Sock-Club-A-Rama

In honor of receiving my new camera cord (I still can’t find my old one…) I am pleased to show off a few of my sock club kits that have arrived safely in Oregon.

First up is the August shipment for the Art Walk Sock Yarn Club (picture to the left). The color is Toreador, inspired by Salvador Dali’s painting The Hallucinogenic Toreador. The yarn is a merino/bamboo/nylon blend and feels light and soft. The colors are muted and unique.

Next I received my July Pick Up Sticks kit (picture to the right) and it’s a great one. The yarn is Sheldridge Farm Soft Touch Ultra 100% Wool and it is in an intense color aptly called Green Apple. It has a lovely spin to it and it is so soft. The pattern that came with it is called Grow and it looks like a challenging one. I have a feeling I’ll be turning to this kit in the midst of dismal winter for a much needed shot of color.

Finally, the Fall kit from the Loopy Ewe! Wow! Another winner! This season’s kit includes an exclusive Claudia Hand Painted Yarn in intense autumnal colors as well as another fantastic Lisa Parker Wildhorse Farm Designs sock pattern, Pheasant Run. Yet again Sheri also added in a few extra treats including a great little sock club notions bag, some stitchmarkers from Good To Be Girl (a pumpkin and an autumn donut), a packet of cider, some peppermints, and a little book with sock tips.

So, tonight is the big Cat Bhordi book signing in Portland. I had planned on going, but now I don’t think I will. I’m just worn out from the move and I don’t really know any one. I’m sure it will be fun though…Who knows. Maybe I’ll change my mind. Or maybe I’ll order a pizza, watch a couple movies, and knit all night. 🙂

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Too Humid

First, I must say, it is too humid. It’s sticky and hot and gross. Blech! Everytime I talk to our Realtor or insurance agent or anyone else out in Oregon they tell me how beautiful it is there right now…soon I will leave this crazy muggy summer behind.

My Summertime Tunic is moving along. I finished the back last night. Here are a couple pics showing the back’s detail. In order to create the casing for the ribbon you just whipstitch down about an inch of the back. Pretty neat. I think once it’s washed and relaxed it won’t even look sewn. The hemp is starting to bug me. It’s just not so pleasant to knit. I think I’ll have to cast on for some soft merino socks are something to take the edge off. 🙂

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The other day I got my latest Pick Up Sticks Sock Club package. Now, I had looked around at other’s peoples blogs to catch a glimpse of this prior to receiving it and I was prepared to be disappointed. Lucky for me, this yarn looks absolutely gorgeous in person! The yarn is Spinning Bunny in Bird of Paradise in a merino and tencel blend. The colors are richly saturated and the sheen is beautiful. Another winner!

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***Knitting Group is Tonight! We meet at the new Starbucks in Wilmette (corner of Lake & Laramie, just to the west of I-94 on Lake Ave.). We start at around 6:30 and go until 8ish. Any yarn enthusiast is welcome!***

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Etsy love

Yeah, I know I said I wouldn’t buy any more yarn until we move and I could almost hear you all say, “yeah, right!” Well, you were right. I bought more yarn.

I was window-shopping on Etsy and picked out a few new yarns from three sellers I had not used before.

First up, Ashabee’s Fiber Oasis Merino/Tencel sock yarn in Kaleidoscope. So soft, so beautiful. She also has some bamboo/merino blend sock yarn that looks interesting…

Next, MamaBlue’s Jolie set – I just have a weakness for coordinating toe/heel sock sets. The yarn is lovely 100% superwash Blue Faced Leicester wool. Nice.

Finally, Yarn Chef. This stuff is amazing. It feels great and the colors are so intense. Both of these will do some striping too. Gotta love it! (The one on the left is In The Pond and on the right is Little Princess).

A few days ago the May Pick Up Sticks Sock kit came and it’s a good one (again). The yarn is Seacoast Panda (bamboo/merino) in the color Seaside and the pattern is just perfect for it. What a great summer sock kit.

Swatching on the Summertime Tunic continues…details Wednesday.

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Yarntastic Day!

So I mentioned on Friday that a bit of sock yarn had entered my home lately. I splurged a bit since it was my birthday. Yeah, that’s the perfect excuse. 🙂 Prepare to drool!

(Pick Up Sticks Club and Rockin‘ Sock Club are the last photos so as to not spoil the surprise for other members).
Duet Skinny from A Swell Yarn Shop in Sailor Girl. Absolutely love this color combination! This is the new thinner sock weight Duet.

Cascade Fixation in Denim (2608) and Chocolate (7382). Adrienne knit a pair of socks with Fixation and brought it to knitting Group. They were so fabulous I want to knit some for myself!

Meilenweit Cotton Fantasy #812 (Blue and Tan) and #803 (Pinks and Browns). This just looked like great cotton sock yarn. It’s 45% cotton, 42% wool, and 13% polyamide.

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock in Undertoe (Mediumweight).
Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock in Socktopus (Mediumweight). Absolutely love this color and the name!

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock in Foo Foo (Mediumweight).

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock in Footzey-Foo (Mediumweight)

2007 Rockin‘ Sock Club April kit color, Walking on the Wild Tide, using the new base yarn, Silkie – a silk and wool blend. Absolutely stunning color!

And last, but not least the Pick Up Sticks April Sock Club Kit with Zen Yarn Garden in Spring Garden. The perfect spring colors. 🙂

So, which is your favorite? 😉

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March Pick Up Sticks Club Kit

Hopefully I’ve waited long enough to not spoil this for any fellow sock club members. I received my kit Tuesday and I just can’t wait any longer to share it. March’s kit from the Pick Up Sticks Sock Club is the super fantastic Yarn Pirate! The color is ozone and the pattern is the perfect modern, but simple stitch pattern to go with it. Yea! I’ve been petting this yarn a lot. The colors and texture are just lovely. This kit may trump all plans for what sock I was going to knit next. Maybe I can finish up the Desert Flower socks this weekend though I hardly ever get any knitting time when we are away visiting family and that’s what we’ll be doing starting tomorrow.

I have a little bit of yarn on its way to me. Pictures soon. Some of it is even not sock yarn. Can you believe it? 🙂

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Life moves on

Thank you to everyone for your kind words about Kilby’s passing. Knowing so many people are sending good thoughts our way really does help. I took the day off work today and I’ve spent time just thinking about how much she meant to me and Matt. I will never have another kitty like her, but that’s what made her so special.

Over the last few days I have gotten a bit of knitting done. Nothing like the calming nature of knitting.

Conifer Socks
Pattern: Conifer by Meghan Jackson from the Pick Up Sticks Sock Club
Yarn: Apple Laine Apple Pie in English Garden
Needles: Inox size 2.5mm (US 1)
Start Date: February 20, 2007
End Date: March 14, 2007
Comments: Once I figured out I should actually read the pattern, these socks knit very nicely. The pattern designer, Meghan Jackson, has outstanding attention to detail. Not only is the top of leg done in a unique stitch pattern, the leg is in a different stitch and then she carries the ribbing pattern through the heel and the toe. Pretty cool.

The Apple Laine yarn is one I don’t think I would have necessarily ordered on my own so I was curious when I received it through the Pick Up Sticks Sock Club. Turns out I absolutely loved working with it. It’s a wool/silk/mohair/nylon blend with a beautiful fuzz and sheen. The colors are deeply saturated and I had absolutely no pooling. I think there is a very very slight difference in the intensity of the color if you compare the two socks, but nothing too noticeable.

Wednesday night I started my next pair of socks. These are being knit in Yarntini’s Project Runway colors, “Carry On!” and “Make it Work!” in fingering weight. I’m knitting toe-up to maximize the yardage and that way I can do my new favorite heel – the peasant heel (you can just see the waste yarn below the top black line). I thought I would do a 2×2 ribbing on the foot and leg, but after looking at it again last night I ripped back to the toe and started the foot over again with just plain stockinette. Much better. For the curious, I’m getting 8 stitches per inch on 0’s (2.0mm).

This weekend I’m hoping to spend some good quality time with Thermal. All the socks this week have been distracting me, but I still have hopes of someday finishing Thermal and wearing it. 🙂 Speaking of distractions, here are the new Duet Sock yarns I got earlier this week. The colors are Evening Elegance and Razzleberry. I really just can’t get enough of this yarn. Maybe she’ll start a sock club…I wouldn’t be able to resist a Duet sock club…Are you reading this, Angela? 🙂

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A Finished Sock

Not so long ago I was knitting up 3 or 4 pairs of socks a month. Now I’m excited I finished this one sock after weeks of dawdling. This slowdown is bound to lift soon as nothing motivates sock knitting like the knowledge that your sock yarn stash is now officially out of control! I have a bit more Duet Sock yarn coming in and I joined one more sock club. That’s it. I’m done buying for a long long time. I know, I know, you’ve all heard that before, but really really really. I’m taking a break from sock yarn buying at least until we move. I’ll give myself a couple exemptions (like if the Knitting Group does decide to go to The Fold), but my sock yarn boxes just can’t take anymore!

The sock to the right is the first Conifer Sock from the Pick Up Sticks Sock Club. The yarn is Apple Laine Apple Pie in English Garden. I’m using size 2.5mm (US 1) Inox double points. As you can see, the second sock has begun. The sooner I get it done, the sooner I can start on the Rockin‘ Sock Club kit!

***Knitting Group has moved! We’ll still be meeting on Wednesdays (tonight!), but instead of the Borders we have moved a little west to the new Starbucks in Wilmette (corner of Lake & Laramie, just to the west of I-94 on Lake Ave.). We meet from 6:30 until 8ish and any yarn enthusiast is welcome!***

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Progress and the Rockin’ Sock Club Kit!

A bit of progress was made on Thermal this weekend. I’m only a few inches away from dividing for the front button placket. Hooray! As it goes on, I’m really falling into a rhythm with this pattern. Something kind of zen about knitting for hours and not always making any visible progress. Well, it’s zen if I’m in a good mood otherwise it’s just damn frustrating. 🙂 As I knit I sometimes find my self singing in my head the song that Dory sings in Finding Nemo. Except instead of “swimming” I’m thinking, “Just keep knitting. Just keep knitting. Just keep knitting, knitting, knitting. What do we do? We knit, knit.”

Last night I picked up the neglected Conifer Sock from the Pick Up Sticks Sock Club. I finished up the leg and got past the pretty heel. The pattern designer added a lot of unique detail to it and I actually had to pay attention while knitting! 🙂 Some people were having trouble getting the sock over their heel so I was thrilled to find out it went over mine. It’s a bit tight pulling it on, but once it’s on it fits perfectly. (Needles: 2.5mm Inox; Yarn: Apple Laine Apple Pie in English Garden).

Spoiler Alert ****2007 Rockin’ Sock Club Kit ****
Don’t Scroll if You Don’t Want to See

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And here it is. Finally! The absolutely awesome first kit from the 2007 Rockin’ Sock Club. The color is Monsoon (mediumweight) and it is incredibly appropriate in light of the dismal weather we have been having lately. The pattern, Inside Out, is really different and I look forward to casting on as soon as I finish up the Conifer socks. Along with the yarn and pattern, the kit included the adorable little emergency skein key chain, a sticker, the newsletter, and a very nice custom binder (definitely a step up from last year’s). I’m so happy I joined again and I am now already anxiously waiting for the next kit. 🙂

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Yarn! (And A Shameless Plea for Comments)

Matt and I got back last night from 3 days in Carbondale where we were visiting family. My mom had some surgery a couple weeks ago and Matt and I went down to help out for the weekend. As there was no knitting the past few days I’ll instead show you a couple recent yarn acquisitions.

Late last week I received a couple of packages in the mail. First up is my February Pick Up Sticks Sock Club Kit. This month the yarn is a gorgeous color of Spunky Eclectic Skinny Socks called Romance. The pattern is a classic ripple pattern that will show off the colors in the yarn very nicely. The white yarn is to knit the removable lace cuff detail of the pattern…I’m not so into that. All in all it’s another great sock kit!

I also received my first skein of Yarn Pirate in The Loopy Ewe exclusive color, Sweet Jules. This is the 50/50 Merino/Tencel sock yarn and it has the most gorgeous shine. I love the variety of colors in the yarn. I’m going to have to think a bit on what pattern to use with this lovely lovely yarn. Any ideas?

And finally, a request for comments. Connie, the owner of Pick Up Sticks, recently asked everyone who reads her blog to delurk and just say “hi,” so I’m going to copy her and do the same. I’m always curious who reads my blog and where you all are. So, whether you comment a lot or never, please leave me a comment just so I know you all are out there. And if you want, let me know where you are or how you came to find my blog or if you have a blog of your own. 🙂

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Waffles and Apple Pie

I’ve finally made it to the thermal part of Thermal! Please admire the little waffle stitches. It took a while even to get this much done, but I love it. I’m knitting one size smaller than my actual bust measurement as I hoping that I can get back to healthy habits now that my neck is much better. I’ve started working out again, so with some serious commitment to the gym I should be able to fit Thermal sometime while the weather still calls for it.

I really like knitting with the Knit Picks Gloss (Merino Silk blend). It has a gorgeous stitch definition and the dusk color is just a gorgeous shade of blue. My plan is to work on Thermal at least one hour a day while still knitting other projects. I just want to wear it now!

In other knitting, I cast on for the Pick Up Sticks Sock Club Conifer pattern last night, again. I attempted this one a few weeks ago and totally botched it up. This time around I’m taking my time and really focusing on the pattern (perfect American Idol knitting). The yarn, Apple Laine Apple Pie in English Garden, is just wonderful to knit. It’s very silky with just a bit of a mohair halo. The colors are very rich. It was tough getting a good picture of this stitch pattern. Once the sock is done and washed I think it will show a lot better. The pattern has these neat cluster stitches that are really unique, but impossible to photograph!

***Knitting Group is tonight (Wednesday) at the Borders’ Cafe in Wilmette (corner of Lake & Skokie). We meet from 6:30 until 8:00 and any yarn enthusiast is welcome!***

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