Yarn Crawl

Thanks SP!!!!

I just got a $30 gift certificate from my SP14 for my favorite online fabric store, Gorgeous Fabrics!!! LOVE!! Thanks SP! I'll have to pick out something special and post a picture once I do!

Checking in...

Not much going on so far this week - I've been swatching different yarns for the Tie Back Shell (another Connie Chang Chinchio design that I want to knit with the SKC this quarter) and I think I finally decided on Debbie Bliss Pure Silk in a royal purple color from stash. I bought the yarn a few months back from a sale at My Sisters' Knits and I think this is the winner for this design! I considered and dismissed Rowan Wool Cotton (right gauge, but no "sheen" which this design needs) and Classic Elite Premiere (ok, but again, the sheen factor wasn't there.)

Other than that, I still have to do the little cap sleeves on Paloma and pick out a ribbon for the neckline. The pattern recommends a 2.5" wide ribbon and I am going to go with a 5/8" wide one instead as I think it will fit in the eyelets much better and also be more understated. I'm thinking of one of these hand-dyed silk ribbons from M&J Trimming for it. Any suggestions on colorways?

I plan to cast on the first sleeve of Broderie later today as well, and I'm starting to feel some sewing mojo coming back after a hiatus.

I guess I had more to say than I thought!

Paloma Progress - Pre-Sleeves

I finished the body on Paloma last night, using a needle one size larger than the one I was using previously and adding a few more inches of length to make it more of a tunic. It will cover my hip bones but be a few inches above where my thigh meets my body, which is a good length for me. I just need to do the cap sleeves now, but I thought I would wash the body first.

Here it is lying flat on the washing machine:

and hanging (I thought I'd try photographing it this way as it is really hard to see anything on it when it's flat)

I think I'm going to end up liking this. Not much more to go!

As you can probably tell from my photos, I didn't do much sewing while on vacation, but I did do a lot of knitting! I did do some sewing at the beginning, and made yet another S3775 dress that I have to hem. I also found a way to trace BWOF patterns I like, and traced off two patterns, so I think that's an accomplishment. The destashing sale was a huge success and I've cleared out about four or five plastic boxes. I think I am going to use a few of them to house some fabric that's not exactly organized, and the rest for my clothes closet for non-hanging items like workout tops and pants.

Jim and I only did one long motorcycle ride - about four hours total on the bike - just to some farther flung "country-ish" suburbs (exurbs?) of our area. It was fun. We couldn't really go anywhere else as we got a lot of rain - I would say it rained about 75% of the time.

I think a week off is too long to hang around the house for me personally (particularly if it's too rainy to sit by the pool) - I get antsy. We still have to plan where we're going to go for our "big vacation" next year (we do a 2 week cruise every other year, usually) and that's where I really like to spend my vacation time. Interestingly, when I had all the time in the world to sew or knit, I felt kinda blah without a "routine" and didn't feel like doing much (except knitting). I didn't think I was such a creature of habit, but apparently I am now. I have decided I'm happiest when I'm busy, and the last few days were the best as I got a lot done around the house and organized some things, plus I'm happy with my knitting progress and destashing.

Anyway, that's my recap. Back to the routine now, which actually doesn't seem bad - hopping on the treadmill and going to work! I guess that is the point of a vacation - to refresh you to go back to your everyday life!

Broderie - Upper Body is Done!!

After monogamously knitting on this project for about a week, I just finished the upper body on Broderie! I think it's going to fit well! It's hard to tell 100% without grafting the shoulder stitches together, but I kind of pinned it together and put it on my dress form to get an idea. I probably could have shortened it from neck to bust as I am short in that area, but I just followed the pattern instructions as I did some measurements and thought they'd be pretty close.

Here it is so far (J.Lo got some (small) implants - I reduced her bust to the minimum size and then stuffed her bra.)

and a close-up of the lace:

More for the Destash Fest!

4.5 skeins of black Burly Spun!! Talk about immediate gratification. Compare to Cascade Magnum at $22 per skein - this is 100% wool, by Brown Sheep - 132 yards a skein. $25 for all 4.5. Price sticker says $15 a skein, so this is an excellent deal for this yardage in a super-bulky weight wool.

More Burly Spun in orange - 1.5 skeins; $12.

Paton's Classic Wool - $15 for over 800 yards of worsted weight merino wool.

Pics of some of the others I mentioned:

Louisa Harding Kimono Angora - $20

Cascade Ecological Wool - shade 9002 - $20

Karabella Aurora Melange - $20

I think that's it for now!

Destashing Update

I've updated my Ravelry destash page with a few other yarns.

Examples are some Karabella Aurora Melange ($20, 9 skeins), Louisa Harding Kimono Angora (8 skeins, $20 - originally paid an arm and a leg, but there is a funky smell to this yarn that has developed - if you know how to get rid of it, it's yours at a steal of a price), and some Cascade Ecological Wool (three 478 yard skeins, also for $20.)

Let me know if you're not on Ravelry and would like to see pictures of anything or a complete list of what's available.

Yarn Blowout Sale/Destashing!!

I decided one of my projects this morning would be destashing some of my yarn. I had already given away a number of individual skeins to charity and/or freecycled them, but these are some of my "project quantity" yarns that I probably won't use. Tastes change, impulse buys, yada yada - my loss is your gain! These are priced to sell, so the first person I hear from with valid Paypal funds gets it. I will include free USPS Priority Mail shipping for US purchasers; outside the US, email me and we will figure out the best way to ship/additional cost. Everything stored in my yarn closet in plastic boxes like the ones shown in the pics.

Here goes:

First off, two skeins of Brooks Farm Riata - these were purchased together at Stitches and say "E R37" on the label. Each is 375 yards of luscious hand-dyed wool/mohair/silk (48/36/16%.) Paid $34 each, $30 for both including USPS Priority Shipping. A more accurate rendering of the color is here (Ravelry link).

Elsebeth Lavold Angora Extra - 8 skeins, color 9, dye lot 757. 70/25/5% Angora/Wool/Nylon. $20.

1.5 Skeins Berroco Peruvia; color 7100, dyelot 089 - $6

3.5 Skeins Brown Sheep Cotton Fine in CF-310 Wild Orange, dyelot 022 - this is more of a true orange, not reddish orange as it photographs. - $10

3 Skeins + one frogged skein Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece; CW-690 Alpine Lilac, dyelot 025 - $15 - SALE PENDING

2 skeins Cascade Sierra; color 64, dyelot 0816 - $8

5 skeins Catalina Chunky 60/40 Baby Alpaca/Merino; color 307; dyelot 9992 - $20
It is more green than it looks here - for a better representation of the color, check out my Juliet that I made with the rest of the 10 skein bag I originally purchased.

8 skeins Filatura di Crosa Brilla; color 410, dyelot 010 - $20

2 skeins Lamb's Pride Worsted; M-77 Blue Magic, dyelot 099 - $8

5 skeins Lamb's Pride Worsted: M100 Supreme Purple, dyelot 067 - $20

Lamb's Pride Bulky - 3 untouched plus 2+ frogged skeins M59 Periwinkle (dyelot 0187); 1 skein Limeade M-120; dyelot 089 - $20

8 skeins + 1/4 skein Muench Bergamo; color 3900, dyelot 47- $20

7 skeins RYC Soft Tweed in 004 Bramble, I don't see a dyelot - $20

5.5 skeins Tahki Bunny Print plus a sweater to frog to make up 10 skeins (originally purchased full bag); color 024, dyelot 4028 - $20

Well, that's everything for now. If you check my Ravelry stash page, it's not yet updated to reflect these items. I'm hoping I sell everything and can just eliminate them from stash there and not have to update twice!

I'm Weak

I just bought six skeins of my latest infatuation on Ebay:

I figured, $40 with shipping from the UK isn't bad for a sweater. I'm in love with this stuff, and it's discontinued. Six will be enough to make any kind of summer top, but I have this one particularly in mind. The Ebay seller had six skeins, so I bought all six even though this pattern would only need five.

Mid-Vacation Week Update

I thought I'd check in and say hi as it's the middle of my vacation week!

Broderie is going fabulously - loving this yarn, loving this pattern!

I decided to do the upper body section first as I picked up from the top of the band, not the bottom as I was originally supposed to. No biggie...there'll just be more shaping to do with the neckline, armholes, side seams, but then the second bottom part will seem that much easier.

This RYC Cashcotton 4 Ply is my new best friend, too. Super soft, comfortable to work with - in shock that I love something 4 Ply so much. I must be changing...

What else? Well, today it's raining so this morning I traced off two patterns from my newest issue of Burda World of Fashion, my first serious foray into making anything from that magazine. I am loving this July issue for two reasons - lots of designs for knit fabrics, and a maxi dress in petite sizing! It sounds like a lot of other people aren't so jazzed about either of these aspects of July's issue, but for me, it couldn't be more perfect. So I got off my &ss and finally traced the two patterns. It wasn't all that torturous.

I used my glass kitchen table as a sort of light table (Jim's idea - that engineering brain of his) and shone a light underneath it to see the pattern lines more clearly (plus highlighted them all with a yellow highlighter first.) I also found that I like using a fine Sharpie marker to trace everything - goes smoother than pencil and I find that my lines are alot cleaner that way. Now to actually make those patterns up... I have probably four or five more patterns from the issue to trace, but I figured I wouldn't overdo it for the first tracing session.

Paloma is in time out right now - have to add more length to the bottom as my row gauge was off and use a larger needle when I do it. Leaf Yoke is bugging me too - not sure if I want to put the hem on it the way they say to or not. Thinking not, so I have to come up with another hem treatment.

Other than that, just hanging out by the pool the past two days, running errands with Jim and hanging out with him and the cats!

Look What I Just Started...

The yarn is actually turquoise RYC Cashcotton 4 ply, but it's a cloudy day outside so somehow it came out greenish.

I've had a wonderful day so far. Got up at a leisurely 7:30, drank my coffee and updated my SP questionnaire, then worked out for 40 minutes while watching The Fashion Show on the Tivo, showered and went over to Whole Foods. I have been wanting to go there for awhile, as it's not super close by but I want to start eating at home more, and healthier. Wow, was I ever impressed. That produce beats the crap out of anything I can buy at Dominick's or Jewel, and they even had a guy making sushi. So my lunch was a sashimi combination and an assortment of three types of berries (blackberries, blueberries and raspberries.) What a day I'm having! Loving life.