Stash Flash

I dropped my Bernina off to be professionally cleaned this morning.  I bought it about 13 months ago and haven't had it serviced or cleaned yet, despite all the projects I've completed in that time.  I had a few things I absolutely had to finish--a baby quilt, a t-shirt quilt, Christmas gifts--but told myself it was now or never, especially because a length of thread was lodged inside of it from Eleanor eating Aurifil off the spool.  It was time.  So I took it in this morning, they gave me a receipt and told me they'd call when it's done, probably in two weeks.

Sigh.  Two weeks.

That means, despite the half-yard bundles of both Catnap and Sweet as Honey I just purchased, no sewing for me until mid-February.  Which is really sort of a bummer, because I'm ready to start on another selfish project, given all the gifts and commissions I've made lately.  But I guess that just means I have more room for knitting, right?

I've been working on an Owls sweater too, and just started the first sleeve, but I didn't want to blog about that just yet.  I'll wait until it's finished (though you can see my Ravelry notes here).  I thought, instead of my typical Completed Project posts, I would share my knitting stash with you!

I started knitting in September, and true to my retail therapy tendencies, have had no problem buying supplies to keep me going!  So many hand-dyes, so little time, is how I see it.

Miss Babs, from left: Perfectly Wreckless, Berlin, Fall in the Park, Vineyard, Deep Sea Jellyfish, and Funny Papers

I love Miss Babs yarn.  Have you tried it?  Her Babettes and hand-dyed yarns just suck me in.  I'm powerless.  I just think of all the amazing socks I could make and then turn over my credit card, no questions asked.

From left: Cakewalk, Podcast Junkie

I managed to score two skeins of Cakewalk Footsie through a Ravelry destash earlier this month.  Part of me wants to knit them up immediately; the other part wants to put them under glass until Cakewalk starts being sold again.

From left: three skeins of Grape Bubblegum, Tartan, Canyon

I got these Tanis Fiber Arts One-of-a-Kind skeins through Tanis's Etsy Boxing Day sale.  I was in the middle of Mary Jo's (a fabric emporium near Charlotte), cruising Etsy on my phone.  The colors are amazing and the yarn is so soft.  My only complaint is that mail takes forever when it has to get from Canada to Charlotte!  I have some Tanis Aran-weight yarn I bought from Eat Sleep Knit on Black Friday that is hanging around my stash.  I love this yarn!

Colinette Jitterbug in Dark Umber

Fleece Artist 2/6 Merino in Brew

Malvin, Locuro Fluro

Manos del Uruguay Alegria gets me every time.  I bought this during the ESK Black Friday sale too, because I just couldn't resist the crazy colors.  It's also really soft.  And the label is adorable.  What more do you want?

Vanilla Bean

It's safe to say Madelinetosh is my favorite yarn brand.  I have all different weights and all different colors and I love each and every one.  This is tosh sock in Vanilla Bean, but I also have sock in Whiskey Barrel and Charcoal (socks for Nick someday).  I have tosh DK, tosh merino light, tosh Vintage, tosh everything!  I can't quit it.

Fluff

This skein just arrived as I was typing this post!  I found Spun Right Round yarn through the Pretty Little Fiber Company.  This fun skein might be Valentine's Day socks?  Or maybe something else?  I'm not sure just yet but it's awfully pretty!

This is by all means not my entire stash, which is both sad (for my bank account) and awesome (because there's no such thing as too much yarn or fabric).  Thanks for indulging me and reading this.  I want to see your stash now!  Because I obviously need to find more yarn to buy.

Finished: Oaklet Shawl

Yay, another knitting project!  I'll have some patchwork to show soon, and there's fabric in the washer to be turned into Archers, but until then, let me introduce you to Oaklet!

This is a top-down shawl by Megan Goodacre; the Oaklet shawl is free on Ravelry.  It's rated as easy (2/10 on the Ravelry scale) so I decided to give it a whirl.  Well.

The first 113 rows were fine.  They're stockinette stitch; I can do that with my eyes closed (practically).  After that, the lace begins.  And that's also where my problems began.

I kept ended up with an extra stitch outside of the repeats.  I dropped stitches; I added extras.  I was a mess, pretty much.  I took my shawl into Charlotte Yarn (my LYS) for help, after my mom declared herself unable to help.  Luckily, Stephanie was there and got me to a good place--we ripped out the lace I had started so I could get going again.  Stephanie is pretty much my new BFF.  She invited me to her knitting group at Whole Foods on Wednesday night, which was really fun!  That's besides the point, but it's good to remember the positive instead of the negative (messing up my shawl and ripping it out).

Anyway, so I went home, tried again, and still messed up.  My mom decided to take on the challenge at that point and got me back to the beginning of the lace, inserting a lifeline for future mistakes.  Thankfully, I didn't need it, because the third time was the charm!

I used size 6 circulars--Knitter's Pride Dreamz, which aren't as good as my Addis but are also half the price--and the yarn is SweetGeorgia Tough Love Sock in Chai Spice, which I bought at Eat Sleep Knit.  I can't recommend this yarn enough!  So soft and superwash, and the colors are gorgeous.  

I bought a sweater from Loft to wear on Thanksgiving, and it coordinates well with this shawl--it doesn't match exactly (thank God) but the colors are in the same family.  We're having Thanksgiving at my parents' house in Rock Hill this year, which I'm so excited about.  The last two Thanksgivings we were alone in DC (last year we moved to Charlotte the day after) so I'm overdue for a family holiday.  My brother and Kali are driving up and Jake's friends are joining us as well.  It should be so much fun!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  Enjoy the down time, or your time spent shopping, if you're into that craziness.

Finished: Tin Can Knits Oats Cowl

I did it!!

I finished a knitting project!!

I've never knit an entire project before.  I've dabbled, I've wondered how two needles and some yarn could make something, anything, but I've never completed a project.  Until yesterday!

I started this cowl weeks ago, on September 18.  I'm not yet used to how sloooooow knitting is.  It's honestly ridiculous.  I'm so set to finish things quickly!  And then my yarn says, hold up, sister, you have two more skeins of us waiting in the wings.  Sigh.

If you follow me on Instagram you've seen this cowl through its many stages: casting on, unintentional yarn overs, good ribbing (and bad), binding off.  I won't bore you with detail shots, but I will say I used Tin Can Knits' Oats Cowl pattern, from the fabulous Simple Collection.  I can't say enough wonderful things about this collection!  It taught me everything I know (albeit I don't know much).

  

The yarn is from Quince and Co.; it's Lark in Cypress, a dark green worsted wool.  It is truly beautiful to work with, and there were no variations within the lot.  I knit with Hiya Hiyas (first time using those!) and blocked it with Soak Celebration.  I think next time I'm going to go with Lacey or Yuzu.  Any suggestions?

So this is all to say I haven't been sewing.  Knitting has taken on my full attention, for better or worse.  I feel bad admitting that, like I've failed my Bernina.  I have to realize that I haven't, that having several hobbies of different natures is perfectly fine, and just because I haven't been sewing doesn't mean I never will!  I just am taking a hiatus.  I do need to finish that Tule quilt, though, and I got a new book (Jelly Roll Quilt Magic--beautiful quilts!) that will need some attention.  Eventually.

I do have a pretty nuts yarn stash growing.  I just cast on (and finished ribbing) for a small project last night, using some Manos Del Uruguay Maxima.  Such awesome yarn!

What are you stitching, regardless of form?