Some knitting and spinning has taken place around here! First of all, here is my first sock (and I AM going to do the second one, because this knit up so fast) out of The Alpaca Yarn Co. Paca Peds. This is wonderful yarn to knit with. Soft, warm and beautiful. The alpaca in here is not as fuzzy as other alpaca yarns, and I like that. You still get the warmth, but not all of the fuzzy. (That also makes your pattern show up better.) I used the Celebratory Chevrons pattern that Debbie O’Neill designed for us for our first anniversary last August. If you bought a skein of our Limited Edition J.Knits Anniversary Yarn, you received a free copy of the pattern with it! If not, you can find it as a download on our Free Patterns page here on the blog. This is one of my favorite sock patterns. It knits up easily and I love how it looks. The Paca Peds yarn has arrived, and will be up in our next Sneak Up. We have both the regular colorways, and their colorways with a mini-solid skein for heels and toes.
I also knit up a scarf out of Hand Maiden’s wonderful Swiss Mountain Cashmere. What a pleasure to knit with! I used one skein for this scarf, along with a pattern that Natalie shared on the Ravelry Loopy Groupie board and gave me permission to share with you here. (I call it “Natalie’s Simple Scarf Pattern” – pretty creative, huh?) 🙂 If you’re not up to knitting a whole shawl out of some of the luxury yarns that we have, then a scarf is just the ticket. (Or try a smoke ring – we have several smoke ring patterns from Heartstrings here. Can you imagine how soft this would be around your neck as a smoke ring?) This scarf that I knit up is over 5 ft. long and perfect for wrapping and looping. The fact that it’s cashmere and silk makes it one of the softest scarves you’ll wear. (As an aside, are you on Ravelry? Have you joined The Loopy Groupie board? We have a lot of fun chatting over there. Come join us! Of course you don’t have to be an official “Loopy Groupie” to join up with us. Just a Loopy friend.)
————-
Natalie’s Simple Scarf Pattern
Natalie did a garter border (two rows at the bottom/top). The stitch pattern is a four row repeat…
Row 1: k2 * K1, P1, Slip Purl wise and repeat from * to two stiches before end and k2
Rows 2 & 4: k2, P to two stiches before end and k2
Row 3: k2 * P1, Slip Purlwise, K1 and repeat from * to two stiches before end and k2
————–
The Sakina Needles roving was just too enticing to pass up, so I also spun up some of that over the weekend. It’s apparent that I still need a lot of work on my spinning, but I’m enjoying it. I think I’m spinning sport/dk weight at the moment, with my goal being sock yarn. I picked these colors out and did this for someone else. 
I’m not really good enough yet to be spinning for someone else yet, but I did it anyway. This is the Superwash Periwinkle colorway. Next on my spinning list: Tempted Bordello (it looks Valentine-y, don’t you think?) and Alpaca With a Twist Combed Top Roving. However, I can’t decide between Grey or Fawn. What do you think? (Honestly, this stuff is so soft that I could just sit there with my hands buried into it as it is and be perfectly happy.) Zoe got so tired of waiting for me to sit down and knit over the weekend (she’s always waiting for a lap to curl up in) that she finally just climbed up on me and sat on one leg while I spun. (And yes, that meant my leg was moving the whole time. She must’ve been really desperate for some attention, FPS.)
I have two shawls to show you on Friday. Sadly, not done by me. But both are gorgeous! I am working on my shawl, slowly but surely. I’m so determined. However, there are other things that I’m working on as well. One is a secret yarn that I’m test knitting for one of the companies that we already carry. I really really like it and will share it with you as soon as I get the go-ahead from them. It might be awhile before they’re ready to go into production with it and unveil it. (Why am I telling you this? Because it’s taking up some of my knitting time and I don’t have anything that I can show you for it. I just didn’t want you to think I was slacking on my knitting!) I’m also in the middle of the Neighborhood Fiber sock, and have so far successfully refrained from casting on the gorgeous green yarn I showed you last week. However, I’m not holding out for much longer.
How many projects do you usually have going at once? For me, right now, I am in the middle of that shawl and then I have five socks mid-progress (that is not including all of my single socks. I don’t consider those mid-progress. Mid-completion, maybe. But once one is done, it’s no longer in progress, in my mind) and six skeins of sock yarn that are in the immediate queue (as in “I need/want to knit these up next”). Is this over-the-top or about average?
Sheri anothercloudygreydayinSt.LouisandIloveit.Imustbeweird.IshouldmovetoSeattle.
One lonely project. Socks of course in Yarntini.
I refuse to divulge the numbe rof UFO’s on my plate, too many to count and it is embarrassing. I usually do ahve, as others sem to do, ano thinking project and then the rest. I may have 2 no thinkers just in case I get the first one done and still can’t think. Makes sense to me anyway. And as for in line, too may to count and the list grows daily. I need to live to be 350 to get them all done.
I’m not counting up all the projects that I currently have on the needles right now — I’m taking the 5th! I’m not showing most of them much love right now. Right now, this week, I’m focused on a sock. Next week, that could change. This reminds me though that I need to be going back to some UFOs. FPS.
Oh, your spinning looks so pretty! Love those colors…YUM-O!!
Only 1 project on the needles. If I get more than 2 I get stressed out over them so I just happily knit one at a time.
Love the scarf. Have to see if I have any of that yarn. Sometimes I can’t remember what I have bought. How horrible.
Beautiful sunny here but COLD!!!
Oh my, you make me feel like a “cast-on tart!”
I honestly have a mix of socks, bags, shawls, scarves, sweaters, and tanks started and at a standstill…. I guess you’d say I’m a start-a-holic! And I keep going! There must be a cure for this madness!
And I’m still anxious awaiting sneak ups, sales, and wollmeise! 🙂
The handspun looks gorgeous!!! I can’t wait until we can spin together!!!! I feel like I’m starting to ‘get it’! Now if I just didn’t have to go to work!!
On the needles:
1) ballband bag
2) lucy bag
3) First sock in DIC Smooshy, Sleepwalker pattern
4) Second sock in All thing heather sock in a simple rib pattern
5) chevron scarf in Fiesta Boomerang
6) maine fingerless mitt out of noro
And that’s all I’m confessing to…….
Wow, do you read all of those comments? When do you have time to knit and run your shop then. I need to take another look at that sock pattern and the scarf is cute too. I only like to have a couple WIP, so I can concentrade on one to get it done in a certain time frame, but I like to have a take along project and a mindless relax project, but that is it.
I think I may be the weird one because I only knit one project at a time. I never start another one until the last is complete (that includes any finishing details). If I worked on more than one project at once, I think I would feel that it takes forever to finish anything. (I also only read one book at a time.) Weird, Huh?
Wow, I couldn’t even count all my WIPs. It would be so embarrassing!
I’m pretty good, though, about finishing pairs of socks. I usually start the second sock as soon as I finish the first one. This surprises even me!
Your spinning looks lovely.
I have several UFO’s “in progress” that I pick up from time to time, probably about 6 or 7 including socks, and a lot of stuff that I can’t wait to start on, but I am either restraining myself or the needles are already in use. *L* But what about the stuff that you started, lost interest in, hid away in some deep dark closet, and will probably try to never think about ever again? I may have three. Depending on the effectiveness of my “forgetting.” *L*
Wip I would be shocked if I really knew. I will say too many. I have a serious case of castonitis. I would try the fawn colorway, one of my favorites. Love, love, love Natalie’s scarf. Thanks so much for the pattern. As I have the same yarn different colorway, I can’t wait to start it. See what I mean, castonitis. What size needle did you use? You spinning looks great. Love the colors. Hugs
Okay, so my rule (and I’m very firm on it!) is I can only buy as much yarn as I can fit into my storage space. I’ve never waivered on that. However WIP are, by definition, not in storage, so they don’t count. I’m not going to go look, but from memory, right this moment I have 3 sweaters, 2 socks, 2 mittens a scaft and a shawl. This pretty good, I think. Right?
I have 13 projects on the needles right now. (my new year’s resolution is to get them all done before I leave for college in September). They include two pairs of socks, a sweater, a circular shawl, a bag, an afghan…and I can’t remember what else.
Your kittie looks like mine but somewhat lighter. Mine loves to be with me, right now he is curled next to me, His name is TIger Lily, we only found out 4 mo ago he is a boy he is oneyear. He has learned not to sit on my lap when i am on the computer.
UFO is one jacket which i had originally crocheted in 2006 didnt like and frooged, so i decided to knit it and desin as you go instead out of dk babyyarn in pink. It is worked on in the summer. Babyyarn washes easier and is for working at schools and such.
AS for WIP
1 sweater out of IK in fingering babyyarn
preemie petalhat, my altered version in pink almost done
my artisan yarn socks that got a hole in the heel and had to be frogged, toeup TG
a baby overall in mint with lemons, cherries and strawberries knit in, because i ran out of yarn in babyyarn(store is 2 hours away)
Except for the preemiehat i am finishing
i am starting
Sheri’s birthday socks tomorrow
my KAL from Loopy KAL on ravelry
and another surprise.
Quiltin i havent been able to start, no room right now so no WIP
Crossstitch just a unicorn picture, very complicated
sewing actually nothing but prom is looming ahead.(did i mention i have 2 DD and 1 niece who want prom dresses?)
ANd joy of joy I already got my package from TLE!!! Where i live in SOuth DAkota it takes forever for everything, often double the time to what seems forever. So can you imagine how surprised i was when my package arrived today, bringing snow with it I think Cause it has been pouring(?) since. Sheri only sent it out at 2 PM Monday. Love you SHeri. Loved my yarn. I havent had such nice yarn since GERmany, but the colors are just lovely and way prettier. ANd loved the little present too. I love the little stickers. Only thing i wish was there were Loopy kisses. sigh none.
My DD#1 said gee she really takes time to wrap the package nice.
Wait til my electric bill is paid and my other bills, if i have money extra i will order again.
loveya
On needles I usually have 1 pattern sock, 1 or 2 plain socks or easy pattern, a scarf or hat for mindless knitting, and a project I am selling, all going at once. I used to be a 1 project person but I enjoy this much more. This way I choose the project I feel like knitting.
Oh wow…I really don’t know how many projects I am working on…let’s see: a jacket for my son 95% done…need to finish this in the next week or so!, a Christmas stocking 40% done, a size 2 toddler cardigan 40% done, a throw for my college daughter 50% done, 4 pair of socks (Tempted, Sheepaints, Noro, Crystal Palace) -of course, not counting my multiple singles, a scarf for my daughter (75% done), and a baby blanket – crocheting the edge now,
Yes, move to Seattle! I’ll be one of your Loopy Elves even!
As for # of projects-5 of them right now in Dream in Color (2 socks in smooshy, a pair of mitts, hat and socks in Classy). I tried to start a Chevron scarf and lost interest. I started a sweater-may have to wait! But, all of the DIC items came from yarn I bought from some lady in St. Louie!
Sounds like your UFO pile isn’t too bad compared to some of us—I’ve got three pairs of socks in various stages of completion and/or frogging, two scarves, one cowl, some potholders I promised to make for my cousin, and a sweater that’s been languishing for two years—all sitting out where I can see them (and feel guilty). There are more hidden away, but I don’t dare go count them!
Thank you for sharing Natalie’s pattern (especially because, for some reason, I can’t access it on her blog)! How many stitches did you cast on?
Your handspun looks lovely; you are really going to tempt me over the edge one of these days!
I read the comments to delay rolling and casting on my wonderful surprise of Smooshy in the most YUMMMO Yellow to match a polo shirt I amd ordering…..
Projects on needles…..too mny to count and I keep sending my brother out to find more #1 or #2’s..I cannot wait for the mailman…I just ripped an entire sock out because I found an hideous mistake in the first section of the pattern…Time for Bayer Aspirin..
When I look at your spinning I just about collapse..In a former life I had a Spinning Wheel …I have no idea where it went, but I do NOT have it any more and I could cry..Hopefully the new owner loves it !!!
Back to gazing at my new Smooshy..Happy Starting !!!!!!
The newest “Loopy Groupy”
Hmm, right now I am working on one sock, one shawl and a kids sweater. And one spinning project. I also have one sock-in-progress and three shawls-in-progress that I will continue on when the others are done (or when I run out of left-over sock yarn for the shawl. Then I need to knit more socks. Just to get more leftovers, see). And one scarf and one stole that only needs blocking. And a few socks in more or less permanent timeout.
I try to keep my knitting-in-progress to be just one sock and one shawl and one sweater or such. Something easy and something complicated. But I’m not very good at that…
I thin kyour number of WIPs are pretty normal 🙂 Maybe some more socks than usual, but that’s to be expected when you run a sock yarn store isn’t it?
Only two OTN right now: a Fair Isle sweater for my daughter that’s going on two years (frogged the whole thing November a year ago, started over, then other projects took priority), and a scarf from a Christmas-gift exchange. But I’ve done two pairs of socks and two hats in the last two weeks……at least *something* is being accomplished!
Got my Hand Maiden cashmere/silk in the mail today…oh my…..so soft it’s like there’s nothing there! Gotta finish these other things first, though, before I “reward” myself with it!!
Usually no more than 3 projects because any more than that makes it hard to even decide what to work on and I spend more time dithering over that than knitting. Most of the time I have one bigger, heavier project like a sweater and a couple smaller more portable projects like socks going at the same time.
I wish I had a knitting friendly cat. Mine is the kind that wants to chew on the yarn so I can only knit around him if he is sleeping on my lap. Maybe he will grow out of it?
I’ve got 2 things officially “In Progress”: my husband’s Cambridge Jacket and my car socks…although I shouldn’t really count those socks since they just stay in my car for emergency traffic and waiting-in-line situations.
I have a couple of projects hibernating – a pair of socks and a Chevron Scarf.
One of my Resolutions was to reduce the number of projects I have in progress – it just overwhelms me after awhile, and I don’t feel like I make progress on anything. I had 7 things going at once for awhile! So, the goal is one large project, one small project, and I suppose one pair of car socks.
We’ll see how *that* goes!
That handspun is really gorgeous – every time I see some of your handspun, it makes me want to spin – although I do think that DH would would be concerned if the living room and basement started to be overrun by roving!
Let’s see… in progress
1 pair of socks for DD
1 pair of socks for MIL
1 tank top for DD (I really need to get this done by springtime – I’ve been working on it since last summer – it started as a tank dress and is being morphed into a tank top because she keeps growning!)
1 coat for DD (I hope I get this done before she outgrows it!)
1 Baby Bolero for a co-worker
In queue
– chemo caps for my cousin, who starts BC chemo in three weeks
– a small felted bag for the child of a friend, who really wants something to keep his treasures in (he’s 5, so he is an expert on treasures)
– other charity knitting (Mittens for Akkol, Hats for Alex)
– socks for DH, DS, and me (someday, at least)
That should keep me busy for a while, huh? 🙂
I used to be so good and have only one or maybe one large and one small project on the needles at a time. Now I buy more of the same size needles to start more projects.
-cardi-wrap
-baby pants
-baby sweater
-slippers
-afghan
-2 pairs of fingerless gloves
-sweater fo me
-eight different pairs of socks
Maybe I should get a few finished before I start on more… I do have a new pair of socks I have to start soon, they’re not for me. I did finish one pair of socks the other day though!
I don’t even want to think about the To Do List.
Hrm. I’d say that you are about average.
Ignoring the UFOs in the closet, I have a scarf (laceweight), a pair of socks, a tank top, a cardigan, a blanket (out of leftover sock yarn), a shrug (which is waiting for me to finish the scarf), and at least two projects that are swatched…
That’s not including the sweater in the closet and what other projects I have hiding from the cat (my husband, and myself).
Great projects you’ve got there!
Thanks for posting about the spinning. Do you folks carry roving & spinning stuff? I’m new to spinning and am about halfway through my first bag of roving. I’m already thinking about my next purchase, but I’d really like to feel the roving before I buy it. I don’t know if any of our LYS’s here in St. Louis carry roving… but it would be AWESOME if you did! (hint-hint)
Hey I really like your handspun … that colorway is really pretty. You are doing a nice job despite being new… I would knit with that for sure. Your knitting room is really pretty too.
Your WIP counts sounds low to me actually. I am sure I have that many and more. At least 3 sets of socks going right now plus 2 scarves, a shawl and whatever else I cannot remember. :>)
Sheri, that yarn you spun is spectacular-I really need to know how to spin, I think.
I have 5 pairs of socks and a stuffed cat and a sweater going at the moment.
My kitties like to sit in my lap while I knit, too, along with my Pom. Good thing I have a big lap!
I love that top sock! It’s stunning. Colorway and pattern are just perfect!
I have four socks in progress currently:
Vinnland in Trekking XXL – One sock done; the other has a completed toe. (Toe up!)
Robin Hood Socks from Cat Bordhi – hand spun. Destined to be ripped. There’s just not enough yarn to complete them.
One Mystery sock in Scarlett – for a secret recipient! One sock, 25% done.
An sbandoned and probably destined to be ripped sport weight sock from Cat Bordhi….but I can’t remember which pattern and I’m too lazy to go look it up!
I have 8 projects going right now, some that have not been touched… in a long time. I’m determined to finish all of them, though. My goal is to get down to no more than 5 projects going at a time (because you always need variety), but it is so easy to get caught up in starting multiple projects! I have to keep myself in check on a daily basis. 😛
Ha ha ha. It’s so nice to feel that you’re not alone. 🙂 I love to read that others have *ahem* several WIP’s. Right now I’m working on:
1- sweater for DH
2- 2nd Monkey sock for me
3- 2nd of some CTH dk weight socks
4- just about to cast on for some plain socks for DH, but I guess that’s really just 3 at the moment. I’ll have to share some of these comments with my hubby, because he ususally thinks I’m crazy for having several pairs of socks going at once.
Aren’t you going to show us your shawl wip? Come on, let us see!
Sheri: I love all your comments at the end of your blog. I used to live in St. Louis (Chesterfield) and they were the best seven years of my life. I’m missing out on your workshop this year, but plan to watch out for next year.
Send some of that grey weather down to me in sunny Dallas. I would love some of the snow too.
Love your blogging…..
Looked on Ravelry and couldn’t find pattern, so I’ll ask: how many stitches did you cast on to get your nice long scarf? How wide is it? Thanks!
6. 4 pairs of socks, a shawl, a sweater for the… what the…
oh crap.
seven.
Let me see, I’m almost the queen of ADD knitting…I do have a sock, a hat, a blanket, 2 scarves, a Christmas stocking (that I’m thinking of frogging), another scarf I don’t wanna do, Guenevere stole, and I think that’s it.
I love that yarn you spun up and I can’t wait to see what yarn you will spin up. Amazing that Zoe stayed on your knee while you were spinning.
I am a monogamous knitter; one project at a time until it is finished. I never used to buy yarn until I was no less than a day or two from being finished with the current project. I have loosed up a little bit, but my entire stash fits in a Rubbermaid three-drawer storage bin – remarkably it takes a lot of sock yarn to fill one of those drawers, and sock yarn doesn’t count as stash, right? My only exception to knitting monogamy is if I need a very quick (less than a week to complete) gift I may work that in, but I don’t do that often as I fear it is a slippery slope…
I have too many to count on the needles in various stages and/or in various planning stages. I usually only have bout 3 or so in active rotation. Much more than that I get confused. (Some who know me might say that more than one results in my being confused. But I think they are confusing normal every day confusion with too many knitting projects confusion which is, naturally, a very different sort of confusion.)
I really try to keep my UFOs to a minimum in order to facilitate the FOs. (That’s not a sentence I would repeat in mixed company 🙂 So right now I have a pullover for my daughter and a pair of basic socks going. I guess I’m all about the product even though I enjoy the process. But I think whatever combination of UFOs and FOs works for you and makes you happy is perfectly fine.
Um. Lots. Let me think…
1 pair of socks
1 sweater
1 baby sweater
2 shawls, one of which is silk laceweight
1scarf
1 pair of legwarmers
1 pair fair isle fingerless gloves
1 ripple afghan
1 hat
2 pillows
1 coat
Plus about 10 or so embroidery projects, ranging from teeny-tiny counted cross-stitch to enormous insanely complicated cutwork, plus a bunch of jewelry. Possibly some other things that I’ve forgotten about. (Possibly? Almost certainly, more like!)
Plus a lace shawl I’m designing for my mum’s birthday next year that hasn’t been cast on yet, but I’m swatching and sketching!
I have several scarves on needles, including Natalie’s pattern that Sheri included in this post…I love the pattern and the Hand Maiden Swiss Mountain yarn!!
I’m also trying to perfect my socking knitting. For sanity’s sake, i have to finish a few things before I start another project.