Finally a Post

Yes, I suck at blogging this month. Just to much going on this past week and to sum it up it has just been "Crappy", I could describe it differently but that would be to much editing.

There are a few good things that did happen since my last blog, I picked up and assembled(what a production that was) my new spinning wheel. There are no pieces left over and it does spin :-) very well, I might add. I also purchased 6 ounces of roving(my new obsession), some Shetland, Rambouillette and some wool/angora/mohair blend and I'm all out. Spun everything up and I'm very pleased(more like running around, jumping for joy happy) that it turned out. It's all a blend of thick and thin, trying to figure out what I like best and what the wheel could do plus working with fibers I haven't used before. All I can say is "Kick Ass" and "Sweet"(southpark fan in the house). This will give my sock yarn stash a rest now, must stock up on spinning fiber.

On the knitting front, I frogged my Xmas rock mate, to tight. Never knit when you are tense but I'm going to cast on after I finish this post.

I also received my Neapolitan sock yarn from Dani over at Sunshine yarns, she also included 2 matching stitch markers, very cute. I'll finish my Xmas rock sock and cast on with that next.

My secret pal that I've been spoiling the last 3 months received her last package with my reveal, go say "hi" to Juli if you get a chance.

I had a great time, had really great pals and because I had such a great time participating as well as hostessing I will be doing it all again for SP8. I've made some really great friends and hopefully one day we can meet in person and do a "Stitch and Bitch".

Check out the SP8 blog, we are taking sign ups till the end of April. Please read the rules, changes have been made.

Have a great day everyone and happy knitting!

We have another pair of Socks!!!

Introducing, Artyarns Supermerino sockies...insert clapping here...

They are finished, whipped the mate up today using my own pattern. What was the delay with these guys you ask. Well, the first one turned out great except it didn't fit, a tad to small. When I say tad it was about 1/2 inch to small so I kept it by the computer to remind me everytime I logged on that it needed to be fixed. Lucky I didn't weave in the ends knowing full well it was going to be frogged back and toe redone, someday.

Last night it was to much, I was online reading blogs and the sock kept saying "frog me, frog me" so I ripped it back and fixed my mistake and even tried the kitchener again. My first attempts sucked(I normally do the 3 needle bind off, very painless), to tight and when I was reading my blog rolls last night and for the life of me can't remember which blogger said to use a lightbulb when tightening up the stitches. My lightbulb went on and voila I now have a pair of cute little sockies.

I also casted on last night for my mate to my STR Xmas Rock and need to do another 2 inches on the leg before working the heel. Hardcore knitting the past 2 days. I'm trying to get 3 pairs done this month, world record for me to have more than 2 projects done a month, lol. I pick up my spinning wheel tomorrow and the lady whom I've purchased it from will be giving me a lesson on washing fleece and preparing it for spinning. Sweet, so must get as much knitting done as possible because I'm unsure how much knitting time I will be losing once I get the wheel.

Will post pics tomorrow or Saturday of the new addition to the family. Must sleep now, will be washing wool all afternoon tomorrow.

I have my first STR sock!!

Here it is in all its glory, my first sock using STR Xmas Rock. I love the way this stuff knits up, gorgeous. The colors looked awesome all skeined up but to wind it up, I wasn't to sure what it would come out like. I was a little worried, even googled Xmas rock but of course couldn't find anything knitted up. So what the hell, I started looking for a pattern, got stuck with that till I popped on over to Grumperina's blog and sure enough she had knit with some STR(not same colorway) last month and used the Yarrow Ribbed Sock pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush. I made a change and used size 1 dpns, the Crystal Palace Chrissy sent and only made a 5 inch cuff and the heel I changed to my regular heel(1st row-Slip 1,K1,sl1,etc and 2nd row-purl)and the pattern called for a German Heel. I did do the French Toe, feels good and looks good. I am very happy and will cast on for the mate after I finish this. I am loving the color, like I said I was a little leary when it was in the ball but I love the way the red circles around the leg. I think these just might be my favorite socks, or until I knit another pair of STR.

What a weekend, hardly any knitting done, especially Friday and Monday. Friday I went in to the optometrists and had my eyes dilated and what fun that was, Not! I spent most of the day unable to see, there goes knitting, reading and had to wear my shades due to light sensitivity. They say it normally last around 4 hours and for me, almost 6 hours. I'm also doing spring cleaning and once I get going on something I find it hard to stop so yesterday I was doing our bedroom and rearranging my yarn stash. Well just trying to get it all in a couple places so I can take some pics of it for "Flash your Stash" on April 1st. Check it out and sign up, it's time to flash your stash, you know you want to.

Well, that's all I got. Spring cleaning and a Sock. Happy Knitting everyone.

Happy Birthday to Me and SP7 Reveal!!!!!

It is my 35th Birthday today, I'm feeling old.

So exactly what age is considered Middle Aged?? Hubby and I had the debate on that today and he says 35, I say 40. Lucky me he is 2 years older than me and in 3 years I can have 40 plastic buzzards sitting pretty on our lawn for his Birthday, lol!!


Now onto my exciting news, I just received a package today from my SP7 with the reveal. Drum roll please....Chrissy has been my spoiler for the last 3 months and did a wonderful job. Thank you so much Chrissy for the best giftees. Chrissy has been the best pal, sending ecards, emails and kick ass packages. This round of SP has been the best for me, Thanks again Chrissy. Here's a pic of my last package.


The Christmas Rock is now being wound into a ball and if I can pick a pattern before it gets to late tonight I will cast on for a pair of socks. I also received some Crystal Palace DPN's, Knit Picks Simple Stripes(love the blues), Quirky Quilting Book(which is great I've been wanting to dust of the old sewing machine and very short on ideas for projects) and a felted pincushion. Check out Chrissy's blog she is one talented woman with alot on the go. Good luck with the Sock Yarn Addicts' Club, I checked out the blog and decided that was something I couldn't do, I'm weak I know. But I'm happy!!!

Speaking of sock yarn, I bought myself a little birthday gift yesterday from Dani over at Knitting Sunshine, a skein of Neapolitan, love the colors plus it is my favorite icecream flavor.

Time to make supper, more tomorrow, Thanks again Chrissy!!!
Happy Knitting Everyone!!!

Catch up Post and an FO

Catch up time, Friday afternoon I picked up my glasses and it feels great to finally see again.

Saturday I went to my last spinning class and had a great time. Made 3 small skeins(2 pictured) and I mean small skeins and was very happy with the results. I remembered to take my camera and snapped of some shots of the wheels and my teacher, Ruth Blazenko as well as a few classmates. I am so excited and cannot wait till my wheel comes in. The lady I'm buying it from called and let me know the unfinished is on back order till May so I'm getting the lacquered Ashford Traveller which means one less thing for me to do ;-).

No real knitting done the weekend unless you count the Collinette scarf, that did not want to be patterned in anyway, took a jumped into the frog pond and tried again as a rib and its looking good. I think I will add some fringe when I'm done. Pics to follow on that project. I also finished hubby's cabled scarf on Monday evening(pic to follow), finally, that was just lack of interest on my part. I learned the cable technique and lost interest very quickly. I still have my Irish Hiking Scarf I have to finish some time this year. I thought I better get at least one FO done before I cast on for a pair of socks for my oldest son, Jordan. His Birthday is coming up in 3 weeks and he really wanted a pair of socks. He even picked out the yarn, I'll be using Artyarns Ultramerino4 in color #129 a blue and gold/orange colorway. He has expensive tastes too, just like mom. I still have to finish my Supermerino sockies and cast on for another pair using a pattern out of one of the books my SP7 sent. I'm thinking the Conway using the Wildfoote.

Here's a pic of one of the many grain silos I passed to and from my spinning class which is 2 hours from home. I think this one was in Stavely, Alberta. I lost track of how many grain silos I passed on my little trip.

I'm going to be spinning!!!

I just ordered the Ashford Traveller this afternoon from a local dealer. I'm so excited, it should be in on Friday. This is my birthday present from Hubby and the kids. The lady I'm purchasing the wheel from, Joanne, is great. I got to play on her wheel for a few hours and could have stayed longer but there's shopping to do etc, etc, but wow, I had a great time. Joanne has also offered to teach me to spin more as well as preparing fibers for spinning. This is really turning out to be a great week/end.

What a package!!!!

I'm still trying to get over the amazing package I received this afternoon from KT. You ask, why would I even want to get over such an amazing package filled to the brim with fibery goodness. Well I've got to get one of these amazing yarns on the needles and cannot decide which one. They are all shouting extremely loud "Choose ME!!!" and here I am fondling every single skein and trying to be careful not to drool on any one skein.


Here's what I received, some beautiful Lamb's Pride in 3 different color, Blue Blood Red, Purple and Rust, all great colors and are much deeper shades in person. We have some Cascade ECO +, Cascade 220 in two deep reds, pics do not do it justice. Also in the mix is some Three Waters Handdyed Alpaca/wool blend in a pretty pink, 2 skeins of Fortissima Socka in red, Colinette cotton/wool blend which I've only seen pics online and wow, should it be a hat or scarf, I can't wait to get it on the needles. I also have 3 skeins of Alpaca in a rusty/pumkin color which is calling out to be a lace scarf, speaking of lace I have some Kidsilk Haze in a Dewberry(purple), enough to make a Kiri and last but certainly not least, making its permanent home in Lethbridge, drumroll please.... 4 skeins of Koigu. I've never laid my mittens on any of these fine fibers till this afternoon and will take great care in picking out the perfect patterns for all. This was a welcoming addition to my stash and I'm like a little kid in a candy store trying to decide which to taste first. Any suggestions????

Thank you so much KT for the beautiful fibers you've given me. They are all the perfect colors(no overdying needed but will try that with some yarns I have in my stash) and one must have color in their life, no boring black or whites. You should see my home, very colorful, the purple wall in the background, that's in my bedroom ;-).





I am off to play with my new giftees. Pics tomorrow if I can figure out which to use first. Have a great evening everyone!!!! Thanks again KT, you are wonderful!!!

Weekend Update

Wow, what a week. Friday I spent most of the day running around, shopping, eye appointment(found out that the prescription I'm currently wearing is to strong) and getting psyched up for Saturdays spinning class. It was awesome, I love it and will be purchasing a wheel, still doing research and price checks but it looks like it will be the Ashford Traveller. In hubby's price range plus I can add a bunch of nifty things to it and it is so cute!


Here's a pic of my first hand spun wool, 2ply and it turned out awesome. The teacher, Ruth Blazenko was very happy. The mini skein hangs down right and no over twist. All I can say is Sweeeeet!!!! I was working on my second skein before class ended so next class I have to ply, gosh I love it, plying my own wool that I spun!!!!!! Happy, Happy here in Alberta. I forgot to bring my camera to the class and I also wanted to take pics of the store as well.

Let me tell you about the store, shelves and shelves of Lamb's Pride and it was the first time I've set my eyes on it too. Kal, the owner, carries most/all of the Brown Sheep line and almost all the colors plus various other yarns and roving not to mention spinning wheels, books, and the wall of Addis, I was in heaven. My heart was a racing I tell you, lucky me I don't have high blood pressure because it would have been thru the roof. I fondled yarn for an hour and left with 2 skeins of Nature Spun in blueberry and nordic blue(the little guys want hats)and 4 skeins of Wildfoote Sock Yarn in Rhapsody and Geranium. How could you not go home with out buying some sock yarn especially since he carries all the colors of Wildfoote!!!!hahahah, I know I said no more sock yarn purchases but I had to make an exeption especially since I did travel 2 hours to get there plus another 2 hours home. Yarn was fondled the whole ride home and wow I can't wait to cast on with the Wildfoote, it is very soft and the colors. I'll have to peruse my books(Knitting on the Road and Folk Socks) my SP bought me last month to pick a great pattern to use with one of these colors. Here's a couple of pics of my little haul.




On the knitting front I do have a FO to flash, here's my first attempt at a sock on 2 circs using a pattern I made up as I went along knitted with Online, don't remember the color but it patterned up nicely. This was the yarn meant for hubby but he wasn't to into it so I laid claim to it. I also have one sock done, only took me a day to knit(not a full 24 hours, well you know) in Artyarns Supermerino and what gorgeous yarn to work with. I'm in love, it is unbelievably soft and to wear, wow. I plan on wearing the first sock while wearing the mate tomorrow, maybe that will put my rear in gear and get another pair of socks done before the end of March. Thank you Kat, my first ever Secret Pal I spoiled from SP6, for introducing me to Artyarns Supermerino. That is one of her favorite sock yarns and I now know why. For all of you sock knitters out there pick up a couple skeins you won't regret it.


Well, that's all I've got for now. Have a great evening everyone!!! Happy knitting.