Knitty Gritty Thoughts

Book Review: I heart felt + Giveaway!

I recently had the opportunity to review a new book, I [Heart] Felt: 33 Eye-Popping Projects for the Inspired Knitter, by Kathleen Taylor a wonderful and talented writer of Knit One, Felt Too, fame and published by Taunton Press.

Now before you're tempted to scroll right past all the good stuff or close your browser if you're not interested in a book review, hold on a sec! =)  Make sure to scroll to the bottom for details on how to win a copy of the book!

The book itself is beautifully designed and as the title alludes, eye-catching.  All the project are fun and beautiful.  She starts off by explaining the basics of felt (great for beginners and advanced felters alike) and then moves into some new tricks and tips I had never heard of.  The one thing I really liked about the book is she used easily accessible, reasonably priced yarns.  Most everything was from knitpicks or cascade 220 which is a great thing.  Who doesn't have knitpicks or 220 sitting around your stash somewhere??

Here are a few of my favorite things...

I love this bag...so gorgeous and chic and
perfect for evenings out or farmers market days.

Adorable pumpkins and squash. 
Who doesn't want to make gobs of these
for your Thanksgiving table?? =)

So cute - my nieces would love these

And of course, couldn't forget the fingerless mitts -
you know I love me some fingerless mitts! ;)

Aren't all the projects cute??!  If you want a chance to win my review copy of the book leave a comment here between now and Saturday morning at 10am EST.  I'll pick a commenter randomly and mail you the book so you can have some felting fun of your very own.  I'll mail to US, APO and Canada only please, since it's a book it's too pricey for me to mail overseas.  Thanks so much and goodluck! =)  AND if you'd like 2 (!) chances to win a copy, head over here.  Kathleen is giving away a copy as well.  Oops I take that back, she just announced the winner, sorry!

Happy Thursday!

A Retrospective

Thanks everyone for your awesome and totally overwhelming blog wishes!  You made my day!  =)  It was so nice to hear from everyone, sometimes when you get into the grind of creating and blogging you become so focused on the day to day that you miss the big picture.  And that is that I have indeed been doing this blog thing for 3 years, and it's definitely a commitment.  Those of us who have been blogging for any amount of time know how much effort and time is involved to take pictures, write up projects and join in the community.

Being around so long has definitely given me a different perspective.  When I first started, the knit blog-o sphere was so small there were only a few hundred active knitting blogs.  It was such a small community that is seemed like a small town, where everyone knew everyone else.  We didn't have all these fancy online retailers or all these beautiful indie yarn dyers.  Very few people spun, and no one took breathtaking photos like these.  There was no ravelry, no one had ever heard of blue moon and socks weren't popular yet.  Can you imagine?! =)

I remember my very first knitalong, Katie hosted it when she was pregnant with AJ, the bear-along.  I never did finish that bear! =)  Katie and Alisha and Cath and Erica and Lolly were some of my very first blog friends who are still around blogging today.

Along the way some other good blog friends have moved on, and I think it's wonderful the way this community has grown.  Nowadays I am constantly browsing to find new to me blogs as it keeps expanding.  It blows my mind that there are 15 THOUSAND people on ravelry with 15 THOUSAND more people in line, whoa!

Anyhow you came here for the winner right?  The random number generator told me it was ......

......Qutecowgirl!

Congrats!

I loved reading all of your answers and found myself adding more items to my list.  I want to learn how to dye, try steeking, improve my colorwork and improve on spinning this year.  I'm also want to organize my stash which means I'll be having a stash sale here shortly.

I guess you'll have to wait til next year to see how I do on my goals! =)

Meanwhile you may have noticed I've been a bit MIA on blogs and email lately.  I have a pinched nerve in my left arm that is making it really hard to sit at a computer, type or even knit, ouch!  I'm sure it has something to do with my stress level, they're building houses next door and behind my lot and the hammering starts at 6am right outside my bedroom window and usually culminates in the construction workers littering all over my lawn, big trucks blocking me in my driveway, throwing constructions debris in my back yard and the dogs barking wildly at them whenever they are let outside to stretch their legs.  *Sigh* we've all got a little house-fever.

So I tried to knit to make some progress on ene but it hurt too bad so it's on time out (Now's your chance Beth!  How is yours coming??=))

I tried to crochet on the ripple blanket and that was moderately better...

...it's getting so big and rippley!

And finally I moved on to sewing which seems to hurt the least right now so I started piecing my first quilt.  I'm a little nervous because I have no idea what I'm doing, but I'll figure it out.

Isn't the fabric lovely?  It's from purl, they do color toned fabric bundles.

And finally, today is a big milestone for me.  When I was a child I used to horseback ride.  I grew up around horses and competed in hunter/jumper dressage in junior high/early high school.  As I grew up I got away from it and it's been almost 12 years since I've been on a horse for more than a casual trail ride.

Today I'm going to my first lesson in more than a decade, and I'm so proud of myself for realizing that it would make me happy and going for it.  I love horses and I love riding so much, I'm so eager to start again.  Life is all about circles isn't it??  Here's to new/renewed experiences! =)  Wish me luck, hope I don't fall off! =)

Tell Me Something Nice

Well I finished both Anemoi and the Mitered Square Blanket last night however it's so darn dreary and a bit rainy out here so I can't get any decent pics to post today.  In lieu of that I thought I would have a contest.

I don't get into politics too much on my blog, just because I want this to stay a neutral, positive environment.  However, I will say it's been a bit crazy over here lately, recent political events are rockin' my world personally (and not in a good way) coupled with hubby gone for a month for training, it's a bit lonely and well quite honestly I'm feeling a bit bummed out and could use a pick-me-up.  So, in light of that I picked up a duplicate Knit.1 Valentine's Issue accidentally last week. 

If you're interested, send me some positive thoughts, tell me something nice, or send some of that good ol' mojo my way in the form of a comment.  Contest is open now until this Sat morning (12/27) at 10am EST.  (And if you click on the image it should take you to the preview page for knit.1 so you can see what patterns are in there.)  I'll picked the winner by random number drawing and mail you the magazine.  Thanks!

Christmas Comes Early

First order of business, the random number generator picked Phyllis as the winner of the Cork.  Congrats Phyllis, it's on the way to you shortly!

Remember the christmas stocking?  I was a little afraid of the short-row heel and put it away for awhile.  Earlier this week I pulled it back out, turned the darn heel kept on going down the leg and did it all again at the toe and finished the thing!  It was a pretty major victory, this is the first time I really "got" what was going on with this type of heel and didn't have to move the post-it every row as I followed along.  I also now "get" the wraps/no-wraps question that Erica asked me.  I feel so "in the know" to know that the style of the stocking is no-wraps, which I actually prefer.  I hate those pesky wraps! ;)  I also feel pretty proud that I didn't have to sew up any holes which was pretty monumental.

Anyhow, the name was duplicate stitched on AKA swiss darning.  This was my first time doing it and I found it pretty easy, the trick is not to pull the yarn too hard, otherwise you'll get the background color showing out...I used this tutorial.  Now I just need to make a trip to the fabric store to find a lining, put it in and it's done!  (Well now I need to start on mine!)

Annie's Woolens Christmas Moose Stocking
In Plymouth galway (#16, #17, #8)
US 8 16" Addi Needle/US 8 DPNS

Socks n' Stuff

Having issues with internet precluded my from posting this on Friday, so I apologize for the wait for the winner.  For some reason bloglines didn't pick up my feed anywhere from 12-36 hours later so I also apologize if you missed out.  I do give out random knitting things from time to time so hopefully next time it will work out, and stay tuned.

Anyhow, Sarah won the needles via random number generation, congrats Sarah, they're in the mail to you!

You should also check out Christine's Stash Sale, she's selling off all her yarn because of some life changing events and giving spinning a try.  All the yarn is super yummy and priced to move.

 

I'll post a pic of a sock I posted before but I'll put it up here again because I am just amazed at how well the stitch definition comes off on these new sock blockers that arrived this weekend (no affil).  They looked a little big sitting there but apparently I just have huge ski boat feet because they fit my sock perfectly =)  Now I'm motivated to finish the other one that's been languishing for months, yea!

Badcaul Socks by Anna in Koigu knit on Magic Loop

Anyhow, we spent the weekend putting a little "Sweat Equity" into our home.   I may have mentioned this before, we purchased our first home last year, a little 3bed, 2bath with a garage and the smallest kitchen known to man.  Honestly, it's so tiny, you could blink and you'd miss it.  Well we've spent a good portion of the past 6 months improving the house, pulling out carpet and putting in the pergo floors, painting, new light fixtures etc.  We just finished our biggest project to date, renovating the guest bathroom.  We pulled everything out except the shower and started over, tiling up part of the wall, new tile floors, molding and a beautiful new vanity I got on sale cheap!  I like sales and I really renovate under a strict budget.  I should say I have very particular looks I like and I managed to pull off something that looks more expensive than it is through careful shopping and I'm very happy. 

The 3 things that need to be done are the master bath, laundry room and kitchen and we were debating what to start next, I think the kitchen it is.  It's a very fine line for us as this is a temporary home, no longer than 2 more years here so we want to make it look nice but also for it to sell so everything we do I keep that in mind.  We're debating tearing out the whole thing but I have to question if it's worth it, in a perfect world we'd probably have to rip out some walls but for now we're going to try and keep it simple, tile, new appliances and new countertops, preferably corian.  Did you know the avg kitchen reno costs 40k??? EEK.  I always watch those design shows and they turn out nice, but it's not worth it for this area.  I'll post a pic so you can give me your opinion, NEW Cabinets or NOT???  And no laughing at the small space, I already warned you =)

Giveaway

I bought these stretcy circs a few months ago to give it a try on socks.  I just cast-on for the first time yesterday and realized that these needles are not for me.  We all have our preferences, DPN's, Magic Loop, Socks on 2 circs, etc.  I always am willing to give something new a try but sometimes you find you're happy with what you're already doing. I don't like holding onto things that I won't use and would like to pass them on to someone who will.  They are brand-new, barely out of the package.  SO, this is the Giveaway part - They don't work for me but maybe they will work for you, or you have been wanting to give them a try?  I will send them to you free of charge, simply leave a comment by Friday 9am EST.  If your name gets picked I will put them in the mail to you on Friday.  I hope they will find a happy home =)

Drumroll Please...

And the winners are....

#1 Fleece Artist - Gretchen of Knit2tog
#2 Trekking Sock yarn #100 (the ubiquitous yet hard to find color) - Jennifer of It is Rocket Science
 

Congratulations Ladies!!  You'll be getting an email shortly from me to ask for your address, and Gretchen I'll ask you what color fleece artist you'd like and order it today.

This was really fun for me, it was soo enjoyable reading what other people enjoy about blogging. I think overall the sense of community and support was a major theme.  What a great little knitblog world we have going on, knitters really are the most generous people I know.

Moving onward...thank you all for your votes on the socks.  Apparently you get what you pay for ie: free because sometime over the weekend the poll just disappeared and took my votes with it!  However, at last check there, SandRidge as the MC and denim as the contrasting color were the big leaders, at about 24 votes over Denim as MC and SR as CC with 10 or so and the solids falling in about last at a few votes each.  I think Katie of Straying Power is right though, I may have to deal with it and buy more yarn.  I really like what people were saying about doing the knee socks in adjusting rounds of color, one with the denim and one with the sandridge, although I don't know if I'll lose my sanity with them tangling =).  I ordered a pair of those "stretchy circs" to knit them with.  I like the idea of trying something new, and not dealing with extra needles or cables for that long of legs...just knitting around and around and around.  I found mine at Cheryl's shop, she has great customer service, discounts if you're a new customer and free shipping on the circs so it would be hard to find a better deal.  They are t-iinnny though.  Check out the pic and notice the bobby pin for scale.

I've also been working on P'oTR like Katie calls it, or Print o' the Wave as I've been calling it.  I like P'oTR better =).  Almost down one long side of the edging and fading fast.  I was hoping to make it in time for a wedding this coming weekend to wear it, but it ain't happening. =(  Ah well, maybe I'll wear Mystery Stole 2 instead.

Happy Monday!

And we have a winner!

Wow, everyone just bowled me over with all the wonderful, insightful and fabulous comments on what YOU, yes YOU like in a blog!  I have to admit there were a lot that I hadn't even thought of before so each and every comment opened my eyes to great new possbilities.

So...in the spirit of this I went the offical random number generator and it told me the winner was number 9! Congratulations Allena for being commenter #9!! (I'll send you an email separately to ask for your address.)

And, earlier today I was having some fun with excel and pie charts and couldn't resist putting together a little something.  It's far from scientific and highly subjective but who doesn't like some pretty pie charts?  So, based on your comments here's what everybody likes:

Thanks again for all your wonderful comments, and Allena I hope you love that koigu!

In knitty news I've been working on a beautiful Habu Textiles Bag from KPIXIE it's made with a strand of Shosenshi Paper and Tsumugi Silk held together.  Here's a pic from this morning, just minutes before my brandnew laptop's hard-drive bit the dust (*sob*) and just outside the 14 day return policy too, and no I didn't buy the warranty  ;) It's 'kay, I'm ordering a new hard-drive to throw in there, but sheesh they're pricey!  It's also why I'm late in posting this, I lost my fancy pie charts the first time around, but hey you all are worth the effort! 

I finished the Habu bag this afternoon and steamed it, FO pics coming soon.