Bust a Stash

If you have ever wondered "how do I use up all those odd balls in my stash or how do I get rid of all my stash so that I can start over"......I have the solution for you.

Rachel John....EXTEREME KNITTING

I'm of two minds about this. Part of me says that this woman is a genius and that I should just leave it at that, the other half wants to knit my own mattress. I almost regret giving away all those odd balls.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

Out of the Closet

You know that you've hit a new low when the only place, in your house, that your kids don't try to follow you, is your closet.

I hit that low last weekend and ended up in my walk-in closet. I learnt a few things while I was in there:

1. walk-in closets hold a lot of stuff.
2. I put a lot of stuff in my closet.

So while I was in there, hiding, I decided to tidy up a bit. I discovered that:

1. my closet really holds a lot of stuff.
2. if I organize some things and get rid of others, my closet will hold more stuff.
3. if I organize it all and find other places for some things I will actually have a nice place to sit and knit as I cower and hide from my children during the summer holidays.

In my initial survey of this hidden hideaway I discovered this:

It is a hexagon from the Mountain Laurel Crib Counterpane. It's been a UFO since I bought the yarn almost six years ago. I knew that my friend was going to have another baby so I wanted to knit something special. Since time flies when you have so many projects on the go......let's just say.......that baby will be 5 years old this August. (Stop laughing.....all of you)

This project really deserves to see the light of day so I'm determined to finish it.....(I mean it, stop laughing). Wish me luck!

Until next time

Yours in Yarn,

The Fibreholic

I Have a Problem

I like to knit socks.....that's not my problem!
I like to travel.....that's not my problem!
I like to buy sock yarn when I travel as a type of souvenir.....that's not my problem!

Here is the sock yarn that I've purchase during the last three trips.



Not a lot but so far I've only knit 2 pairs of socks from my small collection of souvenir sock stash.

Maybe it has something to do with this:





Or maybe it has something to do with this:




Yeah I think that it has something to do with my entire collection of regular stash sock yarn (there's enough for 43 pairs of socks in this picture). I tried to give full disclosure but found that 6 balls of sock yarn did not make it into the picture nor did the 7 skeins of bare sock yarn from Knit Picks.


I'm a weak woman with a problem. I enter a yarn store/wool shop and head straight for the sock yarn section. I stand amazed at all the beautiful colours. I touch, fondle and caress, then I am hooked and I can't leave the store without at least one ball or skein. Even with all the sock yarn at my finger tips I can't wait until my next fix. Eventually the urge will be so strong and I won't be able to control myself. I'll have to find a way to satisfy this urge growing deep inside and the only way to do that is to add to the stash......


I'm a Fibreholic and sock yarn is my drug of choice. I make no apologises but I think that I'll have to divide the stash again and hide it all before DH gets home tonight......just in case!!!!

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

I should have known

Sigh....there is a lot of effort going into this. Probably much more then she'll ever realize, but it was inevitable. Once the blanket started to take shape she saw the possibility and potential of this thing. She became enamored and declared the blanket hers. I don't blame her though, if I were my teen, I'd probably do the same.

On the recommendation of Taph, I've decided not to publicly beg for leftovers of sock yarn. However being the ....ahem....the collector.....of sock yarn that I am, I'll never lack materials for this blanket. When you have your own stash that you are trying to control there is no need to add to the chaos with the help of other. I am doing a good job of it all on my own.

As with many mother/daughter relationships we have discovered that we are at an impasse in our opinion of the construction of this blanket. I see a great sock yarn and think about the wonderful socks. She sees the same yarn and wants it to go immediately into the blanket. She not quite there yet on the concept of leftovers yet...that....and patience. Since I am the one knitting this project, she has realized that she must resign herself to waiting for the finished product for however long it takes. It's a life lesson that she's not too thrilled about.

So without further ado, here is an update of my mitered square, leftover sock yarn blanket.

Until next time

Yours in Yarn,

The Fibreholic

Adventures in Babysitting

There are tonnes of perks to my babysitting job. Babysitting a building that is....

First of all buildings don't :

1. cry in the middle of the night
2. need diaper changing
3. insist that you take them to the park for the 50th time where you have to pretend to enjoy yourself
4. turn their noses up at a meal you just made even though last week it was their favorite
5. talk back to you
6. fight with a sibling
7. start running away when, you tell them, that its time to go home so you are forced to chase, with a younger sibling in tow, while everyone around you is laughing because they are all thinking..."better her than me"

For the most part, buildings sit quietly minding their P's and Q's. But best of all, many times they are open 24/7, so the majority of the time I am babysitting during silent hours when this building contains only a handful of people.

Do you have any idea how much knitting you can get done during a 12 hour shift? I even bought myself a laptop with a DVD player to watch movies while I'm at work.

This is me getting ready for a silent hour shift.....uniform?...check.....food?...check.....book to read?...check...movies to watch?...check...knitting project?...CHECK.....

There is a downside, believe it or not. Now that I'm earning more money than I've done in a LONG time, my yarn budget has grown considerably. While on the surface, this may not appear to be a problem, it is in fact, a big problem. I can buy yarn much quicker than I can knit so eventually my stash may overwhelm me or worse....DH will notice it.

I'm off to find more hiding places......

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

It all started with the word SALE

There I was minding my own business, on Boxing Day, visiting the Ravelry site. I was trying to catch up on the latest goings on in the groups that I follow. I wasn't even thinking about adding to my stash, (Stop laughing!) when what did I see? SALE at Knit-Knackers

Me: OH!!!! how interesting, maybe I'll just pop on over to their site and see what all the fuss is about.

(Seriously, stop laughing)

At the Knit-Knackers web site all I can see is 50% off.

After I deal with my heart palpitations, I look to see when the sale is happening. It starts on December 27th so I haven't missed it and I could get there on the first day of the sale, before all the good stuff is gone.

*****The Next Morning********

I'm lying in bed having a philosophical discussion with myself about actually going to this yarn sale. I really don't need to spend any more money and I really don't need any more yarn.

(You in the back....if you don't stop laughing, I'll have to ask you to leave)

Me: Dear, there's a sale on at Knit-Knackers and I'm trying to find a reason to go.

DH: Well if we both go into Ottawa, I could drive and you could knit on the way.

More heart palpitations.....Have I married a closet enabler? Where has this part of his personality been all these years?

DH: I could also get that game that I didn't get for Christmas.

Okay, so he's an enabler with a motivation...but an enabler none the less. This is probably a temporary phase so I shouldn't get used to it.

After 50 minutes of car knitting time, DH dropped me off and went on his way. I dove in, head first, into the massive piles of yarny goodness. It was nothing short of a fondle fest and my heart goes out to any one who couldn't make it to the sale. The kids weren't with me on the trip so you can only imagine how I was enjoying this ME time.

I worked at the selection process as quickly as I could knowing that DH would return any minute. This is my boxing day booty.



DH arrived just as Sarita was adding up my purchases and he saw everything that I bought. So what did he say?

DH: Now I don't feel so guilty about spending all that money on a game.

I think that he slipped on the ice and fell and hit his head. But I wasn't about to argue when I had that much yarny goodness in my clutches.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

Punishment for a Bad Blogger

Yup....I'm a bad blogger.

I wish that I could say that I've been keeping up with every one's blog and just not commenting. Sigh....but I can't even say that.

I wish that I could blame it on one single thing like having dial up or working long hours during the holiday rush. But that wouldn't be entirely correct.......

I wish that I could blame it on being such a good mother that I've been spending all my time with the kids and baking cookies. That didn't happen.....

I wish that I could blame it on going here and there and to every fab place and attending wildly exciting holiday parties. HAH....don't make me laugh.

If the blame lies anywhere, it's probably in the socks that I decided to knit for Christmas. So while I'm pre-occupied with all the holiday happenings, I was able to squeeze in 4 pairs of socks. Yeah for me! Three of them were made from my stash! Double yeah for me!

So what do I do to punish myself? What could I possibly do to make up for ignoring friends both near and far? What could I do to that would make sure that I would never again put my blogging aside for other less worthy diversions?

Hmmmm I could promise to make the teen's boyfriend, of three months, a pair of socks.

He's got size 13 feet.

That would be punishment enough for any knitter!!!

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

Here there be knitting

Last Fall I had the ever so brilliant idea to knit socks as Christmas gifts this year. I started with my sister but unfortunately I kept going of the feet until they fit me.

I'm sure that there must be something Freudian in there somewhere.

A couple of weeks ago (maybe three...possibly four) I decided to try again. This time I stopped the foot in time.

Going from left to right:
1) For my sister
2) For my sister-in law
3) For my brother (in progress but I'm on the foot of both socks for him)
Brownie Points for me....Two of these socks came from stash sock yarn.The third needed to be purchased as I'm not in the habit of stashing anything gray.



I just might be able to pull this off!!!

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

I'm going slightly Mad

I can't blame Ravelry!
I can't blame the Yarn Harlot!
I can't even blame it on Shelley Kang!
I place the blame, in its entirety, on Emily.

There I was, minding my own business, when Emily began to knit a mitered square, using leftover sock yarn. She informed me that once a million of these were done, she would then sew them together for an afghan.

Now speaking as someone who claims to have invented the crazy sock, I have to ask myself....Why didn't I think of this first? Could it be that I'm a little too obsessed with socks? But really...is that such a bad thing? I've been told that occasionally I'm a perfectly normal individual, but I think that the jury is still out on that one.

Here is proof of my decent into Madness!


I realize that I've only just begun this project, but I've already come to the conclusion that I have to:

A) buy more sock yarn

or

B) hold some type of contest thing. I would ask everyone for donations of their leftover sock yarn. Everyone who sent/gave me some would then have their name go into a draw for a full skein of some very yummy sock yarn.

I'll let you know what happens.

And if you're wondering.....and even if you're not........the mitered square, currently on the needles, I have a pair of socks made with that sock yarn. It is another random dye job. The teen called the colour "vomit" and wanted nothing to do with it.

That is until I knit up a pair of socks with the yarn.....NOW she wants them.

But who can blame her......they're gorgeous. Now before any of you choke on that last statement, I do put these socks in the "only a mother could love" category. So I don't want any comments about how my ugly socks have somehow offended the stylish sense of colour among the fibre arts community. Considering some of the stupid things that the Canadian government has paid big bucks for because someone called it art, my socks are the least of your worries.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

A Month of Birthdays

My birthday has come and gone along with my anniversary. It was marked by me getting up for work and then driving into Ottawa for dinner and a movie with DH. Not very exciting....yes I know. But it was one of those big fat ugly birthdays that a woman doesn't want to acknowledge and breaks out in hives at the mere mention of the number. I really just wanted to get the day over and done with, so I could go back to bed and pretend that the day never happened.

But what I can't play pretend about is a lack of a gift from DH. Yes you read that correctly, he didn't get me anything. I didn't even get a cake.

Fortunately, I covered him, once again. Last Saturday, while he and the kids were watching the Buskers Festival, I was at Knit-Knackers buying something for myself.



Eleven 100g skeins of Louet Gems Merino light worsted weight in cherry red for a price that I could not pass up. I did get the DPNs sets that were the original reason I went to the store. So the yarn was just a bonus. Happy Birthday to me!!!

Actually, if truth be told I also went there to give Emily (the nice gal who works there) her gift. It's her birthday today. She is a wonderful person despite the fact she knits socks on DPNs that look like broom handles.



Look carefully, it's my first happy clappy. What a fun scarf to knit and unravel, so much so I think that I've almost changed my mind about scarf knitting. It's made with Lullaby by Berroco that I got from my stash. Yah gotta like that.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

My Cheatin' Heart

It's sad really, a grown woman with so little will power. Here I was, ready to commit to this yarn diet. I was going to be good. I was only going to knit from my stash. I was not going to buy anything. I need to make room in my storage area. I have a suitcase filled with yarn that I need to find a spot for so that I can fill it up once again on an upcoming trip.

I was doing so well. Since the yarn diet had begun, I had bought only 2-50g balls of sock wool. I have been told by some very wise knitters that sock yarn doesn't count, so I'm in the clear on that count.

So here I was, minding my own business, not even thinking about buying any more yarn when WHAM!!!!! It hit me like a tonne of bricks.



How could I resist? I'm only human after all. Malabrigo merino has got to be the softest thing on the planet right now. Eight skeins calling my name as if I were a sailor to be lured to my death.

However the word sale can be a powerful force and make me succumb to my weaknesses. I won't tell you how little I paid for this wool. Let's just say that if I didn't buy this yarn, I would have had a stern reprimand by the knitting police for passing up such a good deal.

That being said, my conscience is clear. Especially since I have actually started knitting something with it. If my calculations are correct, I have enough to make the Must Have Cardigan. This time it is working out beautifully.



Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

And the Winner is....

Drum roll please......

Deluxe Yarns emailed me this morning and asked for my address. They told me to expect my prize in the mail and that the photos of the winning socks were on there blog.

This is me, hyperventalating.

I checked out their blog.

This is me, doing the happy dance and squealing with delight.

My crazy socks came in first place.

So without further ado here is photographic evidence of how truly crazy I really am:



Thanks Mad Mad for the idea. Next time I'll try to outsource the weaving in of the ends but I don't think that I know anyone, besides myself, who is that crazy.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

I thought that they would help.

As I'm sure you're all aware of the healing powers of knitting cables. All Hail!!!! to the restorative powers of cables. I figured what better way than to become a Yarn Harlot groupie and knit my way, with the Must Have Cardigan, back to health.

The yarn would have been perfect. It has been in my stash long enough to have aged nicely, just like a fine wine. The yarn actually came from an estate sale about 12 years ago so it's hard to say how long it's actually been stashed for.

Because I wanted this cold to be over and done with quickly, I dove in, head first, into the back. After a few rows I discovered that this yarn was not meant for cables. I can't blame the yarn though. I just can't think clearly with phlegm filled sinuses. I'm heart broken, but resign myself to frogging the little I've knit. After all, what's the point of all those lovely cables if you can't see them!!!!!!



Since I am anxious to use this yarn, I am knitting a plain raglan sweater. Looks like I'll be sick for a while longer.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

Nose to the Grindstone

Motivated by the great marks I've received recently on my individual project for the class that I'm taking, I've been studying my heart out the past few days.

It's a way to keep the kids quiet. "I have to study! The next person who says a word has to spend the entire March Break in their room while the rest of us do something really fun." It works. Okay so the two biggest noise makers went next door for the day.....at least it was quiet.

My test is today. But I can not live on a perpetual study period alone. There was knitting. I finished my cardi but the pix that I took of it wasn't the greatest so I'll try another time.

These are my Socks from Stash for February. They are a Llama/Merino blend that I bought from a local rancher. The reason why they look so sloppy in the picture is that the are DH's socks and the feet are mine.



These socks were meant as a Christmas gift for my sister......however....I tried them on after I shot the pix and discovered the socks fit me. (Sounds almost like a Freudian slip of the knitting needles) My sister's feet are two sizes smaller than mine. So Should I keep them or rip them back a bit????? In any case these are Feb socks #2 knit from stash.



Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

My First of the Year

Since I've decide to go on a yarn diet, fortune has turned against me slightly. I now have to go on a yarn diet as part of a savings plan. Fortunately, I have an amazing stash to get me through this rough spot.

So I don't concentrate on what I can't do, I'll concentrate on what I can do. I joined the Socks from Stash group on Ravelry. Each month I'll knit a pair (more importantly finish a pair) with stash yarn.


For your viewing pleasure, this month, we have a wool cotton blend from Regia. The were knit from the cuff down with a Peasant heel. I've never done this type of heel and didn't bother matching the heels either. If I had, it would have left me with short strands of the yarn, too short to even put in a crazy sock.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

It ain't pretty...but it works

I am failing miserably at this seven things challenge. On one hand I haven't had the opportunity to get rid of things but on the other hand, in the last two weeks, I've only purchased one thing.

I've been so busy knitting for other people...it's crazy. But one thing that I have done, for which I am quite pleased, is my shake it all about item.

Two pairs of men's jeans. One with the knees torn out so badly you wonder what is keeping the bottom half of the leg attached to the rest of the jeans. These were turned into cutoffs for next summer. The second pair, covered in paint, was worn in the crotch area and beginning to be obscene. So what do I do? Take a pant leg from one pair and cut it to size and a pocket from the other pair and turn it into a small project bag. Using bias tape and Velcro, Ihad in my sewing stash, I came up with something quite usable.



And just look what's inside......

Yes, I've casted on another sock........so what's your point??? I know that I'm a weak woman. I just can't help myself.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

The Babies...week 2

The Babies are a week old and no longer look like little pigs. They have a fine coating of wool and I already have an idea of what colour they will be. Their eyes are still closed, but the ears are starting to pop up. Last Monday morning I miscounted, there are 7, not 6 babies. So like any proud bunny Grandparent, here are my update photos.Seven Things Update

Last week
OUT
a large garbage bag filled with towels (didn't count them) My MIL was doing some house cleaning and decided we needed her old towels and sent them with my parents when they came to visit. Why?????? I have no idea why she felt we would want them.
2 shopping bags filled with kids clothes
It all went to charity.
IN
I was doing so well, I hadn't bought a thing. But on Sat I walked by the local fabric store and heard the seductive whisper calling my name. I bought one piece of cotton for quilts and a piece of flannel for a pair of sleep pants for the teen.

This past week
OUT
Arrrrgggghhhh nothing. I'll have to do better this week. DH is selling things on Ebay like crazy but I'm not going to count his totals with mine. He is doing it for the money and not to live with less stuff.

IN
2 skeins of Hacho yarn (hand painted DK/8ply Merino) (free at the Jane Ellison workshop)
The Mirasol Collection book (I had to get her to sign a copy while she was here....didn't I???)
1 skein of lace weight baby alpaca from Misti Alpaca.
1 pattern for the "shy sheep" cardigan. Can't wait to make this one.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

Cannibalism and other fun things to try

Ok.....Now that I have your attention :)

Remember my lack of patience with the whole mile long scarf thing? See here for the latest photographic evidence of my self inflicted insanity. Not wanting to prolong my suffering and drive myself around the bend I came to a decision today. Let's face it...I need my last nerve for dealing with my kids.

I decided to use the yarn to make socks instead. Because I don't want to make the scarf nervous, I started at the other end, of the skein. I don't want it to see me coming. Otherwise it might get scared and head for the bottom of the UFO pile. I'm also doing this so if I fall and hit my head, take leave of my senses and go back to the sock/scarf, I'll have a way out. I can always continue to work on the scarf while in recovery from the awful accident. I guess that it doesn't count as true cannibalism as the scarf isn't a finished object. But since I would probably never actually finish it...this is close enough.

And now for something completely different....
My friend Taph has decided to do the Seven Things Spring challenge. For some strange reason, I decided to put my hand up and join in. I think mainly it's because the crap around this place is starting to pile up. The Seven Things Project was started by Earthchick back in '06. It all boils down to being content with less stuff.

It's not like I have a lot of stuff myself, but with three kids...stuff tends to accumulate. I want to be pickier about the stuff that comes into the house. I want my kids to get rid of the knock-down-drag-out-carpet-chewing temper tantrums when they want something.

I want them to be able to see their bedroom floors.....oh wait....picking up their stuff is a whole different challenge.

I've already got a bag of yarn up for grabs.....Let's not get excited and start emailing me for first dibs. There is a reason why it's going.....my tastes have become more refined and the stuff is .......well you know. The yarn will go up on freecycle today. There is about 30 balls in the bag so count them gone......

Since last Saturday, all I've bought for my own use was a pair of Trak pants and two bras. So what if it's a lame start, it is still a start. On Saturday my seven things week starts over so I'll aim higher than just getting rid of crap yarn.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn, (nice yarn that is)
The Fibreholic

S.E.X in Australia

Well... I thought that it was time to let everyone know just what I did/spent my money on during my two weeks in Canberra. DH goes off to his conference and I went shopping. As you can see, or maybe not, the vero has already been started into a scarf.....but since I needed the needles for something else....the scarf has been put on the back burner. One day I may fess up like George and admit to all my WIPs. Let's just say....there are many!!!Okay now I've got this bus thing down so I do some sightseeing the next day. But there is another Siren of wool calling me...so what could I do?????You'll notice that I've already started my sleeve......no....I meant swatch......Changing the subject.....after this batch.....here's what I bought, on DH's suggestion. It comes with a strap or I could use the handle on the end as there are wheels underneath. The bag folds down quite nicely so I'll be able to lay it flat in our suitcase the next time we travel. I was lucky enough to be in Canberra for one of the SnB meets where I was kindly invited to a tour of the city where I saw some of the sites. I, of course, helped out the local economy.

Check out that cone of white stuff. I bought it at an Op-Shop in Manuka for $1.00...just because. Now picture me on Mother's Day with about 10 hours of broken sleep in the last 48 hours (not a pretty sight) doing the burn test (it passed), doing the bleach test (it passed)....then I turned the cone over and you'll never guess what I saw.....A label from Bendigo Woolen Mills. Needless to say, I didn't bother with the felting test. Not content with only ready to knit wool, I crashed a meeting of....I mean... I visited the Canberra Weaver's and Spinner's guild.Taph took me out to see the sites. There wasn't a lot of stash enhancement opportunities, but I wouldn't have missed the trip for the world. Here's what I bought....

The Alpaca will feel nice on my toes this winter. DH will appreciate the no more cold feet being warmed up against his legs at night. All good things must come to an end.....vacations and yarn shopping.....my last day in Canberra DH and I headed over to Lincraft to spend the last of our Aussie $$$$ (less what we'd need to buy lunch the next day).

And much to my delight......guess what arrived in the mail.......mind you it did arrive at the 11th hour....but who cares....it still came..... My Bendigo order.....and it's all destined for the dye pot.....I ask you...could life get any better than this....

Living the good life, Until next time

Yours in Yarn,

The Fibreholic