Binge post

If you don't want to read all about how I am a yarn glutton (aka wool pig) and see photographic proof, then this is not the post for you...if you do, then dive right in!

First up-my StitchesWest haul! I went a la Laura and Leslie and had my best friend be my personal shopper since she was there and I wasn't. I wanted things from new-to-me indies and she mega-helped (I've been looking an Invictus for awhile online so it was most excellent to have her in-person squish for me). And we all know I love bright and/or sparkly. The skein from a Fine Fish Yarns is definitely a pair of socks...the other one, I'm tempted to put together with a skein of something and make a large shawl.

A Fine Fish Yarns in Cyber, Invictus Yarns in Mystic

 Next up are some minis I found in a Ravelry destash to use on my Barn Raising Quilt. They're all also from new to my dyers so that's pretty exciting! And they're some different color ways than what I currently have going so I'm looking forward to the change (according to my mom and sister, I have too many dark colors going so...)

Phydeaux Yarn in Figue, Celestial Strings in Horeshead Nebula and Oink Pigments in Goldfish Bowl

 Here we have a single skein of worsted weight from 716Knit who I've been eyeing to try for awhile-it was sale yarn and those colors are so bright! I think this going to be come a cowl and maybe some mittens. I'm kinda beyond excited.

716Knits in Winning Friends Through Telepathy

This next picture may ignite a little bit of rage if you've been trying to get Lollipop Yarns and always either miss the update or get mega cart-jacked (because that's what usually happens to me). Apparently fortune was looking down on me that night because I managed to score 4 different skeins. I don't know what I did to deserve such luckiness, but I'm definitely not going to argue with it!!

Lollipop Yarns in Puddle Jumper, Living on the Edge
Blarney and Tranquilty
I plan on casting-on Blarney for St. Patrick's Day

Here's the whole big binge together! I have a lot of walking and knitting to do now to try and get back to even!

Happy knitting/Sunday!

Cat Mattress

Friday Night Cuddles

The acrylic socks from last post (they got softer with washing, luckily)

Happy Friday, y'all!

Acrylic Makes Me Itchy

At least, old school Lion Brand from the stash of a neighbor's mother did. I think the yarn might have been from the 80s or so (based on the hair style of the model on the label). It was not the most fun to knit but I did end up making a pair of pretty cute slipper socks for my neighbor. They ended up striping which I thought was pretty awesome-they are currently being washed and then they'll be on their way to her! I have a photo but Blogger doesn't feel like grabbing it right now so instead, I'll give you a munchkin picture :) Happy Sunday!

Hey lady, why you always taking pictures?

Also, I 1000% fell off my yarn diet. Best friend went to Stitches and played personal shopper for me (only two skeins, thank you very much-though still more than is currently in my yarn budget). But then I saw Eat Sleep Knit had mini skeins from Lorna's Laces in the shop and there was such a perfect yellow for my Barn Raising Quilt (and since I had store credit still, I just had to buy two minis to make it worthwhile) (I'm only counting the grams and yardage on those since I used store credit). Then I saw on Instagram that 716Knit was having a sale and I've always wanted to try her stuff so I said why not? Because treat yourself! Also, sale yarn! And then I might have been looking for partials/minis on Ravelry and found three for $17 that will be perfect for my blanket so I had to get them. And then Lollipop Yarns was having an update so I had to at least try...and I may have scored big! I'll post pics of all the new pretties when they come home to me...and I don't think I'm allowed to buy more yarn till my birthday...and even then I don't quite think I'll have money in the "yarn bank account" so it might be awhile till I buy more...

Completed

Well-I don't think I can quite say that I've mastered it, but I did finish my first pair of socks with the Fish Lips Kiss Heel! Can't wait to try it on a big pair of socks for me and see what I think! Happy Saturday!

This is how they help me knit at knit

Something NEW

GUYS!!!!

Baby Hawk Sock to go with the Baby Hawk Sweater

I attempted my first Fish Lips Kiss Heel this week...it still needs some work, but it was definitely exciting to try something very different from how I normally work sock heels. I've always done a heel flap and gusset on both my top down socks and my toe-up ones.
FLK was definitely different and I loved not having to pick up stitches!
In the future, I'd like to see if there was a way to incorporate slipped stitches because I love how that reinforces the heel. I'd also like to try it out on a pair of socks for me so I can see if I like it or not!

Victory!

Socks? Finished
Yardage? Yards knit is winning
Grams? Finally equal!
Today is a good day. Now for some photos and I will be a happy camper.
And I have $18.98 sitting in my yarn money account for steps walked :)

FYI: I just updated the 2015 FO page because there were quite a few things that had not been added...including two more pairs of Rose City Rollers (I'm not at all obsessed with the pattern...), a shawl, my sport weight socks, and a few other little things :)

Sock Saturday

I haven't shown knitting in quite a bit of time so....

My first cast-on of the new year! These are out of KnitPicks Felici in the Fanciful color way-sock number two is past the heel and gusset and about 2.5 stripes from starting the two...I would love it if I could finish these before midnight tomorrow [I'm hoping to keep up with Dana and Brittney from Just One More Row in their 12 socks in 2016...I'd actually like more than 12, but baby steps here :)]. I do however have my pair for January finished...they were a WIP from July that just need to be photographed. I keep waiting for daylight and then find myself busy when there is good daylight (and yes, cuddling kitties falls under my definition of busy). However, they have to be posted tomorrow so come what may, I'm snapping and uploading at least one picture before midnight tomorrow!

Hope you have some happy knitting this weekend!

CheaterPants

One of my friends sent me a gorgeous skein of Malabrigo Worsted for Christmas...and I'm not counting it in any of my yarn in totals (mwhahaha). Now maybe that's a bit cheaterpants-esque, but my vote is that yarn that is gifted to me doesn't count...unless I'm gifting it to myself ;)

Also, you'll notice on the WIPS list that the numbers might seem a little funky. I'm trying something new this year with the way that I track my WIPs so the numbers are actually as I currently want them.

And now the real reason you swing by ;)

Whatcha' cookin', lady?

Happy Friday!

BRQ Update

Well kinda update, I actually have two more squares that were finished after this photo was taken. I love this project so, so much and am so excited for the finished blanket. Still trying to decide how many squares I am planning on doing...I still have a bit of a way to go though so, not that big a worry yet :)

Plans...

A lot of people talk this time of year about exercise plans and reward systems. So far, I've never found work that I've liked, that's worked for me, that I've been able to stick to, etc. A lot of them are weight specific and that just isn't quite what I need right now.
However, I would like to be healthier this year than I have been in the past couple of months and I think I finally have something that might work for me. I already built a spreadsheet to help me better track yardage and weight (in and out) for my knitting this year. I also have a FitBit I got in August that I actually am pretty fond of.
So here's the plan...each week, I'm going to look at my step count at the end of the week. Every 10,000 steps=$1 yarn money. At the end of the month, I can get something (if I want) or carryover the money till the next month. In order to buy any yarn though (flash sales, easy sales, lys sales, etc), I have to have money in the "yarn account". Otherwise, no yarn for me.
I'm hoping this will help motivate me to exercise a bit more often and for longer periods of time-because hello, I love buying yarn and I know of at least a few events/sales that will be happening in the new year.

Other than that, I would like to keep the "in vs out" a little more equal this year. And part of me really, really wants to knit 10lbs of my yarn because I easily have double that amount...and do plan on getting more...

Hope the start of the new year has been both joyous and relaxing. Anyone have any epic plans for the year?