Yarn Sale!

In an effort to tame the stash, I am offering up some yarn at cheap prices. I'm really not sure if I even have any readers at this point, so anything not sold in the next few days will go up on ebay.

All prices included USPS shipping. If you want insurance or expedited shipping, I'll just charge for the extra expenses (minus what USPS shipping would have cost). I prefer Paypal payment (I will request payment once you've contacted me about a purchase).
Email me at pandaknits AT hotmail DOT com if you're interested in anything!

And so so sorry for the cruddy, blurry pics - I need a new camera!

2 skeins Debbie Bliss Aran Tweed in color 20014 (“misty sky”), 109 yds each: $10 for both

1 cone 100% wool, dark blue heather laceweight. It's really huge and weighs over 600 grams. Soft and fuzzy, with a definite halo: $15

5 skeins (200 m each) 100% acrylic dark grey with white binder. Each skein is 200 meters. Name on ball band is “Flash Fantazilieri”: $10 for all 5 skeins

2 skeins Lion Brand Suede, 1 has been partially knit and wound into a cake. Color Rose, 122 yds each. $5 for both

4 skeins plus 1 partial Lion Chenille Sensations in Garnet (discontinued yarn line). 87 yards per skein. $10 for all

Lion Brand Homespun – 3 skeins Rococo, 1 skein Williamsburg, 5 skeins Colonial, plus some partial skeins thrown in for free: $10 for all

2 full skeins Pink Elann Sock it to Me Espirit yarn, plus one more skein with just enough for a swatch missing: $5 for all 3

Hand-dyed red/maroon/black (color is Flamenco) fingering weight 100% wool 300 yards: $5

2 skeins 100% wool sock yarn from farm in NH. Brown tweedy color, 4 ounces total. $5 for both

2 full skein Bernat Soft Boucle(1 full and 1 wound) in various grays (color 26928): $3

8 skeins hand-painted worsted 100% wool (mauve, gold, green), 2 oz each: $12

NO PHOTO: 9 skeins Schoeller Stahl Merino Stretch in black, 175 yards each: $25

Happy Tuesday!

I realized today that I have a short work week this week (leaving for Florida on Friday), a short work week next week (returning from Florida on Tuesday) and a short work week the following week (President’s Day). That realization in and of itself is enough to make this a happy Tuesday.
P and I are off to Florida to visit my grandfather, affectionately known as Grumpie. Yes I named him that as a child and no, he is not Grumpie. At least not to me, who everyone suspects is his favorite J I have a way with grandparents. P and I used to go down to Florida every New Years and spend a week with my grandparents. Two years ago we even saw Phish in Miami (2nd row seats! With P Funk!). But then last year my grandparents didn’t go to Florida as usual because my grandmother was ill and as we now know, dying. She passed away last February and I miss her so so so much every single day. We were extremely close and she was like another parent to me. This is our first visit to Florida since her death and I am a bit nervous about how I will handle my emotions. Luckily, my Grumpie has moved into a new house recently (not so many memories) and my mom will be there at the same time we are. I love vacationing with my mom. Any of you who think that is weird don’t know my mom!
Speaking of my mom, her 53rd birthday just passed by and guess who knit her a scarf? This must be the 10th scarf I have knit my mom, but for some reason, I love to knit for her. She’s been the recipient of 3 hats, (at least)10 scarves, lady’s work mittens to match one of the scarves, 2 pairs of socks, a Clapotis and now this:



Ruffles Scarf from Scarf Style, knit in pink heather Lion Brand Wool-Ease (I know, yuk, but I love it for its versatility, washability and low low price). This was a fun pattern and I will definitely make another or 2 of these.

In other knitting news, I am still working on P’s socks. The first one is done and the second is in progress:

I’ll be taking Sock #2 with me to Florida, as well as this beauty that I have been dying to start:

Destined to be Jaywalkers

I am knitting these Jaywalkers toe up since I only have two balls of mystery sock yarn/supposedly Regia Crazy Colors (bought for $1 skein without ball bands). I used a short row toe for the first time and I like it, except I always hate the ktog and ptog on short row toes and heels, especially when you wrap with a different color as with stripey yarn. I don’t think I am going to rip it out, but next time I am going to try using the YO short row toe, which I’ve used before with success (that cute bootie pattern from the Interweave site). Don’t ask me why I didn’t just use that method from the start, I wasn’t thinking I guess.

I also have crazy plan-itis, which is when I plan about a thousand projects that I want to knit and I go as far as putting the yarn into an online shopping cart before I bail out. One thing I keep coming back to is the Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, but I don’t even have the book, so I’d have to buy the book AND the yarn and that just can’t happen right now. Also. OBSESSED. With sock yarn. I attempt to buy more every day, but like I said, bail out last minute. I really want to work through my stash.
This is where two other knit projects come to mind. I have 2 large lots of yarn – some Noro Kureyon that was used to make Klaralund (HUGE mistake for my body type) and some Katia Pisco that was destined for the Cable Eight Top but didn’t make it too far. Both patterns I am eyeing started tempting me from Cosmicpluto’s site: Top-Down Raglan Cardi for the Noro (but I am still not sure if colorway 80 would look good in this pattern) and Ubernatural from Magknits with Cosmicpluto’s mods for the Katia Pisco. Now to find the time to knit these!

Happy Tuesday Knitting!

All socks all the time!

Hi there...less than 2 weeks between posts...almost a record for pandaknits! There really is not much to report on knitting-wise. I started a pair of socks for P. He turns 30 in March and he asked for a pair of black, grey and white socks. A visit to elann.com plus lots of Sopranos on-demand episodes and voila!:

It's a pretty simple pattern: 70 stitches on size 1s, with a K5 P2 rib down the leg and over the instep. I like it! I have made him try it on a dozen times to be certain of the fit, which aggravates him to no end :)

I've realized lately that I l.o.v.e. to knit socks. I love sock yarns, I love swatching for a sock, I love trying on a sock-in-progress and adjusting the fit. I love the whole construction of a sock, top up and top down. And mostly I love the finished product! I have gifted a few people with handknit socks and the reaction is always one of amazement. You knit that?!? So fun! I am already plotting my next sock adventure (hint) , even though it might be a while what with the size 11.5 socks on size 1 needles that I have going on.

In addition, I start up school again next week. My current goal is to be finished by Summer 2007. That means a lot of work between now and then. More work means less knitting. Ack!

Bad blogger

I really have been a terrible blogger. I am one of those blog stalkers who gets very impatient for my favorite blogs to update every day, and it turns out, I am the worst offender of them all. 3 months since a real post! Shameful.
Life is finally settling down after the wedding and holidays. I knit very few gifts for Christmas this year - my mom got a pair of mittens (no photo), my friend Amy (one of the very few non-knitters I know that appreciates a handknit gift) received a scarf (Lite Lopi scarf from Weekend Knitting) and hat (no photo), and a colleague at work, who is also a good friend and who I picked in our Secret Santa exchange, received a scarf (Wavy Scarf from knitty.com) and hat (you guessed it - no photo). I don't know why I did not take photos of any of these gifts! Well, I suppose they were all finished at the last minute and it just slipped my mind to take a photo. oh well.
Since Christmas, I have completed another scarf (this one for myself) again using the Lite Lopi Scarf pattern from Weekend Knitting as well as a pair of matching mittens:

Here are the specs:

Scarf
Pattern: Lite Lopi Scarf from Weekend Knitting
Yarn: DB Aran Tweed in light blue (main color), approx 4 skeins
Tahki Donegal Tweed in dark blue (contrast color), very small amount

Mittens
Pattern: Lady's Work Mittens
Same yarn as above
Main color, approximately 3/4 the skein for both mittens
Contrast color, less than 1 skein

Oh! and may I present Muffy:


Same dark blue yarn as above - my first thrummed project! I haven't yet worked up the nerve to wear them :)

I am currently working on a panta in some mystery khaki-colored yarn I found in my stash. This yarn just appeared out of nowhere, and I still have no clue how I got it. But it feels soft and my panta is coming out nicely; pictures next time I hope.
And finally, I plan to swatch for a new pair of gloves (yes for me!) tonight, using Lush in a light pink color. I intend to match this scarf that I whipped up between Christmas knitting:


I bought Ann Budd's Knitters Handy Book of Patterns and I can't wait to consult it, swatch in hand, for these gloves!

So now you have the update. I will try to be better with my updates!

Second post in a day; but it's a meme

I don't usually like these, but I think this one is neat. And yes, like all of blogland, I got this from reading Crazy Aunt Purl's site!

TEN random things you might not know about me:
1. I don't eat meat (some fish, but that's it)
2. I was a pre-med major in college
3. I have two godchildren
4. I'm a Saggitarius
5. I pretty much fit every single "typical" Sag characteristic, even though I don't usually believe in that stuff
6. I love buffalo flavored stuff (thank goodness for Morningstar Farms!)
7. I am obsessed with Nip/Tuck and not the least bit embarrassed that I watch it (my husband hates it)
8. I am also obsessed with Laguna Beach and I am embarrassed about it
9. I am NOT a morning person
10. I am really glad I got married well before my 30th birthday

NINE places I’ve visited:
1. Vegas baby
2. Lisbon, Portugal
3. Prince Edward Island
4. Aruba
5. Naples, FL
6. Munich, Germany
7. Sevilla, Spain
8. Memphis, Tennessee
9. Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii
10. Salzburg, Austria

EIGHT ways to win my heart:
1. Buy me yarn or yarn gift certificates (thanks hubby!)
2. Take me to H&M
3. Love my cats and say the hair everywhere doesn't bother you
4. Tell me how much messier your house is than mine
5. Compliment my hair
6. Be a good friend
7. Take me to PF Changs
8. Be a really cute and friendly child

SEVEN things I want to do before I die:
1. Go to Italy and see the village in which my greatgrandfather was raised
2. Have children
3. Have grandchildren
4. Convince my husband of how much I truly truly love him
5. Have a dog
6. Knit a beautiful and well-fitting sweater
7. Finish my Master's degree

SIX things I’m afraid of:
1. Death of loved ones, esp my husband and mom
2. SHARKS
3. Spiders
4. Snakes
5. Intruders
6. SHARKS (deserves 2 mentions)

FIVE things I don't like:
1. Bad drivers
2. My upstairs neighbors
3. Balancing my checkbook
4. Scrubbing the bathroom
5. Being carsick

FOUR ways to turn me off:
1. Use poor grammar
2. Insult my parents
3. Discuss me behind my back
4. Don't brush your teeth

THREE things I do everyday:
1. Kiss my husband
2. Drink coffee or tea
3. Brush my teeth

TWO things that make me happy:
1. Saturday mornings
2. Starting a new knitting project

ONE thing on my mind right now:
The state of my apartment and how I am going to get it clean again...

Don't hate; celebrate!

Yes, I am back, just for a quickie post. I can't believe how long it has been since I posted, and for that I am sorry. But between the wedding, the honeymoon, applying for grad school (and getting in!), things have been nuts and I have been neglecting the wee little blog. Please forgive!
But yes, I am a married woman now and loving it. I've changed my profile to reflect my new status!
Lots of projects completed (including all the wedding knitting...which was not needed. It ended up being 70 and sunny on November 5 in Worcester, MA - imagine that!). I am currently in holiday knitting mode although this year, the knitted gifts are few. I am giving myself a break after a year of wedding knitting.
Pictures and project details to come!

It's been a while...

Another quickie post...we went to our friends' wedding in Ithaca last weekend. We had a wonderful time. The setting was beautiful (ceremony on the Cornell campus, reception in the bride's parents' backyard) and so was the ceremony itself. P gave a fantastic best man toast that everyone raved about. We got to see some friends we rarely get to see, and to spend some quality time with friends we are lucky enough to see regularly. We danced, drank and celebrated our newly married friends. On Sunday, we visited the Baseball Hall of Fame, which I loved. All in all a great weekend.
In addition to all the wedding festivities (actually, as part of the festivites), we went to the Farmer's Market in Ithaca. I was minding my own business down the aisles when I caught sight of a stall with brightly colored yarn hanks hanging from the ceiling. What the..?!?!?! I immediately made a beeline for the stall and came away with this:



Two four-ounce skeins of handspun loveliness in complimentary shades of pink and purple. It smells like a farm, I swear. I am in love. Now what to make with it?
As for everything else, the wedding plans have me in a tizzy right now. I have my first fitting on Tuesday, so I finally got my shoes yesterday. I tried out the spa with my mom on Friday (poor me, I know) and had my trial hair and makeup on Thursday. We sent out the invitations (150 of them, yikes) on Tuesday and the responses have been pouring in since Thursday. The wedding is coming!

Just a Quickie

It was a busy week and before I knew it, I had gone all week without posting! Sorry about that. Lots to post, but not much time tonight. We're off tomorrow morning to see our friends get married down in Ithaca, NY. P is the best man, so tomorrow we have the rehearsal dinner and then Saturday is the big day. The groom is one of our best friends from college so we've known him for (gulp) 11 years. My parents are going too, but they are flying to Buffalo, visiting Niagara Falls, then driving down to Ithaca tomorrow evening. P and I are driving straight from here. I am really looking forward to seeing some friends down there, especially my friend Amy who has been in California for 3 years and just moved to Michigan (just as far away in my mind). Then, on the way home, we are stopping in Cooperstown to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame! I can barely contain myself, I am so excited.

A few things:

- I am one repeat away from finishing the right side of I Do. It looks and feels gorgeous. I am really glad I decided to knit it in Soft Kid and I can't wait to wear it on my wedding day! I plan to start the left side in the car this weekend.

-In order to continue I Do, I had to order more Soft Kid from Jimmy Bean's. They have a great sale going on right now, lots of yarns are discounted, so I just had to add to the stash. I got two skeins of Jaeger Chamonix in a dusty rose color for one of these scarves. I can't wait to start knitting it (but not until the wedding knitting is done!). It might be my honeymoon knitting.

-Last weekend, I went to the Marshfield Fair with my sister, her husband and my two nephews (and P came along too). The fair is always fun, but I absolutely love the craft show. There were some incredible knitted and crocheted pieces, but also some unbelievably hideous ones. Like the cookie monster costume knit out of blue fun fur. I couldn't look away from it. Oh yeah, and P won me a HUGE Spongebob playing a basketball came. So cute.

-Finally, I know it's posted all around the blogsphere, but the new MagKnits is up. I like all the patterns, but then again, I am always a big fan of MagKnits. Go check it out for yourself!

I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday weekend. Keep those down South in your thoughts and prayers.