A hat, a sock, and some more

I have knitting, and I can actually show some of it!

First of all, a baby hat:



I have been playing with making self-striping yarn for my Etsy shop, and this is my very first experiment. I think I'll keep playing, and maybe dye some in the Hogwarts House colors.

Then, one sock:



Yup, just one because it is for my LYS - Hollis asked me if I would knit her a sock with JoJoLand Melody. Me? Knitting a sock? Of course! We chose one of JoJoLand pattern, but I felt it was not showing off this gorgeous yarn very well, so I ripped back and decided to go with another pattern (now that I think about it, Hollis does not know this yet), the Lichen Ribbed Sock by Nancy Bush from Knitting Vintage Socks. I think that the 3x1 rib really shows off the yarn. And the heel was pretty interesting too - not sure I liked it, but hey, something new.

For more in the "I can show you this" category, it looks like both Principessa and I will have a new cardi soon:



Snap Cardigan, pattern by Leslie Scanlon, yarn: Pakucho Organic Cotton, for me and



Mia, pattern by Debbie Bliss from the book "Junior Knits", yarn: Cascade Sierra, for Principessa; and it is actually done, I just have to sew up the sides. AND, it counts for my UFO Resurrection 2007, because it was there, in the photo, number 7.

What else? I have been dyeing up a storm, new yarns, like this merino and tencel blend:



or this Blue Faced Leicester:



A lot of it is going to Foreign Strand, all the way to the UK.

Hogwarts Sock Swap Questionnaire

1. What Hogwarts house have you been sorted into?




Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?



2. Shoe size? 8.5
   


3. Foot Length? 9.5
   


4. Foot Circumference? 8
   


5. List your three favorite double-point needle brands, including size and length.
a. Clover Bamboo 7" 2.5 mm (US #1.5)
b. Brittany 5" 2.25 mm (US #1)
c. Bryspun 7.5" 2.75 mm (US #2)


6. Would you like to try a new brand needle? If so, which brand? Size? Length?
   I would love to try the Crystal Palace or the Lantern Moon needles, any size between US #1 and #3 is fine.


7. If you are a RAVENCLAW, do you prefer the colors in the film or the book? Do you have a strong preference?
   I am Gryffindor.


8. Are you willing to have an international Hogwarts Sock Pal?
   Yes

Visual DNA

I saw this on Nathania's blog and here I am:

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

April?

Seriuosly? And where did March go? And if someone finds it, can they check for February too?
This past week has been especially blurry because I fell sick on Sunday night and I slept until Thursday morning. HWME needed to be the "mom" for few days, and he is still shell shocked. I do not think he realized what a number 10 years of full time working mom guilt had done on me, and so how complicated the kids' schedule has gotten this year that I am their full time driver.

There was some knitting while I was sick (not much, HWME was very worried), it's time for the monthly check on my knit-along.

My March projects were:
- Reynolds Dover Pullover
- Debbie Bliss' Mia from the book "Junior Knits"
- Jaywalker
I finished the sleeves of the pullover, I just have to finish the edging of Mia (already picked up the gazilion stitches), and I finish my Jaywalkers:



They have been renamed "the ugly Jaywalker" - have you ever seen more hideous pooling? Knit Picks Sock Garden. So appaling I like them.

The plan for April? Keep working on Mia and finish the Simple Knitted Bodice. The list is getting shorter!

Well, the ugly Jaywalkers are for me - I can't certainly give them to someone else!

Green, pink, and yellow? I am still working on two of my blue projects. Green and yellow are not really my colors, but I have sign-up for the ISE again and I making a scarf with this:

Things that make me happy

A very short phone call I received put me in a very bad mood yesterday. Funny that it bothered me so much because it is really nothing, and I did receive very good news on other matters, so I should have been on cloud nine. Being my usual "I never have enough to do" me, I am trying to launch two businesses at once. My own hand-dyed yarns are going wholesale, and I am opening an imports from Italy business with a friend of mine (we are not going to import yarns, sorry, but, now that I think of it, if I found something when I am over there .....)
So got very good news on both fronts, then the petty whine phone call, and boy, was I unhappy. Solution? Let's concentrate on things that make me happy.

1. Yarn. Enough said.

2. My yarn:



This is 100% Blue Faced Leicester Superwash in sock weight, 3-ply, that I am going to offer in skeins of 90gr/380yds. I fell in love with BFL at Stitches, when I bought a skein at Lisa Souza's booth, and I decided on the spot that I needed to dye some myself. BFL is an especially soft yet strong fiber and has a luster to it that makes colors stand out. I am knitting a mini sock with this colorway, and I am loving it!

3. Finished socks:



Pattern by Nancy Bush from Knitting Vintage Socks
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Icehouse - 1 hank

4. People knitting up my patters - check out The Very Berry T-shirt gallery, and if you have knit one (or any other of my patterns), please send me a photo!

Got milk?

Kimono
Pattern by Jill Eaton from Minnies, Quickknits for Babies and Toddlers
Yarn: SWTC Craft, 35% Milk Fiber 65% Organic Cotton - 3 balls
Needles: US #6
Size: 0-3 months

I got socks!

I received the final package from my wonderful sock-ret pal, Maggie:



If you could see the goodies now you would see that I have drank the tea (so good) with the mug, the soap is in my shower and my feet love the lotion, I have read most of the book, and while I am searching for the perfect place for the glass ornament, the socks are on my feet!



They fit perfectly, my favorite color, so soft.

Thank you so much, Maggie!

One sock, two socks ..... six socks?

How did I end up with six different pair of socks on the needles? Spring is in the air? No, that's not it, because it is more like "summer is in the air" around here these days I do not even like summer (too much light.) I think the culpit is this darn jacket:



See, I told myseff that I was not allowed to start another cardigan for myself until I finish this one (I started it in November 2005). But do I want to rip those fronts once again and re-knit them? Oh, yeah, sure, let me do it right now. As soon as I am done with this sock. And the other ones. And while I am at it, Paperino wants red socks (he was going for this, and he does not even like green, what's up with him and nice sock yarn? Other kids go in their mom's closet to play dress-up, he goes there to pet my yarn.)



I started the sock toe-up with all intention of making socks for him, but this stuff is so nice I want it for me it is almost summer here so he is better off with cotton socks - a ball of Cascade Fixation from the store and we are all set. So:
1. Jaywalker in Knit Picks Sock Garden - I still do not know how and why I am making those, I swear, you do not pay attention for a minute, and a pair of Jaywalker jumps on your needles!
2. Infant's Fancy Silk Sock by Nancy Bush from Knitting Vintage Socks in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Icehouse - making those only because I had just one skein in that color.
3. Gentleman's Fancy Sock by Nancy Bush from Knitting Vintage Socks in Trekking XXL in #140 (kind of because I did not read the pattern so I am not making them much shorter.)
4. Lace Mock Cable Socks in Lana Puras Melosa (and these are the ones I should be working on since they are for One Planet Yarn and Fiber and I do have a deadline.)
5. Calze Rosse in Filatura di Crosa "Zarina"
6. Cascade Fixation socks for Paperino
7. Sampler sock, just because I dye and sell yarn and when it is gone, is gone:



Six pair of socks at various stages. And, I spent Friday and Saturday swatching for socks that I want to make with the Shelridge yarns I bought at Stitches. The only reason why I haven't started them yet is the one of the charts I was swatching drove me crazy. It's from an Italian collection of stitches I have, and the English translation of an Italian pattern or stitch chart would be, "Just figure it out!"
I am not kidding. You want more than one size? Why? Can't you do math? You want all the rows in the chart? Why? Isn't it obvious how you should knit the wrong side? No, of course, it is not all purls, even a child can see that. It's k1, p1, but not all the wrong rows. Some are different, I am sure you'll figure it out, you have the picture, right?
So while I was cursing (in Italian, I still cannot do it effectively in English), I had the epiphany above: I am casting on more and more socks to avoid the cursed jacket.
I am litterally dreaming of making something else for me. After seeing Cara's Ariann, I decided that I need one. So I bought the pattern at Stiches, found the right yarn in my stash, and set it aside because I have finished the jacket yet. Then I saw Cara's (again!) Central Park Hoodie, I found the right yarn again in my stash (is it scary, isn't it? pretty much anything I want to make, I have the yarn for it already), and set it aside.
Then last, when I was about to cast on for socks #8 and #9, I told myself why don't I cast for two cardigans instead? that it is summer already here, I have no use for a wool cardigan even if I finish it, so why don't I make myself a cotton cardi since I desperately need one? Wow, that sounds so rational, I am proud of myself. So, this what I am making:



Snap Cardigan, designed by Leslie Scanlon. I am using Pakucho Organic Cotton (Do I need to say it? From my stash.)

And maybe that will stop me from casting on more socks.

Other people's knitting

It seems that knitters out there do knit my patterns, I have proof:



sent by no-blog Shelley. And she made it in record time, too!

And I have spotted several modelli Giuditta here (how cute are the rabbit shaped button and the ribbon?), here, and here (I love the edge!)

So exciting!

And you maybe won't notice I have nothing to report about my knitting.

The Very Berry T-shirt Errata

The lace pattern on MagKnits is wrong, it should read:

Lace Pattern

Multiple of 14 sts
Rnd 1: k1, yo, k5, s1, k2tog, psso, k5, yo.
Rnd 2: Knit.
Repeat rnds 1-2.

Stash and burn

A week or so ago, or maybe more since I think it's January and the calendar says March, I started listening to Stash and Burn, a podcast based in San Francisco. The two hostesses, Nicole and Jenny, are funny, nice, smart, and on topic. I really like their podcast, the fact that they are from around here, and that they are on a stash consumption mission.
Many knitters think that stash can be viewed as a "collection", with "core stash" that will be never be used, and "memory stash" that is a souvenir from some special place. Nicole and Jenny do not subscribe to this philosophy, and I have come to the conclusion that I do not either.
When I look at yarn that has been in my stash for many year some time, I think it must feel so sad and disappointed, lying there waiting to become something. It's a dream that has not come true, an unfulfilled promise. I bought the yarn telling it, "I'll make this or that with you". And then I didn't. Poor yarn.
Jenny and Nicole made a spreadsheet with all their yarn. What a good idea, I thought, I'll do it too. I have photos of (almost) all my stash, but I can't believe I have not a spreadsheet!
So I made one. With yarn, yardage per ball, number of balls, total yardage. And I looked at the total yardage: 86,933 yards. That's a lot, right? Yards mean nothing to me, but then someone reminded me that a yarn is pretty much a meter. 80 km? Holy yarn! Knit from Your Stash 2006? Make that "Knit from you Stash until 2020!"
In a feeble attempt of reducing the magnitude of the discovery, I have assigned a lot of it to "projects". Like writing "Central Park Hoodie" in the "Jaeger Shetland Aran in #38 (lilac)" row makes 10 balls (1800 yds) go away.
Like I do not have 13 projects on the needles already.
I started 2007 with 16 projects, and if there is something sadder than unused yarn, that is project languishing around with no hope of being completed. I frogged 4 projects since I joined UFO Resurrection 2007, and completed 4 more. It is time now to choose my projects for March:
- Reynolds Dover Pullover
- Debbie Bliss' Mia from the book "Junior Knits"
- Jaywalker
The Jaywalker are for me, so they count for the "It's NOT a Gift" KAL - I am really doing poorly in that one. The only project for me I have worked on in 2007 is the doomed Debbie Bliss Simple Jacket, doomed because ...... the collar is still wrong. I sewed together the fronts and the back and tried it on. The collar does not look right, again. I know what I have to do: rip those darn fronts and try again.
And I know what I'll do: I'll put the jacket in time out until I am ready to deal with it again. And cast on for Adriann. 1,250 yards.

Random

Busy life makes a lousy blogger, so here it is, almost a week of posts in one shot, completely random.

Monday, Feb 26

I have become addicted to Swap-Bot, like I needed it. But the concept of one time swap, instead of keeping the commitment for months, fits my life better right now. The last package I received was from Sherrin for the Snobby Single Skein Swap:



Two skein of Patons Classic Merino, two fingerless gloves patterns (so I can choose), cable needle, DPNs, stitch markers, tapestry needles, she did not forget anything!

Thank you, Sharrin!

Tuesday, Feb 27

Guess who came by the FTA booth to say hi at Stitches? My Sock-ret Pal spoilee, Louise:



She came all the way up from Minnesota, wearing the socks I sent her.

Wednesday, Feb 28

The pattern for those socks will up on One Planet Fiber soon. As soon as I knit another pair with this:



Lanas Puras Melosa Fingering Weight in Fantasy - soft as butter, can't wait to swatch!

Thursday, March 1

New Magknits is up, with Principessa modelling the Very Berry T-shirt:



I took that photo almost a year ago, and she has grown so much. Remember this? Let's not go there, please.
Magknits states that the t-shirt is shown in Lana Grossa Point Print. The one Principessa wears is in Lana Grossa Point Print, but the one at the bottom of the page is in SWTC Amaizing.

Friday, March 2

My Project Spectrum projects for February/March:



Trekking XXL socks, Sugar Maple Shawl in my hand-dyed cashmere, and Infant's Fancy Silk Sock (pattern by Nancy Bush from Knitting Vintage Socks) in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Icehouse.

Coming soon, It's Not a Gift, Knit from Your Stash, and UFO Resurrection 2007 updates.

I have been good

I was at Stitches yesterday and I have been so good. Well, let's face it, it is easy to be good when you work at a LYS and hence get the employee discount - it really does not make much sense to me to buy from others. And I am not saying much because I do not want to steal the thunder from Hollis, but she is doing four or five awesome "cash and carry" today from various vendors - I am really excited!

But back to my purchase, my first stop was the Shelridge Farm booth - Cookie and Kristi often mention their yarns so I needed to try them:



Shelridge Farm Soft Touch Heather and Ultra - I must say they are true to their names, so soft!
Speaking of Cookie, I bought all of her patterns, to save myself the trouble of choosing:



and this uber-cute baby sweater pattern from Kristi:



The Bay Area Knit Coop booth was next to Purlescence:



Claudia Handpainted Worsted in Shark, and ChicKnit Ariann (paper copy for the same price of the pdf!)

Next stop, Lisa Souza:



The one in red is Blue Faced Leicester, and Lisa told me it's pronounced "lester" - and she agreed that it is weird (I mean, where did the "c" go?). I have been wanting to see BFL for a while, and wow, it is shiny and soft, you would think it is a blend of merino and silk. The other two are merino superwash sport.

And that's it. Since sock yarn it is not stash, just one skein.

It's going to be one of those posts

It's going to be one of those posts in which all you see are photos and photos of gifts I have received - boring, I know, but my partner in various swaps I have joined have been so generous and kind, they do deserve public thanks. So, in chronological order:



Crazy Afghan Square from Ruth. Isn't it beautiful? Thank you so much, Ruth!



Next up, a package from hockeymom-lj for the Sassy Sock Yarn Swap:



She sent me two skeins of Ditto yarn in a colorway that is definitely "me" - and needles, stitch markers, and candies for the kids. I have never used this yarn before and I am looking forward to try it. Thank you!

Last but not least is the package from Beth for the Special Swap Lynne organized - and a very special package indeed!



That is the content of the box very ungracefully dumped on the dining table - look how many packages!



Note cards, needles huggers, and beautiful stitch markers:



Tea and cantucci - yum!



Dish-cloths she made for me:



A book I wanted:



My favorite candies:



And of course, yarn:



We both laughed about the CTH, because check here what I did send her!

Thank you so much, Beth, for the wonderful package, and thank you, Lynne, for organizing the swap!

I am done!

Remember when I declared my February project for the UFO Resurrection 2007 knit-along? I am done with them! (We shall not talk about the fact that I have not finished the making of my January project, I have worked on it in January and that's what is required by the knit-along rules).



Sweater for my niece, pattern from Jimmy Bean's Wool, yarn Tess' Designer Yarn Superwash Merino.



Socks for Principessa, yarn Handpainted Sunshine Yarns Watermelon. And yes, they are identical, and Principessa is pointing that out to everybody.

This UFO Resurrection 2007 deal really rocks, not only because I am finishing stuff, but because I am giving myself permission to frog projects that are not inspiring me anymore. Rule #2 of the KAL says that each month we should post about the chosen project(s) and state if we will work on it or frog it. So there, a light went on in my head: I do not have to finish all my UFO's, I can send to the frog pond the ones I fell out of love with. Of the 16 projects I had at the beginning of 2007, only 8 are left standing!

I am down to only 9 projects on my needles, it has to be a historical minimum - better cast on for two or three before people start wondering what's wrong with me!

Three weird things

I have been tagged by Rita for the six weird things about me meme - I have not forgotten about that, but I am having troubles to find six weird things. Not that I am that normal, but the weird stuff about me would be considered completely normal here. Like, I have 500 balls of yarn. Muggles would think that I am crazy, you guys know it's normal. Same for my 14 miles of sock yarn.

So, I came up with three things:

1. I can't stand pealing pineapple, the idea of it makes me sick to my stomach. I can eat pineapple after someone else has taken away the skin, but cutting off the skein. Ugh, I am starting to feel sick.

2. I do not like garlic. And I am Italian. People think that being Italian and not liking garlic is weird, but the truth is, there is not that much garlic in Italian food (the Italian food you find in Italy, I mean.)

3. I can't stand sunlight. While everybody else is so happy it is sunny outside, I want to crawl under a rock. Then when it is dark, I am all happy and energized. I love winter when it is dark at 4 pm. One reason for this is that my eyes are very sensitive to light, and the other is that I am just a night owl, I just do better at night.

So there you have it, 3 weird things about me. Feel free to add to it in the comments if you have noticed (and I am sure you have) more weird things of mine (I am sure the list is never ending, but these three are the only ones I think noteworthy).

And consider yourself tagged.

Forgetfulness and silliness

Yesterday I completely forgot to mention meeting Cara of january one on Friday night - Nathania took photo of us (new camera) and posted about it so go there and read. Silly me brought a sock with her. That's not silly, the silly part is that I had four socks to choose from:



and what did I choose? The one in purple, that I am designing, i.d. I wrote a lace pattern in Excel to see if it could work. And I proceed to read the chart upside down for several rounds.
Note to myself: out with friends? Pick a mindless sock.

Lots of mail and one FO

Almost a week with no posts? Bad blogger, very bad blogger.
I'll skip the excuses and I'll dive right into mail calls and thank you's.

I have received three of my four afghan squares of the Crazy Afghan Squares #2. Wendy sent me a very nice package, so nice I thought it was from my SP9:


Slide the mouse over to see the square and the goodies.

She definitely did more than required!

Dashenka and Cassandra sent me two beautiful squares as well:



Speaking of my SP9, I finally know who she is. She sent me a final package with a letter:



Like I said before, Sally was a wonderful SP, and I looking forward to keeping in touch with her.

One last package I received this week was a Valentine's package from my Sockret Pal:



"Pretty yarn, and it is soft!", says Principessa. Thank you, Sockret Pal, I love it too!

Just because I would not want you all think that all I do is receive packages, I have a FO that I can actually show:



The famous EZ Baby Surprise Jacket in Lorna's Laces Sport, and no, 3 oz of sport weight yarn are not enough and I had to buy a second skein. While I think it is very fun to see the jacket emerge from this weird object I was knitting, I did not enjoy making it. Garter stitch is the knitting equivalent of a lobotomy, and I do not like the look of it. And I hate to count stitches, and the instructions are all in the form "when you have ### stitches do this or that" - just shoot me now.

It's February

Someone must have stolen January, or maybe I just misplaced it - my family suggested it could be in my stash.
February, so ..... Project Spectrum. February/March is Blue, White, Gray, and I am starting with blue:



DK weight cahsmere almost solid, hand dyed by me, 1,000 yards of it. I have looked at all my book to find a shawl pattern for it, and then it struck me, why not my shawl? The original one is at the store, and it's not really my color, so ..... my shawl for me. Because this knitting for me business is not going too well - look at the finished projects 2007? Do you see anything for me? I don't. The Debbie Bliss Simple Jacket with Collar? Still waiting for the final touches. But I did work on it in January, so it does qualify for UFO Resurrection 2007. I was really good in January with this UFO business:



1. Debbie Bliss Simple Jacket with Collar from Book 2
2. Reynolds Dover Pullover
3. Inspiration Scarf - DONE!
4. Logcabin Blanket
5. Larkspur Hat
6. Simple Knitted Bodice
7. Debbie Bliss' Mia from the "Junior Knits"
8. Lacy Scarf - FROGGED
9. Jimmy's Baby Gift Sweater Set
10. Twin Set
11. Tiger Eye Lace Scarf
12. Foot in the Door socks
13. Jaywalker
14. Watermelon Socks
15. Sock-ret socks - DONE!
16. Lake Taneycome Sunset Socks - FROGGED

I frogged two projects and finished one. Now it is time to lay put my February plan - let's attack #9 (Jimmy's Baby Gift Sweater Set) and #14 (Watermelon Socks).

Blogger's (Silent) Poetry Reading

Mattina
Santa Maria La Longa il 26 gennaio 1917

M'illumino
d'immenso.

Giuseppe Ungaretti

Modello Giuditta