Almost October

 I think it may be everyday that I promise that I am going to become a blogger again.  I've been in California since June, and there's been a lot of change so I can't quite keep my head on straight.  Changing your entire line of work and organization, state, friends, lifestyle...changing it all at once, and missing it all at once...it's a little: crazy.

Before I moved out of Texas, I got this Strawberry Lemonade SW merino from Krista at Pigeonroof Studios.  I order roving from her almost weekly at times it seems, and I am always excited for it.  But for this, I ran to the mail box.  Now that she puts Haribo gummy bears and little samples of her yarn in the bag, I tend to open it and forget about the roving while reading the cute notes she leaves and eating yummy bears, and then I realize that I have roving!  I never take photos of yarn that justify how beautiful that it is.  I need to pick a project for my handspun.  If you want some, I can hook ya up!

Since it's almost October, my favorite month, it's starting to get pumpkiny!!  Three years ago, while I lived in South Carolina, I had put myself on a tight budget.  Instead of getting Pumpkin Spiced Lattes, I seasoned my regular coffee grounds with pumpkin pie spice!  I teaspoon is all I need, but I only make about 16oz of coffee in the morning.

During Labor Day weekend, I went to Monterey and Santa Barbara.  I went to all of the knitting stores that I could find.  Loop and Leaf in SB was amazing.  Amazing.  I bought enough Brooklyn Tweed Loft to make Ash.  It'll take me 6 months, but a 110 degree day always ends in a 60 degree evening on the California Coast.  (I miss hot southern summers)

During my first or second year in the Army, my friend Stefanie of the now-closed Backwards Loop sent me this as a gift.  I promptly lost the tag and didn't knit for months of end because of my busy Army life, but I think that it is Madelinetosh Sock in Robins Egg.  The picture is not white balanced so the color is way off! I'm making some Child's First Sock peds, toe up.

I found a knitting store in my area.  Ranch Dog Knitting in Atascadero, CA.  I bought this Blue Sky Alpacas Melange just to knit a shawl while at knitting night there.  A knitting night that I only went to once.  And I'm almost done with the yarn.  I foiled my own plan!  I've been making the Mizutama Shawl, but I want to connect it and make a kerchief.  We'll see.  It made me mad last night but I was two large beers deep!

I got this Becoming Art Fiber in a Ravelry destash.  It reminded me why I am a Pigeonroof snob.  It felt felted and I dreaded the entire first bobbin of spinning.  Now I need to spin the other half.  Good thing I have lots o' bobbins so I can by-pass it!  It's very much like Nest.  Ugh.

I am going to by-pass it for this wonderful Pigeonroof Electric Rose SW Merino.  BeAuTiFuL!  I'm obsessed with this color, although when I first bought it years ago I considered me to be "taking a chance on some crazy"! It sits next to Strawberry Lemonade in my heart!

Those are my small updates for now.  It's harvest in wine country so I'm working 7 days a week.  I need to get some pictures from work!

We Are Monterey

I lived in Monterey, CA during 7th, 8th, and 9th grade.  I just moved to live with my dad and he was stationed there.  I went back to visit for a weekend during senior year, but I have never thought I'd go back.  After I made the decision to move two hours south of Monterey, I knew the first place I wanted to visit when I moved to California was Monterey.  Two months later, I finally visited, on my new bicycle.

I rode my bike all around and went down memory lane.  I went to three knitting stores.  I didn't buy anything though.  I did go to Santa Barbara on Sunday and fell in love with a knitting store there, Loop and Leaf.  I also loved Santa Barbara.  My bike and I will go and visit, and I'll buy more yarn!  I got 9 skeins of Brooklyn Tweed Loft to make Ash by BT.  I already purchased Madelinetosh Vintage in the color Antler to make Ash, which I also did last summer, but the stitch pattern just doesn't show up.  I have the Tosh Vintage in my lap now, and I'm making the Rocky Coast Cardigan with it!