Weekends are for Christmas Knitting...

I've had to place a self-imposed moratorium on working (ie dyeing or sewing for Sereknity) on weekends -- just so I can get my Christmas gifts done! I have MANY pairs of Fetching and Smocked Gauntlets to do (thankfully these are quick), I want to send a few hats in to my daughter's school for their clothing drive, and my kids need mittens! I am determined my family will have warm hands this winter! I also have a faint (very, very faint) hope of getting at least one scarf done for "someone" from the new Magnits -- the one w/ the swarovski crystals?? NICE. yeah, we'll see.
And so what did I get done? 2 Fetching mitts -- w/o thumbs. whoo. In my defense, however, I did make this bag...

...as a swap gift for my "crew's" Holiday party, hosted by the ever fabulous Gina (more about that later). The bag was easy, until I had to sew many layers of denim, corduroy and canvas together and bent two needles doing so, ran out of thread, and impaled my little piggies MANY MANY times on the numerous pins holding it together. ARG. BUT, good news? The recipient ("newbie" Mike) seemed to really like it. So all is good.
I did manage to carve out a little quiet time for hubby and I on Friday night, thanks to the children's katate school, which hosted a Pizza Party Game Night/ Parents Night Out. For us, it was "Parent's Night In", with hubby's favorite, Chicken Parm, on the menu. Nothin' fancy, but it sure was nice.

Saturday brought more fun and excitement with the visit of one of my oldest and dearest friends and her girls. My kids were bloody psyched to see the girls -- it really had been far too long, and Kendra and I finally got to just sit and chat and enjoy each others company. We just never get to do that. What a wonderful visit. And we sat and knit and crocheted, respectively, so we even got something done! And the best part? She wants to join me in the business!!! YAYAYAYAY!!!
On to Sunday and the Holiday Party; what a blast!! Great people, these Manchvegans. Fun, funny, they KNIT (and crochet!), make AMAZING Peppermint Cheesecake (omg -- I'm telling you -- O.M.G. -- can that Ericka COOK) and help me (barely) polish off a bottle of merlot (just so I don't have to say I drank it all myself -- thank you Chris!). My swap gift was an awesome book, Cables Untangled, by Melissa Leapman (autographed!). I love cables. sooo much. very very cool.
Gina giving Caroline a spinning demonstration...

The crew, Chris, Ericka, Jackie, Jenna, and Mike...

Gigi and Sarah...

The amazing pooping polar bear...

Lora...

Gigi's finished crochet mitts...

Mike with his new bag (and finished first project! a baby blanket!)...

So tomorrow, it's back to the dyepot in the morning, then off to watch my scrumptious nephew and niece in the afternoon, and with a bit of luck, I'll have some dry fiber from today to post to the Etsy shop -- I'm starting to fall back on the search pages again!
In the meantime, Lilah is getting on very well. She has a new, larger cage and is getting the hang of the litter box. The other animals have gone from being very watchful and suspicious to remarkably accepting. I managed to snap this shot of Lilah and Bella.
On two seperate occassions today, I caught Bella and Mouse GROOMING her! Too FREAKIN' cute!!

My one quandry is whether to pluck Lilah, or shear her. There are apparently many different opinions on this -- I've been told shearing promoted better fiber growth, but I am worried that it may leave her susceptible to wool block. I've already plucked her a few times, and she tolerates it quite well (she only fusses when I try to put her on her back to brush her belly). If anyone has experience with angoras that molt (although she is mostly German, the Satin cross in her has left her able to molt) I would love your input on the subject.
******14 more knitting days 'til Christmas!**************

ah, yes, I'm still here...

..barely, it would seem, but here I am. The past few weeks have been quite a whirlwind -- I haven't bloggd since Thanksgiving! Yikes! To sum up that wonderful holiday, the delightful Lora and her fab family came and spent the holiday with me and mine (hubby, kids, mom, and two sibs) and a fantastic time was had by all. I really loved adding them to my crazy fold, and although the turkey was a bit dry (grrrr) and I forgot to cook the corn (DUH!), I do believe dinner was a success.
The whole next week was spent frantically preparing for a Holiday Open-house in Rockport, MA with Nichole. I was so unsure of what this would bring, but thankfully there were knitters! I did sell a bit of yarn, a kit, and got to spend a great day with great ladies. Sadly, Nichole did not fare quite as well -- while her items were BEAUTIFUL, most people there were in the market for larger sizes than she had on hand.
My table...




Nichole's table...

The remainders of my wares are being listed on the etsy shop this week -- many are there already. I just did a HUGE update -- and I'll be adding the worsted weight yarn and earrings over the next few days. Earrings, you ask? YUP. Made a few pair, as it is a small jump from stitchmarkers to earrings, to prepare for the non-knitters at the fair.
Also coming this week (I hope!) will be the pattern for Jacob's hat in the last post that I am calling Upward Motion for the purl stitch arrow pattern in the hat. While I love the yarn used on his hat -- Malabrigo -- I do think it would work better in a solid color. Malabrigo is the softest most LUXURIOUS yarn -- o.m.g. Amazing. Knitting heaven. mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
On the home front, things have been a bit rough. Poor hubby has been SICK SICK SICK.
SEVERE sinusitis. Bronchitis. We spent the day in the ER Sunday after I called his folks for help in a medical intervention (sorrym hun!). He kinda hates doctors. 3 nebulizer treatments, a CAT scan, chest x-ray, steroids, and much vicodin later, we returned home with a slightly improved man. And this was after he had finished a full course of Zithromax. UG. I've never seen him so sick -- scared the hell out of me. Seriously.
So I am exhausted. Weary to the bone exhausted. A nice trip to my knit night tomorrow will be a welcome escape. I'll be late (kid stuff) but I'll be there! with a real simple sock. simple. yup.
Before I leave you, this is a preview of some of my favorites from the etsy shops new updates.

I KNOW! I KNOW!!

I am a bad, bad, bad blogger -- over a week?? UG. My apologies, but I have been frantically busy getting ready for a sale opportunity tomorrow and also hubby has been sick w/ a inus infection and bronchitis, so yeah -- time and energy have been expended elsewhere to say the least. I'll write more tomorrow, or possibly Sunday, but in the mean time, here are a few pics to prove I've been busy!

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...