Finished: Gallatin Scarf for Mom

With everything that happened in December, I wasn't sure I was going to finish any of the gifts I had planned. While last month's events were reminders that procrastination is my enemy, I still knew I needed to get some handmade gifts done in time for Christmas. So off I went.

The first gift I finished was another Gallatin Scarf, this time for my mom at her request! I used the same type of yarn I had used in mine: Mountain Colors Twizzle, but in the Winter Sky colorway. She had seen the one I made and wore to Vegas in November and wanted one for herself, so I was more than happy to oblige!

The Gallatin Scarf is a great project and, as promised in the pattern, very fast to knit up. Even with working full-time and pumping out orders like a crazy person, I was able to finish this in a couple evenings. Just grab your favorite worsted weight luxury yarn and a pair of huge circular needles and you're set. The lace stitch and its increases are simple to memorize, making this perfect TV knitting. Considering I was glued to the Hallmark Channel all month, I was happy for that.

I didn't dive into a description of Mountain Colors Twizzle in the post about my own scarf, but I'd like to get into it here. The yarn is lovely - no doubt about it. The colors are super saturated and I love the contrasting flecks plied throughout. But... I ran into a few snags. It sometimes looked like the yarn was cut or frayed. It's not something that happened often, but being a pricier yarn, I thought I'd either see if anyone had experienced the same issues or inform anyone who was wondering if it's worth the money. Like I said, the colors are so vibrant that I absolutely do think it's worth the $20-whatever I paid for it - just without as many snags. If it had happened only with the hank I used for my scarf, I'd have thought it was an odd-ball and let it go (it's bound to happen on occasion, which we knitters know); however, it happened in two different hanks from two different dye lots. Have any of you used this yarn and encountered a similar problem?

That's all for today. Lots of yarn goodness and other finished projects coming soon :)

2015 Calendar: Men in Knitwear (alternate title: "Rawr")

I was going to come to you today with news of fantastic Christmas vacation yarn stashes and projects. Instead, I bring you the 2015 Men in Knitwear calendar, available to download on Ravelry from Stitch Seekers for $15.

Why? Well, I think that's obvious. And you're welcome.

I mean, scantily-clad eye candy at its finest and coordinating patterns for what little clothing is featured? My printer won't know what to do with its sudden use of color ink.

From the website:

Subscribe to the digital MIK calendar and enjoy a new man in your inbox at the start of every month. That's 12 small to medium sized projects on a larger than life man + the bonus cover design; a total of 13 super cool knitting patterns brought to life by our handsome models. We don't want to distract you from the knitwear so the models won't be wearing loads of other clothes. You'll never forget an appointment again! If you've only just discovered MIK and the year is already underway - no need to wait till next year. Subscribe at any time and you'll receive all the months you've missed, wow! The only question is, can you handle all the excitement at once?

I don't know, but I bought the calendar today and I'm not upset about it. And you won't be, either.

Merry Christmas! Picspam!

A very merry Christmas from all of us here in the yarn house. Except for Nick. Cuz he hates pictures.

Review: 2014 December KnitCrate

Consider my monthly KnitCrate's eye candy my Christmas treat to you :) This is only my second package, but I was so excited to see what we were getting this month that I tore it open with the fervor of a starving cat. Luckily, I wasn't disappointed (LOOK AT THE YARN!)

This month's pattern is Lapidary by Brittany Wilson, sent as a redeemable code for digital download on the site. It's totally drool-worthy (especially in the colors I received), and I've had to hide it at the bottom of all my Christmas projects so I don't get distracted. But believe you me: this thing is happening during my nearly-two-weeks off from work for the holidays. I'm not one to rush through Christmas, but I'm chomping at the bit to knit on this project.

From the KnitCrate website: 

"Honeycomb-like patterns are hot this season and we couldn’t leave you out of that fun! Lapidary is worked on the bias and the colorwork is created with stripes and slipped stitches." Who doesn't love working on the bias? To me, bias designs seem to work up faster than others.

The yummy yarn was selected to coordinate with the pattern, which requires two colors. I was more than happy to get two skeins of Sunrise Fiber's Co's Frolic Sport in Electric Indigo and Jelly Bean; not only will they work up nicely in this pattern, but there's a little bit of pink in the Jelly Bean colorway. Two of my favorite colors combined in holy matrimony. Could I be any happier?

The Fun Extra is, indeed, a bit of fun. We received a Luxury Fur Pom-Pom, which is something you may have seen floating around in your LYS or online. These are fantastic for those times you don't feel like making your own (which is always for me... I absolutely hate the process of making pom-poms). It comes ready-to-attach to old or new projects that need a smidgen more pizzazz and is made of 80% acrylic and 20% polyester so it lasts a long time. You can check out what's available for purchase on the KnitCrate website.

December's Sweet Extra barely made it to the photo; I think you know why. It was Peppermint Hot Chocolate on a Stick from Ticket Chocolate and it was yummier than you could imagine. A perfect little treat to sip on while finishing up (or, in many cases, just starting) my Christmas gift knitting. Here's how it works:

Swirl our blocks of finest couverture into steaming milk or water and you’ll have a cup of hot chocolate worth lingering over. We can’t help but feel that the stirring adds to the experience, soothing you over while building up anticipation for that first sip. The hot chocolate that results is the same caliber you will find in the world’s finest cafes and bakeries. Trust us, we know our hot chocolate.

And finally, it's not splurging if I don't indulge in a minis add-on. This month, we received five more wonderful yarn from Sunrise Fiber Company in Classic Sock, a high-twist 100% Superwash Merino Wool 2-ply sock yarn. I love the mix of colors and can't wait to add it to my as-yet-to-be-started Beekeeper's Quilt.

So... happy, happy, happy things! Are you a KnitCrate subscriber? What'd you get this month?

Review: ArtBin Yarn Drum

If you’re like me, the ability to carry around your plethora of yarn isn’t optional; it’s a necessity. And sometimes, that necessity is evil.

Mobile crafting (for entrepreneurs who need constant access to their stash, anyway) is often undiscussed in the yarn industry; it seems like an unattainable oasis. The idea of needing to lug huge bags of yarn - however cute those bags may be, or however light those skeins may seem individually - is daunting.

But I recently added the ArtBin Yarn Drum to my supplies, and life has gotten so much easier.