I know I haven't blogged in a while (thanks to Kristi for holding the fort), and I don't have a good excuse. I wish I could say that I had knit a gazillion beautiful things while not blogging, but all I have to show is a scarf. Yeah, a scarf. Stockinette and garter stitch at that. But it was exactly the mindless project that I wanted post-Stitches. Gratuitous scarf pictures:
I feel Munchkin-y here:
I got the idea for the scarf from Jeni. She bought some Belisa cashmere at Stitches and knit a cool scarf, so I just had to follow suit. Mine is on bigger needles (size 4) using Louet Merino/Silk yarn which I absolutely positively loved knitting. Loved. Very pet-able. I also did more squares. I love this scarf.
Okay, now that I've gotten the disappointing knitting update out of the way, here's a bunch of other stuff that's going on:
Stephania started a Cookie's Sock Creations Flicker Group. Look at all those socks! I love it! This is Crytal AKA Shadkitty's Thelonious sock:
Kristi and I may have mentioned that we go to the local BobaKnit group. I <heart> BobaKnit. Heehee:
For those of you who don't know, boba is tapioca balls that you can get in drinks. It sounds gross, but they are addictive like crack. I'm seriously trying to wean myself off them, and I've managed to keep it down to only 3 so far this week. We plan to wear our BobaKnit swag to knitting next week and freak out the local muggle population.
Of course there has been stash enhancement. First up is Traveller Sock Yarn from Gryphon. She's got an Etsy shop up now, and I love her color sense. The Traveller is a bit thicker than "standard" sock yarn, but she is coming out with a thinner version soon. I think this will make some great house socks. Have I mentioned that I love these colors? This is the Mali colorway. I'm also coveting the Venezuela and Australia colorways.
I also got, way back at Stitches (that seems so long ago, doesn't it?), handspun yarn from Margit aka the Fiber Fiend. She was part of the Bay Area Knit Co-op booth, and she was AWESOME. You can check out Janice's progress on her Fiber Fiend fiber (from fiber to socks!) here. I'm not as cool as Janice, so I'm going to knit a hat with this:
And.... more handspun! It's all Kristi's fault. She got me hooked with her gorgeous Sheep2Shoe kit. Here I have some beautiful Sock Hop yarn from Crown Mountain Farm. This stuff is awesome and probably sold out, and I can totally see why. This is the Moondance colorway:
Speaking of Crown Mountain Farm, they carry my sock patterns now! I'm really excited about this. They are also available through other retailers (see the list). So if you want to get a hard copy, you can. I also have the pdfs available through the store website.
I actually got a bunch more cool stuff at Stitches.
These stitch markers from Girl on the Rocks are really cool. They have instructions for Kitchener stitch on them. How cool is that?
And this has got to be the BEST keychain ever. It's a mini sock blocker! With a needle gauge. Very handy, let me tell you.
My mailman probably thinks I'm crazy. I've gotten all sorts of other goodies in the mail recently, like this GoKnit pouch from Scout:
What's inside? You'll have to wait and see! I'm designing for Scout's Indie Swag Club this year. Woohoo! (Oh yeah, and if you haven't wished Scout a happy birthday, go do it!)
And because I don't have enough sock yarn, especially not Socks That Rock:
I LOVE the Monsoon color. LOVE. Pauline got hers before I did, and she knit it up into Thelonious and brought it to BobaKnit and I was all "What colorway is that?!!! I must have it!!!" But then it came in the mail and all was good. I'll be going to Camp Cockamamie soon. Hope to see some of you there!
Phew, that was a long post. Was there enough yarn porn for YPF?
A bag in camo! Woot!
I'm going to have to start adding pics to that Flickr group ...
Posted by: Kristi at March 30, 2007 10:45 AMI love boba too but I usually tell my boba-virgin friends not to try them when they have colds. The texture combined with the congestion is not good. (Too much mucous!) I've been ogling that Sock Hop yarn for a while now.
Posted by: monica at March 30, 2007 10:45 AMI love seeing all the goodies and yarn you recently aquired.
That scarf is simple, but amazing. It is the second thing I have seen in all white/ivory today. I love it!
I want that keychain! I have a major mental block about remembering how to do Kitchener.
Posted by: Gryphon at March 30, 2007 11:07 AMLove the scarf! Love the goodies! I already checked out the stitch markers and they are all sold out. But I left her a comment--hopefully she adds more soon. Now, where did you get that little sock blocker?
I just got a goKnit pouch too from Scout :)
Posted by: Isela at March 30, 2007 11:08 AMIt's fun when friends help friends, even when they've never met each other!
:) Yay Cookie! Love the new shirt! :)
Wow, so many things to drool over! I love that Sock Hop yarn! Glad to see you back :)
Posted by: KRisty at March 30, 2007 11:13 AMOkay. I *need* the mini-sock blocker key chain. Congratulations on finishing the scarf, it looks great. And a big big BIG congratulations on your patterns being the patterns of choice for Yarn Harlot's trip. That is so cool. That is cool beyond words.
Posted by: Janice at March 30, 2007 11:37 AMI love that key chain. How did you find such cool things in the midst of stitches madness?
Posted by: freecia at March 30, 2007 1:00 PMI am suffering from some serious serious yarn envy right now. That Sock Hop yarn looks wonderful!
Posted by: Jen at March 30, 2007 5:19 PMWow! Loads of yarny goodness! Glad to see you're alive and well after the Stitches madness!
Posted by: loribird at March 30, 2007 6:11 PMYeah! I didn't know you would be at sock camp. I loved the sock you designed for the club last year and am loveing the new patterns you did for Stitches. Can't wait to meet you!
Posted by: Lisa K. at March 30, 2007 7:05 PMOh that's exciting that I'll get to meet you at sock camp! I guess that means I'll have to finish the socks on my needles and start some Monkey socks for me. ;)
Posted by: stariel at March 30, 2007 7:49 PMThank you for the Birthday shout out. If I could just get out of bed I'd be MUCH happier!
Posted by: scout at March 30, 2007 8:39 PMHey Cookie! You might remember me as the crazy stalker from Stitches that you printed your Hedera pattern for. Well, I finally finished them. Thanks so much for your help and kindness, especially when you were so swamped. Looks like it was really successful venture. I finally finished the Hedera socks, and posted them on my blog and on your Flicker group. Check 'em out if you get a chance. Thanks again!
Posted by: mary at March 30, 2007 9:33 PMYou will be at Camp Cockamamie? Too fab. See you there.
Posted by: Angeluna at March 30, 2007 9:56 PMI love the scarf -- perhaps just stockinette and garter stitch, but such an entertaining combination of the two! It looks really lovely and cuddly. Very cool.
Posted by: Margaret at March 30, 2007 10:31 PMAwesome scarf! I love how you looked at the pattern for barely 5 minutes and then took off and made it even better. I know ppl have been throwing the "G" Word (genius) around, but I think they might have a point.
The handspun is gorgeous and I'm so jealous over the new STR colorway. I knew I should have renewed my membership this year. *sigh*
Posted by: Jeni at March 30, 2007 11:25 PMYay! I'm famous! Kidding. lol
That Sock Hop stuff is beautiful. I seriously have been yearning for it forever, alright, maybe just the past 4 months or so. The Kitchener stitch markers are adorable! How awesome is that?
Posted by: shadkitty at March 31, 2007 12:32 AMYou are a very patient knitter to do all of that entrelac - I would have thrown in the towel after about a foot of it! The scarf looks great though! I like that it's in natural - sometimes we need a break from color!!!!
Posted by: Elinor at March 31, 2007 6:22 AMBeautiful scarf! Even if it is "just" garter stitch. The texture is very appealing.
Posted by: Carol at March 31, 2007 8:41 AMBeautiful scarf! Even if it is "just" garter stitch. The texture is very appealing.
Posted by: Carol at March 31, 2007 8:42 AMYour scarf turned out beautifully!
I can't wait to get my Bobaknit swag. :)
Posted by: Abigail at March 31, 2007 9:28 AMI would kill myself if I had to do that much entrelac so I think having that scarf at the end of a month is a perfectly respectable amount of knitting! Lovely selction of yarns for you to experiment with!
Posted by: Jane at March 31, 2007 10:05 AMHey! How can I get one of those T-shirts! I Bobaknit too!!!! :)
Posted by: Alyssa
at March 31, 2007 11:47 AM
Oh I totally missed the gadget wagon at Stitches with that keychain! That is the coolest thing ever. Not that I don't already have one of the sheep shaped gauges, or a plastic one... I seriously NEED that keychain! (I do have one of the sock blocker keychains from the Loopy Ewe, I so need to knit it a sock)
Yay Boba! I am so coming back!
And I totally love the scarf. It is fabulous!! The yarn is good too! Yum.
Posted by: Teenuh at March 31, 2007 12:08 PMWhat a lot of lovely goodies you have! I really like that little sock blocker needle gauge, keychain, could you let me know if they have a site or where I could get one, thanks, Jo
Posted by: Jo at March 31, 2007 1:54 PMI love boba tea. There is a place in one of the malls down near DC where you can get it. I am almost always the only Westerner in the store. But I don't care. Luckily, it is a 30 mile drive to get it so I only get it every once in a while.
And I am so jealous that you have some of the Sock Hop yarn. I have been coveting it for quite awhile. And I am off now to start my Inside Out sock so I won't be the last one.
Posted by: Mia at March 31, 2007 2:33 PMI loved that Belisa scarf so much that I HAD to buy the cashmere just for the pattern. (OK, the cashmere in the dark purple is an added plus.)
Beauteous Thelonius socks. How can I get about 10 other hands so I can make more socks?
Posted by: Laurie at March 31, 2007 3:02 PMOh, those Thelonius- socks just decided it for me. I've been pondering for a few days whether the pattern would look good in some subtly variagated Trekking Pro Natura. And now I know that they will totally rock, thanks! :)
Posted by: Pikku-Kettu at March 31, 2007 11:30 PMThe socks are gorgeous, as well as the scarf! Very pretty indeed!
Posted by: AJ at April 1, 2007 8:27 AMI love your simple scarf! Very elegant looking!
I'm totally digging those stitchmarkers, too!!!
Posted by: Kari at April 1, 2007 9:55 AMI am so hunting down that adorable key chain. Too cute!
Hey, did you know your Knitty Gritty episode has been moved up to sometime this week or next, along with all the other episodes for this series (Scout, Yarn Harlot, etc)?
Posted by: C. at April 1, 2007 8:28 PMGlad to see you back. Hey, for as busy as you've been, I think finishing a scarf is rather amazing!
Posted by: Gina at April 2, 2007 6:48 AMthat is a lot of great new yarn! (and a lot of new shops for me to browse! thanks for the links!)
the scarf is great - simple and perfect!
Posted by: stacey at April 2, 2007 7:03 AMI love boba! I haven't had it in ages....must go seek some out this afternoon :)
Love the scarf - very beautiful!
Posted by: Kate at April 5, 2007 12:57 PMHi - delurking, came through your blog via a roundabout blog meander - STR RSC to tapmouse to you (maybe via Etsy...) anyways, love your socks and I get boba - love the bubble milk tea. Yum. can I say that again? Yum. Yummmmeeee!!! Sadly am in London and man is it hard to get that stuff. The texture is so important... but I digress. Just wanted to pop in, say hello, and say that boba is also slang for boobs? Can't remember if it is cantonese or shanghainese... but anyways, a bit of Cliffy trivia for you! :)
Posted by: Missmalice at April 9, 2007 11:41 AM