A Pre-Boxing Day Sale

Like a good number of my previous posts, this is also, pretty much what the title says.

The Purple Purl is holding their Pre-Boxing Day Sale on Sunday the 22nd.

All the details are in their Newsletter Post. But basically, everything's 20% off (with a few exceptions), and you can still earn loyalty points, you just can't redeam them during the sale.

I intend to go, money and time allowing.  I have a shopping list of yarns I can get at the Purple Purl, and so I might as well get them on sale.


Sadly, my purchases at the upcoming Purple Purl sale probably not be as much as I got at their Summer Sale, simply because there's less on my shopping list, and I'm trying to compact what stash I do have (it's creeping out of its cupboard and I'm not happy with that).  I am, however, thinking of picking up a couple of skeins of the Juniper Moon Findley laceweight (because laceweight takes up a lot less space, and I have several projects I'd like to do in it!)

More things off the needles

I'm glad to be clearing out WIPs. It gives me more time to work on my upcoming deadlines.

So, here's my Evening Star Cowl finished up and off of my new blocking mats.

I'm not completely happy with the picture, but there was no way to get a decent one with the sun glare the way it was (and my hair, as usual, looks terrible!)

I wore it to church this morning -- it's nice as a light hood to supplement a hat on cold days or to 'line' the hood of my coat. It's not super-warm, but I wasn't expecting it to be.

 It also keeps the cold from coming down the front of my sweater and coat.   I quite like it!

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.

Christmas Wrap-Up and Pretty Yarn

I just went back and checked my Christmas List, and actually, most of my gift knitting is done, or getting close to done.

Last night, while at the Knit Cafe's Knit Night, I finished up the Mini Dalek Coffee Cozy.  Let it dry overnight after blocking, and volia!

 Ugh, and yes, the pictures are sideways.  I thought I'd fixed that, but I guess not.

Also while at the Knit Cafe, I discovered that they sell some of the Fleece Artist yarns.  I don't know how I missed this, they've apparently had them all summer!  I was seriously debating waiting until the boxing day sales to get this, (given that I already got yarn at EatSleepKnit's Black Friday sale) but it just kept calling me.

Anyway, given my roommate's love of deep forest and regal greens, I came home with a skein of Fleece Artist BFL Sock, in what I think is "Spruce."  (Fleece Artist doesn't label their colourways, so that's my best guess).   The photo doesn't do the deepness of the greens justice, I think.

When I showed her the skein, she loved it, and requested a hat in it.  I was kind of hoping to make socks, but she declared that "it's too pretty for socks!"  So it's going to become a Small-Gauge "Knotty but Nice" hat.   It may be next year's birthday or Christmas present. I'm not sure yet.

More WIP insanity

So, if you remember my last post, lamenting my insanity about picking up a test-knit?

Well, I've got yet one more new thing on the needles.

I started a Silky Scallops Lace Scarf as a birthday present for my Grandmother.

 
 I already had the yarn in stash, so why not?  She goes out and plays cards twice a week at the local community centre, and so I figure I can make her something slightly dressy (but still warm), to wear in the winter when she goes out.

It's a bit thinner then I was originally hoping for, but hey, it's a nice fast knit that's an easy pattern to memorize.  It should grow somewhat when I block it with the silk content of the yarn.

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!

Mittens for Me

So I've been working on many things over the last little while.  Lots of knitting going on.

Anyway, one of my more rewarding 'quick knit' projects is my Fair Isle Mittens. They knit up really quickly in the worsted-weight wool, and they're heavy, and nice and warm.

I intend to make the matching cowl and hat, too, when I get the right size circulars.

I've just finished the fair-isle chart and am onto the decreases for the top of the mittens. I should easily get the other mitten finished by the deadline for the knit-along (December 15th).

Sorry for the slightly blurry picture, but it's hard to take a picture with my off hand.

With a bit more time, the right mitten should be done!