Too Much Yarn

Where is my knitting mojo?

Not sure if my knitting mojo is on vacation or what... I had 2 shipments sitting in the front entryway and I was not interested in opening them!  This past week has been a test of my patience to hear from the insurance company regarding my car.  On Wednesday, they finally called and said the car was beyond repair so they settled on a pretty fair amount.  I took that and bought another CRV, which practically emptied my savings account so I am borrowing some money from my Sugar Daddy (he reminded me that he already bought me a car this summer... so I have to buy this one myself).. I do have some money in stocks which I'm not ready to cash (I bought some shares of my company stock when it went as low as $16 a share and today, it's valued at about $50 a share)  Of course, I was thinking how much yarn the profits could fetch me, but as we left to sign the papers for the new car, Sugar Daddy saw the unopened packages and reminded me that I would have been able to afford the car if I didn't buy so much yarn (oops - BUSTED!)... So, I opened the packages...

First package was from Woolgirl - the Snowflake/Snowman Kit:

Then, came my order from Blue Moon Fiber Arts.  Lots of blue yarn for a sweater:

Well, last but not least, I should show you my new car, with Chip's approval on his test sniff:

I have 2 repeats and a cuff left on a pair of socks, 1 more inch of stockinette and I can begin the cables on Mr. Greenjeans.  It's 11 days before Christmas and I want to finish a scarf (or two) for gifts so I may not be casting on any new socks in December.  Maybe my mojo is returning...

 

A Sad Week....

First of all, in honor of Thanksgiving, I'm very thankful that my son is OK from this accident:

You can read more about it from my other Blog Too Much Energy .  This has left me with little enthusiasm to decorate for Christmas or knit.  I did knit a few inches on my Mr. Greenjeans and finished the heel of Gull Wings.  And, I did finish ONE sock:

This is the November Mystery Sock.  I do have until end of December to finish its mate.  Tomorrow is the 1st of December and I have a number of socks I want to cast on, but I'm taking it easy,  I want to finish my November socks first.  Well, OK, you twisted my arm - I will maybe cast on something new this week.

I shopped for yarn on Thanksgiving Day - but I forgot what I bought... You'll see when they arrive!  Last week, these came:

This is from the Miss Babs Club - Poppies.  I signed up for 3 of the 6 shipments.  November, January, and April.  Love the colors!

Then, the last shipment of the Rockin' Sock Club arrived.  I used one of the Ravens on the Mystery Socks above, but it is too dark for me, really!  This month's club sock is also from the Raven series, but I like the subtle shades of burgundy and greens.  I tried to capture the colors; I hope I did it well enough to show you.  I love the little crochet hook in this shipment.  I can never have enough of them.

Two patterns and one of them is a Cookie A pattern!  Here is the closeup!

Bugga Jackpot

It's been 3 weeks since I last posted... You know what that means?  It means I didn't buy new yarn during that time -- well, it's actually 2 weeks because I received yarn last week.  So much for being good... Well, last week started with The Loopy Ewe introducing Madelinetosh Worsted yarn.  Duh! They feel so nice (NOTE:  I have not knitted with it, but I've started a collection!)  Logwood, the purple ones are going to Eve after I knit her a pair of fingerless mitts and maybe a cowl.  I present you the Madelinetosh stash from TLE (I did managed to sneak one skein of sock yarn in there, but I may need to destash - it was not as Turquoisy as I wanted it to be)

Also, I received the Loopy Ewe Sock Club November shipment.  This is the last for the year and I have to say, I love the yarn!  I don't have any of this base - Numma Numma The Usual:

It truly is a very pretty color: (I need brown socks!!)

I did finish a pair of socks (#20): Through The Loop's 2009 Mystery Sock:

and 1 sock (Chrissy Gardiner's Gull Wing):

and 1/2 of the SKA November Mystery Sock by Star Athena:  (I haven't taken a recent photo, but I've just started the gusset)

Oh, I'd better not forget - my Bugga! jackpot cos I woke up late and couldn't make it in to work by 8 a.m. for a conference call; so I dialed in from home.  Call ended at 8:26 - I logged on my home computer and thought I'd just check the Sanguine Gryphon website - the updates keep coming and my paypal balance kept dipping.  Well, I figured while I was able to get a hold of these colors, I might as well get extras so I can trade for other colors that I want...  no further comments on these:

The mailman came..

and he dropped these off:

From Woolgirl - my order of the Sock Summit #1 Sock Kit:

and my order from Woolgirl - 5 skeins of Madelintosh Worsted in Cherry - maybe these may end up being a February Lady Sweater?  Couldn't resist the sale...

and lastly, the October Hazel Knits Sock Kit -  yummy colors:

Love the green more, but use the Reddish Brown next month for SKA. 
  
  

Nancy Bush Mystery Socks

Another pair of socks done.  This time, it's the Nancy Bush Mystery Socks from SKA.  I never wear yellow, not that I don't like the color - but I just look pale when I wear yellow.  But I suppose having these on my feet are far enough from my face!  This is actually pair #19 - I  miscounted last week; the Trilobites are really pair #18.

I especially like how the toes are lined up with the lace pattern:

Over the last week, I received two packages from Woolgirl.  The first package was a prize winning from a random drawing from the July Sock Club package.  The theme was cats and dogs...  Other than the knitting bag from ZigZagStictches, the rest are going to Emily - she likes stationery and stickers.

The next package was the Frankenstein package.  Love the color of the yarn; but I don't know when I'll be using the yarn.  The package when it came:

Package opened:

And last, but not least, after 1.5 years in the making, Mr. Greenjeans in progress.  This is a duplica of Maria's sweater.  It was her sweater I saw that made me even want to knit a sweater!  It's slow going, but I'm almost finished with a sleeve.  

 

#17...

 
Wendy Johnson's Trilobites in The Sanguine Gryphon's Bugga! - Rusty Willow Sandfly colorway.  One of the most boring pattern, but turns out, it was worth the perseverence! 

the packages came...

Good thing they came on Saturday (when I was home) and the Twins baseball game was on (John was watching TV!!),  Three packages ... the top of the stack of packages was from across the Atlantic Ocean, from Yarnissima (Netherlands).  This is the Wollmeise Twin in Zur Lederhos'n.

Her packages are always so nicely wrapped.  The yarn and the gift was actually wrapped in GOLD tissue! Here's a closeup of the yarn (it is darker than I expected!  Should make a good pair for John!

The next package is from Briar Rose.  I met Chris, owner of Briar Rose at the Wisconsin Sheep & Festival.  She had this sample of the XOXO Hat & Mittens and this is the color I wanted:

Instead, I received this color (the one on top).  The one on top is the Sonoma used for the hat and mitten set.  The one at the bottom is 4th of July - I don't know what I got that for (is that a surprise?)

Anyway, I'll see how the Sonoma yarn looks like after it's knitted.

Last, but not least, the package from Blue Moon Fiber Arts.  I have one more coupon that I MUST use before end of November.  I'm thinking I'm going to venture into their other yarn bases...

L to R: Downpour, Montley Hue, Manly, I like it too!, The Witching Hour, Gail's Autumn Joy, and ST-1 (may be cut off from the photo because I'm doing a cut and paste vs. uploading the pic).

L to R: Sunkissed Sands, Green Eyed Monster, in the Navy, Sapphire, Puck's Mischief (this is for a gift and she knows it's hers...)

Well, I did knit this week.  The Trilobites are not finished.  I have 2 1/2 repeats of the lace pattern left on the leg.  I started on 2 Mystery Socks this week.  The first one is the Through The Loops Socktoberfest 2009  Mystery Sock.  You can find the pattern here.  Progress:  (using Hazelknits Artisan in Jay Blue)

The other Mystery Sock is from the Ravelry group, Solid Socks.  I'm using Malabrigo Sock Yarn in Terracotta.  The yarn is very fine and I'm using 2.25 mm needles.  Stitch definition is good...

When it's not stretched out, it looks like this.  The stitch in the middle is a pass slip stitch over a k2tog so it gets a bit tight there.  But I was able to stretch it enough to go over my ankle.  I considered  using a different yarn but the designer said this would be the least stretchy part.  Going forward, it would be stretchy.  Here's what the sock look like when not stretched.

Hopefully, in a week's time, I'll have a pair or two completed.  I'm getting tired of socks and have been dreaming of sweaters and shawls....  Have a wonderful week!

 

I didn't make it!

I SO wanted to finish the Red Trilobites this month so my name can be added to 3 KALs - the Wendy Johnson Toe-Up, SKA Wendy Johnson Challenge, and Solid Red KAL...  But I ran out of time and I have to work a little AGAIN tonight:

So, the status of my September socks are as follows:  (I have one more sock not shown as it is a test knit)

Two shipments have arrived already.  The first one was from The Sanguine Gryphon.  In the mad dash, I was able to score on 2 skeins of Bugga!  in Acrobatic Snail.  I was going to keep one and trade one for another color, but now that I've touched it, I think I'm keeping both for a bigger project... a shawl?  It's so my color:

From Woolgirl, I received Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Burnished and a new knitting bag. I'm intrigued by the shape and the orange/black are my kids' school color so I can use this bag all year round, despite the spider web tie-dyed design!

 

I've wound my yarn into cakes for 2 Mystery Socks I'm knitting in October and my Rockin' Sock Club's Knetting Socks.  Hope to show you some finished socks next time!

Time to wear socks

Today, I finally wore my hand-knitted socks after going sockless for the summer.  Fall is here?  It's an ugly Fall season - just yellow and greens here in my area - no red or browns...  Nevertheless, it's my favorite season of the year, followed by Winter!

Rockin' Sock Club shipment arrived.  I have so many socks in progress that I dared not cast on yet...

Yarn has beautiful Fall colors and it's a pattern by Cat Bordhi! 

I finished one Trilobite sock on Saturday... dont' think I can get the other done by tomorrow night!

I find this pattern quite boring, but I'm determined to finish it - maybe not by tomorrow night, but soon!

I'm expecting shipments from Yarnissima, Woolgirl, and Blue Moon Fiber this week.  It was the water I've been drinking - I forgot that I have enough yarn!

Knitting Progress...

As promised, here is the status of the socks I'm knitting currently.  Last weekend, I finished the first sock of the Cookie A's Angee pattern:

I then cast on the second sock of the Solid Mystery Sock, which I finished yesterday:

I made so many errors on the first sock, which I didn't realize until I was knitting the second sock.  If you look at the toe, the cable twists were supposed to twist the opposite direction of how I knitted them.  I told myself that I will have to knit another pair CORRECTLY!  This was a very pretty color so I have to show you another photo!  It's a periwinkle color, so the yarn color was cutely named Terrywinkle.

For the Nancy Bush mystery sock, I'm at this point.... after clue #3.  The final clue will be out on Tuesday.

Wendy Johnson's Tribolite:

And another Wendy Johnson's Diagonal Lace Socks:

Remember the sock yarn from The Loopy Ewe - this one...

I traded it off for this:

And this is the only new yarn I received this week.  I'm just avoiding any online yarnstores for the moment.

I completed a few pages of my outing to Wisconsin last weekend.  Here they are:  (I don't remember the breed of the sheep with the curly wool - does anyone know?