Newsy Bits

1. I noticed that Ram Wools had the James Brett yarn I used for the WTW baby blanket in their latest catalog - so there's a source for anyone thinking about carrying it. The color I used looked bluer in the catalog than it is in real life though. It's more of a grey blue.

2. I'm planning on abandoning the Stashalong ship. I have been dealing with one of the most stressful times in my life lately and I feel like I need a reward! I'm considering buying a kit from either the Poetry in Stitches book or Norsk Strikkedesign book. Wanna do some vicarious yarn shopping with me and help me choose a design? Keep in mind my favorite color is blue and I've got red hair (okay - the hair color comes out of a box but it's red nonetheless). From NS I'm liking this, and this, and this but maybe with a bright blue background instead of the dark color, and this also possibly replacing the dark color with a blue. From POIS I like this and this possibly in other colors as well. Oh and did I mention that I've never done a large colorwork project and don't know how to steek?? Obviously the stress I've been under has driven me insane but let's just go with it and see where it leads ok?

3. I needed some escape knitting so over the past few days I knit up two squares for the KTC Warm the World blanket. One is 7" in moss stitch and one 14" in diagonal garter. Both are in boring but dependable old Red Heart. I'm too lazy to take a photo. But I enjoyed the knitting and had my daughter on my lap helping me knit the garter stitch. She held the needles and I guided them. Now she is bugging me 24/7 to hang out an knit with her. I see oceans of garter stitch squares in my future. :)

4. I cast on for a new project. It's getting springish enough out here that the gradual abandonment of the winter knitting has begun. So what am I making? A scarf. Nothing says spring is coming like a scarf right? My husband asked what I was making and I said I was getting a head start on my Christmas gift knitting. He seemed to think that was kind of crazy seeing as it's only March and all. But we'll see who is kickin back and eating bon bons while all of knit blogland scrambles and develops carpal tunnel syndrome trying to crank out gifts come December. ;) I'm knitting the Besotted Scarf from Hello Yarn. I dug some red Gedifra Fashion Trend from out of the depths of my stash - so despite plotting my defection from the Stashalong I am continuing to use up stash yarn. That counts for something I guess. I estimated I have used up around ten skeins of yarn (in terms of projects that I have finished - I've used up more on ongoing projects) during the Stashalong.

But.....phooey on the Stashalong! Stephanie needs yarn therapy. Give me your opinions, help me spend some $$! :)