Last March Madness Update 2009

My Malabrigo March Madness update!

Merino Worsted Projects:
Garter Stitch Mitts, in Peach Tree DONE

Foliage Hat, in Red Java DONE

Cherry Garcia cowl, in Brisa 2 1/2 repeats DONE


Silky Merino Project:
Darkside Cowl, in Indieceta on 2nd repeat


Chunky Projects:
Bella Mittens, in Brisa CAST ON!

March Madness 2009 Update

My Malabrigo March Madness update!

Merino Worsted Projects:
Garter Stitch Mitts, in Peach Tree DONE

Foliage Hat, in Red Java

Cherry Garcia cowl, in Brisa 2 1/2 repeats done


Silky Merino Project:
Darkside Cowl, in Indieceta on 2nd repeat


Chunky Projects:
Bella Mittens, in Brisa

Ravelry: Malabrigo March Madness, 2009

There seems to be a group (sub forum) for just about anything on ravelry.com. Yarn brands are definitely a given, and one of my favourites is the Malabrigo Junkies. It is a wonderful group where you can get help finding the perfect pattern for your lone skein of Malabrigo yarn, whether it is Merino Worsted, Silky Merino, or beta testing Gusanito (I really want to get some of that stuff!). Last March, the group moderators and owners decided it would be fun to see how far up the list of most popular yarns (ravelry keeps a top 10 list based on users projects) we could push Malabrigo Merino Worsted, by casting on projects starting March 1st. We are repeating the madness, only this year, it isn't limited to the Merino Worsted. They have created KALs (knit alongs) for a bunch of patterns, plus a couple of KALs that are more open ended. So here are links to the ravelry project pages for the projects I plan on casting on (and hopefully off!) this month! Merino Worsted Projects: Garter Stitch Mitts, in Peach Tree 50% done Foliage Hat, in Red Java Silky Merino Project: Darkside Cowl, in Indieceta Chunky Projects: Bella Mittens, in Brisa Cherry Garcia cowl, also in Brisa None of these should take more than a few days.. but I am also planing on spinning up a pretty rainbow 2 ply.. so hopefully I'll accomplish all of this! I'll post a picture of all the projects and yarn as soon as the Chunky in Brisa arrives. :)

LSG Traveling Scarves

This February is the one year anniversary of Lazy, Stupid and Godless group on ravelry.com. Don't let the group name fool you! Sure, some of us are lazy (I'd include myself in that category ;) and there might be a few who are stupid (not likely) and of course there are some who are Godless (not me). Why the odd name? Because we are also a group of ravelry members who love to be grownups. We cuss, and tease each other with epitaphs like 'twatweasle', support each other when we need a shoulder to lean on or an ear to bitch in.
From the group overview page:

This group heartily gives thanks to those who asked‘Is Swearing Allowed on
Ravelry?’ In this group you are allowed to talk about any kind of ‘bad’ behavior
you want, as long as you are usually funny.

Treat this group like a long weekend in Vegas, complete with hookers,
craps, and whole bottles of tequila. In other words, what happens in lsg, stays
in lsg.

To celebrate the one year of awesomeness that is lsg, some of us have decided to make traveling scarves. How it works, is that each person starts a scarf then mails it on to the next person, until each person in the group has knitted a 5 inch section (each group has less than 10 members- I think) and it gets back to whomever started the scarf. So not only will I have a finished scarf (actually two, I am knitting on a handspun group and a 'normal/scents ok' group) but it will have been knitted on by a bunch of awesome people :0 I'll have two completely original scarves to keep me warm next fall and winter ..
Here are my two sections I started:

malabrigo worsted Merino yarn in "Peach Tree"

knit on size 7us, cast on 37

Scrunchable Scarf pattern

handspun Merino, "Verdant"

knit on size 9us, cast on 36

Morning Surf scarf pattern

RE:" What to Knit?"

So.. I think I am going to pick up Fitted Knits. There is a cute little shrug (the Two Tone Shrug- contrasting cuff and neckline ribbing) that might fit the bill. I just hope I have enough! And maybe if I knit fast enough (LOL) I can wear it to the family Thanksgiving.

If not, then I like the idea of mittens and a scarf. A 'My So Called Scarf' would be nice in the Peach Tree, then mittens in the Red Java with Peach Tree on the cuffs :) I think I'd make the mittens first, and maybe do the first bit of the scarf with the red java to have it as edging on both ends. My mind is racing! I love the planning stages of knitting! :D

What to Knit?

Ok dear readers... I need some help!

I have these three skeins of Malabrigo Worsted (100% wool).

Peach Tree (2 skeins- 430 yards)



Red Java (1 skein-215 yards)



Do they go together? The colors in the photos are pretty dead on. Also, pattern suggestions? I have been scouring ravelrys' pattern search engine and haven't had any luck. *sigh*

I was thinking of knitting a shrug or short sleeved vest/tank using the red java as the ribbing.. and the peach tree as the body. Maybe something knit sideways and alternate for verticle stripes? Horizontal striping is out (looks baaaaad on me lol)

Thanks for any help!

.

Yarn P0rn

Man, has it been a long time since I shared good yarn! Here is some handspun yarns (spun by me, you can see specs on my ravelry handspun stash page).

And some purchased and traded yarn p0rn
First, sme lovely, soft handspun, handdyed yarn in "Beet" from Foxyie:

Handdyed sock yarn from Miss Babs in "Watermelon" with a little heel/toe skein to match:


Koigu KPPPM, two skeins in a rainbow! From my LYS:


and the following yarns were traded for on ravelry (top to bottom) Artfibers Bitty Buns in color "6", two of them, Malabrigo in "Red Java", and handpaintedyarns.com merino lace (850 yards) in (I believe) "Cactus Flower".

yarn p0rn

ok, first, here is my yarn swift i made! its big, but is works great! mmmmmmalabrigo, peach tree colorway, 2 X 215

artyarns regal silk, sunburst colorway, #135, four hanks. i plan on making a picovoli with this, and using colourmart silk in a canary yellow ( i will probably over dye the colourmart silk with some pink to make it more salmon colored to look better with the regal silk) to add a bit to the bottom of the tee and edging along the neck and sleeves.

some lion brand wool i handdyed using wiltons (of course) violet, royal blue and leaf green. two cakes, 158 yrds each 'lizzy's yarn'

more yummy mmmmmalabrigo, cuarenta colorway, one cake

mmmmalabrigo, alpine pearl colorway, one, 215 yrds

all that yummy goodness! i think the tie-off bits would be great to use to make felted buttons. i just can't bring myself to toss them away!

enjoy the p0rn! i love how soft the malabrigo is, and how supple the silk is. i can't wait to work with both. malabrigo mittens...malabrigo hat and scarf.... silk tee! oh heaven help me!

yarnee yarn and goodies

i got my order from fabulous yarns today!!!

in that wonderful order was four hanks of mmmmmalabrigo (see blog entries below) and my four balls of suri yarn (a so soft blend of alpaca and merino wool). i put together my yarn swap recipients package:










i am sending her the velvet grape colorway, since the pearl colorway was more grays and blues. if you look close to the soap you can see the little cotton soap sock i made her! i also made her four stitch markers. fun! i also threw in some very yummy organic chocolate... who doesnt like chocolate?? she can send it back if she wants too....

happy easter

stash and yarn swaping

i realized today that knitting is a dangerous hobby.

thats right. i said DANGEROUS. be warned!
if you are a hoarder or a pack rat, or just like pretty things, back away slowly from the yarn. put down the needles. put away Elizabeth Zimmermann's opinionated books, dont open the vogue stitchionary. and for goodness sake, do not go to knittinghelp.com! they are all enablers! (i love you guys!)

i love knitting, even if i am achingly slow. i love the feel of the yarn, i love watching the fabric come into being. i love that there are literally endless possibilities when it comes to knitting patterns, stitches, colors, textures. i am in love.

i am a pack rat. i save anything that *might* be useful one day.

which has now manifested itself in the guise of yarn. i need this yarn because i am going to make little faux suede booties . so i ordered it this morning....

and isnt this tank top pretty? i have 6 skeins of lionbrand microspun in mind....

and my dh needs a summer vest for golfing. now i need a pattern, cause i already ordered 10 balls of bamboo sahara yarn.

and i want to knit cool socks. now i need a sock book, cause i already bought 20 balls from jojoland on ebay and 3 more skeins from hancocks on sale.

is there any hope for me??? i think i need more circular needles ...

as for yarn swapping. so fun so far! i am awaiting the beautiful malabrigo to arrive for my yarnee. i bought my yarnee two organic chocolate bars and i am going to make her some pretty stitch markers. i bought some colorful large jump rings and pink beads. i think she will love them (i hope!)

my yarn stash

okay, so that isn't really my stash. i wish! its hand dyed yarn from knit-n-purl zen. her name is roxanne, and her yarns are beautiful. check her out!
here is a quick list, and sometime this week i am going to pull it all out and take a photo. i promise.
6 skiens of lionbrand microspun, black, 168 yrds each
3 skiens of lionbrand magic strips, jelly bean, 330 yrds each
2 skiens of sensations (joanns) rainbow bloucle, blue verigated, and pink verigated, 853 yrds each
4 hanks of malabrigo worsted merino, 4 colorways, 215 yrd each (3 are going to a yarn swapee)
4 balls of suri-merino, 2 fern heather, 2 donagal green, 109 yrds each
10 balls of jojoland wool fingering, all teal/green, 220 yrds each
10 balls of jojoland cashmere merino fingering, a verigated color, 220 yrds each
3+ skiens of red heart soft baby, fizzy print, 430 yrds each
1 skien of red heart super saver, white, 364 yrds
1 skien of red heart, burgandy, not sure on yards
2 skiens of caron simply soft, autumn red, 165 yrds each
2 skiens of bernat sweet stripes, melon. 404 yrds each
and one random ball of acrylic, looks kinda like lionbrand homespun, a white stranded with a varigated corals. probably 150+ yrds