Favorite Sock Method Survey and Goodies Galore

OK, I have a question for ya'll. What is your favorite method of knitting socks and why is it your favorite? It seems that the "2 at a time on 2 circulars" is generating a lot of interest and I am curious. I've been content to keep plugging along on my handy-dandy, old fashioned double points/top down but I guess I'm going to get drug into some of these new fangled methods whether I like it or not, kicking and screaming. No one seems to care about the "trying to teach an old dog new tricks" adage. Oh, and if anyone wants to coach me on how to work this random generator thang that I keep seeing everyone talking about, I might even enter ya'll into a contest. Let's see.....what would be a good prize?

Now for some "swap gratification" pics.
This is from the Hand Dyed Sock Yarn Swap.

Sorry it is so blurry but this was the only way I could get the true colors. It is from Chris and didn't she peg my favorite colors? Just beautiful. And I just love your blog with your cats! I want to know how to add the captions like you do! What a hoot!

This is from Debbi for the Yarn Junkies 7- Brown Swap.Also hand dyed by Debbi in a colorway she calls "Rolled Golden Wheat". With a coordinating notebook and some very cool, hand made stitch markers.

This is a way awesome package from Wendy for the Prayer Shawl swap.

A beautiful calendar with pictures of the Thames (did I mention she was from across the pond?), a very beautiful and inspirational book, mementos of all the places she knit at which include the sea shore and her lovely garden with various, assorted creatures (it sounds so peaceful and nature oriented), candles, sweets, darling stitch markers, tea and yarn, just to mention some of the goodies. Oh, and this absolutely stunning wrap.

My pictures don't do it justice. It is Tri-aran-angle from knitty.com Fall 03 in a yummy, heathery blue/green/lavender color. Awesome job, Wendy! I just love it and all the thought that was put into this package. I feel like I was there while you were working on it, thanks to all the "mood" items that you included. Thank you again and I hope the adoption is continuing to move along smoothly.

And here are the long awaited pictures of Bonnie and Abra's Mi-Ki pups. There 2 girls and 1 boy and it sounds like they are all already spoken for. One of the girls even has a tentative name-Aflac. It seems she has a marking on her back that looks like a duck! Can you see it?

Anyway you look at it, they are awefully precious!

Swap Progress and Scrap Painting

I have been working hard to catch up on my swaps and honoring my pledge to not join any more until I'm caught up, so I have no idea right now on what is going on in the world of swaps! Probably a good thing but it is so hard to not just peek. Anyway, here is a package from my SP11 spoiler from Australia.

Man, she really nailed me. Green and Malabrigo- what more could I ask for? How about a magazine I haven't seen before with some really cool, funky designs? And chocolate with raspberry filling (which is long gone, thank you very much!). What a thoughful partner!

Here is a picture of my Hogwarts Sock Swap project. Hand dyed bamboo/merino blend in the blue/bronze Ravenclaw colors. It is coming along nicely and I only had to start it 3 times to get gauge. I hope Sally will like it (Hi Sally!).

And this is for my Fall Felted Bag Swap spoilee. It is the Kiss Bag from Sally Melville's "Color" book using Kureyon (I know, Anne, but I luv Kureyon!). I wasn't sure at first about the colors but I think it is going to be really cool.

Sorry the picture is blurry but I ran out of batteries so couldn't take another shot.

I took a short detour when I found out that a co-worker was having a baby shower. When they told me that her theme was turtles and her colors were green and purple......well, what could I do but make her a blanket using the Embossed Turtle Dishcloth pattern as an intarsia block and scrap painted the rest of the blanket out of my stash (easy, with the color theme, lol).

We have been doing a lot of scrap friendly projects lately using the Magic Ball idea but I like the term "scrap painting" when it comes to color coordinating scraps into a project. It just seems to fit.

And this is what I felt like after working on all this stuff.
It seems like Joey is the only one getting his picture taken lately but he is the only one who is around whenever I have my camera out. Hopefully, I will have pictures of Mi-Ki puppies soon (hint, hint, Bonnie!) and can post them.

Swap Reduction and a New Friend from Norway

I admit it- I have Swap-in-mouth disease! I love being in these things and was keeping up well. But I was building a house of cards. When I got ill, it all came tumbling down and now my poor swap partners are paying the price. I feel like I will never catch up! I promise, I am working hard to get back on track and am now on a swap "diet". Too much of a good thing is still- too much!

But the benefits are so awesome. Here is my Yarn Junkies 6-Yellow package from Else; all the way from Norway! What a beautiful , buttery shade of yellow, co-ordinating different weights in a yarn that I have never heard of. And the multicolored she sent me out of her own stash that she had purchased in Japan! There are also some scrumptious sounding teas (which I'm going to try as soon as I get this posted).

You are so awesome Articgirl 64! And I envy you your weather- I'm dying to have some cool weather to inspire working on winter projects.

We had a great time at the yarn tasting last weekend. I'm sorry to those of you that couldn't make it due to the re-scheduled date but we will have another one at the beginning of November. Should have lots of great new fibers to try.

And here is one of the fibers, Martha, by Schaefer, in color "Rosa Parks" being worked up in the Ballet Neck Twinset Cardigan by Annie Modesitt from IK Spring 2004. It is lambswool, cashmere and dehaired Angora (who woulda thunk?) and is incredibly soft with no shedding. Of course, that means that Joey has to be sure that there is some hair on it.

Yarn Tasting & Scrappy Business

I apologize for being absent for a few weeks. It is taking a while to climb back from an illness 2 weeks ago but we are almost up to speed. The Fall Yarn Tasting is scheduled for this Sunday, September 9th and the weather should be very conducive to planning that fall sweater, wrap or afghan, so we hope you will join us. The fibers are luscious and I think you will like the fall palette we have chosen.

And this is how a cat performs a yarn tasting-literally!
Thanx to Sasha and Tobie for the great photo!

For the next few months at the shop we are concentrating on "scrappy" projects that hopefully will inspire you on how to combine some of that stash into creative, beautiful and useful projects that you will enjoy or that would make great gifts. Many of them use the Magic Ball technique. I have to note here that I use this technique very differently, but this article gives you some place to start.
The first one is a Magic Ball afghan for the Project Linus Blanket Out that Bonnie and I will be attending on Saturday September 8.

It is using Encore (donated by Plymouth Yarn Company) and the pattern will be free at the Blanket Out. Here is the info:

COVERED IN LOVE - MAKE A BLANKET DAY
September 8, 2007 10A.M. – 3P.M.
Co-Sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
5500 Fruitvale Ave

For more information contact: Michele Willis, Project Linus Chapter Coordinator 398-0254 or quilts4kidz@sbcglobal.net or www.orgsites.com/ca/bakersfieldkerncounty
We would love to have everyone join us to work on items for this marvelous local charity.

This is EZ's Adult Surprise Jacket using Indulgence.

It is not actually scrap yarn but you could certainly use scraps of the same weight as I am changing colors every 2-4 rows. Cool, huh?

And this is Chris Bylsma's Ladder Shawl using supplemented scraps, also with the Magic Ball technique.

I'll be dropping the stitches to make the "ladders" tomorrow afternoon at the shop so come on by and check it out.

I'm so blessed to have thoughtful customers, whom I also consider friends. One of these recently brought me a Kitty Catnip Quilt that she picked up on vacation in Hawaii. Precious broke it in and wouldn't let anyone else use it for 2 days!
Even the dogs took a turn on it. Thank you, Mary, and all the kids thank you also. It gives me an idea for creating one out of scrap yarn. Hmmm...............