Yarn

Space Cadet for February, the last shipment of this club. All their yarn is hand dyed by Space Cadet. This is a fingering weight merino, nylon and stellina (sparkles). The extra is stitch markers in a nice container that can be used to store markers, needles-you name it- made by The Sexy Knitter. Plus a coupon for a free pattern with purchase of a pattern by The Sexy Knitter.

 

This is the first time I've joined All For Love Of Yarn, yarn and tea club. The independent dyer has recently moved into this area so it is fun knowing her and supporting her product. Besides, I've loved the yarn I've used. The club is  Yarn and Tea. (The mug was not included) The tea is Rooibos Tropical so the yarn is dyed in tropical colors. The tea is good! Yarn is fingering weight 80% merino superwash, 10% cashmere and 10% nylon.

The April shipment tea is Strawberry Lemonade and the yarn is laceweight 70% Baby Alpaca, 20% Silk, and 10% Cashmere. It's heavenly!

 

The second shipment from KnitCircus came with a beautiful surprise. In the center of the shawl picture is a sterling silver yarn ball necklace. The yarn is Pixie Dust Fingering: 63% superwash merino, 20% silk, 15% nylon, 2% silver poly. The shawl pattern is actually one I might make.

A Verb For Keeping Warm Proverbial Yarn Club for April has a Coco Knits pattern which is a unique design which can be worn several ways and uses only the one skein (565 yards)  of Annapurna yarn which is 80% Superwash Merino, 10% Nylon, and 10% Cashmere.

Three Irish Girls is no longer going to be selling yarn on the Internet, only directly to yarn shops so they are discontinuing the yarn club. The patterns have been late coming for these shipments, so I'll show you the yarn without patterns. From left to right is the January yarn called Thimbleberry, McClellan Fingering, 65% merino, 25% bamboo and 10% nylon. The extra was a coupon for a discount at PullingatStrings.com which I accidently let expire. The March yarn is Maui, Springvale Sock and the extra was the tea infuser with a packet of Chamomile Citron tea. The April yarn is Congdon Merino Silk, 80% superwash merino and 20% silk in Cair Paravel colorway. The extra was a packet of the best caramels I've ever tasted! And I'm sorry to say I don't know what kind they were. I saved the wrapper for some time to order some more, but one day I decided to throw it away because I don't need to eat them. Some days I'm sorry I did it.

It's not often I bake cookies, but I couldn't pass up this recipe from Cookie A's Sock and Cookie Club for April. They are lavender shortbread and are delicious! I love the sock pattern on the left, also.

2013 Yarn Clubs

A new year of yarn clubs. Oh, how I love receiving these packages!

Rosemary Hill's Shawl and Pin club for January. I subscribed only to the yarn and pattern, not the pin for this year. How many shawl pins can a person use. I know many people wonder how many shawls can a person knit and use, but that is a no-brainer for a shawl-o-holic like me. I just love knitting them.

The yarn is from Sincere Sheep, Terroir Fiber Series, special for Romi's club. Included are beads and 2 darling stitch markers. Stitch markers are something else a knitter can not have too many of.

The first yarn of this year from Cookie A is a beautiful dark green which doesn't show up in the picture from Indigo Dragon Fly, merino, cashmere and nylon. Included is the project bag and a note card.

This is the first time I've tried the Knit Circus yarn club. The yarn seems nice -superwash merino, silver poly, and silk. The extra is a mini skein of Starlight Sock Yarn and a set of premium bamboo US #1 needles from Stitch Berry.

A Verb for Keeping Warm Proverbial Yarn Club.

The last shipment from Knit Spot by Anne Hanson has Miss Babs yarn which is cashmere and silk. Need I say more? The patterns for this club are done in a beautiful format with beautiful photography. I'll join this one again.

 

End of 2012 Yarn

Yarn continues to arrive.

This is the last shipment from Cookie A's 2012 Sock Club, but I've signed up for 2013. The yarn is actually more the color of the pictures. I like both the sock designs.

I've been reading so much about people using Wollmeise yarn I wanted to try some. It is a German yarn so the only place I could find it was on Ebay.

I do also buy yarn. Surprise? I couldn't pass this one up as I have become quite a fan of Downton Abbey and this is specially dyed for Jimmy Bean Wool's Mystery Knit A Long starting along with Season 3 of Downton Abbey.

 Knitspot for December 2012. This club is by Anne Hanson.

 Soctopus' Knit Love Club for December 2012.

 

This may be my last post as for some reason I cannot download pictures anymore. If I can figure out what is wrong I will resume. Edited 01/23/13. It now works, so I'll add these pictures.

  

Abstract Fibers October 2012. Extra Garlic Cashews which were home made and delicious!

Abstract Fibers December 2012. Extra Puppy Scissors.



 

Space Cadet December 2012. Extra: Shawl Pin.

 Three Irish Girls December 2012. Extra Lindt Chocolates!!

 Twisted Shawlette January 2013. Extra Stitch Markers.

 

Thank you for tolerating my indulgences. I enjoy doing this record of my yarn clubs just for my fading memory.

Off and On the Needles

I'll start with finished projects:

 

Thistles by Kimberly Gintar is another winner and another test knit. This shawl is number 17 in 12 Shawls in 2012. The yarn is KnitPicks Shadow, something I found in my stash; knit with US size 5 needles.

Shawn the Shelf Elf is based on the book, Elf on a Shelf and is another test knit for Kimberly. (Kimberly is living in Germany and is my unnofficial adopted daughter- found each other on Ravelry.) I used left over sock yarn from my stash and knit it on US size 1 1/2 needles. He is so cute!If you are not acquainted with the story, the child is given the book and the elf and when the child names the elf it comes to life. Each day it sits in the home and observes the child's behavior (hopefully it is good before Christmas) and at night goes to the North Pole and reports to Santa. When he returns in the morning, he will sit in a different place, so the child has to fine him.

On the needles:

This is Firebird by Rosemary (Romi) Hill. The yarn is the yarn I got from Ann Swanson's stash sale at Vesterheim last month. For some reason this shawl has given me lots of trouble. I can't seem to count! But it is progressing.

 During the busy Holiday season  this is a fun knit which takes me away from the hectic times (Actually, I haven't even started preparations) to relax and think about the meaning of the season and hopefully to enjoy the days more. It is Lila and Claudine's Advent Scarf for 2012. Each day they send a new stitch and very short meditation. I'm already behind- only 3 days done.

This project is the one that is taking me forever, mainly because I've ripped most of it out twice. The first time was because of a noticeable stripe where I changed balls of yarn. We are told when using hand painted yarn to knit from 2 balls, alternating every 2 rows. But, who am I to follow directions? I had used Malabrigo yarn before and never had any trouble, but this one was very different. I know where I started the new balls, but it is much less noticeable than it was before. The second time I had done something wrong in the pattern because I had 2 extra stitches in one of the fronts. I tried just decreasing them out, but then my stitch count was wrong and one front was smaller than the other. I tried to live with it, but the sweater won out and it was frogged again. This sweater is a good "public" knitting project at this point.

Yarn Clubs

Today is National I Love Yarn Day!!! Isn't everyday?
Do my posts give you the idea this is what my mailbox looks like?

 Yarnista, August 2012. Extra: Wool Wash

 Yarnista July 2012. Extra: Post it tabs.

 Knitspot September 2012

 

Three Irish Girls September 2012. Extra is small skein of Adorn Sock Yarn. This yarn is Kinsale Merino Tencel. Yummy. I'm not crazy about the sock pattern, but the yarn says "shawl" to me. Can you imagine that?

 Knit Love Club August 2012.

 I have also identified this one as Sock Knit Club by Soctopus for August 2012. One is wrong.

Abstract Fiber June 2012. This club had an option: one skein or two skeins. I chose the one skein, so this yarn will make the narrow scarf-or something else. The extra is a little zipped bag, plus the net bag.

Cookie A Sock and Cookie Club for October 2012. This club always has 2 sock patterns and 2 cookie recipes. I really like the sock on the right. I've made a couple of the cookie recipes which have been good. The last one was an anise refrigerator cookie which I really liked. Hum...maybe I'll mix up another batch.

It's coming to the time of the year to re-evaluate next years club memberships. My head tells me I don't need to join any but it is such fun to get these "presents" in the mail.I've already joined Romi Hill's shawl and pin club, but next year I'm getting the pattern and yarn. This year I got the pin and pattern and I missed not getting the yarn. Something was missing. I will probably rejoin Cookie A's club, Will not rejoin Goddess Knits Shawlette Club, Soctopus Knit-Love-Club, Twisted Head to Toe. I've already joined Knitspot (Anne Hanson) club, pattern only, and Sivia Harding's Mezzaline, pattern only, A Verb for Keeping Warm Proverbial Yarn Club, and Space Cadet Interstellar Yarn Alliance. Three Irish Girls Yarnista Club just keeps going every month. I love her yarn so much I can't make myself quit that one.

SABLE

My daughter saw a pin with this abbreviation and definition and told her sister that it described me. Can't imagine where she gets that idea! (Stash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy) The mailman has been busy again delivering those wonderful packages of yarn. (And most of the April shipments haven't come yet!)

Cookie A Sock Club April

Soctopus/Knit-Love Club March

Space Cadet Mini Skein Club

Yarnista (Three Irish Girls)

This color is French Quarter. It definitely will not be the socks in the picture.

More Yarn/Clubs

Hopefully this will catch me up on posting my yarn clubs and recent purchases.

Cookie A Sock and Cookie Club for December 2011. Bugga yarn! And love another project bag.

This is a new club I just discovered. It is the Mini Skein Club by SpaceCadet. www.spacecadetcreations.com. The mini skeins can be used for the sock yarn blankets that are so popular on Ravelry, or I'm considering using them for Stephen West's Spectra shawl. I want to wait until I get some more to make that decision. I probably have more than enough yarn for my sock blankie.

This is the Socks are for Suckers shipment for January, 2012-the last one for last year's club. The extra in the green package is called "Stitch Switch". It is to enable you to try on your sweater without having to use waste yarn and transfer the stitches one by one.  It is clear tubing which you squash the end securely on your needle tip, then slide the stitches onto the tubing. www.twistedpdx.com

This is the Sock are for Suckers Club for November 2011. The club originate in the Pacific Northwest so uses yarns and patterns from people in that area of the US. Fun!

I don't belong to Wool Girl's club any more, but will order special kits. This was the Christmas kit which I thought would be fun.

Almost forgot Romi's Pin and Shawl Fall selection. Love the pattern and yarn. The yarn is actually more of a burgundy color. The copper pin is beautiful, but I have a silver one very similar.

Haleakala Socks

A finished project! Even though it took a long time to make these, I enjoyed doing them. I love the rambling ribs and cables of Cookie A's socks even though it takes a little more concentration.

Pattern: Haleakala by Cookie A. From her Sock and Cookie Club

Yarn: String Theory Hand Dyed Yarn Caper Sock. Wonderful, soft yarn which shows good stitch definition.

Needles: 2.5 mm. Made both at the same time on magic loop, my new favorite method of making socks.

Yarn Clubs

Only one package of yarn waited for me when I returned from France. This is the Three Irish Girls April package. Below, Cookie A's Sock Club package arrived a few days ago. The yarn is a sneak preview of a new yarn not even named yet.

Haleakala

Finally started making something from one of my clubs. These are the Haleakala Socks by Cookie A from the February selection. The yarn is Caper Sock by String Theory Hand Dyed Yarns and is yummy to work on.