She must be insane

My Knitty SP7 must be a mad woman. Let me ask you, if you had 4 hanks of beautiful cashmere/merino blend, would you send it to a stranger across the globe? Be honest. I think it qualify as "insanity". Don't get me wrong, I am really happy to have such an insanely generous pal, but when I opened this box:



and my kids started to scream, I want the treats, I want the Japanese treats, I was expecting fabulous gifts, as usual, not insanely fabulous gifts.



1520 yards of cashmere/merino, that are screaming Icarus to me. And sock yarn:



that I really love (even with the pink and the blue, she knows what I am talking about).

So, what can I add more? I rest my case. She is insane.

I am alone in the house

And it feels so surreal, it never happens to me. Or at least not in the last 10 years.
Since I quit my corporate job at the end of July, the kids have been home with me, so no alone time whatsoever. Then last week they started school again and I do wonder again if there a black hole in my life that sucks in all the time of my day. If the kids are in school, shouldn't I have more free time? No, it does not look like.

But today, let me tell you about today. Kids in school, I am not at the store, no PTA or Foundation meetings, I am home. Alone. So you all know what I am doing, right?
Laundry. The black hole sucks time and spits out dirty laundry.

This black hole phenomenon is worth study, I think. Maybe I'll just walk up the road to the SLAC and ask them if they want to come and take a look. It should be up their alley, right?

In the meanwhile, I have a new knitting obsession, clothes for dolls:



They are even better than baby clothes, because they are smaller and dolls do not have sensitive skin. I think. I would not be that surprised if Principessa were to inform me that Chicchina can wear only organic cotton and handspun merino.

And I have joined another knit-along, for the Simple Knitted Bodice, this Lily from my stash is screaming for it:



I thought I could start another project, or two, or three, since I have finished my Midwest Moonlight scarf. No photo yet, I have left it at the store. I think. I hope.

Socks socks socks

A while ago I read on Michelle's blog about the Whenever club and it seems such a good idea that I joined.
While I was in my Yahoo groups, I decided to check on the Six Sock Knitalong, and guess what?
The August 2006 pattern is Michelle's, so I had to make it.

Even if you can count three socks on the needles.

So I dived into my sock yarn box and I came out with this, Lake Taneycome Sunset handpainted yarn. I received this gorgeous yarn as part of the Project Spectrum Handpainted Sock Yarn Exchange that Zarah organized and I was waiting for the right pattern for it. I think I found and I casted this morning, toe-up. I am even using yellow needles, and that cracks me up - I am easily amused, sometimes.

Speaking of socks, have you seen these? Deb has knit my handpainted yarn I sent her a while ago. I think those socks are beautiful, but I may be biased.


Anyway, while we are still on the subject of socks, I am have found a new love in the sock yarn department, Toasty Toes. It is truly one of the best sock yarn I have worked with so far, I am so happy I yanked the sock off Hollis after she neglected it for months.

Finishing Streak

I have been in a "I want this to be done and not see it again" mode all week, so there, I finished my Tivoli, and the Shining Star hat to boot:



Of course, I am yet to weave all the ends in and block Tivoli, but it's done, and it is for me, isn't that amazing?

Then I finished Paperino's HP scarf:



Not only that, but I finalized the Sugar Maple Shawl pattern, and the pattern for Mantellina. I even found a model for the 2-years old version I knitted a while ago, my best friend and model's daughter - everybody is photogenic in that family.

So, high on that fact that I have knit something for me, I casted for Midwest Moonlight last night, with some Lion and Lamb that has been in my stash for a while:



and I swatched my Pakucho Organic Cotton



I originally bought this to make the Suspension Cardigan and Tank, but I am afraid of making a top for me in 100% cotton. Even if the pattern calls for 100% cotton, I know it will sag. I think that what I need for that is some Lana Grossa New Cotton or Point. But it is August, so the Pakucho wanted to be swatched anyway. Cropped cardi maybe.

My true love yarns

Elspeth tagged me with the "my true love yarns" meme, so here I go:

1. Karabella Aurora (any of them, worsted, bulky, whatever)
2. Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport and Sock
3. Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb (yes, Lorna's Laces deserves a triple mention)
3. SWTC Karaoke
4. Lana Grossa Toccata
5. Malabrigo
6. Koigu KPPPM
7. Vesper Sock Yarn
8. Claudia Handpainted Fingering
9. Curious Creek Nakuru
10. Noro Lily

There, consider yourself tagged.

And, just to clarify something about the previous post, the disease I have right now is a weird "not wanting to buy much yarn" syndrome. Buying yarn is healthy. Yarn is mostly sugar and fat free, and it contains a lot of fiber.

It has its perks

Working in a yarn store has its advantages, and the biggest one, in HWME's book, is that I do not buy that much yarn anymore. Actually, I haven't told him that because, you know, I do not want him to get used to it, I do not buy yarn, period. Yep, look to your left, 467 balls of yarn, remember when I was close to 600? The causes of this strange desease are multiple:

1. I am not chained to a desk and a computer all day long, mostly bored, with the only diversion of going online and buying yarn
2. I am in a yarn store for 4 hours a day, yarn overload syndrome.
3. Actually, I am working on the database of the yarn store for almost 4 hours everyday. Worse yarn overload syndrome.
4. The yarn is there, always. I do not have to bring it home today, it will be there tomorrow too. And the day after. And the month after. For ten years at least.

So what about the bamboo? Well, the so-mentioned store has a sale for $3 per ball, and guess what? I am cured! Almost cured, I bought 7 balls, and I rang someone for 42 balls on Monday night.
BTW, sorry I made you click, but it is not an internet sale.

5. Hollis keeps shoving yarn at me. And someone has to shove you with something, I highly reccomend yarm, it is soft and cushy. So I am not complaining, look what landed at my place last week, to join the party of yarn for three socks, one twin set, one sweater, and I am sure I am forgetting something, too lazy to check the bin where I store all of it.


So, you see, I won't be cured any time soon.

My Fabulous Summer Fling

My Knitty Summer Fling, the fabulous Trillian42 sent me the most amazing package. Inside the package there was this beautiful basket:



filled with gifts and a beautiful card:



She made stitch markers for me and sent me tea, a personalized bookmark, a beautiful needles holder and not one, but two hanks of Artist Merino Sock, that I have been wanting to try forever:



She explained that I got two hanks because she could not decide which one she liked better (like there is need of an explanation for sending more yarn), and I must say, I cannot say it which one I like better either:



THANK YOU SO MUCH, Trillian42, I was so worth the wait!

I was not lying

Remember when I said that I had finished my stashbuster shawl in Italy? Here, look, I was not lying.

It was a not quick but mindless knit, Lion Brand Cotton-Ease and Inspiration Yarns, yes, I know, like pizza and champagne, but Principessa loves it. I can't say I liked to work with the boucle', let's be honest, I hated it, but the colorways are amazing.

I was looking at this the other day, in my box of single skeins, and it screamed "Tiger Eye Lace Scarf " as loud as it could. So there, it is on my list.

Karaoke Skinny Thing

The Karaoke Skinny Thing is done.
A perfect stashbuster if not that knitting it made me want to make a striped sweater with each stripes combination I tried. Can't decide which one I like best. Well, do not like red and black, too Milan. If you are born in Italy, the soccer clubs colors will influence your color preferences forever, no way around it. Giallo rosso will never be Gryffindor for me.
Since I have been good for 63 days, I'll bring this into the store today and not plan to make a striped cardi.
But I can dive into my chest and dig out this. I believe I had a Noro pattern planned for it, so that it can be soft and beautiful instead of scratchy and beautiful.

Stitch & Pitch

A couple of Saturdays ago we went to see the SJ Giants Stitch & Pitch event, sponsored by FTA. There, you can see Principessa with Hollis and her family - Paperino refused to let Gigante (the gorilla) come near him, and who can blame him?
So, I get the whole stitch & pitch thing, but I can't help but wonder how the people who are not knitting can get through more than three hours of something that goes like this: throw ball, nothing happens; throw another ball, nothing happens; throw another ball, buy beer; oh, look, someone is walking from one base to the other, aren't they supposed to run?
Yes, I know, I am so European ........

Knits in Progress

I do keep a list with all my WIPs, but somehow I always managed to forget some of them, because too quick to make it on the list, or just because I am afraid people will think I am nuts. But then I get house cleaning urges, and I round up stuff. And pause.

1. Tivoli, been on the list for a while, I am at the waist decreases.

2. Karaoke Skinny Thing - I started this on Friday night, it may not make it on the list if it is done today.

3. Swatch for a sweater, still in designing phase

4. Embossed Leaves Socks, toddler version, why not on the list?

5. Slipped-Stitch Rib Socks from Sensational Knitted Socks in Toasty Toes - I got this on Friday.

6. HP Scarf in Karabella Aurora Bulky, still in the queue.

7. Tube Socks from Socks, socks, socks in CTH Supersock, never made it to the list.

KnittySP7 Gifts

Today I received a package from my Knitty SP7, who lives in Japan and sent me Japanese goodies, wonderful Merino lace in my favorite color, beautiful chopsticks, and a Shetland lace pattern I can't wait to start.
With the wonderland Merino lace she sent me.
Did I mention in my favorite color? It deserves a close-up!

Thank you so much,
Secret Pal!

A Black Hole

I thought I have it figured it out, the answer to my question. Jennifer gave me an hint, she gets up before the kids. Sorry, can't do that, I am not a morning person, and at least one of them seems to be. Bad karma, I think, I must be guilty of something. But I ship them to bed between 8:30 and 9, and I am a night owl, so I can just bring my laptop to bed with me, and blog, read, while HWME watches TV. Sounds like a plan?

Kind of, because then, when I am going to knit? Evenings are my knitting time. I swear, there a black hole phenomenon going on around here and it is swallowing my time.
I am happy I do not have to knit the second one of this baby, sample for the store, so who needs two? And yes, I joined the staff, like Hollis keeps telling everybody referring to me as "a published designer" and I keep looking over my shoulder to see whom she is talking about, but it's only four hours every morning while the children are in school. So, again, my black hole theory.

The Fingerless Mitten is from One Skein and the yarn is Glimmer from The Alpaca Yarn Company in bronze. And school starts the third week of August, but my in-laws are visiting. They want time with the kids and Hollis will lie for me and say that she really needs at the store. She is nice that way.

So, how do you do it?

I am wondering, how people who do not have a job find time to blog, read other people's blogs, check the Knittyboard, shop online for yarn, and so on? Because since I am not tied to a desk and a computer all day long, I really do not have time. I swear, I think I arrived home five minutes ago at 2 pm and now it is 3:25, and I won't have time to finish this, or upload the three photos I want to show you, because I need to go to the park.

Tough life.

Planning the rest of my life

So, no more corporate job for me. My boss, ex-boss now, told me that she hopes the kids will drive me crazy so I'll go back. Well, they have not driven me crazy yet, but I can tell that doing stuff with them is definitely more tiresome than sitting all day in front of the computer. I made Amy laugh last night at knit-night when I told her I was so tired because I haven't gone to work.

So, list of stuff to do?

- Clean the garage
- Work on the front yard
- Going to Ikea to buy a book shelf for Paperino's room
- Cooking, if I manage to remember how

List of important stuff to do?

- Write out the two three patterns that are in various phases of sketching, knitting, completed
- It's Neutrals, Black & White month, I have three projects in various shades of browns that need to be completed on my needles.
- Check out the August issue of MagKnits
- These
- X-mas presents, is it August already?