“I’ve got a brand new…”

“…pair of roller skates, you’ve got a brand new key…”

I’ve got a brand new group for Exchanging Fire on Ravelry!  I’ve kinda sorta been meaning to get one together for oh, the last year or so, but I’m weirdly shy about some things, namely “look at me!” kind of activities, like a group that revolves around myself. I would really suck at being a celebrity. I know, I know, it’s strange because I have no problem being Bossy-McBossyPants in person, but somehow a group like this is different. It’s why you don’t often see me blathering in this blog about random personal stuff. ‘Cause I’m weird like that. Anyways, enough about me and my idiosyncrasies, let talk about the group, which actually, when I get right down to it, has nothing to do with me. Face it – I come in second fiddle to The Mini Skeins. And the stitch markers, and the other fun stuff. (But it’s really about the mini skeins. I understand. I’ve accepted it.)

So, I was arm-twisted into starting the group after I got some requests for a knitalong featuring the Mini Mania Scarf, which I’m very pleased that people love just as much as I do. And, not only did I and some rabid eager Mini Mania lovers start a brand new group, we also started a brand new Mini Mania KAL!

Even better, you are invited!  If you are chomping at the bit to use up all of your minis and want to be part of a growing community of miniskein-crazed knitters, this is your chance. I can’t promise that we are sane, but we sure are having fun with our Mini Mania!

Haven’t joined the Mini Mania yet? Go round up some bits and bobbles of yarn (I prefer fingering, but if you’ve got another favorite weight go use that instead and just adjust your gauge accordingly) and then come join in with us! This KAL is indefinite and ever-revolving, so no time is a bad time to hop in and join the fun. Non-maniac mini-lovers are welcome to join us as well, since I’ll be posting updates pretty regularly in the group about the shop, letting you know about special sales and group deals.

Hope you see you casting on with us soon, if you haven’t already!

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You’re Invited: Teatime on the Moors

I am a very poor hostess. A few months ago I posted about the Jane Eyre shawl, but I neglected to invite you to the Jane Eyre knitalong we held in the Jane Eyre group that I started on Ravelry. For shame!

Today I make amends, because we have started a brand new knitalong, and you are invited! This KAL’s theme is all about teatime – in the outdoors!

Heather on the North Yorkshire Moors

Imagine the sweeping scrubland of the moors, the wind whistling across the romantically barren ground, hilly and strewn with heather. We stride out together into the uncultivated moorland, wearing our lacy handmade fingerless mitts and carrying tea baskets with us. The shawls wrapped around our shoulders keep the hint of cooler weather to come at bay. Today might just be the last warm weather day. Our skirts billow in the hearty breeze, and the sun peeks out at us from behind puffy white clouds. We find several large, flat rocks to set out our tea service, complete with colorful tea cozies. It’s time for tea!

If you’d like to take a trip to the moors with us, get your knitting needles and crochet hooks out, because we are knitting ourselves all the proper accoutrement for Teatime on the Moors! Join us with your fanciest fingerless mitts and trippiest tea cozies on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 3 p.m. EST where winners of the prizes we are offering will be chosen during our Teatime on the Moors party. Start planning for your favorite teas, biscuits and tea sandwiches now, because this online party is going to be fabulous!

Image courtesy WaveTossedRose, Mary MacLane

Joining the Westknits Mystery KAL-athon

Ok, I’ve got my colors picked out for the Westknits Mystery Shawl KAL and I’m absolutely in love with them. This is the first time Stephen’s ever run a mystery KAL and this is my first time participating in one. I hope that by doing the shawl in little pieces it will make me motivated to actually keep knitting, instead of dropping the thing halfway through when there is no end in sight, as I am wont to do. I think Stephen is pretty excited about this to, given the crazy shawl-only photoshoot he did for himself (there’s not much underneath those handknits)!

Westknits Mystery KAL 2011: Earth and Sky, image courtesy Westknits

There is, however, one little problem on my end. The mystery shawl I am knitting requires three colors. Out of the three glorious colors I have this lovely silvery grey handpun yarn that would make a wonderful subtle backdrop for my more colorful skeins. However, there are only 85 yards of it – definitely not enough to make it the main color. Stephen West recommends that your main color be a semi-solid or solid, so while I have plenty of the Yarn Pirate Superwash BFL in Rain Shadow, that should remain an accent color. The other accent color is Fibre Company Canopy Fingering in Fern, and I also don’t have enough of that to make it the backdrop color (nor do I really want a non-neutral to be the backdrop color).

My question is, does anyone have any suggestions for a silvery-grey fingering yarn that resembles either my Yarn Pirate or Fibre Co. yarn in terms of texture?

My Mystery Shawl yarns