At least for me. My last post recounted some of the do-overs that I've been plagued with this year. Now even my do-overs need doing over. I finally completed the second Lifestyle sock and then proceeded to frog the top quarter of the first one so that I could repair the mysterious hole that appeared there. And what happened when I picked up the stitches to re-knit the sock? I found out that when I made the first sock, I altered the pattern slightly. So instead of casting on the 64 stitches that the pattern called for, I cast on 56. Now you'd think I might have noticed a difference between the two socks as I was knitting the second one, but not me. I just couldn't figure out why I was using more yarn in the second case. That's what I get for not making notes and also for waiting so long to finish a simple pair of socks. So what, you ask, am I going to do? Nothing. I will just have a pair of socks where one is slightly larger, than the other one. Of course my plan to give the socks to my bonus (step)daughter is out of the question. I'll just have to make her another pair.
Now we come to my stashbusting project. I've had a little less than one and one-half skeins of Berroco Ultra Alpaca in my stash for over two years. Browsing on Ravelry I came across a lovely pattern called Just Enough Ruffles. A great little scarf and one that seemed perfect for the amount of Ultra Alpaca sitting in the bin. I casted on Wednesday and by Thursday I was more than half way finished. It became clear however that I probably wouldn't have enough yarn to complete the scarf, so I rushed off to The Skein Attraction, my LYS to purchase an additional skein in the same color. I knew it wouldn't be the same lot # but I thought if anything I could use the new yarn for the ruffle and it might be interesting if there was a slight difference in tone. It was my good fortune as well, that the Ultra Alpaca was on sale. Knitting continued Thursday night and by the time I fell asleep, I had the slight hope that I wouldn't have to use the new skein at all. I just might make it. But as my current knitting luck would have it, I ran out of yarn just as I was binding off the 600 stitches of the ruffle. I didn't run out at the beginning of the row. No, that would have been too much of a good thing for me. No I ran out of yarn with 42 stitches to go. I think I used one yard from the new skein. So my effort to use my stash, I didn't make much headway.
The good news is that I love the scarf.
It's soft and warm and interesting looking. It was fun to knit too, even with having to bind off 600 stitches.
This pattern is going in my stable. I've already taken advantage of the yarn sale and purchased more Ultra Alpaca so that I can make a couple more scarves just to have for last minute gifts.
I guess I should 'fess up completely to say that this week has been a yarn-filled one. Despite my best efforts, I've been lured by yarn sales that I couldn't resist. In addition to the one at my LYS, I also investigated a new yarn shop in Jersey City, The Stockinette Cafe,
where all the yarns were 30% off and since I have new baby clothes making to do, I bought some Sublime yarn for the projects. Nicely priced too, especially with a 30% discount. I bought three new booklets too.
Of course, I've visited The Skein Attraction at least three times this week. The first to check everything out and make a list to check all the yarns out on Ravelry. The next time to buy 6 skeins of Muench's Touch Me yarn. I have coveted this yarn forever and although I would have preferred a jewel toned color,
at 50% off I had to settle for what I could get,
Charcoal. The next day I went back fo the additional Ultra Alpaca as described above but then a sock yarn caught my eye so I bought this,
Zitron Trekking. I had a good reason too. I have to make socks for my bonus daughter and her favorite color is blue. I didn't have any blue sock yarn in my stash and it was on sale.
Today is the last day of the sale and I needed to make certain that took full advantage of the sale. So in addition to buying more yarn for the Just Enough Ruffles scarf,
I bought 8 skeins of Cascade, Venezia Bulky , in black, destined for a sweater for my daughter,Francis Revisited. I would post a photo of the yarn but the ones I took were absolutely awful.
Never let it be said that I can control myself at a yarn sale. After paying for the yarns described above, I passed by a bin containing Tahki New Tweed
and decided that I would be foolish not to buy the beautiful brown tweed yarn just lying there waiting for me. No one will call me a fool, I bought the 6 skeins and promptly came home to find if anyone on Ravelry had any with the same dyelot in their stash. I was fortunate to find someone with 5 skeins, unfortunately, she doesn't want to part with hers.
Well that's enough, except to say if anyone has any Tahki New Tweed, color 059, dyelot 7051, let me know.
Stay blessed.
hahha.. great post.. been there done that with the socks. No one knows but me that one is slightly bigger... You have been awarded Kreative Blogger Award, see my blog for details 8]
Posted by: cici | February 08, 2009 at 07:09 PM
Your Just Enough Ruffles is so beautiful.
How was the Stockinette Cafe? I have been wanting to go.
Posted by: Lupie | February 09, 2009 at 05:18 AM