The Joy of Yarn

The holy grail has been found, er I found Imagi Knit of San Francisco. I am in love with this shop! Walking in I felt lightheaded with all the yarn in one location. Yarn lined the walls from top to bottom and was piled in baskets all around. All the yarns I have only drooled over from my computer were there in the flesh to be pet. It took me a good hour to peek, poke, and get my bearings. That is with going in with a PLAN for what I was seeking to purchase! There was quite a variety of yarn from all the well knowns to yarns from more local sources. The staff was friendly without being on top of you. They seemed to understand my need to look around in awe for a rather long time. When I had questions they were friendly and pleasant, even though I kept finding all the new stock that didn't have prices just yet. They do have an online store that has a smaller selection then the brick and mortar storefront. I FINALLY understand all the fuss over Malabrigo, soft and comes in a seemingly endless variety of colors. I have begun a foray into lace knitting. My main goal was to get some handpainted lace weight yarn as its not overly popular in my LYS. Diane loved my shawl I made for me and wanted a shawl for her very own. She picked and bought her yarn and I am currently working on her shawl. There are very few people I would do this for so you should feel very privilaged Diane. She was nice enough to choose 100% silk so I get to play around with that. Now for the lovelies.

Kaalund 100% silk from Australia, color wysteria, 300 meters ea

I am currently working with this yarn and like it very much!

Mist Alpaca handpanted, Color 06, 100% baby alpaca, 215 yds each

This yarn is so bright and fun in person!

Ahh alpaca, my true love.

Whisper, 100% merino, hand painted lace weight, 1365yds

Aurora Yarns of Moss, CA.

This reminds me of the bay and mussel shells picked up along the beach in RI as a kid.

Color is noted as one of a kind not to be repeated. Gorgeous!

Malabrigo, 50% merino 50% silk, Color Stone Chat, 315 yds.

This yarn will be available at the end of the year to sometime next year.

Imagi Knit had a couple preview skeins in a handful of colors. I scored the last 2 in this color. They were just about out of this lucious yarn. It is soft and shimmery.

If you ever get the chance to go to San Fran this shop is a must see!

Farm Country , I Mean Modesto, CA

A Duck Pond

We took a trip to Modesto, CA around mid August to see my best friend Diane who is moving to Orlando, FL for a job. Of course this happens right as non-stop flights from San Diego to San Fran are coming soon at $39. Oh, well. It was a fun trip and Buby got to spend time with Luna, Diane's weirmeriner (sp ?) (it's a big dog). He mostly enjoyed the attention of a dog, maybe he would like it on a smaller scale. We had tons of fun just hanging around. We made a trip to Coloe Me Mine, which is becoming a bit of a tradition. Photos will be posted when Diane ships my piece. Mainly we terrorized Diane with a Buby.

Buby appreciating the local trees. Yes, he kisses everything! Including himself in the mirror with mac and cheese mouth. Just ask Diane.

The City by the Bay

Random tree on the walk to Pier 39

The Sea Lions must be visited

Golden Gate (of course)

Good old Alzatraz, Couldn't miss that pic.

Our first full day with Diane was spent in San Francisco. I loved this day trip! Where to begin. The first event was a visit to Imagi Knit, the details on the knit shop coming soon. The Bart didn't go quite all the way to the knit shop so there was a trek, uphill, which began in the ghetto. Okay maybe not the ghetto but it was a not so nice place. I will say I am not a city girl and typical find the city a dangerous place. A helpful fellow on the Bart said it was like 2 blocks. More like a country mile. I said it was all uphill right? As I was the only knitter I am sure the others were wondering how this could all possibly be worth the long haul. We finally arrived and we all went in. I was in there for an hour and a half. The non-knitters quickly made way to a cafe across the street. Now when I WAS done I did feel the need for nourishment. The cafe was a local sort, not a big corporate coffee chain, that served delicious iced coffee. The sort that you can feel clogging your arteries as I think it had tons of cream. A delicious hazelnut cake type pastry was inhaled. Good thing the walk back was all downhill!

We hopped back on the Bart to go to downtown. We had a rather long walk from the station to Pier 39. The better to build up an appetite! We promptly ate at some random restaurant. Went to check out sea lions, view Alacatraz, and catch a glimpse of the Golden Gate. More shopping, much more eating (crepes with Nutella and strawberries!). There is a shop named Chocolate Heaven. YUM! Buby loved San Fran from atop his daddy's shoulders. He could be heard singing away as we took in the sights. It was a full day and I was most happy with my yarn purchases!

Got Lace?

Project: Shetland Shawl, Wrap Style

Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Silky Kid, Cabin Fever, dk weight, Knit Picks Shadow, Redwood Forest, lace weight used doubled

Needles: US size 8, Knit Picks options

Time: 1 week

Size: 61: across the top, 25" from top to tip after blocking

Project Notes: This was a great introduction to lace knitting. Using a heavier yarn made the project go quickly. I bought one skein of this yarn and needed to come up with a project for the one skein since it is a pricey yarn.I used almost the entire skein; very small amount left. I bought a postal scale so I could use all the yarn without getting into a pattern repeat and running out. I like the edge in the solid color. I think it sort of anchors the handpainted yarn. This reminds me of the falling leaves I miss so much from growing up in RI. The edge did not come out as pointy as intended, I used bigger needles to bind off but I think it still tightened up. In the future I will explore other methods of binding off lace. I like the effect of the handpainted yarn in this project, however I do see how solids show patterns better. I live handpainted yarn so much I will use it again, but for more complex patterns I will use solids. The size is perfect. I can wear it out and not have a huge shawl dragging behind me or use it as a scarf. Since I have a 10 month old that is a huge plus. I think this shawl will look great with jeans and will probably be a staple this winter.

Undulating Waves

Project: Waves Scarf, free from Knit Picks

Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Twister in blues and greens 2 skeins (586 yds each)

Needles: US size 8, Knit Picks options

Time: about a month with some breaks

Size: 16" wide 80" long after blocking

Project Notes: Love the finished project. I did not use a bulky yarn as the pattern called for originally. This project opened up and has tremendous drape once blocked. 80" of reversible 2x2 ribbing gets boring! By the end I just want this project to end. I am very glad I knit this scarf, but I think the yarn MAKES the project on this one. I alternated the 2 skeins every pattern repeat. The skeins were slightly different due to the nature of hand dyed yarn.

Let's Get This Party Started!

Okay perhaps I began this blog at a not so good time in my life. Buby went thru a particularly needy phase combined with teeth FINALLY begining to come in. Things are much better now. I get time to knit and even breathe! Since my birthday was just over a month ago I am in my get organized and focused phase. Maybe thats why I love the fall so much. It is my New Year's in a way. I am going to be making updates at least every Sunday. Yes, I am scheduling my blog. I really want to post so I have a project gallery when I begin to forget what I have accomplished. It's no good to have a project gallery when you never update. This is why I do not have a physical scrap book; it would never come into being.

The Innocent Thief

First things first. I'm still here but am operating on a serious sleep deficit. Picture me swooning around clutching a coffee mug as though it were as essential as oxygen, hair askew from being pulled by little hands, and a pretty darn surly attitude to be honest. Those happy prancing people around me must get sleep without someone trying to rearrange their face in the night.

It finally happened. At 31 years old I became a shoplifter. I am innocent I tell you. I know every hardened criminal sings the same song from death row. I stole something by accident. In my defense I ended up paying for it at another store that sold the same product. Hmm sounds mysterious. Anybody who has ever gone racing thru a store throwing items in the bottom of the stroller can relate to this sort of incident. I did have a sun hat and wipe cloth hiding in the bottom of the stroller and they obscured the last item. Said item was found a day later at another store while I was at the register. I paid for it as though I plucked it off their shelves. Secretly wondering if my picture is plastered up at the other store with the offer of a reward. Is mommy brain a legitimate defense in a court of law? Slap some mommies on the jury and I bet I walk.

Now for a pretty picture. I have become obsessed with this project and find I am unable to finish anything else. The new yarn doesn't match perfect, thanks to the capricious nature of hand dyers, so I am staggered the yarn at 5 repeats per ball. So of course the section I am working on is looking as though I may not finish, yet I have so much of the other yarn ball it makes me wonder about true yardage. Some yarn labels do say under ideal conditions yardage is X. What? Ideal conditions? Must be a mommy brain sweatshop. This points out the fact that I need a kitchen scale that measures in grams with a digital output. No room for errors here people this is yarn!