Black Hole

Ever feel like you are in the "black hole" of knitting? That's the way I've felt lately.....I mean, I've been knitting...honestly I have....but it just seemed like nothing was getting done! I can't even remember the last FO off the top of my head....just wip's everywhere...until this week.

Finally!!! I got two things finished this past week! First one is the Handsome Devil socks from the Six-Sock-KAL. These were really fun to do! DH really liked them and requested a pair for himself. Already have some Jitterbug picked out....he actually picked it out on our trip to Austin for his. I did mine out of some Opal Uni and Vinca from the stash.

And HALLELUJAH....... I finally finished the Mystery Stole 3.....Swan Lake from last summer. You know.....the one I got 19 rows from finishing and ran out of yarn!!! It was my first big lace project and I was so proud! It was heart-breaking to have to frog it.....and I was determined I was going to finish one! Now I can start the next Mystery Stole when it starts next month without this one hanging over my head!! I can't wait to go somewhere that I can wear it!

On stash enhancement I have really slowed things down a bit. My goal is to not buy anything else until I make a "hole" in the yarn wall by finishing a project. Of course, I'm not committed to that notion to the extent that I would fill the hole with something that is stuffed in a bag in the corner......empty spots need NEW stuff to fill them up!!! Anyway...the last two things that I got....and yes.....they did fit in the wall of yarn......after a little re-organization anyway..... were some Crystal Palace Creme. I found out that it has been discontinued and found it online for something like 50% off! I'm planning to do the Cable Love sweater from More Big Girl Knits with it.

I also could not resist a kit I saw online for the Legends of the Shetland Sea Stole. It is from Blackberry-Ridge and I can't wait to cast it on!

I think I'm going to force myself to tackle a couple of wips first though. They are bugging me. I usually only have about 3 or 4 and I think I have around 8 or so going right now. I don't know why it bothers me but it does for some reason....so guess I'll try to finish at least one or two of those before starting a new one.

Outside the realm of knitting, this has been keeping me busy for the past 4 weeks!

I had Dax for 4 weeks while Amanda was recuperating from her surgery and Savy joined us for the last week after she returned from Texas and her other grandparent's house.

We have also some some renovations going on around here. We are getting new windows and siding on the house. The windows went in on Friday and I can't believe the difference! I didn't realize just how ugly those nasty old aluminum windows were until the new ones were in! They are supposed to start the siding this week. Hopefully aside from just looking nicer it will help with the utility bills some.

I've also started another kind of new project. Something I used to do and haven't done for years! Oil painting. The people who had this house before us added the den onto the back of the house. It goes all the way across the back. There used to be a window over the kitchen sink overlooking the backyard and they just walled it up when they did the addition. It looks exactly like what it is.....a walled up window and is most unattractive. I've always just propped a big platter up there and the window ledge has turned into a catch-all for medicine bottles, toothpick holders, etc. Well, I decided that I would paint a landscape scene in it and mount an old window frame so it seems like you are looking outside. I haven't touched a brush in 20 something years and I'm pretty rusty at it, but it's looking ok so far. Will post a pic of it when I get a little further along. Worst case scenario....if I hate it I can always paint over it and put the platter back...lol!

Neglected Yarn

Ok...I'll admit it....there are a lot of skeins of yarn up in my yarn wall, stuffed in various bags and sacks, etc. that probably feel neglected. Just sitting there waiting to be knitted up into some wonderful sweater, scarf, hat, shawl, sock.....something......anything! At least I do "pet" all of it upon occasion so it's not totally neglected...lol! All I can say is I'm glad they don't get all wrinkled up as they age like I'm starting to do! They might never get used!

Well, I was messing around with my stash today...petting everyone and thinking about doing a little reorganization....you know....starting a "lace section" for all the goodies I've gotten lately, expanding the sock section....fun stuff like that and I stumbled onto some yarn that I had totally forgotten about! Never added it to the stash in Ravelry, never blogged about it....never even took a picture of it....poor things. Now that is neglected!

I got most of it this past Spring at a local Spinning/Weaving Festival here in Edmond. I so enjoyed it and even did a tiny smidge of spinning with a drop spindle! It was small but very well set up and organized.

Sadly, I don't even remember who I got most of these from and only one has a tag with the vendors name and contact info. I'm pretty sure I saved the sales tickets.....I think I did anyway. They are probably put away somewhere safe so I would know where they are.....and I'll never see them again!

Anyway, so they get their "day in the sun"......here they are!

This one is shades of black, greys and white sock yarn. No identifying info on it except that it is superwash. I would say it's light fingering weight. Not a clue about yardage either but I'm guessing around 400 yds.

I've named this one Autumn Leaves. It does have a tag identifying it as Bluefaced Leicester, sock weight and is 465 yds.

The next in line I'm calling Easter Basket. It is the only one with a vendor tag. It came from Rugs On The Hoof and is merino/nylon sock yarn....about 440 yds.
The other that came from the Festival is worsted weight. I'm assuming it is 100% wool. Haven't done the burn test or anything on it, but am pretty sure. It is called Corriedale. I snagged 3 skeins at 210 yds. per skein of it.

This last one I ran across was some I bought well over a year and a half ago at Loops in Tulsa when DH and I made a trip up there for his Aquarium club meeting at the Jenks Aquarium. It is Crystal Palace Bunny Hop in a bright lime green. I think I got this thinking socks, but the yardage is not enough for long cuffs and I'm not a footie person at all so will probably end up a baby something.

Now that I have "found" these I guess I had better give them an extra squeeze now and then until I use them so they won't feel neglected anymore!

More Yarn

Warning. This is a yarn heavy post.....so if you aren't "in to" yarn, you may be bored...lol. Of course, it is beyond me why anyone wouldn't want to look at pictures of yarn! The only thing better is getting to feel of it....or knit with it in my humble opinion.

These are the goodies I was lucky enough to pick up before my extended hospital stay in Austin! We only went to 2 of the LYS in Austin on Saturday before the wedding. We had intended to hit a couple more along with more than the 2 aquarium stores DH wanted to check out....but I wasn't feeling good and we got a late start.....in retrospect.....considering what happened I was lucky I got as much running around done as I did! The Dr. who admitted me to the hospital Sunday morning was shocked that I shopped most of the day and went to a wedding Saturday night. She said I shouldn't have even been able to walk around....what can I say...I've always had a high pain threshold and I just ignored it as long as I could to do things that were important to me.

I went prepared...I had specific yarns and yardages all written down for projects I wanted to do....and promptly ignored the list and bought all lace weight and sock yarn...lol....oh, well....what is that they say about best laid plans!! I'm happy with what I did get so that is the main thing. I haven't seen any of the things I bought locally except for some Colinette Jitterbug that DH picked out for me to do him a pair of the Handsome Devil Socks on the 6-Sock-Knit-Along yahoo group. Here it is:

Yummy colors aren't they?

The other sock yarn I picked up was a gift for Amanda and I didn't get a pic of it.

The rest was lace weight....glorious wonderful lace!! That is the one area that my stash is (or was) sorely lacking in since the MS3 was my first ever lace project.....the "re-do" is coming along nicely, by the way...will post pics of it again soon.

This is some yummy Prism Lace Wool in the colorway Dune.

Next comes Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace. I was shocked at how reasonable it was cost wise!

Then there is the softest thing you have ever fondled....HandMaiden Camelspin in Blackberry!

Some more HandMaiden caught my eye as well. Sea Silk in Nova Scotia. I so waned 2 skeins of this one but she only had one!

Then there is the Misti Alpaca Lace. Again....pleasantly surprised at how little it cost! It is as soft as butter and a soft gold.

The next two I had never even heard of before! Enchant`e from Kaalund Yarns in the colorway Rainforest. It is 100% cultivated silk.

And Habu XS-45 20/3 Bamboo. It has a gorgeous shimmer to it and I have to find the perfect lace project for this one....it just really intrigues me!

I did pick up another skein of lace for Amanda...which I didn't get a pic of either. It was Alpaca With A Twist Fino in a dark, dusty blue.

I guess it's a good thing we didn't get a chance to hit the other shops, lol! We popped into Guage...one of the newest shops there but I didn't find anything there. All of these came from Hill Country Weavers. Really charming shop in the downtown area in a vintage house and crammed full in every nook and cranny of fabulous yarns!

I can't seem to get the new Malabrigo that came in at Gourmet Yarn off my mind so I may have to add some of that to the stash...then I need to go on a yarn diet....a serious yarn diet...until I get some of this used up!