Whaddya Mean "Local"?

It's the end of May, the end of Green Month, which means tomorrow will be all about blue projects, blogging, pictures, and (hopefully) skies.

Today - a meme. From Terby Knits, all about my favorite LYS.
To qualify, I've only been to one yarn shop here in Chicago, and my feelings were pretty mixed, so I'm going to write about my favorite yarn shops around Tacoma, WA. It was my L for LYSes for 4 years, and it will be "local" again soon, when I take a roadtrip up through OR and WA this summer (just 4 more weeks... school is almost over and then I get to see my family and my boyfriend and old friends! My mind is seriously living in the future instead of working on the final paper that just got assigned today. Is it summer yet?). I will definitely be making a stop for yarn, even though I'll only be in Tacoma for a few days.

1)What's your favorite LYS?: Lamb's Ear Farm yarn and fiber
2)What about it do you like most?: Consistent selection. Every time I visited there was something great in the sale bin, and I don't think I ever bought sock yarn at full price. The variety was always just enough so that I felt like I had options but was never overwhelmed. They also only stocked basic, classic wool yarns, which is just what I like to use. Lots of Cascade, Regia, Koigu, Noro, Debbie Bliss, and Manos. The ladies working there were always helpful and friendly, and they were always working on really neat projects themselves.
3)What is your 2nd favorite?: My housemate Michelle took us girls to Canvas Works down in her hometown, Olympia. Holy yarn, Batman, if I'd lived closer, I would never have been able to hold onto any of my money, because this place was like a candy store. The woman behind the counter was incredibly helpful, they had a wide selection of patterns and pattern books, and I got the impression if I'd stayed there the whole day just petting all the yarn it would have been just fine.
4)What would you improve [about it] to make it a tie with your first?: I would have improved my owning a car and my proximity to Olympia :)
5)What's the last thing you bought at your #1 LYS? A random assortment of sock yarn, of course!
6)Who's Next?: Anyone who wants it. Especially if you're around the Chicago area, because I need to hear about the places you love that I should visit!

(Chocolate) Haze

Hello again :)
It's been so hot here the last few days! Half of me LOVES it, and the other half can't really figure out what to think, since the humidity makes me feel like my brain is melting, and the chunks of pollen (!) floating in the air are giving me the worst allergies I've had in a long time. So I've titled this post Haze, because that's what I've been walking around in...

It was a beautiful three day weekend, made even better by the amazing package I received from my Secret Pal last week. Guilt-free Chocolate was the theme, and here are some shots of the goodies.
New sock needles, my first ever set of bamboos, with a really great sock bag (the Madonna, knitting a sweater! J'adore) and cocoa-colored yarn. I've started a pair of embossed leaves socks from a back issue of IK. :)

Chocolate scented wonderfulness, from candles (the sundae one has already gotten a great deal of use, and the melting wax looks like dripping fudge topping. yummm) to soap and lotion. I love it!
I also got stitch markers and earrings, and a plushie donut pal. Thank you so much, SP.

Project Spectrum Update I've actually been crafting in the color scheme this month, surprisingly enough.

A green and blue cotton dishcloth for your enjoyment. And also for washing my dishes:
A beautiful picture of sludge pond (check out my November archives; this thing was disgusting) Not looking so sludgy anymore!

More updates soon. I'm off for another pinball extravaganza tonight :)

Link-o-rama

Just wanted to quickly share a few bits of inspiration I've been enjoying recently...

Log cabin pillows
Cupcakes. Every day.
Sweet tissue holders
Gift-tags, especially the ones with numbers
Gorgeous stacks of fabric


Coming up: I got the best CHOCOLATE-themed package from my SP8 yesterday, and I'll definitely put up a few pictures tomorrow. For now, just imagine me relaxing in my room, knitting cocoa-colored socks and enjoying chocolate-scented candles. Delicious :)

Treats

To start with, a better picture of those socks without the pink glow. Even though it's night and I used the flash, this is a pretty accurate representation of the color.

In other Sockapalooza news, my new pal over at Yarnbeans sent me a totally unexpected and very sweet thank-you gift. Some hand-dyed sock yarn in fabulous shades of blue and a super cute card. This was such a great surprise, and it's at the top of my list for Project Spectrum June!
I got some expected mail, too, the other day. A skirt I ordered. I love the ribbon and the hem facing print. I haven't worn it yet, and I might wait until I get home in a few weeks and go out for a girls' lunch with my sisters.
One quick FO to share as well! I went to Michael's today with a gift certificate from my aunt, and I bought a bunch of Sugar'n Cream cotton, mostly variegated colors, to make dishrags. I want to phase out kitchen sponges, I think, and dishrags make quick, easy knitting.
ETA: Had to remove the quiz, because the fact that it was making my sidebar migrate down to the bottom of the page was really getting on my nerves...

Sprout

This post brought to you by the color GREEN

I finally feel like it's really spring around here! My little plants are growing up (please ignore the construction in the background. My strategy is that if I pretend they're not there, I don't have to listen to them. Uh, it doesn't work)
I made a pair of green socks this weekend with yarn from my fabulous SockPal, Emily - I am really not sure why there is such a pink glow on this picture. Strange happenings around here.
And I'm feeling all rejuvenated. Could be the fact that there is sun around here again and all the trees/ivy/grass plots on campus are in full, glorious bloom.

Could be partially because I gave my stressful presentation in that Greek class on Friday and school has calmed down somewhat (it's only papers from here on out, and I have big plans for avoiding stress over these papers).

Could be because of my haircut.... Here is a better picture in the light of day, like I promised a week ago (oops).
Could be because I finally made it back to the gym after 3 or 4 weeks of feeling too busy to go over there. I love the energy rush I get from working out, and it helps me put everything in perspective.

Could be because tonight I get to go hang out with knitters again - last week was a wonderful time down at Borders' cafe with the SouthSide SnB. It was so fun to see everyone's projects and pass around knitting books and be around people who know what I mean by 'dpn' and 'ladders' :) Though I love my muggle friends, it's lovely to be understood!

I promise an update tomorrow - I have some great goodies to share that I got in the mail, and I'll hopefully be heading to Michael's to spend a gift card. Hope you all had a restful weekend!

Say goodbye...

...to long hair! I'm getting a haircut downtown this afternoon, and I'm just going to tell them to make it look good, so who knows how short it will be when I get back tonight? All I know is I want a certain kind of bangs. I'll be sure to show you pictures...
Here's a 'before' taken about 2 days ago
ETA: One fairly cruddy 'after' picture - I'll take a better one in the light of day tomorrow after I've had a chance to do my new hairdo myself. But I think I love it!!!

And here are the latest finished socks :)

Cable Twist socks, again. I think this is my new go-to pattern; it's easy to remember, but still interesting, and I'd love to see it knit up in different variegated yarns. This one is KnitPicks Sock Memories in Paper Dolls, made on US3 dpns.
Tomorrow- I'll tell you all about Monday's knitting extravaganza with the lovely men and women of the South Side SnB!

Attack of the Greeks

Greek has taken over my life.
I don't really like to complain about school, because I love it and I'm here by my own choice, but really when the teacher assigns a long list of things, adds another equally long list two days before the class (Wednesday), and then e-mails the morning of the class to add just one more thing, I can't think of anything nice to say about this class. Maybe it's good that he trusts our translating abilities that much?
I'm slightly overwhelmed and I feel panicky.
Hopefully after my class ends today at 5, I'll have more of a brain and maybe even some knitting to show. This weekend is full of reading and paper writing, so I'll definitely get some knitting in there somehow.

Happy Friday, everybody!

A Sock a Day

Roughly, that's what I've been up to this weekend. Evidence can be viewed below:

Friday: S'mores Socks finito!
KnitPicks Sock Memories, S'mores colorway
Cable Twist Socks pattern (links to pdf file) from Hello Yarn
US3 dpns
Love them, but they're for my sister. The marshmallow queen :)

Saturday: Sockapaloooza socks received!
I am so so happy with this marvelous pair of socks, made by my pal Emily of Aqua-Star Knits; she's already in my sidebar! Imagine my surprise when I found out the socks I had seen and admired on her blog were suddenly in the lobby of my building. Emily has another picture of the whole package over on her blog. She also sent a See's chocolate bar with toffee (very delicious. long gone. yum.) and some lovely green Opal Gems yarn to help me with May Project Spectrum knitting. Emily, the socks fit so well, and I love them, especially the cute picot cuff! Great job with the dyeing and the knitting. Everyone say "ooh" and "aah"!!
Saturday and Sunday: Easter Egg Socks started, 1 sock finished
Katia Mississippi 3 print from my Booty Swap pal, Heather. This is a cotton acrylic blend, so it took a bit of getting used to and three drafts due to gauge adjustments, but I ended up with one cute sock and a clear plan for the second.

Monday: de-railed from Easter Egg Sock #2 because I started another Cable Twist Sock.
KnitPicks Sock Memories, Paper Dolls colorway

I feel okay about all the knitting this weekend because, even though it meant I didn't spend much time doing homework, I still managed to finish all the homework I have due this week. I felt so productive, and I'm really happy to have knitting time! I also have time to goof off, as evidenced by my Self-Portrait Tuesday picture below.
My sister thought I should wear these to protect my poor left eye from further retina damage.
She also thought that a marshmallow gummy hamburger would taste good. Boy was she ever wrong...

5 Senses Friday

This post brought to you by The Cinco de Mayo Miracle notice - class was cancelled this afternoon! I'm so excited to be starting my weekend a few hours early.

Sight
Lime green ivy on the side of Bond Chapel
Schindler's List. I'd never seen it before, and watched it Wednesday night.
Red and white dust jackets at work. Gorgeous. All the images (paper cutouts) are different.

Smell
The ground right after rain
That really good smell of permanent markers. Yeah, I know, you're not supposed to smell them.
Wet newspaper and cardboard

Taste
Blackberry Green Tea Frappuccino
Incredibly spicy tofu, bok choy, bamboo, watercress, baby corn, and pea stirfry
Watermelon chewing gum

Touch
Sticky backs of barcodes at work
A warm breeze
Sun-warmed bench waiting for the bus

Sound
Fantastic words like "supposititious" and "himatophorida". The second one is Greek and pretty much means suitcase :)
Echoes of a student choir practicing some motet in a stone archway
Incredibly loud sneeze with impeccable timing - right after the teacher said, "And the rabbi responded,..." "ACHOOO!"

Other highlights of this week -
Reading:
William Golding books - The Paper Men, The Double Tongue, and Darkness Visible.
Greek school exercises and letters about friendship.
Drafts of my midterm paper, turned in Wednesday.

Thinking about:
Movies with friends - tonight we're watching Walk the Line
Classic Alice illustrations. When I was about 6 I remember thinking it would be great if my middle name could be "Wonderland." Yes, Allison Wonderland. I've reconciled myself to Leigh, but Alice's world still holds so much wonder for me. For some reason I especially love the duchess.

Broccoli. Why is it so cute?
Breakfast food. Check out this post for some inspiring images.

If any of you do a 5 Senses list, let me know. I'd love to read it!

Hi Secret Pal, Read This One! :)

Oh yes, it's that time again. When I get to buy treats for someone special and I get to use my secret e-mail address and snoop around someone's blog to figure out what they like. I think I should maybe change career tracks and become a spy, no? Perhaps most exciting of all, I get mail! Just for me!
What is this wonderful arrangement, you ask? Secret Pal 8, running now through August. Get ready for a summer of surprises!
First surprise - it's me with glasses and messed up hair and a Halloween shirt for Self-Portrait Tuesday. Now you all know what I REALLY look like. hahaha

Secret Pal! Don't run away! I'm not normally that scary! Plus the skull and crossbones shirt says "Hugs and Kisses". See? Friendly.

And now, I have to answer the questionnaire:

NOTE - for those who don't want to slog through the whole thing, I'll let you know now that there is no other substance to the post once you get through the questionnaire. Just to save you some scroll button action. :)

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
My favorite yarn is sock yarn! Any kind, any color! Probably because I like socks. Generally I enjoy using wool, wool blends, and cotton. Angora (though it is oh-so-soft-and-wonderful) makes me sneeze. Also fun fur that looks like dead muppets is not the greatest.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have a Mary Engelbreit printed wine canister thingie that I got at Michaels. I also keep an empty Nutella (yummmm) jar on my desk to hold the most frequently used crochet hooks, scissors, and sock needles.
3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I've been knitting for just over 5 years! I learned from a few friends in my first year of college, and I haven't been able to stop since. I'm advanced enough to follow any pattern, I think, but I tend to stick to "intermediate" projects. Complicated knitting that requires long periods of intense concentration just does not like to co-exist with complicated homework that requires even longer periods of intense concentration. You understand :)
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Ayup. Here's a link to my Froogle list.
5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
Fruit of any kind. I especially like citrus scents for anything I'm going to be putting on myself. Lavender is nice for candles. Ooh and I have to tell you I just bought this lotion that smells like cake batter, and it is a very good thing there is a little warning written on the bottle: "This product smells good enough to eat, but it is not edible." Seriously, if they hadn't put that there, that lotion was about to get spread right on top of a cupcake.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Why yes! I have a sweet tooth. And it is made of caramel-covered custard. It also enjoys chocolate-peanut butter candies of all sorts.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I also like to draw with markers, crochet, sew (er, I will once I get my machine out to Chicago. It's back home in CA probably pining after me), and I've just started spinning. I still kind of suck at it, but it's really fun!
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
My CD player is my computer, so it is super talented, and probably understands MP3s way better than I do. That is not really saying much. Anyway, I like lots of different kinds of music and I'm always excited about hearing new stuff. A random selection of things I enjoy: John Mayer, Maroon 5, Black Eyed Peas, Sheryl Crow, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Alison Krauss, Nickel Creek, Tonic, Jamie Cullum.
9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
Oh dear. This question is so hard for me. I really like color combinations instead of individual colors. My favorites are Blue(Light, Medium, Navy), White, and Khaki/Brown, Pink and Green (anything from baby pink and lime green to burgundy and forest green), and Purple and Grey. Yeah, that probably wasn't very helpful. But I really really don't like yellow.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I am the oldest of 4 kids (2 sisters and a brother), but Mom and Dad and the others are in California, and I'm going to grad school in Chicago. I live in a studio apartment by myself, and I don't (can't!) have any pets unless you want to count dust bunnies. Then I have too many pets. Eventually I want to have a cat. Or a rabbit. But this is in The Faraway Future (TM).
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes, Yes, Yes, not so much. Chicago winters are cold, so warm accessories are always welcome.
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Socks Socks Socks!!!!!
Okay, I like making armwarmers, too.
13. What are you knitting right now?
Socks. :) And a silk-linen blend camisole from Vintage Knits

and a halter type top from an online pattern. The pattern is in French, and I am having a bit of trouble. Everything I'm knitting at the current moment is brown.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Of course.
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Straight or circular depends on the project, but I do socks/gloves/mittens on DPNs, hats on circulars, and big pieces on straights if I have the right size. I love aluminum needles because they click.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Nope
17. How did you learn to knit?
At first I learned from some friends, but after that I turned to books for more guidance. Stitch 'n Bitch seriously gave me the courage to try all kinds of new things, from cables to intarsia to socks!
18. How old is your oldest UFO?
I have a pair of socks that I started last fall and never finished. Because I don't like them and I haven't thought of something better to do with the yarn. So I'll be ripping them eventually.
19. What is your favorite holiday?
Hmm... It's a toss up between Halloween and St. Patrick's Day (weird, right?) My family really goes all out with decorations and good food, and these holidays always make me feel like we are doing something special that not everyone else gets that excited about.
20. Is there anything that you collect?
Uh, books, mostly. For school. Right now I'm sort of collecting (amassing?) lots and lots of cool pairs of dangly earrings (some handmade, some shiny, some just fun).
21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I am aching to try Koigu for socks, and the yarn store I know of sort of close by doesn't carry it. Other than that I don't have any unbearable knitting urges. Actually, you know what is ridiculous? I only have one set of US3 DPNs for sock needles. Yes, you read that right, I knit all my socks on the same needles. Then again, maybe this is good, because I can only have one sock project going at a time. I will have to think about that. My aunt recently got me a subscription to Interweave Knits (hooray!).
22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Hmm. Um, I don't think so. I mean, I like to learn, but I don't have anything specific in mind.
23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Why yes! Yes I am. I have big feet (women's size 10), 10" long and about 9" around at the ball of my foot.
24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
12/15

Congrats! You made it through the tangles of the Q&A Jungle. 10 bonus points :)

Sock Wars

Sorry about the unexpected blogging break. Stupid midterms.

Back to our main narrative -
Remember how sockapaloooza sock number one was trying to eat its own mother (aka Mama Skein)?
Well it mostly succeeded, but then his little brother came along, seeking revenge.
Ah, a lovely snack. It will taste better with milk, I think.

Luckily I arrived in time to prevent disaster and look! They're not fighting each other anymore, in fact, they look downright friendly.

Well, except here. No more head-butting, you guys!

I'd better get these sent off to my pal ASAP, before anything really awful happens. The official send-off is tomorrow!
All the knitting I have on the needles right now is brown - nice start to the Project Spectrum month devoted to greens, huh? Haha. So I changed my blog template to feel like I'm really in the spirit.

I'll share more pictures later, but here's the newest sock - Knitpicks S'mores colorway using a fabulous (free!) Hello Yarn pattern. I think that 56 stitch patterns are the way for me to go when using Knitpicks yarn. Everything else turns out a little too saggy.

Personally I think the yarn looks delicious, and if the sock doesn't turn cannibalistic, I'll be very very surprised.