rainy days/boosting productivity

greetings to all on this cold, wet weekend in southern california!
it is a whopping 45° here (38° by the time i'm in bed) and i'm bundled up in layers trying to stay warm. i look like the stay-puft marshmellow man. you know you like that visual.

i knew the good weather wasn't going to last too long. it is in fact still winter! even when it was sunny for the past couple of weeks, it was still nice and chilly outside. one of the nice things about the rain (besides not having to water the plants outside, the free car rinse, and the good sleep it gives you) is how it makes it so much more inviting to cuddle up with a nice hot cuppa and a great book (or book of word puzzles!) and/or jump into a project that you have been putting off.

***quick side bar: i'm finally attempting a "format" on this blog. hopefully it will be a little easier to read and follow. mostly, it should keep me a little more focused as all i'll have to do is just plug in my updates. no this isn't going to make my posts shorter! *side eye*

so, onto the first new section...
week[end] wrap-up/finished object(s):

holy bat wings, a sock! 

awkward foot shot. no pain, no gain!

and i'm on my way with the second sock! i will not be plagued by the dreaded "second sock syndrome" that so many sock knitters discuss ad naseum on many o' online forums. i'm currently 1/2 way through the cuff of the second sock; great dvr catch-up project! for the record, the color of the sock is closer to the top picture. you know i don't know how to use my camera ;)

current projects:
broken down by hobby. how clever ;)

on the needles...
check the side bar!

still plugging along on my first sweater, the panelled effect lady's jumper from a stitch in time, knitting and crochet patterns, 1920-1949 vol. 1. this book is now available on amazon us (don't know when this happened!) but i got mine on amazon uk because i couldn't wait. imagine where i'd be on this sweater if i waited! *gasp* so i'm on the last repeat on the sweater (for real this time) before i start decreasing to make the top portion of the sweater (including the neckline). once the top portion is done, then i'll just have the sleeves to knit up and then seam it all together! can't wait to see that finish line.

other items that are still in rotation: second pair of socks, slouchy hat, jr's xmas hat, and knitted donuts for a friend :) i rotate heavily because some of these projects hurt my hands a little more than others. ok... partly. some of the projects are absolutely mind-numbing to say the least, so having at least 3-5 projects in progress at all times is a must to keep the sanity things fresh!

on/off the spinning wheel:
yay! an update. below, the evolution of fiber in 4 shots.

from this...







to this!!!

blarney yarns: 60% merino/20% silk/20% yak

the above fiber is from blarney yarn in the colorway "chianti". each bobbin came out to 1.1 oz which I don't understand at all (considering I started out with 2 oz of fiber?!), but it is what it is. what, was I shedding or something while I was spinning? did i end up grabbing some dog hair? i'm just not understanding that, sorry. anyway, both bobbins have "rested" and are ready to ply together. 

This roving was a total dream to spin. I really, really, really enjoyed how smooth it was in my hands and how easy it was to draft. very nicely dyed with subtle shades of maroon, chocolate brown and creamy beige and very nicely prepared. the silky beige parts were the best - drafted like buttah!

on the sewing machine:
as i mentioned, rainy days have the ability to revive old projects. so as i was digging through the sewing graveyard (the basket that sits next to my machine where i bury works temporarily on hold) i managed to pull out 2 projects and got inspired to start a new one. the 2 old projects are jackets for the dogs that were already prepped and ready to go. i guess my eyes got crossed with all the instructions, so i instantly lost interest. but, the time is perfect on these little jackets. all the cool dogs at the dog park are sporting their winter attire and i will not allow my dogs to be shown up! what kind of pet parent would i be?! the coats will be made out of a soft mystery fabric that has a tiny houndstooth pattern on it (how appropriate) and will have a cream faux sherpa lining. there is also a little patch pocket on back of the jacket; perfect size to stick in a couple poop bags! i hope to have photos of this soon to share. finished photos, that is ;)

odds & ends:
stash enhancement (aka more of the good clutter)...

isn't this lovely?

my valentine's day surprise. well, there were a few v-day surprises, but the timing of my first shipment from the february sweetgeorgia yarns fibre club could not be more perfect! this is my first year EVER doing a fiber club, but I was really in love with all the beautiful colors that I've seen produced by sweetgeorgia. check out the site and feel free to drool. one of the main reasons i decided to sign up for a fibre club was to try new fiber and try interesting colorways that i would probably never pick out on my own. the colorway above is a great example. for those that know me, you know i don't wear the above colors. until now! ;) i think it's a great, fun way to introduce a little more color into my wardrobe. my hope is that i can get enough yardage to make a pair of socks out of this. come on, baby steps... ;)

the above fibery goodness is 75% bluefaced leicester and 25% tussah silk in the colorway "sticky jam" which is described as "bruised berries and purple grapes." and now, i'm officially hungry (again).

over the weekend, i acquired two new sock yarns...
the hubby took me on an impromptu yarn crawl :) this is why i got married. he's so thoughtful. anyway, we visited 3 shops in a record 2 hrs (including travel time) and also visited a very charming garden that was in the area. i took a gazillion photos of our visit, so feel free to check the blog and leave a comment. there is also an accompanying flickr photoset for the garden with a few more descriptions.

madelinetosh sock in "maple leaf"

malabrigo sock in "candombe"

i already have a project in mind for the madelinetosh yarn, but i told myself i can't start it until i finish that second sock! i'll give you a hint though... the pattern is from the book knitting vintage socks by nancy bush!

and last, but certainly not least (although i nearly spaced on this), i scooped up on thing!

 corgi hill farm merino/bombyx silk!!!

this is my color right here! these photos do not do these colors justice, trust. this is 50% merino and 50% bombyx silk (not a typo). this colorways is called "gin fizz" and it's a mix of turquoise blues which blend into peridot greens. and it's a 50/50 blend! i don't know if i'll be able to handle it! gorgeous colors per usual, i've come to expect nothing less from corgi hill farm. this is probably close to my 5th purchase from this vendor... excellent service, fast and free domestic shipping (love!), beautiful, saturated colorways, free samples (love!!), and candies with each purchase (love!!!). damn i love me some good freebies! seriously, i love when a business kicks the customers down with the extra love, it makes supporting them that much easier. it's nice to feel appreciated :) the shop is here! please don't give me too much competition.

i'm really wanting this to be a shawl in 2-ply... i'm saving this for after i spin up the sweetgeorgia. discipline!

what i love this week/who's inspiring me/helpful links:
this is the last section which is going to be dedicated to sharing links to websites/blogs, flickr photos, books i'm using, youtube tutorials, really anything that i found helpful during the week (or from the past). i'm learning a lot with each project, especially with my knitting and spinning since i'm new to both. a little over 2 yrs on the knitting and 7 months on the spinning. the learning never ends. and as always, i'm so glad to share and pass along any information that i've found helpful! sharing is caring, right? :D

since i'm already in this blog over an hour now (and this chair is killing me softly), i'm going to cut my losses, and hook you up with links on the next post. but for now, i have some dvr and socks to catch up on! until next time!

Crisis averted.

My, oh my. The problem with plastic bins...

Bins can make a room look pretty tidy. Bins can help one feel organized. But bins can also give one a reason to keep collecting items, because one can smoosh said items together very tightly and magically there is room for more!

Although I have "see-through" bins, yarn still hides! It hides everywhere. It's very smooshable, which means, I'll always have "room" for more ;) I've been putting off "destashing" for a while now (for "a while" means about a year). I think the issue is that I never thought my yarn stash was an issue, per se. I mean, I have space in the lab to work (albeit, not much room to really move around in)...but the reason it was never an issue is because I CAN'T SEE THE YARN!!! It's true. Out of sight, out of mind.

So, on a whim I decided to bring the stash out into the open this morning, for a little fresh air. I really wish I would have been struck by the cleaning bug after I ate breakfast *sigh* I thought this would be a quick 20 minute chore until I saw this...

Houston, we have a problem!

 A BIG PROBLEM!!!

Now if you are thinking this is "tame" it's only because this isn't even the half of it. My wide angle lens can only capture so much. If I were able to stand in the corner of the room (which I can't because... you guessed it, there are BINS in the way) then I would be able to show you the full scope of foolishness that knitting (and other hobbies) has gotten me into!

Each ball/skein of yarn has a story behind it. Each ball/skein (probably) also had a "project" attached to it at some point as well, but as with many lofty ideas, the project just kind of falls to the wayside for another day. Another day, in another millennium ;)

The good news is that my yarn doesn't attack me because it's not tucked away in a closet. I don't open a closet and then suddenly get buried under a mountain of yarn (although how funny would that be!). The truth is my bins are blocking my closet doors! Because my yarn is in bins, the bins just start to eat up valuable floor space. The bins start encroaching on usable space and then the next thing I know, I am being smothered in my own craft room!

So I decided, as a way of teaching myself a lesson, that I had to stay in the lab until the mess was under control. That meant foregoing coffee and breakfast for 20 minutes 2 hours! My blood sugar was getting low, so I was trying to work as quickly as I could. Talk about great motivation!

I managed to make a ton of progress by noon. I got together a garbage bag full of yarn to donate (yarn without labels) and a bin of yarn to sell (not trade!) which still has the labels on it.

 
Of course, while I was taking photos of the "sell" bin, my brain started to short circuit which kicked in the whole bargaining thing... you know, that thing your brain starts to do when you touch or see something soft, bright and/or shiny? You brain starts sending off the "must have it", "must keep it" chemicals and then all rational thought flies right out of the window! I started thinking about all the possibilities - Wouldn't this make the cutest pair of slippers? Wouldn't this make the cutest doggie sweater? A funky hat? Slowly the the "sell" pile started to get smaller, and the "keep" pile started to grow again. But as I tripped backwards over a bin (and back into reality), I realized that that way of thinking was exactly what got me into this mess in the first place! I had no plan for the yarn then, and I sure as hell don't have a plan for it now, so it needs to go! Besides, I don't have time for this mess, I'm freaking hungry! Are those spots I'm seeing? hahahaa

The good news is, I am allowing myself to keep some of the stash too. I'm not that much of a hard ass! The stipulation is that I can keep stash, as long as I am able to keep it nicely organized and in plain sight. Oh, and the most important factor - if I actually have a project lined up for the yarn!

And apparently my hunger turned into pure delirium so I even pseudo-organized the goodies I got to keep. Not like hardcore neurotic organizing by weight or anything (most of my yarn is the same weight anyway), but I kind of organized it by "type."

1 drawer is Knit Picks only (I am totally brand loyal apparently). Notice the very "blah" palette here... *yawn*

1 drawer is sock yarn (because I knit so many socks *sarcasm*) and the last drawer is dedicated to my favorite, luscious goodies - Madelinetosh, Malabrigo, Shibui, etc. Here is a peek at that:

You know the yarn I'm talking about. The drool-worthy soft, luxurious, vibrantly-colored, goodness that is set aside for very special "me" only projects! Mine all mine! Below is a picture of the finished project. I conveniently cropped out the bag of sweater quantity Malabrigo that is sitting on top of the bin... :D

Unfortunately, I'm not done yet. So sit back down! ;)

I thought I was in the clear, and I was really feeling good about all my hard work so early on in the day. And then I closed the lab door, and realized there was more yarn to de-stash!!! I have one of those inexpensive plastic shoe holder thing-a-ma-jigs that you hook over the door. I justified keep the shoe thing, because I thought, what a great way to store small skeins of yarn, awkward spools of thread and plastic bags! But again, out of sight, out of mind. I totally forgot I had a mini stash of yarn going on behind the door :D

So a few more items got added to the donate/destash pile. This was an easy clean but now I'm officially done!

A final note...
I will say this, my stash is a collection of items that have accumulated since day 1 of my knitting journey. Many balls/skeins of yarn were picked up at local thrift stores as I was trying to decide if this was going to be a hobby I was actually going to stick with (and it is!). The more I practiced, the bigger the stash grew. In the beginning, I wasn't a smart shopper at all (yeah, yeah, yeah). If I liked a yarn, I bought it. When the "what are you going to make with this" question would pop up, I always told myself and others "I'll figure it out later" I just really like the yarn! In the beginning, I usually bought 1 of this and 2 of that. Now that I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of it (damn, delusion runs thick over here!) I only shop for specific projects. Ok, retracting quickly before God strikes me down for lying. I try to shop only for specific projects. The only exception is sock yarn. I mean, sock yarn is pretty affordable, usually comes with decent yardage (so sometimes you can get away with only 1 skein), comes in very vibrant and wild colors, and you don't need super quantity of it, so all of this makes the purchase justifiable :D

If you are interested in any of my de-stash, check out my ravelry page which I will be updating shortly with all items I'm trying to sell off. Please do not offer to "trade" with me. Don't be cruel ;) All other items will be donated to a church, charity or to a local thrift store. If you know of any good places or causes, please let me know!

Oh yeah... one last thing (famous last words)...
In the middle of all this doggone cleaning, look what I uncovered:

The dreaded, now 2 yr old crocheted blanket project that the d.h. swore he was going to sew up for me last year! Do you know how useful this would've been while I nearly turned into an ice cube in the living room this Winter/Fall!? So if you hear me say "I wonder what happened to that damn blanket" remind me that it's still sitting in a little brown suitcase waiting to be sewn up! ;)

And on that note, until next time!!!