Blue Moon Fiber Arts
Socks That Rock
“Rocktober” Colorway

This end of September (can you believe it already?) marks my 10 year anniversary of moving to Pittsburgh. I’ve been living here for 10 years and it all seems like a blur. 10 years ago I was just this 17 year old kid who didn’t know anything about anything. When you’re 17 you think you know, but you have No. Idea. about any of it. I moved here for school, and stuck around, cause here in this little little city, it’s better than where I’m from in southeast Michigan.

After 10 years, 2 apartments, two houses, same car, new car, a couple of bank accounts, 3 relationships, 4 cats, countless friendships forged and also lost, a couple of handfuls of jobs, an endless amount of live music shows photographed, a major career change, and one pretty successful little yarn business, I like to think I’m on a good path for whatever my future may have in store for me. I have to keep reminding myself that I’m only almost 28, and that a year from now things may be completely different, but to always make the effort to enjoy right now. That right now is good, but that right now is not the end all, be all. So here’s to another 10 years, and all that they may bring.

Filed by Julia at 9:18 pm under General
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I’m right in the middle of some stealth knitting involving these pretty skeins of my handspun BFL. I’d love to show you some snippets and details, but the who that I’m knitting for knows what these will be, but not what they will look like. So as much as I’m dying to show photos, I really really don’t want to spoil the surprise!!

I am working on a pair of socks out of some awesome new sock yarn, Ty Dy Sock, from Knit One Crochet Too. They will be a sample pair for a lys, Yarns Unlimited. I don’t know if they have it in their online shop yet, but you can always call to order. It is lovely soft to work with, and the patterning is pretty cool, wide bands of color, with wee little bits of colors through each band.

As soon as I’m done with my stealth knitting, I am so casting on Bonne Marie’s Cassidy sweater. Oh how I love that sweater…

Filed by Julia at 8:46 pm under General
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Pumpkin Spice Cookies, that is! If you, like me, have a serious addiction to St*rb*cks Pumpkin Spice Scones, you are going to love these. I also figure that making them myself will save me about a sweater or twos worth of yarn. No joke.

I used this recipe, from allrecipes.com. It’s a pretty good recipe, easy, and I had everything I needed already in the kitchen, except for the pumpkin and confectioners sugar.
I did change a couple of things though, I used unbleached all purpose flour, and I cut the white sugar in half, from 1 1/2 cups to 3/4 cup (cause nobody needs that much white sugar. Oh, unless it’s in my coffee).
ETA: Also, the recipe says 36 servings, but I’ve made this twice now, and I got about 22 cookies, and I didn’t even make them giant size. Whenever I bake cookies, I only put about 1/2 dozen cookies on the first sheet that goes in the oven, to see how the gas oven is cooking, and I found that 10-12 minutes is good for these guys, instead of the 15-20 that the recipe says.

I’m definitely making these again, but next time, I’m going to add more cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, to really get that great fall spice mix taste.

I don’t know what is is about the fall feeling in the air, but I loves me some baking action this time of year. I’ve got plans for more pumpkin-y goodness, and I am so going to make apple pie this year. Then I should probably get on the treadmill, or just feed it all to Brandt. That’ll work.

Shop Stuff- I’m finally stocking the shop! Later today, around 5ish or so. There will be just a bit yarn, mostly variegated, and a whole whack of fiber. Lots of Superwash Merino, some BFL, and also Merino, which I haven’t previously dyed for the shop, as well as some Merino/Tencel, which is so beautiful to spin I want to keep it all myself (but I won’t, promise).

So look forward to that, and I should be back in full swing of dyeing by the end of September, beginning of October. First thing I’ll be stocking is more Halloween colors!!

Filed by Julia at 1:32 pm under General
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Rhinebeck 2007

Filed by Julia at 7:28 pm under General
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Please, because a much as I would love to show my floors, this place is a mess. It’s not that it’s just not clean (cause I keep a decently clean house) or the clutter (I have little piles of clutter everywhere) but holy crap all the sawdust dust will not GO AWAY. Of all my cleaning chores, I hate dusting. I will do the toilets before I dust. Because dust doesn’t go away. It floats around for a minute and settles back down. I hates it.

Also, we’re rearranging furniture, and my new rugs aren’t here yet, (though the new sofa is to die for), but mainly, my floors are so pretty, it makes the walls look like ass. Srsly. I need to paint, and in the worst way. Alot of paint was ripped off when we took the moldings off, and to be honest, I never painted the 3rd floor. After 5 years here, I just never got around to it. I feel burnt out from the whole floor ordeal, and from cleaning up after that, and I really need to dig deep to find the painting motivation this week. Wish me luck. Please.

Sock Club!! After giving the summer members a chance to renew, I will have a few spots open for new members. I will make those open to the public tomorrow morning, and dyeing for September will begin this week. I’m very excited for the fall club, because I. Love. Fall. and all the pretty fall colors.

Filed by Julia at 2:41 pm under General
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