Eat Pray Love and Socks

Well tomorrow Eat Pray Love is released on DVD.  I loved this movie and book.  So much that I have investigated going to take a trip to Bali myself.  I was tickled when I saw this knitting book being released.

 I have pre-ordered it on Amazon and anxiously await it's arrival.  My goal is to have a whole drawer filled with handmade socks by the end of the year.  Maybe a pair a month?

New Yarn - Much Love

While at Rhinebeck this year, my mom and I stumbled upon a vendor that was surrounded by people.  So many people we could barely get in to see what the hype was about.  When we managed to push inside we were in awe.  It was the Sanguine Gryphon...based out of Maryland with luscious colors and cool yarn names to boot.

Their patterns are very Steampunkish.  My mom and I bought the pattern and yarn to do this shawl.  I bought some sock patterns and a few other shawl patterns..  I have started the socks, but can't tell if I like my yarn choice or not.

Sweater Success

Finally Addy's owlet sweater is done. I will never do a sweater that requires me to sew on 28 buttons again. The owls are adorable. I love owls...all 14.

Lovely Projects

I love the young Scottish designer Ysolda Teague.   I just bought her pattern for this lovely shaw. I am anxiously waiting for her new pattern book to come out and am hoping to see it at Rhinebeck in October.  I will cross my fingers....if so it will be on the to buy list.   I am trying to go to Rhinebeck with a few projects in mind to buy yarn for or I will get overwhelmed easily, which will lead to spending to much money.  I am giving myself a spending limit of $200.00, not a penny more.  

I am almost finished, except for binding off the neckline and sewing on the wooden buttons for the owl eyes of Addy's owl sweater.  It is soooo cute.  With little boots and tights, and this owl hat

from Spud and Chloe.....picture time!  

Vintage Chunky

I found the cutest pattern for the cutest hat. Take a look. It's in Berrocos book #302 called Vintage and Vintage Chunky. I substituted Hulda yarn by Louisa Harding because VC was nowhere local to be found. The vest called Americano is a must make also. I will buy the yarn while up North. Patience is not my virtue. As stated by one of my friends, I love instant gratification. But will hold out for VC.

Vampire Knit Project

I received my copy of Vampire Knits. There are alot of cute projects. I fell in love with the Lore Hoodie. Off to my LYS, yarnworks, and after fondling many skeins, I bought a skein of Berroco Ultra Alpaca. It looks like a light bluish teal. This will be one of my train projects while going to Salem in October.

And the lucky winner is.....

I just about fell out of my seat when I found out I won the book Shear Spirits that I mentioned on a previous posting.   That's right....I actually won a contest...my unlucky self won. You would be more impressed if I won the lottery I'm sure:). 

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She Shoots Sheep Shots is having a contest that is giving the lucky winner a chance to get a free copy of her bool:

Shear Spirit: Ten Fiber Farms, Twenty Patterns, and Miles of Yarn

. You must write a caption for the picture posted at this link to enter.  She is also including three skeins of brown sheep lamb prides yarn to the winner of the best caption.  So get thinking!

Vampires and Knitting

When I saw this book previewed on Amazon, there is no way I couldn't buy it.  Into the shopping cart it went.  Some things are just must haves....no questions, no regrets.  What could be better...Vampirish stuff made with yarn.  It will be released on September 12th.  Hopefully many romantic patterns, just in time for me to make my yarn selectin while attending Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival this year.  Yes that's right....finally we are heading to Rhinebeck to attend this wonderful festival.  I am so excited I can hardly stand it.  Actually the two girlies and I are taking Amtrak to Boston so we can spend the week with my parent's in Salem.  We will all leave for Rhinebeck on friday.  We have an appt. at the Culinary Insititue Of America for Abby to take a tour, since this is her first choice of schools.  Then onward to relish in the wonderful world fiber and food.  Two of my favorite things. 

While we are in New England for the week I plan on spending the day in Boston with the girlies.  Showing them how to ride the subway, having dim sum for breakfast at the Windsor Dim Sum Cafe in Chinatown, hitting the Great Taste Bakery for some dan taat, and hopefully finding some cute asian shops with cute fabric and knick nacks.  We may hit the aquarium and then the North End (which is the the Italian district) for some shopping at the wonderful Itlalian deli's and dinner in a real Italian restaurant.  Sorry for you people that like Olive Garden and Carrabas.  You have no idea.


I want to visit western Mass one day to see WEBS, which is my moms LYS.  Lucky her...and then got the New England Cheesemaking Supply Company for some cheesemaking supplies.  We have tried mozzarella, but would like to try some hard cheese and blue cheese.

Maine is also on our roadmap, along with lobster rolls and clam strips with the bellies.  YUM.  Something that is impossible to find in the Sunshine State.

This is going to be a wonderful memorial adventure and I can't wait to go smell and see fall in New England.  How I miss it so.  Pumpkin patches, apple orchards, scenic roads bursting with fall foliage, here we come!

New Projects

I love owls....so when I found these patterns on Raverly I had to get them.  I have Addy's sweater on the needles for fall.  I bought the yarn for the socks, but this is my first attempt at colorwork so I am nervous.  I will probably by ripping and frogging alot!

Smooshy Yarn

Well I drove to The Local Needle today.  I ran out of yarn for the girls sweater shrug that I'm knitting.  It is very nice...very Anthropologie looking.  I'm using Lorenas Laces Shepard Worsted in Pewter and am very happy with it. 

So after arriving there at 10:00 with intentions to run in and get my skein wound and then skiddadle out, I left the shop at 11:15.  I couldn't help myself.  I was reserved though.  I did buy a lovely skein from an Indie company called Stitch Jones.  It's lace weight alpaca/silk/cashmere and the yarn I'm going to use for the spider shawl. 

I also fell in love with a brand of yarn called Dream In Color.  The have a line called Smooshy and then they have a branch off of that called Knitosophy.  The colors are smashing.  One cool thing is the art label and the names of the colors.  Each color also has an inspirational quote on the label.  Each one is hand dyed so you never really know how they will knit up.  I didn't buy any this time because I did by the other two and spent $56.00, but will buy a skein next week.  It looks like one skein will make a pair of socks and cost $25.00. 

Sheep..and more sheep...

Now this book is for me. It's quite lovely actually. It shows a
picture of each type of sheep and gives detailed info on them also. If
you are a spinner it's a great picture reference. Alexis's boyfriends
parents just got back from Ireland. She was telling me that the
farmers paint their sheep different colors such as pink,blue, ect. in
order to tell them apart in the pasture. She said it was a site! I
can't wait to go to Ireland next year!!!

Along Came a Spider...with sticks.

Okay...I hate spiders but Miss Ronda is to darn cute. Another must have
for Addy. Maybe she's a modern day Charlotte.....plus she's a shopper.
I like this eight legged creature!!

This will be a must have for Addy when she gets a wee bit bigger. She
will be a knitter you know. It's about a little girl with a voice like
a cricket who finds solice in knitting and gains self esteem from it.
Great storyline.

Sock Monkies

I need to start a sock monkey for Addy.  I want to make one instead of buying one from mass production.  While searching for a pattern, I found these socks that will be on the needles as soon as I buy some yarn.  There is nothing in my stash that would work:(

For all of you knitter's....here's the link for the monkey socks.......

I love Amazon.  Not only because my beloved Kindle comes from there, but because they have everything and the prices are always great.  Especially with books.  I became a prime member so I can get my stuff in two days for free.....because I am an instant gratification kind of girl.

I can't wait till tomorrow when my new book 


Knitted Lace of Estonia: Techniques, Patterns, and Traditions

arrives. I love, love, love knitting lace. It's so not boring. I may have to take a ride to The Local Needle tommorrow to buy the most beautiful purple alpaca/cashmere lace yarn I saw there. I had spent to much when I was in there before and put it back at the last minute.

Check out the spider scarf I am planning on knitting....great for next fall.

This was made and created by one of the owners of Hanks Yarn and Fabric.  My LYS.  Much love.

Knitting Goodies

Here are some very nice, cute knitting accessories. They were all found at Webs in Mass. My mom is soooo lucky that this is her local yarn store. Will definitely be going there in August.

Stitch markers by Lantern Moon

Teeny, tiny hand carders for felting

Great book on spinning with a drop spindle

Fibersphere

Cute little project bag

Cutesy needles

Adorable stitch marker necklace

Little Red

I love capes...especially flowing hooded ones.  I saw a similar pattern in a book called Fairytale Knits.  This one was free on Raverly.  I need to start this now for Addy  for next fall.  It is so freakin' cute.

Knitta Please..

Love, love, love these knitting bags from offhand designs.  I want this one.  It's $110.00 and mighty purty.

Two Stix makes this adorable bag that is hand embroidered.  No two are alike...Just my thing.  $166.00.

This doctor bag reminds me of Mary Poppins.  Love it.  $156.00

Oh Santa baby......

I needed a break from the peep today so she went to the sitter's. I should have been home doing stuff, but went shopping instead. That is how I relax. I haven't been to Hanks for awhile so I swung buy to see what they had. Plus I just got Cat Borhi's sock book and wanted to try some stuff. I am going to knit the trial pair for the peep on this awesome tie dye yarn from Skacel called Crazy Zauberball....Yum!



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