1. Saartje’s Booties, 2. Smooched, 3. Socktober Sock, 4. Baby Belle, 5. Colorwork Closeup, 6. Stealth Knitting…., 7. Hellfire Socks, 8. Awesome Deck: Finished!, 9. Red Top-down Raglan: FINISHED!, 10. Chevron Love Mittens!, 11. All the Pretty Yarns., 12. YIP 365.35 Commencing Kitting!!, 13. YIP 365.32 Man Socks., 14. Mmm, Plummy, 15. Odds and Ends , 16. YIP 365.7 My knitting bag, for once, does not overflowith.

A few favs from 2009. I mostly knit socks in 2009. I knit only 4 sweaters, two that I still can’t show you, and spun a bit. Looking back through my flickr photos, I was not at all photo happy last year, and focused mainly on my business. I’m hoping for a nice, rounded out 2010. There will be big things happening, that’s for sure!

Filed by Julia at 8:00 pm under General
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This Saturday, December 12th only! From 11am to 8pm, in the Shadyside area of Pittsburgh, at the Hunt Armory. Admission is free, and the stuff will be amazing. More info here! Hope to see you there!

Filed by Julia at 1:38 pm under General
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This is my most favorite Pumpkin Pie ever. Ever. So. Good. It’s so easy too, no baking involved. Even if you think you hate pumpkin pie, you’ll need to make this too, just to prove yourself wrong. Enjoy!

Click here for the PDF.

Filed by Julia at 1:05 am under General
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Today I am 29. I may not be going to Rhinebeck this weekend, but I’m having my own little fiber fest right here in south east Michigan. I’m visiting the fam this week, we came up on Saturday for the Steelers/Lions game. Part of the parental birthday package, you know. This also involves some very amazing cake, and mint chocolate chip ice cream. And maybe some new boots……
So far, this is a good start to my new year, and historically, my odd number age years have been the very good ones. That makes this year exciting.

Filed by Julia at 6:11 pm under General
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So let’s be Random.

* this is 100% Merino, dyed by me, and spun thick. As thick as my tendencies to spin thin will let me get.

* it is spun with a purpose. I’m going to knit Cosy’s Baby Belle.

* it doesn’t take half the time to spin 4oz thick as it does to spin it thin. No, really.

* My fairisle sweater and I are on a break. I started the colorwork a third time. It is still in my knitting bag, still at the top of the list, but my brain needs simple socks right now.

* I am knitting socks with this yarn. It is fantastic stuff, and I’m going to buy more of it.

* We started season 3 of Supernatural. It is the best so far. I don’t care what network it’s on, it’s a decent show. If you start with season one, try to stick it out half way, it gets better.

* It’s officially football season. This makes me happy. A game= 3+ hours of perfect knitting time. This year, I’m watching more than just Steeler games. Yay.

Filed by Julia at 10:38 pm under General
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and I was thinking I was about where I wanted to be to start the armholes. So I put half of it n a spare needle and tried it on, and guess how many extra inches of ease I had? 4. FOUR EXTRA inches of ease in the bust. Holy Toledo is that absolutely crazypants. So I ripped. I ripped down to about the top dark brown chevron. Then I reknit. I went down a needle size, and worked decreases rather than the called for increases. Now the sweater is back to about a little further than here, and again it is on spare needles, and I’m blocking the wip, to try it on and gauge the size again. First impression of it out of the dye bath is that it’s still too big, but we’ll see.
The good new though, is that I love knitting it, I love my color choices, and even if I have to rip again, I will still enjoy the whole thing. I want this sweater. Period.

While it was in the block bath, I hurried up and finished a handspun pair of socks for Brandt, and now I feel validated about knitting again, and the sweater can continue. Close call though.

Filed by Julia at 7:54 pm under General
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I started a new sweater. For me. After stealth knitting that was mostly stockinette, and plain at that, I so needed to start something more complicated. I love colorwork like crazy, and had had my eye on this for awhile, and since I happen to have a gazillion tons of Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport on my hands for mitten kits, it worked out perfectly for this sweater.

But. Knitter that I am, I almost never leave a pattern unmodified anymore. This vest will be a sweater. It will have mostly plain sleeves with some colorwork detail near the cuffs. I am knitting it in the round instead of flat (who does that anyway?!?) and I will add steeks to the arm and neck holes. I am also changing some of the chart, because I don’t like some of the motifs.
I’ve been at it for a little over a week now, and am almost through the first 70 row chart repeat. I did have to go up to US 5′s to get close to gauge, I was hoping to knit it on smaller needles, but the 5′s are going just fine, my stranded knitting does get a bit tight anyway.
I am loving it, and am completely distracted by it. That’s a good thing!

Ravel the details!!

Filed by Julia at 3:31 pm under General
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My stealth knitting is coming to an end. As soon as it is, it is GAME ON for new knitting. I can. not. wait.

Filed by Julia at 8:22 pm under General
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Superwash BFL in “Cactus Flower”

Superwash Merino in “Marmalade”

So one good thing about these lazy warm mid summer days is it gives me good opportunity to play with color on roving. I’ve just put a bunch of new stuff into the shop, including new for me, Superwash Blue Faced Leicester. I’ve spun a bit of it up, and am now knitting with it (socks for Brandt), and I’m really liking it. It’s a bit more rustic to spin than my all-time fav SW merino, but still, so nice.

Currently, I’m in the middle of 2 big stealth deadline projects, but if I wasn’t, I would be on the Tour De Fleece bandwagon SO fast! I have a sweaters worth of superwash merino that I am super itchy to start spinning up. It takes me forever to spin it, because I like it to be very fine, and I’ve got a pound and a half to go! Maybe this will be this years Rhinebeck sweater? A girl can dream….

Filed by Julia at 6:52 pm under General
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After I finished my Blue Shawl, I had to get crackin’ on my potholders for Adrian and Maritza’s Hotpad and Potholder Swap
This was a great exciting idea, but I really should have left more time to make these, even though I am extremely happy with them. I think they are more decorative then functional, but so pretty I was sorry to have to send them away!
For more info, Ravel them here.

Filed by Julia at 5:03 pm under General
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