So, yay!, Finally, more than a month after I ordered it, I got my yarn from Canada!

That was a long damn time for 2 skeins of Jazz. This is the yarn that got mixed up in the packaging. The blueish one is Charlie, and the Orangey one is Thelonius, I think. I like this yarn alot. I knit up a sample pair of socks for the shop in this stuff, using the Jazz Socks pattern from Weekend Knitting. Nice, Easy, Fast.
This technically does not break my yarn fast, cause I ordered it prior to declaring a yarn fast. Oops.

This is my new favourite thing to look at, I’ve always wanted one!

It occured to me look for it while searching ebay for nothing in particular. I think I searched “Needle gauges” or “Knitting Gauges” It’s really tiny, and came from a lady in England. I watched a couple of auctions before bidding, and they seem to go for around $25 US. Not to bad. I won’t be using it to as a needle check, though. The numbers and holes correspond to english sizes. I’m still working on Metric! I have so much knitting stuff by now, that the antique stuff is getting to be very interesting. I have a new facination for Elizabeth Zimmerman, and her techniques and style. The women’s a genius. A Knitting Genius!

Stay tuned tomorrow, I’ve got a big Vesper Yarn update for Etsy. I don’t know what time yet, probly early afternoon. It all depends on what time I decide to get up on my day off from the job, Not a day off from working for myself. i will post notice here, as soon as they’re up.

Filed by Julia at 7:15 pm under General,Knitting
3 Comments

As all of knit blog land knows by now, The Harlot is host Winter Olympknits 2006. Can’t say I’ll be jumping on that bandwagon. I have a serious case of UFO’s that will prevent me from participating. However, I will be spectating from the sidelines, wrapped in a blanket with lots of coffee, desperately trying to shake them off.
In commemoration, I give you, The Spectator Button, steal it at will, just leave the bandwith where it is, thank you very much.

Filed by Julia at 7:18 pm under General
7 Comments

I’d like to thank you all for being so very patient whilst I dye my my heart out over here. I ran down some #’s, factored in sleeping and general over ambitiousness, and came up with a monthly Quota for Vesper yarn. I’m not telling what it is, just that you should be able to get your hands on some a little bit easier. Unless I’m out of town. Then it’s a free for all.

I’ve come up with a few new colors,

From Left to right, They are “Smoke on the Water” “Strange Little Mama” “Fire in the Sky”

This is a very dark colorway, I was experimenting. In the future, I will give the colors a bit more “Pop”

This one I Love, Love. Love. This is totally Carole’s inspiration. Her blog is Strange Little Mama. Go over and say Hullo!

Can’t have smoke with out fire right? I’ve though about these 2 for awhile now. Besides, everyone needs a little Deep Purple now and then. I like this color, but to me it’s very ROYGBIV. Crayon boxy, even. Let me know your thoughts on that one. I’m considering changing either the orange or the yellow to gray.

and… I’m having my first Give Away here at Knitterly Things! Since I no longer kool-aid dye, and have had the need to reduce the amount of junk I own, cleaning out the kitchen this morning, I though someone could put these to good use. I don’t use the squirt bottles anymore, either, so I’m throwing those in. Warning: They get leaky fast, but when your throwing around the dye, this can be a creative tool.

So, how do you get these? easy, first person to email me that wants them, gets them. msjuliaj AT hotmail DOT COM
send me your snail mail, and they’ll go out on Monday.

UPDATED TO ADD:
Okay, Koolaid’s gone! It’s going to Katie of Knits and Grits. Have fun Katie!!

Filed by Julia at 3:54 pm under Get Your Yarn!!,New yarn colors
20 Comments

So many things to post about! Where to begin!?!
I’ll start with a big fat hug and thank you to the lovely Cara, who was very generous in gifting me with this,

an awesome skein of Socks that Rock, in the colorway Country Clare, and a pack of her gorgeous photo cards. Thanks Cara!
I really couldn’t have pick a more perfect color. I loves me the greens. I’m slating this skein for my first Jaywalkers. I’ve got to get on that bandwagon!
It seems like there’s so much I want to knit these days, I have most of the yarn I need, i just need to knit faster! So, with my stash already being out of control, I’m silently joining the Stashalong. Only because I missed signups for the real thing. No more yarn purchases until Maryland. I’m determined to get there this year. Determined. I’m saving money and making plans. If I have to push my car there myself, I’m going. I know it’s months and months away, but I’ve never been. So I’m going. So There.
Remind me to document my stash one day. Not only is there bins of yarn but fiber galore! I have to make a dent in my spinning fiber, so I can buy more. My rules are no more yarn purchases, unless I run out of the same said yarn for the current project. No more sock yarn. I could spend the next 18 months happily knitting the sock yarn stash. I can by patterns, however, and notions if I need them, and I won’t cause I have enough. Oh, and books if they help alleviate the stash.
I want to get my hands on Barbara Walkers “Knitting from the Top Down.” I keep meaning to order it over at Amazon. I checked the LYS, no copies in a 30 mile radius.
I will finish this poor sweater,

I finished the sleeves before Xmas. I needed a quick project. I try to look at each piece of a sweater as a mini project. I mostly knit the sleeves first, because I hate them and I need to get them out of the way. It’s a Sirdar pattern leaflet. #8459. Ordered from Patternworks.
I also have enough tweedy yarns for two Rogues, I’ve knit two in the past, both cardigan versions. One for me, one for my sister. Never use Patons Classic wool in a garment. Mine pilled like a MotherFugger the first time I wore it. A real tragedy. I loved that sweater.
Oh, and I need to wrap up those Slipper socks. I stalled at the toe because I had to get my hands on the leather soles to judge size. i need to finish before I forget what I did, or loose the notes.
Ya Know, and all the time Dyeing up yarn. I’m getting a big lot ready to sell. It may go to Kpixie, but it’ll probly be Etsy. I’ll give you all a heads up on the day before I post it all. I have 3 new colorways, and I’m working on a limited run Valentines colorway.
I love how the entire colorway changes if I change just one of the 3 colors, or change the shade of one.
I’ll post new color photos soon.

Filed by Julia at 10:17 am under Knitting
12 Comments

then you’ve got to hurry over to Alison’s, and sign up for Sockapaloooza! Sign ups end Midnight tonight! Only 5 hours left!!

Filed by Julia at 7:00 pm under Knitting
1 Comment

Pittsburgh’s going to the Super Bowl baby! In my home town!

The theme for tonight’s game is “Bring Jerome Home” It’s the Buses last season, the only thing keeping him from ultimate greatness is the lack of a Super Bowl win, this being super bowl Xtra Large, and it being in Detroit, this just may be the year, things are lining up.

If anybody missed the game, it was played with determination. Both teams took their time running the ball. They both fought for every yard gained. I think it was an even match up, and in the end, the better team won. The Broncos played a solid game. Just not a winning won.
Not as exciting as last weeks game against the Colts, which was a heart attack waiting to happen.

By comparsion, I just tuned into the NFC game, it’s tooth and nail out there in Northwest. Carolina and Seattle are in a fight to the death, not a mild game at all. Both teams are pulling out all the stops.

I never payed much attention to football before I moved here, you can’t help but get sucked in, here in Steelers Country. Right his second car horns are pushing the decibal level, and fans are screaming in the streets. No one’s going to work on time tomorrow!

Filed by Julia at 8:00 pm under General
2 Comments

Yay! A FO photo, and Gloves! I really like these socks. The yarn is a little rougher than i’m used to for socks, and for whatever reason I was under the impression that they would be much longer in the leg. But nope, they’re pretty normal length, and I used up just about all of it. I took out a section at the beginning of one skein, and some at the end of the other. I wanted the stripes to match up.

Yarn Schoeller Stahl Missioni Fortissima Colori, their yarn basically all has the same label. Color#3001. I think this is discontinued, but you can still find it. I bought it at a LYS awhile ago.
Pattern My own, toe up with an afterthought heel. My usual.
Needles Addi Turbos US 1, 2.5mm 40inch circular
Technique Two at once, with the magic loop method.

Check this, Yo. This is where I was as of Tuesday evening, around midnight,

with just the fingers and thumb left to go.

This is where I am now, after a full day of dyeing, at about midnight,

Check out those Fingers! I love these gloves. Well, glove. the pattern is written for flat knitting, which, I my opinion is about as useful and convienient as knitting socks flat. There’s just no reason, people. So I knit them in the round. Less ends, and a cleaner join. I added two St to the ribbing, to make it a multiple of 4. In retrospect, I should have subtracted, so the cuff would be tighter.
I also had to do some finangling with the fingers and #’s, but it all worked out. That top right photo is the glove right side out. I wanted you all to see the lack of ends from knitting in the round. Not too many ends to weave. This makes me happy.

Just look at all that leftover yarn! I weighed the first glove, it’s only 26 grams. TWENTYSIX GRAMS. I had to get 5 skeins of yorkshire tweed DK, that’s 250 grams give or take. Subtract 52 grams for the pair, and that’s 198 grams for more gloves! That’s probably 3 more pairs, or some fly socks. or a hat. We’ll see.

I better cast on for #2, before I get 2nd glove syndrome.

Filed by Julia at 6:20 am under Knitting
12 Comments

So I’ve updated the Etsy shop, and needless to say,most everything sold out . Already. There are still a couple of skeins left, and some of my hand dyed rovings.

So, with my last project off the needles, well, with one of my last projects off the needles, it’s time to start a few new things.
I’ve been itchy to start these gloves,

from this book,

I’ve had the yarn for a while, in the same colors, cause I really like them, not cause I can’t get creative. Although if I like the way the turn out, I might do a green color scheme. I like green. Yup.

I also dug around work and found this yarn,

Cause I want to be just like Claudia! (scroll down)
Well, almost just like Claudia, I’m going to do contrast toes and heels in that Brown Koigu KPM right there. And no Picot cuff!
I started knitting socks cause I got inspired by a pair she made her husband, and look at me now! For those of you who haven’t knit socks yet, the Interweave site has a great .pdf file to download. It’s Priscilla Gibson Roberts “Dream Socks” that’s what I started with. Actually, it might be in the subscriber only section. I’ll find out, and let you all know. I declare 2006 to be “The Year of the Sock” so get to knitting!

I find that I like posting about new projects, isn’t that what this is partly about? The blogging thing? I never would have known about half the cool things to knit out there if it weren’t for knitbloggers. Seriously, what a great demographic!

Filed by Julia at 7:42 am under Get Your Yarn!!,Knitting
4 Comments

with all these freakin cats layin’ around? They need to get J-O-Bs, all of’um, it’s like they think litter’s free or sumpthin.

I keep meaning to post about the socks I’m working on, but everytime I go to post, I’ve made tons more progress. So here they were as of yesterday…

as of tonight, they’re a FO. I also have some sleeves blocking, but that’s boring.
But this is exciting, I’ll have some Vesper yarn up on etsy tomorrow night. Say after 7 Eastern Standard time. That’s Tuesday, after 7pm (Eastern Standard time)
I think that Kpixie sold out of that last order, I try to check on it and update you all, but I think they sell it out that fast. You guys are crazy! I love that you love my yarn! I also have some roving for Etsy, for all you crazy Spinners out there, and probably some worsted weight varigated by the end of the week, but don’t hold me to that one.

Anybody catch that game yesterday?! I had about 12 heart attacks. One more to go. I’m hopeful, but judging by the Steelers track record in the AFC championship against Denver, I’m not holding my breath, yet. Go Steelers! Here we go!

Filed by Julia at 8:38 am under General,Get Your Yarn!!,Socks!
11 Comments

So ,Yay, I get home today, and the package from the land of Zed that i’ve been waiting for is sticking out of my mail box!!!
So the first thing I do, of course, is to take its photo.

Yay! Then I dig around for the scissors, and open it. Double Yay!

But, wait, what’s this?

Oh No! Right envelope, but wrong invoice and contents. Damn. Damn! I see where they made their mistake. A woman with good taste in yarn bought almost the exact same thing I did, and they got swapped. I called them and arranged to switch it in the US, so, little harm done. Long story short, another package goes to the post office with me tomorrow. Garrr.

Guy says, “Silly Knitter, yarn is for cats.”

Filed by Julia at 6:12 am under General,Knitting
7 Comments