Friday 19 October 2012

adding to the stash (with purpose)

Life has been really hectic since the conference at the beginning of the month. I have been knitting but not much sewing has been going on.

However, there has been some time to add to the stash – and have others add to it!

At the end-of-winter sale at the Big Box Store I bought six metres of polar fleece. This will be used to make doggie blankets for the local animal shelter.
2012 polar fleece for doggie blankets
I won a 45cm x 45cm (18” x 18”) piece of beautiful fabric from Ink and Spindle from Helene’s blog. It is organic cotton/hemp. I have no idea what I will do it – at the moment I just admire it! Thanks, Helene.
2012 Ink and Spindle Lueca
Several months ago, Cindy, of Tops to Treasures, made me smile with one of her fabric purchases (from Hancocks). When she finished with the fabric, she kindly offered to send me a small scrap for the “I Spy” quilt I will eventually get around to making for my grandsons. Along with the scrap that made me smile, she also sent these:
2012 baseball scrap from Cindy Sharp2012 superhero scrap from Cindy Sharp
Older Grandson will love this monkey fabric and those synchronised swimmers (on the left) bring a big grin to my face!
2012 monkeys scrap from Cindy Sharp
And here is part of the original “scrap” that made me smile. It is so ridiculous that I just cant help grinning!
2012 donkeys scrap from Cindy Sharp
Thank you so much Cindy!

On the yarn front, there have also been purchases “with purpose” and a couple just because I could!

Firstly, I needed yarn to knit a blanket for my new great-nephew. I didn't knit in advance because I was hoping the baby would be a girl -- I have a lot of pink cotton in my stash!  But it wasn't to be, so it was off to the store for some "boy" yarn! This is a bamboo/acrylic blend which means it can be machine-washed: a quality most young mothers appreciate!
2012 Bella Baby Buttercup for Eamon's blanket
While in the Big Box Store I found a new range of yarn – “new” in the sense that I have never seen this brand before. They had three varieties – a 100% wool in an 8ply, a silk/merino blend in an 8ply (DK weight) and the one I purchased – a 4ply sock yarn. All of them are very reminiscent of Noro yarns but at about half the price!
2012 Poems Sock purple2012 Poem Sock purple colours

I returned to the Big Box Store on Wednesday to see what they had on sale. I wanted to knit a lightweight (summer) cardigan for myself. I need it to go with everything in my wardrobe. I didn’t go with any particular pattern in mind so had to guess how much yarn I would require! I can do that with no problems in 8ply but I think I miscalculated when I bought 20 x 50g balls of this viscose yarn:
2012 Moda Vera Willowy cardigan for me

Just as well it was on sale! Viscose is a plant fibre, originally wool pulp, but has been treated to be super soft. It also has the most beautiful sheen which is hard to see in the photo. I really wanted the grey but they only had fifteen balls and it was three different dyelots – and yes, there was quite a discrepancy between the shades of grey in the balls.

I could also imagine a beige or stone-coloured cardigan going with everything in my wardrobe so I also bought fifteen balls of this cotton/acrylic blend.
2012 Moda Vera Gelato beige cardigan for me
This colour is so wrong – in reality it is a lovely, soft beige colour.

I have had no success with cotton in the past – it always stretches way out of shape on the first wearing so I’m hoping the acrylic will help it maintain its shape but that it also won’t be too hot.

And, I couldn’t resist the last two balls of this yarn on special. I can imagine this 50% wool/50% acrylic blend as the Lady Eleanor Stole (Ravelry link) – a lot brighter than the original!
2012 Moda Vera Fern2012 Moda Vera Fern colours
I’d better get knitting if our great-nephew is to get his blanket and I am to get a new cardigan!

12 comments:

  1. Ha, I love the donkey fabric too!
    The Ink and Spindle fabric is lovely too - maybe a cushion cover? Or a bag? I'm sure it will tell you what it wants to be in due course.

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  2. You are going to be busy until christmas next year with that stash! Lol you have your own 50 shades of grey going on!

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  3. Wow, you got a lot of projects to work on. Love the yarn color, especially the last one.

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  4. Wow, you have some serious stash additions! Beautiful stuff. I have never seen the cotton/hemp fabric either-will be interesting to see how to use it-a tote perhaps?!

    Love the yarns-this will keep you in stitches for days and days! lol

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  5. The donkey fabric is so great! I love the little super heroes too :)

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  6. Yummy yarns. The last is fabulous!

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  7. I've seen that donkey print before, and yes, it IS ridiculous!! Also, I love the look of your blog!

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  8. OOOO! pretty yarns.
    how nice of you to make doggy blankets. I know they will enjoy them.

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  9. It looks like you have enough to keep you busy for quite a while. Good luck getting those projects crossed off your list. Enjoy!

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  10. Love your I-Spy scraps, that's going to be a very fun quilt! Beautiful yarns! Good luck with knitting plans.

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  11. Love the colours of that fleece, what happy doggies they will be. Quite liking that Fern yarn you have there too, what a delicious colour that is.

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