Holiday Fun

OMG...This made me LAUGH! Found it over on Julie Noolie's blog...

You Are The Stuffing

You're complicated and complex, yet all your pieces fit together. People miss you if you're gone - but they're not sure why.

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

Of Planets, Prizes, and "Peds"

The long awaited shop opening of One Planet Yarn and Fiber has finally arrived! This is a wonderful new shop in part run by the folks at Yarn Botanika that will feature items from all parts of the globe and from many independent artisans -- including me! YAY! You can find a little bit of Sereknity in lots of places on the site, including Indie Yarns, needles and notions, and spinning fiber. They also have a wonderful new yarn company called Sheep Shop yarns, that looks fantastic, as well as Black Pearl Yarns, which feature a design by Gina, and many other wonderful things. Give it a looksee, won't you?

As mentioned before, Gaye, Ericka, and Rachel all won prizes in the "Name that Bunny" contest, and here is what they won...
Rachel chose this skein of green tone-on-tone sock yarn from the etsy shop that I am sending her along with some matching cute and girlie stitch markers...

Ericka chose sock yarn in the Gothic Rose colorway, and as she recently voice her aversion to stitch markers, I am including this mini-skein of Gothic Rose dyed with the same dye lot. An extra 160 yards. And hey, who doesn't love more yarn??

And for Gaye, for her winning name, she gets her requested Blue Hawaii skein destined for a lacy scarf and a custom decorated crochet hook with sheep topper. I really hope she loves this little gal!
In other news, I need socks. Desperately. I have no desire to wear store bought white socks ANYMORE. But I kept picking these wonderful, gorgeous patterns with lace and charts and details that take much more time an concentration than I have to give, thus, NO SOCKS. grrrr. SO I forsook all WIPs and sat down with my lovely but small hank of Bella-dyed handspun (dyed to look like my little kitty Bella) and cast-on for little footies -- or Peds -- since they would work up quickly on size 5 needles and I of course did not have nearly enough for a taller pair. And here they are! 3 days later! YAY!

Simple is so the way to go right now. I was also left with a too-small-for-sale skein of Christmas Tree dyed sock yarn and I was so very curious as to how this would work up, so I cast on ribbed a cuff in red (Cervina Calzetteria) and went to town with Christmas tree in stockinette. The results?

What do you think? I think I like it! The red and purple swirl completely around the leg like a sting of garland. Pretty cool. And QUICK, and very definately festive. (I am a sock knitting MACHINE! HA.) The toes will also be done in red, to round it out and to conserve the varigated yarn.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Etsy, Etsy, Etsy...

Talk amongst yourselves!

The question? Is it kosher to knit on the toilet?

Discuss.

A few new things...

Been doing a bit of knitting, a bit of spinning, some designing, and lots and lots of PRODUCTION for Sereknity. Wouldn't you know that I finally got the hang of my new camera and lighting studio, got enough product to do a "photo session", finished the first of four sock kits to be listed (even got this one listed in esty late last night), and THIS is the weekend etsy is down to install the new version!! ARG! FIGURES! Oh well, it will have to wait until Monday, but until then, here is a sneak peek...
I also began knitting/designing a new sock (for Nora of Black Dog Knits) and I am using beads for the first time! I am using my hand dyed 50/50 merino/silk and I love how it is working up. My question is, do I continue the pattern down the foot of the sock w/o the beads? I personally like socks with a patterned foot, but you wouldn't want to have a sock with beads on the foot, so will it look odd to have the pattern repeat omitting the beads? Also, I plan on making a sandal sock version of the heel -- will a sandal sock look funny without a pattern down the foot to balance it out? I would LOVE feedback on this, and as you can see, you have time! I have a ways to go.Also completed were two skeins of two ply handspun. The first single was a local lambswool/angora blend in a heathery mix of white deep red and orange, and the second one of my own hand dyed fibers in a BL/Mohair blend, dyed to stripe in red and pumpkin, with some yellow thrown in the mix. I think it is comming out pretty cool! Can't wait to see how it knits up.
As you may have noticed, I've been having fun experimenting with the new lighting studio. I'm not the only on -- the elusize BooBoo decided he'd give it a try...lookd thrilled, doesn't he?
Lots of dyeing to do over the next few days. Have to get ready for an in-home craft "show" of sorts being held in Rockport. Wish me luck!

"Don't even MENTION transvestites or I'll get pregnant!"

Ahhhhhh, the delightful sound of drunken knitters, hign on jello-shots and yarn fumes with nowhere to go. This was an actual quote form Lora -- I just had to write it down so I wouldn't forget! -- I don't recall the exact story but it did involve conception, transvestites in a gay bar, and thankfully, her husband. That is all I remember. You see, I too partook in these wonderful confections...

...brought by the fabulous (and sadly blogless) Sara. mmmmmmmmm I love jello shots? What? Me? Drinking? noooooo, only had one glass of wine! hehehe And the truly amazing thing? Of all the weekends knitting mistakes, none were made during our "spirited" evening. In fact, it would seem entrelac is aided by the stuff (again, see Lora's blog for her version of the events). We (the Manchvegans) most certainly took good old Grand View Lodge and it's "Two Days in a Yarn Shop" retreat to new heights.
And yes, knitting was done! We even initiated knitting virgin Lisa, friend of Laurin, who began a lovely Manos scarf. I was happily joined by life long an dear friend Amy, who remarked that the knitting was a mere sideline to the weekend -- it was more of a big slumber party. She was right! But the knitting was certainly a wonderful sideline. I worked on Rachel's Debbie Bliss sweater (finally) as well as taking a stab or two at my Jaywalkers. Seriously, I might have knit 2 whole stitches into them. I don't know why, but I just can't get into them. I love the colorway, but the yarn is such a thin weight that it takes forever to knit. I'm most likely going to leave the legs really, really short and just start the darn heel flaps. These things need to go away.

I was seriously restless with my fiber all weekend -- spun on the drop spindle for about 10-15 minute at a time, cruised around the shop, came back to knit for a few, then would page through a magazine, and start some semblance of the process all over again. I think I am overwhelming myself with all the ideas I have and projects I want to do. So what did I do? Buy more pattern books. What is WRONG w/me? I was a good girl, thought, and didn't break the hundred mark in purchases, so I am very proud of that. I have been on an un-official yarn diet, since I have enough yarn to insulate my house, and even managed to walk out of the yarn shop when I visited Stitchy last week w/out a single itty bitty bit of fiberous material. Be proud of me. But back to the Grand View Trip, if you ever get a chance, you HAVE TO GO. Give Viv a call -- she is a great lady, and for a girlie get-away, it is unsurpassed.
In other knitting news, on the drive home (AMY WAS DRIVING! sheesh), I cast-on a mitten for Jacob in my yellow handspun. OMG this has got to be the UGLIEST MITTEN EVER KNIT.

The yarn is unevenly spun and plied and this really showed in the tight gauge I attempted to knit it at. Ug. I finished the kitchener stitch and pulled and prodded and TRIED to make it look better, but never got to the thumb. It now lies dormant in a nicely wound ball waiting for another try. I first have to recover -- and I had thought I was a pretty good knitter. le sigh
Other bits of business include the induction of Nichole into the world of hand-spinning...

...and my first pair of polymer clay needles made with my own hand-carved needles...
These little llamas are headed to New Jersey today, and I hope the recipient is as happy with them as I was w/ how they came out.
I plan to list a number of things on etsy throughout the day -- I have four sock knitting kits going up that I think are pretty spectacular (if I do say so myself!) a couple lone sock bags and a bunch of stitch marker sets. Hopefully, my camera and my items will agree w/ each other -- they certainly don't care one bit about what I want!
I'll leave you with some more pics of Grand View, and a reminder to check out Gina's new podcast -- "The Drinking Game." See a theme here? Sheesh! What a bunch of lushes! Gina is also running a contest for some stash yarns, so be sure to take a peek.
Amy, caught in the act...

...as are Laurin and Lisa...

Laurie and Sarah...

Gaye and her magnificent shawl...

Ericka at work on her wedding photo barter sweater...

THIS is why is is called Grand View...

Jackie giving Sven a little love...

Amy cursing the magic loop cast on in novelty yarn...

and a few shop views...

Very belated post -- Meeting Miss Stitchy

The weekend before this last, I found myself in a very strange but delightful position. I was alone. Totally, utterly, alone. As I had made plans forever-ago to travel on the Sunday to Acker's Acres -- birthplace of my little Lilah -- when my husband proposed another camping trip, I declined, but suggested he take the kids and go w/ out me -- and he did! I thought, "Wow, think of the things I can get done! I can dye, make needles, sew, CLEAN THIS WRETCHED HOUSE! But wait, what's that you say Ericka? Stitchy McYarnpants is in Concord with her traveling trunk of yarn-gone-wrong horrors? You are asking me to blow off my housecleaning to go to a yarn shop and listen to a truly delightful and hilarious human being of my favorite kind (a knitter)?? Well, no I couldn't...well, maybe, oh, ok, but of course!" So while hubby and kids were cooped up in a camper in the rain, I took my no-responsibility-I-don't-answer-to-anyone self to the Elegant Ewe and had myself a lovely day.
Stitchy was great! She had some of the funniest, most horrific pieces of knitting and crochet ever collected comprising her trunk show of the Museum of Kitschy Stitches. She explained how her obsession with collecting thses odities began with the discovery of a leaflet for making garments from BEER CANS and yarn. OMG -- say it isn't so. But alas, it was. Take note of the lovely number pictured in the leaflet...

Nice, huh? (The dark regions in the garment are the BEER CANS, complete w/ matching beer can hat!) The height of fashion. The one thing I might have been tempted to knit -- as was Stitchy -- is the little stuffed couch for kitties. Unfortunately, as I have to make four, plus a jumbo for Tashi, I don't believe my babies will be getting them anytime soon. There was also a frightening clown (don't they just freak you out?) and miles and miles of stiff. squeaky. acrylic. I had to immerse myself in the scents and feel of wool and angora throughout the shop when all was said and done just to erase the thought. And the best part? She showed off her newest acquisition, bestowed upon her that very day by Ericka and Chris -- the store bought (can u believe this was ever mass produced?) teddy-bear masacre sweater, complete with "butt bears", modeled her by Stitchy's very own mom.



In attendance from the Manchvegas group as well was Lora wearing her first pair of Jaywalkers completed in honor of Socktoberfest (yay Lora!). Mine? nope -- they are still only 1/2 way down the leg. Just not feeling the love. But I did post a pattern! That count's right?
As for the kids, they went trick-or-treating with Daddy Saturday night in the rain at the campground, and again on the 31st here at home. They were dressed as Aang (store-bought costume) and Katara (mommy-made costume) from the show Avatar. Here's a little pic after obtaining all the booty...(I did a lot of dyeing that day and tried to pass the yarn hanging on the porch off for colorful spiderwebs -- not sure if anyone bought it.)

I leave you with this last and final image from Stitchy's show for you to ponder (hint: take a REALLY good look at what Santa is doing)...

The suspense is over...

So very much has been going on here in the Sereknity household and all will be revealed in the next few installments, but first, I won't keep you in supense any longer. Contest results are in! We have three winners -- one who's suggestion was used to name my little bunny, and two others drawn at random.
Meet Lilah...

This name was suggested by Gigi and when I read it it just fit, you know? One of those moments that makes you take a quick breath? Perfect. I did still play with a few other names, though, to be sure. Top contenders were Pandora, LuLu, Bun Bun -- loved that!, Autumn, Chai and Nixie, Trixie, or Pixie.
Our other winners are Rachel and Ericka, drawn at random by my children.

Each lovely lady is choosing her prizes and pics will follow. More blogging to come later today -- my do I have a lot to cover! Meeting Stitchy McYarnpants, Halloween, the world's ugliest mitten, the-most-fun-trip-ever-breaking-all-knitter-stereotypes at Grand View Lodge in NH. Oh, the blackmail! Catch ya later!