Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Stashing and stashing.

I should be and AM working on some new beads to post but it's going slower than molasses this week. So, in the meantime, let's post some stashing pics. :)

I got a few cross stitch patterns from this site here: Violarium. They specialize in French designs but are located in Finland. I *literally* got my package from them 4 mailing days after I placed my order so I can not recommend them enough. Four days! FROM FINLAND. 0_o 
I ordered a brass bead press from the same area that's still sitting in customs after three weeks, with no end in sight yet, so I was pretty jazzed about that. (I'm having bad luck with customs in general this year though. I think THS is going through things with a fine-toothed comb because of the Middle East stuff or something because it's been IMPOSSIBLE to deal with them lately. Grrr.)

How much do I love Tralala designs? I couldn't resist the lambs (with the tiny beehive!) and a snowman pattern. 
(Click for the bigger pic because this was too wide for my blog. lol)

It was HARD picking out just three. lol

More yarn. UGH. 
I KNOW, I KNOW!! !@!@#!@#

Ok but firstly, I did not pick out the green one - it was picked out for me as part of a sock club. I hemmed and hawed and dithered about joining another yarn club this year but the one by Cookie A ended up being too shiny and precious to ignore. She's my favorite designer and she's designing TWO patterns for each club package so...................yeah. Couldn't resist. :( 

The yarn is by String Theory and very pretty - I approve. 
(The patterns rock too but I don't think we are supposed to share them? I'm not clear if that means don't share them at ALL, even in passing on your blog, or means, like, don't pass the pattern onto someone else?)

The other two skeins are ONline Supersocke which is a 'budget' sock yarn that I'm planning to use for a pair of Obliviate mitts. I can't find a pattern link off Ravelry but they are done up like the ones Hermione wears in The Deathly Hallows movie.
The general consensus on the Ravelry HP board is that those are woven sideways, not knit at all actually, and then seamed up the side but, you know, we're not going for perfection here. Any slouchy, colorful type mitt that approximates it will do. :)
I couldn't tell which one of the color blends would work better so I, uhhh, ordered both. 
I like this one with orange in it better though so that is the one I'm going to use. :)

And finally, here is my sweater after working on it all week long:

I actually had a few more inches done than this, had even started the woven part for the chest area, but it kept seeming to be too short, though I didn't let that STOP ME FROM GOING ON... AND ON (!!!).........and then finally I realized OH HAI IT'S TOO SHORT. So I ripped it back a few inches to do some more plain stockinette. (Ripping it back was easy though - just had to thread a cable needle through the line of stitches right before I started the woven part, unwind the knitting and VOILA! It catches up to the new needle and you're off and running again. Probably took no more than 5 minutes. You don't get back the time you put into originally knitting it, of course, but that's better than ripping out cross stitch!) I worked back up to the woven part last night so I should be making my way through the arm hole shaping tonight. :)

17 comments:

KarenV said...

Nice stash! Loving your progress on the sweater too, it's a great colour :)

Margaret said...

Nice stash! And great sweater too! Can't wait to see the obliviate mitts. :D

Annie said...

Love your new charts and yummy yarns.

I never heard of that method of ripping out the knitting. Sounds so much better than backing out one stitch at a time or risking a dropped stitch. It's looking really pretty.

Karen said...

Great new stash. I love the Tralala designs! May have to break down and order some.

Anonymous said...

The cross stitch patterns are so CUTE!!!

Love the sock yarn too. That green is yummy!

I think you'll like working with the ONline yarn. I've made several pair of ONline socks and they have knit up very nicely.

PegC said...

So I just stopped by for a quick drop in--saw your link to Volarium and where was I an hour later! What a great site--thanks for the tip. I also greately enjoyed all your stash sharing and as a lover of green--had no trouble with that skein!

PegC said...

So I just stopped by for a quick drop in--saw your link to Volarium and where was I an hour later! What a great site--thanks for the tip. I also greately enjoyed all your stash sharing and as a lover of green--had no trouble with that skein!

Sylvia said...

Oh that green yarn is luscious.. I hope you can at least share the socks when they are done.

Your sweater is coming along nicely. I saw one yesterday that I liked very much - it was a short tunic, knit on three different sized needles - starting with larger needles on the bottom ending with the smallest needles on top - the number of stitches stay the same throughout, but the needle changes do the shaping. I was tempted....

Cute patterns as well.

ViviBijoux said...

Wow this sweater is a labor of love. such tiny stitches and yet you've only been working on it a week. It would have taken me months to do that lol

Carol said...

I am so impressed with your sweater, Melanie--can't wait to see it all finished up! Good luck :)

Stitch By Stitch said...

Your sweater looks great! I'm always impressedwith people who can knit. Alsa, I am queen of the trapazoids:(

Julie said...

Super charts and great service

Sweater is lovely, nice yarn stash too

Vinniey said...

I love love Tralala! All of their charts are so colorful and whimsical and cute! Enjoy your new stash, Melanie! I can't wait to see you start stitching them. :) Beautiful yarns.

Siobhán said...

Nice new stash! Great choice on the yarns. I love those mittens/thingies that Hermione is wearing--can't wait to see what you come up with!

Pumpkin said...

Tralala charts ARE nice aren't they? And yes, Volarium is FAST considering they are overseas. Weird! Great choices :o)

Some more yummy yarn! Can't wait to see what you make with these.

Your project is coming along really nicely.

Laurie said...

Wow, your sweater is coming along very well! And I love your new yarn, especially that cool pinky sock yarn. I bought that brand once, but it's a boring tan/black/brown. Ugh...don't know what I saw in it.

iona said...

Knitting Traditions, Winter 2011

I saw an image of mitts that kinda look like those mitts on the cover of the magazine above (found it on interweave) is that the style of is it different.