Purl Kitty

I just got back from a two week trip to France, so I do have a legitimate excuse for my absence. It was amazing, the food was amazing and I actually got a fair bit of knitting done. I completed a pair of socks for my stepfather for Father’s day, a pair of booties for a one of the twins born in my mom’s village and one of my Spring Forward socks done. Pictures of the Spring Forward socks are coming soon as I just finished them last night. I’ve moved to to my Charades as my next project which is destined to be an FO. I’ll post more once I get my photos of France onto my computer.

Two more FO’s for today and even more tomorrow!

I cast on for these socks within hours of recieving this yarn in the mail. I’d been stalking without buying for awhile and finally broke down. These only took a couple of days and I made them pretty matchy matchy within a milimeter or two.

Yarn: Trekking XXL – 126
Pattern: None
Needle Size: 1

These are Brainless (Rav Link). My mom and I had decided to do a KAL together. When she got the heel she bailed and I kept going. These are only my first pair of this pattern and I really enjoyed it. It was simple but kept me interested the whole time. It was a fairly quick knit and I would knit it a third time in a heartbeat.

Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Thin – Mermaid’s Song (from my very first The Loopy Ewe order)
Patttern: Brainless
Needle Size: 1

Hello! I added a cute little gallery to the sidebar which is showing my FO’s from this year. I haven’t gotten that far with adding yet so it’s still a work in progress.

So the first FO up is  Froot Loops from Knitty. This was the July sock at Magpie Yarn. It took me so long because making the actual loops hurt my hands so I put it down for awhile. I decided to give them to my mom and her recent visit inspired me to visit them.

Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Thin – Rainbow Sherbet
Needle Size: O’s
Mods: Toe-Up, Piccot bind-off.

Next up is a simple pair of toe-up socks again for my mom. This was my first time using Lorna’s Laces. I loved the Grumperina colorway and cast on immediately after getting it in the mail. The colors reminded me of a shirt my mom had when I was little so it was a given to give them to her. She loves them and says they’ll fit under her shoes perfectly.

Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Sheppard Sock Multi – Grumperina
Pattern: None. Basic toe-up.
Needles: 0’s

I have more FO’s to show you tomorrow. But now for the part you’ve all been waiting for: The new yarn! I had a Birthday 10 days ago and that led to some major stash enchancement from my parents. First up is the yarn I  got with my gift certificate from The Loopy Ewe that my Dad and stepmother gave me. From left to right (Numma Numma Toasty in Baba Ganoush, Fannie’s Fingering in Kaleidscope, Dream In Color Starry in Dusky Aurora, Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Select Semi-Solid in Dove and ShibuiKnits in Wasabi.) Click to embiggen.

The second group is from the trip I took with my stepfather to Magpie Yarn. The only one he didn’t buy is the purple one (unknown yarn) since my mom purchased that one on a different day. On the left is Mountain Color Bearfoot and the white and purpley is J.Knits in Cincinnati. The rest are fairly self-explanatory.

Okay, moving away from knitting for a second. SAVE CHUCK. I can’t believe this fun show may be going off the air. I didn’t start watching until this season but it’s become a show I’ve highly enjoyed and looked forward to watching every week. I love talking with my Dad about it after he watches (he started watching right from the beginning). Here’s hoping it gets some good rating tonight. Until tomorrow.

Two days in a row, this must be some kind of record. I worked away at my Interlocking Leaves socks while I watched Disc 2 of Doctor Who Season 4 last night. I’m through one and a half repeats so far for the instep and I don’t think I’m too far from turning the heel. I’m liking this pattern a lot. Easy to follow and I haven’t gotten bored yet. It feels like it’s going pretty quickly.

It’s snowing again here. Already there’s about four inches on the ground. My workplace was hit pretty badly by the ice storms of last week and some parts are still without power. Thankfully the worst at home was some downed trees on my street.  Most of the ice and snow had all but melted away yesterday afternoon and there was a lot of grass showing just a few hours ago.  It’s January so I can’t complain too much.

I’ve been knitting away. I’ve already got a lovely parade of FOs for 2009.

First off my current project – Interlocking Leaves from Knitty Fall 2008:

I’m using Seacoast Handpainted Panda in Sugar Plum. I have quite a few pairs of socks OTN right now but I wanted to grab something to start on during my trip to Delaware last week. I have a few more rows done now but not much.

Next up was a quick project but it was desperately needed with the bad weather coming about three weeks ago. It’s done in Noro and the project is called the Noro Spiral Hat which can be found on my Ravelry project page. It’s warm and I’ve worn it pretty much non stop since I cast off. I was in Delaware over the weekend for my Dad’s Birthday and while we were in Wal-mart I got hot and slipped it into my pocket. As we were loading the car I noticed my hat was missing. We trekked back into the store and asked Customer Service if anyone had turned it in, no go. We started to retrace our steps and in the home improvement section I asked the man behind the counter making keys if anyone had turned it in there. He pulled it out from under the counter and told me someone had thrown it in the recycling bin!! I couldn’t believe an employee of all people wouldn’t give it to customer service. There was a little bit of glue on it but it needs to be blocked anyway so I’m not complaining. I’m happy to have it back.

This was my first FO of the new year, made as a Christmas gift for my old roommate and best friend Kelli. It’s Toasty and made with some Malabrigo worsted I picked up in Mendocino (actually Fort Bragg) over Christmas. My mom and I started a pair at the same time and I finished just before she did. Both were destined to be gifts to women named Kelli (or Kelly). Hers were out of Rowan Felted Tweed and they turned out gorgeous.

I’ll write a Mendocino post up next along with some more from Delaware.

This is one of the first nearly completed object from my Christmas knitting. It’s for a close friend of the family. The pattern is Shag by Lynne Barr (Rav link) and I’m using Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton. I’m loving the yarn, it’s so soft! I’ll definitely use it again in future projects. The pattern on the other hand has been a bit of a pain. It’s easy but if you’re not paying attention you can very easily mess it which. I’ve ripped it out quite a few times. Hopefully for the last time since I’m nearly finished.

As you can see from the side bar I have quite a few items in progress, all of which need photographing. I took this on my way out the door from work the other night. It blended in a bit too much but the light was gorgeous.

I’ve made a few of the Ballband Dishcloths (Rav Link) from Mason-Dixon Knitting. I took the book out of the library and I kept it a bit longer than I should have. It was so difficult to return, but it’s on my list to get from Amazon one of these days. I missed the Mason-Dixon Knitters speaking here last month. I had a bunch of stuff going on and I’m regretting not being able to get over there for it. I heard it was great, complete with the wigs!

I’m so excited to start knitting from the new IK Holiday Issue. There’s so many gorgeous patterns, especially the Helix Gauntlets (Rav link)! I have the perfect yarn in mind for it, but I think I need to wait until after Christmas. I can’t believe Thanksgiving is only two weeks away. Christmas will be here before we know it!

This is my first mobile post as I’m technically not home yet. I would like to publically thank a fabulous flight attendent who knew I really needed a drink, It took the edge off my anger and calmed me way down.

The lace ribbon scarf has been finished, blocked and gifted to my wonderful mom. It was a fun project and some brought me dsome gorgeous fingering Alpaca to make another. Her friend purchased a skein of Dream in Color Smooshy in Lipstick Lava so I can make her one. This is the third I’ll be making in DIC and I’m excited to use it again.

I picked up lots of lovely yarns on my trip to San Francisco bay area this past weekend. Some Shibui, Happy Feet, Collinette Jitterbug, Malabrigo. I didn’t knit as much as I normally do and after frogging my Charade, I think I was just a bit frustrated. I’m on the toe now but I need to work on my Dads sweater vest this week.

My trip overall was great and it was nice to spend time with my mom and stepfather. I went with my stepfather to look at the iPhones at the Apple store and left with an iPod Touch! Yay! It’s so pretty. I picked out my favorite type of case, the agent18 and I can’t wait to put some movies on it later today.

Before I forget, I want to give a shout out to a wonderful yarn shop I visited in Lafayette called The Yarn Boutique. This place and the owner were fabulous. She has a great selection of yarn and was so helpful. I wish I lived closer so I could go there often.

I’m not dead, not even close. I think the lack of posts came from a number of things: the busy season at work, the fact my blog was pretty new and just lack of wanting to deal with the errors that weren’t making things work right. I think the upgrade has improved things a bit so I’m ready to continue. I’m loving the things I’ve been knitting lately.

I’ve got a couple pairs of socks on the needles. A pair of stockinette in Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome in Cherry Blossom. This is my first attempt at two socks at the same time:

(Yes I realize they’re different lengths. I originally was going to do them separately.)

A pair of stockinette in Lorna’s Laces Grumperina Colorway:

A pair of Zombies for sock club in 101 Araucania Ranco Solid:

I made a quick knit in the form of a Blackberry Cozy for my Blackberry Curve. I’m too afraid to drop it on the rough floor at work. I used some leftover yarn from my first pair of socks:

A gorgeous but secret project for my mom… Too bad she knows the link but I’ll post pictures once it’s in the mail.

Spinning has been going well, but I’m going to take my wheel to my LYS since I don’t think it’s completely together properly. It’s just hard for me to get up there during the week.

Lately I’ve been finding some of the best TV to watch while knitting are these cheesy Lifetime movies. They all turn out the same but they’re funny to watch.

I planted five tomato plants last week. This is my first big gardening attempt and I’m trying my best to remember to water them! I also planted some chamomile and some spearmint in little pots to dry out for tea. I love loose leaf tea and I make a great nighttime blend using those herbs.

Gah. I hate not having my voice. I’ve sounded horrible the past two days, it gets better and then runs away again.

I had my “Aha!” moment with spinning this evening and got it down. I was so proud of myself. I could tell when I was starting to get tired when the fiber kept breaking and figured I better turn in. Then my lovely Pumpkin jumped up on my knee which would have been fine, had she not shocked herself from static in the process and then dug her back claws into my leg. She did nearly the same thing two nights ago when she cut my arm with her back claws. Bad Pumpkin.

We had a gorgeous snowfall this evening right after work for about an hour or two and then what sounded like an ice storm. Too bad by the afternoon all the pretty snow will be washed away by the coming rains. I’d like to enjoy it for more than a day. It doesn’t seem like it snows here like it used to just a few years ago. I hate driving in it, but I love looking at it and dealing with it minus the cars.

Hello. I hope you are all enjoying your weekend (all zero of you since that’s how many read this). I’ve been working hard on a pair of socks and been attempting to do some spinning. I’m horrible at it so far and I really don’t want to frustrate myself to the point of not wanting to look at it again so I’ve been taking it slow. After my laundry is done I plan to give it another go for a few hours and hopefully things will start to click.

I’ve been sick for the past month or so with a sore throat. My doctor thought it was a virus and gave me some antibiotics which really didn’t do anything. He might be right and it could be allergies, but my voice has been slowly going the past week and it’s starting to scare me. I couldn’t yell at my cat to get her off the counter the other night. It was more of a hushed command and she could have cared less. So in hopes of regaining my voice for this weekend, I’ve stayed in as much as possible lately and rested to give it a chance to come back. Monday starts the busy season at work until June/July so I’m also enjoying having <b>nothing</b> to do.