The Magic of Malabrigo

Alcaucil Sock: Tough to Photograph!

Since successfully destashing a good 75% (possibly more!) of my Malabrigo collection for Stockpile in October, it seems as thought just as much has found its way back into my life. Not that I'm complaining....there are far worse problems than having luscious skeins show up on your doorstep!

I was randomly selected to win this skein of sock in one of my favorite colors, #805 Alcaucil - apparently, I properly tagged and classified all of my Stockpile projects. At last, my anal-retentiveness and ability to follow directions have been rewarded!

I've got big plans for this yarn - I think it wants to be the model for the Heliotrope Stockings when I re-release this pattern in January...which reminds me: if you want to knit this pattern in the next couple of months, I recommend you purchase it from The Sanguine Gryphon this week. They are in the process of winding down operations, and come Dec. 24th (or thereabouts), this pattern will be out of print until I can reformat & re-knit a model in yarn that is actually available - my estimated release date is mid-January. Consider this your warning!

My Secret Santa from the Sweatshop of Love holiday party gifted me these lovely skeins of Worsted in #98 Tuareg and #507 Pigeon, and I'm pretty certain I'll be using them to make Here and There, an adorably stripey cabled hat by Veera Välimäki. It's a rare day when I decide to knit a pattern in the same colors as the model shown, but there's something about this color combo that really grabs me.

Above: Malabrigo Worsted
Middle: Here and There Hat
Below: Malabrigo Silky

Finally, my pal Sam destashed three skeins of Silky in #415 Matisse Blue. They're destined to become a cute little cardigan....eventually! I still have miles to go with my holiday knitting and quite the post-holiday queue to contend with. It never hurts to be prepared, though....and I just happened to find this adorable free pattern from Hedgehog Fibres that will fit the bill nicely....

Abalone Cardigan from Hedgehog Fibres

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Overdyeing A Finished Knit

Even after just a few years of knitting or crocheting, you're bound to have some finished projects lying around that never get worn or used. After 10+ years of crafting, I have more than just "some" or "a few"....and with my ongoing quest to declutter my house this year, I've become obsessed with going through these forlorn projects and making some Big Decisions. Sometimes, they are perfectly fine and just need a new and loving home. Other projects may have not turned out quite right: there might have been some mistakes in the knitting that I thought I could live with, or the yarn was gorgeous but not well-matched to the pattern, or my taste has drastically changed since I finished making the project...in any case, why on earth did I keep knitting?! Who knows, but I don't feel good about gifting anything that falls into this category to someone else. These projects have been relegated to the "frog pile" (or should I say, frog pond?), to b

Easy DIY: Beaded Vintage Snowflake Ornament Kits from Solid Oak Inc.

I was really excited to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new as part of my "Christmas in July" theme this month. The kind folks at Solid Oak Inc offered me a chance to review one of their Nostalgic Christmas beaded crystal ornament kits I couldn't resist. My tree is already full of ornaments I've inherited or been gifted from other family members and friends, so these pretty crystal beaded ornaments will fit right in I think! I was super impressed with this compact little kit , which includes everything needed to create three gorgeous vintage-style ornaments - just add a pair of round nose pliers (I found mine on Amazon for less than ten bucks). The instructions had some fabulous tips for newbies like me; for example, it recommended sorting the beads and laying them out in order on a towel or beading mat to prevent them from rolling away. That may seem obvious, but I was totally ready to start beading on my kitchen table without a

What If I Didn't Add Heels?

Last weekend, I finished the first sock with my Waterlilies yarn , and just for yuks, I tried it on even though it was basically just a tube sock. Much to my surprise, it fit really well, even without a heel. Who knew? So, that got me thinking: what if I just didn't add the heels? I never thought a tube sock would actually fit nicely, but I genuinely like the fit, so...why spend time to add the heels? As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.... Let's say I decide not to add heels once the second sock is done - there will still be placeholder yarn for the afterthought heels, as you can see above, so should I leave it in and just weave in the ends? Or should I remove it, put the live stitches back on needles and at least graft them together using more of the Waterlilies yarn? I plan on mulling all of this over as I knit the second sock, and I'd love to hear your opinions of what you think would look best (or if you think this whole "n

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