54,189 Yards.......

That's enough to go from Canarsie Pier to New Rochelle, through Queens and over the Throngsneck Bridge.  DAMN!  Needless to say, I see a lot of knitting in my future.

Here are some stash pictures.

This is what I have under my bed.


This is my jar of partial skeins.  One day I will make a really colorful hat with the extras.



This is the cabinet where I keep the yarn that I want to use really soon.  I figure that if I keep it in a place where I can see it, I will be able to utilize it more.


So, here is my first stashbusting completed project.  I made a hat for my best friend.  Her favorite color is black.  She belongs to the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, whose important symbol is the image of an elephant.   She is gonna love it.

Vogue Knitting Live

Yesterday, I hung out with Miss Dianne of Creatively Dyed, and we perused the throngs of the Hilton Hotel that allowed us knitters to take over for a weekend.  I had a blast! 



I got to see the String Luxury Yarns fashion show, and fell in love with this ensemble.  It is made with 100% Cashmere yarn called Tessa.  The yarn comes in 650 yd skeins, and doesn its own self-coloring pattern design.  It is absolutely beautiful, and totally luxurious. 



I also met Vicki Howell from the show Knitty Gritty.

I am sad that the show is no longer on the air, but I used to watch it religiously when it aired and it helped me to expand my knitting horizons a whole lot.  Vicki was very sweet, and was happy that her show inspired me to do so many different things with my knitting.  Woohoo! 

I also got to FINALLY see MochiMochi Land.  I missed it dyring the original New York premiere.  OMG!  This exhibit it so cute.













I also went to the Qiviuk Display and fell in love with this sweater. 

It came from a rugged MuskOx and was transformed into this delicate, beautiful, creation.  Absolutely stunning! 

And of course, I got some knitting in.  I started a Thermis for myself, using KnitPicks Chroma.  I was actually walking and knitting, and a few people were astonished at that. Well, I guess I can say it's an ordinary thing for me. Besides that, here are the rest of the things I acquired at the event.  I had a ton of fun, and will definately do it again.  They warmed up the coldest day of the year thusfar, with some warm and inspiring knits. 

Stash Control 2011

Today, I joined the Stash Control 2011 group on Ravelry, as well as the Mystery 220 group.  These two groups, along with my 11 sweaters in 2011 group should keep me on the right track to reducing the total amount of yarn in my house, and increasing the amount of wearable items. 

Stash Control asks their members to post how much yards of yarn enter the stash cave and exit the stash cave on a monthly basis, and overall for the whole year.  The Mystery 220 group gives a new mystery project each month that uses 220 yards of yarn or less.  So, those 2 one-off skeins that contrast each other can work for a colorwork project.  Have any leftover fingering weight yarn, and don't know what to do with it?  Well, now there is a project for you.  I hope to be able to work on these projects while I am traveling, and leave the big sweaters at home. 

So far, I have been working on 3 projects this year.  The first is a present that I shall speak no more of, until the day when it can be unveiled.  The second is my Vaila that I started over a year ago.  I managed to complete the sleeves, so now I just have to finish the ribbing on the lower body of the sweater, and I am done. 

Here is my third project.  I am making a Trapper Hat for my grandfather.  He wears a Kangol hat that doesn't cover his ears, it is bitter cold outside, and he lives near the ocean in Far Rockaway.  He needs something better.  Plus, his birthday is today, so he deserves something nice. 







This hat is from KnitPicks, and it is called Into the Woods.  It is made using Wool of the Andes yarn.  I modified it by omitting the slip stitch raised knit stitches, and just using the Fair Isle technique.  I like hot it is coming out.  I can't wait to see what it looks like on him.  Of course, I am the best granddaughter of them all.  Go ahead family, get jealous.  Can you knit????

First Week of the Year......

......And I got absolutely, positively, NO knitting done.  I truly meant to do it, but I have been in "Clean Sweep" mode since the first.  I have managed to get rid of 2 shopping bags full of yarn.  The first bag went to the "Care To Knit" organization, that collects yarn and makes gifts for people who are less fortunate.  The second bag went to a family friend who is using knitting as a way to cope with here mother's death.  Isn't knitting so wonderful, how a skein of yarn can solve many ails. 

So, I have been waiting patiently for my Knitpicks order to arrive.  The postal worker did NOT ring my doorbell, and just left a slip that he came and noone was home.  My mother was at home the entire day.  Then I asked them to redeliver it on Friday, and that didn't happen.  There was also the threat of 3-6 inches of snow on Friday, but we ended up getting a light dusting.  No excuse!  So, I went to the Post Office on Saturday morning and picked up my friggin' package.  What is is with government run entities in New York this winter?  First the Department of Sanitation, and now the Post Office.  Come on! 

Well, luckily I didn't have anything wrong with my Knitpicks order.  The only fluke was that I ordered 2 "Into the Woods" kits by accident.  So, hmmmmm.... is anyone interested in taking it off my hands?  PM me on Ravelry, or email me.  We can discuss payment and shipping. 

I also got Stroll in Golden Glow Tonal, and Ash as well as Chroma Worsted in Midwinter.

I am excited to use my new yarn.  Stay tuned.  Casting on something as we speak. 

Welcome 2011! Happy New Year!

I wouldn't say that I have any resolutions to make.  But, I will say that I have a few goals.
1. Knit More  - Last year I embarked on a 10 in 2010 mission, and didn't complete it.  I partied the summer away, and turned my nose up at my needles.  I tried to knit with full steam at the end of the year, only to become engrossed in some serious holiday cooking and baking that didn't allow for my hands to get tangled in yarn.  I am still happy though, and you have seen the rum cake that proved it.  My family is happy, and well fed.  Now, if my head can just be happy with me finishing that incomplete hat.  Sigh....

2. Study More for my GRE.  I need to ace this test in order to go to the school that I want to go to.  So, basically I have to re-learn middle school math.  (What do you mean they are not testing us on indefinate integrals... awww man!) Well, it's a good thing that knitting actually enables your mind to take in more information.  I am going to need it.  They changed the GRE to a new format that actually allows for more analytical thinking.  Hmmm that is right up my alley.

3.  Replace store bought sweaters with knitted sweaters. I have a bunch that have lived past their lifetime.  It is time to get the things that I am not using out of the closet, so that I can make room for nicer things.  Now, let's refer to #1 for again.  I have a ton of yarn that is all skeined up, and I would like to move it from the yarn cabinet to the actual clothing cabinet.  Most of the time, people ask if I made what I am wearing.  I want to say "Yes" all of the time. 

4.  Knit for 11 in 2011.  I know I didn't finish the 2010 challenge, but I can still strive for the 2011 one with a new strategy. 

OK, that's about it for now.

I leave you with the current progress of Vaila, that I casted on January 2, 2010.  Let's see if I can finish it by January 2, 2011.  Haha!  I'm so close.