Knit's About Time!

Lost: knitting mojo

2010-02-09T14:52:00.002-06:00

I am offering a reward for the return of my lost knitting mojo. It went missing approximately 10 days ago. Last seen finishing a Hypoteneuse scarf (by Anne Hanson). Need it returned as projects are backing up. Please contact me for reward if you see my mojo. Thank you.

hypoteneuse blocking up close

2010-01-31T14:43:00.001-06:00

hypoteneuse blocking
Originally uploaded by houcinben

hypoteneuse blocking2

2010-01-31T14:42:00.001-06:00

hypoteneuse blocking2
Originally uploaded by houcinben

I'm baack! It's been a long time, but I decided to resurrecct my blog! I am in for the Loopy Ewe Spring Fling this April. I am beyond excited and truly cannot wait. As part of the run up to the event, there is a wonderfully active group of Fling-goers on Ravelry. We are doing KALs based on the teachers/designers who will be at the Fling.

January's featured designer is Anne Hanson. It was hard to choose just one of her amazing patterns to do. Anne is probably my favorite knitwear designer. In the end, I did Hypoteneuse. I used Aracaunia Itata (a wool/bamboo/silk blend) in fingering weight, which meant doing almost double the repeats called for in the pattern. But I wanted something a little more lightweight and wearable in the Spring in Houston.

Here it is, blocking!

Ike Shmike

2008-09-22T15:25:00.002-05:00

I really am thankful that my family is all fine and healthy. And I really am happy that we didn't sustain any real damage from Hurricane Ike. Just a ton of landscaping debris and one small tree lost. Otherwise, not so much destruction to my property or that of any family. All of that being said, I am completely exhausted from trying to exist for 10 days without power. In Houston. With 90 degree heat. And two kids. And no ice. We initally thought our power would be back up today or tomorrow, but now Centerpoint is saying that we will be restored "after Thursday". Holy shit wads, Batman.

The saving grace is that my office has power. 911 has operations in my building. Power was out in the neighborhood for all of 20 minutes. Then it came back on. Our neighbors must love my building! Well, 911 at least! So here I sit for the first time in 10 days, enjoying the modern conveniences of ice, a/c, internet and lights! I have never been so happy to see them all in one place.

Things are on the rebound. We can find gas easily again. Our tap water is usable again. Some street lights are coming back on. Our yard has been cleaned up. The trees, power lines, debris and trash are being cleared from streets. And our local grocery store has power, so we can buy most things... they have even been restocked with perishables as of yesterday. Now if we could just get that elusive power back!

So, what to do during a hurricane? Knit, of course! With little else to do for the past 10 days, I did manage to get a lot of knitting done. I finished a scarf and matching hat for my niece. I did my "Hurricane Ike" scarf out of Rowan Summer Tweed... it was a fun knit from a pattern that I bought in Portland. It is lacy and very pretty. I also got about 4 feet knit on my STR Chevron Scarf. And did some work on a vest that I am doing with Noro Silk Garden Sock yarn... it's a pattern from Knits So Fine... my favorite knitting book EVER. I stuck to pretty simple stuff because I knew that I would screw up anything that required too much patience or brain power!!!

In the midst of it all, I got the latest Seven Deadly Spins package last week. It is one of the prettiest things I have seen in my time knitting. It is also one of the most intimidating patterns I have ever seen! I am bound and determined to do it though. I plan to work it with Purl, and I am hopeful that we can get through it together. I am really bad at suspense, and I always look at spoilers. This time around, being in the dark, not only did I not see any spoilers, but I didn't even know the package was on its way. It was the best surprise, and it made my day!!

Finally, I have to say that I have met the sweetest, dearest woman through swapping on Ravelry. It is neat to find someone that wants to trade a skein of yarn with you, but it's pretty amazing when a friendship strikes up in the process! Thank you knittingleftie!

Portland

2008-08-19T09:44:00.002-05:00

Purl and I had a long girls' weekend in Portland this weekend. We got home late last night, exhausted and laden with yarn! If it weren't for our husbands and my kids, I am sure we would have stayed forever and refused to come back to Houston. We had an amazing time, full of laughs, great wine and gorgeous trips out of the city.

We also had fantastic company. On Friday, we got to meet and spend time with Jen, the amazing woman behind our favorite yarn-pusher, Woolgirl. Jen was so wonderful to pick us up at our hotel and serve as our guide around town for the afternoon and evening. The evening ended with Purl and I getting to act like kids in a candy store during a trip to Woolgirl Central! Jen has such amazing taste, and honestly, I have never been so tempted by yarn before in my life. I tried to lock myself in the stock room, but it turned out that Jen had a key. :-(

Purl and I did a wine tour, Powell's books, more yarn shopping, lots of great dining... we came home with a plethora of books and yarn! Portland is one heck of a knitter's town. That's all I can say!

Sheez!

2008-07-15T13:24:00.003-05:00

Has it really been almost 6 weeks since I posted? Yikes. Where has the summer gone?! We were up on Lake Michigan for 10 days or so, relaxing on my Mother-in-Law's porch which overlooks the lake. It was beautiful. Normally we end up there in late July, when it's almost as hot there as it is in Houston! This time around, it was very temperate (low in the 50's, highs in the upper 70's, lower 80's) and very comfortable. I did a ton of knitting. I finished some Farmhouse socks for my MIL on the way there. It was a red-white-blue yarn and I did them for her since we were there on the 4th. She loved them. It is always nice to have an appreciative recipient! I hate making something, spending all that time on it, and then having the person be non-plussed about it. Not that they have to fawn and act all googly over something I make, but it is a let down when I can tell someone could really care less. I try to be more selective about who I make things for these days.

I also finished a sundress for my daughter. It's a Knitting Pure and Simple pattern, and it is really quite easy. I did one last summer, and my daughter loved it and asked for another one. This time around, I used Debbie Bliss cotton in red, and it came out really cute. I also finished a pair of no-purl monkey socks in Mama Llama Bom dia Bon-gee-yah. I did a pair of socks for my daughter in the White Oak Hello Kitty colorway. In all honesty, this yarn was not my cup of tea. But the little socks for my daughter were super-quick to make and are just adorable. I did a simple 2 x 2 rib for the entire sock. She loves them. Finally, I made a ton of progress on my first Clapotis. I am about 1/2 way through the straight section.

I think I need to go get some Texas lottery tickets. Last night, I managed to score 2 skeins of Wollmeise yarn from The Loopy Ewe. I got one colorway that I have been yearning for: the Campari Orange. I also got a skein of Kalten Polar. I really wanted Turkis und Karneol but missed out on that one. Alas, I have found a kind person on Ravelry who is willing to trade! At any rate, I will soon have 2 skeins of Wollmeise to fondle. It was true madness. I can't believe that 300+ skeins of yarn were gone in 3 minutes flat. The Texas lottery should be a piece of cake in comparison!!!

Pictures. Yes, I know. Pictures are much needed here on my desolate blog. I will really try to get some up.

Hope you are all having a great summer!

I've been knitting

2008-05-27T10:18:00.002-05:00

Geez. I just saw that it has been almost a month since I posted. I don't really know where that time has gone! I guess it was consumed with my hubby's birthday, our son's birthday, mothers' day, and general Spring fever!

I've been doing lots of knitting. I know, I know-- I need to post some pictures. I really stink at that. I made my mom a pair of socks with Spunky Eclectic's Popsicle yarn which I got from Woolgirl. It makes the most fantastic socks, and my mom coveted mine (knit late last year) so I had to make a second pair for her!

I finished my feather and fan stole done in Schaefer Laurel, the Queen Lili'ukalani colorway (oranges, green, tuquoise and purple). I'm quite pleased with it. It's my first real lace work, and it came out pretty well. As far as lace goes, I think this was a pretty easy pattern.

I'm about 2/3 of the way done with a pinwheel blanket for my daughter. I'm making it a little on the large side (as opposed to just baby size) so that it will be usable for a while. She's 4 (going on 24), but very petite, so I think a blanket that is about 4' in diameter will do for a good while. I seem to have a knack for picking yarns that are discontinued, and this one is no exception. I'm doing her pinwheel in Cabo Verde pink and white. I think I have all the yarn I will need for it, but I may need an extra skein for the border.

My Lace Ribbon scarf is about 1/3 of the way done. I'm doing that in Bonnie's Bamboo yarn by Farmhouse. This is my new favorite yarn. It is glorious to work with, and has such beautiful drape and feel-- it is SO soft. I 'm doing the scarf in blue. And I'm using the same yarn in a rose shade for a scoop neck "tshirt" sweater. I haven't gotten all too far on that. It's a top-down affair, and I made it to the point where the sleeves get moved on to scrap yarn, and then I got sidetracked. I guess that is one of the many downfalls to having a million projects going at once.

Oh, and I started a Clapotis. I gave up on the Malabrigo version I began last fall. As much as I love the Malabrigo, the clappy was going to be way too heavy for Houston. I picked Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Edgewater.

I've been on a sock tear, too. I am nearly finished with a pair for my dear husband. I have 3 pairs to do before we go to Lake Michigan this summer (for family gifts), and I got a Hello Kitty kit from Woolgirl that I purchased for the express purpose of making my daughter some socks. She absolutely loves HK, so the kit was an enormous hit with her, and she loves the yarn. How long can it take to make a pair of socks for a 4 year old?! Anyone have a pattern suggestion? I just need a simple, basic pattern...

Hmm. What else? I guess that is the update on my projects. Summer is almost here for real. It's already in the mid- 90's here in H-town. Our son gets out of school for the summer in another week. The pool is calling but I must keep knitting!

Good signs?

2008-05-01T13:56:00.002-05:00

Today's post relates somewhat to each of my last two posts. I am in a funk of epic magnitudes. Don't worry. I'm not out on a ledge or anything! I'm not THAT funk-i-fied. I've been feeling crummy lately and that's all there is to it. But I got a terrific treat today that lifted my spirits!

Yesterday Purl stopped by my office to show me the yarn she had gotten from a club she is in. It's the Mama Llama yarn club. I have to tell you, Catherine at Mama Llama does some of the most beautiful colorwork I've seen. The dying is seamless and her colors are so pretty even if I don't necessarily like the color! Her yarns are impeccable. That brings us to the relation to my rant on purple in a previous post. Mama Llama was the dyer on the most recent Woolgirl sock club shipment. I was disappointed at first when I saw the spoiler pics and found out it was purple yarn coming. (I HATE PURPLE!!!) But once it arrived and I saw it in person, I had to admire the yarn because of Catherine's skill. It says a lot about her art to be able to say that she made me like a purple yarn!!!

So, yesterday, when Purl came by to show me her new Mama Llama, I knew I was in for a treat. This yarn was so drop-dead gorgeous that I literally grabbed in and started running. Okay, I only went about 5 steps and then walked back and handed it back over. I've seen lots and lots and lots of yarn that makes me swoon, but this one just says Cindy all over it. My favorite colors on earth are blue and orange. And one of my favorite color combos is blue and brown. This yarn is a mix of blues/turquoise and tans/browns. It is stunning. And it is literally my favorite skein of yarn ever. Having seen it sent me directly to the Mama Llama Etsy store looking for anything comparable. Not finding similar a colorway, I did spy something else that I couldn't live without (see, that relates to my post of yesterday!) and I placed an order for it.

Then, I was on Ravelry and posted on the club's shipment thread, saying that if anyone wanted to part with theirs, I would buy it! Well, I came in this morning and the insanely generous Catherine had read my post and treated me to a little something to soothe my yarn envy. Not only is it not purple, but it's some of my favorite colors ever. It is amazing the power that yarn has over me. I've been grinning like an idiot ever since! Thank you, Catherine, for your random act of kindness! Yarnies are the best people ever.

Bad signs

2008-04-30T15:26:00.003-05:00

It would appear that I have gone overboard in my sock yarn buying. We've all that this feeling, right? You see the amazing new colors offered by your favorite yarn pusher and you just can't resist. Okay, maybe not all of us suffer from this. I've seen the lengthy discussions on Ravelry amongst people who don't understand us compulsive buyers and don't feel the need to add to their stah. But I certainly do.

I get an email or see a posting that my favorite online store is going to have some new things in stock at a certain time and I sit here doing the F5 thing until my hand goes numb or the new stuff gets loaded (for those of you not afflicted with this sickness, that means hitting the F5 button to refresh the computer screen so that you can get that new loot before it's all gone!)

Well, a few weeks back, my dear enabler friend Purl and I joined Sundara's Seasons yarn club. The info for the sign up said that the club shipments would begin in June. Well, about a week later, I received some amazing yarn from Sundara. I called Purl and left her a message, essentially saying "I thought the club didn't start for months, but I just got beautiful loot!" A few minutes later, Purl called me back and gently said "um, Cin, that is the Petals limited edition yarn that you bought from her a month or so ago". Whoops. Am I getting old? Senility setting in? Certainly I can't be indulging in too much yarn?

The color purple

2008-04-15T13:32:00.003-05:00

I love color. I pretty much like every color in the rainbow except the color purple. I abhor purple. Especially that Donny Osmond shade of purple-- you know, PURPLE. I respect the fact that lots of people like it. In fact, it is my daughter's favorite color. And lots of people hate my favorite color- orange.

My problem of late is this: every sock club I belong to (and there are a lot of them) and every kit that I have bought has been inundating me with purple yarn!!! Why oh why?? Some have been somewhat palatable. There was one that I got that was a lot of the icky purple, but was redeemed by bright green and pink running through it. Then there were three shipments from other clubs that were purple. Just now, I saw a spoiler picture for the latest shipment from my favorite sock club, and guess what? IT'S FRICKING PURPLE! I am about to be purple'd to death! I promise people, there are other colors out there! There are even other colors that are bright, happy, springtime colors!!! Please, can we just move past the purple-a-thon and choose some other hue?

Okay, one person has recently sent me something non-purple. Sheri at the Loopy Ewe put together a kit for us downtrodden souls that weren't lucky enough to make it into her sock club. It's called the Don't Be Blue kit. Sheri put together a really neat package- gorgeous blue yarn from Dream in Color, a neat accessory pouch, a great pattern, and bath kisses! I really love Dream in Color, and blue is one of my favorite colors, so this yarn really hit the spot with me!

I finished a Booga Bag over the weekend. I did it in Cascade 220, using a dark blue for 3/4 of the bag and then a small orange stripe and the top few inches is a lighter slate blue. I felted it yesterday and it is drying. I am pleased with it. I wish it had come out a little bigger, but it's cute. Once it is dry and I put the I-Cord handles on, I'll take pics and post them.

Frogs, frogs everywhere

2008-03-25T14:17:00.002-05:00

I seriously think I should just give up knitting and become a yarn collector. I can't seem to get anything right these days. And just when I am actually happy with an item for a change, it all goes to hell. To wit: my Glee sweater from Zephyr style. I have been working on it for a while now, using Classic Elite Wool Bamboo in a really pretty dark brown. I was thrilled with it. My tension was remarkably uniform (for me!) and the stitches looked really pretty. I got to the part where I moved the arms off onto scrap yarn, and I decided to begin working in the round immediately in order to shorten the front opening a bit. Well, in so doing, I missed the part where the pattern directed me to cast on 12 (or was it 14) stitches before joining in the round. When I caught it, I was 7 or 8 rows in to working in the round. I tried to think of a way to ignore it, but the bordering on the front would have been all wonky, as I realized that those extra stitches are needed to accomodate the border. So I put in a life line just above where I started knitting in the round, and then ripped back. And somehow I fouled everything up. Aaaaarrgh!!! I think I must have picked up a few of the lifeline stitches on a different row. I think I'm going to have to pull the lifeline out and try to rip back a couple of rows and even it out and move on from there. But knowing me, with all of those live stitches, I will lose some, screw it all up, and have to start all over again. I should have known it was going too smoothly.

Then there is the issue of the Glutony socks. It is part of the 7 Deadly Spins club. Gorgeous, sproingy yarn in beautiful vivid colors. I was home sick the day it arrived, and I could not get started fast enough. I am about 1/2 way through the leg of sock one. I am not happy. It's beautiful stuff, but all of those color changes and I do not get along apparently. I have gaps in some areas where the colors changed. I have a thousand threads hanging and it is maddening. And then there is the issue of amount of yarn. The pattern was apparently written and tested for someone with small feet- a size 7. The pattern states that you should have "just enough yarn" if you follow the pattern. Well guess what? I have size 9 1/2 to 10 feet. So that "just enough" is going to be far short!!!!! So those are in time out right now.

My son's blanket has been coming along. It has been very, very, very slow going. All that seed stitch is like slogging through quicksand or something. But it sure looks nice. Then again, each row takes about 40 minutes to get through. It's great for mindless knitting, but I have to want to do a lot of mindless knitting to pick it up! Poor kid. He'll be 40 when it's finished. I am using mostly Lily Sugar and Cream cotton for the blanket. Purl expressed concern about colors bleeding when I showed it to her the other day. WHAT? That never occured to me. Yes, I am that much of a moron. I just thought that cotton that is labelled machine wash would be colorfast. OH CRAP. All that work... all that time... my son loving the results thus far.... what do I do now??????? Any and all suggestions and input would be welcome!

So, I sit here today feeling defeated in the knitting department. But I am good at collecting yarn! Maybe I'll take that up as a hobby. Oh, wait, I already have!

SITMT package!

2008-03-11T19:30:00.006-05:00

I have had such a great time emailing with my Sock it To Me Twice Pal. Today, I got my final package from her. My pal blogs at http://knitmetotheendoftime.blogspot.com/, and let me tell you, she spoiled me ROTTEN. And she really must have done her homework on me. She picked up on things that I don't even remember blogging about!

So, without further ado, let me show you the splendor of the package:

First up, the socks! Can you tell how perfect they are? Knitting like this is what I strive for someday. I am never satisfied with my knitting because I look at it and see uneven stitches, little bobbles and errors. Let me tell you, these are the opposite. Every stitch is beautiful. And the pattern and color suit me to a "t"!

Here is a closeup picture, because you need to be able to see the detail and appreciate the beautiful work!

I got some super yummy soaps that had the entire package smelling heavenly, and candies that my children begged for! Don't worry-- I share!

I couldn't get a good picture of the patterns on these dishcloths. Let's get one thing straight-- I stink at photography. Like you needed that caveat! I'm sure you long since determined that. At any rate, as if the amazing socks weren't enough, my pal somehow ferreted out that I am a Peanuts freak. The yellow dishcloth features Woodstock, while the blue one is Snoopy himself!!! Truly incredible!

And gorgeous yarn to play with! I have been lusting after Cherry Tree Hill yarn for myself ever since making socks for my husband with it! Also included? FOUR skeins of Sean the Sheep in beautiful greens!

And finally, lots of things that just made me smile! Sock shaped point protectors, a little sweater shaped zipper pull, a great notebook and pencil!

Thank you so much pal, for being a wonderful spoiler! I hope you will come down to Houston sometime where it is nice and warm and let me spoil you!

I'm a bad blogger

2008-02-21T13:27:00.002-06:00

It has been a long time since I have blogged. I have been knitting, but I simply haven't had any blog-inspiration. I suppose I could blog and tell my reader(s) the mundane, boring facts of my day-to-day life, but I will spare you that sublime torture! Do you really care what time I woke up and/or what order I brushed my teeth and drank coffee in? Didn't think so. :-)

I am currently working on a couple of pairs of socks, still forging ahead on my son's blanket, and I am working on a Glee sweater. I'm doing Glee in Classic Elite Wool Bam Boo. It is amazing. I haven't quite gotten to the portion where you move the sleeves off to scrap yarn and start knitting in the round, but I'm getting close. The yarn is perfect for this sweater. It has great drape and sheen and will be perfect for Houston Spring! Now to make more headway on it.

We are supposed to have all hell break loose with severe weather this afternoon. Typical Houston! Before the skies open up, I managed to have a fun lunch with two dear, special friends. One of them, Purl, is an attorney who has been knitting for years. The other, JS, is an attorney who I worked with for many years. We have both long since moved on from the firm where we worked together, and we each have a client involved in a lot of benzene (toxic tort) litigation. That has given us a chance to entertain each other through endless hours of depositions, travel to BFE Texas for hearings and whatnot. In the course of that, JS has begun knitting. What can I say? It's catchy! I wanted Purl and JS to meet, so we got together today. I'm sure there will be more get togethers and lots of trouble in our future!

I will post pictures of WIP's soon. I promise!

SITMT package!

2008-01-28T09:55:00.000-06:00

I got a wonderful treat package in the mail on Saturday! My Sock it to Me Twice pal sent some great things. I wish I had my camera to take a picture, but my husband is in Europe for a couple of days and took the camera with him. As if ancient cities are more important to depict than knitting bounty! Ha!

Anyway, back to the package. My pal did her homework, that is for sure! She sent me a skein of OnLine sock yarn in Orange with blue and bright green running through it... all of my favorite colors! Also included were pretty glass stitch markers in a Chinese silk pouch! And yummy maple candies from Canada. I got to eat one of those before my children proclaimed them the "best candies ever" and scarfed them down. :-) I am going to have to come to some sort of trade agreement with you, Pal, after the swap is over because I need to buy a lot of those for the kids!! Thank you so much for the awesome package! I love everything.

I had a lot of fun yesterday celebrating the wonderful Purl's birthday. I gave her some yarny goodness and we knitted and ate and drank wine... Purl was a great sport sharing her special day with me and my crazy kids. My daughter proclaimed Purl her best friend after Purl put forth so much effort going along with the kids!

Happy Monday all.

You Make My Day Award

2008-01-24T10:25:00.000-06:00

My amazing upstream pal from SP11 named me as one of the blogs that makes her day. I was very touched by her award! Now I must, in turn, tag the people who do the same for me. These are the bloggers/friends that I have to check in on every day. They keep me sane, they make me smile, and they make my day!

Purl- My dear friend. She is incredibly smart and well read and has great shares great insight on her blog. Besides, we like the same things. Of course she makes my day!!

Becky- A long time friend of mine from college. We have shared a ton over the years, including many interests and family similarities. She is responsible for me knitting, and I love to check in on her and see what she is up to. Becky does beautiful work and I learn a lot from her.

Woolgirl and The Adventures of Woolgirl and Abby- Woolgirl is the most dangerous yarn pusher out there! I lust after the gajillions of skeins of gorgeous yarns that she stocks. Just peeking at the offerings puts a smile on my face without fail. And Woolgirl's blog is full of great contests, info and fun. Woolgirl makes my day, my week, my month...

Lynne- Lynne is such a kind, sweet person. And her F.O.'s are works of art. She inspires me.

Twisted Knitter- A fellow Houstonian who happens to work in a LYS near me. She shares some great yarn finds , free patterns, and lots of gorgeous work, all of which make me smile!

So, now for the rules:

Give the award to up to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel so happy about Blogland! Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so that they can pass it on. Beware! You may get the award several times!

First post of 2008

2008-01-09T13:37:00.000-06:00

It's been a fairly quiet beginning to the new year. No complaints here! In knitting news, I finished my Dad's mistake-rib scarf and gave it to him on New Years Eve. He loved it. So did my hubby. Hmm. I think I see another one in my future!

I'm working furiously to finish my 2007 Block-of-the-Month afghan. It's through my LYS, the Hen House. I did such a good job of keeping up with it until our trip in October. Then I began focusing on Christmas gifts and the afghan took a back seat. The result is that I had the final 4 blocks to do to finish the thing. I signed up for the 2008 afghan as well, and the first square will be ready to work in a week. So I better get the 2007 one finished! I have completed 2 of the squares and did one repeat on the 3rd last night, so I think I should get it done in time. I am excited about the 2008 afghan (I am doing the "pastels" version) because it seems to use more pronounced and exciting stitches/patterns.

Otherwise, I've got some socks in the works. I am working on the foot of sock number 1 for my hubby. His are a sport weight yarn by Mountain Colors, but I don't know the colorway. It's predominantly dark green with brown and blue. Very handsome. I'm enjoying working on them.

I've succumbed to yarn and club mania. Aside from the occasional splurge at Woolgirl , I have joined the 2008 Socks that Rock club, the Yarn Pirate Booty club, the second installment of the Woolgirl sock club (I did the first one and loved it more than words can say!), and the Seven Deadly Spins club that is a Woolgirl/ Liisu collaboration. I think I will be busy. And I will definitely have some beautiful yarn in my stash!

While I am not doing such a good job of yarn-dieting, I am off to a good start of really dieting. I have been very unhappy with my weight for a couple of years, and that misery has led to even MORE weight. It's a vicious cycle with me. I'm emotional so I eat, I eat because I'm emotional. You know-- Wow, what a great day-- I should eat to celebrate! Aye-- what a bad day-- I should eat to drown my sorrows. I'm stressed... eat! My friend Purl and I decided over the holidays that we would dedicate ourselves to addressing our respective desires to lose weight by joining Weight Watchers. I like the program, but have had a difficult time making it to meetings in the past. Purl and I joined the Weight Watchers online program, and it eliminates that issue. Instead of going to meetings, Purl and I will support each other (like we wouldn't anyway?!) through the program. Today is the one week mark, and I haven't blown it yet, and haven't fallen off the program at all. If you have any interest in watching the progress or lending support, you can visit our blog Weighsting Away, where Purl and I are confessing our ups and downs on the program. Hopefully there will be more downs than ups!

Christmas sweatshop

2007-12-24T15:45:00.001-06:00

Remind me next year that I MUST either (1) start earlier on my holiday knitting, or (2) take on fewer things!!! The past two or three weeks I have been working in a sweatshop!!! This year I made the two chevrons, one for my MIL (hers went out almost 2 weeks ago in the mail) and one for my mom (hers was finished yesterday), socks for my mom (finished today!), a secret something that I am not at liberty to divulge yet, and a scarf for my dad. Dad's scarf is going to be a New Year's present. We exchange gifts with my parents tonight, and I still have a couple of feet to go on his scarf. It's not happening.

My mom's socks ended up being one of the biggest pains in the butt in all knitdom for me. First, I couldn't decide on a pattern. I first cast on for her socks back in late October. I wasn't feeling any pattern I tried. I finally settled on a plain old sock. Then came the pooling. I decided to just bear with it, and kinda liked it in the end. Until I got a little in to sock #2. That one decided to stripe instead!! There is no way anyone could mistake the two for a "pair" of socks. Bring on sock number THREE! I figured whatever happened with sock 3 would be the pair. It striped, which was good, because I prefer the stripe. But then the second skein of yarn that I had to buy to make a third sock was different. It didn't have as deep a brown as the first skein. I had a ping-pong ball sized bit of the first skein left, so I worked it in to the third sock. I think it came out alright. The yarn is wonderful to work with. I used Zen String Serendipity Sport weight in Parfait. The chevron was done with the same yarn in fingering weight, and I honestly don't remember what the other skein was... but they were great to use.

Here are the socks and the chevron:

And here are the mis-matched socks, number 1 & 2!!!

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope all of your deadline knitting is done and finds an appreciative recipient!!!

Hello SITMT pal

2007-12-16T09:03:00.000-06:00

Hi there, SITMT pal! I saw your comment on my previous post, and wanted to let you know that I haven't gotten any email from you in the past week. I'm sorry you are having email issues-- I know how annoying those can be. Thanks for thinking about me and for saying "hi" on the blog! I hope everything is going well with you other than the email!

A Tale of Two Chevrons

2007-12-10T19:00:00.000-06:00

I finished the first of two Chevrons that I am doing as Christmas gifts. It was beginning to feel a little like an albatross! This is my first experience with deadline knitting. Last Christmas, I was only 4 or 5 months into my career as a knit-a-holic, and I didn't dare make anything as a gift. Well, actually, I did make a super-chunky scarf for my brother. But I couldn't even think about making anything for anyone else. This year, I have some confidence and felt like I could pull off the chevrons. I just wasn't counting on the stress factor that would result from taking on two of them the first week of December! Anyway, I finished the first one. It's for my mother-in-law. I did it with a JojoLand 100% cashmere yarn and Koigu Kersti in Squashblossom. It is soft and decadent. I hope she enjoys it. Here it is:

So now I am on to my Mom's. I have made a little progress, but not a ton. Mom's is being done with two different Zen String Serendipity Sport colorways. Here it is:

Mom's is being made to match socks that I am also knitting for her. The first one is done:

My chevron, which I began back in September or October is never going to get finished! I made great progress on it during our Hawaii trip. But I have just about reached chevron overload. I will need a long break before finishing my own!

All the moaning aside, I am so lucky to have these two women in my life, and I really am thrilled to be able to make something special for them.

Woolgirl bounty

2007-12-10T18:14:00.000-06:00

Since I finally charged the camera, I can now show you the amazing things that have come in from Woolgirl in the last few weeks. First off, I am now a member of the Woolly Woolgirl Club. Amazingly, Jen made me a member of a club just when I was about to begin a Woolgirl fan club! Ha ha. Upon your 7th purchase from Woolgirl, Jen in all of her generosity, sends one of these amazing packages to welcome you to the club:

If that wasn't enough, Jen held a contest on her blog over Thanksgiving. I won! Jen sent me gorgeous Das Schneescaf yarn, great stitch markers, and the cutest calender from Thomas Joseph. I can't show the calender because it is on display in my office. But here is the yarn:

And then, the piece de resistance... the Peanuts Christmas kit!!! Anyone who knows me knows that I am a complete freak for all things Snoopy and/or Peanuts. When Jen announced that these kits were hitting the store in very limited supply, I began to have panic attacks about not getting one! It's a terrible picture, I apologize. But there is the cutest Peanuts project bag, 2 skeins of Charlie Brown Christmas yarn from White Oak Studio, 2 packets of Peanuts hot coccoa (who knew such a thing existed!?) and a cute stitch marker. I was lucky enough to score one, and here it is:

I love Woolgirl!

You know you're a knitter when...

2007-12-05T14:15:00.001-06:00

You are stuck in heinous traffic and contemplate whipping out the project you are working on! This morning, my 35-40 minute commute took over an hour. As I was at a stand-still on the freeway, I spied my knitting bag which was still in the passenger seat from last night's gathering with the Wine Harlot posse (aka Purl and Lisa). I was seriously tempted to pull out my Woolgirl Sock Club sock and start working on it. Then the attorney in me decided that I would have absolutely no defense if I got in a wreck. Somehow I managed to rationalize myself into leaving my poor, lonely sock in the bag. It was a boring drive in, and I know I could've made some progress on that beautiful sock!!!! No fair!

Cables Untangled

2007-12-01T16:43:00.000-06:00

Today, Purl and I took the most fantastic class. It was a class by Melissa Leapman, the author of "Cables Untangled". Melissa was in Houston for a series of classes and Purl and I took the first one, which was an intro to cables. If you ever have a chance to take a class by her, don't hesitate... DO IT! She is a phenomenal teacher, and shares so much information that you actually do feel empowered to do these crazy things. Not only did I get a great foundation in how to do cabling, but she also touched on fair isle and gave us a quick primer on that technique. By the end of the class, we were knitting cables with two colors. It was amazing. I wish I had signed up for more of her classes while she is here in Houston. Had I known just how much I would get out of her class, I would definitely have set aside the time to do more. We had to sign up a couple of months ago for the class, and I just had no idea how great it would be. You live and you learn, right?

The only problem with my newfound excitement over cables is that I am absolutely dying to go play around and work with them. Unfortunately, I have too much deadline knitting to do for the holidays and I can't spare even a second for play knitting right now. I have 1/2 of a chevron scarf to do by next weekend (to get it in the mail in time!) and another one to finish 3/4 of before the 25th. Plus socks and other assorted small items. What on earth was I thinking????? I think I may start on Christmas 2008 gifts on Dec. 26th this year!

Contest winning and knitting stuff

2007-11-25T13:10:00.000-06:00

I guess I had Irish luck on my side this Thanksgiving. Jen at Woolgirl (my favorite shop in the whole world) held a contest on her blog for Thanksgiving. The contest was to leave a comment with a favorite turkey day side dish and even the recipe if possible. I entered, and my name was drawn! You have to experience a package from Jen to truly understand how exciting this win is. Apparently, I have some really cute Irish stitch markers from Zephyr and a Thomas Joseph 2008 calendar coming my way, along with some (sharp intake of breath...) YARN! Woo hoo!! I am quite excited.

I have gone sock and chevron mad over the past few days. I am almost finished with sock number one for my hubby. I've also made great progress on the pair for my mom. Mom will be getting a chevron to match. One of the yarns in the chevron is the same I'm using for her socks. (Zen String parfait). Then I decided to do another (my third for those keeping track!) chevron scarf, this one for my mother in law. I'm using sport weight yarn for hers, as she lives in Michigan where it is COLD. Here in Houston, a heavy wool scarf doesn't get much use, so fingering weight works great. I am pleased with how hers is coming along too. I can't post pictures right now because these items are supposed to be a Christmas surprise. But I will take photos of each and post after they have been opened. Hopefully, I will manage to get all of the gifts done. I would love to do a pair of socks for a couple of other people, but I don't want to push my luck! I do have yarn tucked aside in case I manage to get to them though. :-)

Well, I'm wasting good knitting time sitting here typing. The yarn is calling me.

Secret Pal 11 Revealed

2007-11-22T10:23:00.000-06:00

My SP 11 pal revealed herself to me. She is a Texan living in Georgia. Barely a week went by that I didn't get a funny card in the mail. Sometimes they included a comic or bookmark or something little for the kids, others they were simply hysterical greetings. Either way, I knew that my pal was thinking of me and that she put a lot of effort into this exchange. A glance at her blog tells me that we have a lot in common. I am taking a brief break from Thanksgiving cooking right now, but can't wait to read more of her blog later.

Thank you so much Christy for the gifts and thoughts. You truly spoiled me rotten.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who read this. (anyone who doesn't read my blog doesn't deserve such wishes! ha ha ha)

Sock it to me Twice Questionnaire

2007-11-19T09:11:00.000-06:00

1. How long have you been knitting? Do you consider yourself beginner, intermediate, advanced?

I have been knitting for about 15 months. I consider myself on the intermediate side of things.

2. How long have you been knitting socks?

I started this summer, in June. So about 6 months.

3. What are your favorite fibers to work with?

Natural fibers. I love squishy, sport weight sock yarns, nice merino wools, cotton, silk, bamboo....

4. What is your favorite color?

It's a toss up between orange and navy. I really love color in general. The only color I really don't care for is purple.

5. What are your current WIPs (works in progress)?

2 chevron scarves, socks, a sweater and a blanket for my son

6. Name your favorite yarns, (brand, fibers, colors, etc.).

I love Zen String, Miss Babs and Sereknitty sport weight sock yarns. They all have such amazing colors and are so soft and sproingy! And what in the world is softer than Malabrigo worsted? I also love the Araucania yarns and Queensland yarns-- epecially the Queensland Kathmandhu. Again, it's the colors! I am a freak for all things Woolgirl. She has the most amazing yarns.

7. What are some yarns/fibers that you stay away from.

Anything acrylic. It gives me the heebie jeebies.

8. What is your family situation? (Married, kids, pets?)

Yes to all. Married for 15 years in early November. Two kids (9 and 4) and 3 pets (1 old cat, 1 shih tzu dog and a nutso kitten)

9. Name some of your hobbies.

The obvious one- knitting, reading, bubble baths, sailing, drinking wine with friends, watching movies, cooking

10. Name some of your favorite movies?

Monty Python's Holy Grail, The Great White Hype, Ocean's 11, A Room with A View, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

11. Do you like to read?

Definitely!

12. Do you collect anything?

Teapots, Homer Laughlin Wells Art glaze dishes in green, Baccarat crystal figurines, YARN!

13. Do you own an iPod or mp3 player?

Yup!

14. What are your favorite type of knitting needles?

My favorites are Lantern Moon wooden needles, but I tend to use Addi circs the most, which doesn't make any sense to me as I put it in writing!

15. What knitting notion could you not live without?

The freebie tape measure that my LYS gives to first time customers!

16. Who are some of your favorite designers?

Diane Soucy and her Knitting Pure and Simple patterns

17. Do you subscribe to any magazines? (Knitting or otherwise.)

I am a magazine junky. The only knitting mag I get is IK. Otherwise, lots of cooking and fashion mags-- Bon Appetite, Cooks Illustrated, Cooking Light, In Style, Allure, Lucky and then the one incredibly guilty pleasure (I am embarrased to admit it)-- Us Weekly!

18. When is your birthday?

July 22

19. Do you have a "wishlist", (on Ravelry, Froogle, or Amazon)?

Yes.

20. Do you have a Ravelry ID?

Cinben

21. If you had a sheep, what would you name it?

Fred

My Clappy is a Goner

2007-11-11T19:13:00.000-06:00

In my never-ending world of frogging, I have a new victim-- my Clappy. I am on the 8th repeat in the third section (where you begin the drops) and have completely screwed things up somehow. And truth be told, I wasn't feeling the love for the thing anyway. I have been using Malabrigo worsted in Amorosa. It's gorgeous stuff, and beautiful to work with. However, I have been finding the semi-solid color a bit monotonous. And it is HEAVY. Then there is the issue of the yarn sticking, making the drops practically impossible. Each time I had to drop a stitch, I would literally have to rip the stitch all the way down by hand. I have decided that the current screwup debacle is a sign that I should just frog the thing and use the yarn for something more suited for it. I will probably do a sweater, as the yarn is just gorgeous. So now I'm on the hunt for more Clappy yarn. I'll probably just go the traditional route and use Loran's Lion and Lamb... we'll see.

In Chevron news, I am close to 1/2 way on my own Chevron. While we were traveling, my mother oogled my scarf and asked me to make her one. That was all I needed to hear to prompt me to make a purchase from Woolgirl while on vacation in Maui!!! Is there a 12-step program for Woolgirl addiction? If so, I need to join. I ended up buying Zen String Parfait and a Miss Babs that looks something like this (although not exactly this one). I began working on it and LOVE it. My mom is going to go bezerk when she sees it. I actually like it better than mine!

I'm still looking for the perfect sock pattern for my mom's socks. It's difficult for me because I only do socks on circs, and it seems that patterns are somewhat limited for circs. And for the life of me, I can't figure out how to translate a dpn pattern to circs.

In other news, my dear, dear, dear friend Purl passed the Texas Bar!!!! WOO HOO!! Way to go Purl! I'm so happy for you. I know first hand how relieved you are, and I really couldn't be more excited about the news. Purl called me in Maui to tell me the news, and I started screaming to everyone at the hotel pool that my friend had passed the Bar! I'm not sure that the elderly couple from Florida really cared (sorry, Purl!), but I was truly being a spazz. My mom, dad, hubby and I all had a celebratory drink in Purl's honor. I think the elderly Florida couple had a drink in order to drown me out. :-)

Purl has also been kind enough to babysit our kitten Rainy during our vacation. Rainy has spent countless hours with Purl and her hubby, generally terrorizing them! He has found his favorite spot on earth in their dishwasher, has developed a fondness for Socks that Rock, gone AWOL (inducing panic in the babysitters!) while hiding on a bookshelf, committed to leaping out from behind doors in an attempt to scare said babysitters...

This morning we had a real treat. We met my college friends Becky and Dean and finally met their new daughter Paisley. Becky was a pledge sister of mine and was my closest friend in college. Dean was her boyfriend throughout college, and put up with more than his fair share of antics, trouble and turmoil with me and Becky! Becky is responsible for my knitting today. About 14 months ago, I mentioned to her while we were visiting them in Dallas that I really wanted to learn to knit. She hooked me up with the person who taught me to knit and purl. This morning, Becky, Dean and Paisley met us for breakfast while driving through Houston. It was amazing to see Paisley. She is the most precious little girl. Like our Sarah, Paisley is from Hunan, China. While the girls are 3 years apart in age, they share the same birthday of October 28. Paisley is obviously a happy girl. And so observant-- she never stopped soaking it all in. What a cute family the three of them make! It was a great morning!!!

I guess that wraps things up for now. More to come later, with pictures of Chevron progress!

Knitting and travel

2007-11-03T16:15:00.000-05:00

For my few readers, sorry it's been so long since my last post. As most of you know, my family (hubby, kids and parents) are on vacation. We are having a great time in Maui, Hawaii. This is very special for me, as I vacationed here with my parents and brother many times when I was in junior high school through college. It has been a long time since I have been back, and I can't believe that I am getting to do it with my hubby and kids (none of them have been here before) and with my parents, who are a lot of fun to travel with.

I had lofty ambitions of knitting a ton of socks while sittting on the beach. And on the long airplane ride. I also planned to finish my chevron scarf. Let's just say that a little bit of progress has been made on the scarf, and not much on ANY socks! Oops. I did cast on with some gorgeous Zen Strings yarn that I got from Woolgirl just before our departure. I bought it for my mom in a colorway of her choosing. I got a few repeats into the pattern, and it just wasn't working for me, so I frogged it. I think I have found a pattern from More Sensational Socks that will work much better. We'll see!

Anywho, I just wanted to make a quick post and say aloha to my devoted reader(s)! See you soon.

Sock it to me Twice Swap

2007-10-26T11:25:00.001-05:00

I've joined another swap. This one is the Sock it To Me Twice swap. I think it will be a lot of fun. Participation is limited, so I think there will be more interaction amongst the participants. The only thing that scares me is the act of knitting socks for another knitter. I have yet to do a pair that I am completely happy with. So doing a pair to give to a knitter is enough to make me start shaking! But it gives me an excuse to buy more yarn from Woolgirl! of course, my husband would say that I never seem to need an excuse! :-)

oh to be home....

2007-10-22T10:14:00.000-05:00

We have our first cold front coming through Houston today. When I woke up this morning, it was 73 degrees out. That is cool compared to the 80's it has been. But the sky is super dark and a real front is moving through. It is now 56 dgrees out. And tonight's low is supposed to be in the 40's.

Now how can any self-respecting knitter sit at work on a day like this and not pine for being home under a blanket knitting!? It's simply not fair. If it weren't bad enough, I am about 1/3 of the way done with sleeve number 2 of my sweater! I know that a good block of time would get me finished with it. After that, all that's left is doing the front placket and then sewing on buttons. I really think I could get it done in a day. You know, a day like today. Where the weather is cool, I could snuggle up with the baby kitty and knit. If I were home. Oh, the humanity.

Another SP 11 Package!

2007-10-17T20:19:00.000-05:00

My SP11 pal has spoiled me rotten once again. I came home to another amazing package today. It's contents? All things right up my alley. Two gorgeous skeins of Katsara Merino yarn, in the maple colorway. It is really beautiful stuff-- pinks, rose, a slight brownish tint, even a hint of purple. Also included are the happiest and cutest stitch markers ever, in my favorite- bright green, orange and yellow colors. They were inside an awesome Chinese porcelain and silver box. And OMG look at the shawl pin-- it's a carved dragonfly. It will be perfect on my clapotis when I get it finished! I can't wait! My pal also included One Skein Wonders, a book I have long wanted. Oh, and a sachet of incredible smelling lavender. I have to go now, because I have to go look at my book and pet my yarn. THANK YOU SECRET PAL!!! You are truly, truly amazing. You have once again gone waaaaaay above and beyond.

New Knitting Hazard

2007-10-16T12:58:00.000-05:00

I have found a new fan of yarn. He isn't quite as much of a yarn snob as me. In fact, I think he likes just about any kind he can get his claws on. His name is Rainy, and he is our new kitten. After the evening that we had last night, I really believe that Rainy was meant to be part of our family. Here he is:

The saga goes something like this. I left the office early yesterday for an appointment with the eye doctor. My normally punctual eye doc picked yesterday to be running exceedingly late. I didn't leave the office until 2.5 hours after my appointment time, which coincided with the worst of Houston's traffic. I was already in no mood for traffic. My hubby called me and said that our usual route home was FUBAR and that the regularly 30 minute drive had taken him almost 2 hours. See, all HELL was breaking loose in North Houston, with wind, rain, horrible storms, flooding... I heeded his warning and took the toll road (which is normally free flowing and not affected by rush hour) home. Well, suffice it to say that it took me 2 hours and 15 minutes, going 5 mph to get home. I was ready to kill someone. I truly think that if the toll road is so bad that you can't go more than 5 mph, the tolls should be waived. I paid 3 dollars for the privilege of sitting there in gridlock. UGH.

Okay, so flash forward to me getting home. To a dark house. The power on our block and the surrounding 3 blocks was out. We couldn't cook dinner. We couldn't do homework. The kids were cranky, we were cranky... not a pretty picture. The power finally came back on at 12:38am. We got up early to get the homework done, and as a result, we were all cranky again this morning.

I got about a block away from the office on my commute and saw Purl in her office parking lot. I beeped my horn to say hello. Well, Purl and her paralegal beckoned me to pull in. So I did. That was my first mistake. Then Purl showed me what the paralegal had found last night in the pouring down rain. Yup-- a teeny tiny kitten. He is about 5 inches long and fits in your hand. The second mistake came when I held said kitty. I knew he had to be mine.

Did I mention that hubby is anti-pets? Don't get me wrong. We have a cat (she's 14) and a dog(a 2 year old bat-shit-crazy shih tzu). But hubby has long said that there could only be two animals in our house, and that even that was too many. Enter the long, heated negotiations. I had given up. I emailed Purl and said "nope, can't do it". Then hubby said "ok"!

I think that all that rain brought about something good after all! He's just as adorable as could be. He is currently exploring/spelunking in my office, meowing as loud as can be. He loves laying on the carpet in the sun. I absolutely CANNOT WAIT to take him home and show him to hubby and the kids. The kids will completely freak out. And I think even hubby will be won over by Rainy the wonder cat!

There and back again

2007-10-15T13:27:00.000-05:00

That was my weekend. Hubby and son went to a Cub Scout campout. I had girl time with our daughter. We went to the park, painted our nails and ate cupcakes. While she played dress up, I knit. I finished the body on my sweater. Did the bottom edge ribbing. Picked up stitches and did the collar. Then I picked up stitches and started knitting the first sleeve. Until I realized (several rows in) that somehow everything was being purled on the right side of the sleeve. I have no earthly idea what I was doing. Frankly, I was so tired by that time that I didn't even stop to think about it. I just put it to the side to try to fix later. I have come to terms with it (almost) and I think I'll be spending a while tinking back on it. I'm deathly afraid of ripping out because if I screw up and lose a stitch, I don't want to lose the whole sweater that I've worked on endlessly for a month. Ugh.

Otherwise, I cast on with my Miss Babs yarn from the Woolgirl Sock Club. It's a sport weight yarn and a short sock, so it goes super quickly. I LOVE the pattern. It's called Waterfall. It is really beautiful with the yarn. The funny thing is that I wasn't so crazy about the purple in the yarn when it came. I am not a big fan of purple. But it is really lovely knit up. The pattern is written for the dreaded dpns, and it's the first time I've tried to convert that to 2 circs. I did fine through turning the heel, then managed to screw it all up and had to rip back. Luckily they go so quickly and I like it so much that I don't mind starting it again. It's been a first for me in a lot of ways-- first time to try to do that conversion, first time to use sport weight yarn (I LOVE how spoingy it is!), first time to do a patterned sock, and first time to do a sock club sock. It's fun!

We have a big trip coming up in 2 weeks, and I think I am going to try to find some more sport weight yarn to take on the long flights. Any suggestions?

Bad knitter

2007-10-10T13:17:00.000-05:00

I have been unfaithful. I'm a bad knitter. I am home sick today, and I got bored with my beloved first sweater. All that stockinette stitch for days on end has gotten to me. I needed a pick me up. So I cheated on my sweater, and I cheated on Purl. I cast on my Chevron scarf. Purl and I bought our yarn together and were planning to start them together. Like I said, I'm a bad knitter. Purl has kindly agreed to forgive me. Besides, it seems like it might take an eternity to get to 78" on the darned thing. So there should be plenty of time to knit on it with Purl.

The good news is that I LOVE THE COLORS together!!!!! I chose Claudia Handpainted in Walk in the Woods and Claudia Natures Palette in Dark Teal. They are complimentary, rather than contrasting, and I am really happy with it. I can imagine doing a second one, and if/when I do, I'll try a contrasting one.

Here are the meager beginnings:

FIA Package!!!

2007-10-09T18:24:00.000-05:00

I got my package today from my Fall Into Autumn Dishcloth Pal, Grace! Holy moly. Grace, you really spoiled me! I kept pulling things out, and I thought the package was bottomless! I got 5 skeins of wonderful yarn in gorgeous fall colors. Two Knit Picks cotton yarns, one in yellow, one orange. Another skein is the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino that I have wanted to try. I sent some to one of my own downstream pals, and it was hard to part with! Lots of fun Halloween items were included, and I've already strategically placed them around the house. Also some great smelling lilac soap and fall-themed notepads. And three awesome dishcloths. One pictures a bat and is done in my favorite color, ORANGE. Another is a beautiful lacy pattern in a taupe color. And the final one is a beautiful blue and white one. I'm afraid to use them because they are so nice!

Oh, and did I mention the treats? Grace, you obviously paid close attention. I received two packages of Twizzlers and two packages of Double Stuffed Oreos! One is even filled with orange for Halloween! Notice that those aren't in the pictures, as they are already in my fridge...

Thank you so much, Grace! I love it all and it was a really thoughtful package. I hope your pal treats you as well!

Knitters Coffee Swap Questionnaire

2007-10-09T09:09:00.001-05:00

I have joined the knitters' coffee swap. I had so much fun with the tea swap and my wonderful pals Sarah and Lynne! It was one of the best swaps I've participated in. I am hoping the coffee swap will be as much fun. While I like tea, and enjoy it for an occasional treat, I am a coffee nut. Here are the questions:

1. Whole bean or ground?

Either.

2. Fully-loaded or decaf?

Fully loaded all the way, all the time! What's the point if it's decaf?!

3. Regular or flavored?

Regular, please. I am a purist and I can't stand flavored coffee.

4. How do you drink your coffee?

A little Splenda and a drop of half and half

5. Favorite coffee ever?

This is really tough. It would have to be a cup that I had in a little cafe in Seattle, but I couldn't tell you what it was! Lately we've been drinking Seattle's Best Organic Italian Roast. I have to say, there is nothing on earth like a great cappucino.

6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do?

Hmm. I'm a little fussy, in that I don't like the store brands (Folgers, Maxwell House, etc.). But in terms of varietal of the beans, I like to try them and explore. I tend to like strong, dark roast, robust coffees. We drink a lot of French Roast, Italian Roast, Guatemala Antigua...

7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee?

I love scones and chocolate croissants. We have a new local coffee shop around the corner from my office. They make and amazing Cuban coffee and have great chocolate croissants. It's my favorite morning treat! There used to be a place near my old office that had red currant scones, and those were to die for! Yum.

8. Anything else about your coffee preferences?

Nope!

9. Yarn/fiber you love?

With the change of season, I have been finding a lot of wonderful wools lately. The Malabrigo Worsted, Araucania Nature Wool, Queensland Kathmandu DK. are all favorites. In general, I like natural fibers. And positively anything from Woolgirl. I have to limit myself in terms of my number of visits to her website. I drool and my credit card starts shaking when I visit her site! Amazing, glorious things to be had!

10. Yarn/fiber you hate?

Acrylics and anything fuzzy (i.e., angora)

11. What's on your needles?

I am about 1/2 through my first sweater. I also have a Clapotis in progress and another one that I am chomping at the bit to do. A blanket for my son. And the block of the month afghan that I'm doing with my LYS. And of course, SOCKS.

12. Favorite colors?

Blue, Orange, Lime Green, Brown

13. Allergies?

Nope!

14. Anything you really love, really don't like, or just need to get off your chest?

Nah. My only serious dislikes in relation to this swap are flavored coffee and synthetic yarns! Other than that, I am easy to please. :-)

FIA Question 4

2007-10-08T10:24:00.001-05:00

The question of the week for the Fall into Autumn Swap is:

Either flash your needles and other items you use to make your wares or, if you don't have a camera, describe your goods for us in detail. Dpns, circs, straights, hooks, tape measures, darning needles, favorite stitch markers, needle holders, cases, the works!

Well, I have a camera, but it takes really crummy pictures. That is the main reason for the dearth of photos on my blog. Aside from that, I am at work (shh... don't tell that I'm blogging instead of working!) and not near the stashed wares. I will do my best to describe them.

First off, I have a wonderful Namaste needle binder that my hubby and kids got me for Mothers Day. Mine is chocolate brown with blue interior. I love it. It really keeps me organzied. I also have an amazing needle box that my SP 10 pal MADE for me. I keep all of my straights in it.

As far as needles go, I think I have just about everything under the sun. I have Addi circs in size 3's for socks, size 6's and 7's. I have some wooden circs in size 5 and 8. I also have metal circs of some sort in size 5 and 10. I love my Lantern Moon wooden straights. I have a size 11 pair that came with the block of the month afghan that I am doing with my LYS. I also have a pair of 10's. Then in regular metal straights, I have every size from 2's to 9's. My grandmother-in-law sent me a wonderful surprise package early this summer and included many of her own straights. She doesn't knit any more, but was thrilled that I do. I cherish those needles!

I have a couple of sets of dpns, but I swear, there has never been anything more confounding to me in my life. I think I would be more successful trying to knit with an octopus. Since they are the bane of my existence, I put them in time out and pretend that I don't see them. So I can't tell you exactly what I have there. :-)

My tape measure is the freebie that my LYS, Twisted Yarns gives out to first-time customers. It is a white, simple, round deal. It is my safety blanket in the knitting world. Why, I dunno. But if I have it sitting by me, I feel right. I also have to have my small crochet needle next to me for the inevitable, dreaded dropped stitch.

My darning needle is incredibly fancy-- it's a blue plastic one! But it gets the job done.

My other "treat" is my Lantern Moon bag for carrying my work in.

I think that's enough for now.

Musings

2007-10-05T13:42:00.000-05:00

I have had occassion to give a lot of thought to why I knit in the past two days. Yesterday, when Purl and I visited our work area's LYS, I was lamenting the fact that there are so many things I want to knit, and that while I make progress on things, I don't feel like I finish as much as I could because I have so many things going at once. (boy, how was that for a run-on sentence?!) I like having a lot of things OTN though. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a mindless knit, and picking up the enormous afghan for my son is great. Sometimes I want something more challenging. And sometimes, I only have 10 minutes, but feel the urge to knit, so I can get a row or two done on a sock. I know you know what I am talking about, even if you don't want to admit that you have this same project-itis disease!

Anyway, the owner of the LYS made a really good point in response to my lamenting. She said that knitting is supposed to be a hobby. Something you enjoy doing, and the thing that takes you away from the stress of life. The only pressure you feel in knitting is what you put on yourself. So do what makes you happy. I really liked that advice. Again, perhaps I am just trying to justify my own craziness! I really respect those knitters of you who can start one item and see it through to the end before even considering casting on for something else. I just don't have the patience gene, I guess. So having a large project, a small dishcloth project, socks and something more intricate makes me happy.

The other thing that got me thinking about the "zen" of knitting was an email from a dear friend. We have falled somewhat out of touch, and I told her that I had begun knitting. She asked how I find time between work, kids, etc. I told her that it's the one thing that I do that makes me feel as if I DO have time. Somehow, if I sit down for even 15 minutes with needles and yarn, I feel like I had some "me" time. And the process of knitting in and of itself is generally the most relaxed I ever feel. Something about the rhythm of the needles, the feel of the yarn (because I am a yarn snob, after all), the texture and the color of the yarn... it is incredibly appealing to my senses. It really makes me happy.

I know that every other knitter in the universe has probably had these same thoughts. But my email with my friend made me realize just how much knitting does for me. I love to have that finished object, but I dearly love the experience of making the object, too. Okay, except when I drop a stitch and can't fix it, throw the kntting across the room and scream and curse. :-) But even then, the knitting just sends me to a bottle of wine. So it's still not all bad!

Lunctime foray into yarn heaven

2007-10-04T14:13:00.000-05:00

I was going to be good today. No, really. I was. I had my Lean Cuisine in the freezer and was all set to eat it. And then Purl asked me if I wanted to go to our LYS during lunch. While not my favorite yarn store, we have a a really good one mere blocks from our office. I should have heard the warning bells going off in my head. I have been project happy of late. I think that my success with socks has given me a new found confidence, and I'm excited to do "things" and not just blankets and squares. I've got the Clapotis going, a sweater, and I'm about to cast on for the Chevron scarf. I also found an amazing beaded scarf that I can't stop thinking about. But nooooo. I did not heed the warning sirens. I went. I found another sweater that I want to make. And I was reminded of the scrumptious Honeypot Yarns Cashmere that I am lusting for. They even have a sample scarf made up at they LYS with the Honeypot and it is spectacular. Oh my. I am trying to reason with myself. Really, project-itis or no, how many things can I have OTN at once? I should really, really, REALLY focus on finishing something before I begin one of these other projects. Right?

However, since rationalization is the key to sanity, I had to buy two skeins of Koigu Kersti. See, that only set me back $26. That's a far cry from the $100+ that the drool-worthy projects would have cost me today. Besides, the Koigu should be called "Cindy", because I could swear that the colorway was made especially for me. It's shades of blue, orange and brown. Gorgeous stuff. I think I'm going to do the Knitty RPM Socks with it, as suggested by good old Purl. For a few minutes, I flirted with the idea of doing another clapotis or a sweater with it. But then I remembered my project-itis and decided to do socks. Much simpler and less time consuming! Oh my. So many things to knit, so little time. And so many yarns to yearn for. What's a girl to do?

FIA swap Question Week 3

2007-10-01T09:06:00.000-05:00

The question of the week for the FIA swap asks how you change your menu with the change of season. Are there any recipes you especially enjoy having in the Fall? Any foods that are seasonal that you especially enjoy?

Our menu changes drastically as we get further into Fall (again, in Houston, more like mid-late November). We grill a lot during the very warm months (March to October)-- a lot of fish, burgers, steaks, etc. While year-round grilling is do-able in Houston, we crave heartier things when it gets cooler. Veggie soup, stufffed cabbages, baked rigatoni with peppers and sausages, spaghetti and meatballs, and pot roast are all big hits in our house.

On the knitting front, I made a ton of progress on my first sweater over the weekend. I got through the increases entirely and moved the sleeve stitches off onto scrap yarn. Now it's just a matter of knitting in stockinette for an eternity. It's nice, mindless knitting, but it also keeps me motivated because I love watching the gradation in colors of the yarn. It is such pretty stuff. And seeing the sweater grow is exciting, too. I love this pattern. It's so simple, yet so well done.

K1 T2 Package!!!!

2007-09-27T09:46:00.000-05:00

I am so lucky. Some people join swaps and end up having a lame pal. Somehow I end up with the greatest pals ever. My K1 T2 secret pal Sarah is no exception! We share a love for the Asian culture, and I have really enjoyed talking with her about food and other things Asian!

I got my package from her last night. Wow. Sarah sent me some amazing teas that I cannot wait to dig into. First up is Earl Grey which I love. Next, a vanilla tea made with vanilla beans. YUM. Then Melon Pear White tea. That sounds heavenly. And it smells even better! I swear it smells like a fresh cantaloupe. I am going to go pour myself a cup as soon as I finish this post.

Sarah also made me some gorgeous carnelian stitch markers and the cutest little coasters! There is also a bar of handmade soap that smells incredible and a honey stirring spoon that will be used immediately. Also in the package (as if that wasn't already enough), Sarah sent some awesome Trekking wool/bamboo sock yarn in the most calming neutrals-- browns to greys to a slight olive, with ORANGE (my fave!) running through it.

Thank you for the awesome package, Sarah and for a great swap. I hope to stay in touch (it's a red thread thing, after all)!!!

Here is a pic of the package contents. Drool away!

Some photos of WIPs

2007-09-27T09:32:00.000-05:00

I thought I would share a couple of WIP photos. I wish that our camera was a little better at capturing the details, but it's pretty old, and I'm not the best photographer in the world. I always feel badly posting pics because I feel like they don't do the items justice! Oh well. Hopefully bad pictures are better than no pictures?????

First up is my Clapotis. I have done one drop stitch thus far, and am one repeat in to section 3. I love this yarn, and I hope that the finished product isn't too bulky, because I can really see myself wearing it A LOT if it doesn't make me look like the Michelin Tire woman! This yarn has a lot of beautiful variation in the coloring. It goes from a deep red to a bright red and has some subtle hues of purple and pink throughout. In person it has so much depth.

Next up is my first EVER sweater! I am using the Knitting Pure and Simple top down cardigan pattern, and the yarn is Araucania Nature wool. I am in LOVE with the coloring of this yarn. It's hand dyed, again, with subtle variations in the tone. I think it will give the finished sweater a richer look, and hopefully it won't look like Mr. Rogers' cardigan! I am about 12 rows away from dividing for the arms. It is really cool to watch the shoulder seams appear and see the shaping work, especially since the whole thing is knit as one piece with no "real" seaming! Okay, here it is:

Comment moderation

2007-09-27T03:12:00.000-05:00

Hi friends. I have turned on comment moderation. If you are involved in any swaps or KALs, or in fact, anything knitting related, the moderation is not directed at you! I have tried to avoid moderating the comments. Recently, spam comments have appeared, and I am trying to prevent more.

Please don't let the moderation keep you from posting again if you are a knitter! I love to see your input/comments!

Fall Into Autumn Swap Question of the Week

2007-09-24T13:18:00.001-05:00

It's time once again for the Question of the Week for my FIA Swap. The question is:

Autumn has now officially begun here in the States!! What is your favorite thing about Autumn/Fall? Why?

Well, to be honest with you, we don't really have much of an Autumn in Houston. I miss it terribly. Our Winter is more like Autumn, and it doesn't really set in until mid-to late November. That being said, my favorite things about the season are the changing of the leaves and the chill in the air (I really would love a cool evening here!!!). I , hate, hate, HATE (have I made myself clear?!) the time change and it getting dark out so early. In fact, I dread it every year, and it takes me the longest time to adjust to it. I just feel robbed of my day when I leave the office and it's already pitch dark out. Somehow I can convince myself that there is some time left in the day during the summer, when it is light out until almost 9pm.

Ooooh, I like being able to wear sweaters and jackets a lot, so I look forward to the cool air for that, too!

Clapotis progress

2007-09-23T20:35:00.000-05:00

I cast on for the Clapotis, and have gotten through all 7 repeats of the increase section. I did the first repeat of the straight section (section 3), and it was a lot of fun and a very nervewracking to drop a stitch intentionally and watch it go! I totally don't understand how the rest of the drops will work. I can see very clearly where they will go. But from the pattern, it seems like I will just keep dropping stitches in the same exact place each time. When do I drop stitches through the rest of the piece? Maybe I'm just too tired to make any sense of it at this point. But if anyone can explain to me how it works, I'd love to hear it. The pattern calls for you to P1, remove the marker, and drop the stitch each time at Row 8. For 12 repeats... How does dropping a stitch one stitch in each time get you the ladders anywhere but the edge???

My camera (old, crummy thing that it is!) died before I could take a picture tonight. I'll post picutres of the progress soon.

Thank you (again!) Secret Pal!

2007-09-23T20:12:00.000-05:00

I received another wonderful package from my SP11 pal yesterday. I am beginning to wonder if I know this person in real life. It's either that or she has incredible intuition. Every card, comic and package she sends me is spot on. This time around, I received some Knit Picks merino in a colorway that I just love. I have been wanting to get something more "fall" colored, and this is just perfect. I also got a box of Stash tea that I had been eyeing. When I was purchasing for my K1, T2 pal, I saw this raspberry tea and wanted to get some for myself. In the end, I talked myself out of buying for me! But now I have some and it is fantastic. Also in the package were some treats-- candy sticks and chocolate cherries. YUM! And last but not least, Chinese stamps! Woo hoo! Thank you pal. I will have a great time with all of it. Sorry the picture stinks. My camera battery died and this was the only shot I got first!

Late to the party!

2007-09-21T09:08:00.000-05:00

The bandwagon was just about to pull away, but I managed to jump on first. I'm doing a clapotis. I can explain my tardiness to this party. See, when the "first wave" of clap-making occured, I hadn't even been born as a knitter. Last year at this time, I was still making square swatches and ripping them out, then starting over, just to get the hang of knittting and purling!

But I've been wanting to do a Clapotis for many months. The clappy is really the perfect thing for Houston winters. I am going to use Malabrigo worsted in Amorosa . It is gorgeous stuff. I hear that it can be a little "sticky" for the clappy, as the yarn doesn't want to make the drops easily, but I am going to try it anyway. I've seen many Malabrigo Clappys on Ravelry, and they are beautiful.

I was confused about a few things on the Clapotis pattern, and did a Google search in hopes of finding some discussion about the pattern. I did better than that! I found the Second Wave Clapotis KAL! Holy cow-- you mean there are other knitters out there that haven't done a Clapotis yet? I really thought I was the very last person on Earth! Woo hoo! Cast on begins on Sunday. I may have to cheat and start tonight though. :-)

The Harlot

2007-09-19T08:52:00.000-05:00

What a great night. Purl (forevermore known as the "Wine Harlot") and I set out together after work to go see the Yarn Harlot, who was not only in Houston, but appearing via my LYS. We had planned the evening weeks ago, and were both really looking forward to it. Just before we headed out, I got into a spat with my parents, followed by a spat with my husband over the same subject matter-- our a/c. Yes, it was entirely trivial and stupid, but frustrating. At the same time, it turned out that Purl had an equally frustrating experience. By the time we got in the car together, we both needed to blow off steam. Suffice it to say that when Purl suggested that a glass of wine might be in order before we headed into the Harlot venue, I leapt at the idea. I'm never one to turn down a glass of wine anyway. There is a little Italian restaurant next to the school where the Yarn Harlot was speaking, so we stopped there. Three hours later, we were still there drinking wine. At some point, we were faced with the decision of "stay and drink wine" or "go hear the Harlot". As much as we both wanted to do the latter, neither of us particularly wanted to do it at that exact moment in time. We were having too much fun gabbing and sipping our wine! We stayed put. I did end up seeing the Harlot, just not the Yarn one. Instead, I spent the evening with the Wine Harlot. And it was a blast!

Woolgirl Sock Club Package #1

2007-09-17T15:00:00.001-05:00

OMG OMG OMG. I am so excited I could burst. I am totally in love with Woolgirl and the amazing yarns that she carries. You may have seen me gushing all over my blog about Jen ("Woolgirl") and her amazing customer service and equisite yarns. Well, a while back I joined the first installment of her Woolgirl Sock Club. The first package went out last week. I have been watching the Woolgirl Sock Club blog and have seen lots of people posting about receiving their package and talking about the wonders of the yarn and the contents of the package (Jen is so generous in her shipping of items-- she always tosses in little treats, and the sock club packages were no exception). I wanted to throw a tantrum befitting my 3 year old when my package didn't arrive before I left work on Friday. I have NO capacity for suspense, and it has been driving me crazy all weekend to see the package that people are raving about.

It. just. came. I literally grabbed it out of my secretary's hands and tore into it. I must have looked just like my aforementioned 3 year old! The contents of the package? Unbelievable. I don't want to ruin the surprise for anyone that has not yet received the package, so suffice it to say that the yarn is definitely up to Woolgirl's equisite standards. Lots of wonderful goodies in the package as well, and a fun contest that already has me thinking...

Have I mentioned yet how much I love Woolgirl??? Oh-- and I should also mention that I have NO connection with Woolgirl, no financial ties to her business and, in fact, have never even met Woolgirl! I'm just a dye-hard fan!! :-)

Fall into Autumn Topic of the Week #2

2007-09-17T10:57:00.000-05:00

This weeks topic for the Fall into Autumn Swap is:

When you knit or crochet dishclothes, washclothes or face clothes, what do you use? What size needle or hook? Wood? what type? Metal? Plastic? A specific Brand? Why do you love that needle or hook so much? Is there one you are dying to try? Is there a particular yarn you love and use all the time for clothes? What is so special about it?

I use Addi circs for anything they can possibly be used for. I usually use a size 7. If those are already in use for another project (and they frequently are) then I use my Lantern Moon straights, which are rosewood. I love the Addi's because nothing "sticks" to them. Yarns just slide right along without bunching and getting caught. The process is smooth and easy. I have the same experience with the Lantern Moon wood needles, but I prefer using circs wherever possible. I enjoy using the shorter needle that the circs have, as opposed to straights. Am I making any sense here? I have a head cold and I think I may be making sense only in my own addled brain!

As for yarn that I use all the time, I really like natural fibers. Blue Sky Cotton is a fave for summer, and Debbie Bliss Cashmerino and Cascade merino are things I use a lot for winter. In general, I am a HUGE fan of hand-dyed yarns. Woolgirl is my hands-down favorite store for yarn. Not only does she carry the most delicious hand-dyed yarns, but the customer service truly can't be beat.

Right now, I am trying to settle on a nice semi-solid cotton or hand dyed wool to make this sweater out of. It calls for a lot of yardage, and I don't want to completely break the bank. Some of the things I have been considering are Patagonia Nature Cotton by Araucania, Art Yarns Supermerino, Queensland Collection Kathmandu and Malabrigo worsted. I am also in love with the idea of Lobster Pot's Whale of a Skein and I'm waiting for Woolgirl to have it in stock. It looks gorgeous from the glimpse I have seen so far!

Hurricane knitting

2007-09-13T08:48:00.000-05:00

We had a pop-up hurricane here in Southeast Texas last night. Bizarre. Normally, we hear about a formation out in the Carribean, then watch it develop for a week or more as it heads into the Gulf of Mexico. Then the predictions start about where it will head and when it will hit. Regardless, we are on our toes and thinking about the possibility of a hurricane for days and days. So what happened yesterday was literally a freak of nature.

Yesterday morning I woke up and watched the weather forecast as always. We were hearing that there would be heavy rains throughout the day. That's all. Just a bunch of rain and the usual chance of flooding that occurs in Houston when heavy rains hit. What started out as a "ridge of low pressure" yesterday morning became Tropical Storm Humberto by lunchtime. Before it came ashore, it was upgraded to a hurricane. None of our weather people (or even the National Weather Service) called this one. Everyone was forecasting a lot of rain, and some heavy storms, but the "H" word (hurricane) was never mentioned. I left work a little early yesterday, in order to beat the "heavy storms" and traffic. All the hysteria that went on here, and we got NOTHING. Can I just tell you that we never got so much as a sprinkle at my house? It ended up hitting a bit East of Houston/Galveston. I'm sorry for the folks in Beaumont, High Island, Port Arthur, etc. who felt the wrath.

The silver lining in the hysteria is that I got some knitting in! I finished a second dishcloth for my K1T2 pal, and I began a cloth for my Fall into Autumn pal. I'm about 1/2 finished with that. I also got a little more work done on the new baby blanket.

All of a sudden, the "hurricane sock swap" that was held this summer makes sense to me! You can get a LOT of knitting done when you are sitting around waiting for nasty weather!

A new blanket

2007-09-11T14:29:00.000-05:00

I cast on last night for a baby blanket. Some dear friends of ours are having their first baby (a girl) in November. The last baby blankie I did was a thick, cushy one-- I used two strands of Dream Baby held together throughout the blanket. It is super soft and warm. But too warm for Houston. That one was made for my godson in Canada. For the new one, I wanted to do something a little more delicate for a girl. The trouble is, I haven't ventured in lace work yet, and YO's drive me batty. Doing a whole blanket with YO's involved would certainly mean a lot of ripping out!! So, while I was trying to decide what to do for the blanket, I did a swatch with the yarn I got. It's another Dream Baby yarn (I don't love the synthetic fiber, but it is soft and is machine washable/dryable which is a must for baby wear in my book!) and this yarn is a pretty light pink with blue, yellow and other speckles in it. While I was doing the swatch, I just liked the simplicity of the swatch itself. It was just a couple of garter stitch rows and then a few stockinette rows. I decided that I would do that very simple pattern for the blanket, so I cast on about 98 stitches, and I'm going to do about 25 rows in garter stitch (it will be about two inches or so) for the top border, then do 15 or so garter stitches at the beginning and end of each row with stockinette elsewhere on the row. It will be very basic, but I think it will be nice for a Houston girl. What do you think? Too basic? Too boring? Thoughts??? They are greatly appreciated, you know!

Fall into Autumn Question of the Week

2007-09-10T08:59:00.000-05:00

The Fall into Autumn Swap has a "topic of the week"-- this week's topic/question is:

Now that in some geographic locations the weather is starting to turn cooler, do you change the type of yarn(s) you knit/crochet with? If so, what do you now knit/crochet with instead and why? If not, why do you not switch and what do you knit/crochet with?

My answer:

This is the first Fall that I have really had a chance to even think about this. I began knitting late last summer, and didn't know what I was doing this time last year, so I was just using whatever yarn I had on hand! If and when it gets cooler here in Houston, I will turn to more wool projects. It is usually warm here through the middle of November.

Through the summer, I was using a lot of cottons, silks and bamboo yarns. Houston is so hot and humid in the summer (and fall, for that matter!) that I just can't bear the thought of working with something hot or big and bulky! I really want to make a couple of sweaters this Fall, and I will probably use some nice merino or cashmere blends for those.

I took a class at my LYS yesterday, and I looked for the Knitting Pure and Simple Drop Shoulder Crewneck pattern. I am dying to make that. It seems like a nice, basic sweater to try for my first one. Unfortunately, the store didn't have that pattern. But they did have this one, so impetuous me bought it! I got some Cascade merino in a beautiful dark navy color and cast on last night. I will just have to do the crewneck as my second sweater!

Fall into Autumn Dishswap Questionnaire

2007-09-05T13:11:00.001-05:00

Yes, I've joined yet another swap. They are so much fun, I just can't help myself! This time around, it's the Fall Into Autumn Dishcloth Swap. Here is my questionnaire:

1. Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been doing it?

I knit, and have been doing it for a little over a year.

2. Have you made dischloths before? Do you use them yourself, give them as gifts, or both?

I tried to do dishcloths early on, when I first began knitting-- they were a nice change from just knitting a swatch and trying to learn knitting and purling. But I would end up with the most fugly, unrecongnizable finished products since I would invariably make mistakes. I seem to have overcome that now and enjoy doing dishcloths!

3. What's your favorite cotton to make cloths from? What cotton would you like to try that you haven't before ?

I have really only tried the Sugar and Cream and Lions Brand Cotton. I like them both, but I would love to try something different!

4. If you knit, do you prefer circular or straight needles? For all, do you prefer wooden, metal, or plastic needles?

I think circs and straight both have their uses. I usually prefer metal needles, but absolutely LOVE Lantern Moon woods!

5. What are your favorite colors? Any colors you don't like much?

I'm a big fan of oranges, blues, chocolate brown and bright greens. I don't care much for purple.

6. What do you like best about Autumn?

Visiting someplace that actually experiences Autumn. Here in Houston, we don't really have one! I miss seeing the leaves change colors-- that is my favorite thing in Autumn.

7. Pies: Pumpkin? Apple? Pecan? All of em? or No Thanks!

Apple= yummy! Pecan= even yummier!!

8. When you were a kid, were you the one who couldn't wait to get started with school , or the one who overslept on the 1st day?

On the first day, I couldn't wait. I was the first kid all dressed in a new outfit and outside waiting for the bus. Within a week, I was the one who overslept!

9. Do you celebrate Halloween? (The real key here guys is especially knowing if you have an aversion to the holiday or little goodies/decorations associated with it, given the timeframe of the swap)

Most definitely! We have two kids who spend the entire year planning what they will be for Halloween. They would be crushed if we didn't celebrate! And their excitement makes it so much fun! We are lucky to live in a real "neighborhood" where tons of kids do trick-or-treating and I have a blast giving out candy and seeing them all!

10. If you had to choose just 3 edible 'goodies' to eat for a full year, what 3 would you choose?

Only 3? Ouch-- this one is hard! Okay, let's see. Double stuffed Oreos, raspberry scones and fresh raspberries. And if I could sneak one more goodie in, it would be Twizzlers!

11. Do you have any pets? Kids? Husbands who seem like kids? ;)

Two of each. Well, two pets (a shih tzu and a cat); two kids (one boy, one girl) but only one husband!

12. If you were to describe a particular yarn that shares traits of your personality, what would it be and why?

Something soft and natural in feel but with a bright sunshine-y colorway!

13. Do you use your cloths mostly for dishcloths, or as facecloths?

Both

14. Favorite Fall Holiday: Halloween or Thanksgiving and why? (Feel free to share another fall memory if you do not celebrate either of these holidays)

Thanksgiving. I love the smells of the day and the gathering of the family.

15. Do you have any allergies or aversions your pal should know about?

Nope!

Yarn Shopping (again!)

2007-09-05T09:25:00.000-05:00

Purl and I went yarn shopping on Saturday. I actually did pretty good, and I think I demonstrated remarkable willpower. :-) I bought 4 skeins of Claudia in "Eat Your Veggies" and in the semi-solid "teal" colorways to do the Chevron scarf with. Here are pics of those two yarns:

I found some absolutely gorgeous Lorna's Laces that I want to do a Clapotis in, but made myself hold of on that expenditure until after I do the Chevron and get through some of my sock stash. Since I managed to stave off that purchase, I rewarded myself with one skein of sock yarn! hee hee... it's Madelinetosh and was so beautiful that I couldn't walk out of the store and leave it behind. It's the ginseng colorway:

I am dying to cast on for the Chevron. Purl and I agreed to begin them together (she bought yarn for one as well), and we are trying to find a day to put that plan in action. I'm trying to hold out, Purl!

Blogaversary!

2007-08-31T12:30:00.000-05:00

I just realized that yesterday was my one year BLOGAVERSARY! Woo Hoo! When I started this thing, I never even imagined how much fun I would have getting to know people as a result. Between swaps, Ravelry and blogs, I have met so many wonderful people. I can't wait to see where the next year takes me. Cheers, everyone!

Is it the weekend yet?!

2007-08-31T12:17:00.000-05:00

I know- it's only lunchtime on Friday. But I have Friday-itis in the worst way. It doesn't help that I'm the only attorney in the office today, and I have no pressing deadlines for a change. I am so ready for the long weekend to start, and I just can't get motivated. So what have I done this morning at work? Not work- that's for sure! Instead, I've been VERY busy doing the scavenger hunt contest for the Knit 1, Tea 2 swap! I sent my answers in to Devon a moment ago. Thanks Devon-- that was a lot of fun! It was nice to hunt through various participants' blogs and "meet" some of them.

I have been obsessing for the past couple of days with starting a Chevron scarf. Yes, I realize that I am the last knitter on Earth to get on board. But it's been 100 degrees here in Houston, so give a girl a break! It's still hot, but I have decided to cast on the scarf in the hopes that it will be cool someday! I have spent a lot of time on Ravelry, looking at various people's Chevrons to get ideas of yarn. Purl and her hubby are coming for dinner tomorrow, and us girls are going to sneak out to the two LYS by me. I am going to be shopping for the Chevron yarn. If nothing strikes my fancy at the real-life store, I have picked out something from my favorite online retailer (Woolgirl). We'll see what I end up doing. I'm going to do my best not to come out of either yarn store with sock yarn that is for anything else but the scarf!

SP Strikes Again!

2007-08-28T21:01:00.000-05:00

I had a nice day today at work. I had a great lunch with Purl, and had a lot of laughs with some former co-workers about the cast of characters that we know. Then the workday ended and the storms started. The sky unleashed itself just as I was headed up I-45 North, trying to get home. What is normally a 35-45 minute commute took 1 hour and 20 minutes. UGH. I was in NO mood by the time I got to the house. I pulled into the driveway, ran to the mailbox, and then took my sad, soaked self inside. When I got inside and looked at the mail, I sure did get a nice surprise! I had an envelope from my SP11 pal!!! She sent another hysterical card (my pal knows how to pick a great card!) and great bookmarks for me and the kids! One is "peace" in Chinese characters! There is an orangutan bookmark that is most definitely perfect for my son! And the greatest magnetic alien clip-- I'm claiming that for ME! Thank you, pal! Once again, you sent a wonderful, thoughtful package. After my hellish drive home, it was a real treat and a huge bright spot! You are wonderful.

Here are the contents:

My amazing SP

2007-08-24T15:48:00.001-05:00

OMG. Secret Pal 11 started a week ago. My pal has already outdone herself. Today I got the most amzing box full of goodies. It is very apparent that my SP did her homework and she really nailed my tastes! She sent me wonderful Crystal Palace bam boo navy sock yarn (navy is my favorite color!),lime green Tofutsies sock yarn, and a beautiful brown cotton sock yarn. But that's not all! Also inside were some great-smelling lavender items and THE CUTEST NEEDLES I EVER SAW! They are wooden needles with painted wooden balls on the end, in a cheerful orange (my other favorite color) pattern. The pictures don't do them justice (my crappy camera won't focus in on the detail). Nor does my description. But suffice it to say that they are awesome. I have been spoiled beyond belief. I have really wanted to try both the Crystal Palace and Tofutsies yarns, and the brown will make a beautiful pair of socks. I will look forward to casting on! I truly cannot thank you enough, SP!

Here are some pics:

F.O.'s and one WIP

2007-08-23T16:06:00.000-05:00

Dishcloths may not seem like a big deal to you, but I finished one and feel like I really conquered a phobia. A year ago, when I first started knitting, I quickly grew tired of knitting and purling swatches just for practice. I tried several dishcloths, just to "make" something. The result was something that could easily be utilized for a rorschach test. They were square-ish, with indeterminable "pictures". I didn't really have trouble counting the k and p stitches, but I would end up with extra stitches or not enough stitches by the end of most rows. I would YO or drop a stitch inadverently, or my yarn would separate and I wouldn't realize that the splits were all one stitch, and I would knit each one.

I am doing the K1,T2 swap, and we are supposed to send our pals a handmade object. Being that the theme of the swap is tea, I thought I would try to make a tea-themed dishcloth. I've come a long way in the year I've been knitting. I think the finished product is pretty good this time!!! Can you tell what it is? Here's a photo:

Finally some pictures

2007-08-22T16:17:00.000-05:00

I have been promising pictures of my socks... here they are! The green sock is Opal Hundertwasser, and those are the first pair I did. The blue, striped one is a cashmere blend, and is the softest stuff. And the sock in progress is anotherOpal Hundertwasser- this one is my favorite so far.

Swaps

2007-08-20T09:04:00.001-05:00

I love swaps. You may think it is silly, but I get downright giddy about getting my matches. I love to learn about the person I am the pal to, and put together treats for that person. It's really like Christmas to me! I have had some email correspondence with both my upstream and downstream pals for SP11. Based on what my upstream pal has indicated to me, I think I won the upstream pal lottery!!! She told me a package is already in the mail to me, and she had to put quite a bit of effort and leverage into getting a couple of the items. I sent a little something to my pal already, too.

The Knit1 Tea2 matches should be coming out any day now. I'm dying to know what "color" my pal likes so that I can begin compiling things for her!

I started a new pair of socks over the weekend, and I'm about to turn the heel. I'm using another Opal Hundertwasser yarn, and it is GORGEOUS. I love their yarns so much. Between the amazing colors and the patterns, I really enjoy working with the yarn, and it is so much fun to watch the pattern emerge each time!

I also finished my July block for the block-of-the-month afghan, and I picked up the August block pattern and yarn. It was a productively knitty weekend!

In other news, I am very happy that we aren't going to get hammered by Hurricane Dean here in Houston. I'm sorry for the folks in Mexico that are in its path. But I have to tell you, there is a part of me that was really hoping for a couple of days off with nothing to do but knit! I'm sick, I know. By the way, do you think knitting counts as exercise? Hee hee hee!

Buttons!

2007-08-13T15:14:00.000-05:00

I finally had someone explain how to add a button link to my blog in terms I could understand! Someone from one of the swaps I am participating in posted step-by-step directions, and it worked! I have tried many, many times to add the stupid things to my blog, but have always screwed it up somehow. Most recently, I got the button on to the blog, but couldn't get it linked to the page it was supposed to take you to. See, the way I figure it, html is a lot like math. And I don't like math. Therefore, I don't like html! Ha! Anyway, a zillion thanks to Devon for her instructions.

In other news, my husband and I met my friend Purl and her husband for a fabulous dinner on Friday night. We went to a place I have heard about for a long time-- it is called Shade, and it was fantastic. We had a lot of fun. Our husbands really enjoyed one another's company, and I suspect that we will have lots of fun times together in the future. The only hiccup came when Purl's husband commented to my husband about how expensive yarn is, and how my husband better keep a close eye on me. I had to shush him. :-) hee hee hee. It was all in good fun.

I am just about to finish the first sock of pair number 2. Then my plan is to go back to the second sock of pair 1 and see if I can get through it this time. Pics soon....

The cursed sock

2007-08-09T09:34:00.001-05:00

I really hope that every pair of socks won't be as cursed as my first pair. I posted about how I frogged the second sock for the 4th or 5th time on Sunday. Well, the night before last, I was happily knitting away on the re-started version, when once again, I lost several stitches. Maybe the two glasses of wine that I drank had something to do with it. At any rate, I had to rip the whole thing out again. I was really determined to finish the second sock before I start my next pair. But at this point, I think that sock needs a time out before I can try it again.

I wanted to make some real progress on the new pair (I have, in fact, moved on!) last night, but another couple invited us to meet them at a wonderful restaurant called Gravitas. What ensued was nothing short of glutony!! We sampled at least half of the menu, and had a lot of wine. It was fantastic. Suffice it to say, no knitting got done.

The second pair of socks is being done with the JoJoLand cashmere blend. It's gorgeous stuff. The sock is turning out to be a narrow band of stripes, and it's quite pretty.

Knit One, Tea Too Swap Questionnaire

2007-08-07T14:51:00.000-05:00

Do you like loose tea or bags, or both – something you want to try?

I like both, but if a tea comes in both forms, I usually get the bag.

What is your favorite kind of tea (Brand, flavor, variety, etc)?

I love the Numi flowering teas and just about anything from Republic of Tea, especially their fruit flavored teas (I really enjoy fruit-flavored tea in general, as long as it isn't an artificial flavoring). I also drink a lot of jasmine tea.

Favorite color in regards to tea or one you would like to try? (black, green, red, and white)
(keeping in mind that this is how this swap is set up).

I really like black and green teas. Haven't tried red or white, but would love to try both!

Would you say you were a tea pot kind of person or just a hot water heater kind?

Both, depending on the time I have and on my mood. I collect teapots, and really like to use them if I have time to boil water, let it steep, and enjoy my tea!

What tea accessories would you like but have never purchases for yourself?

I don't really have any tea accessories, so the landscape is wide open!

How do you prefer to be pampered? (examples: mani/pedi, bubble bath, yummy treat, etc).

There is nothing like a good bubble bath. They are one of my favorite ways to pamper myself!

If you were a kind of yarn what would you be and why?

Something soft and natural-- bamboo, cashmere, even a nice cotton. Because I like to look natural and wouldn't want to be fuzzy!!

If you had to knit/crochet baby booties, a fun fur scarf, or a fair isle sweater, which would you choose and why?

Baby booties. I love to knit baby items. Plus I wouldn't want to knit with fur. Synthetic yarns make me crazy. And I don't know how to do fair isle yet, and I fear it would be a little beyond my abilities at this point.

What other event would make you skip a tea party? (A garden party? A book club meeting? A yoga class? Opening night for a new action thriller? etc?)

A big event for one of my kiddos, but that is just about it! Maybe a cooking class, if it were interesting enough.

What treat would you consider essential at your tea party? (Sweet? Salty? Scones? Those petite pastry trays with a couple of all sorts of things? Little crust less sandwiches?)

Scones and cucumber sandwiches. And flowers on the table.

When buying yarn for a project how do you choose - do you buy the one called for or do you substitute?

I hardly ever use what is called for. I almost always pick something I want to use.

What do you carry your knitting/crocheting in when on the go?

A Lantern Moon palm leaf tote.

Favorite movie to watch while knitting/crocheting?

Any romantic comedy. The Devil Wears Prada is a recent fave.

Are you a traditional tea cup kind of person or a mug type of person? Do you care if they match?

I love porcelain tea cups, and think it's actually better if they don't match!

Favorite childhood birthday party?

One where my parents took my friends and I to see Herbie the Love Bug, then I got to have my friends sleep over and we had a pizza party. I realize that I am dating myself here!

Favorite type of scone and jam?

Raspberry or plain scones, or cranberry if they don't also contain orange (a lot of times people use orange if they use cranberry). I really enjoy raspberry jam.

If you use candles, what is your favorite scent?

Lavender.

You've been invited to a tea party, what 'props' will you wear (formal or casual)?

If have my druthers, I would go somewhat casual, in a nice comfy sundress or slacks with a sweater.

Any allergies/preferences you have or are willing to admit to?

No allergies, but I have a near-phobia of synthetic fibers!!!

Anything we missed that you want your pal to know?

I am obsessed with all things Chinese!

Weekend revisited

2007-08-06T10:13:00.000-05:00

I had the most fun girls night on Friday night. Purl and I went to a wonderful wine bar and had some nice wine, great food, and great talk! Poor Purl may be walking around with only one ear now, as I think I talked the other one right off! When she did get a word in edge-wise, Purl told me about the SeaSocks cruise, which goes from Seattle to ALASKA and B.C. in May. I would love to go. It sounds like an amazing trip, and I have always wanted to see Alaska. I am going to stew about it for a while and see if I can't come up with a way to make it work!!

On Sunday morning, I eagerly picked up my second sock and got ready to finish it. I was decreasing for the toe, and was down to 14 stitches on each needle when I dropped 4 or 5 stitches. Before I could fix things, 2 of them laddered really far and got through the heel. I pretty much called it a lost cause and frogged the sock. That was agonizing. I cast on again, and am ready to turn the heel. This is attempt number 4 on the cursed sock. I hope this one ends peacefully and successfully!

I am really ready to start my second pair. I have enough sock yarn to make socks for a medium-sized village. I thought I had settled on a skein to use for pair #2. It's a beautiful cashmere blend from JoJoLand. The colors are gorgeous, and it feels fantastic. But then Purl gave me an exquisite skein of hand dyed sock yarn on Friday night, for my birthday. I need to take a picture of it, but it is orange (my fave!) with pink going through it. It is appropriately called "grapefruit". So now I am torn. Maybe it is a good thing that I had to frog the sock-- it gives me another day or two to make up my mind about what to start with next!

SP 11 Questionnaire

2007-08-06T09:27:00.000-05:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Opal sock yarns are my current favorite-- the colors are so rich and it is loads of fun to watch the patterns emerge! Otherwise, I love natural fibers. Silks, bamboo, cotton, nice wools. I can't stand acrylics.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

My SP 10 pal sent me the most amazing needle box-- personalized and just perfect! I also have a Namaste needle binder that my husband and kids gave me for mothers' day. Between the two, I am fairly organized for a change!

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I have been knitting for approx. one year. A very dear woman who has been knitting for 60+ years spent an afternoon teaching me to knit and purl. From there, I have taught myself a lot from books and the internet, and from classes at my LYS. I would consider myself an early intermediate or late beginner.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Yes. Here it is.

5. What's your favorite scent?

Lavender

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Sometimes. I like dark chocolate and fruity things.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

Some digital scrapbooking, but that's about it.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I like rock and pop, and can play anything.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

My favorites are navy, orange and bright greens. I also like chocolate brown. Don't really like purple, but it's okay in small doses.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I have a wonderful husband of 15 years, a son and a daughter. Also a cat and a crazy Shih Tzu dog.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I sometimes wear scarves as an accessory in the winter, but we don't have much real need for these items in Houston!

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

I'm a newbie to socks, and I really enjoy knitting them!

13. What are you knitting right now?

Socks, a blanket, and a Chinese-style jacket for my daughter.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Definitely!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Straight and circs both have their moments. I have some Lantern Moon rosewood straights that I love. But mostly I seem to use Addi circs. And for socks, it's 2 circs or nothing. I can't stand dpns.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I don't have either, but as I am getting more experience, I find myself needing both!

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

6 months

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas!! I love gifting, and there is nothing better than watching the kids on Christmas morning. Getting presents myself isn't bad either!

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Teapots and Baccarat crystal animal figurines.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

There is a Knitting Pure and Simple "Classic Drop Shoulder Pullover" that I would really like to try for the winter. It would be my first sweater, but seems like it might be do-able. I like the K P & S patterns a lot, as they are pretty straightforward and don't involve a lot of seaming. (I can't sew to save my life!)

The only magazine I have a subscription to is Interweave Knits.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I would love to learn cables and color working of some sort.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Oh yes! My foot is 9.5" long at 4.5 across. I confess I don't know how to properly state the measurements yet.

23. When is your birthday?

July 22.

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

Yes-- cinben

misc.

2007-07-31T16:38:00.000-05:00

I finished my first sock. But we had company (my mother-in-law) in town, sleeping in the room with the computer, so I haven't had a chance to upload a photo yet. I'm half-way through the second one, and have my final sock class on Thursday night. We'll turn the heel one more time, and hopefully it will stick! In retrospect, I understand what we did on the first one, but I'm not entirely sure I could do it again on my own. I'm glad to have the chance to do it with guidance one more time. I will post pictures, I promise. I absolutely LOVE the yarn that I have used. It's an Opal cotton yarn, and not only do I love the colorway, but I think the patterning is really nice as well. You have to see it. Pics soon!

I haven't blogged much in the past week or two, but I've been up to all kinds of knitting mischief. I bought several books from the KnitPicks summer book sale: Mason Dixon Knitting; Last Minute Knitted Gifts ; More Sensational Knitted Socks; and When Bad Things Happen to Good Knitters. I'm really excited to receive all of them. the sock book looks great because it has instructions/patterns for 2 circs and dpn's. I have had a hard time finding a collection of sock patterns written for 2 circs. And call me stupid, but I don't know how to translate dpn patterns to 2 circs.

Otherwise, I've been planning my next project. My dear friend Purl is going to help me do a Christmas stocking for my kiddos. My Nana knit stockings for my brother and I when we were very young, and I still use mine. It means the world to me. I would love to make them for my kids to have for their lifetimes. I was actually going to take a class at my LYS. But the owner, who I have come to know, called to tell me that she really doesn't think I need the class since I'm taking the sock class. I was really impressed with that phone call. It just goes to show you what an amazing place the Hen House is-- Stephanie really takes care of her customers. I appreciate that she doesn't just want to take my money! And I really appreciate my friend Purl for offering to help me through color changes and a stocking pattern.

SP 11 gets underway soon. I'm looking forward to participating again. I hope my spoilee doesn't end up quitting this time though!

What a guy!!!

2007-07-22T20:11:00.000-05:00

I love my husband. We've been married for almost 15 years, dated for 3 years before that, and met 3 years before we started dating. He has been SO supportive of my knitting craze, admiring even my most horrendous work, trying to understand the constant skeins of yarn that enter the h0use, and generally being happy that knitting makes me so happy. This was my first birthday since I began knitting. As one of my gifts, my wonderful husband gave me some sock yarn. He went to one of the LYS's and sought help, and selected one. I am so incredibly touched that he did that. And more than a little dumbfounded. He told me that he wanted me to knit some socks for myself, as everything I knit is for others, and he knows how much I love socks. He is the best. I am so very, very, very lucky to have him!!! So, here is the lovely yarn he picked out all by himself! Imagine, a Texas man in a yarn store all by himself!!!!! This skein does have my favorite colors, for sure!-- orange and bright, lime green!!

It's done-- a F.O.!!!

2007-07-13T17:52:00.000-05:00

I have a finished object. Maybe Friday the 13th isn't so bad after all! I finsihed up the dress for my daughter. It was a real leraning experience. My first garment ever and first real dealing with increases. There are some definite things I wish I could fix, but my daughter is so excited about the dress that it's hard to be too hard on myself. I've already bought yarn to make another one-- hopefully that one will yield a better finished product because I'll know more what I need to be doing. Here are a couple of pictures of my daughter in her dress. She'll probably wear it with a tank top under it, but right now I can't get her to take it off to put a tank top on!

Stop me before I shop again!

2007-07-12T16:26:00.000-05:00

I finally got a chance to break free from the office early and make the trek to my side of town in time to hit the LYS that carries the yarn I need for my daugher's dress. My son's day camp ended at 3pm today, and I had to pick him up. I've had one of those horrible, moody, grumpy days where nothing goes right, so I decided that I would just do some work from home after picking him up, rather than hauling him to my office. I have about one inch to go on the dress, and just needed one skein, and they had ONE skein left. That was truly the first break that I have gotten today. Here it is:

But could I stop there, with just one skein? Oh no. Of course not. I also bought two skeins of Art Yarns Super Merino, in bright greens and aquas, and two skeins of Clown sock yarn, in orange and red. Then I got to the register, and there was a Yarn Harlot book that I don't have... so I picked that up, too. In skimming through it, I noticed there is a list of "5 ways to leave the yarn shop without buying anything"... I OBVIOUSLY need to do some serious studying of that list!

Knitting... what else?

2007-07-10T16:10:00.000-05:00

I have knitting on the brain today. I do 15 minutes of work, then turn back to knitting issues. So far today, I've signed up for 2 more classes (one on how to fix mistakes, the other a Christmas stocking class), tried to buy the final skein of yarn that I wasn't supposed to need but DO need to finish my daughter's sundress, talked about going to the Stitch and Pitch event at a Houston Astros game in August and bought three books from the Interweave Press "Hurt Book" sale ,... Thanks to my great friend Purl for turning me on to the book sale and for sharing my obsession with all things "knit"!!!

I'm almost done with the sundress. I only have about an inch to go, but I am out of yarn. How does that happen? The pattern called for just over 2 skeins of the yarn that I am using. I bought three, just to have some breathing room. I STILL RAN OUT! Does this ever happen to you? I truly can't figure out why and/or how I ran out. Oy vey. Unfortunately, the only mortar and bricks yarn store that I know of that carries the Queensland Soft Wave yarn that I am using is on the other side of town and closes too early for me to get there during the week. So I have to wait for the weekend to get the last bit of yarn I need and finish up the dress. Woe is me.

The Yarn Harlot is coming to Houston in September, and one of my local yarn stores is hosting her visit. That should be fun, and I will definitely look forward to it!! Okay, my 15 minutes of talking about knitting are up! Better go do more work... [sigh]

SP 10 package to end all packages!

2007-07-07T17:14:00.000-05:00

I am speechless. Those who know me can tell you what a rarity that is! I recieved my final SP 10 package today. My pal Helen http://helenknits.blogspot.com/ really, really, really spoiled me. In the package she included not only beautiful, thoughtful, handmade things for me, but also treats for my two children. My daughter got to open her present, and is sitting here next to me reading the wonderful book Helen sent her as I type.

My son is at a sleep-over at a friend's house, and thus isn't here to unwrap his. But boy will he be surprised to have been included.

Helen has a company that makes toys. She made me a wooden needle box. It is beautiful, and even has my name on it. How special is that?! Isn't it wonderful? Look at the needles on the top!

Helen also sent me some of hand-dyed yarn. It came from the Knittery, http://theknittery.com.au/

Also in the package were some lovely stitch markers, yummy chocolates, and my absolute favorite scent on earth-- LAVENDER! I recieved some lavender soap and lotion from Australian lavender fields. It smells heavenly.

I am positively giddy with excitement over this package. I simply cannot believe that someone (Helen), that I didn't previously know, and who lives literally on the other side of the world (in Australia) made these things for me. How lucky am I!?

I couldn't get my crummy camera and/or my lame picture-taking skills to get a photo of the yarn that does it justice. I will try again soon when I don't have a big dinner to cook and company on the way. I will certainly be making my second pair of socks out of this equisite yarn.

A million thank yous to Helen. I've had a lot of fun with this exchange!!!

It IS a small world (after all)

2007-07-05T12:58:00.000-05:00

I belong to a Yahoo group for knitters in Houston. A week or so ago, I saw a message from someone that caught my attention. I thought maybe the poster was an attorney (like me) and so I sent an email introducing myself. Turns out, she is. We got to exchanging info, and we seem to have far more in common than just knitting and being attorneys. Our offices are on the same tiny street (which is well off the typical law office path), our husbands have the same name, we both had different careers before lawschool and all kinds of other weird things. (Insert warm fuzzies here) It's really neat to have such a serendipitous thing happen. So, thank you, vast knitting world, for hooking us up! I'm not sure our husbands will thank you though, when we hit the LYS together. Oops. We just won't tell, will we, L? :-)

Socks-- I've seen the light!

2007-06-27T09:37:00.000-05:00

I feel like I have made some marvelous discovery. It's called socks on two circular needles. You're reading this, thinking "duh"!!! But it's truly the greatest thing since sliced bread to me. Ever since I was in high school, I've had a major "thing" for socks. Seriously. I have a couple of pair that, for one reason or another, I refuse to wear. I love them too much to put on my feet. So I just look at them in my sock drawer. It's a sickness. It's also part of the "two a dems" syndrome that I have... where I have to have TWO of an item so that one can be used, while the other is saved in pristine condition. In keeping with the two-a-dem theory, I have several pairs of socks that I have doubles of... one pair worn and the other not. Now you know I'm completely nuts.

Anyway, when I began knitting, I really thought that socks would be my knitting love. Imagine-- a complete sock freak being able to make her own socks. That is, until I took a class on dpns. Then I thought that anyone that ever knitted socks was either massively skilled, completely daft, or both! Dpn's just aren't for me. Someone finally clued me in to the fact that socks can be done on circs instead. So I started a four-part class last week at my LYS. And like a bolt of lightening, I GET IT! And more importantly, I LOVE IT!!! God help my wallet, my stash piles, and my family.... I feel a lot of socks and yarn coming your way!!!

I have joined a sock club already. It doesn't begin until the fall, but it sounds like fun. It is a four-installment deal, so it won't be overwhelming for a first time club doer, I think. I've communicated with the lady who is running the shop/club, and she is a delight. I'm quite excited about it! Here is the link: http://www.woolgirl.com/

Okay, enough of me blathering on about socks. Have a great day!

Cindy

New project (not a blanket!!)

2007-06-11T12:02:00.000-05:00

My local yarn store has the cutest display of sundresses. Several of the women who work there, along with a few regular customers, each did their own version of the Knitting Pure and Simple sundress pattern. They are hanging in the kids' yarn section of the store on a clothes line... it is so adorable. Everyone picked a different yarn, and some made their own customization to the pattern. I was inspired enough to buy the pattern and yarn and attempt it on my own. Here is a link to a picture from their website of the dresses hanging on the line:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/planetjanet/sets/72157600006550320/show/

I started on it last night. Will update as I make progress!

Nothing new

2007-05-22T13:34:00.000-05:00

This morning a friend of mine asked me if I had been knitting. She said she had been checking my blog and hadn't seen any new posts for a couple of weeks. Oops. Sorry!!! I have been knitting a little, but nothing much new or exciting to report. I have gotten a little further on my son's blanket, but that is really about it. His blanket is based on a pattern from Knit Simple magazine. Here's a picture from the magazine of the blanket-

It is done in seed stitch, with cotton yarn. I'm using different colors of his choosing (blues, red, orange...) It is going to take a very long time to finish. Good thing I'm making it big... he's 9 now, but might be 19 by the time it's done!

In other news, my SP10 spoilee had to drop out of the exchange. I'm very sad. I understand entirely, as she is facing some difficult family issues. But I was having so much fun putting together things for her. Selfish, I know.

You know, it's amazing the power that yarn has over me. I feel really, really crummy. I've been congested and coughing like a fool for weeks, so much so that my ribs feel like they are broken. At lunch today, I went to a yarn shop by my office. I wondered around, played with the yarns, looked at some patterns, talked to the shop owner and came out so much happier than when I went in!!! It truly is like being a kid in a candy sotre. "I want some!" is all I can think. :-)

One blanket down... countless more to go!!!

2007-05-07T07:14:00.000-05:00

Don't look now, but I actually finished a blanket. This one is my daughter's. She picked the colors, I picked the stitch patterns that were used for each color (each color is done in a different stitch). This was a true learning experience. The light pink seed stitch squares were the first things I ever knitted. You can tell when you look at them-- they are a mess!! I thought about re-doing them, but in the end, I decided to leave it alone. It might not be perfect, but I will never feel like it is, and my daughter might appreciate that she has the first things I ever knit in her blanket... but then again, she might wonder why I made such a mess!!! I got all 24 squares sewed together and did the border, then my daughter couldn't wait another minute and wanted the blanket. I plan to put a backing on it, and perhaps put buttons on the corners of each square, both for decorative purposes and to hold the backing (so it doesn't sag in the center). Anyway, here are some pics:

Oh no-- more blankets!

2007-04-27T11:21:00.000-05:00

Just when I thought I might finish a couple of blankets and move on to some other type of project (my daughter's and my godson's are both getting close to being done), I find that I will soon be casting on for two more. My secretary is pregnant. So is another friend of mine. Do I have to make them blankets? Of course not. But it gives me a purpose to knit! :-) Besides, both of my kids received hand-knit blankets as baby gifts, and I have always cherised them. I would love to give these babies a gift that will hopefully last them a looong time. But it is ironic to me that, just as I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on two blankets OTN, two more come along to replace them. Hmm. Do you think these pregnancies were planned? Maybe there is a conspiracy with the yarn industry, to keep me buying tons of yarn for baby blankets? Ha ha. I have some thoughts already on what to do for both blankies. Just waiting to hear a boy/girl verdict on each!

Happy weekend everyone!

THANK YOU SECRET PAL!!!

2007-04-22T12:25:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful secret pal I have! I am so lucky. My husband and son went to the Grand Prix yesterday afternoon. My daughter and I went to dinner with my parents and spent the night with them. We just came home, and I discovered a large padded envelope from Australia! I have never gotten mail from Australia before. That was fun in and of itself. Inside were these pretty, bright colored packages:

My SP spoiled me! She sent me two beautiful skeins of yarn in blues and whites. Some really yummy looking chocolates that I will be devouring shortly, and a beautiful Jo Sharp book. It has some wonderful, elegant items in it, and I look forward to exploring it further and making something from it! THANK YOU SP! I love everything. Here's a peek at the contents:

The felted purse

2007-04-20T17:16:00.000-05:00

I finished the felted purse. I'm pretty happy with it, but it came out a little bigger than I expected. It is roughly 16 x 13. I need to put a cord through the top of it (the pattern calls for an I-cord, which you felt to match) to cinch it somewhat. Then I need to figure out what to do about handles. I had envisioned oversized bamboo or plastic handles. My LYS has some cute black plastic handles that are fairly wide that might be cute and would contrast nicely with the brights of the bag. Any thoughts???????

Here it is finished. Sorry it's a little blurry:

And before felting:

The block of the month afghan

2007-04-20T17:08:00.000-05:00

I just began the April block for the block of the month afghan. This block will complete the first panel (there are 3 panels total). When I got the pattern, I came home, pulled it out, and freaked out a little. There were abbreviations that I didn't understand and techniques I had never done before. While there is a "class" each month at the LYS on how to do the pattern for that month, it would be impossible for me to attend this time because it conflicts with my Chinese class. I pulled out some of my knitting books and spent a while trying to decode the pattern. To my surprise, not only is the pattern a lot easier than it sounds, but it's fun, too! I like the ribbing that it's creating as well. Here is a picture of the progress thus far:

My newest project

2007-04-12T20:20:00.000-05:00

I had so much fun doing the felted cosmetic bag for my mom, I've been positively itching to do more felting. I have really wanted to do a purse for myself for the summer. So far, I haven't knitted too much for me-- it's all been gifts. Today I went to my LYS and bought the most vibrant, beautiful yarns to do a purse. It's all Cascade yarn... a green and an orange from the Jewel line, and then a varigated yarn from their Nikki line. I plan to do the bag in mostly the green, with orange and the multi-color stripes in the upper 1/2 of it. I haven't decided yet whether to make the long, knitted straps that the pattern calls for or get some nice, large Lantern Moon or other wooden handles to do a hand-bag. I will probably wait and see what the finished product looks like after felting, to determine what would be better suited for it. I'm really excited. Here are the yarns (the first two on the upper row are the Nikki, then the Jewel in Orange, and the Jewel in Green):

And here is the beginning of the bag:

A Non-SP10 Surprise Package!

2007-04-12T20:14:00.000-05:00

I got a huge surprise today. Chris' (my DH) grandmother, who lives on Cape Cod, sent me a package containing her own knitting supplies. Chris and I have been married for almost 15 years. We dated for several years before that. But somehow, in all that time, I didn't know that Ruth (my grandmother in-law) knitted. Chris mentioned to her in passing that I had become obsessed with knitting. So she put together her needles and scissors and shipped them off to me. What an amazing treat. I was so touched that I immediately burst into tears. Here are the contents:

You aren't hallucinating....

2007-04-10T09:34:00.000-05:00

I changed the blog. I didn't really mean to though! I was trying to add the SP10 button to my blog. Couldn't figure out how to do it with the "old blogger" through html (I am programming challenged!), so I thought the "new blogger" might make more sense to me. Nope. No such luck. The end result is that I couldn't use my old template with the "new blogger", so the look of the blog has changed entirely. Do you ever have one of those days where things just don't go as planned? Of course you do. Well, I'm having one of those. LOL. After all of that, if anyone can tell me how to actually add a button to my page, I'd LOVE to know!

The weekend's over

2007-04-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

I had a lot of fun knitting this weekend, as planned. I didn't accomplish quite as much as I hoped, but I did enjoy it nonetheless. I finished the block of the month for March (for the afghan kal I'm doing through my LYS), just in time to get the next block next weekend. Here is a link to the finished product sample-- I'm doing the "brights"-- the one in the right-side photo http://www.thehenhousetx.com/541206.html

The yarn that we're using is Rio de la Plata. We are using the wool, hand dyed yarn. It's beautiful, very saturated color. It is very soft, but it is quite fuzzy, for lack of a better way to put it. I'm glad that I only have to do a block of it a month, because I start to dislike working with it toward the end of each block. I think I prefer smoother yarns. Am I a yarn snob because I like cashmeres and silks? I hope not. :-) Besides, the Rio de la Plata isn't exactly cheap or shabby! And I do love hand dyed yarns.

As for the blocks, we started off with the blue block in the upper right hand corner of the photo. Then the pink, and I just finished the green. I guess the block we start on this weekend will be the bright pink. So far, the patterns have been very easy to follow. It will be fun to finish the hot pink block and have a completed panel!

Okay, enough babbling for one morning. I better get to work. That's what they're paying me for, after all. But I would much rather be knitting!

Happy Monday!

It's Friday (on a Thursday!)

2007-04-05T13:21:00.001-05:00

I can't remember when I was this happy to have a long weekend. It's been a loooong week. Hopefully this weekend will be relaxing. I'm hoping to make some progress on various knitting projects in the next few days. I cast on for the China Doll jacket that I am making my daughter. I started on the back, and got about 8 rows in--- not a world of progress, but a start, nonetheless! I must admit, I'm a little intimidated by the pattern. And I'm not sure I fully understand a couple of the instructions. I plan to go to my LYS and see if they can set me straight.

I've been having a LOT of fun with the SP10 exchange. I've had communication with both my SP and the person who is SP to me. They both seem like very nice people. I've really, really enjoyed putting together packages and surprises for my SP. But I have to say, doing so is dangerous. I tend to fall into the "one for her, one for me" trap! In trying to find things to include, I end up finding things for myself, too! Oh well. I was snooping around, looking for some yarns to send to her, and came across the Etsy store "Sereknity". Wow, are there some gorgeous yarns and colorways there. Unfortunately, the one I like the best, and positively drool over, is all gone. :-( Take a look at this:

I just LOVE these colors. It's so bright and cheery. That green is one of my favorite colors, and with the orange and pink in there, well, it just makes me happy. Alas, it is gone. So sad. The good news is that I DID find some nice things for my SP!

Happy Easter!

Pictures at last

2007-03-28T11:21:00.000-05:00

I did a quick little project over the weekend-- a cosmetics bag. It really knit up fast. The pattern is from Melanie Falick's Weekend Knitting book. I used Knit Picks Merino, using up some of the leftovers in my stash. It was my first attempt at felting, and I was a little nervous to put it in the washer! But it survived! I had a lot of fun doing this. I want to give it to my Mom-- her birthday is tomorrow. But I have to figure out a way to close it up... I'm not good with sewing, so I fear that a zipper installation will be a disaster. Guess I better come up with something quick!

Here are some pictures of the result:

Finished Bag

Bag with bottom seam sewn

Felted

I don't have the pictures with me from the piece after blocking. But I'll post one soon.

A new challenging project

2007-03-23T10:49:00.000-05:00

I stopped at my LYS yesterday on my way home to get some ideas for a birthday gift to make for my mom. I turned a corner in there and saw a finished sample of the China Girl Jacket by Minnowknits. I almost died. My daughter who is 3 is from China. This jacket would be JUST TOO CUTE on her. Here is a link: http://www.minnowknits.com/chinadoll.htm

I bought the Manos cotton yarn and the pattern. It will be the first garment that I attempt. I'm a little nervous, especially because I don't sew. But my LYS is wonderful, and they assured me that they would help me with the seaming and picking up stiches for the collar. I am really excited about this one! I hope it comes out half as cute when I make it. My daughter's will be the practice piece... then I am going to make a second one for my best friend's daughter... that one has to be GOOD! :-)

And I was worried about the CAT?

2007-03-22T08:57:00.000-05:00

Well, we woke up to quite a surprise this morning! Our shih tzu, Barkli, apparently got bored in the middle of the night. He rectified that by going to town on my stash. I have a box that I keep all of my yarn in. Or should I say KEPT? Barkli dug out at least half of it, and had a hay day with it. We woke up to find yarn stretched from one end of the house to the other, both upstairs and downstairs. Including ON the stairs. There were literally 3 skeins of yarn spread up the stairs. I didn't have time to try to pick it all up before I left for work, so that will be my fun for the evening. I am hoping that the majority of the yarn is slavageable. It doesn't look like he did any real damage to it... just had a ball (no pun intended) unwinding it all and dragging it about. And I thought it would be the CAT who tried to play with the yarn. Shows you what I know!

Blankets blankets blankets!

2007-03-19T10:20:00.000-05:00

I think I need help. Is there a support group for people who can't stop knitting blankets? I am now working on SIX of them. It is a real sickness. I'm not sure where this is coming from. I think in part it is that I really like having a nice soft blankie... and maybe part of it is that I feel competent knitting one. I can knit and purl, do different stitches, etc., and not have to worry about shaping, or sleeves, necklines, etc. But I really think I need to move past this little phase I am in and force myself to try some new, challenging piece. The blankets I am doing all serve a purpose-- one is for my godson (it's about 3/4 of the way done now), one is for my 8 yr old son, one for my 3 yr old daughter, one for my husband and I, one for another friend's child (I can't go into details on that one, lest she read this!) and the last one is the square-of-the-month kal I am doing w/ my LYS. Anyway, I am going to finish the godson blanket and then move on to a non-blanket item. Is it too late to make that a new y ear's resolution? :-)

So, if anyone has suggestions for a pattern or something NON-BLANKET for a newbie knitter, I would love to hear them.

Here are a couple of pictures of my godson's blanket, in progress: (it's hard to tell what it really looks like, huh?)

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March already???

2007-03-02T12:41:00.000-06:00

I just looked down at my calendar. It is March 2. I am trying to figure out how we are already into the 3rd month of 2007. Unbelievable. I sure don't have the FO's to show for that time! I have almost finished the second square of my square of the month afghan. I hope to get that all done this weekend, as the yarn and pattern for square 3 will be ready for pick up in a week or so!

My godson Henry was born very prematurely. He has been in the hospital for a couple of months. I am STILL working on his blanket, but the good news is that he went home yesterday!!! To say I am ashamed that the blanket isn't done is an understatement. He and his family live in Canada. I'll be going to visit sometime in April or May for the baptism, and my plan is to take the blanket and give it to him in person then. The pressure is on! :-)

It is warming up here in Houston. I'm getting spring fever. Hopefully I will still get some knitting done, even though I want to be outside romping with the kids in the sunshine all day long!!!

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SP 10 Questionnaire

2007-02-09T16:09:00.000-06:00

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My friend Becky (who is responsible for me knitting!) participated in SP9. I enjoyed reading her blog and seeing the fun she had with that exchange. So I jumped at the chance to be a part of SP 10! I'm really looking forward to it. The first step? The questionnaire... so here goes:

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I really enjoy working with natural fibers. I love nice cottons, wools... I'm not a fan of eyelash yarns.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

Do I have to answer? I am embarrassed to say that I use ziplocks! Fancy, huh?

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I have been knitting for about 7 months. I am a beginner, but not too terribly far from intermediate I think. I learned in several ways. My good friend Becky, who lives in another city, hooked me up with a woman who lives near me that has been knitting for 60 years. That lady taught me to knit and purl. I spent a couple of hours at her house last August. Since then, I've spent a lot of time with books and the internet to learn more, and I've taken a sock class.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Yes.

5. What's your favorite scent?

Lavender.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Occasionally. My favorite candy? Jujubes. You know- those horrible sticky things that come in a green box with a bumblebee on it and just about rip your teeth out?

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I do some scrapbooking, and it is mostly in digital form. I don't spin.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I love pop and rock music. I can play MP3s.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

I love blues (especially navy), orange, bright green... I think that the only color I am not crazy about is purple.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

Married, two kids (ages 8 and 3), a shih tzu and a crazy cat.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I love scarves, like ponchos. I don't have much chance to wear hats or mittens in Houston.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

This is a toughie, since I am relatively new to knitting, but so far I really like doing scarves and blankets. I think I could really become addicted to socks with a little practice.

13. What are you knitting right now?

A couple of blankets-- one for my godson, one for my daughter, and one that is a square-of-the-month afghan project w/ my LYS.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Sure!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I like both straights and circulars for different projects. I prefer nice, smooth needles-- no plastics! My favorites so far are a pair of straight Lantern Moon rosewood needles that I got as part of the square of the month afghan project. They are so smooth and beautiful!

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I don't have a winder, and I don't know what a swift is (but I don't have one!)

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

7 months!

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas!! Too much fun to watch the kids open those presents!

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Teapots

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

Nothing in particular. But when I walk into my LYS, I want EVERYTHING all at once! I don't have any subscriptions yet.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Again, there are just too many to even begin to fathom. Some day I'd love to make a sweater. But it is a bit daunting to me still.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I took a class and hope to get to the point where I call myself a sock knitter... but I don't know if you could say that yet! I wear a size 9.5, but don't know my exact measurements.

23. When is your birthday?

July

Socks

2007-02-09T16:01:00.000-06:00

I forgot to mention in my last post that I have also begun to attempt sock knitting. I took a class a few weeks ago at my LYS. I really enjoyed it. Once I get going on DPN's, I like it. But getting started is really hard!!! In the class, we made one entire mini-sock, so we had the opportunity to get all the way through the steps of making one sock. I am hoping to have the time to sit down and try making a pair this weekend. Knit on!

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Time FLIES!

2007-02-09T15:57:00.000-06:00

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Geez. I can't believe it is already February. Where has the time gone? I have been doing a lot of knitting. I made a scarf for my brother for Christmas. He loved it. So did the rest of the family, and everyone wants one now. :-) I made one for my 8 year old son, too. I guess I went on a scarf kick in December, because I made a couple for myself, too! They are fun, quick and relatively easy. It's instant gratificiation!

Otherwise, I am still working on a blanket for my godson Henry. I'm using two colors of Plymouth's Dream Baby yarn, a nice ecru color and a pretty blue. The blanket is being done with both strands at once, so it is nice and soft and lush. I hope he enjoys it. And I hope I get it finished before he is a grown up!!!

2006-12-04T11:18:00.000-06:00

It's been a busy month. I feel like I am finally making nice, even stitches and my work is presentable! I guess that is an accomplishment. I have been working on a blanket for my daughter-- it is a series of squares, four squares each in 6 different stitches. I began on the garter stitch, then did the seed stitch and the moss stitch. Now I am doing the dash stitch squares. I will probably go back and re-do the garter stitch squares, as they are a mess! Those were the first things I ever knitted and "finished", and the stitches aren't pretty, there are holes, etc. I will use those four squares as my trial and error squares. Once all 24 squares are done, I have to join them all and then do a border around the whole thing. So I will use the four messy squares as my practice squares for doing the joining.

Otherwise, I am also working on a baby blanket for my godson. I'm using Plymouth's Dream Baby yarn-- it is so soft! I'm doing two yarn colors at once on big needles, and I have made up my own pattern-- I cast on 140, and did seed stitch for 20 rows, then a 16 stitch seed-stitch border on the beginning and end of each row, garter stitch in between. It is looking really good. I am pleased with it so far!

I did a "magic ball" scarf, using the magic ball yarn by Be Sweet. That was a lot of fun-- the material changes every few feet and it made a really neat looking scarf. That was also my first experience with increasing and it went well. I think I may give the scarf to my mother-in-law.. we'll see.

I'm also making a scarf for my brother for Christmas. A quick piece-- it's a super bulky wool, and I'm just ribbing it. It also looks good. I'll post some pictures soon!

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It's the little things!

2006-11-06T12:05:00.000-06:00

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I feel like the cartoon lightbulb went off over my head this weekend! I went to my favorite yarn store on Friday and wandered around for a little while, oogling and touching all of the beautiful yarns. I ended up back in the book section and I bought a book called "Knit Fix". It looked like it would be good, and I needed to get past my ignorance of fixing. Up until now, I have either lived with little mistakes or started all over. Well, I was working on seed stitch for a blanket this weekend. Somewhere around the 20th row, I got things messed up. I really didn't want to start all over again, so I pulled out the book. I found a section on "Unknitting" or "Tinking". I figured I might as well give it a try-- after all, my alternative was to start all over again anyway! I really didn't think I would be successful, as I never can tell what those diagrams are trying to indicate to me. I have a really hard time figuring out what the two dimensional picture is telling me to do! But somehow it worked!!! I got back to the exact spot where I made the mistake, and it was so amazing to simply start knitting and purling again and have it come out okay w/o having to start anew! WOW. Like I said-- it was quite a revelation to me! It really is the little things that make me happy!

Moving right along!

2006-11-01T16:47:00.000-06:00

I have been working on a blanket for our daughter. She is a blanket freak. She is 3, and while she isn't exactly Linus from the Peanuts comics, carrying a blanket everywhere, she does love to snuggle with one, and won't sleep, nap, read a book or watch tv without one! I found a cute pattern that involves a series of squares. There are four squares each in six different stitches. I am on the last of the four garter stitch squares. I realize that many would find doing four garter stitch squares incredibly boring. But I have really enjoyed it, and mostly because I can see progress in my knitting. You can definitely see a difference from the first square to this one... the stitches are more even, there aren't as many flubs, it generally looks better. One of these days I will figure out how to repair some of my mistakes. But for now, I'm happy just seeing fewer of them! Hopefully my daughter won't be too concerned with them either!

Once this one is done, I'll move on to the one I posted previously, from Knitty.com.

I have also been thoroughly enjoying participating in some of the dishcloth KAL's. Those are almost instant gratification-- just my style!!!

Up and running

2006-10-12T09:25:00.000-05:00

I have now finished 2 dishcloths. The first one was supposed to be a Thanksgiving theme, with a horn of plenty and the word "thanks" above the horn. I would like to focus on the positive. Let's just say that my finished product had nice, neat borders. :-) The rest was a mess. My first effort at following a pattern didn't yield such great results. There was no horn. There were no thanks. It was a jumbled up mess of knots inside the pretty border... no rhyme or reason to the interior. Oh well. I was still thrilled to have completed something. And I managed to teach myself how to bind off, and it is now a finished piece.

Hot on the heels of that (my mumble jumble piece), I wanted to try to do a piece that could be deciphered. I picked another dishcloth, this one with a snowflake. I finished it pretty quickly, and, while not perfect, it is discernable! My 8 year old son looked at it and said "it's a snowflake"! Wow! Progress! He also asked if he could have it! How could I refuse?!

I will post pictures of these pieces soon. I need to take pics and upload them. In the meantime, I have found something that I am positively aching to make. It seems to be pretty straigtforward-- just knit a row then purl a row all the way through. I should be able to handle that, right? I fear the many changes in color though. Can I do it? hmmmmmm.... we'll see! I can't seem to post a picture of the blanket, so here is a link:

http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer05/PATTwildstripes.html

Off I go... more later

Oy vey

2006-10-06T13:57:00.000-05:00

Well. I decided to finally take the plunge and stop practicing and work on a pattern. I am a member of a great Yahoo group, and so I decided to try out the new KAL (knit along) that was posted for the group. It is a dishtowel. Should be simple enough, right? Or not. It seems that I was inadvertently adding a stitch onto some rows by putting my yarn in the wrong place at the beginning of the row. So instead of the yarn coming from behind for a knit stitch, somehow or another it came from the front (ie, user error) and created an extra stitch in the process. How? I have NO clue. That is the hard part of knitting so far for me--- not understanding the whys and hows-- and therefore, not knowing how to fix my mistakes. I got about 10 rows in and realized I had more stitches than I was supposed to. So I was following the pattern, and finishing what it said to do for each row, but having loops left on my left needle still. So, for the umpteenth time, I scrapped my work. I plan to re-attack it this weekend. I am bound and determined to actually FINISH something!!! Wish me luck. I'll post pictures as soon as I succeed!

one step forward...

2006-10-04T09:11:00.000-05:00

I am really trying to get the hang of knitting. More specifically, I am trying to get the hang of LIKING what I knit!!! I have this problem. I cast on, I start knitting, I get a bunch of rows done, and I look at my work and think "god, what an ugly mess!". Then I take the yarn off the needles, cut it off of the skein, and start over again. Now I realize that just "practicing" I am not setting out to make anything in particular. But I feel like I am never going to get to the point where I make something at this rate!

I bought a book off of Amazon this morning. It is called "Stich n' Bitch". It is supposed to be a great resource for learning, complete with patterns for various levels. We'll see!