So. Many. KALs. . .

Well, the title says it all, and is also my explaination of why I haven't posted as much recently!


1) The Montego Shawl KAL is still going on.

2) I'm in a Seasonal Sock KAL; and the Spring Deadline is June 20th.  I've almost got one of two Charade Socks done, but I'm hoping I can finish the other sock in about a week. :)

3) Tanis Fiber Arts set up a  June Shawl KAL with a deadline also of June 31.  I decided to make a 198 Yards of Heaven using leftovers of TFA Green Label in "Chestnut", which is working out nicely, and is actually pretty far along.

4) The Yarn Attic is doing another Summer Bag KAL,  (also a June 31 entry), and I've got a couple of entries, but only one has a picture, and that's my Crocheted Project Bag.   It's an easy pattern, and so I'm making project backs using leftovers from my stash.  It's also a good way to teach myself to crochet again.

And finally, the ESK Team Mascot KAL is also still going strong.  No new pictures of the Octopus Mittens, sadly, but they're actually getting close to finished.  So I still do have a chance to finish up most of this stuff over the next few weeks.

Pretty Yarn

I realized I'm behind!

For those who remember my post about Tanis Fiber Art's ETSY shop update?

Well, my yarn came a while ago (late Febuary), and I realized that I've been neglecting my readers and didn't put up pictures of my new yarn.

So:

Tanis Fiber Arts Purple Label in Periwinkle.  I plan for this to be a second pair of Mercury Socks.

Tanis Fiber Arts Purple Label in Fjord.  I want to do a second pair of Flying Hearts Socks (with a longer cuff) with this.

Tanis Fiber Arts Amber Label in Aurora.  This was a new base that Tanis created for this update, it's a Merino/Cashmere/Silk blend that's wonderfully squishy.    I want to use this as the contrast colour for a pair of Snowfling Mittens (I still have to get my hands on the pattern, but that can sit for now!)

And last but not least, Tanis Fiber Arts Green Label, also in Aurora.  It the same colourway as the Amber Label, above, but it looks quite different in the skein.  These are going to be an attempt to make aran-weight socks two-at-a-time. 

I haven't yet broken my attempt at not buying yarn (I'm still being good, I promise), but I did realize that I hadn't posted these pretty things.  

Tanis Fiber Arts Etsy Shop Update!

So, Tanis Fiber Arts has an Etsy shop.

And I think my pocketbook was a lot happier when I didn't know about this.

But today, from 8 am to 8 pm, she's offering 6 colourways on 3 different yarn bases.

I already put in my order, (which I am very excited about!) but the new colours look awesome!

More details about exactly how this works is on her blog.

More Socks

It seems I have a love of test-knitting socks.

In this case, I'm testing knitting Foare Socks (and no, I'm not quite sure how you pronounce that, but the pattern is awesome, regardless).

It's a colour-work pattern, so I balled up both colours, and it came out quite well.  I think the colours should work well together.

For the lighter, (and main) colour, I'm using the other skein of  Tanis Blue Label in "Frost" that I originally got in case I needed it for the Gox Socks.  Well, the Gox socks are getting closer to done, and I don't think I'll need it, so, I put it to use.   The darker colour is an inherited mystery yarn, so I'm happy to try and use a bit more of it up.

The other nice thing is that the pattern is a lot of basic stocking stitch, which makes it wonderfully brainless television/computer knitting.  That's good, considering that the deadline for having one sock done is Jan 19th. 

A Yarny Christmas

So I actually got yarn and fiber stuff for Christmas!

I got a ball winder!

No pictures yet, but I'm loving it.  I already balled up several things for new projects, (I like that the cakes of yarn compact better for storage, and I've read that the yarn stores better in a cake and doesn't get stretched out) as well as balling up yarn for current projects.

. . . just don't get over-enthusiastic and try to ball up something that's still attached to your knitting.  I spent most of the morning trying to untangle -that- mistake!

I haven't tried it with the swift yet, but I'm looking forward to when I do.  Also, tucked away in the same gift bag were 3 pretty beaded stitch markers.  I'd never used the ring-style stitch markers before, but they're quite nice to use.

Also, I gave in and ordered another skein of Dream In Colour Smooshy with Cashmere from EatSleepKnit for the Mariah Cardigan, with the last of my Store Credit.  I just really don't think I'll have enough yarn to finish the hood, otherwise.  And considering I won't need much, the rest of it will be a  pair of Knotty or Nice Socks (non Ravelry link here).

Finally, I got in on Tanis Fiber Arts Boxing Day update at her Etsy store.

I got three skeins of the 75/25 Merino Silk Blend in the 'Tropics" Colourway, that is going to become a  Beginner's Triangle from "A Gathering of Lace".  I wanted something that would show off the colour changes.

And that was my yarny Christmas.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, all!

Chocolate and Yarn

I love the 'Selfish Knitters and Crocheters' Group on Ravelry. They're a constant reminder that my first reason to knit should be because I enjoy it. 

So, their Holiday Swap is a genius idea -- it's a swap to yourself.  It's giving tacit permission to splurge on yourself in a season where stuff usually revolves around the expectations of others. 

Anyway, I just got the results of my swap.

They had three things.

The first was a 'Yarny Treat'.

Well, I think two skeins of Tanis Fiber Arts Red Label in "Dove" definitely qualifies.  This stuff is -so- soft and squish-able!  I'm not usually the type to pull out skeins of yarn to fondle, but this one is definitely tempting me!

It's lighter then this picture shows.  I love it.  It's going to become a 'Summer Queen Shawl', which is another pattern from the 'Knits for Nerds' book -- the same book my Dragon Rider Gloves came from.

I got it during Tanis' visit to the Purple Purl.  It was an awesome night, and we had a chance to win yarn for each Tanis Fiber Arts purchase.  Alas, I didn't win anything, but that's ok. This is awesome enough.

The second thing is a 'Yummy Treat.'

Well, I think a can of fair-trade and organic hot chocolate mix fills that role quite nicely!

And the third is a holiday treat.  My first idea wasn't available yet, so I went ahead and finally bought some kids play mats to use as blocking mats.

I don't care that they're colourful, I only want them as a surface that holds t-pins.

So that was my swap to myself. The really nice thing is that the yarn had a chance to win, the chocolate was on sale, and the blocking mats were free with a gift certificate to the hardware store! 

Win.

Calling All Fans of Tanis Fiber Arts!

So yeah. . . Tanis is going to be in Toronto on Friday.

She's being hosted at the Purple Purl this Friday, November 29th, from 6 to 9 pm.

Details are here, on the Purple Purl's Ravelry Post about the event.

I definitely intend to go.

And, in celebration, here's some TFA patterns and projects I've updated over the past little while.  I'll be bringing these two, at least to show off while I'm there. :)

My Fairview Scarf:

and further progress on the Elementary Watson Socks:

I guess it's kind of telling that most of my knits in TFA yarns are knits for me. . . .  Shows how much I like it!

Looking Forward to Friday!

Ok, I am insane.

Hello all!

So, with this pile of Christmas Knitting still not really shrinking, plus the Sock-Along is still going. . .

And I add two things to my knitting.

The first is a new sock test-knit.  It's pretty, and just called my name so much I really rather have to do it.

I'll be using EliteSpun Fingering Weight in 'Sky.'

And the second. . . do you remember that Fairview Scarf pattern I bought a while ago?

Well, Tanis Fiber Arts is hosting a holiday Knit-Along.  So, I figured I'd give that a try.

So it will hopefully be a Fairview Scarf in Silver Label in "Cobalt."  

I'm actually really excited, since this has been queued for me for a while now.

However, I now have a great many WIPs.  This could be . . . interesting.

Ravelry Re-organization and Purple Purl Purple Sale!

So I've embarked on an ambitious task:  I want to re-organize and clear out my Ravelry Queue. 

It's a challenge, considering that I basically stuck any pattern that caught my fancy into my queue.  Now it's gotten way too long and unwieldy, so it's getting chopped down to size and most of the stuff is going into the favorites.

. . . this is going to take a while, considering it's 64 pages long, and that's after chopping it down already.

But, it's an ongoing battle.

In other news, the Purple Purl is having a Purple Sale. (Try saying that three times fast!)  It's just at the bottom of the newsletter link, and it's this weekend (Saturday, November 16th).  There will also be food, and, if you donate non-perishable food to their food bank drive, there are prize draws. :)

I'm going to try and go.  I want some Classic Elite Yarns Solstice (which is being discontinued, which -sucks-), to make a Sakura Tee, so I'm going to see if I can pick some up in a shade of purple. Usually I wouldn't grab yarn for a pattern this early, but since this is being discontinued, I want to grab it while I can.

Also, if money allows, I'll get a skein of Silver Label. Last time I was there, they still had some in the "Grape" colourway, which is both purple, and very pretty.

Laptop Woes and beginning the Sock-Along

So for those of you who saw this post earlier, I apologize for the weirdness, Blogger and a tablet don't work so well together.

Yes, my laptop went sputch.

It's back running for now, with a priviso from the techs that "lets see if this happens again," basically.  They're going to call back tomorrow after I run some tests and see how well this thing works out over the next few days, and if their fix holds or if they need a new fix.

In the mean time, my yarn came for the ESK Sock-Along.  The poor postman actually came to the door while I was on the phone with the laptop tech, so I feel rather bad for him.

Anyway:  Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label in 'Natural'

and in 'Peacock'

(and yes, my hair got in the way of the camera on that second pic!)

I've done a lot of knitting with having a non-functioning laptop, but not actually a lot to show for it, since my primary knitting has been on the Evening Star Cowl KAL, which while pretty, doesn't knit up very fast at all.

It's KAL time!

So, I mentioned in a previous post that I'm doing a knit-along. 

Well, I started yesterday.

Here is my Evening Star Cowl in Malabrigo Sock.

It's kind of deformed right now, because it's jammed onto a 9-inch circular.  But it's working out ok, for the most part.  I am finding it hard to do a ssk with a YO with the Aero needles, just because they really are not pointy.  But I can work around that.  Otherwise, it's working out really well. 

The deadline is the 6th of October.  It's going to be tight, but I think I can make it -- and even if I don't, it's still a major push to actually make this pattern.

. . . but wait, there's more!

I've signed up for a Sock-Along that EatSleepKnit is running on Ravelry. It looks like it'll be a lot of fun.

There are two patterns:  One is Froot Loop (non-Ravelry link here), and the other is Elementary Watson.  They're both free patterns; so all I have to get is the yarn.   It starts October 1rst and runs until December 15th.

In order to be eligible for prizes, the yarn has to have been bought at EatSleepKnit, either previously, or as part of the sock-along now.  If you're buying specifically for the sock-along, you can let them know and they'll take 20% off of the sock yarn you're buying for the sock-along.  This post has all the details.

Anyway, I took advantage of this and bought two skeins of Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label.  One Skein in "Peacock" and one skein in "Natural."  I also bought a bunch of Sweet Georgia Superwash Worsted (to make the free shipping and it's a power boost yarn, too).

What makes this really awesome is that this purchase brought me to the point on their Yarn Lotto that I get a free subscription to a magazine of my choice for a year!  I'm going to choose Interweave Knits, which I've heard really good things about.  I've still got to sort the details out, but that shouldn't take too long.

So, I'm going to have lots of knitting to do!  But that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Sock Gussets and more pretty yarn

So, I'm about half-way through the gussets on my Gox Socks.

 

They're going to be tight to the Sept 30th deadline, but I should be good.  I'm actually really enjoying this test-knit.  These socks promise to be nice and warm.

Also, I was out at the Purple Purl yesterday (The Purple Purl is about a block north of my volunteer sites, so it's really convenient when I'm out there),  and I picked up the skein of Silver Label I was planning on getting.

Tanis Fiber Arts Silver Label in Cobalt:

I'm -loving- the colourway, and it should look -awesome- knitted up.

Fuzzy Knitting Helpers.

Well, this was supposed to be a general update on my other knitting projects.

But it appears to have been taken over by the cats!

First is my Spring Coat (which with a bit of knitting luck might be finished in time for deep Fall, I'll have to see).  I finished the body to the underarms and started the sleeve.


But this is what happened when I put the body aside and went to find my double-pointed needles for the sleeve. . .

She was quite content about this!

Secondly, I was winding the yarn for the Fall Lake Slippers, and I had the other fuzzy helper decided to 'help' unwind the skein.

She really does like Briggs and Little, it seems!

The sole I'm knitting up is from an older slipper pattern that I already have, and it's done with the yarn held double.  Well, bulky yarn held double on 4.5 mm needles is a pretty tight knit.  I'm glad I'm only working the sole with doubled yarn.

Finally, I won 5 dollars over PayPal from a contest I entered months ago.  I'd always intended to pick up a pattern over Ravelry with it (because there's not much else I would spend 5 dollars online for), and decided on the Fairview Scarf.  I intend to do it in Tanis Fiber Arts Silver Label.  Yes, Silver Label is no longer being distributed, (but you can still order it directly from Tanis Fiber Arts), but last I checked the Purple Purl still had some in stock.

New Socks Test-knit

So, the details on my new test-knit.

The pattern is called My Gox, and the Ravelry database page for it is here.

I picked up two skiens of Tanis Blue Label from The Purple Purl today for this; and I have to admit, I'm actually really excited about these, despite my mounting pile of other knitting. (I even had enough reward points to get 25 dollars off, too!)

So, Tanis Blue Label in Frost:

 

It's a neat colourway, and I think it will really suit the pattern (not to mention, I'm loving the Tanis Blue Label for socks.  It seems to work really well.) 

I was hoping to only need one skein of Blue Label.  I still might only need the one.  But in speaking with the designer, the yardage for the pattern is just enough that I'd rather have the second skein.  I'd rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.  And, I have plans for that second skein anyway -- the leftovers from the Gox Socks will (hopefully) become the Birch Leaf Socks from "A Gathering of Lace."

Oh, and speaking of test-knits, the pattern for my previous pair of test-knit socks (I should really finish the other sock of that pair!) just went live.  They're Pacific Rim socks, and the pattern is a) really fun to knit, and b) a great way to use up oddiments of sock yarns.

Yarn Haul!

So, I went to the Purple Purl's sale, and came back with quite a nice haul of yarn and pattern books.

I got 5 skeins of Noro Silk Garden Sock for an Entrelac Scarf,   I meant to grab the heavyier-weight Silk Garden, but this should work just fine.

(I swear, this pattern is cursed, this is the second time I've grabbed the wrong weight of yarn for it!)

Anywyay, I also got 8 skeins of Classic Elite Yarns Solstice, for a t-shirt,

 

A bunch of different colours of Spud & Chloë Fine, for another pair of Woman's Fair-Isle Gloves. It's the same pattern I'm using for the Birthday Gloves, but this pair is going to be for me! 

 

And some Tanis Fiber Arts Green Label for a pair of basic mittens that will be a Christmas Gift.

 

Finally, I got some Dye-Version Bamboo Fingering, in the custom colourway dyed up for the Purple Purl.   This is the only yarn I don't have plans for, but it's been calling my name for a while.  It will become something awesome, I'm sure, especially with the two new lace pattern books I got on sale, as well.

(Edit:  I've found a pattern for this -- it's the June Bunnies Shawl.  I think it will work nicely with the yardage I've got.)

And, along with all that, like I mentioned, I got two lace pattern books I've had my eye on on Ravelry for quite some time.  The first is 'A Gathering of Lace' and the second is 'Arctic Lace' 

I've already got plans for several patterns in there. 

All in all, it was a pretty good day.  I got a lot of good stuff for cheap, and I won't need to buy yarn again for a -long- while (though I do have some plans that require some Briggs and Little Regal -- might be time for a call to the Briggs and Little mill soon. . . .)