buried in stash.......

yarn cakes.....just waiting for a project

jumbo ball winder

metroid plushie

You would think since I am doing this yarn diet thing, and not actively adding yarn to the stash that it would be shrinking.....but surprisingly it's not moving as fast as I had hoped. I am still stitching daily but I think the big difference is that I am not making blankets I suppose I should before it gets to hot to do so.  But My projects for now tend to be a bit smaller.  I do have a blanket on the needles that is a fair project but it's not seen much progress as other things have taken up my time.  I got a new jumbo ball winder (birthday gift) and I am actively caking up yarn!! So now I am thinking about organization.........  It's less than three months to the fair and family reunions so I suppose I need to get moving on a few things.    I have several projects on the hooks and needles this week.....  I have finished one stitch surrfer and am up to the heel on number two,  I didn't finish by the end of the kal but I am enjoying it anyway.

stitch surfer in progress

  Now there is a new sock kal, but I am trying to finish the second stitch surfer before I download the pattern.  May or may not get to that one.  I did finish the mystery knit along, love potion number 7 and it turned out great.  I ended up using almost all of one skein each of knit picks palette calypso heather and clarity and about 3/4 of a mystery black sock yarn (bit lots, gala mix fiber)

hemlock ring

`Currently on the needles...still working on the Kauni damask bag.....not much progress as it is slow going and I haven't pulled it out much.   Working on the hemlock ring by Jared Flood (brooklyn tweed) using cascade eco +, too teal colorway and eco that I have dyed a teal using lemon lime kool aid, and wiltons icing colors sky blue and kelly green.

Also working on a gift that will remain a mystery for now.....can't post until it is given.....more on that later.....

yarn...secret project

 A royal iris in drops delight color 9,  about half finished

what should be getting attention.........lilien fee shawl, vortex, red heart crochet along afghan squares,  my very much neglected sweater, it only needs a sleeve, and finishing up (ends, blocking etc.)    the long forgotten second wisdom mitt, the mystery cal stocking, a baby blanket that just needs a border,  my mosaic handbag, the blt shawlette, and the list goes on and on.   I am not sure if my problem is starting to many projects  or just not seeing them through to the finish

love potion no. 7 clue 1 and 2

.  But what ever it is I am trying to get better.......

Here's this weeks photos.....I must get back to stash organizing......

clue 3

finished shawlette before blocking

finished shawlette after blocking

The yarn diet continues, I haven't given in.  A friend pointed out that maybe all my new projects could be my attempt to replace one obsession with another, lol.   I suppose it is possible, lol.  I am still enjoying stash diving and getting the chance to use some of the lovely yarns that have been in my stash.  This week I am using my cascade heritage silk that has been in stash since last summer.  I used about half on a lace cowl crochet pattern I tested.  It amazes me how much blocking changes the way am item looks.  As this pattern is not yet available, I will have to wait before posting pics here.

Also on the hooks and needles this week....I have started the hemlock ring throw,I have wanted to do this since not long after I joined ravelry.  I purchased a skein of cascade eco plus yarn not realizing that I needed more than one.  The color is real teal, I found another partial skein natural on ebay.  I decided to to a bit more dying so I could make this project this year.  Totally loving stitching yarn I dyed.  The teal now has some green mixed in and the natural is not an exact match, but I think it is close enough that I will have no issues making the throw.  

I guess I haven't learned yet, I started another mystery knit along, this one looks like it could be interesting.  more stash diving for colors, using some of the palette I got in the big sale at knit picks.  And speaking of knit picks, still working the the kauni bag in chroma prism and bare.  The color transitions are making this bag a fun knit.  Still working on my stitch surfers, I am up to the heel on sock one, need to get back to that, so many things I want to stitch just not enough hours in the day.

yarn forthe KAL

chroma bag

cradle purse in bulky yarn

Well the "cold sheep" continues........there have been a few times where I have really been tempted, but so far I have managed to hold out and maintain this yarn diet.  I didn't know I had the will power, of course part of the incentive to keep going is that my family and my two knit/crochet circles don't think I can make it,lol.  So of course I have to maintain and not fail.  I am appreciating the yarn stash I already have in this process.  Instead of focusing on acquiring more,   I have been taking a closer look.  I am starting to think about the fair and projects I would like to do.  I would like to do some of the things I had in mind last year but just couldn't get it all done.  Some have lots of pieces so it will require a bit of concentration.



I have been playing around with kool aid and wilton's icing gets and having some success with it.  I did a rainbow progressive on what started out as knit picks chroma bare, again dyed with kool aid.

before

after

Also on the needles my poor neglected 30 day sweater that has become a 5 month sweater.  It only needs a sleeve, I don't know why I have no motivation to finish it.  maybe one day soon.......

I am also working on the kauni damask bag, using chroma in bare and prism.  my first attempt at color work.  It is going okay but is a slow process....I had the idea to make that my ravellenics project......epic fail there, just too much work in a short period of time.


also still on the needles the lilien fee shawl  I really need to finish this one as well.  once again not sure why I stopped it's just waiting....

I am testing a cowl on ravelry,  I have to crochet more I feel as though I am neglecting my hooks in favor of my needles lately.

I have a mystery shawl kal starting on the 15 of this month, so I hope to finish the cowl and my stitch surfers before that happens.

I am also working on squares for a afghan crochet along....wow I didn't realize I had so many wips,  I suppose I should finish this so I can go back to stitching......so here are a few photos......

stitch surfer made with over dyed ka yarn

 On the needles this week.....stitch surfers.  I am participating in a KAL on ravelry.  one of the yarns I am using is a big lots find that I over dyed with another big lots find....Jamaica flavor kool aid.  love it and how it is working up in the socks.  the black (solid) in the sock is also a big lots find.

close up of stitch surfer, toe up sock

Sweaters, Shawls, Socks and 'going cold sheep" 

So,  It's 2014 and time to make a change or two.  Not exactly new years resolutions, because I usually don't last very long with those.  I have decided to make this a year stash busting instead of my usual stash building.  I realize that I probably won't make it through the entire year without buying any yarn,  and I am allowing  for those purchases like needing one more skein of a specific color to finish a project.  But I don't plan to buy any yarn just because.  I have amended my original thought here,  I do want one exception if Knit Picks has a cyber monday sale (the yarn was seriously discounted).  

Today is January 18, 2014 and I think the impulse to check my usual shopping places is lessening a bit.  I am amazed that I tossed my usual stack of yarn catalogs without any serious desire to place an order.  It's a bit harder to walk away when I go to my lys, so I guess I will just have to limit how often I go.  It does help that I do have wonderful stash just a few feet away most of the time, lol.  

On the hooks and needles right now.......Just started a mystery crochet along with a few ladies from my monday knit/crochet group.  I started out thinking about using some kp palette but it was a bit thin so I went stash diving and found some burgundy sock yarn that has been in my stash for about a year.  It feels good and I like the way it it working up so far.  Not sure about this pattern to early to tell if I like it yet.  It it one of the three shawls that are currently ongoing.  Pics coming soon....

On the needles we have socks,  I got some fibernymph dyeworks yarn in a ravelry desash  that I am enjoying working up.  The pattern is  http://fiberfrenzy.net/category/pattern-of-the-month/ a pattern of the month on FiberFrenzy.net, the yarn is fibernymph dyeworks squoosh base, colorway finders keepers.  I may just keep these for me love the way they look so far.......

On a separate size one needle I have  regia deisgn line, pool colorway, and a pattern from ravelry.  I am trying out afterthought heel socks, a free pattern available on ravelry.  I like the pattern, but not liking the way the colors are lining up in the sock.  I liked it in the skein, but I think the sock would have looked better in a ribbed pattern.  I haven't done the heel yet, but I have put the waste yarn in and am working down the foot.  I like the pattern so far and can see a few pairs of socks in my future.  

Also on the needles is a test pattern shawl using my knit picks chroma, smoothie colorway...although these colors are not what I am usually drawn I love, love, love the way this yarn is working up.  can't wait to see this one finished. 

 

And last at the moment is my 30 day sweater, that has morphed into a slightly more than 90 day sweater,  I have one sleeve to go and it will be done (the stitching.....will still need blocking and buttons).  Not sure what happened here I love it, love the way it looks, I think once I didn't make the 30 day deadline I lost a little bit of interest.  But it's gonna get finished soon.......I want to be able to wear it.  

There are also a few finished items since my absence.   I have been working on an afghan for Hubby,  that is probably the biggest yarn monster to date.....not sure how much yarn I lost count of the skeins but I would guess between 15-20 5 and 6 ounce skeins....and it could use at least one more for the border.....calling it done for now as I am having difficulty finding another skein of yarn.  this is one of those exceptions to the cold sheep as it was an established pattern before January 1.   

Enough chatter, on to pictures..........

preemie hat made with bernat cotton tots sweet treats colorway

Royal Iris slouch hat, made with Fibernymph Dyeworks bounce base, peacock blue colorway

afghan for hubby, aka yarn monster 2...made with red heart soft mid blue, caron simply soft burgundy and charcoal heather., double strands, size j hook.  

sweater progress...one one sleeve to go...

half way through clue one of the mystery crochet along shawlette

afterthought heel sock 1 (heel side, with waste yarn)

afterthought heel, sock one top

fiber frenzy pattern of the month ribbed sock, made with siz 1.3 needles and fibernymph dyeworks squoosh base, finders keepers colorway

test shawl pattern, knit pciks chroma fingering, smoothie colorway and freia hand paints sport, firecracker colorway

Once again I have let this go much too long.......a few things finished since the last time I posted.  Lots of projects in the works.  I am up to clue 5 on the mystery sweater (universal 30 day sweater project).  I didn't make it in 30 days, but I like the way it is going.  I have been pleasantly surprised by the way the yarn is working up.

I managed to finish my westknits mystery shawl....and found the perfect ribbon to accent it.  I wasn't happy with the holes in the middle, so the ribbon is a perfect solution.

I have been learning broomstick lace.  I took a class at my lys, Fiber Frenzy.  The class was for broomstick lace, knit version.  I didn't even know there was a knit version but I love it and the yarn I used to make it.  I made a cowl using 2 skeins of crystal palace goldrush,  purchased at Fiber Frenzy.    I have wanted to try the crochet version for some time now so the knit version was just the beginning.  I found a tutorial at the crochet crowd, and with Mikey;s help via you tube I made my first crochet broomstick lace cowl  using a size 50 knitting needle for the broomstick, a size j crochet hook and one skein of wisdom poems chunky yarn  ultraviolet colorway.  

Lots of projects in mind with universal yarns right now.  the mystery sweater is being done with classic shades midnight ride.  I have another sweater in mind using classic worsted lp apple orchard and deluxe worsted cedar colorway.  I am also trying to come up with a projects for my universal stash. including but not limited to poems sock spa, toast, borealis, tropical sunset, blue haze, vista poems florescence, classic shades harvest, rain forest, campfire..  Not sure where I am going with all this yarn I just know I want to use it.

Just not enough time to knit or crochet all the things I want to make I suppose.....oh well back to stitching for now....

Sweaters, shawls, and socks!   Not sure what is going on in my brain but for some reason I can't seem to process.  I seem to be drawn to MKALs.    Mystery knit a longs for those unfamiliar.  It started with "color craving"  from Stephen West.  previously discussed here.  Well clue for was released October 4,  I should be done......maybe I would be if I weren't juggling so many different clues in my head, lol.  I do hope to finish the majority of these things by the 31st of October (it's the 19th now,  maybe some wishful thinking.  Maybe some flat out denial...who knows.  I also started the sock it to me mkal with Meltran designs,  I have tested patterns for her before and loved he work so again thought it would be fun.  I seem to be stuck on clue 1,  was moving along nicely and somehow dropped part of my cable stitches (never tried cables before, could be a part of what slowing me down here (more denial).  Clue 4 comes out on Tuesday and I hope to at least be up to three at that point.....we will see.     The MKAL for the 30 day sweater challenge is in a similar state.  clue 6 was released on thursday,  I am still on 1...I just signed up for another sock mkal that I was invited to participate in thinking I had to Nov 30,  wrong it's october 30.. Thinking I am not going to make that deadline, once again we will see.   And the last one kicks off with the first clue on october 31  at least I have until December to get it together....My hooks are going to be neglected for the next 30 days it would seem.  I guess I should get back to stitching.......A little progress up to this point......

Needles and hooks are just a little busy today......I finished the baby v-stitch throw made with a g hook on the body, and an f on the border.  I sued premier cotton fair yarn in turquoise, leaf green, and lemon drops.  This is number 3 for this pattern.  Love the way it turned out the cotton fair colors are nice and bright and the pattern works up very nice.

v stitch baby











Using needles more this week I think....  I have started my socks for the meltran designs MKAL.  Using stash yarn that has been in my stash since last year.  It is knit one, crochet two crock  o'dye  #622 skyway.  just past the half way point on sock one, just cast on sock two

sock number 1

I have finished clues 1,2, and 3 on the Westknits MKAL "color craving"  Just one more to finish.  clue 4 came out October 4, but I have been behind on this from the beginning.  I was taking a bit of a break from it, but plan to go back to it very soon.  I want to finish it and I need my needles for other projects.

As if that is not enough to keep me busy I am also knitting my first sweater.  Using yarn that has been in my stash for quite some times.  Universal Classic shades midnight ride colorway.