." Which is not what I bought, but she then said that I could request a dye lot in my order. There's no guarantee that they'll still have it, but again--never hurts to ask.

I ordered two extra skeins, then. I doubt that they'll still have what I need, but I am offering up a prayer to the Goddess of Dye Lots that the color won't be too far off.

And then . . . well, I was trying not to do this, but . . . it just seemed silly and fiscally wrong to pay shipping on a $10 order.

Here, once more, I give props to the glory that is my Ravelry queue. Because from it I found a sweater that I queued a while ago, thinking that I would make it for spring of 2008. The sweater is Veronik Avery's Dollar and a Half Cardigan, which I have seen--again, thanks to Ravelry--made with KnitPicks CotLin, a yarn I already know I like. I ordered 12 skeins (enough for the large size, plus an extra justincase) of the Moroccan Red. Yes, red. I know you're shocked.

So I need to reset the "no yarn bought in __ days" counter in my head. Ah, well.

camera moment i wish i'd captured

Scout just jumped up on my desk, en route to windowsill, and started grooming a hank of Fleece Artist Country Mohair that's been sitting here for a few weeks. "What a weirdo," I was about to type, before I remembered my yarn-smelling proclivities. At least Scout's behavior is instinctual. I have no such excuse.

(Not that I can smell anything right now, as my nose is currently fighting off the third or fourth version of the cold I can't seem to shake.)

I've only just got around to taking pictures of the yarn for Ravelry, and I am now facing a decision.

I bought them from The Point at least a year ago, probably more. I had no idea what I was going to do with them then, and since I've been on Ravelry I have toyed with the idea of putting it up for sale/trade. It's pretty yarn

but if I haven't used it yet, will I? And it's also kinda scratchy. Though it would probably soften with washing. And the halo is beautiful. And the colors are watery and muted, with just that flash of light green. But will I use it?

I did a brief pattern search and learned that the yarn is now discontinued, which means two things: a) I wouldn't have to deeply discount it if I wanted to sell it, and b) now I don't want to sell it.

Does it work that way for you, too? You're kinda on the fence about something and then you learn it's somewhat rare, and so it becomes more valuable to you?

 

For now I am keeping it. In fact, the more I look at it the more inclined I am to just wind it up and start knitting with it. Two hanks = 400m/437 yds. Gauge is listed at 3 sts/in. It seems destined for Scarf City. I thought about other patterns, but I don't want a hat, or mittens, or socks from this yarn. It could be a pillow, but this yarn isn't really giving off a home decor vibe. I think it wants to be worn, wants me to trust it past its initial scratchiness.

So I have a couple initial ideas for what kind of scarf this yarn could turn into, but maybe there's a pattern I've overlooked. What do you think? What should I make with this yarn?

the restashening

I mean, what else is one to do when faced with a blowout yard sale at the home of a former yarn shop owner?

The nice thing about living in New York is that when I need to get away just for a day or two, other states are not far away, and most of them are accessible through relatively cheap public transportation. It is doubly nice that these states also tend to house friends of mine. So I went to visit Juno this weekend, for a bit of a break.

She informed me, before I left, that she knew a woman who just closed up her yarn shop and was going to be holding a yard sale with massively discounted yarn, books, needles, etc. I said, with some trepidation, "But I just threw out a ton of yarn." "So you'll have room," came the pragmatic response.

We got there about half an hour before the sale was closing up for the day, and learned that Ravelers had hit it before us, and had done a damn good number on the yarn that was there. All the better, because having less to choose from meant less hard decisions I would have to make. I immediately spotted the table of Koigu, at an incredible price, but the colorways were not calling to me. In fact, I hate to say it, but they weren't particularly happy colorways. The colors were not communing together, and really seemed to be fighting each other. If they were competing in a Top Yarn kind of reality show, they would be the yarn Tom Colicchio's knitter-equivalent would say, "I'm surprised you allowed this yarn to go out to the shops." I know I'm not being too harsh, because that was almost all that was left of the Koigu, so I'm not the only one who didn't like the colors.

Then I found the box of Louet Gems Opal. Score! Considering that I'm not only on a sock kick but also on a colorwork kick, this was a good find. The following picture brought to you by my new printer software:

Two pairs of knee-highs--the navy will probably become Clessidra, the hot pink something else. The grey and the single skeins I bought to go together in some kind of pattern, and I'm leaning toward argyle. But I might change my mind and make fair isle socks or mittens.

I also scored two out-of-print Interweave Knits issues from 2002. I was on my way out the door, stopped by the magazine table, found them, and rushed back in to lay down more money. Worth it! One issue includes a Nancy Bush sweater that I have wanted forever.

(ok, yes, the scanner function on my printer is nifty.)

I got a couple other books and some needles, too. All together, it doesn't come close to replenishing what I got rid of, and what I will continue to get rid of, and it all cost a fraction of what it would have normally, so I am sated, feel no buyer's remorse, and still do not rule out picking something up at Rhinebeck.

fall cleaning

Or Part I:  The Destashing...

I just reduced my stash by about 40%. Yes, really. My yarn accumulation far exceeded my organizational skills, and the majority of it was resided in my closet, in bags upon bags upon bags. When I finally got around to buying new storage for it, it became clear that I was in way over my head. So I went through everything in my closet, inspired by Tim Gunn's Guide to Style, and separated the yarn and projects into "will never use/finish," "sell, sell, sell," and "keep--for now" piles. The first pile is out of my apartment for good. The second will appear here hopefully by the end of this week, if I can get good enough light to take pictures. The third fits into two and a half shopping bags. Then I went through what was already stored away in baskets and plastic boxes, to see if I could make any more room. There I was acquainted with more old friends--and some lagabouts that went into the "will never finish/use" and "sell" piles. If I had to guess, I'd say my stash just lost 25 pounds.

So at the moment, as I work towards finishing Michael's birthday socks (one down, one at the heel shaping, remind me to insist on DK weight for his socks from now on), I am also reviving a couple projects from long ago. One is a cardigan of my own design (if you can call it that--just a basic shape, but with some stripes at the cuffs and hem) and the other is Pascale from Rowan 36. And I've had the materials for this hat since Fall 2004, too. If I were starting from scratch I think I'd use different beads, but I'm going to go ahead with this anyway, because it's a small project and, once the 1000+ beads are strung (oy), it will be a relatively short project.

 

(stay tuned for Part II: The Restashening...)

you want a piece of me?

Well, you can. Sort of. The inestimable Shannon has a whole new batch of yarn, dyed by her hand in the blistering sun (clouds, really, but she's got the burn of a lifetime) that will soon be available at Stitch Cleveland but is now residing in the Stitch Cleveland Etsy shop, and she's decided to name them after women she admires. Her words. If that weren't gratifying enough, just to know someone awesome admires you, I have yarn named for me. Me! I have a namesake colorway! And I am in exceptional company as well, as my colorway is surrounded by others named for women I also greatly admire.

Meet the Michelle:

It is very satisfying to the vanity to have a gorgeous colorway named for you. I would totally buy this, or I would have if someone hadn't beaten me to it. Also satisfying: having your namesake colorway snatched up within the first 24 hours. If you spot it in blogland, let me know, ok? I want to see how it (I?) knits up.

oh, wait, i forgot what i wanted to say

About the Koigu Cashmere:

Y'all are having fits over making a pair of socks for $100. No one thought about the $300 Charlotte's Web? For shame.

And no, for the record, I ain't gonna be buying this yarn either.

two words.

Koigu. Cashmere.