Dyer of the Week

Anybody notice how there are about a million indie dyers out there now?? Well I just decided to spotlight one a week out of my stash. I'm not the world's expert on sock yarn or anything- I just love it and wanted to push er enable others to find these dyers. I'm not affiliated with any of these and the following is just my opinion- no offense meant. (Most of the time it's positive anyway). This week is FLY DYED!!!!!!!! The picture below is my collection by this dyer. The colors are FABULOUS!!! If you like bold and intense colors, this is the dyer for you. I have two kinds: Lace Wing Sock which is sw merino and 546yds/125g and Monarch: SW merino 370yds/4.5oz. Lace wing is a 2ply and Monarch is a 3ply, both are tightly spun into a very springy yarn. I have not yet knit up any so I'm not sure how the colors pool or stripe or whatever. My favorite thing about this dyer: The reds! They are truly red, not orange-y red or pink-y red, just a vibrant red (I'll get back to you on colorfastness. They are one of the few dyers who have perfected red (I've been disappointed by other dyers endlessly on this front.) I have found them here.

Next week I'll do a fiber indie dyer.

TA DAH!! This is one completed sock (bottom two pics)for the Sockmania KAL- Spiral socks- very fun- the other is started on the needles but alas I will not get the pair done by the end of month. This first pic is my false start- it was frogged. The yarn was two thick for the needles and was turning out to be cardboard!

Yarn I used: Apple Pie Lady Blue by Apple Laine. I think the yarn color is a bit busy for the design but the gauge, and yarn were turning out so lovely. (it is a wool, mohair, silk nylon blend and feels wonderful on your feet.) Thanks Anni for another great pattern!


Last thing- I've finally accomplished some more spinning. Here is my lovely soaking to set the ply. (You know you're a spinner when the only time you clean the sink is so your wool won't get dirty when you wash it...)

This was my first time Navajo plying- I'm quite pleased actually. I was so paranoid about overplying it that some parts are under- plyed - figures. Navajo plying has always intimidated me, turns out I was making it more difficult than it was- don't ya love those AHA/lightbulb moments!

Weighs about 4oz light worsted I think. Roving is Superwash by Interlacements either Submarine or Blues colorway. Until next time!

Club Week- spoilage warning!

If you are a member of the socks that rock club, spunky club (fiber), or Chameleon colorworks sock and fiber club and do not want to see the colors yet, stop reading after the first picture.

Believe it or not- I have a finished project!! Okay it's just a washcloth but I started yesterday and finished this morning- we are in need of washcloths so I just whipped one up! The pattern is a freebie I found sometime ago by Amy Carpenter. Great pattern- held my interest, I'll be making several more once my hands recover from knitting with cotton.

I've also decided to "reclaim" the yarn from one of my sweater wip- the yarn is just not speaking to me in this pattern so off it goes! It's actually quite a relief and I'll update my numbers accordingly!

This is the Spunky club fiber: Color Harvest Haze- it looks more 'spring-y' than harvest-y but I love the color. It is Lincoln wool, very heavy and coarse. I have not spun this before so I'm just leaving it sit out until it tells me what to do with it.

Here is the socks that rock club: color Flower Power. Again I love the color, but there is NO way I'm doing the included pattern- it's very nice, but I'm not a lacey anklet cuff kind of gal. For now it will just go into stash- one less wip to add on!

Here are the Chameleon colorworks selections: The yarn is Glacier Moraine and fiber is optium in Tahiti colorway. I love both! Very happy month for me colorwise! The sock pattern is incredible! If you want to learn more about her clubs the link is here.


Update on the customer service front: One issue has been resolved (I finally got my refund). However I'm still waiting for my missing item and I'm tired of having to call long distance/different time zone to hash this thing out again! Have a good weekend!

What happened to Customer Service????

Okay, I really get that mistakes, omissions etc. happen...I don't get having to address the problem for weeks on end. Case #1: I had a shopping cart of an online shop that really wanted me to purchase some needles with my order (there was a clitch that wouldn't allow me to remove them and I never put them in...). I contacted them with the order and then again with the problem. They indicated I wasn't the only one and they would credit me asap ($28 worth!). A week goes by and I notice on my statement that NO credit has been issued- I contact them again. They apologize and say they will check into it THAT day. Now I've received the order with no needles and the invoice makes a note of no needles but no price adjustment was made! I contact them AGAIN!! (I double check with the CC company just to make sure- no credit yet...) Now it's been three days with no answer on their part at all!! What a pain!
Case #2: Ordered two items (different company) but only one was in my package- I was charged for both. I contacted them FOUR times before they understood that I did not have the item AND I was charged!! It's been a month- I still do not have the other item and everytime I call it's "I see it right here to be mailed out.". I would just ask for a credit but the two things go hand in hand and to return the other thing costs me postage and restocking fee! It's such a headache to always have those things brewing in the back of your head!!

That being said, I have always had excellent/perfect/fast/friendly service from places like The Loopy Ewe and Woolgirl and Little Knits and WEBS ...okay I could go on and on and the good outweigh the bad, but the bad kills the joy of new stash!!!

The Ravelry Fates...

Alright! Ravelry is clearly the best thing since Knitpicks needles and I'm VERY anxiously awaiting my invite! (Read as: I'm getting list rage and yelling at the numbers to move faster...no more caffeine for me!) I just realized that about 1000 people get invited every week or so and I'm just over 5000 away. This means in about 5 weeks I will get my invite. It just so happens that is the week (two weeks actually) that we are crazy booked with back to school stuff/meetings/soccer games/kids birthdays AND the hubby OUT OF TOWN! SO I WILL HAVE MY INVITE BUT NO TIME TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT FOR TWO WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Could all of you lovely bloggers who already have your invite mention it a little less or make it seem like not such a big deal for awhile- maybe my patience will catch up to me...Thanks!!

More UFO's to add- none finished yet!

Well I found more unfinished things today- have yet to finish anything- but I have made progress toward a pair of socks...

Here are five more sweaters (gulp) I found in my mad search! Granted the pale purple baby sweater has a reason, I had my fourth boy (DH deemed it too girlie) and the bamboo circular needle snapped off the cord- I have to dig up a new needle. The dark purple sweater is great- it's just what I was working on when my grandmother died and I haven't been able to work on it alot since...

Here's two more socks on the needles.

UFO pics

Here are some pics of the UFO's I found- basically just the ones in my knitting bags (just 2 bags). I still have two bins to sort through so I'm sure more are coming! This one is a fairly new start- Mission falls Aimee pullover- I'm lovin the yarn and stripes, I'm weaving in ends as I go. I do at least one stripe a day and so far so good!


Charlotte's Web Shawl (This is my at the Shore project and since we're not making it to the shore this year...)

Other Sweater UFO's





Some sock UFO's





That's all I have time to post today, but I'm sure I'll find some more to put up later!

UFO issues

Okay...so I MAY have a UFO problem...they are in fact threatening a hostile take over. So in an effort to actually FINISH something I will be posting all the ufo's here and hopefully finishing at least one thing a month. My rules are as follows.
1. Strict yarn diet- no more buying yarn to start new projects for at least a year.

2. The only new projects I may cast on are for my KAL's (Sockamania, Socktopia, and sock along 4), socks that rock club, and Chameleon club. New projects may be cast on after 20 ufo's have been finished!

3. Brag extensively of any project I do finish.

4. SO's and UFO's are interchangeable in my world.

Most of my UFO's are socks- Why? I love socks, I love all the new techniques, the colors, dbl pts, circs it doesn't matter. I get so excited to try the next stitch pattern, that I bail after the "honeymoon stage" is over. I'm guessing I probably have 50 ish ufo's- 30 socks?? (YIKES). Okay I truthfully have no idea but I'm going to dig through everything and find them!