Black Sheep

Stitches loot

I just now got back from Stitches. I truly just walked in the door about a half an hour ago. My husband wasn’t home to greet me and I was so excited to show somebody my loot so I thought I would take pics, log on, and show all of you. In the pic you will see that I got (clockwise from upper right) Two hanks of koigu and a pattern for socks, Some pretty stitch markers, Two hanks of recycled silk, A hankie of silk (almost straight from the cocoon) from Chasing Rainbows Dyeworks, and at the bottom, a silk needle case. What you don’t see here is three balls of hemp yarn. “Why?” you ask? Well, silly Moni LEFT THE SHOPPING BAG AT THE CHASING RAINBOWS BOOTH. Arg! I was so freaking enamoured with the silk hankie drafting that I left the shopping bag there. I didn’t realize I left it until I was in Santa Cruz, about a 45 min drive away. I was already a bit frazzled because I got lost trying to get back on the freeway from the Santa Clara Convention Center. I’ve lived here for almost 20 years AND I GOT LOST. Can you believe it? This is why I hate driving by myself anywere in which I am unfamiliar. I have a crappy sense of direction.

My leaving the shopping bag of hemp yarn almost spoiled the whole day. I was totally, totally bummed. But I called up there and finally got ahold of someone with Stitches and it turns out they located my bag and the woman said that she would send it back to me when she gets back to North Dakota. I think, instead, I might jet back up there in the morning and get it. It’s nice of her to send it but it’s my fault that it was left there.

So I feel much better now knowing I will get my hemp yarn. I feel really stressed now, though. I could really use a drink right now.

I do feel really good about what I got. I wanted to get my hands on some Koigu and I did. I love the needle holder and the stitch markers. I love the recylcled silk yarn, and I might make a bag with it. But that silk hankie, out of this world! You have to feel it to believe it.

I will probably be done with my opera length gloves tonight so I will post pics of those tommorrow.

I just realized that if my hubby had been home he would have been the recipient of my bitch session above. Thanks for listening to me . My husband thanks you, too.

5 comments February 12th, 2005

cup ‘o tea

I am sooooo finished with Gail’s clap-o-tee. Here’s a picture of me wearing it as a shawl. Click here for the scarf version.
Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert for Knitty.com.
Yarn: Cascade Sierra Quatro. 3.5 balls.
Needles: size 7 - Denise interchangeables.
Completed: 2/11/05
I think this is a lovely yarn to use for this project. As I’ve said before, it’s a cotton/wool blend. This would make a really nice summer wrap for cool evenings. I like the tweedy look of the fabric.

Okay. I’m done with Clapotis.

Tommorrow I’m going to Stitches West. I’m going to meet some friends from work in front of the Santa Clara Convention center. I’ll be missing the knit-blogger dinner…Mainly because I just found out about it today when I read Kris’ blog…oh well. It would be so cool to meet some fellow knit bloggers so if you are reading this and you are going to be there tommorrow and you recognize my face, come and introduce yourself! I would love to meet you . Still don’t know what I will buy. I’m thinking Koigu, but we’ll see.

I was the recipient of some contest yarn this week! Lauren sent me some really lovely light blue Lang JaWoll sock yarn. This yarn has some reinforcement thread hidden inside the ball. I love that! I’m looking forward to knitting up some nice socks with it. I won this yarn for guessing the exact date she would finish Rouge. I can’t believe I guessed spot on.

Heather sent me a beautiful skien of silk garden in a gorgeous colorway. I love silk garden. I guessed who H’s fave Duran Duran band member is. Of course it had to be Simon LeBon I always liked Roger Taylor the best…I think I’m the only one who like Roger Taylor the best. Anyway, Thanks H and Lauren!

5 comments February 11th, 2005

Sundby’s got back

Or front. Same thing. I’m really loving this yarn. I think this might be the best yarn I’ve knit with so far. It’s so soft and luxurious. This will be a lovely sweater when I get done with it. It’s knitted in “seeded rib stitch”. Which is k3 p1. Lauren also called this stitch mistake rib. It creates a nice, stretchy fabric. This is an extremely easy knit and this yarn knits up quickly.

Not much else to write about…I’m not in a really chatty mood today. In fact, I’m a little cranky. It’s one of those mondays.

Oh, stitches is this weekend and am really looking forward to that. I’m meeting a bunch of knitty friends from work there and we are going to shop the marketplace. I don’t think I will be taking any classes this time.

5 comments February 7th, 2005

The Kochoran called

I couldn’t stand it anymore. I had that Noro Kochoran in my stash basket and every now and then I would take it out and fondle it. I decided that it needed to be knitted up. I was, originally, going to use it for Gesta from CTH II. But the more I thought about it I thought, “nah.” When have I ever worn a vest? Never! Why on earth would I use this wonderful yarn to knit something I would probably never ever wear? “so what are you going knit with that beautiful yarn, Monica?” I’m glad you asked…I’ve decided to knit Sundby from CTH I. I had to order two more skiens of Kochoran in order to have enough for this sweater. I feel kind of guilty and bad for doing it but what the hell. You only live once! And this yarn deserves to knitted up into something that can be worn against the skin. It is really soft. I love it. I’ve got to admit, knitting BBBB after knitting Sundby feels like, well, acrylic. I guess, deep down inside, I’m a yarn snob.

Here is my progress, so far, on my opera-length fingerless gloves. A fun project! I’m back to liking cables. We’re friends now. Perhaps Shedir was a little too much for a virgin cable knitter. This pattern is nice and low-key. Unfortunately, spring is upon the Bay Area (it’s been in the seventies..Wait a minute, did I just say “unfortunately”?!?) so I probably won’t wear these until next winter. Unless we get a freak winter storm, which could happen.

I’ve been working on my site the past few days and I’d like to draw your attention to my new and improved project gallery. I really like the way Theresa (from the Keyboard Biologist Knits) has gallerized (I like making up words) her projects, so I kind of did my gallery similarly. Now, mind you, my projects can’t even begin to compare with the ever-talented Theresa. Actually, if you want a good laugh go through and see some of the awful projects I did this past year. In fact, there are some that I chose to leave out because of thier sheer awfulness. I’ve had a good laugh putting the gallery together. I think my knitting ability has really grown in the last year since I started this blog. At leaast I hope so

One more thing…I just discovered a Bay Area Knitblogs ring and decided to join it. I’ve been having fun surfing through the ring and seeing blogs from my fellow Bay Area peeps! So if you happen upon my site from the ring, Hello! welcome to Black Sheep!

4 comments February 3rd, 2005