That's Alot of Waffling!

If you have 17 rows of Twisted Ribbing times 252 stitches you get 4,284 stitches. Then if you have 16 pattern repeats of a 4 row pattern that equals 64 rows. 64 rows times 252 stitches equals 16,128 stitches. Add 4,284 stitches to 16,128 stitches you get a whopping 20,412 stitches. So what does that look like? Well here it is...my Knitty Thermal! That's alot of waffling if you ask me. This has been my *bring to work* project this week. I am loving the feel of the Knit Picks Gloss yarn. Oh and did I tell you? This is being knit on size 2 needles! I am using Harmony Wood needles from Knit Picks and they are awesome.

Here are my completed Fawkes Socks. I finished them at the end of December while in SC. I knitted them in the medium weight STR colorway *Hot Flash* on size 1 needles. I wore them for the first time last night and they are very warm and comfy!

Can you say M-A-L-A-B-R-I-G-I-O? I definitely did when my sister Mary Beth and I visited Island Knits in Pawley's Island, SC. This was my first live encouter with this yarn and it just jumped into my basket - all 3 hanks! I am going to be knitting this yummy yarn into a shawl that MB is going to be creating for us. The square buttons go with it. I also picked up the Jay Jitterbug yarn. It was the only one there and I snatched it up. I've been loving this yarn color ever since Kim knitted her Jay socks. The best part of this yarn purchase was that everything was 20% off.

Friend or Foe?

On this last day of the extended holiday weekend I chose this morning to relax on my couch and work on some Christmas knitting gifts. While I was knitting away in my own silent little world, I heard this scratching noise. I immediately stopped what I was doing and sat breathlessly while waiting to see if this noise would happen again. What was strange about this noise is that it sounded as is it was coming from right above my head. The scratching noise did indeed occur again, which is good 'cause I think I was turning blue from holding my breath in anticipation. I immediately looked up from my couch and this is what I saw:

Can you believe it? Fawkes had flown in from I don't know where. She decided that hanging out on my wooden divider between the living and sleeping area was a good place to perch. I have to say I was extremely relieved when I saw this flash of hot pink! I didn't want to imagine what else that noise could have been.

Anyway, Fawkes is telling me that I should be working on her heel instead of all this Christmas knitting! What am I to do?!?!? I'm hoping to get the heel going on Fawkes this week.

I'm Having A "Hot Flash"

The correct amount of marinating time for Hot Flash in my stash was approximately 24 hours! I guess I didn't want her to get too cozy and comfortable in there. I just happened to be organzing and cleaning up my knitting stuff last night and came across the pattern that Hot Flash was destined to be.

Since I had finished up Mustang Sally socks, I decided that I didn't want to have to wait to cast on for my new socks. (Waiting = Having to Get Yarn Balled) Before I turned off the lights for the night, I sent a text to Shameka to see if I could borrow her winder today. Of course she came through for me! Thank you sweetie!

The last time a I wound yarn I had a bit of a fiasco, I decided that Hot Flash was going to be wound using my tried and true method to avoid any disasters. I thought I would share with you guys what I go through to ball my yarn. Of course the above pic is of this beautiful yarn hanging off my neck. Isn't it great how I color coordinated my top with the yarn? The pic to the right here is the yarn spread across my floor. I unwrap the yarn from around my neck several times to avoid choking myself to death. Can you imagine death by yarn?!?!?

Then here is the result of my hard work. An almost perfectly wound ball of yarn. (I say almost because nothing is ever perfect in my mind) Oooo isn't the color puuurrrrrtttyyyy?

So while I'm winding away my mind is pondering on why I love STR yarn so much. I asked myself if it was the colorways, the yummy feeling of the yarn, the consistency of the yarn, what? My answer is all of the above. Out of all the yarn I have knitted with so far, this one is my favorite right now.

So let me ask all of you. What is your most favorite yarn you have knitted with up until now and why? It doesn't have to be sock yarn. It can be anything. I'm curious because I know there is soooooo much yarn out there that I have yet to knit with and who knows, maybe I'll get an idea for a future yarn purchase.

Here is what Hot Flash is destined to be. The pattern is called Fawkes and for those of you who are "Harry Potter" fans know who Fawkes is. The pattern is a Socktopia exclusive and I came across it while perusing Ravelry one day back in August. The stitch motif is a rising flame on a garter rib background.