Double Dose

On Thursday I cast on two socks. As you can see from the picture it was two socks from two different pairs of socks. Last week I was trying to finish as much as possible. This week evidently I'm trying to start as much as possible.

The light blue sock is Kalajoki by Tiina Seppälä in Socks That Rock medium. The color is Sky Blue. The other sock is Firestarter by Yarnissima in Wollmeise 100% Merino Superwash. The colorway is Libelle.

I bought the Socks That Rock last Friday during the Rose City Yarn Crawl. I've had the Wollmeise for awhile. I traded some Sundara Fingerling Sikly Merino for it. I love both yarns! So far I'm liking the Kalajoki more then the Firestarter. The Firestarter is only my second toe up sock.

For the Birds

More likely for the squirrels but we are choosing to be optimistic.

Not a stitch

Today I didn't knit a stitch. Not a one. I did dye some yarn though.

I am so far behind I am no longer in the race. I hope to change that soon so I can share my new obsession. Self Striping Sock yarn.



In the meantime, here's a picture of a project I finished yesterday. They're my Candy Corn socks. The pattern is Ampersand by Kirsten Kapur. The yarn is yarntini Self Striping Sport in the candy corn colorway. I love these socks!

2012 - The Year to Come

I looked back at last year's New Years post and laughed. I declared 2011 The Year of the Sock! Although I finished a record number of socks (five) only two pair was cast on in 2011. And it was a struggle to finish them all. I was really in a monster/critter mode.

I've decided to declare 2012 The Year of... Whatever I want it to be. Since that's what it'll be no matter what I say. I plan to focus on using my stash and not adding to it. I'm going to try and finish up some WiPs. I'd also like to use up some of my balled up yarn. I read yarn that has been balled up weakens over time. Then the socks (for instance) you knit with them won't last as long.

2011 - The Year in Review

Using and otherwise getting rid of my stash was a big priority for me. I went over my yarn totals for the year. And here's what I came up with:

Total Knit/crocheted: 6828 yards
Total sold/given away: 7134 yards
Total bought: 5779 yards
Total given: 1155 yards

Strangely enough when I add and subtract these totals (7028 yards) they don't match my month by month total of how much yarn I got rid of this year (4609 yards). Weird.

I'm sad to see that even though I was on a "yarn diet" I still bought a lot of yarn. It feels like a bought almost as much as I used. I should have kept track of how much of that yarn was used for something and how much was stashed. I tried really hard to only buy yarn for specific projects. However, I admit there was some stashing this year.

I do feel good because I knit with and got rid of some deep stash. I finally used my red stash, those six balls of Rowan Biggy Print I bought on sale at Yarn Garden eons ago and three of the four balls Rowan Chunky Print that I bought even before that. It was a big accomplishment that I am proud of.

I finished 23 projects this year. Five of which were for me. I knit 11 monsters and animals. All but one of those used stash yarn. The one that didn't use stash yarn was my first commissioned project.

December Totals

Crocheted/finished: 790 yards
Sold: 981 yards
Gave away (Christmas swap): 845 yards
Bought: 425 yards
Received (Christmas swap): 437 yards

Total for month: 773 yards


Grand total for the year: 4609 yards

Who needs a tree topper?

Or ornaments? Or lights?

Well. Okay. The tree HAS to have lights.

November Totals

This month I knit my first commissioned piece. Unfortunately I totally over bought for it. And the shop I got the yarn at only took exchanges. Ouch.

Knit/finished: 715 yards
Bought: 1745 yards
Total for month: -1030

Total for year: 3836 yards