Thursday, January 28, 2016

Shop Update Info...drool alert!

Hi everyone!  Just a quick advertisem....oh, um, I mean post to show you some of the beautiful yarn I've dyed so far (more drying in the basement as I write this):
 Sold this yesterday but I'll be dyeing another skein or over the weekend.
 Amazing
 Betsy
 Ghost
 Blood Orange
 Meadow
 Midnight Garden sold out after I showed it in IG...in like two minutes!  I have two more to add to the shop later today.  Yeah!!
 Royal Garden
 Piriewinkle (see what I did there?)
 November
Sunset Cliffs...not in the shop yet...later today.

I will photograph and list the new ones tomorrow or this weekend.
Keep checking in!  Most of my colorways have just one skein so if you love it, buy it!  It might not be there when you come back.

Monday, January 25, 2016

O Jonas, My Jonas!

Our first snowfall of 2016 was a blizzard called Jonas.  It was so awesome!!  I am so happy.  I originally had planned a girls weekend at the beach with some friends but we cancelled because of the blizzard.  Good thing we did, it was a doosy!  No doubt you've heard. 

Friday started out nice and cozy with some knit time and coffee in my new mug! Mike's socks are coming along nicely and they should be done soon.

Then Friday around 2pm the snow started to fall.  Joey had to go to work at 4:30 till 11:30pm.  I had to wait up for him to make sure he got home ok, I was so worried.  He parked in the front yard but that's ok, he got home safely.  If you're wondering why he even went into work well, it's because we have a 4-wheel drive and he CAN.  A lot of the folks who work at Target don't have cars that can get them to work, so he feels like he should go (strong work ethic...lovely quality).

 Just remember this photo when you see it again...and remember the snow level.
 It snowed all night...and all day on Saturday, too.  And most of Saturday night.
Gracie wasn't too thrilled.  I was!  
 Mike dug her out a path and potty place.  Poor baby.  (both)


 Remember the slow level by the car.  Snow drifts created mounds of snow at least 4 feet tall in some areas.  The snow is super light and fluffy so it blew all over the place.  Saturday and Sunday were both windy, too.  
 The snow was way too fluffy to make snowmen or snowballs.  Also, you can't even walk across the yard, you sink 3' into the snow!! haha
 I finished my Baa-ble hat!
 Eek!!  Look how high it is!  It was so amazing to watch.  We didn't want to go out every few hours and shovel, so we just let it all pile up.  
 Sunday morning was bright and sunny.  All the white snow made it super bright!  Look how high it is!!
Found out that this is the biggest storm/snowfall in history for the Baltimore area and Saturday the record for the most snow in one day: 25"!
 Snow frozen out over the roof of the house!  You don't want to be under that when it falls!
 I started a new hat called Scrollwork.  Beautiful cables in my own hand dyed worsted yarn in the Loverly colorway.
 Look how high it is along the cars.  Time to shovel all this out of the way!

 Mike swept off the snow while I shoveled the front walk/steps and started around the cars.
 I finished my hat just in time to wear it outside!
 Mike made a path to the street.  Just as he got to the end a neighbor came along with his snow blower and cleared the entire driveway in about ten minutes.  So wonderful!!
 Here's my Scrollwork hat!
 Next on the knitting agenda...BellaMae hat by my friend Dolly!
 And I started listing yarn in my shop!  I have about 12 skeins to add to the shop, the first today and I'll continue all week to add new yarn.

This Midnight Garden sold out about 2 minutes after I posted on Instagram!  I'm dyeing more tomorrow.  Don't worry...you have have one, too.



Today I shoveled a path to the wood pile so we could get more wood for fires in the fireplace!  Hey, I got my priorities! 

I hope you're enjoying your day...sunshine or snowshine!

Friday, January 22, 2016

New Yarn on the Way

I got my new yarn dyeing digs set up this week and did some yarn dyeing!  Nothing like a scenic spot in the basement to stir ones creative juices, right?  Actually, I love it...I can keep my stuff out, play my music and just dye all day long!
 I did some new colorways.

Back of the couch photos from one end, then the other.



Some old favorites will return, some new colorways, too.  I'll be working on the shop update this weekend and if the power doesn't go out (blizzard a-comin)...you'll see them posted in the shop soon!!

Fingers crossed!

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Snowy Throwback Thursday

Throwback to Winter 2014 and the (insert dramatic music) POLAR VORTEX!!!

 It was snowy, icy and very, very COLD!!!
Justine and I had a blast shoveling snow.  I know you're not supposed to enjoy that activity but we did!

Fast forward....

And this morning, there was a nice dusting of an inch or so!  Our Christmas lights are still up and were sparkling in the snow.  So pretty!!


BIG blizzard headed this way on Friday about mid-day.  My weekend plans to go to the beach with the ladies has been cancelled.  We're gonna hunker down and ride out the storm (hopefully with power).  There may be some movie watching, game playing, hot cocoa drinking/adult beverage drinking and knitting (ok, definitely some knitting) going on!

I dyed a bunch of skeins for the shop so I can work on that during the storm, maybe.  Anyway, a sneak peak preview tomorrow on some new skeins...and some old favorites, too.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

New Dye Digs

Yesterday I decided it was high time I got my butt in gear and start dyeing again.  So I cleaned off the old stove in the basement, swept the area, wiped everything down and attempted to start the stove.  This is where I hit a snag.  I turned the gas line on (like the gas tech who fixed it showed me) and tried to light the pilot light...and I could NOT get it to light.  So after a while, I just used a match to light the individual burner.  Worked like a charm!  It's SO nice to get everything set up and not have to put it all away at the end.  I have my dyes/yarn set up on the table (not pictured) and a nice counter to hold all my stuff and stations where I'm actually dyeing.  Love it!! 

And that beautiful floor for inspiration.  haha (not!)

Monday, January 18, 2016

The weekend in review

I had a great weekend! Busy doing fun stuff.  Friday night Mike and I went to my friend's brother's restaurant for some dinner and drinks and listened to a live band.  One of the guys in the band is the husband of one of the knitters in our group.  Cool!  

I started a pair of socks for Mike. This is the first one.  I finished it yesterday and started sock #2.  It looks fancy but the yarn self stripes, so it's just a plain vanilla sock.  A quick knit for me.

Saturday morning I went to knit group as usual and this time my new knitting student came too!  She works with Mike and is re-learning how to knit...this time continental.  She's really doing great and has started a new scarf!

I left knitting a little early to join two friends for lunch and some yarn shopping in Frederick!  We had lunch in our favorite dive...Wags.  Then off to the yarn shop!


The Knot House is really a very nice shop.  Their selection is lovely...lots of local yarns.  And their sales are great.
 Happy campers...um, I mean knitters!  So as we were leaving I told the gals there is an acronym for what we just did...it's SEX.  
Stash Enhancement eXpedition!  haha
 Inside The Knot House.  In the right corner are old fashioned scales with yarn in them...very clever.  The shop is in the corner of an old building...so cute!
 Frederick is really pretty, lots to see and do.  Carroll Creek runs through the city surrounded by parks and walkways.  A little chilly for us on Saturday to really enjoy it though.  

So I got this skein...dk weight wool to make a cable-y hat my friend Dolly wrote.  My first skein of Yoth Yarns.  I've heard a lot about them...finally get to try their yarn!

These last two yarn photos were taken at night under my knitting lamp so they're not very accurate color-wise.  This pink is much, much brighter, the color is called "hot pants" and it's by Dragonfly Fibers.  I bought it because I thought "Oooo! Socks!!" then later at home, realized it has cashmere in it so no socks for this baby.  Not sure what I will make...hat/mitts or a cowl.  We'll see.

These two are for a shawl called "The Love of Spiders" so I'll be doing some ironic-knitting.  The pink is more pink and less coral like it looks here. It's a two color shawl...really lovely.  The yarn is a local company called Neighborhood Fiber Co.

So while I was off knitting and buying yarn...Joey bought a car!!
He gave me a ride last night...woohoo!!  I think it's a perfect match for him.  
He's sooo happy!

Sunday was lovely too.  Lots of knitting, football watching, Mike took me for a little drive and IT SNOWED!!  Just a little and not really enough to stick much but it was still SNOW!  It might snow more this weekend.  I'll be at the beach with the girls so I hope it snows there too.  I'd hate to miss a good snowfall.

Have a great week folks!