Saturday Stash

The traveller is home; the Christmas decorations are put away and it's time to start a whole new year of stash knitting.  I have a whole bunch of yarny goodness to share this week.

Ta, da! The first finished project of 2013.  I was so keen to get started with my alpaca/merino blend.  And I really wanted to make the brimmed hat.  It was an easy knit - complete in an evening.  So I tried it on...and remembered why I never make myself brimmed hats.  NOT FOR ME.   I didn't even take a photo it was so horrible.  I just frogged right away and went searching for a mitten pattern.  Because, all the time I'd been knitting the hat, I was wishing that I'd have enough for mitts, too.  So I chose Dingle Bobble mittens by Jamie Marie Binkley.  I love how the yarn feels and the mittens are so toasty warm. Perfect for me who always seems to have cold hands in the winter.

I made a start on the two balls of grape baby alpaca/silk that I bought myself in December.  Another scarf which will take a while.  For some reason, it's not a fast knit although it sure looks like it should be.  I'm using Bias scarf by Helena Bristow. 

One of my Christmas gifts - I hinted very loud - was a 9 inch circular needle in my favorite sock knitting size.  It is so handy.  I don't mind the little-ness of it at all and I can knit those complex cable patterns that trail over the break in traditional dpn socks.  I'm not a fan of two circulars so this is wonderful. I even had to cast on a sock cuff to try it out.  This won't be anything...it's just a remnant of yarn. 

And along with the sweet little circ came a skein of  Fleece Artist BFL Sock.  Such beautiful colors and such a subtle color mix.  I'm detecting a purple theme here. I love purple socks.  This will be my fourth pair.  Thanks to Deb and family.

Apparently, this pile of natural wool was an Aran-style sweater which was too big for anyone.  So the family had a frogging party over Christmas and it became all these professional-looking skeins.  I have an order for a new project but I don't know what it is yet.

Also about to jump into the frog pond is this thrift store vest.  Doesn't it remind you of the one I just finished?  But it's heavier yarn and, again, too big for anyone who likes it to wear. The yarn's the thing.   It also has five very nice wooden buttons.  There must be a pattern that will use them both together.

Among my other knitting goodies:  I will have the pleasure of shopping for something lovely on elann.com thanks to Wendy and Marlin.  And, over the Christmas holidays, I was gifted with  free designer patterns from Elena Nodel, Tin Can Knits and Shui Kuen Kozinski.   Thank you to all of these designers for their generosity. 

And, of course, I'm all ready for the Downton Abbey Mystery KAL.  The yarn is dyed and wound into balls.  The swatch is knit up and I'm just waiting for the "start your needles" flag drop.  I took a quiz he other day on which Downton Abbey character I was.  Apparently, I am John Bates - which didn't really surprise me.  If you want to play with the quiz, it's here.