Socktoberfest and Hats Galore!

As the title suggested...


I finally finished my Pomatomus after many months. After I finished the first sock, it's been left untouched due to SSS. Thanks to Socktoberfest, it's finally done!

Pomatomus Socks
Pattern source: Knitty.com by Cookie A.
Yarn: Trekking XXL
Needle: Addi Turbo 2.5mm 80cm circular
Technique used: Cuff-down, magic loop
Comments: The legs are shorten by one pattern repeat since I have really huge calfs and it won't fit if it goes too high. I really like the pattern even though I think it might work better with solid coloured yarn. The lace pattern was a little challenging at first, but then it was all nice and brezzy. One of the best thing about the pattern is that it's not boring. Otherwise I suspect it's still be in the WIP bin.

Another shot? Oh well...


Up next...


Shedir
Pattern source: Knitty.com breast cancer awareness issue
Yarn: Rowan Calmer
Needle: 3.25mm circular 40cm
Comments: I love those cables! Aren't they pretty? Especially the crown shaping, it looks like a flower ;)



Odessa
Pattern source: Magknits.com by Grumperina
Yarn: RYC Cashsoft DK
Needle: 4.00mm bamboo circular 40cm
Comments: I got the yarn and beads for this pattern back in February, but only get motivated to start when I'm watching lots of drama and have nothing to knit. I just realised that my knitting progress is pretty much justified by how much drama I watch. Anyway, this is my first ever beaded knitting! It's much easier than I though it's be, the only part I don't really like is that I have to keep on pushing down the beads. I'm sure there's a tutorial for beaded knitting without beading first somewhere, gotta find it one day. Other than that, the pattern was super easy and fast to knit, perfect for gifts knitting!

Ugh, Blogger is acting up again and I can't upload more pictures, so that'll have to be another post.
Meanwhile I'm working on the Lang Sporty Cabled Cardigan(see previous post) and the back is almost done. Patsy is blocked and seamed, but I'm still thinking about the sleeves part.
Well...till next time.

Warning: Anyone on yarn diet don't look!

On my way back from Ally Pally. That place is evil, I tell ya.

Since I've told you that I'm going, and you know me too well to expect less. Well, can't disappoint you guys, can I?

First purchase of the day, two 200g hanks of hand-dyed merino yarn from Touch yarn. Love the colourway. I think it'd look great for a scarf of a scoop neck vest or a bolero, what do you think?


A pack of Rowan Kid Classic and a pack of Rowan All Season Cotton. In colours I don't even wear. But they were a real bargain, so....who cares if I look dead in grey.

A huge 350g hank of hand-dyed merino from somewhere in Europe. I wish I could capture the colours better, it's gorgeous.

Two 100g skeins of alpaca. Not the most likely colours for me to pick, but they were in the odd balls bin, and I thought they'd look great as striped winter accessories.

Three skeins of more Regia Silk in white. I've been looking for this yarn in this shade forever, can't wait to turn them into a gorgeous lacy shawl! I did a quick count and there are 16 skeins of Regia Silk in 5 different colours in my stash now. I never love a yarn this much.

And of course, no yarn spree is complete without some silk. The green/blue hank is Handmaiden Seasilk, which you all know is amazing and totally irresistible. The pink/peach hank is 100% laceweight silk from Fyberspates, so pretty and so worth it.

Six 100g hanks of Classic Elite Kelso in red and 2 hanks in green. I think the yarn is long discontinued since I can't seem to find any information about it, but it's gorgeous wool tweed. I bought all the red they have left. There was a lady who was interested too, but she let me have it, so I can't not buy them, right?

Four skeins of Lang Mille Colori. This yarn reminds me of Rowan Tapestry, sans the sheen. I got myself 4 skeins to make a stripey scarf for myself, though not necessarily horizontal stripes.

Three gorgeous pattern books, Out of Town by Debbie Bliss, Lang Fatto A Mano and RYC Classic Style. And this time I will actually knit something from them.

I saw this cardigan in the LANG pattern book and fell for it immediately. Hard.

Then I saw the yarn it called for,...
and fell even harder. The yarn is 50% wool and 50% silk, the perfect combination as far as I'm concerned, and simply amazing to touch. I have totally ran out of cash by then, and actually left the stall after getting only 1 ball to play with. After walking around aimlessly with next to nothing on my wallet, I decided to get 11 more as my last purchase of the day. Thank God I decided not to be wise and bring my debit card(a.k.a. the devil card) with me.
Having given my financial stability the hardest hit, I quickly tried to find the way out, and actually walk into the toilet. After somebody given me the right direction, which is all the way across the hall, I tried to not look around and walk straight, but I kept on stumbling into some divine cashmere and the gloriously colourful Colinette stall. It wasn't easy to get out of there, trust me.

I'm practically broke now, fortunately I have enough food supply not to starve myself for another week.

Sock Stash Flash

Just a short post to flash my sock yarn stash.

I can't believe how many sock yarns I have in my stash, there are enough for 15 pairs of socks! And I don't even call myself a sock knitter yet. Uh, and I'm sure there are about 4 more skeins somewhere that I couldn't find.

I'm off to Ally Pally, so expect more stash flashing to come!

When too many choices is a bad thing...

Patsy has been blocked yesterday.

This is actually the first time I blocked the pieces before seaming, we'll see if it really will make life easier. I haven't decided on whether to knit the sleeves or not yet. Anyway, do you notice that we have colour lot trouble here?

Meanwhile I've been working on Shedir.

Check out those gorgeous cables. I abandoned it because I didn't get the chart, but after I decided to rely on the picture rather than the chart, it's a breeze.
We shall have 2 FOs coming soon ;)
Now....which pattern to knit next? Should I knit these capelet, or those gorgeous aran sweaters and cardigans, or this afghan, or this bag, or a braided scarf, or a lace shawl.......do you think I can justify casting on for 10 things at once? While I still have a lonely side of sock waiting to be finished for Octoberfest? Duh! It's not easy being a knitter, I tell you.

yarns...yarns...and more yarns

So, last friday I went all the way to Heathrow airport to pick up a friend with overload baggage. Well, I was willing to travel the 90 minutes tube not only because I'm a good friend, but also because I've asked her to bring back some chinese yarn for me.
Now, as happy as I am to get new yarns for stash addition, I realised a little too late that it's not a wise thing to ask a non-knitter to buy you yarn without specifications. Worse when you must pay for them. Oh, and I taught her to knit before, so I can safely say there's nothing wrong with her taste, it's just that she's pretty clueless about yarn quantity and price.
First she got me these yarns...


While they ARE beautiful(check out those tweeds!), they certainly are not chinese and they cost a total of about 70 bucks. What the heck can I do with a 40g skein of ribbon yarn anyway?
Then these...

are wool yarn from HYX that cost a staggering 15 bucks in total. Must.go.to.China.soon.
Problem? What should I knit with 500g of laceweight yarn???
Anyway, I AM happy to get these beautiful yarns, but I've learned my lesson. Next time, specify what you want.

Lately I've been spending my days and night working on Patsy while doing a Sex and The City marathon. I can't wait to finish something and cast on for something new!
Oh, I almost forgot, I've joined the Socktoberfest again! Woohoo! It should be fun because I've got tons of beautiful sock yarns in my stash that I'm just too lazy to knit up. But I'll only work on them after I'm done with Pomatomus....long long journey ahead.