I am Merino Wool

How appropriate that I got this result as I recently started working on my first project using Merino! haha! The quiz even got the color right ;)

What kind of yarn are you?

You are Merino Wool.You are very easygoing and sweet. People like to keep you close because you are so softhearted. You love to be comfortable and warm from your head to your toes.
Take this quiz!


The Dream Swatch is coming along nicely, though I'm starting to feel scattered about my projects. I haven't been working on the sweater as much as I want to, and I think it's because life has been a bit helter-skelter recently, and I can't finish one row in just a minute or two. And when I sit down to knit, even if it's for a few minutes, I like to complete more than just one row.

I really need to get my butt in gear on that one.

I have to say, though, that it's fun to work with smaller needles and finer yarn! I might have to start making socks or something soon...

New yarn!

I finally got around to buying some yarn from Knit & Pearl Boutique downtown when Chauntel, Tracy, and I went there to shop and knit on Sunday.

There were single skeins of 100% Merino wool by Claudia Hand Painted Yarn in "Blue Fields"


and "Oops "


I LUUUUURRRVVE these colorways! AND, they were ON SALE! (cause they were single hanks) Woot!

I decided to make a Dream Swatch Headscarf with Oops, and I'm debating what to make out of Blue Fields. I was originally thinking a baby hat, but since I think that'd be better in a more washable yarn.

Thinky, thinky....

I'm gonna be keeping myself busy in 2007!

I got a set of circulars thanks to my dear hubby!





I LOOOVE these needles! I switched the sweater over to the Boye needles so I can see all my work stretched out as I work on the sweater.



I'm still getting used to having the wires attached, but I like that the actual needle part is shorter and doesn't get caught on blankets/pillows/couches/husband/person that are near my elbows.

Speaking of the sweater....I am DONE swatching! I don't have it down 100% perfect, but as long as I'm paying attention to what I'm doing, I can get it right and usually fix any mistakes I do make. Plus, since I've got it mostly down, the mistakes aren't as noticeable.

After Chauntel & Tracy's help:



Finished! (the extra mini-swatch was done on the circulars to make sure the gauge was still right because ny straights were *slightly* larger even though they are supposedly the same size):



I stopped by Chauntel's house on Saturday to say hi and borrow some knitting books. She gave me a TON of yarn (yippeee!) and so far my favorite is this mill-end cone that is a beautiful lavendar color. I already started on a scarf for MIL's (other MIL - not the one I made the belt for) birthday in January. On my new circs of course!




(The ball is the largest center-pull ball I've ever done - and by hand!! LOL)

Lastly, a non-yarn creation :)

Christmas Breakfast!!



I hope you all had lovely Holidays! Hooray for a short week :)



PS: Oooh, I almost forgot....the last crochet project I did was the java cozy for my mom. I love how it turned out and she loved it too!

KNITTING!!

Yes ladies and gents, I have crossed over into dual-skill-dom!

Thank you to Chauntel and Suzanne for helping me with my purling last night :) Knit group is one of the awesomest group of ladies ever!

Behold, I have cast-on for a ribbed scarf! (like my exclamation points?!!!!)



Isn't it loverly? I'm using some leftover Bernat Denim Style (blue and white). I'm not following any particular pattern, just doing 2 stitch ribs (cast on with 20 stitches) on size 9 needles. Hopefully it will be long enough!

I just hope this doesn't distract me from my gift-making too much, haha!!

Getting the knitting bug...

Ok, so I keep seeing more and more cool stuff that's made by knitting... It's not fair! I've got too many crochet projects to finish!!

I actually need some sweaters, and I think I may just end up caving in and starting one once I learn something beyond the basic knit stitch. Speaking of that....this morning I decided to pull out my knitting stuff and take a look at it. I knew I inherited a bunch of knitting needles from my Oma (my Dutch grandma), but I didn't realize quite how many!



I think there's everything from 0-15 (with many multiples) in there.

I forgot I had started a practice sampler a while back so I could practice and teach myself to purl (that wasn't very successful....I got frustrated and gave up). Chauntel showed me a simple cable at last week's knit group, and while I remember the basic concept, I don't know the pattern in which to make the cable look nice. Anyway, I attempted some cabling on opposite sides just to try it out and get a feel for it. I'm sure it's totally botched, but that's why it's a sampler :)



Finally, I got a good start on the shawl for MIL (two rows so far). I love the Caron Simply Soft yarn, it's inexpensive and feels great! I think it might become my staple yarn.

More Knit & Pearl

I went in again to Knit & Pearl to buy a few things I needed. One was a Size I crochet hook.

I've been wanting to get one made of natural materials (I'd LOVE to get some Brittany crochet hooks) and they carry Clover Bamboo ones. So, I bought one and I LOVE it! It's so much nicer than the metal ones.



I also picked up some stitch markers (very handy!) and Crochet Today magazine I've been eyeing every time I've been in there, LOL!





(Can you tell I'm having fun with pictures?)

Let's see if this works...

I am free-styling a shawl (if it turns out ok, it will be my step-mother-in-law's Hanukkah present). I only have one skein of the yarn (Red Heart TLC Amore in garnet -pictured below), so hopefully it will be big enough if I do lots of openwork (please God!)



I'll post a picture of the project so far, once I take one. I may end up pulling it out to the base chain and re-starting because I think the chain got twisted along the way (it's hard to see the stitches in chenille!!)


In other news...

TOMORROW NIGHT IS THE NEXT KNIT GROUP!!!

YAY! This time I'll have some cash on hand so I can actually buy a drink or something.

I'm gonna end up leaving group a little early because Nathan (the hubby) and I are going to see Vox Veritas' show at Rocks downtown. They're playing an acoustic set and it should be awesome!

Dear lord, I'm a yarn junkie!

I just went through all my yarn and I have enough to keep me busy for MONTHS if not years!! Holy moley, I didn't realize just how much I had!!

I took some pictures so I can remember it all and catalog my stock of yarn for future projects (quite a bit of the yarn is for two other blankets like the one I'm currently making, but in different accent colors).

Here's the home stash (what am I gonna use that weird green/blue color for? Why do I even have it in the first place?!?):



The stock in storage (enough to make hats for the entire population of a small country!)"





Yup, I am DEFINITELY a yarn junkie. Please do not let me near any more yarn...especially if it's on sale!!