Another Handspun Yarn

Bulky two ply! The fiber is from Cloudlover, I do believe...I can't find the tag anywhere (typical, lol). This is so FRIGGIN' soft and is my first successful bulky handspun! this is 2/3 of the fiber, so there will be one more smaller skein coming up sometime in the near future! :D

Spun on my beautiful Kromski Minstrel. :D



I have no idea what I'm going to make with it. Because it's a bulky and I will only have 4 oz. worth, my options are limited. Maybe I can use it in the yoke of a sweater or something. Hmmm....

Not much knitting to speak of going on around here. No focus whatsoever. :/

Leyburn Socks

Leyburn Socks by MintyFresh, knit by ME! The yarn is a merino nylon blend from KnitPicks, which I hand dyed myself! Isn't it amazing?! I love them. They are a little loose in the ankles, but it doesn't bother me much. I may decide to run elastic through them at some point, but I've worn them numerous times without having done so and they stay up.


More FO posts to come! Stay tuned!

A not so informative FO post

I have finished Max's scarf, knit from my handspun yarn!



Isn't it fab? 100% Merino in a wonderful colorway called "Tigerlily." Swoon.

Death, no wait...taxes.

I'm not one of those people who get all bent out of shape over the fact that they have to pay taxes. I am, however, one who gets completely stressed out when it comes to anything financial. This is mainly because I don't really understand how a lot of it works yet. To be honest, I don't really want to. Money buys things...that's all it is really good for in the end.

I AM one of those people who find the process of DOING taxes ultimately annoying/boring/confusing. I've filed my federal taxes, but not state...because I WAS BETWEEN STATES! They won't let me file for Illinois online because I'm a first time filer in Illinois...and Turbotax won't allow me to MOVE ON to file my Missouri taxes online until I do something about effin' Illinois! Those bitches! (said with the utmost respect and humility, of course). I can't make a phone call from home unless I go outside (no reception, I live in a dungeon) and we've got some fabulous spring weather goin' on around here (that's sarcasm again) so I don't want to freeze my ass off for the IRS. Sorry, guys, you'll just have to wait until I get out of the house this evening for me to do what I need to do in order to file.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know...don't even say it. It's kind of the 12th of April. It's kind of close to the deadline. Sure, sure. I'll git 'er done...promise.

Ehem, so...

Knitting: I have turned the heel on my teeny sock and have gotten halfway through the gussets. I tried to pull the sock on...and it's hard to get over my heel because the cuff was probably cast-on too tightly. Ooops. I never said I knew what I was doing. I think that it will fit fine on my actual leg, however...just getting it over the heels might be rough. I'm sure that as long as I don't tear it apart in my attempts to wear them, it will be fine, right? Right?


Socks...I love to wear them...but do I love knitting them?




Yeah...I think I do.

Now onto things a bit more seamless:




That's the start of a mind-numbingly simple halter top in the latest Vogue Knitting. The yarn is Lion Brand Cotton-Ease in Taupe. Oh, my goodness gracious. I love this yarn. I love this color (how typically neutrally-earth-tone of me). I'm not sure how flattering the halter itself is going to be, but I love how simply it is knitting itself up...almost without me...and that's ok.

Oh yeah, one more thing. MMMMMM BRUSSEL SPROUTS...

Sometimes

Sometimes, you feel you must buy half of the yarn for something ridiculous...and the other half as soon as you can afford it. That's how I'm feeling about the yarn for a particular skirt in a particular magazine. There is this really adorable-in-the-most-bizarro-way skirt in the latest knit.1. It has ruffles...lots of ruffles...silly, silly, ADORABLE ruffles. Actually, the pattern is written so that you attach (sew) the skirt to a polo shirt to create a dress...but I would much rather wear it as a skirt. I don't think it would be too hard to add some elastic to it...and that's what I intend to do...when I get the yarn.

Sometimes, you WANT to go in circles. I know in life it can be frustrating to seem like you are always ending up where you started...but sometimes, it's just the sort of thing you need. I think it might actually be harder to deal with those seams you always seem to be left with. Why do you think the phrase "seamless" carries such a positive connotation? That's why I've decided my next project will not have seams...it will fit together without them and I won't have to figure out which stitch to what stitch. That would be nice...and another reason why that silly ruffly skirt I mentioned is becoming more and more enticing.

Sometimes, you try to knit socks again:


It's coming along...I'm wondering if it might be too small for my foot. I am not sure yet if the stitch pattern really allows for much stretching and I think it has finally become clear to me that I knit more tightly than I should...maybe it's the pain in my shoulders or all of the anger I tend to carry...I'm working on it. :)

So, I just looked at that pattern for the skirt and realized it is not worked in the round. What a shame. But don't worry, my pets, I've found something else...something to make me yearn for warmer weather...and maybe even a tan.

Would you like to see a picture of me dying an Easter Egg with a really stupid face and kind of a creepy-looking hand?


Put some lip-balm on, self, seriously.

Well, that's all for today. Over and out.

Nights

I just had a pretty fun night. It was very casual hang-out time in the city, at a cute little coffee shop called Blend. It was nice. Then I came home and found a package waiting for me. IT'S MY YARN!! That came very quickly. Now, I can get rolling again on the wrap jacket.

I didn't knit a single stitch today and I probably won't (since it's already 10:45 and we're supposed to try and get tickets for the Ninja Turtles movie tonight...how excited am I?? Pretty excited, actually). I work tomorrow afternoon...so maybe I'll knit before that...after I finish the dress.

Speaking of the dress...I think it will either a)fit me or b) be too big, not too small at all. We'll see. I have to finish the shoulders, seam up the back...then tackle that zipper. That's it...jet set...tomorrow I'm looking at a finished dress (as long as it fits and I don't have to rip and trim)!

No pictures, my lovelies...not enough time...and a bit of a headache.

Yarning

Well...the time has come. I'm on to my last ball for the wrap jacket thingy. Today, I have ordered some online. I've (thanks Kara) found a place online that is selling three balls. I wonder if three will be enough. I really don't think so. I think I need four...but I can't find any more. I guess I can shorten the sleeves a little bit, but I'd rather not have to do that. I like the look of the long sleeves with the bell shaping. It will look stupid if I make them short. I don't know.

I guess you'd like to see the progress on the wrap jacket? Here you go:


A completed front, all pinned-out there for ya.


The beginning of front no. 2.

I really want to finish this thing. I think I'll really like it...if only I could get it done.

I finally got around to buying that needle I needed. So, tonight...or tomorrow (probably tomorrow) I will get back to work on the cable cardigan. This is another one that I just really want to finish because I know that I will like it once it's done. I know that all the pain involved in making those cables will end up being worth it.

Speaking of cables....


I love this. It is in the latest issue of Knit.1 magazine. It calls for nine balls of Lion wool (which is an affordable option, btw. Thanks Knit.1). I want to make it in this color. It's called "lemongrass." Won't it look cool with all those cables and bobbles?? I think so...definitely.

Let's see, what else? Here's a hint at what my scarf is like:

Like? Can't tell? Good. It's sort of like a secret. :) I'll show it when it's finished!! (mainly because I don't know how it will turn out and I don't want to look like a Bozo when I decide it's garbage. This way it can just drift softly away without anyone noticing...if it comes to that)

I got the new Vogue Knitting for spring/summer. I love the lace stuff. While I was at Wal-mart buying a new needle, I also picked up a huge skein of this:


Baby soft acrylic yarn. I usually don't get the acrylic stuff, but this was just too soft to resist.

Oh, and why is it that yarn companies feel only babies would enjoy a yarn so soft and insist that they only make it in pastels?? Huh?? Why?? While I like the minty green color...and will wear pastels without hesitation...I am still more of an earth tone kind of girl when it comes right down to it...more of a neutral. (I'm reminded of the classic Futurama episode. "Tell my wife I said...hello." dies...so funny) But, what are you going to do? As long as babies keep liking pastels (and I'm not so sure they do), yarn companies will make their softest yarns in those appealing Easter egg colors (I like Easter eggs, too). Whatever.

Anyway...with that yarn I am thinking that I will try my hand at this:


Sorry about the "sideways-ness" of the image. I don't know how to rotate it...kind of bothering me, actually. I'm not sure if acrylic yarn will work in a lace pattern simply because of the blocking needs, but I'm going to try. Seriously, the yarn was $2.97! How could I pass it up? If it works, I will have one INCREDIBLY cheap shirt! Wish me luck!

Oh gawd...as if this post were not long enough already! I was at Joann's for the purpose of looking through sewing pattern books and the Butterick patterns were on sale for $1.97! So, I bought 4!!!! Look, look!:


((The dress, not the other stuff))




((The one with the HUGE bow, of COURSE))

I'm going to make them...in the order shown above. When I pick up my tip money tonight, I'm going to run and buy the fabric for that first dress. It's the easiest of all of them. I wonder what fabric I will choose. It calls for a lightweight linen, I think...I just hope they have some in a nice pattern or color. I don't want to make it in that classic linen khaki color, but I will if I have to. I'll let you know how that goes tomorrow (by tomorrow, I mean whenever I get around to posting again).