I have been agressively reducing my stash for various reasons including a declutter frenzy and I feel guilty having yarn I am not using taking up space. I noticed that a lot of stuff I am destashing has been my early purchases of yarn. Well, all went well until this Ten Stitch Blanket entered my life and all I had was four skeins of Noro Silk Garden Lite. Sheila gave me as a gift which I completely appreciate because I love the yarn and it is a pretty colorway. It sat in my stash for a while hanging out in a box with other skeins of Noro and some Karaoke. When I started this blanket it was on a goof.

I am addicted to it and I want to finish. Now, I realize I can knit this blanket utilizing different colorways of Noro but I am boring and a traditionalist. After Googling the name and colorway, I found skeins available on Seaport Yarns and Yarn and Fiber Shop. Yarn and Fiber was slightly cheaper but was offering free shipping. I ordered this yarn on Thursday and got it Saturday and it was free shipping. I am very happy.

Irony: the money I made on yarn destashing went to purchase this yarn. Go figure!

I found the ten stitch blanket and Ravery. Yummy. So, I pulled out the four skeins of Noro I have and started and knitting. I then realized that this colorway is discontinued. I wanted to stick with this color, so after research I found two shops that sell the specific colorway and sadly for full price. Ironically, the shop emailed me a coupon for their store right after the purchase.

Here is the blanket (without the cat posing).

Here are the Hot Mama Socks. My aunt, Titi Estelle, wanted a pair of socks. Titi Vicky wanted conservative socks in earth tone colors which worked out very well. Estelle wants socks to reflect her personality. She is pink and red, so I found this skein of Colinette Jitterbug in Cherry colorway ( a few people at the shop voted on the color). I think she will enjoy them.

Irony of irony is that both of my aunts live in warm areas (Florida and Puerto Rico). Yet, they want the socks and I love them so socks are coming.

So, I combined two patterns into this one and sorta just went with it. I hope it fits the baby it is intended (at some point in its lifetime).
It is the Cascade Superwash Handpainted yarn which is really nice to knit.

I thought the buttons were very cute and afterwards I realized I could have made the heart pattern larger.
If I made it again I would make the body in one color and the trim and heart in a contrasting color. I am still thinking about this whole pattern process.


Of course, another baby surprise jacket. I intentionally buy the Socks that Rock mediumweight at Rhinebeck just to make some baby surprises. I am going to attempt a hood to go on top just for something different. At this point all my STR is gone until Rhinebeck 2009.
Speaking of Rhinebeck (nine months away) I finally picked up the Sheldridge Farms yarn and I am so in love with this yarn. It is incredibly soft to knit and it definitely deserves its name "Soft Touch". I will post photos of the sweater I am making. Again, I am just playing with a sweater pattern from Custom Knits but making modifications here and there.

We had a good time during our snow day today. I made Farina for breakfast and pizza triscuits for lunch and chili for dinner. Luckily we had a movie from Netflix so Ben was able to finally appreciate Best in Show. Lots of knitting took place AND I took a mid day nap. It was a great snow day!

I have a slightly obssessive personality. I call them Monk-isms, named after my favorite tv character.

So, when I wanted a quick and mindless project and thought I would also finish off some orphan skeins, the umbilical cord baby hat from stitch n' bitch. Sheila had given me some Adrienne Vittadini Diana (cotton blend) skeins which turned into two hats.

So, then I found some Cascade Superwash Handpainted yarn in the cute baby colorway. I made the quick baby sweater for a newborn and then made a matching hat with the leftover yarn.

Well, I am hoping there is a snow day tomorrow, let's keep our fingers croseed.

If I do, I will be working on the Log Cabin Blanket (three skeins from finishing) and a top down sweater in Shelridge Farms Soft Touch Yarns. Ok, the Shelridge Farms yarn is so incredibly soft to knit that I am thinking of picking up more yarn for another sweater. hmmmm.... It is really nice. For anyone going to Rhinebeck in October definitely check this vendor out!

The retired Log Cabin Blanket was pulled out on the first night of my Christmas break. I finished the red band (on the right), the green band, and the brown. I am a few skeins away from finishing this generous lap blanket. I will probably start another lap blanket for Ben's office when I finish this one.

I really am hoping to finish this log cabin blanket this weekend. We all have goals.