Will-power? What will-power??

So I realize that this is a little later in the day than my normal post, but employees are slim at work and I’ve picked up a LOT of hours. I want to talk about 2 awesome things today. The first has nothing to do with the title, and I figure if you make it through that, then you can learn about my lack of will-power…

To start with, can I just say how AWESOME Skacel is??? They are the distributor of Addi needles here in the US. Let me start by saying that I am a firm believer in different projects calling for different needles, like slippery yarns may need the stickiness of wooden needles and sticky yarns may need the slippery metal needles. I have needles of all sorts, most bought at the same time as yarn for certain projects (come on, you know you can’t always go home and comb through your needle stash whenever inspiration strikes!!).

I like using Addi Clicks for projects. In fact, my Never-Ending First Project is on some delightful Addi Clicks. My only unhappiness with Addi came when I bought the brass-coated Lace points. In 2 previous posts, I have talked about how my needles acquired a strange, brassy smell and were giving me green fingertips when held for too long. I sent them back to Skacel and they explained that it has to do with the pH in my skin and that is why it they have acted they way that they have. My troubles with them have been of my own doing, and that is actually wonderful to hear, especially since several people commented that they love their Addi Lace Points and haven’t had a problem. So never fear, it is a user error 🙂

Long story short, Skacel is sending me replacements that are nickel-coated called the Addi Rockets. I’m excited to get them and try them out, especially since I may have acquired more sock yarn.

This brings me to the lack of will power part.

Say hello to madelinetosh tosh sock in Fireside. She’s gorgeous. I couldn’t resist. Welcome to will-power yarn diet fail #1. I can visit her in my stash and so can you (online here). I was at a WWKIP (world wide knit in public) day event on Saturday at Sophie’s Yarn in Louisville when a knitter walked out with this skein. She sat next to me and HAND-WOUND the thing into a nice little ball. Then, she started a sock. It started out so awesome. The colors. The pooling (in the best way). Then she had to leave and I had to go in and by a skein.

What’s worse? I broke the yarn diet on the Thursday before I was tempted by the sock. I came across this post on Nice & Knit’s blog called Summer Sweater 2014 Knit Along.  So I was completely captivated by the Whispers sweater.

I went to Ravelry. I bought it. Then I tried to look in my stash for yarn, but nothing I have has enough yardage for the sweater. So I went to Sophie’s and I bought this:

It’s Rowan’s Fine Art. It’s super soft and made of wool, mohair, polyamide, and silk. I think the blend will give it an airiness and a drape that will really fit the sweater. And if you look really close, it says, “Make me in to a sweater!!!” See???

At least I did cast on my gauge swatch for the sweater yesterday the official start of the SSKAL. If you’d like to participate or check it out, here is a link to their blog Nice & Knit and a link to the Ravelry Page.

The bad news is that I did break down and buy a little yarn. The good news is that I’m using some of it!! And the Summer Sweater Knit Along has a deadline . We shall see!!

Are you knitting anything for the summer?

v’s & bumps,

Jenna

Tall Birds & Slinky Yarn

For this Saturday’s Stash Dive, I decided to highlight my Blue Heron Rayon Metallic in Celadon. It’s a DK weight and comes in at 550 yards. Woah woah woah!! Check out all the yards! The possibilities are endless…

I did wind this right after I bought it for a specific shawl. Of course the lovely ladies at McNeedles made a Saroyan in this gorgeous yarn which inspired my Mom to make one.

Then I saw the lovely and wanted to make one myself. We all know that I tend to have many a project going and that was no different when I had this inspiration. Therefore, this lovely skein is waiting in the wings of my stash.

Since this gorgeous skein has been waiting so long, I am considering other options for this yarn, but I’m not sold. I just know it will have to be something that needs drape and luster.

Also, today is WORLD WIDE KNIT IN PUBLIC day!!! I’m planning to grab my needles and yarn and head to Sophie’s Fine Yarn Shoppe in Louisville for some stitchin’! I hope you get out there too and knit it up with friends. If you are looking for an event in your area, you can visit this website to locate one.

I know this is a short post, but hopefully you can relate. The weather is gorgeous, there is a farmer’s market to visit and some knitting to put together to take to WWKIP!! Have a fantastic Saturday!!!!

v’s & bumps,

Jenna

The project goes on forever and the knitting never ends…

Today is my first WIP (Work in Progress) Wednesday! Since this is a new blog, I thought I’d start at the beginning of my knitting journey. I started at McNeedles in Lacombe, Louisiana (you can visit them virtually here) during the Christmas holidays with my mom. The walls in the cute little shotgun house turned yarn shop are covered in yarn, needles, and finished projects. After some talk with the kind staff and offhand calculations, I walked out with 4 balls of Artful Yarns Vineyard in a gorgeous brown and some size 9 needles. I think my mom helped me cast on about 20 stitches. She used a slingshot style cast-on. I took those off and cast-on again so I could say, “I did this myself!”

I certainly struggled with holding the yarn but got the hang of it. I ended up knitting about 4 or 5 inches. I didn’t like the way it was working up, so I yanked it all out and tried again. I think I cast on and pulled out at least 3 more times before I started my official second project, setting this yarn aside for.ev.er.

I guess my first finished project would be this gorgeous blanket for my niece, Nora. I really had to focus to get it finished. I wish I had a picture of the blanket by itself, but who can fault the most adorable little lady for being a part of it too?

Pattern:Pattern 309 My Family Green, Blue, and White Baby Blanket
Yarn: MY Family in Green, Yellow, & Orange
Ravelry Link: Nora’s Blanket

After finishing her sweet blanket, I switched back to the scarf and eventually settled on a long, long, long cast-on and knit in a basketweave pattern. Sometimes I get to work on it 🙂 Since prepping for this blog and post, I did dig it out and have it in my car to knit on while I’m at redlights or waiting in lines. Maybe we’ll see some real progress on this bad boy soon!

 

Pattern: Personal Pattern
Yarn: Artful Yarns Vineyard in Brown 7908
Ravelry Link: Never Ending First Project

On a more exciting note, my current WIP is Purl Soho’s Colour Change Scarf for my friend Jabes’ birthday. I’m using Silky Alpaca Lace by Classic Elite Yarns on Size 7 needles. I also altered the pattern by only using 4 colors and using them to create a more total gradient effect. I started with carrying 2 strands of white for 12 inches, then a white and multi green for 6 inches, solid multi green for another 12 inches, multi green and solid green for 6 inches, solid green for 12 inches, solid green and blue-green multi for 6 inches, and ending with 12 inches of the blue-green multi. The lace pattern is easy to memorize and the project is coming along!

I rewound the balls of yarn so I could pull from the center and the outside, or maybe I just really, really like using my ball winder?
 

I’ve got the first section of white done and the first 2 color section. Just started the solid multi green section on Monday evening while watching the St. Louis Cards play the Braves.

A close up look at the lace pattern. 

Another close up but at the white/green multi section. This will certainly need some blocking so the lace will lie flatter. The alpaca is making it spring up. 

I’m also linked in to Tami’s Amis WIP Wednesday. I love that she hosts such a neat forum for everyone to share their projects in progress.

I think the most dangerous type of WIP is the mental one; you know, all the projects you have going in your brain for all the stash yarn and yarn lining the shelves of your LYS. I think my next cast-on for a friend’s birthday gift is going to be the Wine Country Cowl in Aria I bought on a trip to San Francisco’s ImagiKnit. At least I’ve already got the yarn in my stash.

These balls look a little messy. I may have yet another excuse to break out the ball winder!

I’ve also got another friend who’s birthday is the same day (May 31) and I’m thinking the Karma Scarf by Loop Knits, but I still need yarn. I’ve come across a wonderful LYS here in Louisville, Sophie’s Fine Yarn Shoppe. They’ve been incredibly welcoming and should have just the yarn I need. I may need to dedicate a future post or two to all the great LYS’s I’ve had the honor of visiting.

I certainly have other WIPs going. Sometimes, I am easily distracted by beautiful new yarn or patterns and tend to cast on without an end date in sight. You can check out my other WIPs on my ravelry page. Hopefully I can locate and pick up those projects again soon. It seems my other “deadline” knitting  projects are taking precedence.

What WIPs are you working on, physically & mentally? I’d love to know!

v’s & bumps

Jenna