Almost

The Nine Days are over. The fast is over. The knitting has commenced and there are even a couple of FOs to show off. Even a couple of nifty non-knit (but knit related nonetheless) things I want to share. And all that will start Monday. (I need Sunday to try and catch up so I have continuing somethings to show off...)

In the meantime, it is Friday. So here is some more Sundara...

Tuscan Rose over Lemon

Prickly Pear

Summertime

Of all the Season's collection, I think this summer yarn has proven the most difficult to capture and has been under appreciated by some of its recipients.

At first blush, there seemed to be something a little less special about these colors. It was evening and I was in my room where the lack of good lighting has been lamented ad nauseam. So imagine my delight when I went outside the next day and found all the Sundara magic in these two hanks of yarn. These photos still don't do these colors justice, but trust me, the shades of pinks, oranges and reds make the coral glow. And depths of greens and blues really do remind me of deep, deep water. So scroll down and see the last installment of Sundara's Seasons.

Summer

Coral Reef

Under the Sea

Hope Springs Eternal

Cherry blossoms, blue skies, green leaves and the return of sunshine. Spring is my favorite time of year, least of which because my birthday falls then. The Spring colors of the final Sundara Season collection captureS the soft nuances of Spring awakening.

Spring

Desert Sunrise

Ginger over Peach

Winter Delight

What a week! A little overwhelming actually. So much to catch up on but it's getting late and Shabbos is almost upon us. I'll try to catch up a bit on Sunday if I can, but for now, Sundara's visions...

Winter

Cranberry Chutney

Lunar Landing

Winter, Spring, Summer or

Sundara's latest, and final, Season's offering appeared on my doorstep recently. This last subscription featured only Sock Yarn, to be delivered in one go. Naturally I went ahead and got all four. Starting today, and for the next three Friday's, you'll be able to feast your eyes on the work of a true color artist as we make our way through the Four Seasons:

Autumn

End of Day

Burnt Caramel

It is often quite difficult to accurately capture these gorgeous colorways. Whatever you may think of these images know the real thing is infinitely more stunning.

Mmmm, Organic!

This month's shipment from the Malabrigo Projects Club (Eat.Sleep.Knit) arrived today. Definitely my favorite shipment yet. Yummy Organic Cotton and a pattern I can see myself making!

3 hanks Turquesa (main color)

1 hank Pimenta (contrast color)

Twisted Tank by Cassie Miller

This is what I did with the rest of my afternoon.

No, the flour isn't organic, though no white sugar was involved in the baking of these Challahs. One batch of Challah was baked with honey and the other is 50% whole wheat, 50% white flour and yes, Organic Agave. The folks seem to love them so I guess we are all happy.

Good Shabbos!

Has that Girl been Stashing, AGAIN!

You are all in on a secret. A conspiracy if you will. And you must protect me at all costs, even with your life if it comes to that. It's the stash conspiracy. My mother can NEVER know that I've accumulated a bit more than she knows about. Thank goodness she is across the country in the good weather place. (Yes, it warmed right up today. 81 degrees with humidity you can melt in. Woo hoo!)

So what have I got to show today? How about some chocolate? Bluefingers would indeed love that. And now I too can share her passion for it. Of course I'll take mine in Bamboo/Superwash blend (51% Bamboo, 39% superwash, 10% nylon) thanks very much!

Crystal Palace Superwash in Chocolate

And Rose Musk.

Looks a bit like Nestle's Strawberry and Chocolate Quick, swirled together, no?

And keeping with that theme, here is a special Limited Edition Simply Socks anniversary color way in Schaefer Yarns Heather (55% Merino superwash, 30% silk, 15% nylon). I bought two since I thought I'd use them for something other than socks. (Have you noticed I've been doing that a lot lately?)

Alas, the colorways aren't quite the same. The pinks on the right are much more intense. I'll stash them away for awhile into something comes to mind.

Visions of Sweaters Dance in my Head

Remember that day, about a month ago, that I journeyed into the magical world of Manhattan yarn stores? Well it wasn't just Habu that I visited. Oh, no. I also made it into School Products, which I hear is the oldest yarn store in Manhattan. And you won't believe what I found there:

Aran weight Harris Tweed mill end, from Botto Poala, one of the finest Italian mills. More than enough for a sweater.


And soft, gorgeous, luxurious Baby Camel. In three natural colors.

Cream

Oatmeal

Camel

Another sweater's worth. Which sweater and how I'll incorporate the three colors, still to be determined. But tell me this isn't love at first sight!

Sampling

I suck. I know it. You know it. I'm have a blogger's block these days. And it just isn't fair to any of us. I'm working on getting it together. Really. I even took pictures of some WiPs and everything. But I can't seem to get it together to write anything. So I'm taking the easy way out since it's Friday anyway and showing off some stash. Let's call it a Sampler package of some recent arrivals. Let the yarn do the talking for me!

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Mediumweight in Siren Song

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Mediumweight in Marbels

Impulse of Delight Superwash Merino in Blooming Heather

Rowan Kid Classic in Plum

and Plummier (my names)

I have two balls of each of the Rowan. I picked them up (and a few other things) at a 45% discount from the closing sale at Modern Yarn. Sad to see the end of a popular LYS but how do you not take advantage of a 45% discount? I'm thinking of using them together for a hat and mittens/gloves set for next winter. Any ideas? Share please!

Lace, Silk and Zen

Round 4 specs have been released and the pattern is meant to arrive sometime Thursday evening. I'll have to make VERY fast work of it if I mean to make it to Round 5. Who knows what speed my fellow knitters will have and what will happen between 7:15 Friday evening and 9:00 Saturday night. By the time Shabbos is over, I could be out. So it looks like Thursday will be an all-nighter and I'll do my best to remain in the competition. Sock 4 will be another two color job and I'm already choosing possible pairs. I'll wind off a few balls tomorrow night. And since I won't be doing any stash flashing on Friday, I'll share with you now some of last Friday's haul.

One of the two VSLYS I went to was Habu Textiles.

Habu carries unusual and difficult to find fine yarns from Japan and Asia for weavers, knitters, basket makers, stitchers, and artists. Naturally gold colored silk, raw and degummed bombyx silk as fine as 42 denier and up, hand reeled raw and degummed Akagi silks, extra fine silk, wool, cotton or wool/cashmere crepe, hand-tied ramie banana "basho", bamboo, silk & wool stainless steel, paper, hemp bark, etc. are only a few of over 300 selections we have. We offer some special equipment and also "rodin" silk degumming powder.

We would like to offer you the best and unusual yarns imported from Japan, rarely available in this country. It took us many trips and years to cultivate the relationships with the suppliers and discover the yarns. You do not have to do that.They are here! There are over 450 selections and they includeraw silks from 14 denier, hamp bark, bamboo, hand-tied ramies,cashmere with almost no twist, naturally gold silks,handspun silks/cottons, silk stainless steel, fine silver, etc...

from the Habu Textiles website

Habu has been on my MUST SEE FOR MYSELF list for some time and I'm glad I finally got there. Habu has no standard Store Front. Rather, it's show room is in an office suite on W 29th. When I entered the showroom the floor was covered with baskets of sale merchandise, which of course I scanned quite thoroughly. There I found these gems:

574 yards of Lace weight Bamboo for $13.50. Two will be more than enough for a lightweight summer shawl.

A sample pack of naturally shaded goodies: Cashmere, Silk, Rami, Wool and Synthetic. I'm not sure how much yardage is in there but I'm thinking some kind of mixed, artsy scarf.

But magic lies beyond the receiving room. In a narrow hallway leading to the back stock room is a wall of samples that is a feast to the senses. Habu is know for its unusual fibers including paper and stainless steel, but I wasn't so adventurous first time out. I was drawn to the seemingly endless choices of silk. Shiny and slick, nubby and rough, mixed with mohair or just on it's own, the choices of silk were overwhelming. But every wallet has its limit. And of course I went beyond my own. But really how could I resist:

Silk Mohair. 60% Silk, 40% Mohair, 2.5 oz.
From Habu Textiles: “This silk mohair has more silk content than the usual mohairs available. Very smooth and silky. Beautiful as a weft yarn for weavers, and so light and delightful for knitters to try lace stitches. You will only require 1/2 oz. to make a scarf.”

Tsumugi. 2-ply lace weight. 100% Silk. 10 oz.


Nerimaki. 100% Silk.

From Habu Textiles: “Such a soft silk, which feels like cotton. Simply knitting it on no. 6 needle, the thick part of this yarn worms out and creates are pattern by itself. 1 oz. will make a scarf. 2 oz. will make a shawl."

3 oz
2 oz.

I love the way these to colors look together and am hoping I have enough to make a vest, if not a sweater.

And that my friends is what I found at Habu. Tomorrow or Thursday we'll see what I found at the other VSLYS.

Until then...

The Squirrel Did It

Just so you don't think I am completely lame, here is the quick version of why I haven't posted. As I mentioned, the cable service has been sketchy at best the last few days. Last night when I came home it was completely out. So I called the cable company and they couldn't send anybody out until this afternoon. The cable guy was very nice, checked things from the inside and then proceeded outside and up the ladder where he remained for over an hour. When he finally came back to say everything was ok, I asked what the problem had been. The answer: A squirrel had eaten through our line! Squirrels are no longer the cute creatures I spied in the park as a child. I have come to see them as horrid rodents they are in NJ! Another childhood memory dashed.

So here we are, too close to Shabbos to share much with you except some yarn. But it's Friday, so I guess it's ok. From Sundara's recent Crusade Against Winter Gloom we have

New Vision in Fingering Silky Merino

Sleeping Beauty Sock

Secret Admirer Sock

And my personal favorite

California Calls Sock

Oh, and just because I haven't been writing doesn't mean I haven't been knitting! Rose Red and Sock 1 of Ziggity Zag are done!

What Will I Be When I Grow Up

Buying yarn with a purpose is a wonderful thing. Knowing that I am buying just the right yarn for a project gives me confidence. It moves my mind forward in imaging the finished product. But sometimes. Sometimes, something just catches my eye and I have to have it. Have to.

For instance, about a month ago I ran into Modern Yarn in Montclair to EXCHANGE some Koigu. I had been afraid that two hanks wouldn't be enough for my Django socks and had bought a little extra. Just in case. That purchase had come with a promise that I was free to exchange any of the yarn as long as it was still in the original hank. And so on that sunny Sunday afternoon, I popped inside for a minute. A very long minute. For I had to catch my breath as I stared star struck at all the Koigu that faced me. And I stared long and hard. "Which of these pretties would be good for any of the projects that I had in mind?," I asked myself as I stared.

And the Koigu? It stared back. And it said,

"Pick me!"

"Pick me!"

And I did. With no project in mind. Just feeling a little light-headed and giddy.

Yarn fumes will do that to you.

To Everything Turn, Turn, Turn

there is a Season...
And here are Sundara's newest Season offerings.

Sundara Sock - Autumn: Brambleberry

Sundara Sock - Summer: Aurora Borealis

I long for the day I will receive all four...

Ooh, the Possibilities

Tlingit

Lapis

Never on Sunday

Algae

Oregon Red Clover Honey

I could see these as the ever growing rejects to my Charlotte's Web, but I prefer to think of them as future opportunities.

Color Me Hopeful

I thought to be on track last week. Really, I did. Even my knitting, which had been terribly off, is back on track. Your continued caring and warm thoughts has been uplifting. Thank you! I'm feeling a bit drained. Physically and mentally, as well as emotionally. No, it's not what your thinking. Our office moved yesterday and I was in charge. Just one floor up, but still ,the prep was exhausting. Coordinating with the movers, the phone guys, the IT guys, the carpenter. Purging the extraneous and boxing up what's left. I'm pleased to say that it pretty much went off without a hitch but Baby, I'm bushed!

So here are some warm and fuzzy pictures to keep you company until I'm ready to show you something substantial. Some more lovely, lovely Malabrigo sock. Even with all the snow out there, this should warm you right up!

Natural

Turner

Archangel

Persia

Solis

And remember this?

That poor hank of Ranco, waiting for a new home? Congratulations, Lupie, it's yours! You're the grand winner! Email me with your deets and I'll get it out as soon as I can.