Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Work in Progress Wednesday 206

Hi everyone! I hope all is well with you this week. We're just plugging along and working hard. We didn't do much this weekend. I think I've mentioned before but we're turning our basement into a tiki bar. It's a ton of work, but so fun. We worked on that a bit this weekend and hung out with a friend that was in town from the Bay area (San Fransisco).




I've been working a ton of my secret project, but I've also been doing a little knitting. As you can see, I'm speeding right along on my Jolly Roger Shawl I'm still insanely in love with it. I just moved it to a 32" cable as it was super tight on the 24". I'm using Candy Skein Savory fingering in Oyster and Pumpkin Spice.


I've also been working on the Sockhead I'm making my brother in law for Christmas. It got thrown to the side for awhile, but I'm back at it again. I'm on the decreases, so I figured it's almost an FO. I'll post it soon.

That's it for me. I hope you all have a fantastic rest of your week. Hopefully I can post a finished object on Friday!



Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Work in Progress Wednesday 205

Hi everyone! I hope you're having a good morning so far. I'm happily taking time out this morning to knit, which I haven't done in a really long time. It's great to be excited about knitting again. I was going through a slow period of time, and I think it's because of summer. It's been so hot here, I haven't wanted to knit. Now I have a few projects I'm dying to cast on and one I love right now that I'm knitting.





Remember me posting the two skeins of yarn last week for a Jolly Roger Shawl? Here it is so far! I'm in SERIOUS love with it. I'm striping every 8 & 9th row. Then I'll do the skull border in the orange and hopefully have enough gray to weigh the bottom down with a few rows. I'm using Candy Skein Savory fingering in Oyster and Pumpkin Spice. I soooo want Fall to be here!

That's it for me today. I hope you all have a great rest of your week.





Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Work in Progress Wednesday 204

Hi everyone! Sorry I'm a little late today. I was out late at a concert last night and had to get my orders out this morning. The mailman seems to be coming earlier and earlier lately to beat the heat, I'm guessing!

I haven't had much time to knit lately as I'm working on a SUPER secret project that I hope to share with you guys come mid October at the latest. I'll just say that I"m so so so excited about it and it will be an expansion of Candy Skein.

Before I spill more of the beans, let me get into Work in Progress Wednesday!





As mentioned last week, we went to Jimmy Beans Wool during the retreat. I didn't buy much, as I was almost too overwhelmed and really, I have enough yarn in my stash. It's a little ridiculous. I bought one skein of yarn, fabric (I could have bought so much more fabric and it was 50% off too! I had to contain myself) and needles, because you can never have enough needles.



I wish you could see how intense this yarn is. I cast on another Sockhead with it while at the airport. It's a company I haven't heard of before, Vice Yarn. So far I like it. It's either going to be the most amazing Sockhead or the most hideous Sockhead. I haven't decided yet. I'm going to give it until a little into the stockinette section before deciding.


I posted this yarn on my Instagram a week or so ago, and I can't stop thinking about it. I think I'm going to snatch them from the Candy Skein shelves to make a Halloween shawl. The colorways are Pumpkin Spice and Oyster. I'm considering making the Jolly Roger Shawl and then adding stripes into the body of it. Thoughts?


That's it for me this week. I'm off to work and make Gluten Free banana bread! I hope you have a great rest of your week.


Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Work in Progress Wednesday 203





Hi everyone! Look, two weeks in a row!!  I'm back in the swing of things and working hard in the heat of the summer. I actually just returned from a knitting/cross stitch/craft retreat in Lake Tahoe. It was an amazing experience. I had so much fun and it was awesome to be surrounded by like minded people for 4 days.

We got to visit and tour Jimmy Beans Wool as some of you know who follow my Instagram feed (@candyskein). I'll hopefully have more time to tell you about it at a later time and share more pictures that weren't posted to Instagram.



A few of us at the retreat have been working on a special project, a kit that combines all of our businesses. In the kit you receive an exclusive colorway skein of yarn from both Candy Skein (which is me) and Black Market Wool (which is owned by my friend Rijel). Two patterns are also included, both designed with the two skeins of yarn that is included, one a sock and the other a shawl. The patterns are designed by Meaghan from Unapologetic Knitter. On top of all that, you also receive an AMAZING bag made by Stephanie (@befedee on Instagram) who is just starting a bag making company. I have to say, this has to be the nicest knitting bag I know own. It's HUGE (and fits both skeins of yarn PLUS. In fact, it fits my Sock Yarn Blanket AND scraps) and has a nice thick interfacing so it stands up on its own and can be used as a yarn bowl when knitting in the wild.




The exclusive fabric, with a logo that combines all of our companies and looks awesome, was designed by SeaandLake. The kits are on sale now for only $99 at blackmarketwool.com!








As far as what I worked on at the retreat, I didn't want to have to pay attention to a pattern or where I was in the knitting, so I worked on my Sock Blanket! A few of us brought yarn scraps so we could share. I think what I love most about this blanket is having different squares from different people, as well as the memory of knitting them. For example, I'll always remember where I know the 12 squares I finished during the retreat!

That's it for me today. I hope you all have a great rest of the week!