Thursday, July 26, 2007

Dangerous Yarn Blog

The only yarn/knitting blog I read regularly is Yarn Harlot. I happened upon it right about the time Stephanie started the Knit Olympics. It's a very dangerous place to go. It was there that I learned about Blue Moon Fiber Arts and the Rockin Sock Club.

It isn't just the Yarn Harlot that spreads dangerous information, though. People are forever posting clever and interesting information to her entries. The one that got me today was Jimmy Beans Wool. They've teamed up with Lorna's Laces to make limited edition sock yarn. They dye just so much and when it's gone, that's it. No more.

The current color is Rainforest:

They've also got a sock kit of the month. I didn't need to see that.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Sock du jour

It was a hard choice, but I decided to work with the Firebird yarn and the solstice pattern. I can't remember the exact name of it, but it is the current Rockin Sock Club pattern. I decided that I better get going on it. At the rate I've not been knitting, the next kit'll be in my mailbox before it is done!

I'm doing it toe-up. Progress: sock 1 is just starting the heel.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Lumpy bumpby Slitherin bag

This is the bag I made for Tammy in the second Hogwarts sock swap. It uses the lumpy bumpy yarn I got at Only Ewe.

I also dyed a skein of yarn in Slytherin colors (green and silver). I used two different greens and gray as a tarnished silver :). I had this skein of plain yarn with little flecks of primary colors in it. I used the leftover dye from the Slitherin skein, mixed up a batch of desert rose, and came up with this skein I call Desert Snake. Just what I needed, more sock yarn to choose from.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Hogwarts sock kit from Carrie

Isn't this the coolest bag? Carrie crocheted it and felted it and filled it with goodies, all for me. The bag's even better looking in person. It's officially now my current sock project bag. Well it will be, just as soon as I decide what my next project will be.

The kit included some Harry stickers, a bag of Jelly Slugs, some Knit Picks classic circulars in size one (perfect) and some purty Hufflepuff stitch markers from Enchanted Daffodils. The pattern for Bumblebug Socks is great. It'll be fun to do and I may actually be able to make the leg part so it fits my legs.


Tied with the bag for my favorite part of this excellent kit is the Hufflepuff 5th years colorway yarn. I knew dharmafey sounded familiar, but it took seeing the yarn for it to click into place. (Brain's damaged from too much overtime.) The yarn's from dharmafey's cosmic fibers, which is Carrie's business. The subtle color changes are so nice. I think this'll be what I'll used for my next project.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Sick day update

I really am sick (holding up rapidly disappearing bottle of Imodium DM pills). The less that is discussed, the better.

I still have been able to do a few things. The sock kit is on the way to Alaska.

I got my new scanner installed and this is my first scan. I've been knitting a bunch of tiny socks like these: for a project. I'm not actually using these for it, though. These are the first three colors in the 2007 Rockin Sock Club.

Once the project's done, I can go back to my favorite thing, knitting socks. I've been acquiring so many patterns lately, it'll be painful to decide what to choose. I made it even worse with my recent purchase of Favorite Socks from Interweave. Yum, yum, major sock pron. I bought the Yarn Harlot's book at the same time. If I pick a simple enough pattern and teach one of the cats to turn book pages on command, I use both books at once!

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Kit's nearly complete


  1. A handmade kit bag: Done.
  2. Sock yarn in your pals house colors: yarn is drying.
  3. A pair of new knitting needles: Done.
  4. A set of stitch markers in your pals house colors: supplies are sitting and waiting for me to get off the computer and finish them.
  5. A sock pattern: Done.
  6. Surprise: Done.

The dehumidifier is running in the room where the yarn is drying. With a little luck, I'll have the package in the mail tomorrow.

I think I know who gets that bag, "Angus". It's very cool and I can't wait to see it in person! You did know our fearless leader told us who was sending to us, didn't you? :)

Saturday, July 14, 2007

More Trivia


  1. stew
  2. sandwiches
  3. a cocktail onion
  4. hypothermia
  5. true
  6. that he spend the Christmas and Easter holidays at Hogwarts
  7. Irish International Side
  8. cherry syrup and soda
  9. 37 galleons, 15 sickles, 3 knuts
  10. 11 sickles

Fountain from the Ministry of Magic

Quidditch World Cup Campsite

Diagon Alley

The Knight Bus

Flourish and Blotts

Sunday, July 8, 2007

This is a report on sock kit progress:


  1. A handmade kit bag: Done. Stashed in a plastic bag so felines don't get any clever ideas about it being a cat bed. They've been kept away from the yarn so far.
  2. Sock yarn in your pals house colors: yarn will be painted today.
  3. A pair of new knitting needles: ordered, waiting for arrival.
  4. A set of stitch markers in your pals house colors: have materials, may work on them today.
  5. A sock pattern: Done. Stashed in the kit bag.
  6. Surprise: one or more surprises should arrive with #3. I have another one that I think I'll make. I'll be looking for one more thing perhaps.

Tammy, if you see this, please be assured that your kit is coming together. I've gone from unemployment to working massive amounts of overtime recently. It means that I'll be shipping your kit later than planned, but before the due date.

    Wednesday, July 4, 2007

    Hogwart Trivia Answers


    1. Ron and Harry

    2. George

    3. Dedalus Diggle

    4. Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington

    5. Ronan

    6. Ravenclaw

    7. Emerald green

    8. Scarlet

    9. 11

    10. Grindylows

    Sunday, July 1, 2007

    Working on Hogwort kit

    I worked 17 hours of overtime this week. It should not be surprising that I haven't done much knitting. The Hufflepuff bag that I don't need is all done but the shoulder strap. It was worth doing, though, because I'm going to do a variation on it for my Slytherin partner.

    I drive past Only Ewe and Cotton Too twice every work day. I went in on Friday and picked up some interesting yarn for the Slytherin bag. In the other half of the same store is The Bead Bug. I went in there on Saturday and got some more supplies. This isn't a secret swap, but I like for there to be some element of surprise. That's why there will be no details until later.

    In the next three weeks I have to have the kit done and shipped -and- 18 pages done for a collaborative book. Maybe I won't knit the 18 tiny socks that I meant to do as part of one side of the page.

    Maybe I better log off, put on the Coronation Street tape my brother sent, and get knitting!