Yarn Coma

Bad Blogger

2012-09-26T12:42:00.001-07:00

Bad, bad blogger I have been.

I couldn't bear the silence in my little corner of the internet for another second. In part because I need to take control as I feel myself spinning into the, "zomgoodness I need to knit all of the things. I need to start this. I need to finish this. I need to sew buttons on this, this, and thing."

I'm here to take back control.

As autumn winds sweep through the streets of Philly, suddenly it is knitting season. The store has been busy all week (which is WONDERFUL) and I have been a frantic blur of pushing yarn into the hands of customers (ask knitting friends and coworkers alike: I am a big, bad bully pusher), seaming things, training a new employee and teaching my first set of classes. Yep, that's right. I taught a knitting class! I was terrified and felt like such a failure that first night, but I am so glad I stuck with it. Seeing everyone with their finished (or almost finished) hats at the end of week 6 was so satisfying. And I'm set to teach a cast-ons/mistake fixing workshop this Sunday. It's been crazy!

Summer is (seemingly) on its last leg and I couldn't be more excited. Fall has always been my favorite and it's hard for me to not feel inspired and animated. This could be my last autumn on the East Coast and I am determined to see as and do as much as I possibly can. I'll be attending Rhinebeck this year, which has been this Midwesterner's dream for years, and hoping to go back to Massachusetts to see the leaves change. Factor in a trip home in mid-October and the next month is shaping up to be crazy in the best way possible. And all the pumpkin baking...let's not even go there.

In terms of knitting, I haven't been finishing ANYTHING. This summer I knit three sweaters, two of which still need buttons, have FOUR(!) more sweaters that pretty much just need sleeves, a design journal with pages of things waiting to be knit up, and more neck things in my queue than I could ever need. Can you see my need for control? It doesn't help that I spend 4-5 days a week working at a wonderful shop full of beautiful yarns. But after last week's bonanza $2 Manos del Uruguay yarn sale (yep. $2), I decided I should probably figure out what to do with some of the yarn I have amassed over the course of this year.

Shapely Boyfriend by Stephanie Japel

My most recent cast on. When $2 Manos arrived at the store, you had better believe that I was diving through those boxes before my boss was even out the door. I managed to score 7 skeins of Wool Clasica in a beautiful purple quite similar to 71 Wisteria. The color is slightly lighter than the one pictured below, which is why it was on sale in the first place.

Shapely Boyfriend has been in my queue for awhile now and since I already have a sweater in O-Wool Classic on the needles (and needing sleeves...), I decided that my bargain Wool Clasica would be perfect for that. I've only used Clasica once before, but let me tell you something: EVERYONE should possess a sweater in Wool Clasica. So soft and woolly, it's one of those things you just can't wait to finish. I'm actually wishing for it to be colder just so that I can wear this sweater when it's done. In the meantime, I will have to crank the AC and use my WIP as a blanket.

BFF COWL by Ysolda and Tiny Owl Knits

This next project is silly. And I love it. I have plans to knit this with one of my besties from college. We met in Illinois and fate has carried us to opposite coasts, with Lizzie in San Francisco and myself in Philadelphia. She works in a yarn shop too and while it's fun to ask my visiting Californian customers to pass on my love to her (true story! One of them actually did :D), this is the perfect little thing for two dorky knitters to do together. And while we probably won't get to have cute photoshoots together, for awhile, at least, we can have fun together while we work on them. I know Lizzie is planning on using Malabrigo Twist in Applewood for her yarn choice, but mine hasn't quite popped out at me yet. I'm thinking some Manos Maxima from my stash might be perfect, but which one?

Shocking?

Oxygen?

I'm sure I can figure out some way to photoshop some dorky cowl picture of us. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

Maxfield Cardigan by Amy Christoffers

My love for anything Amy Christoffers continues. I started a Pomme de Pin awhile back, but the pattern kind of made me angry due to shifting stitches and other stupid things. So it has become another sweater in need of sleeves and a collar. I think the other part of it is that I feel out of love with the color halfway through and that has deterred me from sucking it up and finishing it. For this one, you are going to need to use your imagination a little bit.

Imagine this a little lighter/more like an "electric" navy

and this a smidddddge more lilac

Bam! Well, that's the tentative plan. I do love the look of the multi-color contrast, but how much will I really wear it if it's like that? Unless Lorna's Laces wants to pack up some Pocket Square and Cookie's Deep Dark Secret and send it my way. Pretty please? This yarn is Silk Blend by Manos and it feels sooo nice. Have I mentioned lately that I have "seen the light" and will praise Manos del Uruguay until the cows come home? Because I will. The only yarn I haven't used by them at this point is Lace and that is on the agenda for someday.

Avery by Melissa LaBarre

While I've been eyeing many of the Quince & Co. patterns for awhile now, Avery is the one that jumps and begs to be made sooner rather than later. Melissa LaBarre is another designer whose work I admire immensely, though I've never actually made any of her designs. I need a big squishy cowl to wrap around my neck this season and I can't wait to start this one.

Kelly green Rittenhouse

...in, you guessed it, another Manos del Uruguay yarn. This time it's Rittenhouse, a yarn that was recently discontinued (may she RIP). I have never seen yarn hoarding like I did with this one. Between the staff and loyal customers, I can bet we each have at least 20 skeins sitting in our stashes.

Aethercopter by Jocelyn Tunney

Last, but certainly not least, there is Aethercopter. I have been wanting to knit this for YEARS, but it's proving tricky to find the most perfect yarn. I absolutely love Balance, the yarn called for, but I can't choose a color. And trying to find something with that same look is difficult.

O-Wool Balance in Smokey Quartz

Fibre Co Savannah in Woodsmoke

Hmm. Decisions, decisions. Or I might just cast on for it in my one true love: TWEED.

One thing is certain: this is going to be a wonderful and woolly winter. And this post was, apparently, brought to you by Manos del Uruguay ;P Whoops.

Summer in the city

2012-06-20T08:30:00.002-07:00

Summer has fallen upon Philly with a vengeance this week and it makes me glad to be sitting inside right now. I've labeled these past two weeks as "get it DONE" weeks and have managed to make some progress not just on knitting projects, but I've also managed to get motivated with a few life goals.

Part of my absence is due to the fact that we went to Hawaii (Kauai, to be exact) for almost two weeks. It was truly an amazing experience and I managed to cross off a few things on my life list.

...including jumping out of an airplane (by choice). Skydiving was probably the most exhilarating and terrifying things I will ever do. The whole experience was so completely indescribable and it all happened so fast. I've been wanting to skydive since I was 16 or so, but I'm so glad I waited, as Kauai was the perfect place. The folks at Skydive Kauai were very professional and you can tell they take things very seriously. Don't be fooled by their rinky dink plane :)

I've also resumed getting my fitness on. We spent a lot of time being active in Kauai and it kind of kickstarted me towards getting back into running. Over the past three weeks I have managed to workout 5-6 days each week and I feel great. I haven't really noticed any changes, but I feel better about myself. Staying hydrated is one of the goals I need to work on, but that varies from day to day. I'm also considering signing up for the Philadelphia Half-Marathon in November, but that might be a bit too overambitious.

Maybe.

But enough about that. Let's get to the knitting. I've become overwhelmed lately by the amount of yarn I have/the amount of yarn I've been buying, so I'm on a one woman sweater mission. I would like to not have to buy any sweaters this fall/winter and I have been trying *so* hard to not get sucked in by accessories. How many cowls/shawls/hats does one lady need?!

Last week I finished my Delancey cardigan (by Alexis Winslow) and spent Monday night weaving in all 52 ends. 52(!) ends. Since starting, I have inspired two coworkers to knit this sweater and I can't wait for us to all look fabulous in them together. It really is the perfect sweater. Once this bad boy finishes drying (2 days and counting) I will be sure to post better pictures. I have good feelings about this one...it just may be the first sweater I have knit for myself AND liked.

This sweet little garter yoke baby cardigan has been waiting to be finished for months now. I started when there was still a nip in the air (gosh, when did I start this?) and now it's the longest day of the year. It should be no surprise to anyone that it sat knit and blocked for a month or two, just waiting for those buttons to be sewn on. And how I love these buttons:

Unfortunately, I think the intended baby is now too big :( SO. Somebody needs to have a baby now.

Another sweater that is "on the verge" of being abandoned is my Pomme de Pin cardigan. Can we just take a moment to discuss how awesome Amy Christoffers is? I think I have 4-5 of her patterns queued right now and this is the first I've actually sat down to knit. This sweater definitely had a rocky start and I have fudged too many times to count, but it just might be the squishiest thing I've ever knit. I'm using RYC Cashsoft DK (same as the baby sweater) and I'm loving it. As much as I love the scratchiness of "real" wool, a girl needs a little squish every now and then. I have a few rows of the fronts left and then it's on to the sleeves/border. Here's hoping it's done before fall ;)

And the final sweater on my needles is this RIDICULOUS Featherweight Cardigan. I snagged a bag of deep discount Koigu from Rosie's and cast on as soon as I realized I would have enough. I'll be elongating this one by a few inches, hoping it can reach full length cardigan status. Hannah Fettig is another favorite of mine and this is another first for me. The featherweight has been in my queue since I joined Ravelry, so it was only a matter of time. For being a sock weight cardigan, this sure has gone by fast.

The frantic need to knit MOAR has been heightened because one of my favorite new yarns is being discontinued and I have to fight the urge to stockpile it all away.

Manos del Uruguay Rittenhouse...may she rest in peace. I may or may not have picked out 4 sweaters that I "need" to make using Rittenhouse, but I will save that for next time. No good will come from that.

Happy knitting!

-Ashley

It's been awhile (+1 tattoo)

2012-04-23T08:26:00.002-07:00

I never know how to begin these blog posts after I have been hopelessly absent for weeks, or, in this case, months. I've turned 24, visited a new city/state, traveled home, gotten a tattoo (!!!), run many miles, knit (and haven't finished) many things, and *finally* booked a proper vacation.

My first tattoo. Yep. It hurt.

I guess I should explain the story behind this quotation. I kind of explained it in a previous post, but I didn't really explain the connection to me. The quote is by Virginia Woolf, a fascinating lady and phenomenal author. I love that crazy bitch. Getting a tattoo was a long time coming for me and I have wanted to get one since I was 16. I've had some cool ideas along the way (and some not so cool ones as well), but this is the first tattoo idea that I've been really committed to, because knitting is something I will never regret. My interest may taper off at some point, but it is never anything I will look back on in shame or regret. The quote itself is there to represent the happiness, calming and satisfaction I get from knitting. If I'm angry, I usually either run or knit. If I'm sad or if Matt and I are having one of those crazy "end of the world as we know it" kind of fights, I need to knit. When I've done something wrong and am waiting to be forgiven, I knit.

Knitting has morphed into more of a lifestyle than a hobby over the past few years. I've met most of my new friends through working at knitting shops (first Wool and Co. and now Rosie's Yarn Cellar). I want to focus more on designing this year, so I find myself giving myself deadlines and "working" when I should be relaxing. I'm happy working this retail job.

Anywho, that's the tattoo story. I've been trying to lead a better and more fulfilling life, because, let's face it, you only get one. I'm the worst procrastinator in the world and if I don't just get something done I probably never will. And with my tattoo, which I just got yesterday, I began what will be known as "the most exciting month of my life (thus far)."

What is happening during this month?

*Tattoo
*Artsy weekend date next weekend
*Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival
*Another trip home (maybe)
*Trip to Hawaii, including...
*SKYDIVING in Hawaii
*Snorkeling
*Seeing the Grand Canyon of the Pacific
*Hell, first time seeing the Pacific Ocean
*Signing up for a longer distance race (leaning towards a half marathon)

Now is the time to feel more alive. PS, it is Crochet and Knit Blog Week this week, so expect to see me a few more times this week (including later today).

Happy knitting!
-Ashley

The only prescription is MOAR CAST ONS.

2012-02-10T15:32:00.000-08:00

I really did love being in school and the whole academic environment. These days, when I find myself falling into the unavoidable winter slump and feeling like I'm not doing enough and that I need to be living (?) more, I find myself missing learning. I realize this sounds pretty lame, because life as a whole should be a learning process, but it's just not the same (for me) anymore.

This is part of the reason I love working at a knitting store. I'm pretty much expected to be a knitting "guru" and should be able to answer most questions about most different kinds of knitting, whether I have done it before or not. I still haven't gotten past the cuff of a sock, but I've turned a heel. I have never done set-in sleeves...but I have. I was borderline scared of mattress stitch, but when a customer asked me to seam for her, I just did it. And it was great practice.

I am blessed in the fact that I am so passionate about a hobby that always teaches me. In the past two weeks I have "taught myself" how to seam, duplicate stitch, work set-in sleeves, etc. All for work. All for this part-time job that some of my careered friends look down upon. Forget about the haters; do what you love and what fulfills you.

Anyway, there's my rant. Now I just need to overcome the crippling fear of steaks (oh god, why?) and all will be good. I've been in a weird place lately and since casting on for new projects makes me happy, I have cast on for too many new things and stripes seem to be the theme of ~~the week~~ my life

My dormant Cladonia. Which I have touched maybe three times since I moved here.

I started a Delancey cardigan after lusting after one for a long, long time. Doing this as a KAL with The Sweatshop of Love group on Ravelry. I LOVE THIS COLOR COMBINATION. Even better? I scored the last of the Cascade 220 at Rosies...making my sweater super cheap. I will probably spend more money on the buttons because ohmygod I love buttons.

Fletcher Mittens by Amy Swenson, who just happens to be from my hometown. Which I need to just suck up and finish. The thumb that is finished looks like it has a toe attached to it, so I have one thumb to knit, one thumb to fix and two cuffs to pick up and knit. Why don't I just do it? Same reason I don't knit the lace section of my Cladonia: it's not neeeeew.

Another recent cast on...as in yesterday. This is my first time using O-Wool Balance and I love the colors. Aiming for some gradually changing stripes. I guess I had Valentines day on the brain when I selected these. Did I mention how that corally color is driving me CRAZY these days? This is going to be another cowl because I'm trying to figure out just how many neck things one person needs.

Another shawl. This one is in Fibre Company's Terra in "Belladonna," which I love love love. It reminds me of the "Stephen Loves Tosh" coloway from the Stephen West shawl club...except I like this one better. And it's less ~exclusive~.

And that's that. I still have a few more that didn't get to be photographed (like my mohair/silk concoction from last week), but that's probably enough for now. Started planning crazy KALs with Andrea from work, but we are going to be strong and finish things before we even dare. Did I mention we are going to turn Rosie's into a hobbit hole/fairy wonderland? Shh...you didn't hear it from me.

Happy knitting!

-Ashley

P.S. I miss my kitty babies. Buy me a kitten...

P.P.S. I still haven't started Matt's Valentine. Oh god why?

This week's palette & knitting tattoos

2012-02-03T14:21:00.000-08:00

I call this "the heap of knitting hope" or something along those lines. This week has been slo-ow in terms of knitting related nonsense and tomfoolery and pretty ridiculous in terms of all other things. There have been a lot of work hours and quarreling and running (oh my!) and lazy sloth-like behaviors. I find that when I run more and more, I get so tired and don't even want to knit. Say what? Yeah, I said it. But, yes. That is my heap of hope. This week I find myself drawn more and more to grays and blues above all others. I'll sum it up to the weather and the hopes that I will (someday) soon see some body of water. I'm looking at you, Pacific Ocean.

Spring Beret in Debbie Bliss Amalfi

Things have been pretty slow at the shop since I got back from Christmas break, and earlier in the week I went through and made a list of our underperforming yarns. Once that was done, I set about the task of selecting a pattern per yarn and making little "sample to-knit" lists. For Debbie Bliss' Amalfi, a blend of cotton, viscose, linen and silk, I decided on revisiting an old favorite of mine: The Spring Beret by Natalie Larson. I haven't knit with many cottons before and though I have made this beret twice before, I have never used a higher-end cotton. These knits were back in the day, when I bought all of my yarns at Jo-Ann and didn't even know what linen was.

Now, the pattern calls for a worsted weight, so I've had to make a few modifications to this pattern. I decided to knit the slouchier pattern, as I have done in the past, but I'm knitting the whole thing on size 6 needles. It's ending up kind of awkward slouch, but I'm confident that after a good blocking all will be well and the pattern will really stand out nicely. As for the yarn, well, I'm not so sure how I feel just yet...

Wee Heap of Koigu

This wee heap was meant to be a Father and Son tie for Matt, but now I'm rethinking it. While my boyfriend has some Joseph Gordon-Levitt characteristics, I'm just not too sure how well he can rock the skinny, tragically-hip tie. Matt is a skinny lad and skinny ties...well, they look a little awkward on him. Plus when I think about skinny ties, it leads to thoughts of sweater vests and how good they look together. Since I already owe Matt a sweater to go with his Ranger sleeves, I am not in the market to be knitting him sweater vests. After talking with Andrea at work today, I decided I might try and finagle a chevron tie out of these three colors. I wanted to use the gray as the main color and alternate stripes, but we only have one ball of gray in stock at the shop, meaning it's "make it work" time. I do love this color combination.

Heritage Silk and Angel

The gray in this photo is Cascade Heritage Silk (charcoal) and I had originally bought it to use for Matt's hipster tie, but then I kind of fell in love with it after seeing this scarf, which is just garter stitch on larger needles, but is so simple and beautiful. I've been in love with this plum Debbie Bliss Angel (color 17) since I started working at Rosie's and decided that it was time to take the plunge. I plan on knitting both yarns together (maybe on size 6-7 needles) and just doing an oversize garter stitch cowl. This is my first time using mohair, and, though I am a bit apprehensive, I'm hoping the color combination will cancel out any qualms I may have.

Since I keep jumping ship with many of the WIPs I have going, I have so many FOs looming on the horizon, but I just need to get things reigned in a bit before I finally have anything to share. I'm working on a wonderfully luscious everyday shawl in Terra by Fibre Company (yum), so I'm hoping to have that finished by weekend's end. It's perfect for lazy evenings and weekends when all I want to do is stare at Ryan Gosling's face and overdose on girly movies.

This whole "hey girl" meme makes me way too happy

Oh, and I decided on my first tattoo. At long last. Now I just need to find the right venue and get it done. My goal is to have it by my birthday, so hopefully I can stick to my guns and not wuss out this time. Of course it is knitting-related. And literary...kind of.

"Knitting is the Saving of Life"

I've never been a fan of color tattoos (why? I'm not sure), so I'm undecided as to whether mine will be colored in or just shaded. The quote is from Virginia Woolf, a lovely writer and self-declared "Mad Woman," a lady I happened to fall in love with during my final year of college. Colors could be lovely and if I do decide to use them, I would opt for various shades of colors of life. You know, greens, blues and yellows. However, I do love the black to soft gray that I was able to create with my pen shading. Because I have no markers here. Either way, I am really excited about this idea and it is the first tattoo idea of mine that I have felt truly passionate about getting. I'm planning on right forearm, just below my elbow, because when I first learned to knit I was a thrower. Now I pick, which is supposed to be better, but still manages to sound a little grosser.

Happy knitting!

-Ashley

New Endeavors and Frustrations

2012-01-26T19:10:00.000-08:00

Awhile back I decided to try my hand at drop spinning. I was deeply inspired by CatReading's handspun that I always see posted on Ravelry, so I decided that I too wanted to give it a whirl (hehe, punny). I ordered some Frabjous Fiber and a Schacht Hi-Lo spindle from WEBS (which still hasn't arrived even though it is in stock...GRRR, WEBS). In the meantime, my boss generously donated a no-name spindle to me.

And...I suck.

The hardest part for me, I would have to say, is the drafting. I tried learning from a youtube video, but I kept pulling my fiber too hard and breaking it off. Nicole showed me how to park and draft this afternoon, but I still struggle with the drafting. I definitely did a bit better towards the end and I guess this is one of those things where practice makes perfect.

Defeat also slammed me today with some designing woes. Remember those wonderful colors I posted yesterday? While the idea makes so much sense in my head, I just cannot get my vision to appear. On the one hand, it makes me appreciate just how much more I still have to learn and accomplish as a knitter. In the meantime, I decided to cast on for a simple shawl in Fibre Company's (I got the fevah!) Terra in Belladonna, one of the new colors for Spring. Holy moley it is gorgeous. And I'll be sure to share the pattern when I'm done...I know this one will be easier. At least I think it will be.

Also, my boyfriend is still at work and I miss him.

Happy knitting! And spinning.

-Ashley

Palette Wednesday (and Whimsical Little Knits)

2012-01-25T12:47:00.000-08:00

I would like to start out in this post by declaring my LOVE for my Yarn Shop coworkers (past and present :P), because I am now the proud owner of a signed copy of Ysolda Teague's Whimsical Little Knits 3!

Yep. There it is. With my little "sign off" and everything.

I've also decided to start posting weekly color palettes, just to kind of keep me inspired. While they will most likely always be yarn, I'd like to try and break away and just post colors I'm loving. Today I decided that I must own some Fibre Company Organik, so I picked out four colors and sat down to sketch out a ~~cowl~~ ~~infinity~~ scarf. And now I'm just hoping that it pans out like I planned because if it does...it will be awesome.

Coral Reef, Oahu, Crater Lake, and Arctic Tundra

So, yay for the first Color Palette post! Why am I stopping in and jumping out so quickly? Because I am going to see Jeff Mangum tonight! Of Neutral Milk Hotel. I had kind of written off ever seeing him play because he's turned kind of reclusive since the early-mid 90s...but it's happening! And I am so excited that I will probably be shaking and crying tonight. Check out one of my favorite songs ever here. I hope he wears his ugly sweater.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUd9uDREHcs

And one more thing...

2012-01-22T18:05:00.000-08:00

“There is a question I have been wanting to understand the answer to, but have been feeling that I simply can’t ask. Eventually I just ask it anyway:
Do you think there was a part of you that imagined the two of you would somehow end up together?

"Immediately, I wish that I hadn’t. The look on her face—a kind of juddering visceral alarm at what has been said…I don’t wish to see that look many more times in my life. “That would make me way too sad to answer,” she says quickly, and I hurriedly begin another question, about something completely different, hoping that if I say it fast enough these new words will chase the old words away from where they are hanging in the air between us, and maybe she will let me pretend that it was something I never said.

“No, no,” she says, and I can see the tears forming, and I think she means that she doesn’t want to answer any more questions about anything. I mutter some kind of apology under my breath.

But, even now, I’m wrong about everything. Mostly she is just trying to stop my new question. She has something to tell me.

“No,” she says. “I said it would make me too sad to answer but it’s also…”—and she nods even as her voice breaks once more with tears—”…one of my favorite things to imagine.” And through the tears, a beaming, almost beatific smile stretches room-wide across her face. “It’s actually one of my favorite places to visit.”"

- Michelle Williams, about Heath Ledger

I just realized it's the 4-year anniversary of Heath's death. His was one of the first celebrity deaths that really touched me, for some unknown reason. I read this and it was just too beautiful to not share. RIP Heath.

Now for something completely different

2012-01-22T18:02:00.000-08:00

I don't feel like blogging about knits today.

I don't think I've ever really blogged about *me* before. As fun as it is to read and write about knitting, I know I love reading blog posts where the blogger actually lets me know a little bit more about themselves.

Recently, I moved to Philadelphia with my boyfriend. It was a huge surprise, for both myself and everyone I know, but it was a good one. Matt took his job about a year and a half ago and I remember feeling devastated when he did, because of the 100% travel job description and I thought he would be gone all the frickin' time. But he wasn't and we dodged that bullet for almost a year. I even threw him a surprise going-away party when he first got the job (fail on my part), but when his departure actually did come, it leveled me a bit. During that limbo period between his job acceptance and start date, Matt had asked if I would go with him when he was sent away. I told him I might, but only if it was somewhere I wanted to go and only if I knew I could leave if things didn't work for me.

Last year before he was sent away we went through a lot of rocky patches. I think in that year we had more major blowouts than any other year we had been together (we've been together five years and a bit), so I felt a little silly even considering packing up and leaving with him. And it may seem like I left out of nowhere, but it really had been planned for a year in advance. And had he been sent anywhere other than Philadelphia, a city I had already been to and loved, I'm not sure if I would have gone. Because I've always felt like an East Coast girl at heart...I've just been stuck in the midwest for the first 23 years of my life.

And the past few months have been wonderful. The adjustment to city living with virtually none of my belongings (P.S. I'm a bit of a packrat) has been crazy and a bit stressful at times, but it had been pretty darn awesome so far. Which is a good thing, because Matt's 3-4 month jaunt has turned into a 2+ year project or two.

I miss my friends most of all. I miss having that circle I can connect with because even though I have been here for almost 5 months, I still haven't made any friends outside of work. True, I haven't really put myself out there much, but it's just been a little difficult. I miss having my knitting circle and my crazy days off where I would have back-to-back hangout sessions with 3-5 different friend groups in a given day, but at the same time this experience has taught me to be more independent as a person. And to truly value the time I have to myself.

This has been (probably) the best adventure of my life thus far. Since I've come here, I've moved out of my house and have found a job that I really love. Let's face it: I was pretty much miserable at home. And even though I am sad some days, I would still say that I am a much happier person overall. And I feel much more hopeful about my life than I had before.

Woo. That took a bit longer than I thought it would.

Not to say that things have been perfect since I came to Philadelphia, because I have actually kind of neglected a lot of the goals I set out with when I landed. I haven't published a design in months, which is one of the things I was going to focus on when I got here. I have several in the works and knitting season is almost over. I guess I need to get my shit together. I also vowed to workout and care more about myself, which has been extremely difficult since I've been working more than I was when I was back home. I've been fitting in cardio two-three days a week, but it hasn't been a priority for me. And I've been eating healthier, but Philadelphia has the reputation for being a beer swiller's city and I've kind of tried more beers than I care to admit.

My personal goals for the year include taking better care of myself (and not letting Matt talk me into eating Pizza Rolls for dinner), progressing in my running pace/time, reading at least one-two novels per month and really making the most of how close I am to so many great cities on the East coast. Ideally I would love to travel internationally this year, but I don't know how realistic that may be. Instead I will focus on long weekend trips to NYC (more Broadway shows!), DC and finally seeing Boston, the city I've always reckoned I would love.

And, on the knitting front, I have spent much of this weekend staying at home and nesting. Philly finally saw some snow and it was nice to trek across the park, carefully, through the snow and ice. I started knitting some Fletcher mittens (finally) because my hands are hating me this year. I can't believe I don't have any mittens. I also resumed work on my socks and even though I'm about two weeks behind, the peek I snuck of the last bit of toe will carry me through to the end...I'm fairly certain at least.

Oh, and I love me some Drag Queens.

First World Problems aka Need MOAR Fibre Co.

2012-01-14T12:12:00.000-08:00

Is it really that difficult to find a good mitten/fingerless mitten pattern for a skein of Koigu or two? I have spent hours scouring the deepest trenches of Ravelry and have come up with *nothing* that can please me. When did I become so picky??

Even though I am in dire need of mittens, I decided that two+ hours on Ravelry searching for the perfect pair was just a wee bit too much. So I cast on for another hat. Because I really need one more. Really. No, I'm just kidding. Just check out my Ravelry page (though I have donated a lot of them to my local Caps for Cancer chapter) and become both shocked and appalled at just how many hats I have knit these past few years.

The hat in question: Hineri by Olga Buraya-Kefelian

Since I never dedicated a full blog post to my knitting resolutions for 2012, you dear blog readers have no idea what my plans are for the new year. The full-blown hat obsession is what inspired my 2011 resolution and since that was a big fat failure (knit something new every month), I decided to loosen the chains a little. This year I am going to focus on trying out as many new yarns as I can and writing reviews as I use them. I'd also like to focus more on designing, but that's a whole 'nother story. I figure this way I can knit whatever I'd like and also widen my scope a bit...and stop stockpiling Madelinetosh.

While I had heard of the Fibre Company yarns before I started working at Rosie's (we stocked Terra at Wool & Co.), I had never really seen them around the Chicagoland area. Fibre Co. specializes in yummy, yummy blends and because of this I had written them off as, "oh boy. I cannot afford this stuff! Moving on..." and had left it at that. While most of their yarns are pricey (and understandably so), I realized that the world won't end if I treat myself to a skein of something or other. While I might never be able to afford to make a sweater out of Road to China, that doesn't mean I can't make myself an ultra luxe cowl out of it.

We got Fibre Company's newest yarn, Acadia, in the shop a week or so before I headed home for the holidays. As per usual, the fiber content was so luscious that I fondled the skeins a bit too aggressively as I put them on the shelf. So many beautiful colors and I couldn't help but separate them into the "perfect" color pairings.

Blackberry and Amber...driving me wild!

Rosie's currently stocks 10 of the 17 available colorways and each one is as yummy as the next. Acadia is a 2-ply blend of 60% Merino Wool, 20% Baby Alpaca and 20% silk. Those little nubby tweeds are similar to the ones found in Terra and are created by the silk noil. While this is the first Fibre Co. yarn I have used, I think it might just be my favorite to look at (and feel).

Moar yarns

This past Wednesday, I knew that I could resist the call no longer. While the Amber and Blackberry combination makes me swoon, I decided that I would rework the Dalloway Cloche in one of these luscious colors. Douglas Fir (far left) was jumping out to me, but then I remembered just how much I loved Pete's Habitat hat after I finished it, so I knew it would have to be Asparagus, the "springy" green in the center. I wound up my first skein, hunkered down and finished the puckered edge that same afternoon.

Dalloway in Asparagus

Distractions never felt so good. This yarn is sinfully soft on the hands as you work with it. As I think back to the days before I fell victim to yarn snobbery, which is both a blessing and a curse (for my wallet), I wonder how I ever knit with anything else. I find myself having more and more #firstworldproblems day after day and the case of "when can I get more Acadia?" is just the most recent.

No joke.

In all seriousness, this yarn is wonderful. And I can't wait to use it again, perhaps next time for something more substantial. You shouldn't be afraid to indulge every once in awhile...except don't do it too much or you will end up #firstworldproblem-ing far too much. Oh god, it's a verb now.

Happy Heap

And with the third clue for my TTL mystery sock KAL being published tomorrow, I have to get on it. As it grows more and more beautiful, my production slows to an ever increasing halt. Bah!

Happy Knitting!

-Ashley

Angstmas gift knits (and it's time to spin)

2012-01-07T16:17:00.000-08:00

Since I never got to post my holiday knits, I thought now might as well be the time. I mostly knit for Matt's family, but sometimes a friend or two will be thrown in. Matt's mom is a fairly seasonal knitter, so I really enjoy making things for her. As I mentioned, I finished all six of my holiday FOs in just under two weeks. When I'm faced with the frantic, "oh my god! 20something days until Christmas!" thoughts, I always decide that I will knit something small for my recipients and accompany them with a bottle of their favorite wine or six pack.

Yoked Cardigan by Hannah Fettig

A Cardi for Katie in 0-3 month size

Plymouth Select Superwash Merino in color 50 (.5 skein)

Size 7 needles

This first gift was for Kaitlyn, who entered the world on December 15. I had anticipated a post-Christmas arrival, but of course her mother just couldn't cooperate and decided to tack on one more Christmas knit. This was my first time using Plymouth Select Superwash Merino worsted wool and it won't be the last. My stitches look a little uneven in some places, but I ran into some blocking issues when my cat got involved and I had to pick it up before it was done. I think she has already outgrown it.

Calisto by Kate Kaplan

Mel's Calisto

Subime Yarns Cashmere Merino Silk Aran

Size 8 needles

Calisto was designed by my friend Kate and this is the second one I have knit. My first Calisto was knit in Noro Yuzen, a discontinued dk weight yarn. Everything worked out with the substituting, but since I had such a pressed deadline and, considering this was one of my gifts that needed to be blocked, I decided to stick with the aran weight that it calls for. I bought the yarn on sale at Rosies and wow do I wish we weren't discontinuing it. This yarn is SO nice, as it's a blend of silk, merino and cashmere. I made this Calisto for Matt's sister and she wore it all week. It also started the fringe fever I have. Everything needs to have fringe! I'm even considering some fringed leg warmers, but I guess that has more potential for failure than anything else.

Smooth Edge by Veera Valimaki

Silky Edge

Malabrigo Silky Merino (I think) in blackberry

Size 10 needles

I'm a bit unsure about this yarn. I dug it out from the depths of an uncontrollable stash and don't really know what it is. I narrowed it down to Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend and Malabrigo Silky Merino, but I think the color matches Malabrigo more than Manos. Either way, this yarn is a blend of silk and wool and has such a nice drape to it. I made this one for Matt's mom and opted to use the smaller weight yarn because I'm not sure how she feels about bulky infinity scarves. This one allows her to wrap it twice, but at the same time it doesn't overwhelm like some of the others out there. The design is very clever, combining a herringbone print, garter stitch and short rows (my fave!). I plan on making another for myself at some point, but I'm still undecided on the yarn I will use.

Hogwarts Scarf by Lauren Kent

Leo's Going to Hogwarts

Knit Picks WOTA in Red and Pumpkin

Size 7 needles

I finished this project on Christmas morning and was late to visit Leo in the hospital because of it. Not one of my finer moments. What can I say about this pattern that hasn't already been said? Matt's dad is a crazy Harry Potter fanatic and watching either Harry Potter or Love Actually on Christmas Eve has become a tradition of ours. Matt bought his dad the entire Bluray collection for Christmas and we both gave him a "Expecto Patronum" shirt we picked up at the Punk Rock Flea Market a few weeks back. I can't wait to see him wearing his shirt and scarf and rocking out to Harry Potter.

Habitat hat by Jared Flood (<3 swoon <3)

A Stolen Habitat

WOTA Tweed in "Dill"

Size 7 needles

This FO I seriously considered keeping for myself. The tweed, cables and color just kill me and I wore it around a few days before finally offering it up to Matt's brother Pete. I haven't really knit any cables lately, but they are one of my favorite things to knit and this pattern has their fair share. I cabled this without using a cable needle (for the most part) and it went by really quickly once I got going. I hit up a yarn sale at one of my favorite LYSs on New Year Day (with some of my favorite yarny wenches) and picked up some Classic Elite Moorland to knit one for myself. This was my first time using Knit Picks WOTA tweed and I'm not sure if I will use it again. For more of my notes on the yarn, check out my project page on Ravelry. I also run the risk of having Tweed's baby right now (I LOVE TWEED. And fringe).

Welted Alpaca Cowl by Churchmouse Yarn and Tea

R Kelley's Welted Cowl

Knit Picks Andean Treasure in "Aurora Heather"

Size 6 needles

This last Angstmas present is one that I knit for Katie's momma, my dear friend R. Kelley. When R. Kelley first moved back to Illinois after a brief foray in Buffalo, I taught her how to knit, but she never made it very far on her own infinity scarf (bad R. Kelley!), so I decided to make her one for Christmas. I've never used 100% alpaca before (what!) and I don't know what is wrong with me. How could I not have? This yarn is Andean Treasure by Knit Picks and it is such a great yarn. Unlike the Knit Picks wools I have used, I didn't run into any knots or splits in either of the skeins I used. I would highly recommend this yarn and plan on using the other colors (gray and yellow) for an Andrea's shawl at some point this year.

And that, dear readers, finally brings us to the end of my knitted angstmas gifts. My plans for the end of the weekend include finishing up that Hineri hat. I did start The Woman in Black last night and managed to get 20% read. Thanks to my Kindle for making it easy on me. Oh, and I got a very nice package from WEBS this morning...

My fiber is here! My fiber is here! If anyone knows of any good spinning books/videos/gurus, please send them my way. I can't wait to start!

Happy knitting!

P.S. all of my gifts came accompanied by either wine or beers. Except for the baby and her breastfeeding mama. Yay!

To the Future...Week One WIPs and ideas

2012-01-06T12:17:00.000-08:00

I remember when I used to be a reader and a writer above all things. The two go hand in hand, methinks, and I felt the most passionate about what I wrote when I was reading nonstop. Those days have come and gone and I find myself feeling like I should be writing moreso than I want to write.

Knitting and designing have kind of filled the void that writing and reading used to fill. I feel like I spent the first half/three quarters of my life with my nose buried in a book, and, while I miss that, I feel more fulfilled now. I've always been scared of showing off any writing I may have produced, but with knitting it's the complete opposite. When I finished knitting something, whether it be my own design or somebody else's, I can't wait to show it off. I find joy in accepting a compliment on the street and responding with, "thanks so much. I made it!" Knitting has afforded the opportunity to create, in the way writing did, but it has also given me a surge of confidence that I never knew I had before. I still don't think I have what it takes to ever earn a living from it, but I'm going to have fun trying in the meantime.

Manos del Uruguay Rittenhouse 5-Ply

The past few days I have been suffering from a crazy case of knitting ADD. I spent almost three weeks back home for the holidays and upon coming back to Rosie's, there were so many new things to be seen. And since then I've been looking at new color combinations that I'd never noticed before and seeing the possibilities that they offer. As I mentioned before, my boss is the US distributor for Manos del Uruguay, meaning we have access to most Manos yarns at any given time. Rittenhouse was fully stocked when I got back earlier this week and I fell in love with the combination of English (the sagey green) and Magenta. I threw in Nickel and sketched out an idea for a very textured, tricolor cowl.

Quince & Co. Chickadee

I think that color will be a HUGE inspiration for me this year in terms of my designing, as well as trying new yarns and fibers. I have finally fallen in love with the gray and yellow combination and when you add blue to that mix? Holy bananas. I decided to finally take the plunge and order some Quince & Co. yarns after lusting after them since they opened for business. Pretty sure. The colors are so rich and the yarn is just...so nice to the touch. I have the feeling I am going to end up ordering more. These four colors will be used for a hat I've planned out. I really can't wait to get started on this one.

Noro Silk Garden

I've been working with these two colors (252 & 349) of Silk Garden for awhile now. My initial plan for them was to design a fringed stripe/chevron shawl, but that ended up turning out to be fuuuuugly. I spent Christmas Eve frogging the whole damn thing (took me HOURS) and recast on for a multidirectional, fringed chevron cowl. I guess you can't have it all? I am really excited for this to be done, but it has been taking me a little longer than I had anticipated. Impatient Ashley is impatient.

So while I love that all this creativity is finally pouring out of me again, I can't help but hate it at the same time. The feeling of needing more hours in the day (and I only work part-time right now) is overwhelming, especially when you are trying to stick to a 2-3 mile a day plan as well.

Through the Loops Mystery Sock KAL 2012

My WIPs for today (and this weekend) include the first clue in Kirsten Kapur's TTL Mystery Sock KAL 2012. I am absolutely in love right now. Two of my best yarnie friends were going to do a KAL and, while I love Kirsten Kapur and her designs, I wasn't too interested in knitting any socks. If you will remember my Socktober socks, you will (not) be shocked to read that they have not been touched since mid-October. That was before I decided to spoil myself and take a peek at the WIPs from the first week. That cuff sold me and I bought the pattern that very afternoon. I'm even using stash (!!!) yarn (Dream in Color Smooshy in "Strange Harvest") and I love it too. I'm knitting both socks at the same time, which is very fiddly and tedious, but I know I will thank myself in the end. Because this time there will be an end. Muahahahahahahahah. And I will definitely use this yarn again.

Hineri hat

When I packed for winter in Philly, I did not anticipate just how windy the city can be. I packed my Capucine, which is my favorite hat knit out of the beautifully luxurious Elsebeth Lavold Angora, but it doesn't stay on my head all that well. One of the pleasant surprises I faced when returning to Rosie's was a wall full of Rowan Cocoon, which I used for my Bandana cowl a few months back. I dug into the far reaches of my Ravelry Queue and found the Hineri hat by Olga, the perfect one skein project for one of my new favorites. It works up super quickly and would not be surprised in the least if I finish it by the time Matt comes home from work. I just hope it's long enough to cover my ears; nothing is worse than cold ears.

As my beloved day off comes to a close, I should conclude that my other weekend goals are to run 4 miles and (finally) start reading The Woman in Black so that I can finish it before the movie is released.

Happy knitting! And sorry for the hipster instagrams :p

P.S. I lobbed off all my hair. And today I like it (most days I don't).

Relocation AKA what do I knit?

2012-01-02T19:17:00.000-08:00

I'm heading back to Philly bright and early tomorrow morning. 6am flight? Oh, how you slay me. While I'm excited to get back to my own space and the excitement of my new city, this time around I can't help but feel bittersweet about leaving home. Things have been stressful and kind of worrisome within my family (well, actually, both of my families) these past two weeks and it has definitely made me appreciate them all so much more. I'm not exactly the warm and fuzzy person towards my family, but I can't help feeling torn a bit about leaving right now.

Not to mention the fact that I have to leave my four wonderful cats behind. And that pains me more than it should. Yep, I'm a full-blown cat mama. And they are my babies.

See? Look at this adorable little creature.

So now, with a mere 13 hours until my flight, I have to plan out my knitting for the next few months. I don't have a set return time for my next visit, packing on the added pressure of making the "right" decisions for my next knitting endeavors. And packing the right needles. And notions. And Ack!! Did I mention that I'm the kind of person who packs three-four projects for a weekend trip? "Just in-case."

While this post may serve as the BIGGEST first world problem ever, the question remains: what in the world do I pack?

-All of my WIPs. If only for the needles. This includes my Cladonia, Orchid Thief Shawl, Rock Island Shawl, Lemon Zinger hat, Matt's sleeves for his Ranger sweater, and My TWO new cowl designs.
-Coastal Knits, which is a CRAZY impressive book that I bought myself for Christmas. I kind of want to knit everything in it. First up is the Rocky Coast Cardigan by Hannah Fettig...
-7/8 skeins of Quince & Co. Lark for said Rocky Coast Cardigan.
-4 skeins of Quince & Co. Chickadee for a new hat design I have schemed up.
-1 skein Dream in Color Smooshy in Strange Harvest for Kirsten Kapur's new mystery sock KAL (P.S. I still haven't finished my first sock. Why am I starting another pair? Because I'm nuts. Clearly.)
-1 skein of Frog Tree Pediboo in a terribly ugly yellow for a KAL with one of my best yarn bitches of Veera's Small Things hat.
-2 skeins of Classic Elite Moorland for a Habitat hat for myself.
-4 skeins of Madelinetosh Erin Heritage Wool for Driven, another Veera design. Even though I'm in love with the woman, I still have never knit a Veera design. This is the year.
-5-7 skeins of Knit Picks Palette for Peerie Flooers by Kate Davies, another woman I admire hugely. She has been through SO much and is one of my favorite designers. If you want an inspiring blog to read, definitely check out Needled.

Is it enough? Probably way too much. Will I still buy yarn? Most certainly. Even though for the time I have become disgusted with the amount of yarn I own. But you all know this already. You know that I hid yarn in my wine cabinet and my boyfriend's duffle bag. Yeah, I've seen that I get a whole lot of traffic from people searching for "storage for yarn hoarders." True facts.

This is the year of stashing down and minimal stash additions. When it comes to all aspects of life I wholeheartedly believe that you can make "bad" decisions...just in moderation. And when I say "bad" decisions, I mean things like eating chocolate cake, drinking good beer and buying soft, squishy yarns. I don't believe in giving things up in full force because it rarely (if ever) works out. At least for me.

Woo for stash control!
Geez I hope I packed enough. And I already miss my kitties. And I still need to update my Kindle and pot my Christmas knits/New Year resolutions. I'm off to a terrible start.

Happy Knitting!

A Fall Without FOs

2011-12-30T16:26:00.000-08:00

Holy hell has December been a month.

I haven't blogged much lately (ok, that's a bit of an understatement) because, well, life has been busy. I've been living in Philadelphia since September and have been back and forth between the East coast and midwest several times over the past three months...which is a lot, especially considering that before September I could count the number of flights I had taken on one hand.

I've since doubled that. Yeah, it's been crazy.

Life in Philly has been good so far and I really love all the new experiences I have had. I've started working in a fabulous yarn shop (Rosie's Yarn Cellar, for any of you fellow East coast knitters) and it's been a completely enjoyable experience. I actually don't hate working retail for the first time in a long time. I miss my friends a whole lot and I miss my little knitting circle I had formed back at home. But it's been a great experience so far and I can't wait to see what the next year holds.

One thing I haven't been doing a whole lot of is actually finishing things. Because working near full-time, exploring this new city and trying to have a social life where I only really hang out with nerdy dudes (sorry guys, you are still pretty fun) has seriously dug into my knitting time. And how does this even happen? I have an awesome job where I can actually KNIT while I work.

1. Noro Striped Scarf by Jared Flood//2. Rittenhouse Cowl by Me//3. Bandana Cowl by Purl Soho

The first few knits I worked on in Philadelphia were ones that travelled with me. Matt's Noro scarf has been a work in progress for the past year. I kid you not. While I absolutely adore knitting Noro stripes (more on that next time), this scarf has mostly been a movie viewing WIP. I used two different Noro colors and a beige Cascade 220. It's been so long since I started that darn scarf that I lost the tags and can't even tell you which colors of Kureyon I used. Ho hum. They were both green?

That little yellow number in the center is a cowl design I started before I left for Philadelphia. I named it "Rittenhouse" temporarily since I finished it during my first week in Philadelphia, when I kind of spent most of my time hanging out in Matt's teeny hotel/apartment overlooking the square. I have several issues with this cowl, but I have since started a revamped design that I like a whole lot more. Rittenhouse (version 1) was knitting using less than one skein of Malabrigo Worsted in "Frank Ochre," which is a FABULOUS yellow...and I don't generally like yellow.

The Bandana Cowl by Purl Soho was my first project that I actually started and completed in Philadelphia. I whipped it up in an afternoon or so and love it so much. It's my first time using Rowan Cocoon and it will not be my last. This cowl was a great little one skein wonder, though I ended up making quite a few modifications to accommodate this (slightly) chunkier yarn. I wound up having a little walnut sized ball leftover and I cut most of the top out of the pattern. It still ended up quite large and very warm. Have I mentioned how much I love Cocoon? And the color, Tundra, pretty much makes it the best basic to add to my winter rotation.

4. Bandana Cowl by Purl Soho//5. Oana Shawl by Kristen Kapur//6. ORD by Me

These last three projects were knit entirely in Philly. If you've read my blog for awhile, you may remember the silly idea I had last year to try something new each and every month. That lasted, oh, I don't know, maybe three months? While I packed an ungodly amount of yarn with me for my visit, I ended up not really touching any of it, because once I started working at Rosie's I was introduced to a whole lot of new yarns that I have never seen before. The past few months I have tried to use as many new yarns as I can, but I still have SO many more to try.

My boss, Lisa, is the U.S. distributor for Manos del Uruguay yarns. We carried a few of the Manos yarns at the yarn shop I worked at back home, but when you walk into Rosies it's Manos central, which is pretty awesome considering Manos del Uruguary belongs to the World Fair Trade Organization, meaning the company is 100% fair trade. You can read more about the company and some of the artisans at the "About the Co-Op" section on the Fairmount Fibers website.

My Oana Shawl is knit from Manos Rittenhouse Merino 5-ply (named for Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia) and took just under two skeins of Rittenhouse. The yardage is quite generous and you get around 250 yards of delicious Merino wool for less than $20. I blame this shawl, my first complete Kirsten Kapur FO (I LOVE HER!), for the crazy amounts of fringed knits I have finished during the last month or so. Seriously, need moar fringe. The shawl is featured Knitscene's winter 2011 issue and originally called for O-Wool Worsted, but when I saw this color of Rittenhouse I just knew that I had to use it. And I started it that same night I bought the magazine.

ORD is my newest "design" knit using two strands of Manos Maxima, an one-ply, kettle-dyed yarn. There has been a crazy love for seed stitch at the shop over the past month or so, but none of that holds a handle to double seed stitch, which I am CRAZY for. I cast on for this project on my way home for Thanksgiving and almost finished it on the plane. Yes, that is just how quickly it knits up. Mine ended up a little longer than I intended for it to, but the instructions include instructions for how to make it smaller.

Bandana Cowl v.2 was knit in Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Chunky and was knit as a sample for the store. The yarn is rather pricey (hey, it's luxury?), so a small project like this cowl is the perfect way to stretch a yarn that would otherwise be out of my budget. Another thing I have been loving this year is tweed (again, more on that next time) and this is a really, really nice one. The yarn also comes in an aran weight, which I would love to try sometime and the colors are all pretty darn good.

While six FOs over the course of a few months may be good enough, it's not usually the way I roll, which is why I felt I needed to make up for it this past month. In the past, oh, two weeks(?) I somehow managed to finish SIX FOs. In two weeks. And, again, I will have to save that for next time...

It's good to be back :)

So many UFOs

2011-12-21T10:05:00.000-08:00

Why, dear knitting gods, do I elect to do this to myself each and every year? December 21 and I have completed exactly ONE Christmas gift. This is, after all, the way of the knitter...do you think people would be offended if I wrap up some half-knit gifts?

Maybe I can wrap gift booze in half-knit cowls?

Ranger Sleevelings

A further testament to my knitting deadline failures? No, I'm not going to mention my Monkey socks that I haven't touched since my last post. These little Ranger sleevelings are from dear Matthew's anniversary present. I did manage to finish the sleeves before our anniversary (five years! Holy crap), so I wrapped them up and had an unfinished gift.

This year I've chosen some rather simple, yet time-consuming knits. I've decided to try new, more luxurious yarns and will (hopefully) have them all done for a *real* update on Christmas Eve.

Let's Talk About Socks (baby?)

2011-10-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

As you may recall, I started out the year with goals. Real, silly, and optimistic goals that I kind of managed to stick to for the first month (and third and kinda fourth). I really wanted to spend 2011 breaking out of the spell that knit hats seemed to have cast upon me and knit new things. My FO count has dwindled as each month has passed (excuse me for walking and designing and being silly), but I have tried new things. This year has seen shawls, shrugs, a pullover, 1.5 cardigans (I still hate you, February goal), fingerless mitts...and a few hats.

But the one goal that should have been accomplished in May (and then August) brings me to this very post: the sock.

I'm not scared of socks, but it would be a lie to say that they don't intimidate me. I've heard about second sock syndrome from countless people and I can share their pain. Remember the 6ish single gloves/mittens I have lying around? Yeah, remember these guys (and their lost little friends)?

So, yeah. SSS. I am a little intimidated. But I will survive! And celebrate my first Socktoberfest!

The yarn I've elected to use is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in "Rustic Wedding," the Jimmy Beans Wool exclusive color for September. If you know me, then you know that I love me some Lorna's Laces and some Jimmy Beans. Every month I look so forward to the JBW exclusive color, and while I have bought quite a few (oh man. Harry Potter madness), I decided that Rustic Wedding is the perfect, perfect first sock color. A couple of my crafty ladies were supposed to buy it too *cough, cough*, but they decided to be responsible. Boo. Hiss.

The colors in "Rustic Wedding" are nothing that I usually go for, but the combination was just too beautiful to not buy. As it is a variegated yarn, my sock options are a little limited in terms of what I usually go for (cables, lace, etc.). But there are some crazy beautiful sock patterns out there that were just *made* for variegated yarns.

Like Monkeys. As you can see, October has not necessarily yielded me a bountiful, socky harvest. While I have knit a few more repeats since that photo was taken (this post has been sitting in Knit Blog Limbo for far too long), I still kind of suck at this goal thing. I selected Monkeys as my first sock because the pattern is interesting and simple without being boring. I like to challenge myself and I didn't want to do plain vanilla stockinette socks. Monkeys have managed to keep me entertained and make me think, but I'm still able to throw them in my purse (carefully) and lug them around the city with me.

And the colors...oh my. I love Rustic Wedding even more now that I've started knitting with it. On my size 1 DPNS (oh god, whyyyyyyy?). Maybe I will be able to finish one before November 1, but my hands have run away from me and picked up too many other projects. Too. Much. Knitting.

Did I mention that Christmas is only two months away? Maybe my second Monkey will have to wait...

*smacks self in face*

Happy Knitting!

-Ashley

Seriously, Jared Flood? Seriously???

2011-09-21T07:17:00.003-07:00

Ok.

I thought one crazy Jared Flood//Brooklyn Tweed love filled post would carry me over to the next year. No, no, of course not. Now, when Wool People Volume One came out a few months backs, I went crazy queuing things and immediately bought the yarn and pattern for Levenwick. It's a good thing all I have left to do is sew on that stupid (re: cute) pocket and weave in some ends, because this morning Mr. Flood descended upon my inbox yet again.

Curse you, Brooklyn Tweed, curse you! BT Fall '11 is what I am talking about.

So, as with Wool People, I am filled with joy and my wallet is filled with dread, because the only thoughts crossing my mind right now are, "What do I knit first?!" and "Gosh darnit, I need to get me some more Shelter!"

One of the things that makes Brooklyn Tweed so special is the effort that goes into everything. Not only did Jared design some of the collection, but he photographed all the knits and arranged them in a lookbook ala Wool People. It's the little things, really. And the fact that cables make me go weak at the knees.

But. On to the knits (or, as this post should be called, "what I will be knitting next. And after that. And after..."). All photos are from the Brooklyn Tweed website

Flint by Jared Flood

Ashby by Leila Raabe

Huxley by Jared Flood

(I love that little vest!)

Irving by Jared Flood

Peabody by Leila Raabe

(and oh my this pullover)

Ninian by Jared Flood

Topiary by Michele Wang

Rosebud by Jared Flood

In all seriousness (and fangirling aside), Brooklyn Tweed continues to impress and inspire me more and more. This little blog has evolved so much and so greatly since I first read a Jared Flood blog post. And the designers from this collection can hold their own against some of the greats. While Ashby has stolen my heart, I think Rosebud needs to be mine. Guess I found a use for that Shelter ;)

Same Girl, New City

2011-09-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

And the wayward yarn whore returns!

Well, I'm still here. And still knitting. And still voraciously buying yarn faster than I can knit it. But I'm in Philadelphia! For a few weeks, at least. Holed up in the fabulous Rittenhouse Square area (and it is a beautiful area), but my days are spent alone and I seem to have lost my knitting mojo a bit.

Le Sigh.

It's...different. This is my first time "living" away from home (yeah, three weeks isn't exactly living) and it's very nice. Very, very nice. Part of me wishes I could stay here forever, but I'm starting to feel homesick for friends and kittens. Already. And it's only been five (?) days.

Anyway, let's focus on the awesome here. Because, as bored as I can get sometimes, this has still been a pretty nice vacation. Did I mention that I am within walking distance of not one but TWO yarn shops? Loop and Rosie's Yarn Cellar are both within a ten minute walk from our place and I scoped them both out the first chance I got. As you may or may not know, Loop is one of the few flagship shops that sell Brooklyn Tweed's Shelter...and I got some.

Really? Did you think I would resist?

Three beautiful skeins (2 in Embers and 1 in Long Johns) came home with me and now I have no idea what to do with this precious stuff. The colors are phenomenal, the yarn is woolly and lovely, and how can you not love the names? I suspect my next purchase will be a skein of "Button Jar," but, seeing as I am not naturally a green person, I wonder if I may just be buying it for the name. And the girls who work there are really nice...I need some area yarn friends!

Happy Little Bins of Shelter

(Oh, and by the way, Philadelphia is a GREAT city for foursquare. I managed to score 10% off my first purchase at Loop just by checking in. How great is that? I also have gotten two free pints of Lager for checking in...nice!)

And even though I haven't posted an FO in MONTHS (how in the world did that happen?), I do have some ends begging to be woven in. And maybe, maybe, maybe, I will be able to share them soon. For now, here is a little glimpse into my first weekend in Philly.

Happy Knitting!

Winning (at Frogging)

2011-08-05T12:58:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, I was here:

My Levenwick was coming along at the speed of light! As much as I hate to admit it, my bust is about a 39" (blah), so I cast on for the large size to allow myself about an inch of positive ease, which was recommended. When I was finally able to put it on and pull it shut, I realized, "oh crap! This thing is HUGE." I mean, the yoke was halfway to my elbows and the larger half of the front almost reached my armpit. I debated just keeping it as it was and pressing on. I'd come so far!

But I couldn't do it. This week has been so hard: my best friend moved 800 miles away, I've felt down about myself and the life that I'm leading, and then I discovered that my sweater is waaaaaay too big. So on Tuesday, I ripped back to the collar (tore out maybe 1.5 skeins of Cascade 220) and started fresh. It definitely hurt. After comparing the two photos I definitely don't regret my decision.

Check out more of my notes on Levenwick on my Ravelry.

(this week has probably still been one of the worst of my life thus far)

Yarn Pornz: Magnolia Society style

2011-08-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

So, remember when I joined Madelinetosh's yarn club instead of the gym? My second batch of yarn arrived this afternoon and, well, I'm a bit undecided.

Madelinetosh Eyre Light in "Hanami"

The base is Eyre light, a blend of 60% merino wool, 20% silk and 20% baby alpaca. It is a fingering weight yarn and each skein has a generous 465 yards. While it feels DIVINE...I'm not too sold on the color. I guess I was expecting a richer color, considering I signed up for jewel tones. Ho hum.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

2011-07-28T11:10:00.000-07:00

Matt is being transferred to Philly on Monday. While I appreciate the five days notice that he was given (*snark, snark snark*), this does mean two things:

1. I guess I will be resuming his going away/Angstmas/Valentines day Urban Aran Cardigan. I haven't worked on it since February, but since the original purpose was for it to be a going away present, I guess I should try to have it ready before winter. Philly gets cold :(

2. I guess it's time to empty out his travel bag.

Blah. I hate this.

WIP Wednesday: Brooklyn Tweedy up in here

2011-07-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

I tried explaining the excitement of starting a new project to Matt the other night. He came home from work and was immediately flustered by my excitement over the possibility of another KAL(ish) and the new Wool People collection. I batted my eyelashes and asked if he would buy me yet another bit of yarn.

"Please, sir, may I have some more?"
"MOOOOOOOOOOORE?!"

I kid, I kid.

I explained the excitement of starting a new project, likening it to winning a new chess match, and he seemed to get the picture. Which is why my yarn for Levenwick by Gudrun Johnson is on its way! I actually bought one skein of the yarn to design a hat for fall, but when it arrived I fell in love and, with the publication of Wool People, I decided it would make the perfect cardigan. So I spent last night knitting my way through my first (and only) skein of yarn.

All I have to say is that it better get here fast! And that I'm almost done with my Rock Island edging. Finally! Things are beginning to shape up for fall.

Felicity hat, Levenwick, and Rock Island

Happy knitting! Cross your fingers my yarnz arrive soon.

Fangirling is Fun...

2011-07-25T14:34:00.000-07:00

or why I love Jared Flood.

I have the tendency to fall in love with things, mostly locations, that I have never experienced. I like to refer to Boston and Portland as my favorite places I would like to live...that I've never been to before. I also like to fall in love with scruffy and seldom bespectacled knitwear designers who live in Brooklyn.

I'm looking at you, Mr. Flood.

My boyfriend rolls his eyes whenever I mention that there is a new Jared Flood pattern out or whenever I talk about how attractive he is. There are very few "big" male knitters, dear, so please cut me some slack, nod your head and let me just *imagine*. He can deal with it because today, because, well, I can't even handle today.

Boy Knitter.
Photographer.
Designer.
Yarn Producer.

For the sake of all other men, Jared Flood needs to stop.

Anyway, I will put the fangirling on hold (for now), because what inspired me to write this (ridiculously embarrassing) post was not Mr. Flood himself, but a collaborative effort between himself and some fellow designers: Wool People Volume 1, a collaborative effort between 14 knitwear designers (Mr. Flood not included). The collection includes 15 patterns, most of which are garments with a few accessories thrown in the mix. This collaboration pairs designers like The Shetland Trader Gudrun Johnson (whose askew cardigan just might be my favorite in the collection), Quince & Co.'s Carrie Bostick Hoge, and Stephen West with some designers you may not be as familiar with, which is a pretty darn awesome experience.

And these designers really hold their own, with people like Leila Raabe (designer of the popular Shaelyn shawl), Kirsten Johnstone, and Olga Buraya-Kefelian, who has been a favorite of mine for awhile now. This post has taken me over an hour to write and, as I flip through these images again and again, I still can't decide which to knit first. All images are taken from Jared Flood's website or Ravelry, unless otherwise mentioned.

Levenwick by Gudrun Johnson

Allegheny by Thea Colman

Hourglass Throw by Anne Hanson

Holl by Kirsten Johnstone

Seraphine by Lucy Sweetland

I just. can't. decide. In the meantime, feel free to Queue these (and all the rest, like I did) on Ravelry or check out the on Brooklyn Tweed. I think I might just cave and purchase some Shelter this evening.

I feel like the only proper way to end this post is with this question...Jared, will you go to the school dance with me? Check YES or no.

;)

New Adventures in Test Knitting

2011-07-22T12:07:00.000-07:00

When I began designing Novella Shrug a few months back (wow, was it really April?), my boss approached me about selling my design in the shop. I was a bit apprehensive for a few reasons, but the thing that really deterred me was the potential for failure.

I edit my patterns pretty thoroughly before publication and even ask friends to test them for me when they can. Even with the utmost scrutiny things can go wrong and we may miss something. With Novella, I tried to offer up three different sizes (in two different weights), but sizing can be very difficult. With Ravelry, if you discover an error you can send out a mass message to your buyers, and selling it in the shop wouldn't offer me that option.

So I opted for test knitters. And it was pretty great.

Test knitting allows you the opportunity to work out any (and most) kinks before publication, you can cover all sizes you'd like and you don't have to beg your friends to knit for you :) Plus the results can be pretty awesome.

By Qtpieknitter

By ConnieCaps

By Abby21230

By spdsk8lil

By Me!

Pattern testing also allowed me to see what my design, an all-over lace pattern, would look like in a variegated yarn. All in all, it's a thumbs up for pattern testing and now I'm ready for Sock Summit!

Happy Knitting!

Friday Favorites: Harry Potter Edition

2011-07-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

You better believe this nerd saw it at midnight. Did you?

And yes, it was awesome.

There are some nerderies that I try to conceal, but my love for Harry Potter is too great to ever try and hide. I've read all of the books handfuls of times and they will always remind me of my childhood/young adulthood. The fact that this is all really "over" makes me super sad (who else used to line at midnight for the books?), but I will never really be Harry Potter-less.

And, as I say all the time...knitters are nerds through and through. A quick search on Ravelry will reveal Weasley sweaters, snitch socks, every hat Hermione has ever worn on screen and endless interpretations of house scarves (puts all the Doctor Who scarves to shame). So, though the saga may be over, the fandom will carry on for a long time. No doubt about that.

And yes, I almost cried. Several times. Enough about that. Here are some projects to keep you busy while reliving one of the most popular fandoms of all time.

Hermione Hearts Ron by Christy Aylesworth

This one by: Stanzilla

For when you're feeling a little bit evil...

Dark Mark Illusion Scarf by by Lindsay Henricks

Hermione's Striped Pullover (Order of the Phoenix) by Sirianne

The parseltongue hat by tiny owl knits

This one by: Underreigns

Hurray Hufflepuff by Lykkefanten

These ones by: Askja

Coolest "non-hp" Harry Potter project?

Poetry Mittens by Veronica Patterson and Jane Fournier

These ones by: Abycat

Sassy AND Evil

Slytherin Pride Socks by Ann Kingstone

Godric's Hollow by Margaretha Ramselaar

Potter Pals Snape!! by Squidneyknits

Bellatrix by Monkey Toes

These ones by: Mycrosquish

The Weasley Sweater by Alison Hansel

This one by: Cguggs

And even a...

Sorting Hat by Diane Scott

This one by: Frey-ja

Even though there is a lack of Ravenclaw love, I must say that might be my favorite house. Well, either that or Slytherine, but I did purchase "Intelligence," the limited edition Jimmy Beans color from Lorna's Laces. I bought one skein of Shepherd's Sock (possibly a new favorite yarn...) and love, love, love it. Act quick; they only have three left in stock!

Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in "Intelligence"

/nerd