Episode 11: The One With the Pictures

Hi everyone! It’s been a week around here… if you know what I mean. I made time to record yesterday morning, but didn’t get around to editing until last night. It took a while to render out. Oh well. I’m going through a slightly different editing process, so let me know if you see anything weird happen. Also, I’ve added photos to the end of the Current Roster projects… What do you think? Should I do something like this each week?

Current Roster 

• Célia by Arianne Caron-Lacoste. Not a lot of progress was made on this this week… but for once, it’s not completely my fault. I mean, yes, I didn’t really work on it this week, but when I did, my Hiya-Hiya Sharps came apart in my hand. It’s on waste yarn right now. I’ll get around to getting a replacement needle tonight or this weekend. On the bright side, it fits as it should. It’s going to be big and slouchy – and I’m ok with that.
• Celestarium by Audry Nicklin. This did not get touched at all this week. I just haven’t had the time or the inclination to work on it. I do need to get back to working on it, though!
• Simple Stripey Socks… Again. This definitely got the most work this week – I am past the heel and knitting happily along the foot.

Scouting Report 

So my friend Michelle and I drove down to Richmond, VA to visit a yarn shop in that area, The Yarn Lounge. I thought about taking video there, but I didn’t know how it’d go over, so I decided not to. I did, however, get a few small lovelies:

• Malabrigo Arroyo in the Pocion colorway. Love this, but I need to find a purpose for it. I’m thinking a hat, perhaps?
• A new to me yarn from Honeybee Yarns (I’m not sure if that’s right, but it’s not on the tag, so I’ll have to check my receipt) – it’s a fingerweight superwash merino… I’m thinking that these will possibly be cable-y sock goodness.
• The newest (and limited edition) scent of Eucalan, Wrapture. It’s scented with one of my all time favorite smells, night blooming jasmine. Happy!! 🙂

What’s Making Me Happy 

Happy birthday to all the January Rav group members! (I don’t have my list in front of me today, but when I do, I’ll update it!)

Happy 200th Anniversary to Pride and Prejudice! One of my all time favorite books. For an awesome, modern day adaptation, try watching The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube. Awesomeness. (The link leads to a playlist for the first 10 episodes.)

Have a great week, everyone! I’m off to get some work done… and some knitting done. 🙂

xo, Holly

Episode 10: Still Kind of Bite-Sized

Hi everyone! So, you know how I said that when we reach 100 members, we were going to have a prize drawing?? Guess what? WE ARE AT 100 MEMBERS!!!! Yeah, I’m just a bit excited, can you tell? I’m a woman of my word – so there is a prize drawing in today’s episode… but I saved it until the end and I’m not posting who won here just yet. If they’re reading this, I want them to be surprised. 🙂 So, prize winner, when you find out, PM me your information on Rav and I’ll get you the prize yarn!

Current Roster 

• Célia by Arianne Caron-Lacoste. Progress has finally been made and I’m finally in the round. I just added the second ball of yarn in an inch or so ago and while I can see line of demarcation, I’m not going to rip back. Nope. I’ve only got a few more increases to go before I separate the sleeves from the body, which will be a relief. By the time I get to that point there will be 400+ stitches on the needles. It’ll go faster once I’m just dealing with the body.
• Celestarium by Audry Nicklin. I’m still on Charts E – there are 4 of them in the round. Each round takes a fair amount of time to get around, but I am still loving this. I’m not going to finish this in time for the fibre space knitalong’s end on January 31, but I’m okay with that. I’ll have a beautiful shawl.
• Simple Stripey Socks… Again. I needed a project to mindlessly knit on during last night’s opening game between the Washington Capitals and the Tampa Bay Lightning, so I went stash-diving with my mom’s help. 🙂 She ultimately chose the yarn I should knit, which is absolutely lovely. I’m magic looping this on US1.5 (2.5mm) 32″ Hiya Hiya Sharps. I love the cable on these. The yarn is Hiwassee Creek Dyeworks‘ Sassafras Sock in the Winter Wonderland colorway.

Scouting Report 

The final part of my Canon Hand Dyes order finally came! Two skeins of the Charles Merino Sock Yarn in the William and Lady Mary colorways. Yes, they’re Downton Abbey colors – with stitch markers to match!! I am trying very hard to not order more… but wouldn’t a skein of Daisy knit with William look lovely? *sigh*

What’s Making Me Happy 

Thanks for the shoutouts from Renna & Joe from The Knitiots! They’re a brand new podcast – give them a listen! Also, thanks for the shoutout from Megan & Amy of the Stockinette Zombies! (Is it just me who squees a bit when I see podcasters that I watch give me a shoutout?)

HOCKEY IS BACK. That is all. Okay, my guys didn’t do so well yesterday, but HOCKEY IS BACK.

Have a great week, everyone! If you have a three day weekend, enjoy! Me, I don’t get one. However, I did make new knitters, new cable-rs and new sock knitters this weekend, so life’s still pretty darn good.

xo, Holly

Episode 9: Hockey is Back!

Hi everyone! It’s been a little longer than I anticipated in recording, but I was under the weather earlier this week – I’m still not at 100%, but I missed you all! We are up to 83 people in the Ravelry group – awesome! We’re getting close to that first milestone… and a drawing for a skein of yarn! This episode’s a short one (for me) this week – recording before I go to work tends to do that to me. I’m sorry if I’m talking too fast…

Current Roster 

• Célia by Arianne Caron-Lacoste. Not much progress has been made on this since last week, I’m still not in the round. I just haven’t had any time to knit on it, since I had a finishing project come up from my LYS. I’m hoping to get some work done on it over the next week. It’s definitely not going to be done by the time I get my next shipment from the Magnolia Society Sweater club, but one can hope, right?
  
• Celestarium by Audry Nicklin. This is part of the January knitalong at my LYS, fibre space. The first 4 sets of charts went quickly, but now it’s going so much slower… I’m using Skein Top Draw Sock (100% BFL) in the Pearl colorway on US4 needles. The cast on was a pain in the butt to do, but once I got it down, all was good. I don’t know how this will drape, but the color of the yarn and beads is PERFECT. Purchased the yarn on Saturday – and totally meets with the 2013 goal of being more purposeful in my yarn purchasing.

Alumni Roster 

Nothing finished this week. *sigh*

Scouting Report 

I was good. No purchasing of yarn that was just pretty. The pretty yarn that came home with me had a purpose – and is being put to use. 🙂

What’s Making Me Happy 

Yeah, you might be able to guess from the episode title. HOCKEY IS BACK!!! I’m not actively boycotting anything, but I’m still rather pissed that we had to through this at all. If I get a chance to go to a game downtown, I won’t say no (unless I’m working or teaching). I can say with certainty that starting January 19, I will be watching my team, wearing one of my jerseys. 🙂

Have a great week, everyone!

xo, Holly