It's done and it Fits!

Yahhooooo!! My Drape Neck Summer Top actually fits.



And I'm so happy about that. The projects info is on Ravelry here. The pattern is from Vogue Knitting, Spring/Summer 2011.

Now what should I do next? Another sweater or finished one of the many projects I've already started.

Ah yes, I confess I'm itching to "cast-on."

When you thought I couldn't get any Dorkier

I make some eyeglass holders for myself.



But why not right? I can never find ones that I really like. I mean really really like AND have the desire to spend the kind of money they're asking for them. I tried going without when a cheap pair would break. Far sighted people will appreciate how I feel, but trust me it's such a pain to not have my glasses on hand when I need them for reading. Annoying to have to hunt for them in my handbag too. And I can read nothing without my glasses. So why not make my own eyeglass holder? Beads and supplies purchased at the Boston Bead Company on Front Street in Salem.

Yup, I think I will make my own.

Heck, I think I'll make a few so I can change with the colors or my mood.

The knitting never stops for long here.

I started teaching a class last Sunday on knitting a lace shawl with beads... called "The Budding Shawlette". And I'm knitting one along with my 7 students.

I'm calling mine The Easter Budding Shawl because I intend to wear it for Easter. I'm also nearing the end to the blue sweater. The body is blocking now and then I just have the collar and sleeve caps. I'm itching to get it done.

And speaking of knitting with yarn. Yup, that's what we use in our craft. And we're always either looking for it or being hypnotized by something new and different. So check out the blog A Yarn Tale.

Now isn't that the craziest wrapper?

Can a wrapper entice me to buy the yarn? Am I that easy??
[BTW, I don't expect you to answer that]

... [But somehow I think you will. Ahuh ahuh.]

When I get up at 3:00 am ...

What else is there to do?

Of course, I can always keep knitting in my sleep!

Watching the flowers grow ...

while I knit. And there just isn't anything else to say about that. Except ...



It would be nice if the knitting gods surprise me when I'm done (this is the back) and this sweater will FIT!

The lure of a yarn crawl ...

can be over-powering for a Yarn addict like myself. Only buy from two stores I say to myself. Unless I see something I really need of course. But don't buy from every store, I repeat over and over.

And can I stick to that plan?

Well the 2nd annual North Shore Yarn Crawl was this past weekend. A beautiful weekend it was too. All of my knitting and crocheting friends were looking forward to it ... well the enthusiastic yarn shoppers like myself were anyways. A few stronger women stated, "I'm not going this year because I want to save the money for ... " Well that's her mantra, the StitchingNut is going. The crawl is only once a year after all. Right?

So the first store I go to is in Marblehead, MA ... called Yarn Over Marblehead. A very cute little store with a very nice proprietor. Of course she had something I wanted. NORO Silk Garden. And just the project on display that I also had the pattern already at home for. AND she was offering a 20% discount for buying during the yarn crawl. Just how could I say, "no thank you"? ...

Actually, I'm glad I didn't because I not only cast on the next morning for the Sursa Shawl Wrap by Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton from Noro: Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton Book 2. But but I also cast off on Sunday while sitting at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn before the end of the crawl.

See ...

But I didn't stop there. After making my 1st purchase I then went over to Seed Stitch Fine Yarn in Salem where the organizer of the crawl resides and of course I made a second purchase.[Everbody knows how much I love Courtney & SSFY right? I practically live here!] Yes, it's 16 balls of Rowan All Season Cotton but I clearly intend to knit myself a Summer sweater.

I even cast-on by Saturday night while the Yarn Crawl was still in progress. I figure I better justify all this yarn purchasing since I have an embarrassing amount of yarn in my Stash already. And I did finish Sursa on Sunday ... and I'm truly planning to finish this sweater before the warm weather arrives. I think. I am loving it so far ... so I intend to keep on knitting on it. Honestly, would I lie??

But only if the allure of my other purchases don't overwhelm me ...

From a new store Creative Yarns in Beverly (they just opened 2 days before and have a lot of potential) a supply of knitting markers. (yes, I always NEED 'em) and then to



Yarn in the Farms in Beverly where I found the most luscious yarn called Everlasting by Dream in Color. I also learned a couple of really interesting cast-on tips from the Farms which I have committed to memory and will definitely use. A very fascinating little store!

I promise to use it ... for an interesting shawl maybe. The Springtime Bandit comes to mind in fact. **Here's a picture on Ravelry of the Bandit done in this same yarn, different color.**

The next stop was at the famous Coveted Yarn in Gloucester. Of course I found a yarn that just couldn't be left behind. And while I waited in the parking lot to keep from being overcome from the yarn fumes in the over-abundantly stocked store for my other two "yarn-addict" friends, I met other knitters and crocheters. Such a cheery lot! Always willing to part with their money for more yarn. I certainly can't blame them considering my find of lovely Heather Schaeffer Yarn in the colorway called Eleanor Roosevelt ...

Does it help to know that I got it on discount too?

Of course we had to stop at Cranberry Fiber Arts in S. Hamilton. And the lure of the yarn didn't stop. I was just absolutely taken over by this yarn and the pattern to go with it for a beautiful Wrap with the most gorgeous drape I've ever felt ...


Oooooo, am I going to have the stamina to complete such a large Garter Stitch project with 8 balls of lace weight Silky Alpaca????

I better if I want to justify this purchase huh?



Well last but not least, we only made it to one more store before we had to call-it-a-day and we all collapsed from exhaustion.


And that store was the Village Stitchery in Topsfield. Where I only purchase a sock yarn that's I've never tried, but I did learn a 3 needle bind-off trick that I can't wait to try. And I really do need to make myself some new socks for next Winter. What better time to do it than over the Summer, right?

I might be poorer, but I'm happy!

[And in 3 days I haven't even been able to remove my Yarn Crawl Shawl!!]

If I wear the colors of Spring ...

will Spring get here faster?

Just go from a scarf to a spring wrap right?









So that's what I'm going for ... An early Spring!

Will it work?

The details for this "Through the Flowers" Wrap is posted on my Ravelry page ... here



I even might consider putting in some "Come-On-Spring" dance steps too!

Crochet anyone?

On an edge or boarder? Trimming in crochet is fun when it's in color.





Or do you need something even more inspiring in order to crochet? Like the crocodile stitch. What a fun shawl this is going to make. I love it already!





Yah, and the chocolate did it for me too!!

A quicky wrap to warm my shoulders for Spring!

Name: Shoulder Slouch
Pattern: The Slouch by Caddy Melville Ledbetter
Yarn: Tahki Stacy Charles Big Smile
Yardage used: 3.5 skeins = 297.5 yards (272.0m)
Started: February 27, 2011
Finished: March 6, 2011
Finished Size: 46” around x 12.5” long
Modifications: none
My Project Page: StitchingNut’s Shoulder Slouch

Just something to knit while watching TV ...

and to quickly throw over my shoulder on a cool day.

Will the spell of bright colors bring on Spring weather?

On an extremely cold day, I crocheted for Spring ... so I call these my
"Bring-it-on Spring" Fingerless Mitts.



But these mitts just did't seem cheery enough or even bright enough for me.

So I dove into my sock stash and pulled out a sock yarn from Socks that Rock with the color name called: Sherbet.



And I could glow in the dark with these Bring-on-Spring Crochet Fingerless Mitts.