Stash Enhancement Auf Deutsch

File Under: When will I learn? I went to Germany with the foolish notion that I would just bring home a few souvenir skeins of yarn and that would be that. I've shown a little restraint at the last few shows I've been to, but that wasn't the case for this trip. First, I happened upon a yarn shop in Berlin near where I was staying quite by accident - and while they didn't stock Wollmeise, they did have some very lovely handpainted yarns from Schoppenwolle and Austermann. These 3 came home with me (and I honestly thought that was IT for the yarn - pretty funny, right?!):

Stash enhancement started innocently enough at H+H...but before I knew it, I had quite a ridiculous amount of skeins and other knitting-related items that I had to cram into my suitcase. First world problems, I know. Rather than (re)sharing the dimly lit photo I posted here on Instagram while still in Cologne, I've taken some nicer shots that really show everything off. First, I had a little blowout at the ArtYarns booth, which was just across the aisle from our booth (so I had the entirety of the show to ponder what skeins I wanted to get). I got a ton of Merino Cloud Fingering yarn in the form of a Grassy Green Gradients kit and 3 full-sized skeins (one of which I wound off on Sunday night so that I could start a crochet project on the plane back to Chicago):

I also snagged three pretty skeins of Koigu KPPPM and one Koigu Sparkle from their booth which was was just around the corner from us:

Some of my own client's yarn came home with me, too - I couldn't resist these two undyed skeins of Powder River yarn from Mountain Meadow Wool:

...or this bright and very uncharacteristic (for me) colorway of Lhasa Wilderness from Bijou Basin Ranch:

My final yarn-related score was this colorful Mitten Kit from the Knit Like A Latvian Booth, which my friend Mari and I had been planning to shop at the close of the show:

I saw some really curious-looking needles which I am trying in the name of science - they are made by Neko Knit, and the first time I saw them I totally didn't understand how they worked. Bent DPNs, what the what?! After seeing a live demo in the booth, I figured they were worth trying out. I'm not sure I'll convert to them completely (at least, not the way I've taken to magic looping on a fixed circ for socks of late), but it will be fun to give them a try and expand my horizons a little.

I got a few samples of animal craft eyes to try out, which means that I need to get back to toy-making this summer!

Last but certainly not least, I got some samples of some new products in the KnitPro booth (which is the brand Knitter's Pride products are sold under outside of North America....so this may very well be a sneak peek of what they'll be debuting at TNNA?! I sure hope so!). They had some cute new fabric bags, so I got a zippered pouch and an interchangeable needle case, and I also wanted to try some of the Royale DPNs and Zing fixed circulars.

I guess I better clear some more knitting (and crocheting) time in my immediate future to enjoy all of these wonderful goodies!

Easy DIY: Beaded Vintage Snowflake Ornament Kits from Solid Oak Inc.

I was really excited to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new as part of my "Christmas in July" theme this month. The kind folks at Solid Oak Inc offered me a chance to review one of their Nostalgic Christmas beaded crystal ornament kits I couldn't resist. My tree is already full of ornaments I've inherited or been gifted from other family members and friends, so these pretty crystal beaded ornaments will fit right in I think! I was super impressed with this compact little kit , which includes everything needed to create three gorgeous vintage-style ornaments - just add a pair of round nose pliers (I found mine on Amazon for less than ten bucks). The instructions had some fabulous tips for newbies like me; for example, it recommended sorting the beads and laying them out in order on a towel or beading mat to prevent them from rolling away. That may seem obvious, but I was totally ready to start beading on my kitchen table without a

What If I Didn't Add Heels?

Last weekend, I finished the first sock with my Waterlilies yarn , and just for yuks, I tried it on even though it was basically just a tube sock. Much to my surprise, it fit really well, even without a heel. Who knew? So, that got me thinking: what if I just didn't add the heels? I never thought a tube sock would actually fit nicely, but I genuinely like the fit, so...why spend time to add the heels? As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.... Let's say I decide not to add heels once the second sock is done - there will still be placeholder yarn for the afterthought heels, as you can see above, so should I leave it in and just weave in the ends? Or should I remove it, put the live stitches back on needles and at least graft them together using more of the Waterlilies yarn? I plan on mulling all of this over as I knit the second sock, and I'd love to hear your opinions of what you think would look best (or if you think this whole "n

Overdyeing A Finished Knit

Even after just a few years of knitting or crocheting, you're bound to have some finished projects lying around that never get worn or used. After 10+ years of crafting, I have more than just "some" or "a few"....and with my ongoing quest to declutter my house this year, I've become obsessed with going through these forlorn projects and making some Big Decisions. Sometimes, they are perfectly fine and just need a new and loving home. Other projects may have not turned out quite right: there might have been some mistakes in the knitting that I thought I could live with, or the yarn was gorgeous but not well-matched to the pattern, or my taste has drastically changed since I finished making the project...in any case, why on earth did I keep knitting?! Who knows, but I don't feel good about gifting anything that falls into this category to someone else. These projects have been relegated to the "frog pile" (or should I say, frog pond?), to b

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