There And Back Again

Stephanie wrote:

The excitement is over, and we're still recovering from Stitches West. As is usually the case with these large events we are totally focused and immersed in preparations for weeks. Poof! In the blink of an eye the event is over, and we're back home picking up the pieces.

I don't know where the time in Santa Clara went - that may have something to do with the time difference - but we were busy from the get-go. I tried to savor the moment as much as possible.

We were greeted with warmer temps, blooming trees and green.

As Mona often pointed out the air smelled sweet.

The convention center sign was a beacon to knitters far and wide.

Note more flowers and green.

The first visit to our booth was a harsh reminder that we had lots of work ahead.

The gridwalls were not set up, and we were not happy. After ironing out the details to get our booth in shape, we were ready to get to work.

With the help of three Ravelry elves we were able to transform our space into this.

Ready for showtime.

This table of colorful bags attracted lots of attention.

Most of these bags are the work of Michele from Three Bags Full. She uses lots of fun fabrics, many with knitting themes.

We featured two new sweater designs at Stitches West.

Tangled Up In Teal is shown here in Celestial Peacock. I didn't get a close up, but the neckline includes some beautiful bead work.

And the short sleeve cousin Tangled Up In Rose.

This is a fingering weight version in Twinkle Toes Raspberry Sorbet. Both designs are the work of Mara Labell (Ravelry link).

We highlighted a couple of designs from Janel Laidman's newest book, The Enchanted Sole.

This is Mirror Mirror on the left and La Licorne on the right. Both are available as yarn packs.

We also had a new shawl for our booth.

This is Damson knit up in Classy Sox. The yarn is dreamy soft and the pattern calls for one skein - a nice combination.

Before we knew it the show was over, and it was time to tear down.

Packed up and ready to hit the road.

Our last night at the hotel bar was full of fun and games.

The fearless leader of the Blue Moon team walks, clucks and, if given needles and yarn, could probably even knit.

And in the hotel lobby . . .

. . . a sign that knitters were there.

Thanks again to everyone who stopped by the booth. Club members who introduced themselves get bonus points - it's always nice to put a face to the name.

I came across a few interesting things at Stitches West, and I'll highlight them in my next post.

Making Progress

Stephanie wrote:

It's the dead of winter, and the time for all things warm and woolly is now. While I've been finishing up the last of my holiday gifts (a second sock, a second pop up paw . . . there seems to be a theme here), I've also been working on my knit along projects.

I often have a debate with myself. Should I concentrate all of my knitting energy on finishing one thing, or is it better to go back and forth between a couple of projects so that I can see some progress all the way around? Often I'm forced to go with the latter. I'm always knitting on the go and some projects just don't travel well. What I can knit in one situation, I can't work on in another. So I bounce back and forth between projects, noting slow but steady progress.

This week I completed one Celtic Frost Mitten.

After numerous shots of various poses I've decided that it's hard to model mittens. The mate for this mitten is underway. They should be united very soon.

I've also been working on the Fishbone Gansey Sock. I have to agree with Anne Hanson - this sock does travel well. I think most of it has been knit while I've been waiting for appointments and sitting through meetings. I'm closing in on the toe and will share pictures of the finished sock very soon.

And the dye pots have been busy, too. I'm still sampling new colors for Classy Sox.

This one has potential.

And so does this one.

Subtle shades.

The sampling process is almost done. Then comes the hard part - deciding which colors to use.

The other day I was gifted with this.

A two tone rose. I don't think I've ever seen one before. As it opens up I'm watching the colors unfold, providing more inspiration.

Knitting Along

Stephanie wrote:

Right now we have two knit alongs running on our Ravelry group, Dye Dreamers. I'm leading both of them, and it's like a get out of jail free card. Laundry, cooking, dishes, cleaning? Sorry, I can't - I have to knit for the knit alongs.

Needless to say I have one or both of these projects with me at all times. And I'm loving every minute with both of them. Here's a peek at what I've been working on.

Fishbone Gansey Sock is the winter installment of our Four Seasons Sock Club. The pattern is designed by Anne Hanson.

I am addicted to this pattern. The other day I was disappointed when my son's orthodontist appointment was over, and I had to put my knitting away. I'm having so much fun I can't put it down at the end of the day. I've finished the gansey design at the top of the sock. From here on out it's all ribbing.

I loved watching the combination of knits and purls unfold into this design.

See the fishbone? The yarn is our new Classy Sox - 80% superwash merino, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon. The colorway is A Sockwork Orange.

I'm afraid this sock is destined to be a booth sample so I'll just have to cast on a pair for myself once it's done.

My other project in tow is the Celtic Frost Mittens, the winter installment of our Four Seasons Mitten Club.

The pattern is designed by Wendy Johnson of Wendy Knits. I have a thing for cables so am really enjoying this mitten.

The yarn is our Luster (check back for color options), a 100% bluefaced leicester worsted weight yarn. The colorway is Celtic Frost. This yarn is a pleasure to work with - durable yet soft and lustrous. I've been thinking a Luster sweater would be nice. It's always good to have new project ideas percolating.

As I've been saying to my family, you'll have to excuse me now - I have to knit.

Classy Sox

Stephanie wrote:

We have a new yarn here at Dye Dreams. Classy Sox is a blend of 80% superwash merino, 10% cashmere and 10% nylon. While Classy Sox made its debut with the winter installment of our Four Seasons Sock Club, I haven't given it a proper introduction here.

This yarn is a pleasure to knit. It's soft yet cushy and bouncy. And it has wonderful drape. As you can imagine it's ideal not only for socks but also for scarves, neck warmers and any garment where you want next-to-skin softness. Classy Sox is firmly plied and doesn't split the way some softer yarns do.

This yarn takes dye beautifully. Classy Sox has a nice range of color variation and depth. We chose our initial color offerings for Classy Sox but have been experimenting with other color options.

Dyeing is a process that forces you to go with the flow, to be open and accepting of what the dye pot produces. Often I'm seeking a specific color only to look in the pot and discover a color that isn't even close to what I had envisioned. But that's OK. The color I was aiming for is yet to be found and in the meantime there's a new color with all kinds of possibilities.

Case in point . . .

This was not the color I intended, but it may grow on me and be part of our lineup in the future. It has potential.

This one also didn't come out of the pot as I had expected.

I like the depth of this color. Again, it's not what I was looking for, but it may make the final cut.

Now this color dyed up as I imagined it would.

I think it may be a contender.

I had a hunch how this one would turn out, and it didn't disappoint.

While I realize this bright green isn't for everyone, I know it speaks to some knitters.

And just to balance things out . . .

. . . subtle earth tones. I think this one has real possibilities.

I'll be sampling more colors in the next several days and will share the results with you.

There was a good response to the contest last week. While I knew the online sources of inspiration would get lots of votes, it's encouraging to see that some of you still rely on knitting groups and local yarn stores for ideas. Nancyd is the winner of the $25 Dye Dreams gift certificate. Thanks again to everyone who participated! We'll be doing this again soon.