Stash Enhancement- Extreme Edition

Happy Monday! First thing...I did finish my March Socks before the end of March! Yay!!! The plan is for my Sochi 2014 Socks to be finished for April.

So as the title of this post alludes to, I have been on a bit of a stash binge lately. I think it's because all of the podcasts that I watch/listen to are doing stash downs and I'm just kinda like that. I do my own thing and it's usually opposite of what everyone else is doing. So here are some of my acquisitions from last week.

I got 2 zipper bags from Bungalow B on Etsy. First the bigger one is holding a new project I cast on this weekend, Velveteen Monster Cowl. This is my Stockinette Zombies Self Striping KAL project for April. It's a medium project bag called Flowers and Fireworks. The yarn is by Gynx, but I got it through Little Skein on Etsy.

The smaller bag is holding my April Sock and it's her Applique Project Bag and it's a little smaller, perfect for socks.

I have also taken the plunge into spinning. I'm starting small with a basic spindle. I've been watching spinning videos on YouTube for quite a while, so I think I'm ready. I bought a newbie spindling kit from Kitty Mine Crafts on Etsy. It came VERY quick and I spun about half an ounce on Saturday. It looks awful but I was prepared for that and I enjoyed it. This is by no means all of it, but it's all I have pictures of so far. I'll update you at the end of the week!

A Bit of a Sock Frenzy

So I mentioned last week that I am trying, I guess it's a goal, to knit at least 1 pair of socks per month. I did great last year, until the summer, so I only ended up with 9 socks at the end of the year. I got a little crazy and have bought all the sock yarn I can get my hands on lately so I don't run out. Like that would ever happen! Ha Ha! I just counted an I have, AT LEAST, enough socks to knit 30 pair. (eta:ok it may be closer to 50) Not counting the sock yarn I'm saving for shawls and other projects. I'm thinking it's time to stop! In my panic attack that I am not going to make my goal again, since it is getting warm again, I have cast on 2 more pairs of socks in addition to the March Socks.

One pair is going pretty well and the other...well...has a story. So the first I cast on is another Olympic themed sock. This yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock that I got from Jimmy Beans Wool. It was their Sochi '14, a special colorway for the Olympics. They did a cool thing called Medal Madness. The price started at $24.50 but every time Team USA medaled the price dropped. $.10 for a gold, $.05 for silver, and $.03 for bronze. So, I ended up only paying $22.82 for the skein. That is yarn my husband could get behind! I really love the density of this yarn. It's not as soft as some, but I can tell that they are going to be RUGGED socks. I my give them to my 12 year old, Dylan.

Ok, now the story of the other socks. I was using the leftovers from my ill fated glittery Desert Vista Dyeworks socks. So split it in to 2 balls and started a toe up vanilla sock. Thinking that it would at least make some ankle socks. I got past the toe and made the mistake of pulling them out at church. Gasp! In my defense I was watching the pre-kindergarten kids during the worship service. Though I have been known to knit during the sermon. ;-) Don't tell my husband, he sings in the choir and can't see me! Back to the story, I pulled my sock out and the only girl in the room was very attracted to it.

Cute Little Girl: What'cha making? Can you make that for me?

Me: Well darlin', they are kinda adult sized, but I promise to make you some different ones.

CLG: But look! It fits on my foot!

Me: Yes, sweetheart, it does but I can make you some that are your size.

CLG: What about my hands. They are just my size mittens!

So I started thinking, they are a good size for kid's mitten, I'll just need to do the wrist band and add an afterthought thumb.

Me: Ok, adorable pre-schooler. I'll turn these into mittens just for you.

I did about an inch of ribbing and realized that it wasn't going to work and then ripped it all out. All the backwards progress made me think, this is the worst yarn to give to a 5 year old. I already had an accident with the black bleeding and I knew what I was doing. But most importantly, I didn't want to give it away. I love this yarn, it's mine, mine, mine! So I think that my sweet little sunday school friend is going to get some Knit Picks socks, Felici, if I can find enough leftovers in a girlie color, or some quick mittens.

I've also cast on a sweater vest for my husband, Darin. I'm using the also discontinued Knit Picks Andes del Campo in Grizzly, Cilantro, and Brass Heather. It's very rustic, but so it my husband! I'm using the Mangyle pattern on Knitty.com.. It's ultimatly going to be his birthday sweater, so my deadline is April 30th. But fortuitusly, Kristin with the Yarngasm podcast and Elly with Elly’s Knit (in’) Sanity Podcast are doing a KAL for the guys in our lives. It's called the Any Man's Jumper KAL. I love it, sounds so British! I've almost finished the back.

Peeking Out to say Hi!

Knowing where to start a blog is a hard thing. I've researched some of my favorite blogs to see how they started and did my hermit thing and sat on it, not making a decision. So I am just going to jump in.
I am 32 and married. We have 3 boys; 12, 4, and 2. I work outside of the home and commute an hour each way. I've been commuting like this for a really long time, so it doesn't bother me. It's the only time during the day that I am truly alone and get to do anything I want. The only thing that would make is better is if I could knit and drive.

 First, what am I working on? I have challenged myself to do a pair of socks per month for 2014. I've done January Socks and February Socks. The February socks have their own story, I'll get into later. My March Socks and made using Knit Picks Felici in the Shamrock colorway. They have discontinued this yarn, so I picked up most of the remaining colors in their recent sock yarn sale. It's soft and cute, but pills a little. But a good price. I have been knitting for a very long time, but I'm just getting in indie dyers and and other yarn companies besides the box store brands and Knit Picks. Most of my stash right now is Knit Picks. Back to the March sock. I'm using the pattern Blurred Lines Sock by Megan Williams of the Stockinette Zombie Videocast. I love watching these two. They seem so nice and I love the cats that wander in and out of the screen. I've been working on this sock for quite a while but I'm just not getting into a rhythm.

1. This is my first toe up sock. I've been knitting socks for almost 10 years but they are all top down.
2. I haven't quite memorized the pattern. Not that it's hard... With my yarn, it's about a 16 row repeat, but most of the rows are the same. Row 1, 2, and 3 of each stripe are the only ones that are different and they alternate every stripe. Basically stripe A and stripe B.
3. But I think the most critical thing is that it is hard on this yarn to tell where one stripe ends and one begins. So I am only able to work on it in REALLY good light. Like the florescent bulbs at work. At home I just can't tell the difference between 4 of the 6 stripes!

That said, I love the socks and can't wait to finish them. The Knit Picks Lovers Group on Ravelry are doing Felici Memorial KAL, so I have to finish them by the end of the month to qualify for the prizes.

Now the story of the February Socks. These were my first afterthought heel socks. Loved knitting them! The yarn was my first indie dyed. It was a special Olympic colorway by Desert Vista Dyeworks called Go for the Gold. They are sparkly and have 5 broad stripes the colors of the Olympic rings and then 3 small stripes, gold, silver, and bronze. Now, these are the only socks I've made so far that can't go into the washing machine and so I got out a small bucket and put them in the water for a bath. Weeeelllll, apparently a 2 day soak is not a good thing. My husband moved the bucket into our back bathroom because the kids were messing with it and I didn't remember to look for them. So the black dye kinda muddled up the bright colors. They are still sparkly and colorful, just more muted now.

Now this is of course not EVERYTHING I am working on. I went crazy a couple days ago and cast on my 3rd pair of socks on the needles. I have several sweaters in the works, and at least a hat. But I'm getting tired. But I wanted to share what was waiting in the mailbox yesterday.

I got my second purchase from Gnome Acres. I am doing a Sock Yarn Blanket. I have tons of scraps, but they are mostly solid and I couldn't resist her mini skeins. I bought a mega bundle and an Easter bundle a couple of weeks ago. This time I got a St. Patrick's Day bundle and mini's of her new February colors. The shipping notice said that it was delivered last Friday, while my family and I were out camping at the Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Oklahoma. My mom picked up the mail but didn't get this package. Monday I waited on the porch for the mailman, still no package. Tuesday I searched around the porch and bushes thinking maybe it blew off the porch. NO PACKAGE, I gave up the package for lost. But low and behold, when I got home yesterday I had 2 packages waiting. One being from my gnomey friend! I'm so happy and I did several squares of my blanket last night. Maybe I should share what came in the other package another time.