Knitting Pharm

Stop, knit and breathe

Life around here is not quite as it should be.  None of it involves huge personal trials, just a bunch of little things that have left me not myself.  The mojo, she's left the building.  In the spirit of appreciation, here are the small things I am taking comfort in as I ride this blip.

A pattern that I can do in my sleep.

A cool stitch pattern,

that can even be added to a heel flap for the funkiest sandal socks ever!

A yarn that does the work for me

A very tidily [if I may say so] turned heel.

Out of province yarn acquisitions

Book previews, where my name appears with some quite amazing people.  [I affectionately call the author's list a "Who's who (them) and a Who's that? (me)!]

Hats that will bring comfort

And readers who bear with me, even when I take myself far too seriously.  Thank you, all!

A lovely run through Toronto

For those of you who are familiar with the Toronto area, you will know that overnighting downtown between two days of meetings at the airport hotel makes little sense.  However, when said overnight involves a Wednesday night, all bets are off.

I've been to Knit Night at Lettuce Knit.

My muggle pal, ever obliging and far sweeter than he needs to be, picked me up at rush hour at the end of meeting day 1.  We then headed to Kensington Market so I could gawk and shop and generally revel in the geeky world known as knitting.

Amy was there (let's face it, because I e-bugged her to remind her that I'd be there), as well as a certain returnee from the back woods.  I met blog free by choice Rachel, the infamous Denny, and sweater model and fab knitter in her own right Alexis.  Laura was there, preparing to travel for a very important work event, as was LK's lovely owner Megan, with a most important WIP of her own.  (Hint:  she keeps it hidden under her shirt.)

There was lots of Socks that Rock there.  And beer.  And people to recommend the best Indian restaurant I've had the pleasure of visiting.  All in all, a pretty awesome evening.

Did I mention my obliging muggle friend took off when I made him squeeze a skein of yarn?

Thank you, GTA crew, for being so welcoming, and for not running for the hills when I recognized you from blogs alone.  I'm freaky that way.

I took no photos, save for the yarn shots upon my return.  Wanna see some?

 

 

 

 

 

An unoriginal week

Obsessive much?  Me too.  Once I get a project into my head and I like it, I want to work it over and over.  So I did.  The Harlot's Unoriginal hat is the perfect pattern for instant gratification without mind-numbing boredom.

First I wiped out my odds and ends of Lamb's Pride.

Next came the Patons Classic.

Twice.

Then a parcel arrived lightning fast from a fellow Raveler, with a yummy hank of Leticia expressly for this purpose.

In the same parcel came a couple of hanks of deliciousness.  Sea Silk.  Pumpkin colourway.  Destined to become a Tuscany shawl.

[Are you drooling yet?]

And while I've otherwise avoided enhancing my stash of yarn, I can't say the same for patterns.  Since patterns help to use up stash, they're negative stash, right?  I thought so.

[half price from Mary Maxim!  Squeeeeeeee!]

[from the Loop in Halifax, along with a decidedly non-photogenic but highly useful and functional set of blocking wires.]

Cables and Os has finally passed the great divide of fronts and backs.  What a relief to ditch the 320-stitch rows!

The fronts are done, the back is almost there, and here are a bunch of photos.  I'll have a Lazy Knitter post regarding this one before too long.  Anywhere you see stitches on holders, they've been retained for later steps, in lieu of binding off and picking back up.  Click for bigger.

And, for the road, a shot of that scrumptious stitch pattern.

Now I'm knee-deep in a deadline project that I haven't been told I can share with the blogiverse, so I'll keep it under my hat for now.

Out from under my hat comes the newest issue of Alpacas magazine, where my first print pattern will appear any day!  I'll post it to the blog at some point, just waiting for my electronic copy of the pages.

Happy Hump Day!

Drive-by update

The combination of dead camera batteries, hub away on meetings and the resultant kid craziness have forced me into blog hiding.  [How is it that I can blog only weekly, yet have a new excuse for it every time?]

Last Saturday I visited what was left of the post-holiday sale at Tangled Skeins.  Let me tell you what was left... A LOT.

 

Patons Classic at half off.  This has since become clogs for Kelly and her daughter.  Here is a pre-camera-death progress photo:

 

Back to Tangled Skeins.  More discounts.

 

 

All at 40-50 % off.

The Queen of the bargains was my Fiddlesticks Zephyr at 40% off, enough for a Peacock Feathers shawl.

And the Queen Mum was a sweater's worth of Noro Cash Iroha at half price.  I can assure you it's a sweater's worth, as I'm currently wearing said sweater!

The only full-price yarn I purchased was for a specific project.  Lamb's Pride in two shades of pink for a diaper bag.  Cute, cute cute.

 

 

And the Swirly Bag stitch pattern, for those who asked for it last time.

Much more to follow in real time, but for now I'm going to go enjoy having my hubby back.  Happy yarning, all!

Not yet past the petting stage

Not THAT petting stage, pervs!

While I was infirmed, the lovely ladies of the Loop sent over a parcel, delivered by Miz Happy about 15 minutes prior to my surgery.  It contained a gorgeous wood needle case, and this:

 

Estelle Arequipa fingering weight (nylon, wool, alpaca).  It's too squishy and decadent to skein up yet, so I just pet it and rub it on my face every once in awhile.

In the spirit of yesterday's appreciation post, I really need to hand it to the Loop girls.  I live in a small town with no LYS, and I always feel at home there.  It's the perfect, homey shop, with friendly staff and a great selection of both products and classes.  In 2007, they brought the Yarn Harlot to Halifax with nary a hitch, making 200+ Nova Scotians as happy as they could possibly be.

Cheers to Cathy and Mimi (and Bill, the token male, who is also an absolute sweetheart).  You have the yarn store game aced.

We have knitting progress!

In a month where words like thoracotomy, pneumothorax and empyema have featured prominently, stitching of any kind feels like heaven.

Obsessive, distracting heaven.

Upon my return home 8 days ago, I first set about finishing some pre-hospitalization knits.  These came with me to the hospital but, sadly, I was too unwell to make any progress.  No longer!

First is the Charade socks in a Fleece Artist mill end.  You can actually see (on the sock at the top and right below) where the colour changes slightly after a join, but it's better than what I expected from a bargain basket purchase and I'm still very happy.

[64 stitches, toe-up, Magic Loop on my Knitpicks Harmony wood circs]

Next was Bartholomew's Tantalizing socks from Cat Bordhi's New Pathways book, in the Black Bunny Fibers yarn I obtained in Philly.  The colours pooled really oddly, but it was a very enjoyable knit.

Christmas morning brought a generous stash-enhancement bag from my parents.  I think my sock yarn problem is genetic, as my mom is almost as bogged down in sock yarn stash as I am.  Here's the haul she put together for me:

I couldn't resist starting a new project from the magical bag o' stash, so I cast on with the red-orange Panda Wool and am officially in love.  Here's a Retro Rib, from Favorite Socks, worked toe-up starting Christmas day:

And, as if delivered by Santa himself, my final shipment from the Rockin' Sock Club arrived at dinnertime on Christmas Eve.  The first sock is worked to the cuff, and I'll definitely use the pattern again.

[apologies for the poor lighting; it seems the blinding white of a snowstorm may not be the best background.]

I am currently buzzing down the sleeves of Thermal and hoping to complete it as I welcome 2008.

I feel I simply must give shout-outs for some great service I received from yarn purveyors in 2007.

Firstly, Knitpicks.  As their new circular needles, both nickel-plated and Harmony wood, were new this year, the folks at Knitpicks were very kind and open-minded about feedback received.  They replaced numerous needles for me this year, first for a design flaw that led the cable to be pulled from the needle join, and later for severed cables that resulted from my overzealous magic looping.  Thank you for taking care of your knitters, Knitpicks.  I look forward to dumping my wallet in your direction in 2008.

Next round of kudos go to the Blue Moon team, who it is generally accepted have some of the best yarns in the business.  I recently purchased a skein of STR from a shop in Toronto.  Through no fault of the shop, the skein was riddled with joins, so I contacted the Blue Moon gals to let them know.  When it was determined that I couldn't get back to the shop for a return, Blue Moon sent me a replacement skein, promptly and graciously.  Service like that will ensure my long-term status as a customer, and is much appreciated.

Who treated you especially well in 2007?

Dear Santa,

I can explain.

You see, one can't hit Gulf Coast Florida without checking out Stitchworm, and bargain baskets are a very good thing.

And in Pennsylvania, where yarn is tax-free and when the Canadian dollar is at crazy highs, it's downright irresponsible not to shop.

Take Trekking as an example.  At home, I've seen it for upwards of $21 per skein, plus sales tax of 14%.

At Loop in Philly?

14 bucks.  US.  No tax.

Do the math, oh jolly one.  That brings it to about half the price.  Seriously.

[Delish.  Worth making the bad girl list.]

Also from Loop, the new Araucania sock yarn.  Maybe for a gift, maybe not.

And at the delightful Rosie's Yarn Cellar, I scooped again.

Zitron Skacel Life Style, in a colourway that reminds me of Blue Moon's Lucy.

Just one colourway of the Regia Kaffe Fassett line that I've been eyeballing forever.

Koigu, just because it was pretty and less expensive than at home.

Some Black Bunny Fibers, continuing on the blue-purple theme that I clearly couldn't shake on this trip.

And just one skein of Schaeffer Anne, my first.  Really lovely, and I'm pondering a shawl with it.  Major yardage to this baby, and such a pretty shade of purple.

I should mention that the above stash enhancements were achieved on a 90 minute lunch break while on course in Philly.  I'm just that obsessed efficient.

The Stitchworm stash will be photographed on its return from Florida, where it's still vacationing with my Dad and enabler Mom.  It includes another skein of Trekking, some Socka, another sock yarn whose name I can't recall, some off-white DK for a kid's sweater, and a small pile of Cascade 220.

Santa, if you can look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn't have done exactly as I did in the presence of such great deals, I'll take sled duty from you for the next 50 years.

I thought not.

With fond and yarny thoughts,

Deb

PS - If you really sympathize with my plight, you'll do the right thing and leave me some self-control under the tree this year.  Or a spinning wheel.  (Can't blame a girl for trying.)

Start me up

...and I'll never finish.

The Plunge plods on.  One gal has already finished, and no, it's not me.

48 is done.

 

Cheapy Online sock yarn, fraternal on purpose.

Pair 49 is some Sea Wool anklets with an asymmetrical cable gusset.  Sock 1 is done.

Beyond that, I've got nothing.

After frogging the Posh no less than three times in the last week alone, I've come to a conclusion:  it's a very, very bad yarn and needs a time out.  It may even need a new home.  Lovely yarn, just not right for me.  I'll decide its fate when I'm not so mad at it.

It's good news, bad news in other knitting.  The good news is that I'm using old, stashed stuff.  The bad news is that I'm using said stash to start project after project!

FBS in Cherry Tree Hill Supersock.

and another in Knitpicks Shadow.

 

Speaking of Knitpicks, my Harmony circulars arrived this week, and I'm in deep, mad love with them.  They're as slick as the nickel-plated ones, but lighter and quieter.  It will be hard to resist the urge to buy tips for my Options set.

I also picked up some Risata, their new solid, to work either Bayerische or Clessidra.  Thoughts?

Head-to-toe to follow soon, as I'm off to NB for a family thing tomorrow.  Back for turkey time!

The Plunge Continues

I'm getting really, really close to finishing.

Now that it seems my goal is reachable, I will share it.  (That way, if I don't make it, I can know with certainty that I will be ridiculed by my tens and tens of readers.  *snort*)

September 30th.  6 months.  52 pairs

Can it be done?

Pair 42 says yes.  Opal Rainbow.  Vanilla stockinette, toe-up.

Pair 43 chimes in with a "hell yeah!"  Jaywalkers in Regia Canadian, Quebec colourway, toe-up.

44 agrees.  These may look familiar to some.

[I heart them so.  I may wear them until they fuse to my feet.]

45 is unbloggable and just about finished.

46 will make an appearance once I've changed the batteries in my camera.  I'm using Cookie A's Titania's Revenge pattern and Louet Gems merino solid.  Really fun pattern, but a real test of my ability to maintain pattern while shaping.  I love the wandering faux-cable panel that starts from the gusset, and will definitely use that again.

The mailman was kind once more today, bringing my e-bay treasures and not looking too scared when I squeed at him.  I now have three skeins of STR in the stash, all in lightweight and from the storm series  (Downpour, Stormy Weather and Mudslide).  They're all combinations of neutrals and perfect for fall knitting.)

In stash enhancement, I visited Suzy at Sunrise Mercantile and picked up a cone of Louet Gems sportweight in Caribbean Blue.  Since this year will truly be the year of the gift shawl, I'm amassing gift yarn without guilt.  Again, no photos until I replace the camera battery.  Think blue and very, very pretty.

Waiting for Fall Knitty?  Me too.  I know it's coming soon, and I know of one pattern that I hope you'll really like.  Set aside a skein of Fleece Artist Merino sock and we'll chat later, 'mkay?

A very, very large day

Toronto, as always, totally rocked.  It was so bizarre to be somewhere, anywhere, by myself, with the freedom to just do my thang.

Where to begin?

How about a dorky self-portrait, taken just after the giddy realization that I was in Toronto, alone, with 22 hours before my meeting?  I snapped this on the tram between terminals 1 (where I arrived) and 3 (where I was staying).  I had a tram car to myself, and I very loudly and very badly bellowed show tunes and even woo-hooed a little.  Not even kidding.

I ditched my bags at the hotel and went out to the arrivals area and caught the "Airport Rocket", the express bus between the airport and the western end of the subway line.  From there I went one stop east and hoofed it over to Village Yarns.  It's a terrific shop, but they were a bit torn up in preparation for a large festival this weekend (I totally forgive them).  I called this my warmup shop, where I stretched and slowly took in the yarny goodness.

Back to the station, where I headed east to Spadina, then hopped a streetcar south to the Kensington Market area.  Just a block or two in?

[my bag is there to prove I was actually there, not just plucking random photos off the 'net.]

What a beauty.  Cozy, friendly and, most importantly, yarn-filled.

I found a few things.

Megan, the owner, was lovely and helpful and very obliging when asked to pose for a blog photo.

[She's totally not that type, but if it were me, there would have been dollar signs in my eyes.]

The haul?

The bluish stuff above is Colinette Jitter Bug, which has now been set aside for an unbloggable project.

Some Koigu KPPPM, my first!

Posh.  Let me say it again.  POSH!  (Lucia, 70% merino, 30% cashmere)

Lorna's Laces in Glenwood, longtime member of my wishlist.

[I seem to be on a pastel kick with my yarns right now.]

And some Alchemy bamboo for good measure.

and patterns for Alice's famous Lace Wings Shawl and Cookie A's Titania's Revenge (from last years BMFA Sock Club).

I also had a great visit with a cool knitter.

[who may look familiar to those of you who don't live under rocks and twigs.]

We had a wonderful time.  I love when I meet an online friend and it's like seeing an old friend.  Amy also treated me to the best organic fruit smoothie, perfect for the mind-numbing heat.

I hopped the streetcar to Queen St. West, where I meandered past the fabric, bead and boutiquey shops to Americo and Romni.  No purchases at Americo, but their selection of exotics was incredibly beautiful.  Romni is a sight to behold.  More yarn than I thought existed in the world.  (I'm barely kidding).  I think I was too tired to really see it all.  I need to return fully rested, fully fed and fully caffeinated some other day.  I did find some cotton that is destined to be funky hats for my girls.

[Brown Sheep Cotton Fine.  Love it.]

Hopped the bus to go a bit further west to the Knit Cafe, which I'd heard had a nice selection of Koigu.  I was not disappointed.

I rested and regrouped for my evening.  Knit night at Alterknit!

The girls were wonderfully welcoming, the staff friendly, and the yarns sublime.  I was just about yarned out, but I found some nice sock yarn in a sale bin.

[2 skeins, 2 samosas and 2 cold drinks:  $30.  Traveling to Ontario and finding out that one of my fellow knitters is the daughter of the owner of my favourite Nova Scotia LYS:  priceless.]

Total transportation costs were $11.25.  Yarn was perhaps a bit more.  If sock yarn "doesn't count" as stash, I was a very good girl.  If it does, I'm still a good person.

Just a person with more sock yarn than you.