Scarfing it up.

I know I promised you a proper picture of my 2nd Shape It! scarf.
Made with 2 skeins of Plymouth Shire Silk. Must have a bath to get a softer feel to it. But it has a wonderful drape.

So here it is.

This weekend I'm working on my 3rd one and 50 million other things as well. Even the garden needs some attention. Maybe a small effort will go into the housework as well.

Now get out of my way kids, I'm going back to ...

my knitting.

What? You didn't think I was going to say "housework" did you?

Well I don't cook anymore either!

Pizza anyone? Hot wings? Popcorn? Potato chips?!

Shopping again? Didn't I ask nicely ...

For somebody to please STOP Me?!!!!! Isn't anybody listening out there? Don't you just hate to see me going into the poor house? What? You want company? Oh ... okay.

But some purchases have to be made right? After all, I didn't have any of these ...

Erda Bag ...

Just the right size for an evening out when you only need your ID, lip stick, comb, & cell phone. But it's ALSO the right size for holding your SOCK knitting in. And instead of a wallet; why I just need a Credit Card and perhaps some singles or change right?




And of course I had to get the Regia sock yarn (2 skeins) just because I haven't tried Regia yet AND the color looked so nice inside the Erda bag.

And Claudia Handpainted sock yarn only because I got this colorway last year and didn't realize I would need TWO to make a pair of socks.

There's the Brooklyn Handspun Signature in 8oz skein for knitting my stole in the Mystic Meadows KAL ... in the colorway Prezzie. Oh my, I love this color! It's Purple not Blue btw ... just like these Bungle Weed flowers

in my backyard

And to top it off, it was hand delivered by Marie (master-dyer of Brooklyn Handspun) who was visiting Seed Stitch Fine Yarn because she'll be doing workshops in July. If you're interested, here are the details ... just call the store 978.744.5545.

July 12 and 13^th- Marie Carney, owner of Brooklyn Handspun, is famous for her unique hand dyed yarns in the most amazing color combinations. Marie will be hosting at SSFY, a weekend workshop on spinning and dyeing. Hands on spinning workshop will be on Saturday followed by a dyeing workshop on Sunday. You can dye your own handspun fiber! Weather permitting; we will be presenting both workshops outdoors on our store terrace. Learn to spin with a drop spindle and a wheel then learn both domestic and acid dying techniques. 10:00-3:00 pm both days/$65 each day/$125 for both

Marie and her partner were both delightful! And of course it was really nice to meet the person who dyes my VERY FAVORITE sock yarn. She has a great sense of color and the quality of the yarn is superb.



And did I mention that Seed Stitch now carries Brooklyn Handspun? I get to touch, feel and see the colors up close before I buy now.

So I bought another skein in Seed Stitch ...

What do you mean ... "I'm uncontrollable"?

I also got my two Shape It! scarves blocked ...
I just have to take a picture of me wearing this one. It looks so much better when you see it being worn. And I cast on for another one!
This time in Louisa Hardings yarn Maraposa ... Remember its one of the purchases from WEBS tent sale.

Now if only I can keep from doing any more shopping ...

Or at least I should leave my money at home right?
I knew that.

What? Socks with no toes?!!!

I present my "Save My Pedicure" socks ...



That's right. NO toes.



Altho, I made up my own here's a free pattern here ...

I kept it simple and let the colors in the yarn do the work.
Yarn: Brooklyn Handspun
Colorway: Seed Stitch (named after Seed Stitch Fine Yarn store of course)

Pattern: cast on 56 to 62 (depending on size)
2 x 2 (knit 2, purl 2) ribbing cuff for 8 inches,
Eye of partridge heel and
St St foot for 5 inches
1 inch 2x2 rib before binding off in ribbing.

This sock is so cool ...

But now I have to go get a pedicure ladies!

J = Jelly Beans

The perfect food to eat while knitting ... from Maria's Sweet Somethings in Salem, MA. Right across the street from Seed Stitch Fine Yarn. No mess, colorful, and sweet. Who could ask for more? I know, I know; it's not chocolate, but I have to stop knitting to eat chocolate and sometimes I just don't want to stop. Knitting, that is.

But Yarn & Candy is always a great combo don't you think?


To include one of my favorites; J is for Jelly Beans!
Here's to a year of color ...

On and Off the Sticks in record time ...

With all the recent purchases I bet you're wondering if I've gotten any knitting done recently. Or what have I got in progress? What? You're only mildly curious right? Okay, if you're not sick of listening to me by now ... here's my two FO's for this week ...

I cast on the Scrunchable Scarf by Susan McConne on May 15 and cast off May 18. This is a Christmas gift for one of my step-daughters. It's so soft and scrunchable, it lives up to it's name. Of course it helped that I used Cascades' Baby Alpaca Chunky.



Then I just finished another Shape It! scarf from the Knitting Experience book by Sally Melville. I used the Shire Silk yarn I bought at WEBs Saturday. Cast on when I got home 5/17 and cast off last night 5/21. But it still needs to be blocked. I already know it's going to be my Summer time favorite scarf.



Proper pictures later.

So now I'll leave you with my Work In Progress (WIP) ... oooooo, socks?





And let's not even mention the other 6 projects in hiding, okay?
No time to discuss that problem.

A close up of the past weekend ...

Will this clear my fiber conscience do you think?

First, let me go back to last Friday. I failed to tell you how I was invited to Victoria's home (along with others who work at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn) and have dinner with her and Lily Chin. What a nice lady Lily is and what a nice dinner we had at Victoria's. Lily gave a workshop the following day at Seed Stitch, which we all know I was unable to attend.
[my WEB trip had been planned for months.]

Along with the good food there was lot's of conversation and laughter ...




And of course there was a gathering in the kitchen after dinner ...

The best cannoli I've ever had!

Then on Saturday I did the damage on my credit card ... well it was kept at low level damage because the prices really were pretty darn good. And what yarn did I purchase the most of? Would you believe I really kept my purchases to what I can't get at SSFY? Really. Honestly. But guess what ... No, go ahead and guess ... Okay, I'll tell ya ...

Most of the yarn I bought was LILY CHIN's? Ones not presently carried at SSFY that is.

Lily Chin Chelsea ... a blend of merino wool, cotton and acrylic.
and
Lily Chin Gotham ...
Prima cotton and wool blend.

BTW, that color looks Blue on your screen right? It's suppose to be a Deep Purple, but my camera didn't seem to see it that way for some reason. I'll have to retake the picture some time.

I also got the Jojoland Rhythm to make the shawl pattern "Autumn" that I bought...

And would you believe all these color variations are the same colorway for this yarn? They're just wound at different spots I guess. Cool huh?

Here's the pattern I'll be using the yarn for ...


And here is the book "Knit It Now" that I got, along with


the magazine "Cast On".



Am I done yet?????

Nope.

Can't forget a whole bag of Noro ...

I think that's Noro Hotaru, which is 68%Cotton, 32% Polyester. I'm knitting a Noro shawl pattern with that trimmed with the purple Lily Chin Gotham.

And then there are two other yarns that I'm knitting two more Shape It! scarves ... using Plymouth Yarn Shire Silk, 100% silk and Louisa Harding's Mariposa with 52% Viscose 48% Cotton.





Did I tell you about the $6.50 Shawl Stick Pin? I did?

Somebody's got to Stop me ...

Oh what a liar I am. Didn't I say I wasn't going to bring my Credit Card to WEBs? Did I listen to myself? My intention was good, but I am so so weak. So so weak. What's new?

I can say I had a wonderful time ... but will I still feel that way when my CC bill comes in? Okay, the prices were great. The yarn was also wonderful. And the StitchingNut as usual had NO CONTROL! Don't ask how much I spent ... I would only lie to you anyways.

Look at this ...



But let me start from the beginning ... It was a beautiful day!


And to protect the guilty, I tried to get no faces in the pictures I took. So you know the area was even bigger than this and filled with even more activity. Right? And this is outside the store mind you.

After going to lunch at Sylester's Restaurant in town,

we [another knitting friend who had more control than I did] went back to commit more criminal purchases inside the store. But we did do a lot of window shopping and I did run into 3 other knitting pals from M.I.T. [No names, to protect the innocent.] And I had to look over their baskets too. My oh my what a stash buster this WEBs is. I can honestly say I'm glad they're 2 hours from my home so this can be considered a special trip and occasion. Once a year!!!!

Oh what a wicked WEB we weave .... thank goodness my DH never asked me what I bought.

But this shawl stick was only $6.50 ...

What yarn?

My Mother's Day purchase ...

Was made last night while I was with the girls of the Community Night Knitting at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn. New sock yarn .... Hand painted for Seed Stitch in fact. From Hand Painted Knitting Yarns.com. Sock Merino Superwash. Daphne.



Now I wonder what pattern I should use. It'll definitely be in my Summer of Socks 2008 batch of knitting. Oh but what pattern? Decisions, decisions.

In the meantime, I'm working on Christmas gifts ... so I don't have to do it all in the Fall mind you. Nothing worse then having the realization that it all can't be done in 3 months if I start the end of September.

This is the Scrunchable Scarf ... for a step-daughter in her favorite color.

And last but not least, I'm going to the Tent Sale at WEBS tomorrow. Woohoo, my first time at WEBS! This is a really big-deal sale too. In case you didn't know. Oh, how will I control my spending? My answer: NO credit card ... I'm leaving that dangerous item at HOME. (you believe me don't you?)(sure you do)

Will I see you there?

Knitting is my game and I have FO's.

Finished Objects (FO) is the object of this blogger. These were all completed LAST week but just got off the blocking board this weekend.

Multi-directional Diagonal Scarf

Yarn: Noro Silk Garden

Another scarf with the same Noro Silk Garden color ... Shape It! scarf by Sally Melville in her book The Knitting Experience.
I love this scarf!


and last but not least ... well they ARE small ...
Baby socks for the gift basket!
Made with left-over Socks That Rock yarn.

Now go on ... I don't mind ...
take another look at the "raw fiber on the hoof" pictures below.

NH Sheep & Wool Festival; Part II ...

Otherwise known as "The many faces of fiber."

First the DH and I met up with Sara the FabricNFiberFanatic ...

Who was just as busy as I was at taking pictures all day. Altho, we both thought about getting a picture of the 2 of us together ... somehow it never happened. I think we were too busy, "Oh Sara, look at this! Feel that!!" and "Rhonda, come over here. Oh, my goodness look at that." LOL, we were like kids.

On our way to finding some sheep we stopped to watch a Border Collie demonstration. There were a few collies and each took a turn at showing us what they could do. It was interesting to watch how they could move sheep without a single bark and using just their eyes sometimes.

But we DID get some pictures of the real source of our fiber addiction ...











Don't ask me which is which. They're all sheep to me. Ewes, Rams, and Lambs!

But of course there were Alpaca's there ...


I fell in love with their faces ...






What stylish haircuts too ...






And yes there were Llama also.


Altho, on the most part I think they're not as cute as the others. Heck, in fact I'm more intimadated by that underbite ... and wouldn't want to get too close to these guys. Scary eyes too.




Sara got to try out a wheel too and learn a little spinning ...

And once again I was able to restrain myself and kept away from it. Afterall, the DH was standing right there and I didn't want him to have heart failure. Of course, he never thought about me wanting to take Alpaca home with me. (and you wouldn't tell on me would you?)

Okay, it's time to go home before I get into trouble ...



Now where could I hide one in the backyard ... mmmmmm