It's always good to come home

Okay, now that I'm back home I can blog and show y'all my new shoes. These are the ones I chose to show off my socks and I think they look pretty good with jeans. The added height is a nice bonus, too.

I had a great time in Texas and visited the yarn shop I like down there. I picked up one new sock yarn and the yarn for a sweater I thought I could handle, Green Gable. I casted on immediately since I finished my felted bag for my class. Here is the bag all felted but without the zipper. The DH is going to help me with putting that in, since he sews. I'm thinking of using it as an accessory bag for my knitting.


Since I'm in a pic posting mood, here is the progress shot on my green gable.
This is my first sweater done top down and I have to say I really like it. I love trying things on as I go. The only problem is that I try it on entirely too much. Oh, well!

New STR!

I got my July shipment from the STR sock club today! I think that this is my FAVORITE so far. Of course, I say that with each new shipment, but this one is all my favorite colors. I also really like the tattoo they included this time. It's on the aqua paper in the pic below.

The Blue Moon folks also have a few new colors they developed for the summer. The pattern looks very pretty as well, like it really highlights all the different colors in the skein. Well, I had better get busy since I still haven't done the May socks.

Not socks

So, my class in the 'burbs was NOT canceled. The class is about felting and using the slip stitch for cool color changes. We are making these little clutch bags and I am really enjoying it. The last class is this weekend where we will hopefully cover finishing. I think I'm really enjoying this because I haven't knit with other people before. Or gone somewhere specifically to knit. It felt different to know that this was time for knitting and I didn't need to be cleaning the house, doing the laundry, playing with the kids, playing with the puppy, etc. Very relaxing and addictive. I started wondering what other classes I could take.
Oh, and I'm using my Denise needles because my new Knitpicks are too big. I hope they come out with some smaller cables soon.
Well, next week, I get to go visit my mom and some high school friends back in Texas. I'm dreading how hot it might be down there considering how bad it's been here. But, I do like visiting the yarn store there. And speaking of yarn stores...here is the yarn I picked up in Omaha. And coming soon, the shoes I got to showcase my socks.

Couldn't resist

Your Linguistic Profile:

50% General American English

25% Dixie

15% Yankee

5% Upper Midwestern

0% Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?
Okay, one of my friends took this quiz and was wondering how I would do, so...there ya go.
Remember how I was excited about my yarn dyeing class? Remember how I was worried that it might get canceled like my spinning class did? Well, you'll never guess what happened. Yep, canceled again! So in retaliation, I went to a new yarn store in a suburb, and they are having a felting class this weekend. Of course I signed up. Now let's see if my jinx of death will kick in with this one.

Finally!

I finally finished my Cedar creek socks! Yay! I finished them on Saturday and they are my very first socks for me. Now, I have knit other socks for me, but they were quickly confiscated by other members of my family. So, these are mine, mine, mine.

On Sunday, we went to Omaha, so I got to visit two new yarn stores. The first one I went to, Personal Threads, was impressive in the amount of Koigu they had. But I would definitely not recommend taking children with you. Since we were traveling and my DH was working, I didn't have a choice and they were with me. My kids do like to knit as well, so they like to touch all the yarn and pick stuff out to knit with, too. I mention this because the manager was not fond of kids touching everything in the store, which I do understand. Once I convinced the kiddos to sit in one spot, I was taken to the storage area and shown even more Koigu! The manager was friendly and knowledgeable so I would still go back, just without the kids to lower everyone's stress level.

The second store I went to was String of Purls. This store was beautiful and spacious. There was also a palpable atmosphere that was one of the friendliest and most welcoming I have ever encountered. They also happened to be having a sale of 25% off all yarn or half your age, whichever is greater, in honor of an owner's birthday. I enjoyed my visit immensely and I could definitely see myself hanging out and knitting there. Too bad it's five hours away!

Happy 4th!

I have been a little obsessive lately with the whole spinning thing and all my time has been spent looking at stuff on the internet. I apologize because it makes for a boring post. Since spinning wheels are so expensive and it seems silly to buy one when I have never spun, I have been looking at spindles as well. My obsession is under control for the moment and my dyeing class is supposed to start next week. There is a small worry that this class will be canceled as well, so keep your fingers crossed.

In other news, I have been knitting on my sweater! Since receiving my Knitpicks needles, I have been working on this project that has been languishing since December! The needles really make a huge difference. And no, I still haven't fininshed my cedar creek socks! I am on the cuff now, but the internet has sucked all my attention for the moment.

So, in lieu of actual knitting content, I leave you with this pic of the socks I knit for my DH. The pattern is the yarn over cable from Sensational Knitted Socks and the yarn is Regia but I don't remember which one. I know it has cotton. Oh well! I hope you have a wonderful and safe 4th of July!