Everlasting Bagstopper

I know that I finished the Bagstopper ages ago, but I know that it's been received and put to work. So, without further ado, and since there has been a distinct lack of knitting in this house this week, I bring you my Bagstopper (1 skein of Louet Euroflax Sport in French Blue). -B

Knitting Updates

Well, there has been knitting around here at the house when I can grab time. I'm about half way through the My So Called Scarf. Below is a picture. This is definitely a pattern that I will knit more than once. I love the design and the look and have some other yarns in the stash that would suit it.

I've also been making some progress with the Minimalist Cardigan. I'm working on the back first (as pictured above). I love the Mission Falls yarn's color and feel and found that using a row counter has helped a great deal since I don't get to knit on it as much as I would like. Hopefully, once work lets up after this week, I can get some good time in with this. -B

Why I'm Buying Handmade this Holiday Season

The main reason why I am buying handmade this holiday season is to help promote artists and artisans who are independent and selling what comes from their hearts and minds. The second reason is to take a break from the big box stores and encourage originality. The third is the mall. The mall on a Saturday scares me, and that tends to be why I shop on random weeknights if I have to go. But, we have DH's 10th high school reunion tonight and I needed a new pair of "slimming" underwear and a new lip gloss from Bare Escentuals at Sephora. I somehow got in and out in 30 minutes and was relatively unscathed. However, I could not get over how busy it was. I have never been a Black Friday shopper (except for when I ordered handmade Hanukkah cards from etsy.com yesterday), so I was blown away by the crowds today. Well, I better get back to coordinating our holiday card list so that I can start getting a few done each night over the next two weeks. Best of luck to all of you braving the malls!

-B

Ravens and a Blogiversry

Well, it's tough to believe that a year has already flown by, but on Tuesday, it was our one year blogiversary. Yay!! It's been a great venture and we are truly enjoying the blogosphere. My only knitting update this week was that I had to restart my Minimalist Cardigan because something was off. It's ok, as I was not too far in at the time of frogging. But, I have worn the Chevron Scarf to work and there has been much oohing and awwing. So, that gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. Very proud of myself for that one!

On the 5th, I took part in the Ravens frenzy over on Blue Moon Fiber Arts, and below is my take. Gorgeous, is all that I can say. I cannot wait for the accompanying book in January. Now that I've spent my free day this month on this purchase, I am making a mental note. Must bust stash!

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Twisted in Grawk (I have two! I feel a Wicked sweater coming.)

The rest of these are all STR Mediumweight: (If you click on them, you can really, really see the colors!)

Valkyrie

Raven

Corvid

Korppi

Tlingit

Fire on the Mountain (not a Raven, but I couldn't help myself)

Farmhouse (same as above; I have no willpower)

-B

Minimalist Cardigan and Stashalong

Well, I have to say, I went a bit fiber crazy in the last month. Between the trip to Rhinebeck, subscribing to Brooklyn Handspun's Holiday Sock Club, a Sundara purchase, and signing up for the Rockin' Sock Club, I have an abundance of yarn. I also bought enough Mission Falls 1824 Superwash Wool to start the Minimalist Cardigan. This is my first sweater attempt. I am boldly going where S and E have gone before. I am starting with the back and love the ease and the look of the moss stitch design. This one will definitely be worn a great deal! I also re-upped for Stashalong. I am taking the monthly option this year as the checklist one was too stressful. It does mean that I do get a free day each month if I choose to use it. I think it will be used this month either for the Ravens update on BMFA or Sundara's last update before her prices go up. Tough decision this Monday and Tuesday. I'll have to see if the other colorways are as awesome as Lenore. Stay tuned to see what the buy will be!

-B

My Mom met the Yarn Harlot

Yup, my mom rocks! A couple of week ago, I mentioned to my mom that the Yarn Harlot was going to be speaking in her area. I wouldn't be able to make the drive there and back, but wanted her to let one of the knitters nearby that it was happening. Now, my mom know how to knit, but doesn't really enjoy it. However, since the days of waiting in a 4am line for Cabbage Patch Kids, you know that she is willing to attend any event that her kids mention. And so, she saw the Harlot. When she and my sister came the next morning to get me for Rhinebeck, she had a copy of At Knit's End and Casts Off in hand. Not only had she gone to the talk (and laughed uproariously), she had Stephanie Pearl-McPhee sign the books for me. Yay!

In other equally good news, I am now the proud owner of some Sundara Yarn. I finally bit the bullet and ordered these 5 skeins of Sport Merino in Green over Sand. They arrived today and I am happy that I ordered when I did. Check out Sundara's site for information about her switching mills and how it may be affecting pricing. I will continue to order from her and the prices won't dissuade me as the yarn is as gorgeous as everyone claims it to be.

Finally, I finished the chevron!

Man, this did take me awhile with many weeks where knitting was non-existent. But, I am thrilled with the outcome. I got home early from work today and took advantage of the light and our adorable backyard. I used almost the entire yardage in the two skeins of Koigu and knit it on size fives in bamboo straights. The two Koigu colors were 524 and 107. I can't wait to wear it both to work and out. Yay! My second wearable knit!

-B

Rhinebeck Haul

First, my mom and sister and I had a blast. They got to my house around 7:30am and we took off for upstate NY. A little later, we got into the fairgrounds at about ten and made a bolt for the ATM station. I needed to get cash, and remembered that the gentleman who was selling the gorgeous handmade baskets that I missed out on last year might be there. We walked through the Food Pavilion and found him! I grabbed a great large basket (picture to come later this weekend) and from there we set out to The Fold.

Now, my sister and I both competed nationally in our sport, and my mother raised us, so the competitive juices were flowing. Mom hopped on line to hold our place and sis and I dove into the group. She was just going in to help, but after glancing at some colors, she suddenly had a skein in her fist. We made our way back out to take mom's spot so that she could wander, and hopped on line. We got through the line in about ten minutes (not the long lines anywhere like last year), and by the time we paid, sis had added another skein to her bag. Below is our haul:

STR Mediumweight in Cobalt Bloom

STR Mediumweight in Orange Red Clover Honey

STR Mediumweight in Queens Rock

Twisted in Puck's Mischief

Seduction in Rooster Rock

Next stop was Brooks Farm, where I purchased the following to do two Clapotises:

Duet in Black

Four Play in All About Purple

After we got through building A, we wandered over to watch the Border Collies catch frisbees and sheep. We dropped the first part of the haul off at the car and came back to have BBQ lamb for lunch. Next, we had a great time walking through the livestock barns. Llamas, alpacas, and sheep! Oh my! I bought these two skeins at the Staghorn Alpaca booth:

Java Colorway

I love that they name their colorways after the alpacas from which the fiber came! This is a booth that DH and I hovered around last year, but I was too nervous to buy since I didn't really have a project for it. Apparently, that same situation did not hold me back this year.

We stopped by Hope Spinnery and Maple Creek too. I had wanted to make the Hourglass Sweater that S made in Maple Creek, but they didn't have enough superwash merino for my size of the sweater. Hope Spinnery was nice and a cute booth, but I feel like I need to get some projects out of the way before I buy anymore.

We were at the fairgrounds for about five hours and had a blast. My mom loved spending the day with her two girls and finally understood why knitters moan and gasp as if in ecstasy when we touch yarn (not something she got when listening to the Harlot the previous night). My sister and I have already planned that we will get a BnB with our husbands and make a weekend of it next year. All in all, a great day.

-B