Ah, But I Digress....

Not even through January, and I'm already slipping on my New Year's knitting resolution to focus on one project at a time and complete it!  I am still working on my Trekking KAL sock and I really like Knit Purl Hunter's directions and videos.  I chose a different  Trekking sock yarn, Pro Natura, which is 75% wool and 25% bamboo so my sock looks a little bigger, but it seems to fit well.

Green Planet Yarn has a Trekking KAL group that meets every Sunday and I stopped by last week to hang out and see how the rest of the gang was doing:

  Jolene is doing hers two at a time and making great progress.  Our fearless leader, Chris, is also knitting one when she is not helping us out:

                                                                                                                                                             While I should be working feverishly on my sock, I just had to finish a vest I started for Maeve, my grandaughter, while she can still wear it this winter.  This is a pattern I picked up at Rhinebeck last year:

 

                                                                                                                                                                     I'm using Lambs Pride Superwash and we shall see how well this holds up with a very busy four year old wearing it.

Another digression; my  Entwined Shoulder Shawl.

                                                                                    
Here's a picture of the yarn, Universal's  Classic Shades.  Notice all the blue?  I call this my IKEA blue phase since I seem to be spending so much time at that store lately.

                                                                                        
                                                                           

It's A New Year

It's a New Year and a new place.  Due to a  change in my husband's employment, we find ourselves back in the Bay Area and conveniently located just a 10 minute walk from one of my favorite yarn shops, Green Planet Yarn, home to the South Bay Knitters.

                                                                                 

There is a Trekking Sock Yarn Knit Along that has just started this month and Green Planet has a group that meets every Sunday afternoon to to work on their sock project, learn new skills and just get out of the house and away from all those football games.  I decided to join.  It's a six month long KAL, with a new project every month and really great prizes, like a thousand dollar spending spree at Skacel yarn and a trip for two to Washington to the Grand Prize winner.   Not sure if  I can keep this up for six months, but the group is fun and Chris Johnson, a South Bay Knitter, is patiently leading us, and helping us to learn new skills, like Judy's Magic Cast On and knitting socks on two circular needles.  The KAL is being run by Michelle of Knit Purl Hunter and is really well done.  Her instructions are well written and there are videos all along the way to teach you short row heels,  Judy and her magical toe up cast on and lots of other things you need to know.
Here is a picture of my sock, the Center of Attention:

                                                                                
Next is the short row heel and on to the finish!  Now, about that second sock....  By the way, Michelle will be at Green Planet Yarn on Feb. 16th if you want to stop by and get inspired to join in with the group.

Here are a few more pictures from The Knitters Retreat.  Here's Vivian in her Tweed Boyfriend Sweater:

                                                                                         
Here's Julie in her scarf that she made for a friend:

                                                                                    
More pictures of my KAL sock when I finish it!

South Bay Knitters Retreat

This past weekend was the annual knitting retreat for the South Bay Knitters of Campbell, Ca. and, as usual, it was a great time.  We meet every year the weekend after New Year's and always at the same place - The Quaker Center in the Santa Cruz mountains.  It's just our kind of spot; deep in the woods where it is misty, cold and damp, lots of moss all over the place, tall windows to take in the view and a roaring fire in the stove -- what more could a knitter ask for!  It's a great chance to visit with friends and admire their work. 

                                                                         

Here's Barbara with her Clapotis:
                                                                                                                                                  .

 Candace in an Alice Starmore sweater:

                                                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                
The talented Chris Johnson in another Alice Starmore sweater:

                                                                            
Vivian brought some great projects:

This tam made from a Paton's pattern using Paton's wool.











This sock shawl made from various skeins of sock yarn:

                                                                                   

                            
  
 Lisa modeled Diana's new cowl design, soon to be available on her web site:

 Here's Gail with her IPAD giving a tutorial on Ravelry and Facebook:

      

      And here's a picture of the whole gang!
                                                  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

A Malabrigo Knitter's Best Friend

Happy New Year everyone!  Here's to keeping our knitting resolutions - I for one really want to complete all the projects I currently have on my needles.  It really does make you feel good when you finish something and can clean up all the remains of that project and move on! Speaking of finished projects - here is a picture of the mittens I made for my daughter.  The pattern is Cruiser and it is fast and a great project for stash yarn:

                                                                               
A few years ago I got a Brookstone fabric shaver from my daughter for Christmas for all those sweaters with pills on them.  What a great gift for a knitter!  It works really well and your tired sweaters take on a new life.  Wish I could include a before and after picture, but they just didn't come out right, but trust me - this fabric shaver works like a dream!  For all those Malabrigo knitters complaining of major pilling problems, this is the gadget for you!  Come to think of it, Malabrigo should just be selling these on their web site!  My kids spent part of the holidays cleaning up their sweaters - they got a big kick out of it.

                                                                                  

                                                                                

This weekend is the South Bay Knitters Annual Retreat held at The Quaker Center in the Santa Cruz Mountains in California.  This retreat has been held the first weekend after New Year's for a number of years and it is alot of fun to attend. Both knitters and spinners come and there are alot of talented people there.  Will post pictures when I get back.