what's been happening lately

Well,

i've been drooling over the silk sooooooooooo much that i've not shared some other fun stuff.

this yummers hat is what i've been having fun with. the yarn is Iceland from CPY www.straw.com to see the colors. this pic is of the adult hat; am now working on one for a baby.

and doing a version in lovely Kaya.

the pattern should be up soon with other free patterns, and pics on models and etc.

as always, go to http://www.straw.com/ and click on links to find scads of free patterns, including some well-organized lists for amples and socks and more! there are also pages showing you all the yarn color cards.

also, this is "the peggy shawl" in strawberries-limes kid merino [oooh soft!]

with a starting closeup and a final view.

this was knit by kyleann williams whose blog is on the sidebar. the shawl is [i think] a jackie es pattern.

here are more shots of my nutmeg sock - the foot has a ribbed instep, which feels yummy,

the design is by me, and the yarn is panda silk.

you can see that i carried the leg design down onto instep until i finished the gusset decreases; then i ribbed the foot the rest of the way on top, and used another rib underneath.

the final pic is of the "wildwest" or cowboy/cowgirl puffin slippers. this pattern is in a baby size as well as being sized for adult woman or man. it is quick and fun and soo soft.

blessings, :L

WINNERS !!!!! Panda Silk Contest #2 is over

Hi all,

this contest is now closed.
winners chosen by random number generator:
24 = crazzybunny
65 = elaine
91 = deepa
23 = jogswithdog
Timestamp: 2007-12-02 21:23:39 UTC

so now, please do the following
1: go to panda silk
and choose your 3 fave colors.

2. email me, proflauraATfirststepinternetDOTcom [convert AT to @ and DOT to . and remove spaces as needed] and give me your name, addy info and your color choices ranked in order of preference!

3. dance around and be happy!

at the top of the blog is the post for the 3rd contest ... for the month of December. again it will stay at top of blog, being pre-dated, until midnight 12/31... and new year's eve 2008!!

blessings, :L

Panda Silk Contest Two (Nov1-Nov30 don't miss out!!)

Hi,

this is the blogpost for your comments in our 2nd Panda silk contest. I will stop counting entries at midnight 11/30 so don't be late!


we have 3 winners for the first panda silk contest:

this post will stay at the top of the blog until 12/1
andey layne [http://andeylayne.blogspot.com]

cherryl [http://knittinwingnut.blogspot.com]

& Susi - junglemama

each won 2 skeins of panda silk in their choice of colors.
anyone know these folks?
please write me at proflaura@firststepinternet.com or drlauraAsirius@gmail.com and thanks! [i am embarassed to tell you that my former email hasn't been working - thanks to Andey for letting me know!]

contact me &/or i'll try to reach the two of you that i can.

Susi-i can't follow any trail with your email to find you
blessings, :L

panda silk is coming !!

aren't these lovely? Susan just finished these two new easy and quick scarves with panda silk.
the one on the left is 2 strands making a yummy blend!










then here's a lovely wrister made by bianca with the tonal green panda silk.







these final two shots are of the pink ribbons mommy sock with the new baby
girl socks. and of course the fun shot of the sock in progress.









we'll be announcing the Nov Panda Silk winners soon!
in the mean time, back to my regularly scheduled knitting.

blessings, :L

mea culpa- and LOST panda silk winners!

Hello folks
i've just learned that mail going to my FORMER email
"drlaura DOT sirius AT gmail DOT com" isn't being delivered.

i have set up a new email
"drlauraAsirius AT gmail DOT com" or "proflaura AT firststepinternet DOT com"

and removed the old one.

i need the 3 winners of the panda silk contest from october to contact me
please! [11/22 have heard from one]
if we don't hear by 12/1 when we will announce the nov. winners, we will
have to draw again...

i do know that one person said she was having trouble reaching me... that's
what set me on this new email path.

blessings, :L, laura

lost winners? come home !

Hi
on 11/1 we announced that


andey layne [http://andeylayne.blogspot.com]

cherryl [http://knittinwingnut.blogspot.com]

& Susi - junglemama

each won 2 skeins of panda silk in their choice of colors.
anyone know these folks?

contact me &/or i'll try to reach the two of you that i can.
Susi-i can't follow any trail with your email to find you, so you have to find me.
hmmm wonder if announcing winners is ok on sockknitters?

blessings, :L

where's the silk?

some folks have asked about Panda Silk - and not being able to find it...
the answer is SOON.

this is a special new yarn officially to be released in Jan '08.
however!! TA DA.... the yarn is about to be delivered to various yarn stores, within the next few weeks, so keep your eyes peeled!

blessings, :L

Panda Silk Ribbons

I just finished this sock a couple of days ago. So that means i still need to finish the details on writing up the pattern.

the part i enjoyed the most was the ribbon stripes - turned out well, don't you think?

what is very exciting is that i am now unequivocally convinced that there is a lot lot of yarn in the panda silk skeins! i have now repeatedly made 7-8 in legs [above the heel] and then my 9.25 in foot, and still have leftovers.

ooh.. panda silk leftovers. droolworthy!!

so my current knitting is working on those leftovers to make a surprise, and also on a new sock with the gorgeous tonal green panda silk. i sure wish i had more hands! the solid green wants to be cables and it keeps talking to me!!

blessings, :L, laura

Star Search - Wednesday this time!

I wanted to show you a gorgeous man's sock design by Laura fiberdreams, for the new Maizy (corn fiber) yarn. The innovative title is "diamonds in his shoes"!

Laura [hmmm why do i love that name? LOL) has graciously permitted CPY to post the pattern, but do remember copyright, and specifically that the pattern is for personal use only! It is Laura's design!

I do understand the fun & agony of designing for one's significant other. In my case, Al has this thing about TALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL socks, so he wants a sock that's about 13 in above the heel, and then of course the larger man's foot.
so i usually do socks for him with a sport/dk wt. Merino-5 is a perfect yarn, knits quickly and soooo soft and lovely, and he's a happy camper.

blessings, :L, laura
ps have pics of a just finished "Ribbons" sock design using the new Panda Silk.

winners 3 !!! for first panda silk contest

Hi there!

am pleased to announce three winners:

andey layne [http://andeylayne.blogspot.com]

cherryl [http://knittinwingnut.blogspot.com]

and

Susi - junglemama

please go to the Crystal Palace Yarns site HERE
PANDA SILK
and select your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices of yarn. Some colors
are in now, and can be send quickly, others are still not here.
I will also need to have you email me privately drlaura.sirius@gmail.com
with your addy and full info - including color choice!

... Congratulations!

And for everyone else, the 2nd contest of 4 has just opened, so come try again!
We will have winners for November and December and January!

blessings, :L

Panda Silk Contest!! Comment to win! ends 11/1/07 12:01 am

On September 30th, this year at 12:01 am, we will begin a contest to win 2 sk of panda silk.

How it will work:

1. the contest starts 9-30-07 at 12:01 am, and will run until 11/1/07 at 12:01 am.

2. to enter, post a comment to this blog, on the Panda Silk Contest Page. I have dated this as 11/1/07 to keep it at the top of the blog.

3. prize determination will be with a random number generator using your comment number.

4. every comment will have a number (one entry per email/blog addy please)

5. several prizes will be given, with more prizes for more entries.

6. winners will receive 2 sk of the wonderful new Panda Silk yarn, great for shawls, scarves, socks and more!

7. Your color choice from Crystal Palace yarns will be honored if at all possible.

Get Ready! Get Set! Come Back and Comment to Win !!

blessings, :L, laura

This luscious Kid Merino shawl (in colorway Sage) was knit by Tigerduck, whose blog is dotsandyarn

Design comments: "I used only three balls of the Kid Merino yarn (the last three balls in that colour when I bought them at Stash), and therefore had to knit the border on a smaller needle in order to be able to finish. 4 balls would have been better..."

the pattern is the Melon Pattern from Victorian Lace Today, Au: Jane Sowerby.

i love looking at lace... just amazing and this yarn is beyond special IMHO.

blessings, :L, laura

Bamboozle Baby

Barbara Breiter just completed a lovely baby blanket for Crystal Palace in Bamboozle.

The colors are soooo nice that i thought i'd also show you some other fun baby things in Bamboozle,
many of which are her knitterly designs also!

tomorrow, as blogger just told me it's unable

blessings,
:L

P.S. the baby is Marcelo Druding. You can see how he's growing by looking at these pics and others at http://www.straw.com/

peppermint panda

this sock is a toddler size, and was knit with the newest panda cotton colorway, called "dotty pink" and the fuchsia. i had a lot . it is using

of fun knitting it - kept wanting to knit "one more round", so am probably going to knit the sock in my own ladie's size 8 soon.

pattern will be coming up soon - free- on the Crystal Palace website www.straw.com

blessings, :L

ps! how about the Nobel prize for the Goracle? wow.

kid merino- Runic Cables and Mystic Lace

True confessions: am totally in love with this yarn. you have to see the incredible diversity of colors kid merino and every color is amazingly even prettier knit up. Knitting the yarn is a real treat. on top of that, the yarn is so well behaved you can not only use it for cables, but also even for stranding and color work! i like the diaphanous [sp?] gauzy look i'm getting here with 2 strands on a #8 us needle - it's light and yet warm.

The Runic Cables scarf is for my dh, Al. I've put in runes for happiness, prosperity, partnership,

and all sorts of good things.

The 2nd scarf - presently called Mystic Lace - is for ?? possibly even me. It's also 2 strands, on #9 and a "not fun" needle. I didn't have the #9 in CPY bamboo, and have to use a bamboo with a bad join. I have addi's in the right size, but they are two slick for the yarn, and frankly made my hands ache.

An example of the gorgeous color versatility is the band of Nasturtiums at the beginning, in with the Violet mix, and the lace band, which is fall herbs, and soo much prettier than the picture or even the ball would have you expect. This scarf is about double in length now, and will take new pics soon, after i knit a wee bit more.

I've just finished a 2nd lace band in the fall herbs, and am dithering about a green to use as i have two - the new vine green, and the sage - both lovely but different tonalities.

This is a "right brain" scarf so the yarn has to tell me what's next, LOL.

I want to do a couple more rounds on the runic cables, and change colors, and then back to scarves and the mystic lace scarf.
I also have to decide about more colors or not... al says not to use too many, but they're soo pretty - i can't stop!

blessings, :L, laura

ps don't forget our panda silk contest! have more panda silk socks and etc to show you soon!

the kitten on the left is Shasta, who's so sweet she purrs every time you pick her up.

the rascal on the right is Shiva. he's not really cuddley, yet spends a lot of time sitting on the back of my chair or by my feet. in fact, i worry that he gets more attention.

they've learned not to touch my knitting. i've been lucky. the kittens only got the knitting once or twice - dragging a sock across the living room and of course pulling the needles out. since then, if they touch the yarn, i put it away and play with them instead. never give them any yarn to play with as they can't distinguish an ratty old ball from something special.

i goofed once and let shiva play with a short circ, size 3 us, i think, that i didn't use much. well, he chewed the cord so badly it's totally not usable for knitting anymore.

Panda Wool

These pics are of a sock design i'm playing with, using 2 new colors of Panda Wool. One is called Neptune, and the other is Night Shades. The honeycomb with Night Shades behind the Neptune works well (towards the bottom) but the rows above don't show off the Neptune inside the Night Shades. So the knit is working out differently than my vision,
but now i see how best to do it.... This is a man's sock, and so far DH loves it. The colors are just smashing!







The sock below is Panda Wool "Circus" and is knit by Debbie. More details at Embellishknits


Debbie's gorgeous knitting! so even and pretty!

You can see these colors and more at http://www.straw.com/

blessings, :L

Maizy

These lovely Maizy socks were knit by Trish - link

to blog here: Random Threads

Nice aren't they?

blessings, :L