Buzz Lightyear and Bear have a serious discussion

about current WIPs.

So I looked over tonight and somehow they had both been placed on the shelf and looked like this. I swear they were not posed like this on purpose - so of course my DH had to take a pic.

Anyhoo - just an update that I have been on Ravelry for about a month now but am ashamed to admit that I have just not had the time to really take advantage of all it's great features. The good news is I am making a lot of progress on my gift knitting (both for upcoming birthdays and Christmas). My munchkin is transitioning to a big bed out of the crib so I have been spending many, many nights at her bedside knitting her to sleep. Ah well - could be worse right ;)

Another FO

Vestee
Originally uploaded by Purlybird

The color is really off in this photo - it is really more of a soft purple-blue. I really liked this pattern and this yarn. I am planning on making another Vestee soon - with a varietgated this time to see how it shows up in this stitch pattern.

I like how this pattern had a simple stitch pattern to memorize but not boring stockinette - and it worked up really fast.

First in a few FO's

Nakiska
Originally uploaded by Purlybird

A birthday present for my SIL - in October - a cute little headband. I plan on including some knitted dishcloths, too - she has requested these in the past.

Wheee - vacation and birthday yarn!!!

Holy cow this past week has been amazing. I kicked off our vacation with the summer solstice sale at Make1 Yarns - hubby even bought me a $50 GC as part of my birthday present to give me a head start on the enabling (like I needed any help). So here is some pictures of my haul:
Some lonely skeins I got for a whopping 50% off including
Lorna's Laces fisherman's wool in mixed berries
RY Cashsoft aran (to make Nakiska for my SIL)
Regia silk in black
malabrigo in a gorgeous blue/black (will be mittens)
Blue Sky Alpaca organic cotton in soft purple (to become a baby bolero from One Skein)

Some Schaefer Anne and Schaefer Lola at 20% off.
And a most luscious skein of Scheafer Esperanza in the Indira Ghandi colorway (at 50% off!!). I had to knit it up right away into a cuddly wrap - feather and fan pattern.

I also arrived home to the Knitpicks order I had made for my first real sweater project. I also threw in some memories sock yarn to try and a set of needles to try magic loop for socks.
I think I will try making Viveka with the Wool of the Andes in Iron Ore or maybe the Orgami Cardi from this summer's IK - undecided so far.

Here is the knitting progress I made during my vacation. In addition to the Esperanza wrap, I also
finished a sock and a half for my hubby
made some progress on my Tofutsies flicker sock
front and back and part of both sleeves done on Vestee
And a good start on my Chevron scarf. I used one skein of STR in the Carbon dating colorway (that refused to be Jaywalkers) and one skien of Zen Strings Lotustoes in the Cherry Mocha Java colorway. I LOVE the combination - the blues with the browns (some burgundy and purples and grey thrown in) are marvelous - very ME!!

It's been a great vacation and birthday and so now I must settle into my yarn diet!!

Yarn sale - uh oh......

Okay so I told myself I would be on a yarn diet until June 24 when I leave on holidays (and also happens to be my birthday week) - double the excuse to go on a yarn buying binge when my not-so-LYS will be having its annual summer solstice sale.

But then knitpicks AND my LYS decide to have sales and well you see the damage done (my KP order is on it's way). I picked up some WofA from KP to try my first big person sweater. I have made many baby sweaters but have not yet tried one for myself so I am really looking forward to this - and decided the $1.59/ball price tag meant it would be okay if it wasn't a stellar result.

Above are four balls of Lily Chin Chelsea (3 green/1pink) which I LOVE for summer tops, and four balls of Regia. I have never tried Regia but have heard good things and at less than 5 bucks a ball I picked up enough for two pairs of socks.

I also picked up a nifty little sock project bag. I love because it's got a cute pattern but is still clear so I can see what's in it - and it comes with a little matching accessory pouch.
I cast on some Tofutsies with my new Lantern Moon sox stix and I have to say I love both! It is the Cookie A pattern Flicker. PURTY!
Here is a pair of socks I cast on for my DH out of the grey Regia - he prefers solid colors and with all the handpainted stuff I am normally drawn to - this is the first sock yarn he actually said he might wear socks from! It is a modified version of the Thuja pattern from Knitty. I made the DPN stitch holders myself - cute eh?!

Wowee! TGIF indeed!!

Look what wonderful goodies came for me on Friday! Some wonderful surpises from my HSKS partner including:

- a beautiful skein of Ravenclaw yarn from Cosmic fibers
- the most creative little knit bag that I love!!
- two awesome sock patterns from Cookie A.
- scumptious chocolate treats (love the koala and platypus!!)
- some adorable stitch markers
- and the OMG!!! rosewood Lantern Sox Stix (which already have some socks on them!)

Everything came carefullu wrapped in Ravenclaw themed blue tissue paper with silver stars. I can't tell you what amazing care and attention my swap partner put into this package and it all came from Australia. What a cool swap - I definitely think I will be signing up for the next one.
On a side note, I also got some Koigu and Mountain Colors Bearfoot in the mail that I bought off someone destashing. Never tried koigu so I am excited and the Bearfoot colorway is absolutely ME!!

Long overdue update

Sorry, life has been chaotic and my laptop was struck down with several viruses that have taken some time for DH to undo.

Meanwhile, a few new projects on the needles and a few things on frog pond...I started the fluffy bolero from Erika Knight's Simple Knits for Little Cherubs. I am making it out of some stash yarn that I got at a boxing day sale last year - Philar eponge. I must say I love the soft, cushy feel of the fabric when knit up but it really is not that much fun to knit with :( Still I think it will make an adorable bolero for my little munchkin.
Vestee from Knitty - made with Lionbrand Cottonease in Lake. So far I have finished the front and back panel. I think I will be making many more children's garments with this yarn. It knits up well and will hold up well to wash and wear. There is also a nice selection of colors.

I have frogged my STR Jaywalkers for the last time - the colors started to pool terribly after I finished the decreases for the foot - so they are currently on a time out until I decide what to do with this yarn. They are diabolically opposed to becoming Jaywalkers.

I also frogged my clapotis for the third time - I keep making a mistake in the increase section. I have now printed a spreadsheet that should hopefully help me with my stitch counts. This I will tackle again when I am ready.
Also snagged an amazing deal on some books at amazon! Got all of these for $27 including shipping to Canada!!! They were some sort of special package deal and I am sooooooo happy. I have wanted LMKG for ages and keep renewing it from the library. I also love the pictures and projects from the other two and cannot believe I was able to snag these at such a great price.

My HSKS swap kit is all ready to go EXCEPT that the sock yarn I bought is on backorder. I am going to wait another week before possibly just trying to find some at a LYS.