So many things to show you. Most of them are blurry.

CAUTION - THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY LONG, AND VERY PICTURE-INTENSIVE POST. Mhmmm.

So, with the advice I got from Kim, and this very informative blog post from Wendy, I finally invested in a food scale:



There it is next to a toe-up sock in progress. I divided the hank into two even balls, and started knitting away. In case you're wondering, that's Zen String Serendipity Sock yarn in the Bloom colorway, purchased from The Sweet Sheep. I'm doing a toe-up version of the Music Man socks pattern found here. You can't tell it from the picture, but the yarn is awesome, and the stitch pattern is very simple and works well, I think.

Up next, I finished another single sock:



Again, I don't really know what's wrong with the camera, but I adore this sock. And you can't even see that it's pretty here. Also, note that I've started the second one. Here are a couple of close-ups of the stitch pattern:





This is the "Scrolls" pattern from More Sensational Knitted Socks, knit using Knitting Notions kettle dyed Classic Supersock Merino in Green Apple. I love this yarn. LOVE IT.

Next up is another single (with the second started, mind you):



This is one tall sock. It's just a plain old, generic toe-up, knit using Crown Mountain Farms' Sock Hop yarn in Pink Cadillac. I'm knitting this pair toe-up because the notion of having any of this yarn leftover makes me want to hurl. I knit the first one using an addi size 2 (which you know is really like a size 3) and now have a very, very thick sock. So, what I learned here is that I can probably go up a needle size or two and possibly even get a pair out of one skein. Hmm. Here's a close-up:



I think it's glorious, even if I did knit it. Next up, I made my usual weekendly trip to the Haus of Yarn on Saturday and ended up coming home with this:



That's the new Cat Bordhi sock book and a skein of Arucania sock yarn. YUMMY. I'll give you a brief review of the book, although I haven't combed through it in excruciating detail yet. This book is insane, and looks extremely interesting, and I can't wait to start a sock using one of the patterns. I mean, check out Kristy's finished sock. AMAZING!

In other news, check out my first handspun:



Pretty horrid, no? I got together with Leah, who so graciously let me borrow her wheel AND some of her Spunky Eclectic pencil roving to try and learn to start spinning. I think I like it, but I've got to tell you that I got pretty frustrated. Hm. I think I just need to get a wheel and spend some time with it alone. Yep.

And, finally, I have a couple of finished plain stockinette pairs that I don't think I ever showed you:



(Trekking 100)



(Koigu KPPPM in some colorway)

That's all I've got for now...maybe next time we'll have more finished PAIRS!

Smiles,
Erin

Also.

I've been taking the whole moderation thing seriously. Today, I only bought one skein of yarn. This should last me all week. I hope.



(sock yarn from The Woolen Rabbit)

I owe you a post - complete with socks and a scale, and lots of other fun things. I hope to get that together this evening.

Oh, Csoul

It's kind of ridiculous to love a band from the mid-90s so much, I'll admit, but I can't help myself. Ever since about 1994, I have been, potentially, Collective Soul's biggest fan. Their new album, "Afterwords", comes out today, only at Target and iTunes. Let's just say I'll be making a Target run at lunch.

Here's the video for their latest single:


Collective Soul"Hollywood" from El Music Group

Those are some awesome (?) graphics in that video...but again, I can't help myself.

Smiles,
Erin

Thanks to Jake...

...we now have this.

Lovely.



I actually kind of like it.

It's official...

...I have died and gone to heaven. This arrived at my doorstep yesterday:



Yes, I tore into the package like a wild savage, and yes, that is Sock Hop from Crown Mountain Farms in Big Yellow Taxi, Pink Cadillac, and Say A Little Prayer. I have been trying to score some of this bounty for a very long time. I don't know how I had any bare needles left, but I found some and managed to cast on right away:



That is an awful picture, but I assure you, it is gorgeous. I can't get enough.

I also had some very good luck at the last installment of the Nashville Knitting Meetup's yarn swap. I traded some Yarn Pirate and Duets to Brownyn for all of this:



That's some Schaeffer Anne, Lorna's Laces, and Koigu KPM. Oh, yes.

I was also able to trade some Koigu to Julie Ann for this:



That's some KnitPicks on the left and Sunshine Yarns "Fresh" on the right. Yipppeee!!

Barb was also so kind as to bring me another colorway from Sunshine Yarns from her trip to the great state of Rhode Island (not part of the swap):



I love it!!! Thank you so much, Barb.

So, I guess I'm good on yarn for a while.

Smiles,
Erin

What an awesome idea.

I wish I had thought of this idea before this morning. Looks like someone already beat me to the punch. Check it out.

I wish I had known about this service before I went and deleted my old livejournal! Ha.

A pair! And a single.

I had another lovely weekend. While Jake was installing ventilation apparatuses, I knit some socks (notice a pattern developing here?). I even finished a pair!



Once again, these are simple, toe-up socks, knit using Wendy's pattern, in Mama Llama self-striping sock yarn in the "Berkeley" colorway, purchased from Wool Girl.

I love these socks. Here's a picture on the sock blockers:



When I was finishing the first sock, I cast off as I would for any sweater I've ever done, and then couldn't get the damn thing on. So, I did a lil' research, and came across the EZ sewn bind-off, which was very simple to execute. Here's a close-up of that:



The only thing that irritates me about these socks is that I had altogether too much yarn leftover:



I guess Kim is right - I need to get a scale, and fast.

Also, I must have caught a case of finishitis. After I wrapped-up this pair, I took out a sock in progress, and ended up finishing one of them:



I guess I need to do a close-up on this, but it's just a simple sock knit with Socks That Rock in the sherbet colorway. Finishing went pretty quickly, after I transfered all of the stitches from a 12" addi to a 47" addi, and then used magic loop. By the way, I have got a shit ton of 12" addis. Anyone want some? I was even a good sock knitter and then cast on for the second one:



Next up? Yarn acquisitions. Someone, who shall be unnamed, for witness protection purposes, scored me some of this:



No, I am not a member of the Rockin' Sock Club. It's sad. Maybe next year. Next, the Nashville Knitting Meetup had its first yarn swap last Tuesday (to be continued this Tuesday). I traded some Lorna's Laces in the sweetie colorway to Kim (mentioned above) for some Lorna's in the baby stripe colorway:



And lastly, but certainly not least, here is my Lovesticks prize package from the blog contest I won:



By the way, Katie puts an old-fashioned piece of stick candy in with her orders. I love those! I can't wait to knit with this self-striping goodness.

I'm about cashed out for now, but I'll leave you with one sweet picture of my Boo lovin' up on some Fluffy (short for Fluffy L. Jackson - he's the cat):



Have an excellent Monday,
Erin

Um, yeah.

This post pretty much sums up why I'd like to learn to spin.

Lawd, help me.
Erin

HOT dress

Have you seen the new Magknits? I'm not sure I'd ever knit a dress, but this is one hot knit. Dang!

My weekend and Toe Up!

I had a lovely weekend. Jake's cousin, Mike, was in town, so they spent some time together playing video games and landscaping, while I taught myself how to knit socks toe up. Check it out:



It's realize that it's kind of crazy that I've been knitting socks for so long and just got around to learning this little trick (being that I have a size 11 foot), but now that I've got the hang of it, I see many more of these in my future. The toe is a little weird, but so are you. Only kidding. But honestly, I'm going to say that I did a pretty decent job for this being my first foray, if you will. Here's another shot (notice the new issue of Interweave):



It wasn't too terrible, really, once I figured out how to execute Judy's Magic Cast-on, although I will say it doesn't look too much like a sock unless I'm wearing it. The yarn is Mama Lama self-striping in the Berkley colorway, purchased at the most excellent Wool Girl. The yarn is amazing, and really, so is Wool Girl. Love it!!

I also got a chance to eat some wonderful roma tomatoes I grew myself:



Well, to be fair, Jake grew them, but holy tomatoes, they were delicious.

And, finally, since I went and joined the Knitting Crazy Cat Ladies web ring, here is a picture of my crazy cat, Nona (don't get too close - she bites):



One last thing - the Nashville Knitting Meetup crew will have their very first yarn swap tomorrow night at the Stillwaters Cafe. I can't wait!

Happy Monday,
Erin

Perhaps my luck is changing.

Everyone always says this, but I never win anything. Truly. Not a winner of things over here, people. But I feel that, perhaps, my luck may be changing.

First, I won my first ever blog contest. YIPPEE!!! I love Katie's yarns! Hand-dyed AND self-striping? Bring it! So exciting.

Secondly, I was shopping at the Shoe Carnival on Saturday, and won me a little trivia contest. Oh, yes. The question? Name three Arnold Schwarzenegger comedies. You better believe I got to spin the wheel. My answers? "Kindergarten Cop", "Jingle All The Way", and "Junior". I blame Coney for this. Honestly. Like I know anything about Arnold. Here is my prize.



Yeah, so it's only a dollar off, but who cares??! I won!!

Delivery, on that other promise

A long time ago, back when I went on that yarn diet, I promised I would show you pictures of the stash, just so you would understand why the whole yarn diet was so necessary. Well, it's time I delivered, even though I went and quit the yarn diet. Here's the whole enchilada:



That's just the unused stash - please note that there are 3 full bags of socks in progress, and a couple of other baskets that are holding half-finished sweaters. And yes, that is my garden gnome collection on top.

The top two rows are all sock yarn:



Now, I will show you my favorite cubes (this feels very dorky, but I love looking at this mess and figured you might, too). Here are the blues:



And the reds - a bit blurry, I know:



Oranges and peaches:



The pinks:



The yellows and greens:



And the multis - or, those that really didn't fit into any other cube:



So, anyways. I guess a smarter person would have stayed on the diet.

Smiles,
Erin

Today is a very good day.

Here are the reasons why:

1. I just signed/sold a big account at work. WAHOOO!

2. I scored some of this. Oh, yes.

Party, party!!!!!!
Erin