Glinda and Tomatoes

I finished the Glinda socks. I love Madtosh yarn, it is lovely to knit with.

The pattern was great to knit and I learned how to cable without a cable needle.

My tomatoes have been growing nicely. I'm so excited about how well they are doing. Hopefully that will keep up.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

My Over the Rainbow kit came this week. So very pretty. The yarn was dyed by Zen String.

I don't think I ever posted the two previous kits here. So here is the Wicked Witch Kit. dyed by White Oak Studio. And I included a picture of this one knit up.

And the Glinda Kit. This yarn was dyed by Madelinetosh.

Container Gardening and more OZ socks

So I'm going to try my hand at container gardening this year. I'm going to try to grow tomatoes and radishes. I bought everything to set it up today. Now I have to decide which part of my balcony will work the best. I hope to least get a salad's worth out of this.

I'm am about to cast off the Wicked Witch socks. Then I can cast on the Good Witch socks. And the Over the Rainbow kit should arrive this work. No tot mention I still need to finish the February shipment of the regular WoolGirl sock club and find time to knit the April shipment.

With all these kits, knitting down the stash has not been going that well. I think I'm working on my fourth stash project of the year.

Stash Flash

So April 1 is the day knitters flash their stash. I've never actually participated in it. And didn't again this year. The thought of getting out my entire stash and managing to get it all together for a picture is not even something I want to think about. Actually putting it all back is what I wouldn't want to do.

I am jealous of the stash management systems some people have. I don't currently have the space for the storage system I would like to have.

Cherry Tree Socks

I finished the Cherry Tree socks on Friday. Yay!

And I 'm now about 25% done with the Pine Cone Socks, which are being worked two at a time. This pattern has been refreshing so far compared to the Cherry Tree socks.

And my Lorna's Jaywalker is nearly to the heel flap on the second sock.

Socks Socks Socks

My Glinda the Good Witch Kit arrived this weekend. Yay! I adore Madtosh and pink, so it was perfect for me.

But it got me to thinking I have a lot of socks to knit. Especially so I don't have a ton of Wips or get too behind on my sock clubs.

1. Finish the Cherry Tree Socks (October 2008 Sock Club) -currently the 2nd sock is halfway done.
2. Finish the Whispering Pine Socks (December 2008 Sock Club)- just cast on today
3. Finish the Crazy Stripe Jaywalkers- 1st sock done
4. Finish the Regia Jaywalkers- 1st sock done
5. Knit the Wicked Witch of the West Socks
6. February/March Sock Club- kit should arrive this coming week
7. Knit the Glinda the Good Witch Socks

Crazy Stripe Jaywalkers and Yarn Diet

I am half done with the Crazy Stripe Jaywalkers. Made from Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the Crazy Stripe Colorway. I loved the first pair of Jaywalkers I made from this yarn about a year ago and knew then I needed to make another pair. My other pair is great for wearing in boots on cold Chicagoland mornings.

I bought the yarn about a year ago on sale, so this is a great stash busting project. I've been going through my stash most weekends to remind myself that I have lovely yarn and can stay on the yarn diet for awhile.

Sakura (Cherry Tree) Socks, one nearly done

I'm almost done with the first Sakura sock, made from Yarntini. I really love Yarntini yarn. I'm glad I stuck with the pattern and didn't give. I have found one mistake on the pattern thus far though. But it was pretty easy to catch, and it is for last rounds of the cuff, so it is not a part I have knit yet.

The picture is from a few days ago. I have more done now.

Knitting Anniversary

This past weekend marked the anniversary of when I first started knitting five years ago. I actually found the remnants of the first skein of Red Heart. If someone had told me five years ago that I would one day think $20 or more was reasonable for a pair of socks, I wouldn't have believed them. Although even then I knew that acrylic yarn was not for me.

Sakura (Cherry Tree) Socks

I've been working on the Sakura socks for a couple of weeks now. I'm still on the first sock. They are that difficult. This was the shipment of the October Sock Club.

I am debating whether to rip out the whole thing and do a different pattern or keep on going with this one.

Rainbow Bridge

My beloved kitty passed on to the Rainbow Bridge this morning. He was about 20 years old. I feel better knowing that he is not suffering, and is in a much better place.

Knitting from the Stash

So I'm starting to plan my projects ahead of time so I can stick to my yarn diet and finally knit projects I have wanted to state for awhile.

1. Start the second sock of the Jaywalkers- Regia
2. October 2008 Sock Club- Yarntini
3. December 2008 Sock Club-Hazel Knits
4. Wicked Witch Kit-White Oak Studio
5. Finish the Should Shawl with Syrian Lace- Knitpicks Shimmer
6. Swallowtail Shawl- Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Solid
7. Try to knit the 6 2009 Sock Clubs
8. My Gryffindor Knee Socks- Holiday Yarns
9. February lady Sweater-Dream in Color Classy
10. A Curved Shawl With Diamond Edging- Knitpicks Shadow
11. Perfect Pie Shawl-Possibly Cheery Tree Hill Baby Boucle
12. Tuscany Shawl- SWTC Bamboo
13. Gloria Cowl-?

These are the projects that I would like to either complete if they are in progress or start in this year. They are not in an exact order. All can be made from stash, with exception of the 2009 sock club and Wizard of OZ kits since that yarn is delivered in installments.

Stash and Yarn Diet

I recently went though one of my stash bins and updated my stash and in turn updated my stash on Ravelry. I still have a little bit of yarn from when I first started knitting. Some of it no longer has labels, but I can still identify the brand and usually the line. Granted it is not that hard to tell if a yarn is Caron Simply Soft.

I love comparing the old crappy yarn from the early days to my nice newer stash. It makes me feel like I have achieved something.

And going through all of my beloved yarn reminds me that I can stick to the yarn diet for awhile. Hopefully to Stitches in September. I did give myself Sock Club and Wizard of Oz kits, I need to have a little something new everyone and awhile.

Knitting Resolutions and Knitting down the stash

So it is a bit after the new year. But I'm posting my knitting resolutions now anyway.



1. I am going to finish the lace shawl I started in 2007



2. Make a sweater I will actually finish.



3. Shop the stash before buying new yarn.



With the exception of sock club and the Wizard of Oz kits, I'm going to try to keep from buying yarn until Stitches Midwest.






I started my first stash busting project. I'm making the Drop Stitch Scarf with KnitPicks Memories in Morning Glory. I bought the yarn back in 2007, they have since discontinued the line. I didn't like it for socks, the three pairs I made back in 2007 all had holes within a month. But I do like it for other projects.