So here are some pictures of some new additions to my stash collection!  The Stockton, California yarn shop Knit Witz was retiring and they held a great sale of 30-50% off yarn!  Needless to say- my mom and I decided to indulge in a little yarn collecting.  Here is what I purchased for myself.  (Mind you, this yarn stash is a reflection of two greedy trips to this yarn store within a 3 week span.)

Lets start slow...

This is Cascade Yarns Cash Vero and I purchased just two skeins.  Now recently I have become a bit of a yarn snob.  Sticking my nose up at anything acrylic.  Sometimes I have refused to even touch the stuff- making myself believe I am allergic.  But of course, I am in fact not allergic.  This yarn was just so soft to the touch- and I just love grey.  I think it would make a wonderful hat.  Plus at 50% off the original price, why the heck not?

Now this is when I lost it a bit...with sweater quantities...

So as you can see, I purchased 8 skeins of  Cascade Yarns 220 Wool.  I couldn't help it!  50% off of $7.60, are you kidding me!?!  I was already working with some on my minimalist cardigan (which by the way has since been given up on and soon to be frogged), so I knew I loved working with the yarn.  Knitters know how much hand knitted sweaters can cost. If this pile ever magically transforms into a sweater- (and assuming it would take all the skeins) it would have only cost me $30.40 (not including the hours, months, and in my case, most likely years it would take to knit it).   Great deal huh?

It gets worse....

These are my luscious 5 skeins of Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted.  As soon as I found out about the sale, the first thing I did when I walked into the shop was- Do you have any Malabrigo!?!  I bought the last 5 skeins that were left in that shop at 35% off.  I was even luckier that they were all the same colorway: Saphire Green!  Since my first skein of Mal, I have dreamed of wrapping myself in a soft, smooshy sweater of it.  My dreams may be able to come true!

The motherload that broke the bank...

Aren't they a beauty?  These are a picture of my 9 (yes...9) skeins of Mirasol Yarn Nuna.  It's made of 40% silk, 40% wool, and 40% bamboo.  These are my three favorite fibers...and the color is gorgeous!  It was $11.50 a skein and 50% off!!!  It so soft against the skin with a beautiful sheen from the silk blend.  I would have never been able to have this much yarn in such a yarn snobby fiber blend if it wasn't for the discount!  As you can see- it was a bit difficult for me to capture the true beauty of the colors.  The first picture is a better depiction of its color, while the second picture is used to show my insane collection of it.  I have no clue at this point what pattern will be worthy for its hand in marriage.  We shall see.

So this was my first little- yarn buying frenzy, and unfortunately it will not be my last.  I have finished a couple little knitted projects here and there.  One is a sock present, so I don't want to put pictures up until I ship it out the Saturday!  As I stated earlier- bye bye minimalist cardigan ...hello divorced skeins of Cascade 220.  Once I bind off these gift socks, I will be in search of new patterns.  No more monogamous knitting for me- it's time to bring out the big guns and cast on several projects to enjoy at one.  Until next time readers.... ::smiles big and smooshes her stash against her face::  <3

Completed: Diamond Gansey Socks

Pattern: Diamond Gansey Socks by Wendy D. Johnson
Needle: US 1 - 2.25 mm
Method: Magic Loop, Two at a Time

These took me the past nine months to complete!  It was not because the pattern was difficult (it was a joy to knit!), but my schedule was just so hectic.  My Aunt requested green socks, and though it has almost been a year later, they are finally finished!  Thank goodness she is patient!  Unfortunately, since there was such a huge time lapse, I do not remember much about the yarn I used!  I know that I acquired it through a trade from Ravelry.

I used the Magic Loop Sock Knitting Method, Two at a Time.  I am in love with this method of knitting socks!  At one point years ago when I was seven, my grandmother tried teaching me how to knit socks with DPNs.  I remember being so frustrated, accidently dropping needles, stabbing myself, and dropping stitches right and left.  She was the most understanding and patient grandmother ever, and she must have been optimistic to attempt to teach a seven year old sock knitting!  Years later, I still encountered the same frustrations with DPNs.  I also can not imagine knitting one sock at a time!  I think if I was to knit socks this way- I would have a drawer full of single socks because I would be too unmotivated to knit the same pattern all over again.  I love that when I was done knitting this pattern- both pairs were finished!

I am still a lazy knitter and did not knit a swatch.  So the socks are a bit bigger than I hoped.  I wear size women's US 6.5 shoes and my Aunt wears only a size US 5!  So...she will be receiving semi-slouchy socks.  I think I need to knit with size US 0 needles, but since I can afford another pair of circular needles at the moment, I'll just have to knit for larger feet.  So my "someone special" will be receiving some socks in the very near future!

I found these great sock blockers in a LYS a couple of weeks ago.  It was exciting to use them!  They are Bryspun, Stainless Steel Sock Blockers, size Small.  They were $16.50, but I thought it was a good investment, because I plan to always have a pair of socks on my needles.  I use to be a knitter that would look at knitted sock patterns and go ::scoffs:: "Who would wear knitted socks when you could buy them in bulk quantities at Target in several different colors!  Where is the practicality in that!"  But then I realized, as a knitter, the things we knit are not technically practical.  We knit hats and sweaters that are three, four, five-times more than something we could have bought in a store.  We slave over the stitches and needles for hours on end, and stare at our imperfections and uneven stitches.  Then, (well more in my case), we never finish the project or never even wear it in public.  ::sigh::

However, after finishing these socks and trying them on...I'm in love.  They are so comfy- and they don't even fit properly!  Warm, toasty, and just such a joy to knit.  I think the enjoyment of knitting socks, and having toasty warm toes or giving the gift of comfort- is totally worth it.  So I already started another pair of Gansey Socks from Wendy D. Johnson's Book, Socks from the Toe-Up! <3

On The Needles: Minimalist Cardigan

My Minimalist Cardigan is on it's way to being complete!  As of now I have finished the back, one front side panel, and I am 1/3 through the other front side.  I knitted most of the back discreetly during Music History lectures.  I really need to get over the dread of knitting a gauge.  At this point, I have no clue if it will really fit...at all.  But I will finish this project, seam it up, and take awful pictures of a deformed first knitted sweater!  I'm contemplating if I will want to FROG it all and then knit it again once I know if this size will fit or not.  We shall see if I am that CRAZY.  This has been a wonderful car, on the go, and mindless knit.  I'm an expert on the moss stitch now!

Well, I believe this is a good "starting back up post" for now.  I will be posting another soon, to document the extravagant stash buying frenzy I went through just a couple of days ago.  I am ashamed at my lack of self control when it comes to buying yarn at discounted bargains...but I suppose that comes with a knitter's territory.  ;)

Thanks for reading this, may your day be toasty and filled with love, as a pair of hand-knit socks.

Love Always,

~ Emilee

It is time. It is time to face the facts! I am a knitter, with no proof! No finished projects, no sweaters, no hats, mittens, socks, NOTHING! So I have decided with the New Year, it is time to really embrace my love for fiber and smooshy things. I will have knitted items by the end of 2010! I have decided to embrace a challenge set by “Chitty Chatty Swap Swappers” from Ravelry. I promise to have 12 finished objects in 12 months. I’ve decided to open up my blog again so I can document and prove to the world, I am indeed a knitter!

Look at what I have started so far!

A Voltaire scarf by Ingrid King for my boyfriend with yummy Cascade Yarns Eco Alpaca in a manly grey. This yarn is to die for! It is a mighty steep investment for me, since I bought two skeins for around $15.00/skein, but if you met my boyfriend, you would know he was worth it. Here is my progress and so far, so good.

Since a knitter cannot just knit one project at a time. I am also starting my first lace shawl, or lace project in general. I am going to attempt to knit the Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark. I will be using a skein of Dream in Color Smooshy in the colorway, Raining Cats and Dogs from a Woolgirl Sock Club. I am still in the mists of winding the skein by hand, since I cannot, for the life of me, find my ball winder!!

One more that I could not resist! The Minimalist Cardigan by Ruthie Nussbaum!! I have been drooling over this pattern for ages now and I finally bought it, and enough yarn to knit with. I’ve decided to use Cascade 220 Heathers, a beautiful light purple. It was affordable because the yarn store “Knit Witz” in Stockton, Ca was having a 30% sale. Can you believe it? A 30% sale!! So I splurged and bought 5 skeins just in case. Oh man, I hope as my first sweater, this will work.

So you know my goals, and I hope you will be sitting next to me as I triumph one stitch at a time! (I know that sounded corny, but I’m in a jolly mood.) tehehe

Okay- I’m off to cast on my first cardigan! Cross your fingers!

<3 Emilee