Trish Knits.com

Tag: Yarn

Small Group Today

Today was our post-Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival knitting meetup. It was small; Jo was there, and then I showed up a bit late. We had fun chatting and knitting. I was working on my second-ever sock, and Jo was knitting a sock from her own handspun yarn. It was lovely!
Jo mentioned that her spinning wheel is really quite portable and I think she’s going to bring it next time! I’ve always wanted to observe spinning up close so this will be a real treat for me. Our next meetup will be the first Saturday in June.
In one of those “small world” moments, we discovered that Jo’s husband Pete went to high school and graduated with my husband, John. What’s more, they’re both obsessed with model building! (And, we wives know, REALLY into model kit collecting! So not much need to complain about our stashes, eh?) Turns out that Jo’s hubby is into military models, and mine is into all things car-related, but still… it’s a similar passion.
Four o’clock came too quickly for me and I am already looking forward to next month, when I can see Jo again and her spinning wheel. Hmmm. Spinning yarn whilst spinning yarns. Now there’s a pun I’m sure no one has said before!

Stash Enhancement

I finally got this yarn in the mail on Tuesday! It’s Regia Nation Colors #5399. I got it from a shop called Web of Wool, and I’m not sure about the exchange rate but I think I got it for a good price. It took nearly a month to get from them to me, but I don’t do much overseas shopping so I don’t know how long it’s supposed to take. The Yarn Harlot featured a pair of socks made from this yarn on the date that I appeared as a member of the First Sock Brigade (see April 8, 2008, post entitled, “Two for One”), and I knew immediately that I must have this yarn. It took me a few days to figure out what it was and then find it. (Several stores I had checked with were sold out–they say once a yarn’s been “Harlotted” there’s usually a run on it. Ok, so does that make me a follower?)

Truth is, regular readers already know I’m a bit of a rainbow fanatic. So, I could not get just enough to make one pair, because I know as soon as I do knit with it? A couple other folks in my world will see it and want some rainbow socks, too. So, I have six balls, just for insurance. Even that might not be enough.

This weekend I plan to go through my last tub of acrylic yarn. The art teacher at DD’s school teaches knitting and weaving, and she said she can always use some more yarn. So I’m gonna bite the big one and get rid of it. I’ve got plenty of other new yarn around here to keep me busy!

May 10, 2008
Festival Haul

Howdy, Peanuts! Do forgive me for not so much with the blogging. My mom’s been ill and was just released yesterday after 11 days in the hospital. She’s had a tough year but I’m hoping now she’ll be turning a good corner.

So, what I left out of my blog the other day, was photos of The Haul from the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. So here goes.

First and foremost was this:

It’s a Strauch Jumbo Ball Winder. I’ve been wanting one for a while because I tend to buy these really huge hanks of yarn when I go to fiber festivals. This year was no exception.

$Mountain Colors Weaver\'s Wool, Mountain Twilight$

$Mountain Colors Weaver\'s Wool, Sun River$

These are both Mountain Colors Weaver’s Wool. The top one is Mountain Twilight, which is deep blue and dark purple, and Sun River, which has oranges, purples, and burgandy. I love them both and couldn’t pass them up.

I also have to admit that I am no longer a Socks that Rock virgin! I did NOT, repeat, DID NOT subject myself to the craziness that is is the now legendary Saturday Morning Sock Line at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. No, I was saner than that. But, I admit to being mildly curious, and at just after 2:30 in the afternoon I got a whim of “what the heck” and went to The Fold‘s booth and was pleasantly surprised to find that there was some sock yarn left to look at. The one at the left is called “Purple Rain” and of course I love it!

I also got these:

Socks that Rock Mediumweight, colorway: Hot Flash

Socks that Rock Mediumweight, colorway: 24 Carat

I guess the truth is that I could not just pick one color. I now know why the stuff is so adored by the people who buy it. It’s Soooooooooffffffffttttt. It has to be the squishiest sock yarn I have ever felt. Charmin Soft. Really.

Also in the booth at The Fold was this yarn I had never heard of:

It’s called Seppho, by the Sanguine Gryphon, and the color is Purple Breasted Muses. How could I pass up a name like that? It’s laceweight, which I generally don’t use, but I have been searching for the perfect laceweight yarn that I would use, if I had some. I think this is it.

There was one more batch of sock yarn:

This is Wullenstudio Merino Sock Yarn, in a colorway also called Purple Rain. I bought two because I have a friend in mind for a pair of socks out of these, and she has some unique requirements that could take more than one hank for a pair. There was a sample pair of socks knit up at the CloverHill Yarn booth, and they were so pretty that they had this friend’s name written all over them. Hopefully I’ll knit them up someday soon!

And so comes the end of the haul. Thank goodness! My wallet is definitely thinner. But there was one last little thing:

I got myself the much-coveted Ravelry tote! Their online store isn’t quite ready for prime time, but I was able to get one at the party. Should’ve gotten the lapel pins, too, but they’re patiently waiting in my shopping basket of the Ravelry store. I needed another tote bag, didn’t I? Suuuuure I did. You know it. (I won the Namaste Needle Cozy at the party. Since I don’t use straight needles anyway, Diana found a home for it right quick.)

Phew! Aren’t you glad that’s over? PS… don’t show this post to my husband. He’d faint.

May 8, 2008
A Sock Story

Sock Finished, with cuff up

Finished Sock, cuff down

This is it! The finished sock, in all its loose, holey glory. But hey, it’s my first, and my kid says she’ll wear it if I make the other one. Who knows? Maybe I will. I’m pretty proud of myself. Now I have this urge to know everything in the world there is to know about sock construction.

Here’s my project info, just in case I ever really do make the other one, and I need something to go back to.
Yarn: Wool of the Andes
Color: Amethyst Heather
Needles: Harmony, size 4
Pattern: Come to Silver Two at a Time Toe Up Socks (yeah I really only made one!)
Details: CO and did toe increases as in pattern. When toe increases were finished I knitted 36 rounds plain. Did short row heel as in pattern. Then over four rounds, increased on two rounds by four stitches each, for a total increase of 8 stitches. Then did 25 rows of 2×2 Rib. Used sewn bind off as in pattern.

Someday, it will have a mate.

Kauni Rainbows

Yay! The postman smiled upon me today and brought my Kauni Effektgarn 8/2 yarn that I ordered from Astrid’s Dutch Obsessions last week. That was fast! I can’t wait to swatch. I of course got the Not only did they send me 6 150g balls of the beautiful yarn, but I also got a yummy sweet cookie, which lasted all of about 4 seconds. It was kind of like an ice cream cone all rolled up in sugar. Yum!

I am going to make Ruth’s Kauni Rainbow Cardigan, of course. Someone on Ravelry even gave me a link to an upsized version. Yay. It’s been done before and I don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

I wish I could get started, but there’s this brown ripple afghan calling my name. Sigh…

April 24, 2008
Spoke Too Soon!

The other day I mentioned that I was disappointed with the color of the Knit Picks Comfy Yarn in the deep purple shade. Well, yesterday I had the chance to play with it a little and I have changed my mind! I cast on for a wrap from Amy Singer’s new book (more on that soon) and it is GOR-geous! I don’t know why I said that I didn’t like the color before except that the lighting in my house can sometimes play tricks on my eyes.

I happened to be in the car when I cast on so the yarn was in sunlight. And wow, the color was great! I adjusted my camera when taking this picture to approximate what I saw. My sample is two strands held together on big needles. This yarn is so soft and squishy! I think I am already in love.

If I have any complaints I can say that the yarn picks up lint really quick! I don’t quite get it, but oh well… it feels great and there’s not enough acrylic in it to give me that sticky feeling in my hands as I knit with it. I think I am going to love knitting by the pool with this yarn all summer.

April 3, 2008
Get Comfy!

Yesterday I received in the mail my first shipment of Comfy yarn from Knit Picks. Shown are the colors Pomegranate, Fedora, Planetarium, Cypress, and Blackberry. I haven’t swatched yet but the yarn feels yummy! I’m thinking of doing a knit version of the Babette Blanket with it but I am not sure yet.

I have to say that my anticipation of this yarn was very high. I was especially looking forward to the introduction of a dark, rich purple. And I hate to say it, but I am a wee bit disappointed. Especially with the brown and the purple. Those two colors are SO dark that it’s almost hard to see what the colors are. They’re nearly black.Am I sounding whiney? I mean, I like it, but I don’t love it as much as I was so hoping I would. The blue, green and red shades are great. If only the brown and the purple were just a hair lighter…

Got My Sock Wearin’ Shoes!

Ok, now it’s official that I have to learn to make socks! I just found the perfect shoes for showing them off. They’re Dr. Martens Mary Janes and I am more excited than ever about learning to make socks now. Only problem is that with my brace my foot is a little wide, and so I will need to go to a shoe repair shop and have them put an extension on the strap.

I got a new sock book, too… but more on that tomorrow.

April 1, 2008
Ripple Update

What can I say?? I’m still knitting on the same thing… the Many Hands, Big Heart Afghan. I’ve had a few more people knit on it this week and so I am very pleased with the level of participation I’ve received. One of the guest knitters commented on Monday that the recipient is really going to love it. Yes, he’s right. Brown is her color.

I can tell though that I have a huge case of Knitter’s ADD. I feel like I’m knitting and knitting and knitting, but I have done less than 6 inches in the last three weeks. Which is sucky considering that I am using size 11 needles. I’ve been spending way too much time on Ravelry, looking in other people’s project logs and planning and dreaming about the things I’d like to make. Too much time on the computer, not enough time with the needles. It’s a question of simple math. I’d better get clacking.

Speaking of Math…

Last week when I was photographing my stash, I came across this yarn that I purchased last year at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. It’s TessYarns Raw Silk in a deep, navy blue colorway. I bought three large, 900-yard hanks, with the plan to knit my first sweater. Right now I’m envisioning something with three-quarter length sleeves and a big cable around the neck. Maybe something with a sort of empire waist and smocky-shaped. Something that doesn’t cling to me, but doesn’t look like a maternity top. I’m dreaming….

All for now…

March 5, 2008