I don't know if you've noticed, but I've been on a yarn diet for six months now. That's half a year people! I'm very impressed by myself. I did get new yarn for the Bark shawl, but I don't think it counts because a) I traded the yarn for it and b) it's all knit up already. Knitting from the stash has actually been quite fun, and I've even been able to use up all kinds of odds and ends.


Bockstark Knits Handspun, Handgefaerbt Sockenwolle

Despite the extreme funniness and reasonableness of using the stash, lists of dreamy yarns I'm allowed to buy next year have been made. I'm gonna buy Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light for Norah Gaughan's Kukka, and Rowan Bamboo Tape for Granite from the latest Rowan Magazine. I'm dreaming of all kinds of wonderful sock yarns: The Knittery's Slim and Chubby sock yarns, mamablue's Sea Merino, Madelinetosh's Glazed Sock, Dream in Color's Smooshy, Fleece Artist's Somoko... the list goes on and on and on. And I'm definitely gonna order some handspun from Pigeonroof Studios – I love her yarns! Oh dear. Six more months to go.


Cleckheaton Country 8ply and Country Silk 8ply, Patons Patonyle

Maybe I'll survive though, especially after receiving four packages of yarn during the last month. First I won a contest over at Bockstark Knits, and Kris sent me a skein of her gorgeous handspun yarn, and a skein of pretty sock yarn too. Yay! Thanks Kris! Then I got a package all the way from Australia – Patons (who are part of Australian Country Spinners) are relaunching a sock yarn called Patonyle, and they asked me if I would be willing to review it. (Doesn't that sound so professional? Teehee.)


Welsh Country Stockings from Folk Socks, in Patons Patonyle 4ply

I wanted to start my assignment right away, and cast on for a pair of socks for my dad. He has, in record time, worn holes to both pairs of socks I've knit for him so far, so he's an excellent test person to wear the review socks. Luckily for me, I like this yarn a lot – it knits up beautifully and is very very soft. The first sock is already finished, and I'm hoping to get the second one done before we go to see my parents in two weeks.


Handarbeitskram by Selana, Yarn Workshop Footscray

The third package was a Ravelry trade with Maverick, I sent her my unloved Kid Silk Haze balls, and I got a skein of lovely sock yarn in return. And the last one was a gift from Ingrid – she sells undyed yarns for hand dyers (check them out here), and she sent me a skein of Footscray, which is a fingering weight superwash sock yarn. This is a lovely yarn, and although I'm a bit afraid of ruining it, I'm gonna try dyeing it during my summer holiday. Wish me luck!



In addition to all this severe dieting business, I haven't been up to much recently. The love affair with Blanket Cardigan has been on hold after I noticed that the green stripe in the front piece is two rows higher than in the back piece. This made me quite mad actually – there's one tiny little design detail in this whole stocking stitch desert, and I was able to mess it up. To cool my nerves, I switched to crocheting. I'm making a small bag for my camera, and also testing some colour combinations – I'm thinking about crocheting a summer bag with similar colours. We'll see just how much comforting my poor nerves need.

Lastly, thank you so much to all of you lovely people who were kind enough to say nice things about my meh socks! You caught me on one thing: I never wash and block my socks. I've always thought that putting the socks on takes care of the blocking, and I'll just wash them when they get dirty. But yeah, I'm gonna try the wash'n block with these socks, and I'll let you know what happens. As soon as I can bare to look at them again.