I finish the first sleeve of my Good Bias shrug! 

Yarn bonanza!! A local yarn store is having a 40% off sale. YES! ALL yarns are 40% off. I purchased some Cascade Tweed in a wonderful purply color to make a chunky winter sweater. Also some fun hot pink cotton/lycra yarn to make a summer top (Classic Elite Star.) Also a skein of Berroco Plush yarn in pink (wow! this stuff is so soft) and a coordinating grey pink nubby yarn (I forget what kind) to make a scarf (cuz I don't have enough scarves!) Boy this picture looks crappy on my monitor. The purple yarn is so dark. Oh well - take my word for it.... It's beautiful!!

Good Bias shrug from Interweave Knits - picture taken last night! I'm using Elsebeth Lavold, Silky Tweed which is a silk, cotton, merino, viscose blend in a DK weight. The color is black and it has raspberry and orange flecks in it. I worked on it for two hours today and have knit about 9 inches total. It's looking good!

Clapotis as a Shrug

I just love this thing!! I think it looks like a shrug when worn like this. I am wearing it tonight with a lacy tank top underneath and a denim skirt. I have a blue rhinestone-y pin that I'm going to pin right under the tie.

Clapotis Shrug 

Closeup of Soleil. 

Soleil (Still can't figure out how to attach pictures to a blog entry. Oh well.)

Soleil in process

I'm so excited! I MADE GAUGE! I am finding that I
am a very loose knitter so I had to go down 3
needle sizes (using size 3 Addi Turbos) to get
gauge. I still wasn't sure so after I got through
the three lace sections, I removed it from the
needles and measured and VOILA! Perfect size!

I just love this little pattern from Knitty. If
anyone wants to give it a go, here's a link to
the pattern:
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUESpring05/PATTsoleil.html

And here's a link to a knitalong:
http://www.soleilalong.blogspot.com/

I am using Classic Elite Flash in Crocus - not
sure if you can get a good look at the color. It
is sort of marbled periwinkle. Just beautiful!

My lace doesn't look as airy as some of the other
samples I've seen in blogs but Mr. Bob assures me
that after I block it, it will look just fine.

Clapotis scarf 

Clapotis Shawl 

I finished my first Clapotis

Wow! Took forever but it's done. I love this scarf / shawl thingy! I used Knitpicks Shimmer in Morning Mist color (double strand). This yarn is wonderful. It's alpaca (what IS an alpaca anyway??) and silk and is soooooo soft. I really like the drape for a spring/summer wrap. I hope to make more of these. I love how it can be worn as a shawl/wrap or as a scarf. Tres chic!!

The $98 socks 

The $98 socks are finished!!

So I'm new to knitting and new to knitting socks and new to blogging but what the heck! Looks like fun! On a sock group, I was recently reading some of the past posts about the most expensive socks ever knit. I think I can top them all.

Although I'm a relatively new knitter I decided in February that I'd like to make a pair of socks. Coincidentally, at the same time I was having those thoughts, the closest yarn shop to my house offered a sock class on nights that I was available. The class was a little expensive ($45), but offered 6 hours of instruction so I thought as a new knitter, it was a good deal.

Not knowing anything about sock yarn (i.e. perhaps a beginner should start with inexpensive yarn!), I puchased some beautiful Lorna's Laces sock yarn for $9 skein ($18 total) in a beautiful purple (my favorite color!) colorway and some very nice Crystal Palace bamboo DPNs in size 2 for another $10.

At this point my husband and friends were reminding me that for a mere $5, I can buy a bundle of socks from Wal-Mart. Not to worry, I assured them, these socks will be spectacular!

I took the first class and although I was traveling for work and for fun for the next two weeks, I took my sock-in-progress with me everywhere I went (including Magic Kingdom) and got my homework done for the second class on my last flight home. I was almost giddy in antipation of getting to the class that evening and figuring out how to turn the heel. But alas, I stupidly left my ziplock baggie with my sock, needles, and second skein of yarn on the airplane!!!! This was a month ago and it has never turned up in spite of several calls and visits to Delta.

So, after I had a little cry and grieved for my lost purple yarn I did what any obsessed new knitter would do - I headed to the yarn store early and bought $15 Opal sock yarn and another set of $10 needles so I could start over.

To recap:
Lorna's Laces Yarn - $18
Crystal Palace needles - $10
Sock Class - $45
Opal yarn - $15
Second set of Crystal Palace needles - $10

Look on my husband's face when he finds out these socks cost $98:
PRICELESS

I am pleased to report that at my knitting group on Tuesday night, I finished the socks!!!! Woo hoo!! I think they go very nicely with my lime green shoes, don't you?

Welcome to my blog!

I can't believe I'm actually creating a blog!