SP 12 Questionaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? This is really a difficult question to answer. I have not knit with tons of yarn or fibers yet, so I don't really have a true favorite, but I love knitting with J. Knits mernio yarns. Any natural fiber or fiber blend. I like to purchase from Little Knits because they have good sales for trying things.

What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I knit with all kinds, however, I am allergic to cats and rabbits, so all angora is out for me.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? At the current time, I keep them all in a seal tight lid plastic container, my spare ones, if I am using them, they just travel with me.


3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? I have not been knitting for very long, perhaps 10 years, however, I really began to learn and enjoy knitting about two years ago. Since then I have learned to knit socks and sweaters and tons of other things!

Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I would like to think I am an intermediate, however, I believe you can't know everything and that you are always learning.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I will have to get back to this, I do have one on Amazon, and I would like to make another wish list. I tend to keep them in my head as I "window" shop.

5. What's your favorite scent? I love anything with sandlewood, but also like citrus.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Anything with chocolate, caramel and nuts.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? I crochet, though I haven't done much in quite some time. I used to scrapbook, but have given my things to a dear friend. OH, and recently I started to reclaim yarn from thrift store sweaters.

Do you spin? No, and I don't really think I will learn this craft.

8. What kind of music do you like? I like mostly 80's music, but I listen to just about anything rock.

Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I don't really know to be honest.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? As far as colors, I love ocean related ones. Blues, greens, purples. I have also been drawn, lately to colors I had never really thought about before, such as tangerine and coral.

Any colors you just can't stand? I would say neon and black.

10. What is your family situation? I am married and we have one son.

Do you have any pets? We have one dog, who is our "four legged" boy. Spoiled nearly as much as our son!

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I am currently seeking scarf patterns. I recently started working and need to dress conservatively and thought scarves would be a way to add a little bit to my outfits. I do wear hats in winter, but not for fashion. Mittens are always great, would love some that are also fingerless gloves with the mitten over top. I am a not very tall, so I haven't ventured for a poncho yet. This is the one nice thing that I love about knitting, I can make my clothes to fit me!

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I love to knit socks. Though, if you look at this blog, you will see I didn't get a pair done in May because of working on other things and because of now having a job, but I would say they are my favorite. Just too many yarn choices. Also, I love to knit felted bags. I feel as if I have been in a search, most of my life, for the perfect handbag. Making my own has helped alot, though I am still searching. I am currently carrying a Squatty Sidekick, that I lined, that is the near perfect size for me, now I just need to modify it a bit. There are tons of patterns in my queue.

13. What are you knitting right now? I am working on "Lace Ribbon Scarf" by Veronik Avery from the Knitty Spring 2008 issue. It is my second one. Though, it's not on my projects page. I recently started "Falling Water Lace Scarf" by Bonnie Sennott. I am using some J. Knits Superwash Me Sock in "Montana". I am really liking the way it is coming out.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? I love handmade gifts. To me there is no other sign of friendship or love that says it all.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? I have problems with my hands, wrists and elbows, and I have found straights are a problem, so I tend to use circulars for everything. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I have some in each, but have found that I really like the ones fom Knit Picks.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? My brother made me a simple swift, which has worked wonderfully, but I have no ball winder and have been searching for an inexpensive one.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? I would say two years. There is a scarf I started to learn how to do cables, and it is long enough for me, but it is still on the needles.

18. What is your favorite holiday? I don't really have one

19. Is there anything that you collect? yarn, yes, I could say yarn. I want to try new kinds, things I haven't tried before, so one skein is good. I say one skein because it is a good way to try out a new yarn to know if you are going to like it. With one skein, you can usually make something useful and fun without alot of expense.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? There are several patterns, Central Park Hoodie is one I can think of as far as patterns go. (There are some in my queue on Ravelry and in my favorites). Yarns, I would love to try are different sock yarns: Lisa Sousa for one, CherryTree Hill, Mountain colors. Any sock yarn other than Opal I guess. Though I do love Opal 6 ply. I don't have any solid color sock yarns and now that I am working a conservative job, I can't really wear the loud colors and stripes that I usually knit with. So some subtle handpainteds or some solid colors, but not black. I don't think the eyes could handle it.

What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? None, I would LOVE interweave knits. I have been buying these as they come out since last fall, so any back issues from 2006 would be nice also.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I am slowly trying to learn how to do lace, but lace weight still intimidates me, so I have been trying with dk and fingering weight to learn. I am not sure that I will ever get below a size 2 needle. Even for socks in fingering weight I end up using a 2 because I do tend to knit tightly.

22. Are you a sock knitter? YES!

What are your foot measurements? I wear a size 7 shoe.

23. When is your birthday? December

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

I guess the only thing I would really add is that I am allergic to cats and rabbits, that nearly any kind of yarn (except maybe novelty, because I have tons of that in my stash already) in a natural fiber I would love to try knitting with. I am easy to please and I am looking forward to being a part of SP12

SP12

What you may ask is SP 12? Well, it just so happens it is a secret pal swap that has been going on for some time now and I've decided that I wanted to give it a try.

I am new to all this swap thing, but it has to do with spoiling someone else. A knitter. What could be so hard about that?! I can't wait to find out more.

I will be posting my questionaire here, but I thought I'd say a few things about me and my knitting now.

I started out learning from my Aunt a few years ago. She is still my best knitting pal and though we don't see each other much, she is the first one I call when I accomplish a new skill.

I taught myself how to knit socks last year, and they have been a favorite of mine, though this month, May, I have worked on so many different things, that I haven't knit a pair! They will be the first thing new on my needles for next month. We all need goals, don't we?

I love most colors. Some, I have been surprised lately, I have been drawn to, that otherwise I would not have considered liking. Though I do tend to go toward purples, blues, and earth tones, I have been liking tangerine, yellow and shades of brown. Who know, surprise me I guess!

I have not knit any lace yet, and I think, for me, that will be a LONG way off. I just don't have the fine motor skills for that yet. But I have been practicing with fingering weight and I am liking that alot.

I have recently fallen in LOVE with J. Knits colorways. They are all so beautiful. I would love any of those in Superwash ME sock.

I tend to go toward natural fibers, wool, bamboo and stay away from novelty and acrylic, except for charity knitting.

I have also learned how to reclaim yarn and I have been using that lately and I really enjoy it.

I do not have a ball winder, ,and would love one, as I have so many hanks of yarn to wind....

I would love a subscription to IK. I have the most current issues for the past year.
That's all for now.

J. Knits ROCKS!

This is a photo instensive post so get ready!

In the mail yesterday, arrived my package of goodies from Julie. To say I was speechless......



Since I was not totally familiar with her line of yarn, I left the choices up to her and told her what I liked to knit and the colors I favored


Here is one package. It came with two great skeins of her sock yarn. It is 75% superwash wool and 25% nylon. For colors she chose "Montana" in the green colorway, and "Reno" in the variegated. (Which I am totally surprised, I think it is a favorite!). Then she sent along a two skeins of Felters Dream Worsted, one in "Kentucky" and the other in "Minneapolis". I can't wait to try those out, they are 85% wool and 15 % Mohair. I don't think I've ever used Mohair before.

PLUS, she also included not one but TWO patterns. One is designed by herself, which is the "mom's Sock". They are dedicated to her mother. Then the other pattern is a Mother - Daughter pattern, called "Teagan's Socks" by Gail Gelin, one of her designers.

And as if THAT goody bag wasn't enough!



There was more! In the second bag, were three skeins of Simply Luxurious. It is a 60% Superwash Mernio, 15% Bamboo, 15% Nylon AND 10 % SILK. I have never used anything with SILK in it. These three lovelys I am hoping to transform into a Clapotis. It will be a challenge for me. But, Julie knew it was something I wanted to try.

Then, also included in this goody bag were three skeins of Felters Dream Bulky. In Louisiana, New Jersey and Mississippi. I can't wait to try them out either.

And not to forget the little bag of goodies, which I didn't get a picture of, it had candies, lotion, gum and "knitting girl" mints! I have never seen those and they are so cute!

And here I am, holding all the yarnie goodness! It is not something you will see often, as I don't usually post personal pictures on here, but I thought this was a very special and fitting occasion. I felt like I had hit the jackpot and I am going to have SO MUCH fun working on projects. It will keep me busy for some time to come.

Thank you Julie.

And here are just a few more close up shots of the yarn colorways to give you a better idea of how truly lovely they are.

Catching up!

I have disappeared, I know.

This working a full time J O B is cutting, seriuosly, into my knitting time and my life.... sigh..

It's a good job though, and I am very happy and fortuante to have it. So, believe me, I'm not complaining.

However, it means that I seem to find no time to update my blog, and I'm sorry. Like I have TONS of people reading it?! But, I like to use it to keep track of my projects, learning and progress.

Knitting is my SANITY!

Okay, since Mr GreenJeans.

I have done THREE "Amanda's Squatty Sidekicks". The first out of Patons Classic wool mernio. I used a nice deep blue and a varigated, to make like a stripe. That came out nice, ended up going to R. Then, she liked that one so much, she wanted another one to wear with her jeans, so I found Paton's Classic has a cute "new demin" and "washed" denim and THAT one came out really cute. Then, I made one for myself out of Noro Kuyeon, that was meant for a Booga bag, but became a sidekick in stead.

Boy, is that Noro difficult to felt. But I love it. Then, I also learned how to make a lining and I sewed that one in place and I am now sporting that bag around. It has a vintage button on it.

Then, I started, out of Trekking XXL, sock yarn, an "old shale scarf" which is a feather and fan pattern, and I had some difficulty in the beginning, but then I was just perking along. Went to take a picture of it, and when I went to do the close up, I realized, somewhere along the half way of what I had already done mark, I messed up the rows and it had to fronts, one at the top on one side and one at the bottom on the other side.

sigh....

STOP AND ADMIRE YOUR WORK!

Which, I didn't do.... So after a few minutes of thoughts, I ripped the WHOLE thing out, and have decided I will try the scarf AGAIN, but another day, in another colorway and pay closer attention!

I also made a Arnolds Felted bag. It is a small tote, that I didn't have chunky wool for, so I used the rest of the denim yarns, and it came out cute! I am hoping to line that one as well.

Now, my current project is Lace Ribbon scarf, by Veronik Avery. I have been wanting to do this one for a while, and now I am, and I'm enjoying it very much. It calls for Classic Elite Alpaca sox yarn, but I am using some of my reclaimed yarn, it is a lighter weight wool and I reduced the amount of pattern columns to make it a tad smalled because of the slightly heavier weight yarn. It's coming very nice and I am really enjoying, AND ADMIRING my work.

Went to knit night on Thursday. When it is just Carolyn and I, I feel like I just talk too much and don't let her get a word in edgewise, but I so enjoy the company. And having someone to talk with about knitting.

I am enjoying my job and did get my first pay check AND I haven't really spent it yet, just have it deposited in my account, looking pretty.... sigh

FO's, Updates on my life,,,,

Here it is!! My Mr GreenJeans. I finished it last weekend and I have since found a button for it and I will block it and wear it this week to work!

That one sleeve was such a bear, in my rush to finish this, I truly messed up the sleeve and had to rip the darn thing back TWICE!

But I love this cardigan for several reasons and I am so happy that I made it.



Here is a felted clutch that I will add buttons to and some velcro closures. I will probably use this as a make up bag for my purse.

Here is my first Amanda's Squattty Sidekick. It's a cute bag. I made it while going through my job training, during those down times (smoking breaks and lunch mostly) I was glad to get it done and felted because all of the girls wanted to see it when completed.

Then, I had bought some Noro, months ago and I decided to make this one for me. The one above, I gave to R. She loves it.

Anyway, it's the first time I've used Noro, let alone for felting and it has been difficult. Since I have a front loader, felting is slow, so for small bags, I use hand felting in a bowl and then throw the item into the dryer, which works wonders by the way. Anyway, this one just has taken FOREVER to get near to felted size. I will probably end up having to line this one as the fabric is not quite as sturdy. But I think it will make a great summer bag. Love the colors!

I had a weeks worth of training last week. It was okay, however, they should have done a basic "this is how you count large sums of money" day and a "this is how you use an adding machine" day. The younger people just don't have a clue, and so I was BORED out of my whits! But, I made it, I wonder if they will.

It just amazes me, I must be getting to be an old fart or something. Several showed up late, each day. Several did not follow dress code, when we spent at least an HOUR going over what was considered acceptable, and what was not.

This week I will have my own window and I am confident things will be much better for me. I will also get my first pay..... sigh.....

For mother's day, we went up "north" and "got rocks". The flat kind that you can use for landscaping. I love the natural look of them and the rustic feel. I am hoping that these will be enough to finally finish the yard off and not have to get any more. It's hard work, but they are free, so I can't complain.

Well, today is mothers day and I am doing nothing but knitting. I am working on a Sidekick for R in the colors she chose. Then I don't know what the day will hold for me.