Is this from you SP Homie?

...Cause if so I love it!

I came home from work today, not to find bills but a mysterious package waiting for me. Enclosed is a cute Hello Kitty pen and not just a note pad, but a pad of "box making" paper. (I haven't had a chance to play with it yet, but when I make my first little box I promise to share a picture.) Also enclosed, was a beautiful Lantern Moon silk needle case. And guess what? I just recently picked up a pair of size 19 bamboo needles that I think will be happy to call it home! Ohh, or maybe I'll use it for traveling so my needles aren't just randomly floating at the bottom of my bag. Either way, I'm psyched!

Thanks again mystery pal!

Long time, no blog! (updated)

Wow did I lapse on my updating or what? Ok, catch up time. I made my red scarf for the Valentine gift bags for the Orphan Foundation of America and sent it out with another scarf from one of my knitting partners in crime. I failed however to get a picture of them :-(

I can't figure out what project to do next so the ADD has taken over my body and only allows me to a few rows on this item and a few on that. I did however finish my first hat for myself - -two others became gifts. Also, got a baby hat done for the woman in my writing group who is due in a few weeks; working on my first pair of baby booties to go with it(pictures to follow).

This weekend I was up at JJ's lake house again for a girls only spa night. They have a local coffee house that hosts "spa nights" about once a month where other local small business owners come in and give manicures, massages, facials etc. Plus it's BYOB, so you know we BOOB -brought our own booze.

They also had jewelry for sale and I immediately spotted a beautiful dragonfly necklace but I figured I shouldn't spend the money on it. Later in the evening I found it lovingly stashed in my purse by my friend Nikki! Gotta love that girl! Apparently our group, having been there a few times now, is known for doing this for each other. How cute is that?(I'll have to get a picture of the necklace as well.)

OK, so I guess that catches me up for now. I vow to get more pictures up here and post more often. Hey, it's still technically January, I can still pretend to hang on to the new years resolution thang.

Post spa night, back at the fort....

Here's Nikki learning how to knit from one of the girls who lives on JJ's street. (See, knitters are everywhere, you just have to know the secret code word to get them to come out of hiding)

This is the necklace she hid in my purse. This is the best shot I could get and it does not do it justice at all!

Just like Erin!

You appear to be a Knitting Adventurer.You are through those knitting growing pains and
feeling more adventurous. You can follow a
standard pattern if it's not too complicated
and know where to go to get help. Maybe you've
started to experiment with different fibers and
you might be eyeing a book with a cool
technique you've never tried. Perhaps you
prefer to stick to other people's patterns but
you are trying to challenge yourself more.
Regardless of your preference, you are
continually trying to grow as a knitter, and as
well you should since your non-knitting friends
are probably dropping some serious hints, these
days.http://marniemaclean.com/

What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by

Lot's o' stuff

So I started looking around at my growing stash, projects both finished and "un", and all my other what-nots and thought I'd get some pics up here so you could all share in my madness.

First let's start with the stuff I recently purchased for no particular reason.

(This one shows the color a little better)
I wish you could really get a taste of all of the colors. The greens, purples and blues are just not coming through, but all of the yarns are gorgeous.
The big green and pink ball of Katia Nepal is to replace the Katia Lana scarf I had to go with my green coat. Sadly, it was yet another wonderful, soft yarn that made me itchy.
The Debbie Bliss Cathay is for who-knows-what. I had some gift certificates and coupons to my LYS and I grabbed two of these thinking I may make socks, then (not at my minimum purchase needed to use the coupon) I grabbed two more. Now what can I make?
Lastly, is the Noro silk garden. Here's where I steal the idea from one of my knitting group gals (thanks Jana!). We've been watching the progression of her Clapotis and I was inspired by her and my coupons, to give it a shot. Since I couldn't find the yarn that the pattern calls for locally, I thought I would use what Jana was using since (although she said it sticks when dropping the stitches), I at least knew what effect it would give me. So I groped through the stores top shelf for about 20 minutes and finally found just the right blend but no mates for it. Another 20 minutes later the owner of the store pulls down the only match. Alas, it was not meant to be for me! But part with the yarn? Couldn't. I took it home with me and will hopefully find something clever to do with it. I would love to figure out how to shrink the Clapotis into a scarf just to get the drop-stitch look but we'll see about that. Did I mention that the second ball had a little red hidden in the middle?!? I love surprises like that!
As for stuff that's been hanging around for awhile, I bought this great multi-colored Gedifra yarn over the summer at a sale hoping to maybe make a sweater that will actually fit. It may become Clapotis instead, what do you think?


Here is my first sweater ever made. I enjoyed the Mission Falls yarn very much but something went crazy-wrong with me and/or the pattern and the front of the sweater doesn't fit right at all! The V-neck is way too open and no tank top or t-shirt underneath can help. I want to play with it and maybe sew it along the neckline but not now. I figured I should only work on it when I won't quickly become enraged and throw it at the wall. Eventually I'll post a picture of me in it so you can get a few cheap laughs.

(once again the colors are lost but it's olive green and coral)

More Pictures!

It's past my bed time so I'm going to make it quick. I thought I'd add some more pics to my blog because, well, pictures are fun!



Some of the gals from my knitting group on our way to NY's Knit-Out (Chris, me, Erin)

The host and hostess at their 2006 New Years party - no they're not normally that freaky looking!


My Godson/cousin, enjoying the Spiderman toy I gave him for Christmas (next pic will include his face)

SP 7

I got my pal today, I got my pal today!
Oh, now I'm getting really excited about this. What to send her, what to send her? Ohhh, I feel like a little kid (this is terribly dorky, no?).

Almost There

Just need to finish up the scarf, I gave him the hat already. Yes, in the future, I must begin gifts waaaay sooner than the due date!

SP7 Questionnaire!

The questionnaire has been posted which means we're on our way to getting our secret pals! So here we go on my answers...

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand?
I love high quality but it's a treat, not a necessity. I usually avoid Red Heart but I actually like a lot of Lion Brands products.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?
Nope and nope. I plan to learn to crochet, I have all my hooks and books ready to go, it's just a matter of stopping the knitting to take up a new project. Spinning looks like fun but way too big of a commitment... someday though.

3. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have two needle cases and a plastic box for circulars and double pointed needles.

4. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
Just a couple of years, I suppose I'm intermediate, although there are those days I feel like a foreigner to the game ;-)

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Not yet.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
I'm not a big fan of florally or soapy scents. I like citrus, spicy and earthy scents. Cinnamon over mint any day.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Yes, but nothing too rich. If I'm having candy it's usually milk chocolate with crunchies or nuts etc. or old school candy like candy dots, fire balls etc.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
I go through phases of picking up new crafts, but knitting has seemed to really stick. Before that there was candle making, re-finishing and painting wood, scrap booking, fake stained glass.... really anything that took scissors, glue, ribbon or glitter.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Oh boy, there's a lot of stuff I like. Indigo Girls, Dave Matthews, Janis Joplin, 80's, you know what? It's too much to list. Mostly I'm just not a country fan expect for John Denver (love him) and Patsy Cline.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand? I love deep red. Any deep colors are good with me. I like to wear shades of green or blue. I'm not a big pastel fan, and yellow and orange don't really do it for me. Earth tones, yes!

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
Right now, I'm single and living with the folks until I can get a better paying job. I have an 18 year old brother and 5 cockateils (we had just two a couple of years ago but they had babies!)

12. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I love scarves, but I'm not a big hat person. I'm going to make myself one just so I have it but I tend to not wear them. Mittens are ok but I prefer gloves. I made myself a poncho but I only wear it around the house because it came out to thick and bulky.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
I'm enjoying the Lion Brand Wool Ease thick and quick right now because it's soft and knits up super fast. I really liked working with the Mission Falls 1824 Cotton but they stopped making it :-(

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
Anything too shiny from being 100% polyester. I don't mind blends at all, I just don't want to bother working so hard on something that will look cheap in the end. Also, although I love 100% alpaca and llama wool I seem to be allergic. It makes my head and neck hot and itchy, but blends seem fine.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
I started using double pointed needles and really like them. I finished my first pair of socks and made some hand warmers also. I haven't mastered the circulars though.Something about the way I hold my needles seems to be holding my progress back.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I was doing a lot of blankets but now I'm on to smaller projects so I can get to the finished product faster. I want to try the sweater thing again. The last one had some issues.

17. What are you knitting right now?
A scarf to go with a hat set for a friend. My other sock from the pair I started for myself. And I have like 15 things I want to get started on but can't make up my mind where t begin.

18. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
Straight (see above for my circular issues)

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
All are fine but I tend to lean toward Bamboo and aluminum

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

22. How did you learn to knit?
Taught myself from a book

23. How old is your oldest UFO?
maybe a year

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
I'm a muppets, not Disney kinda girl. Ren & Stimpy, South Park, Simpsons all that good stuff. Animals? Hmmm, unicorns, giraffes, dogs (and my birds of course)

25. What is your favorite holiday?
It's to close to call between Halloween and Christmas

26. Is there anything that you collect?
Dust. (kidding) No, not really, just way too much yarn, magazines and things that I don't need.

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
Interweave Knit, Knit Simple, Knit 'N Style, Easy Knitting

28. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?
Yes, I have to get back to this one though, it's a big question.

29. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Cabling and using my circulars

30. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I have only made the super big socks out of the thick and quick so far. Eventually I'll made a regular pair. As for my measurements hmm, I wear a USA 7.5-8 shoe size, does that help?

31. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
11/22

Jazz Hands!

A friend of mine from my writing group invited me to join her and some of her friends out last night. For coffee? For dinner? Bowling? A Movie? Nope. Last night I went to, for the first time in well over 10 years mind you, a jazz class!

"Wow Tracy. I didn't know you had it in you" you might be saying.

And in response I say to you... "Apparently I don't!"

I am one sore lady today. Everything but my fingers, toes and ears hurt. Bending, sitting, standing, breathing, walking, laughing and everything in between all cause me much pain. And the funniest part? I kind of like it. I had forgotten about many of these muscles and have allowed them to go into hibernation for quite some time.

"Well wake up body, wake up! It's 2006 and we're not going gently and passively into 30!"

I'll give it a shot again next week. If it hurts this much, I think I'll just stick with Yoga for awhile until I build up my muscles a little. I had taken the winter off from yoga and am now regretting it more than I ever thought possible. Ah well, I guess we get what we put into it, right? Hey at least it was nice to literally dust off the shoes one more time.

And just in case you're wondering, I was NEVER very coordinated as far as jazz went in the first place and it is NOT like riding a bike. I have forgotten how to do most everything. Except of course the jazz run and most importantly, jazz hands. I guess some things never leave you.

New Year, New Knitters

So this weekend was the big 2-0-0-6 party. My friends had a theme party (roaring 20's speakeasy, yay!) up at their lake house and it was a great time. But, the reason I bring it up is not to mention the ridiculous amount of champange I drank or feathers I wore, but to mention my knitterly moment.

One of the first guests to arrive was a neighbor of the couple I was staying with and shortly after introductions my best friend and hostess made a point of introducing us pretty much as "hey, she's a lefty knitter too!" Within 15 seconds we were off and digging into my knitting stash for some scrap yarn to compare and contrast knitting techniques. While this woman learned to knit righty, she decided to also teach herself how to knit lefty as her hands intended. Low and behold, once again I see how I knit totally different from, well everyone, I suppose.

I have no problem with being a unique knitter, it's kinda fun actually to watch people's faces when they see my wierd way in action... what worries me is teaching others. I have two lefties who would like to learn to knit but I don't want to teach them my way because they'll have such a hard time referencing books since I apparently have my own style. So now I guess I need to re-visit all the learn-how-to books to see if I can conform for the sake of the majority. Hmmm, yet another project. Ah, who am I kidding, I love a challenge!



PS: They also had a chocolate fountain!!!