OK, I am so terrible! I received a package from Loopy Lou last week and I didn’t blog about it because I was busy with school starting and with the Benediktbeuern weekend. I would’ve taken a picture of what she sent, but, well, I tore into the chocolate and ripped open a tape measure already. And I was waiting to blog about it because I wanted to take a picture and it’s been too long now so I just said screw it - it’s better to blog with no picture than to not blog at all. She was so sweet - if you remember, she won my last contest and sent me some Green and Blacks almond chocolate (my absolute favorite) as well as another big bar of Galaxy chocolate and 2 tape measures with inches. I am supposed to share this with Elem and Cashyie, so I will give Cashyie a tape measure and Elem the chocolate, or vice versa. But the G&B is MINE and it’s already gone with the help of the husband. Yum, yum, yum! Thanks so much Lou and sorry I didn’t post earlier with pictures!

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Isn’t this gorgeous? Gusset of coolness! On the foot So, here is the secret project that I’ve been working on. It’s the Fratello socks by Yarnissima! I am always on the lookout for great socks for men and this one is a winner. The pattern is fairly simple, purl side out, with a little bit of travelling sts. The design of the sock is genius, and if you’ve seen her patterns online, you’ll know that Yarnissima is the queen of cool gussets! I only have one sock done, and will hopefully get the second sock done sometime before Christmas! The yarn is an exclusive color from Wollmeise and I LOVE this coffee brown!!! You can buy the pattern by itself or get the yarn+pattern in a kit. Contact Yarnissima at yarnissima (at) gmail (dot) com for more details and how to purchase.

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(l-r) cashyie, ms. b, deknit, fbz, elem, tini - click for more pics!

Do ya think I have enough yarn?

So this past weekend, we had our Knitters Uncensored sleepover at Benediktbeuern. On Friday night, at around 10pm, I decided that I wanted to make everyone some project bags. Yeah, great idea. It was the most badly sewn things I have ever made. And when it was 5 am, I decided that I had to cut corners if I was going to finish. So instead of covering up the seams like I normally do, I just did an overlock stitch, which isn’t as pretty, but it gets the job done. I got 8 done and 4 not quite done, but 8 was enough. I was tired, it was 6am. I told my husband to wake me up at 9am so at least I got a couple of hours of sleep.

We all met up at the main train station - we had some out of town guests - Tini, Fbz and deknit. I met fbz before at the spring market (notice how she only comes when the Wollmeise is at a market?), but it was a first to meet Tini and deknit. Tini, if you remember, was my SP10 downstream and deknit was fbz’s upstream. How cool it is for Secret Pals to meet! EVERYONE was awesome, and it was really, really cool to hang out with knitterly folk.

We had to transfer trains in Tutzing, and because the first train was late, we had to wait an hour for the 2nd train. No problem, everyone just whipped out their knitting! It was sooooo cool to knit en masse. We got lots of stares as well as compliments.

We finally arrived and had problems contacting the person so that we can check into the ZUK (hostel). But finally, the guy came and we got our rooms. Man, they were HUGE rooms and only 30eur per person. I shared a room with Victor because we both snore. We all dumped our bags and then ran over to see the Wollmeise and Yarnissima. Since I helped them set up the booth the day before, I had my first choice of yarn and man, that was bad. I bought 6 6-ply, 7 sock, 5 worsted weights and one laceweight. Ohhhh… Some of them are for swaps and gifts, so not all mine. Sniff… But still, serious damage!

But everyone else combed through her stuff. She had 3 large baskets full of “versuchskanninchen”, which are ones that she played around with the colors - so you can get things that are unique and no one else will have it. Then we all split up and roamed around the other booths. We were also joined by Andrea (Das Schneeschaf) and her boyfriend. During dinner, she whipped out her stock of Marisilk and everyone gasped and ran over. Her boyfriend was laughing and was so embarrassed about how everyone was oooohing and ahhhhing. Like we care what he thinks!!! :) I came away with 2 gorgeous skeins!!!

The market itself wasn’t very big (or as big as I had envisioned it in my mind), but it was full of interesting (and very expensive) things. Felting is huge here. Not knit felting, but needle felting and what not. They even had some kids workshops where they made some felted flowers. There was a woman who was dyeing her yarn there in a huge kettle - she was using plant dyes. There were also spinning demonstrations, which one woman told fbz that she should just stop trying and take a class (the nerve!).

That night we all came into our room and had a really loud get together. We were supposed to have a sock design workshop with Yarnissima, but well, she was tired from having worked the whole day and we were all distracted by yarns and just chit chatting. So she just said a little bit of history of how it all started. Oh, and she unveiled her “Fratello” pattern, which was my super secret knit project. I test knitted it for her and it is a great sock. Very masculine and perfect for my husband. Sadly, I knitted up one side and have to still do the other. The yarn is an exclusive color from the Wollmeise, so contact Yarnissima for more info. The kit (pattern + yarn) is only 25 eur. Or if you want just the pattern, it is 6 eur.

The alcohol flowed freely. We had Whiskey, Williams grappa, Raspberry vodka, Proseco (sp?), cosmopolitains, etc. We were all drunk and knitting or spinning. Everyone went to bed at around 12:30 or so and me and Cashyie stayed up later drinking even more. We laughed and laughed and laughed, and then we went out to the train station to buy her train ticket. We had a nice drunken adventure. I can’t even remember what we were laughing about. Geez. I remember that we thought it was funny that the Germans in the group were talking in English to each other, even if no one was around. But I think that was pre-alcohol.

The next day, we all rolled out of bed and got breakfast. It was in a completely different building far away and I was so confused about finding it. I eventually did though. Then we just hung out knitting and had one last look around. I got some rosewood and ebony Holz und Stein needles. I’ve heard good things about them and wanted to try them out. But you know what? As I was knitting with them, I really missed my Knit Picks pointy points and the join on them wasn’t good for doing magic loop. It’s ok though, I’m getting through it. They would be really nice for anything other than socks, which defeats the whole purpose. The woman I bought it from said that the company is forcing her to up her price from 9,90 to 15,00!!! So she is selling out her “old” stock at the “old” price. So of course I had to buy it right? Also, you can’t buy these over the internet, or at least that’s what she said. And I think she’s right because I haven’t found any online vendor yet.

I was also supposed to meet my friend Linnea on Sunday, but I couldn’t find her. I didn’t write down her cell number and I wasn’t sure if she had mine. We should’ve confirmed up the details BEFORE I left. DOH! Linnea, I am so sorry if I missed you and hope you had a great time watching Sting! :)

We all said our goodbyes at the train station and everyone went their separate ways. Except for deknit who is staying with me for a few more days. It is Oktoberfest, after all! Thanks to everyone who came out to join us! I had a blast and want to do it again next year!!!

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OK, this is something that I’ve been wondering for awhile now. I am going to give the swallowtail to my friend, but what should I say for the care instructions? I mean, if she washes it, she would have to block it again in order to get those points, right? Can I say “just don’t get it dirty” or “dry clean only”? Does that work? I would feel awful to give someone something that wouldn’t be the same if she washed it.

Help me please!!! Thanks!

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Rowan, my poor baby I had a really long and full day that ended up with tears and a cast. My son Rowan was being stubborn with me today as we were walking home. We were holding hands and he decided he doesn’t want to walk. All of a sudden he throws all his weight down and I’m holding him up. He’s a heavy kid - like 35 lbs. So, he dislocated his elbow. At first I couldn’t tell anything serious had happened but noticed that his hand and arm were limp. Oi! Took the train to my husband’s work place and my other son decides to play with the door handle and falls in between the train and the platform. Geez, could this get any worse? Luckily, the gap wasn’t big enough for him to fall past his hips/stomach, but still a shock. Yeah, mother of the year right here! Two screaming children on the crowded train. We eventually make it to the hospital. The doctors had to reset Rowan’s arm twice and checked to see if anything was broken (it wasn’t), but it still hurt him so they put a 1/2 cast on him. Poor baby! He cried pretty much the whole time but now he’s sleeping happily in his bed. The cast will be on only for 4 days since nothing was broken. sigh… Now I need a drink…

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I heart this scarf!

So I started this chevron scarf a loooong time ago, maybe in April? I can’t remember, that’s how long it’s been. I was slipping the first stitch, as I usually do to make a nice edge, but when switching yarns, it was getting to be weird and tight. So I just left it and put it in a bag and kinda forgot about it.

Then, Shannon from the SSK podcast tells me about how she found the perfect yarns to knit the scarf with and she already started and got lots done. Well, being the competitor that I am, I have to re-do mine too! Since I talk to her almost every day, sometimes for HOURS, she has a lot of influence in what I knit. She is even nice enough to send me some beads so that I can start my Hanami stole. I’ll tell you that story when I actually start the stole.

Soooo…the old work got ripped an started the new one. I am liking this one a lot better. Not slipping the first stitch and it’s fine. I don’t know what it is - maybe you have to be in the right frame of mind to knit something so boring and repetitive? I’ve been in a sock knitting slump lately, I think because I have too many singles and feel like I get nothing done. And do I knit the 2nds for them? Of course not. I already have about 8 inches done. I don’t know if I’m going to keep this one for myself or if I’m going to give it as a christmas gift. I don’t know if I know anyone who would wear such crazy colors besides myself!

I DID finish a pair but can’t post about it because it’s for my Sock-it-to-me pal and I know she reads my blog. Sucks! Stop reading! :) I think she knows that it’s me anyways…

Pattern: Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Socks that Rock Farmhouse and Watermelon Tourmaline
Needles: Knit Picks US5 options needles
Started: September 10, 2007

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Finally blocked and pictures taken!

Detail of shawl edging, not completely straight…

I finished this shawl so long ago and have been super lazy about blocking. I haven’t ever blocked anything that needed pins before and I think that’s what was holding me up. I am slightly disappointed that it is so small, but what should I expect from only 1 skein, and I didn’t even use it all up as I was expecting to. But I am extremely pleased with