Swallowing my Swallowtail Pride

Flush with the success of Flower Basket, I've decided I'm done licking my wounds over the failed Swallowtail and I'm ready to tackle her again. I'm going to take her on using a DK weight I picked up for a song ... a song, I tell you from Yarns in the Farms. Quite a while ago, they had a sale on Green Mountain Spinnery Cotton Comfort (80% wool; 20% cotton - why is it cotton comfort rather than wool comfort considering the majority is wool but no matter ... ) for something insane like $3.00 a hank. (I also have scored Rowan Tweed Aran for $5.00 a skein *gleeful*) so I purchased it in Storm which I'm going to use here and in Suede which really looks like suede - it's an olive-y brownish goldish color that's gorgeous.

Anyway, the color is a stormy gray and it's flecked with darker gray and white. I'm really going full force here and using gunmetal beads. Holy shit, I hope this all comes together. I already know I need more beads and since I'm going to Stitch House today with H, I'll remember to get more. 

Friday was a long time coming

Just makes me appreciate Fridays even more. The shawl received a lot of attention today in my office. My work friend tied it around her waist to model it. She made me promise not to get any full body shots because she was having a "fat" day and was frustrated. Oh yeah, gurlfriend. I hear you and I feel your fat. Today was a fat day for me, too. But Flower Basket made the fat better.

Flower Basket is soaking ...

in a sea of SOAK. This shawl flew from the needles! There is a section of muckity muck up but I don't care. If you think for one second I was going to rip out the section 3 rows until the start of the edging, you're mistaken. Uh-huh. 

Pattern is extremely forgiving plus the yarn is smooshy squishy heaven. I get the Tosh love. I totally get it now.


I used size 8s and for the edging I used 9s. I would have used 10s to bind off but I was at my office and without the pattern or the needles so I was flying by the seat of my pants. The Glazed Pecan for the edging is such a pretty contrast. Already I'm deciding on my next shawl. Gail? Seraphim? Laminaria? So many gorgeous choices. So many different yarns. *sigh*

Now she's blocking and she is gorgeous! LOVE. 

Yarn, patterns & other troublesome impulse items ...

First, Emily blocked successfully! I'm stunned at the difference blocking makes. Also could have done it more aggressively but it is very pretty as is. 

My friends and I are on a self-imposed yarn restricted diet. Yarn = bad carbs. We don't need anymore yarn or patterns or books or magazines or anything else fiber related. We're going to turn into those weird ladies who knit a lot of shit and have a lot of cats. No. We are not those ladies.

I have so much yarn in my place that I'm almost out of room to store it. Ok, I'll be honest. I can barely fit ME into the space much less one more skein or hank of anything ELSE. I'm also getting back into the dating scene. What the hell do you tell a guy when he comes over to pick you up and there is nothing but yarn (I'm in a loft), yarn, yarn and more yarn taking up every available inch of space. Bins of yarn, bags of yarn, baskets of yarn. Books and patterns piled high next to the book shelves. And if that isn't weird enough, I have two cats! Lord GOD, the guy is gonna run for the hills.

I neeeeed to dive into the stash and get busy knitting. Immediately. At least get rid of the stuff not in bins because I'm telling you now, I'm not going back to Target for more bins. This is just plain silly. I have 7 large bins and 2 medium bins and I'm not telling how many shopping bags and small bins of yarn I have. 

Tomorrow, one of my favorite yarn stores is starting the Cascade sale. I'm a sucker for alpaca and some of the Cascade alpaca is drool worthy. I must stay away. I must practice self-control. I have yarn impulse control issues. This must stop now. Before there is only room for the yarn.

Twist and Sigh

The new Twist Collective issue is up and, as usual, I was drawn to cables and lace cardigans. How many cable and lace cardigans are in my queue? How many are in countless magazines and books I've traded and/or purchased? I seem to have a bottomless void. Can we have a little variation on theme? I told myself this morning, "Keep it moving, don't put it in your basket" and yet somehow, against my will, Olivette appeared in my basket. 

But I didn't purchase it. I left it in my basket to ponder life. If I purchase it, I won't immediately knit it so why not just wait until I'm ready to knit it rather than having a folder filled to the brim with patterns that mock? I haven't knit Sylvi or Vaila or the others I simply "had to have." Vivian continues to tempt me but so far I've been resistant. Olivette would be gorgeous in Louisa Harding pure silk I have a ton of when Stitch House had their marvelous $2 sale. But I'm going to finish up my Flower Basket and my Sexy Scallops and Wanton Wisteria and ... and ... and ... you get the picture. *sigh*

And a public service announcement re: SOAK. Where have I been on this one? I bought Eucalan wash and was never really happy with it. Courtney at Seed Stitch told me that SOAK was heads above Eucalan and because she knows what she's talking about when it comes to fiber and fiber related things, I bought a medium sized bottle (most of the large was sold out. Now I know why), washed a few FOs and my goodness, this stuff ROCKS. I got a little carried away and hand washed a J. Crew merino cardigan and it is just lovely. Nothing else touches my handknits and delicates from this point forward. /end PSA. lol

I've also got to start on this skirt I've been staring at for about a year.  The colors are so gorgeous and the yarn was so expensive, there is just no reason whatsoever not to pick up the needles and get going already.

And finally, I'm blocking Emily! My galpal Sara gave us all the great tip that Christmas Tree Shops have the interlocking mats that can be used for blocking. The mats are huge and come in a pack of 4 for $9.99. Yes. *Hooray*

So here is Emily on the needles ... and Emily blocking. Blocking really does wonders.