Lovely links and things.

Over the past week or two I've been gathering up inspiring or fun things...they weren't enough for posts in themselves, but all together they make a pretty collection. :)

- I finally got my hands on a couple of issues of PLY magazine! I've read the first issue cover to cover and flipped through the twist issue, and so far it definitely lives up all of the wonderful things I'd heard about it from other spinners. (I think I'll be subscribing soon, but I really want to get the Color issue, which is currently sold out but will hopefully be reprinted.)

- Stumbled across a knitter and designer named Linnéa. Her projects are so pretty, and I love the colors she uses! Her style is how I'd ideally like to dress: lots of sweaters and cardigans over dresses in floral prints and autumn-ish colors. And handknit socks over tights...that look is suddenly so appealing to me! Why don't I do that? (Probably because, if I'm wearing tights, I'm generally going to church and wearing church shoes rather than boots.) She also has a blog that shows off her lovely style and photography!

- This yarn is basically the perfect shade of green. I'm picky about green yarn...it's usually too dark or too lime or neon. But this one is perfect! From that same company, I also love this colorway.

- I am so smitten with the Pride and Prejudice board book shown above. I came across it in Target and couldn't resist. The colors and illustrations are ridiculously adorable! The proposals page really makes me smile, especially the Mr. Collins and Lizzy one. :) It's a counting book, so there's not much of the actual story there, but I doubt you'll buy this book unless you're an Austen fan, anyway. The bookworm in me just loves the idea of introducing my favorite characters to my future children when they're still babies (though, let's be honest here, I mostly bought this book for me). I even saved nearly $4 by matching it with the Amazon price.

- Speaking of books, I'm a big Boy Meets World fan, so of course I was excited to hear that Danielle Fishel (aka Topanga) has a book coming out! Better yet, it looks like it'll be a funny memoir about awkwardness, which is something I can definitely relate to. I know it won't be all about BMW, but I'm hoping there will be some stories about the show in there. The book comes out on Tuesday! I'm even more excited about Cary Elwes' memoir about the making of The Princess Bride, which comes out next month. I'm really in the mood for memoirs and biographies lately, though I haven't been able to read any since I'm still in the middle of my Harry Potter reread.

- I can't get enough of Madelinetosh yarns. Those three skeins above are ones that I'm currently hoarding. :) The yarn is expensive so I don't buy it very often and it takes me a long time to pick out just the right pattern, if I don't already have something planned when I buy it. I bought the purple and orange recently knowing what projects I'm going to use them for, but I've had the turquoise for a year and a half now and I'm just now deciding on a pattern. Madelinetosh even smells good. (I used to roll my eyes when I read some knitter writing about yarn fumes, but it's true: I've become a yarn sniffer. How did this happen?)

- I'm glad that one of my favorite bloggers, Amanda over at Hey Porkchop, is posting again after a summer hiatus. The best word I can think of to describe her blog is cozy. It's like perpetual autumn over there, and I love it! She's so inspiring with all of her knitting and quilting and cross stitching, and her pictures are gorgeous, too.

- I had been eyeing Quaere Fibre's Doctor Who inspired yarns for the longest time, but they were always a bit too expensive for me. I just happened to be browsing Etsy on Monday when I realized that the shop was having a Labor Day sale: everything 20% off! Of course I took advantage of that, and managed to get some spinning fiber, too. :) There were only three DW yarns in stock then, so I went with the merino/silk singles yarn. I wouldn't use singles for socks, but it will be perfect for another Hitchhiker! I love blue yarn anyway, and this colorway is inspired by one of my favorite DW episodes (Vincent and the Doctor). I can't wait for it to arrive.

- Andi Satterlund is hosting a knit along for her Marion cardigan pattern this fall, and if you buy the pattern before the KAL starts on September 10th, you can get it for 20% off! I would be joining in if I wasn't already knitting on her Miette pattern. :)

So...mostly yarn stuff. I'm sorry if you're not into that. :) Over the past month or so, I've been so busy knitting things for the craft fair I'm attending next month that I've hardly done any knitting for myself. I've squeezed in a bit of time for my Miette cardigan, and I finished the body of it yesterday (yay for the quickness of cropped cardigans!).

But mostly it's been knitting hats and baby bows and things not-for-me, which I'll admit is tough for this selfish knitter. :) I keep seeing all of these wonderful patterns I want to try, and every once in a while I go through my yarn stash to look at it and pet it. Just to remind myself that in a few weeks I'll be able to knit what I want to knit.

(Trying not to realize that after the craft fair, it'll be time to knit a sweater for my niece's first birthday and then time to start working on Christmas gifts. Where has this year gone?)