Love Bites, Love Bleeds…

There’s a new pattern up!  It’s a scarf pattern inspired by Fresh from the Cauldron’s True Blood Colorways.  If you’re a fan of Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse novels, or a fan of the HBO show True Blood based on them, you should check it out.  :)  And make sure you hop on over to SquibStitcher’s etsy shop and order your custom skein of Eric or Bill (or Sam or Sookie or Pam… you get the idea).  My scarf is made from the Silky Sock base and it’s lovely.  I can’t wait to wrap up in him, er, I mean it.  ;)

Mmmmm, tasty!

And see that adorable stitch marker?  You can get your own set here.

And to all of you who will now spend the rest of the day singing that Def Leppard song…you’re welcome.

Did ya know?

Did you know that sunflower seeds were so neatly packed in the sunflower?

Sunflower Seeds

This is the same sunflower from a prior post…just a wee bit older.  ;-)

 

Another curiosity from our yard: a Pomegranate Bloom (with a baby pom growing!)

Pomegranate Bloom

GB Hand Dyed Yarn ~ Pomegranate Bloom

And did you know that root beer (one of my favorite drinks) was originally flavored with the roots of the Sassafras tree?

GB Hand Dyed Yarn ~ Sassafras

 

 Finally, did you know I’m updating the shop?  Here’s a peek, with more details to be found on Flickr and Ravelry:

GB update ~ Can she get it done tonight??

I was trying to have it all listed tonight, but I’ve got a Parent/Teacher Conference (darn responsibilities!).  If you’re lucky I’ll sneak it in, otherwise look for it tomorrow morning.  :) 

ETA:  Yep, the update will happen tomorrow morning (10-15-08). 

May gets a two-fer!

Whew! Amazing that it’s barely the middle of May and yet I’ve completed TWO pairs of socks for my KAL. Here are the deets for those who’d like ‘em. :)

Wildflower Day Dreams
This pair is made from that colorful little ball of yarn that I showed you at the end of the last sock post. Came out pretty cute, no? The pattern is Wildflowers, and the yarn is BFL from The Plucky Knitter, in the colorway Day Dreamer. Knit on size 1 dpns (double-pointed needles, non-knitsters)

Wine Under the Tower
These were made for my BFF for her birthday, and thankfully our feet are similar enough in size that I can make socks that differ only slightly in size from mine and they come out just right for her! Everyone else, sorry, unless you’ve got size 7.5 feet, you won’t be getting socks from me. I refuse to make them for anyone that doesnt live in my household…I just need too much “try on” time. This pattern is one that I created myself after finding the Eiffel Tower stitch pattern. I used the stitch pattern over the instep of the sock and subbed in an appropriate cuff, heel, and toe, and voila! An anklet! The yarn is the ever-yummy Dream In Color Smooshy, and the colorway is In Vino Veritas. Knit on size 1 dpns.

If you’d like to look me or my stuff up on Ravelry, I’m Gherkin (of course!).

sock-a-month

over in ravelry-land, there are lots and lots of “knit-a-longs”. for just about every project you could want to knit, there is an “a-long” to join for it…and if there isn’t, you can start one! …and they will join.

due to my growing stash of sock yarns, i joined a knit-a-long (KAL) for socks…i’ve got the link down there on the right in my yarny section. it’s called the “SAM KAL 5″, which is geek for “Sock A Month Knit A Long 5″ (this is the fifth round that these group leaders have organized).

we started in january, and i’m proud to say that i have successfully made a pair of socks for each month so far. although somehow it seems my sock yarn stash hasn’t decreased any…in fact, it’s grown! this KAL has apparently only empowered me to buy more! oh well. ;-)

here are the socks i’ve done so far…

January:
simple eyelet socks, made from inexpensive Wool-ease. even though it isn’t considered the “cream of the crop” as far as yarn is concerned, i have to tell you, they softened up so much after they were washed and i really really love them. i am NOT opposed to using it again for sock yarn. at ALL.

February:
these were made with a wide ribbed pattern that i just made up (really, that’s a lot easier than it sounds, don’t be so impressed tom! *wink*). it was made from a “sub-par” yarn, one that is probably more regarded as a sock yarn than wool-ease, but i’d take wool-ease over this stuff any day…it was like knitting with a brillo pad, and while it softened a little with a wash, they are no where near as cozy as my wool-ease socks.

March:
now these…i’m pretty proud of. see that sock yarn there? i maaaaaaade that. these are my birthday socks. i spun the fiber into a two ply sock yarn and then made the Dublin Bay socks from it. i love how the shading of colors worked out. yay for handspun, handknit socks! (tom…you are allowed to be thoroughly impressed this time)

April:

this month’s sock is in the Charade pattern, and it was made in The Plucky Knitter’s new merino/cashmer/nylon sock yarn in the Ida Red colorway. it is so nice. it’s soft and fuzzy and cozy and smooshy.

May:
this ball of beauty is to become my may pair. i’m using the Wildflowers pattern, and again this is a Plucky creation. it is her old BFL (Blue Faced Leicester – it’s a type of sheep) base yarn in the Day Dreamer colorway.

there you go folks! a little catch-up post. :)

*cricket*

um, if you don’t see me here for a while, i’m on Ravelry….

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!