Serious Stash Enhancement!

I've mentioned before that I've never really had much of a stash when it comes to my yarn. I usually like to buy the yarn once I know what I want to knit. But the reason for that has usually been that Hobby Lobby and Michael's just don't have the kind of yarn I (or anyone for that matter) would want to stash!

Now that I've discovered my new LYS is not really that far from me I've gone a little crazy over the past couple of weeks (well, crazy for me, that is). Now, don't get me wrong, I still don't really want to have that big a stash (or did everyone with a big stash start off by saying that!!) but it is nice to just pick up a skein or two now and then - and have a project in mind for it. 

I blame those (wonderful) podcasters for 'enabling' me - Diane in particular!  She is just the sweetest knitter I've ever not met - LOL :-) She (and other podcasters) have mentioned a few times about the bags they have been buying for their projects. Truth be told, I've never put my projects in a bag, but I had to change that after seeing their bags.  And here's mine . . .

 My first bag from Lois at Knittings My Bag! You can find her shop on Etsy HERE. This is the small size and easily fits your sock projects or your shawls (while they're not too big). The picture is a little blurry because I didn't have the flash on.

Here it is closer and in focus (with the flash). I love it, it's full of little pockets inside. It will not be my last I can tell you. Lois has all kinds of different fabrics, I can't wait to order another one.

Here is the stash of yarn I've accumulated over the past couple of weeks. Some of this is from Knitpicks too. 

 I cast on for the Cedar Leaf Shawlette a couple of days ago with the Manos Silk Blend I bought last week (I actually bought an extra skein today at the yarn store incase I ran out).

and THIS . . .

is my first EVER skein of 100% CASHMERE :-)  

I am beyond excited to have this sweet skein, I've never bought 100% cashmere before and I'm dying to know what it feels like!! I have a Jared Flood cowl pattern in mind for it. THIS ONE to be exact. 

And I bought yarn to knit this . . .

This is the beautiful new design from Julie at Knitted Bliss. - Wildflower Tank.  And it's featured in the Spring Issue of IK. I'd been looking at some summer tanks to knit soon and when I saw this on Julie's blog, I knew it would be my next garment project! I couldn't get 100% silk at the LYS, so I've picked something else. I'll be swatching this weekend and will let you know if it will work and show you when I cast on.

So much yarn. . . . so little time to knit! (actually I get lots of time to knit, but I still want more time - shame we can't knit our sleep!!!).

Dahlia

Dahlia by Heather Zoppetti

Yarn: Manos Del Uruguay Serena

Needles: US 4

I enjoyed knitting this but think I could have gone down another needles size as the stitches were very loose on the needle. When this was blocked and finished, I first tried it on with a tank underneath, but it kept slipping off my shoulders. Then I put a long sleeve T on underneath and it felt much better. I'll still try to wear it with a tank or t-shirt (the t-shirt might help it from slipping) as it will be a nice cardi for the spring or cool summer evenings - ha ha, who am I kidding we NEVER get 'cool' summer evenings here in TX!!!

The Drifty Set

I finished the mittens that matched the Drifty hat and I love them (my ravelry link is HERE) :-) I loved this pattern the minute I saw it on one of Diane's Podcasts. I bought the hat and mittens pattern on Ravelry and knit the hat within a day. 

The mittens always take me longer, because I tend to put them to one side to do the thumbs later, then inevitably I cast on for something else and they get left in the wip basket for a while. Luckily these didn't stay there for very long. . . 

 I'm happy to say my daughter loved this set too. Hopefully we will get a few cold days before Spring really gets here, although it was 77 degrees one day earlier this week, so who knows - we may already have seen the last of winter here in TX!

I am seriously considering knitting a set for myself, but I may wait until we get colder weather again, probably much later this year. 

My Dahlia cardigan is blocked and finished AND I wore it for the first time last weekend for a trip to my LYS :-) More about that later.

Too busy to blog. . . . I like it ;-)

I'm so glad I decided that this year is going to be a ME year for knitting. I am having so much fun with it, not to mention that I am just loving watching the new video podcasts that I recently discovered, while I knit :-) I don't know how I didn't notice them sooner, some of the podcasters have been going for nearly 2 years, and others have only just started! Both are fun to watch. I am adding the podcasts that I like to follow in my sidebar, so it shows the date when they have uploaded a new video, which is usually once a week.

A little confession, my favorite day of the week is now Thursday! That's when Diane from Knitabulls uploads her new podcast, and I have to admit she is my most favorite to watch right now. I've never been one to have much of a stash, but oh my word, I want to buy just about everything she shows us each week - I guess that's why they call it 'enabling' :-)  One of the things she mentioned recently (and other podcasters have too) are the project bags from Lois at Knittings My Bag. Seems like every time Lois posts her bags they are bought up SUPER quick! I don't usually use project bags, but I want to now that I've seen everyone else using them! 

I could have bought one last week when Lois updated her Etsy shop but when I went to purchase one... I realized that my PayPal account didn't have any money in it, and I needed to transfer some from my bank. That usually takes a few days for the transaction to complete,  so I sent a PM to Lois and asked if she could hold the bag for me, or would she have any others pretty soon! By the end of that day all of Lois's bags had sold. I'm so glad I PM'd her though, because she sent me a message back saying she can custom make the bag for me when I was ready to order.  I've just noticed I missed another shop update today, and looks like ALL of the bags (except one) have already sold again. I have one on order, so I will have to be patient and hopefully I will get it in the next couple of weeks.

So, I have been knitting lots, and Dahlia is finally off the needles - yay :-) I have blocked it too but just haven't had a chance to take photos of me wearing it. I will share that next time. I also cast on for a quick knit this past week, which was Altounyan, by Lily Kate.

 I haven't taken any photos of me wearing this either, but I did snap a shot of it just after I cast off.Because I don't like wearing any wool around my neck (it's just too scratchy for me) I chose to knit this in a soft acrylic.

Pattern: Altounyan by Lily Kate

Yarn: Dark Horse Fantasy - pink

Needle size - US7

This was such an easy pattern, and I loved how it turned out. I've already worn it a few times too. I'll try to get some modeled shots soon. The pattern was a free gift from Lily to say thank you to everyone for supporting her this past year.

And speaking of 'freebies', well prizes really - I won this wonderful skein of Laughing Yaffle yarn from JosieKitten a few weeks ago. Thankfully it didn't take too long to get it in the mail from England. Along with it came some yummy English sweeties, that I hadn't had in years, 'Minstrels' - they're like M&M's on steroids ;-) but all chocolate coated, not different colors. Thank you again JK, I'm loving them both.

Here's a picture of the yarn. Not a very good picture I'm afraid, hopefully you'll get to see it better when I take a picture of the WIP I have now. Well, when I take a picture of it that is. 

I was thinking I'd use this yarn for socks, but then I decided to cast on for Magrathea after seeing Tina's FO on her podcast Knitting Blooms. She recently had a KAL for it, but that's over now, so I'll be knitting this one alone. Not that I mind at all. I loved the look of hers, and couldn't wait to cast on once I bought the pattern last weekend. I've only knit about 10 rows so far. It's patiently waiting for me as I finish up the Drifty mittens AND another cowl that I just started yesterday!!  No pics of the new cowl, but it's the La La Love You cowl. I'm joining in with Diane at Knitabulls for her February KAL :-) 

Yes, so much to knit.... so little time!