Well, I made it back from El Salvador and now am back at work. Work is definately not as fun as El Salvador! It was awesome to se my old friends and the wedding was fabulous. They loved the tree pillow and my pillowcase with the lace insert that I made for them even got a special place in the ceremony. More on that when I actually havesome pictures to show you.
You could be looking at pictures right now but Blogger is being stupid.
I saw Mayan ruins, cool birds, and lots of tropical flowers. I hiked through a coffee plantation, ate lots of pupusas (kind of like tamales but better), got caught in a rainstorm, stayed in a hotel in the highest town in the country, ate breakfast for only $1, rode buses with crazy drivers, saw only 2 other Americans (other than my friends who also came for the wedding) the entire time, drank soda out of a bag, learned that my Spanish is not as good as it used to be, got stuck in the biggest market in San Salvador between 2 buses that didn't move for the longest time, knitted while at a bus stop at what felt like the middle of nowhere, met lots of nice El Salvadorans and generally had a great time!
And now, for your knitting content, here are my answers to the latest batch of secret pal questions:
1. What is your favorite season of the year and why?
I love the fall. I love the leaves changing colors and the (usually) slow transition from flip flops and tank tops to long sleeved shirts and then sweaters and jackets.
2. Summer is hot. What do you knit in the summer?
Usually I knit tank tops and lacey things. This summer I'm knitting a wool sweater, though. Hopefully I'll have it done in time to enter in the fair although time is starting to run out.
3. If money was no object.....what would you buy at the LYS?
Everything. To narrow it down, I'd have to say everthing that's soft. No scratchy wool for me. I love merino and angora and alpaca. Mmmm . . . soft . . .
4. What are some activities that have become family traditions for your family?
Mike and I love to go camping and every year my extended family and friends have a reunion camping at Fallen Leaf Lake near Lake Tahoe. We try to go every year and it's a lot of fun. We coulnd't go this year because of our trip to El Salvador.
5. What is the weather right now?
It's cool and cloudy in the mornings but sunny in the afternoons. It's pretty nice. We missed the crazy hot heat wave that happened while we were in El Salvador and I'm so thankful for that! I do like the summer but I'm definately more of a cool weather girl.
29 July 2006
13 July 2006
knitting + sewing =
This!!
I finally finished sewing the pillow I made for Cindy and Camilo. I made the knitted part a slipcover so it can be taken off and washed as needed. It's not a "standard" size so I couldn't use a pillow form. I had to sew a pillow and then stuff it so it was a little more work than I had originally planned on but I'm happy I did it that way. Here's the back.
My camera can't take a close up of the fabric without it being blurry, which is too bad. It's really pretty up close and actually has a fair amount of blue in it. It took just under 2 skeins of knitpicks merino style in the color frost and comes out to be about 13 x 17 inches.
It's going to be really hard to part with this pillow. I want to keep it! Cindy will love it, though, and I even found a great quote about love and trees (I can't remember it right now) that I'm going to write on the back.
Also for their wedding gift, I'm knitting some pretty heart lace using Mandarin Petit cotton.
It's so soft! Lastnight I told Mike he had to feel it. He did to humor me and I could tell he wasn't excited to touch my yarn but then he exlaimed, "Wow, that is really soft!" I'm going to sew it onto some pillowcases like the ones in Weekend Knitting. I don't know if I'll have these done by their wedding since it's just over a week away! I can't believe we leave for El Salvador on Tuesday! I'm so excited but I have lots of packing and trip planning to do before then.
I don't think I'll be needing these inEl Salvador. I finished them because I went camping in the mountains last weekend and I needed some warm clothes. I finished the second one while I was sitting by the campfire just as the last of the light was leaving the sky. It was perfect timing and as soon as it got chilly that 1st night, I got to wear them!
It's a great pattern. I totally recommend it! You can find it for free here. The only modification I made was to extend the cable pattern all the way to the top instead of ending with a few rows of plain ribbing. I used Lamb's Pride worsted and used less than 1 skein!
Do you notice the green in the picture? That's my new backyard!! It no longer looks like this. Our baby grass grew up and it's a real lawn now!
Lasly, I'll leave you with a pretty purple picture. This is lettuce that I got from the farm last week. It's the prettiest lettuce ever and it tased really good too.
I finally finished sewing the pillow I made for Cindy and Camilo. I made the knitted part a slipcover so it can be taken off and washed as needed. It's not a "standard" size so I couldn't use a pillow form. I had to sew a pillow and then stuff it so it was a little more work than I had originally planned on but I'm happy I did it that way. Here's the back.
My camera can't take a close up of the fabric without it being blurry, which is too bad. It's really pretty up close and actually has a fair amount of blue in it. It took just under 2 skeins of knitpicks merino style in the color frost and comes out to be about 13 x 17 inches. It's going to be really hard to part with this pillow. I want to keep it! Cindy will love it, though, and I even found a great quote about love and trees (I can't remember it right now) that I'm going to write on the back.
Also for their wedding gift, I'm knitting some pretty heart lace using Mandarin Petit cotton.
It's so soft! Lastnight I told Mike he had to feel it. He did to humor me and I could tell he wasn't excited to touch my yarn but then he exlaimed, "Wow, that is really soft!" I'm going to sew it onto some pillowcases like the ones in Weekend Knitting. I don't know if I'll have these done by their wedding since it's just over a week away! I can't believe we leave for El Salvador on Tuesday! I'm so excited but I have lots of packing and trip planning to do before then.I don't think I'll be needing these inEl Salvador. I finished them because I went camping in the mountains last weekend and I needed some warm clothes. I finished the second one while I was sitting by the campfire just as the last of the light was leaving the sky. It was perfect timing and as soon as it got chilly that 1st night, I got to wear them!
It's a great pattern. I totally recommend it! You can find it for free here. The only modification I made was to extend the cable pattern all the way to the top instead of ending with a few rows of plain ribbing. I used Lamb's Pride worsted and used less than 1 skein! Do you notice the green in the picture? That's my new backyard!! It no longer looks like this. Our baby grass grew up and it's a real lawn now!
Lasly, I'll leave you with a pretty purple picture. This is lettuce that I got from the farm last week. It's the prettiest lettuce ever and it tased really good too.
06 July 2006
Cable-y goodness
Thanks for the nice comments about Phoebe. I realize I didn't actually put in the link to the picture of her fur that I spun. If you still want to see my sorry attempt at spinning angora, it's here.
My good friend is getting married this month. I've been planning on knitting her something and at the beginning of the week I started to panic that the wedding is only in 3 weeks and I have nothing. I had just finished the sleeve to my ogee tunic so it was a good time to take a detour and turn my knitting attention to something else.
Cindy loves nature and so I got the idea of knitting a pillow with a pattern of intertwining trees. None of the existing patterns were exactly what I wanted so I read this article 3 or 4 times and then set out to design my tree pattern and chart it out.
After two nights of Mike getting tired of papers spread out all over the couch and me too involved to talk to him, I ended up with a crazy chart that looks like this.
I thought of knitting a practice version out of some crappy yarn but then realized that if this didn't work, I didn't have the patience to redo it. And, if it did work, I didn't want to have to knit it again.
So, I dove right in with some Knitpicks merino style in frost and this is how it turned out. I actually knit it in only 3 days! I surprised myself.
I used size 4 needles so it's a fairly tight fabric- good for a pillow. I got some great fabric to make the back with. It kind looks like tree roots so it's very fitting and it even has the same blue color in it! It's much cuter than the picture shows. (This photo shows the color of the yarn better then the previous. Neither is quite accurate, though. It's a little more turquoise than this picture)
Now I just need it to finish blocking and I can sew it up!
My good friend is getting married this month. I've been planning on knitting her something and at the beginning of the week I started to panic that the wedding is only in 3 weeks and I have nothing. I had just finished the sleeve to my ogee tunic so it was a good time to take a detour and turn my knitting attention to something else.
Cindy loves nature and so I got the idea of knitting a pillow with a pattern of intertwining trees. None of the existing patterns were exactly what I wanted so I read this article 3 or 4 times and then set out to design my tree pattern and chart it out.
After two nights of Mike getting tired of papers spread out all over the couch and me too involved to talk to him, I ended up with a crazy chart that looks like this.
I thought of knitting a practice version out of some crappy yarn but then realized that if this didn't work, I didn't have the patience to redo it. And, if it did work, I didn't want to have to knit it again.So, I dove right in with some Knitpicks merino style in frost and this is how it turned out. I actually knit it in only 3 days! I surprised myself.
I used size 4 needles so it's a fairly tight fabric- good for a pillow. I got some great fabric to make the back with. It kind looks like tree roots so it's very fitting and it even has the same blue color in it! It's much cuter than the picture shows. (This photo shows the color of the yarn better then the previous. Neither is quite accurate, though. It's a little more turquoise than this picture)
Now I just need it to finish blocking and I can sew it up!
04 July 2006
The prettiest bunny ever
Phoebe, my pretty princess of a bunny died on Sunday night. She was lethargic and not breathing well so we rushed her to Dove Lewis- the emergency clinic I was hoping I'd never have to take a pet to. After several hours we cried and decided to euthanize her and then cried some more. It was really sad but best for her.She's a german angora and I have tons of her fur safely stored away that I've been wanting to spin. You can see my first attemps at spinning her fur here. I though I had lots of time to learn and lots of angora fiber to proctice with since she kept growing more. Now that I don't have her anymore I don't want to waste all her fur learning to spin it.
Is there anyone out there that can spin angora and would do that for me? For a price, of course. I just want some mittens with a Phoebe cuff or maybe a little mini-Phoebe to snuggle up with.
27 June 2006
Summer = Fair Time
The state fair is coming and I am so excited. I was practically raised at fairs. My mom is, and my grandma was, a fair judge. They judge baked goods, jams, jellies, sewing, crafts, you name it, they can stick a ribbon (or not) on it. Some of my earliest memories are of hanging out watching the fair get all set up while my mom and grandma fed me bits of cookies they were judging. They say that when I was a baby they used to stick me in the closet at one particular fair to take naps.
When I was older, I was in 4-H and I had animals so I practically lived at our county fair. I accumulated boxes full of ribbons and my grandpa and uncle were embarassed every year when I made them drive me to the fair to pick up the boxes full of stuff that I had entered.
This is a long intro to explain to you how excited I was to see that Larissa started a State-Fair-Along!
I entered some things in the Oregon State Fair for the 1st time last summer (I am not a native Oregonian) and was excited to win a blue ribbon for some cookies but was disappointed at the lack of competition in many of the categories, including knitting. So was Larissa. There are so many crafty people that aren't entering things in their fairs! So fellow Americans, knit, sew, bake, make something to enter in your local fair this has started a summer. It will be fun!
I just made this skirt but it is not fair quality. It's summertime-fun-in-the-sun quality and that's all I was going for. Please forgive the wrinkles, the white fabric is linen and I have been wearing it all evening. I used some of the fabric previously seen here.
So, what will I be knitting for the state fair? After much deliberation, I have decided on this:
It's the ogee tunic from Knitting Nature. I'm using Knitpicks merino style in tide pool and I am already almost done with the 1st sleeve! 
Pretty exciting, huh? What could be more exciting than a partially finished sleeve? A package from my secret pal! I was so excited to get this in the mail! 
It's 2 skeins of knitpicks laceweight merino and a pattern for a shawl. The blue yarn is Cascade Pastaza-wool and llama! I've been fondling this yarn for a while now and have been wanting some. How did you know, secret pal? The colors of both are gorgeous- just what I'd choose for myself. I also got some great chocolate and fabulous stitch markers so I don't have to use those cheap plastic rings anymore. Thank you, thank you!
When I was older, I was in 4-H and I had animals so I practically lived at our county fair. I accumulated boxes full of ribbons and my grandpa and uncle were embarassed every year when I made them drive me to the fair to pick up the boxes full of stuff that I had entered.
This is a long intro to explain to you how excited I was to see that Larissa started a State-Fair-Along!
I entered some things in the Oregon State Fair for the 1st time last summer (I am not a native Oregonian) and was excited to win a blue ribbon for some cookies but was disappointed at the lack of competition in many of the categories, including knitting. So was Larissa. There are so many crafty people that aren't entering things in their fairs! So fellow Americans, knit, sew, bake, make something to enter in your local fair this has started a summer. It will be fun!I just made this skirt but it is not fair quality. It's summertime-fun-in-the-sun quality and that's all I was going for. Please forgive the wrinkles, the white fabric is linen and I have been wearing it all evening. I used some of the fabric previously seen here.
So, what will I be knitting for the state fair? After much deliberation, I have decided on this:
It's the ogee tunic from Knitting Nature. I'm using Knitpicks merino style in tide pool and I am already almost done with the 1st sleeve! 
Pretty exciting, huh? What could be more exciting than a partially finished sleeve? A package from my secret pal! I was so excited to get this in the mail! 
It's 2 skeins of knitpicks laceweight merino and a pattern for a shawl. The blue yarn is Cascade Pastaza-wool and llama! I've been fondling this yarn for a while now and have been wanting some. How did you know, secret pal? The colors of both are gorgeous- just what I'd choose for myself. I also got some great chocolate and fabulous stitch markers so I don't have to use those cheap plastic rings anymore. Thank you, thank you!
24 June 2006
Finally a finished picture! (and the letter M)
It's done and it fits!! I love my corset pullover. If you like it too, the pattern is free! That makes it even better in my mind.
Yarn: Knitpicks shine sport in hydrangea. The pattern called for a worsted weight yarn so this involved a LOT of math to adjust the pattern. I love the result. If anyone is interested in the pattern using a sport weight yarn, I can hook you up.
Needles: Size 6 denise interchangeables.
Ch-ch-changes: Besides the extreme change in gauge, not too much. I made it about an inch longer (as I do nearly everything). I also omitted the cinch straps on the sides and the sleeves. I didn't wan tto make the top any "fussier" than it already is and I also just wanted to be finished. The top is pretty and doesn't need anything else. I love the lace edgings and its femininity.
Speaking of femininity, I mentioned last time that I have a solution for my too-big, super-feminine "modern bustier." I haven't yet fixed it, though. I need a little distance from it right now. I'm mad at it for being too big but it'll eventually show up fixed.
I have a backlog of pictures to share with you so my letter M is going to be a couple of things- Monolith and Mt. St. Helens. In the last week, I've been to both of these famous Pacific Northwest landmarks.
Last weekend my mom came up from California and we had a girl's weekend at the beach and went here.
It's Haystack Rock, the 3rd largest Monolith in the world. A monolith is a feature that is made up of a single stone or rock (what's the difference?) and this one is 235 feet tall! It's in Cannon Beach, Oregon. Supposedly, puffins live on it but I didn't see any. My mom and I had a great weekend and it was so pretty at the beach! 
Today, Mike and I went to Mt. St. Helens - the volcano that erupted in 1980. 
It used to be pointy on the top but that blew off in 1980 and covered the area in massive amounts of ash. This web site has some cool pictures of it erupting.
Today we went to the Ape Cave Lava Tubes. It's a giant underground tunnel that was created by a lava flow when the volcano erupted somewhere around 2000 years ago. It was so cool! We climbed over huge boulder piles, navigated out way around puddles and had to wear sweatshirts and long pants even though it was 80 degrees today (it was cool 42 degrees in the cave). All of this in total darkness. Well, we had headlamps and a mag light but it was still dark! When we turned of our lights, I couldn't even see my hand when it was inches form my face. It was cool. Here are the best pictures we managed to take.
I have a new knitting project but I think I've posted enough pictures for today and there's really not much to show yet, anyway.
Yarn: Knitpicks shine sport in hydrangea. The pattern called for a worsted weight yarn so this involved a LOT of math to adjust the pattern. I love the result. If anyone is interested in the pattern using a sport weight yarn, I can hook you up. Needles: Size 6 denise interchangeables.
Ch-ch-changes: Besides the extreme change in gauge, not too much. I made it about an inch longer (as I do nearly everything). I also omitted the cinch straps on the sides and the sleeves. I didn't wan tto make the top any "fussier" than it already is and I also just wanted to be finished. The top is pretty and doesn't need anything else. I love the lace edgings and its femininity.
Speaking of femininity, I mentioned last time that I have a solution for my too-big, super-feminine "modern bustier." I haven't yet fixed it, though. I need a little distance from it right now. I'm mad at it for being too big but it'll eventually show up fixed.
I have a backlog of pictures to share with you so my letter M is going to be a couple of things- Monolith and Mt. St. Helens. In the last week, I've been to both of these famous Pacific Northwest landmarks.
Last weekend my mom came up from California and we had a girl's weekend at the beach and went here.
It's Haystack Rock, the 3rd largest Monolith in the world. A monolith is a feature that is made up of a single stone or rock (what's the difference?) and this one is 235 feet tall! It's in Cannon Beach, Oregon. Supposedly, puffins live on it but I didn't see any. My mom and I had a great weekend and it was so pretty at the beach! 
Today, Mike and I went to Mt. St. Helens - the volcano that erupted in 1980. 
It used to be pointy on the top but that blew off in 1980 and covered the area in massive amounts of ash. This web site has some cool pictures of it erupting. Today we went to the Ape Cave Lava Tubes. It's a giant underground tunnel that was created by a lava flow when the volcano erupted somewhere around 2000 years ago. It was so cool! We climbed over huge boulder piles, navigated out way around puddles and had to wear sweatshirts and long pants even though it was 80 degrees today (it was cool 42 degrees in the cave). All of this in total darkness. Well, we had headlamps and a mag light but it was still dark! When we turned of our lights, I couldn't even see my hand when it was inches form my face. It was cool. Here are the best pictures we managed to take.
I have a new knitting project but I think I've posted enough pictures for today and there's really not much to show yet, anyway.
21 June 2006
Yeah summer!
Happy summer solstice, everyone! My summer started out gloriously sunny and not too hot. A perfect day except that I was at work. At least I get to work outside. When I woke up this morning, my plan was to come home from work and put on my corset pullover and take some pictures out in the sunshine. (In my mind, my days don't really start until I come home from work. It's sad, really.)
It would have been perfect.
The 1st day of summer was just so pretty that it made me think of strawberries and how I had to have some. So after work I bought pesticide-free strawberries from the farmer that grew them! and that had just been picked this afternoon! They are the best strawberries I have ever had and I don't say that lightly.
So, instead of modeling my corset pullover for you, I made strawberry-mint jam with mint from my garden. It's delicious. I wish I could share it with everyone.
Meanwhile, I am busy planning my next project. I'll just say that it involves the state fair and something from this beautiful book and I'm looking forward to knitting it. Details coming soon.
Something else I'm excited about is my LAWN!! This is my "L" for the abc-along. For the last few months, my lawn has looked like this. Then it was seeded and mulched and for a while it looked like the back yard was a stable with all the straw. 
But now, after countless hours of hard work, baby grass is starting to grow through the straw mulch. I WILL have a lawn before the summer is over! Can you tell I'm excited? Croquet, here I come. 
It would have been perfect.
The 1st day of summer was just so pretty that it made me think of strawberries and how I had to have some. So after work I bought pesticide-free strawberries from the farmer that grew them! and that had just been picked this afternoon! They are the best strawberries I have ever had and I don't say that lightly.So, instead of modeling my corset pullover for you, I made strawberry-mint jam with mint from my garden. It's delicious. I wish I could share it with everyone.
Meanwhile, I am busy planning my next project. I'll just say that it involves the state fair and something from this beautiful book and I'm looking forward to knitting it. Details coming soon.
Something else I'm excited about is my LAWN!! This is my "L" for the abc-along. For the last few months, my lawn has looked like this. Then it was seeded and mulched and for a while it looked like the back yard was a stable with all the straw. 
But now, after countless hours of hard work, baby grass is starting to grow through the straw mulch. I WILL have a lawn before the summer is over! Can you tell I'm excited? Croquet, here I come. 
18 June 2006
The sweater reincarnated
This post is going to be mostly pictures and few words because it's late and I'm tired.
You may remember this sweater from a while back. The sweather that I loved for many years that finally got too many holes to wear. Well, I have transformed it into this!
I felted it, embroidered it with spiderweb designs and added a lining and handles. The handles are just plastic tubing from Home Depot with some orange Lamb's Pride threaded through it. I love bags.
That's armwarmer #2 in the bag. The lining is a fun comic book print. I sewed 2 pockets to the inside and I matched the fabric exactly! I was quite impressed with myself. You can barely see them in the picture. One pocket is the lady and the other is the beach scene.
I finished my corset pullover! It just needs a light blocking and then you'll get a modeled pic and all the details. 
It fits nicely and I'm really happy with it, which is exactly what I needed after the modern bustier disaster. Sorry I never posted a photo of that, by the way. Blogger freaked out on me and then my mom came to visit (so fun!!) and then I figured out how to fix it. Details to come.
In honor of Project Spectrum, here is a beautiful rainbow of flowers. Pioneer Square was all decked out in flowers in honor of the Rose Festival last weekend.
Here's an ariel view and a picture of me and my hot, tired pup.
I love Portland. I also love knitting again, now that I am reminded that I can do something right!
I hope your week is off to a great start, fabulous blog readers.
You may remember this sweater from a while back. The sweather that I loved for many years that finally got too many holes to wear. Well, I have transformed it into this!
I felted it, embroidered it with spiderweb designs and added a lining and handles. The handles are just plastic tubing from Home Depot with some orange Lamb's Pride threaded through it. I love bags. 
That's armwarmer #2 in the bag. The lining is a fun comic book print. I sewed 2 pockets to the inside and I matched the fabric exactly! I was quite impressed with myself. You can barely see them in the picture. One pocket is the lady and the other is the beach scene.
I finished my corset pullover! It just needs a light blocking and then you'll get a modeled pic and all the details. 
It fits nicely and I'm really happy with it, which is exactly what I needed after the modern bustier disaster. Sorry I never posted a photo of that, by the way. Blogger freaked out on me and then my mom came to visit (so fun!!) and then I figured out how to fix it. Details to come.In honor of Project Spectrum, here is a beautiful rainbow of flowers. Pioneer Square was all decked out in flowers in honor of the Rose Festival last weekend.
Here's an ariel view and a picture of me and my hot, tired pup.
I love Portland. I also love knitting again, now that I am reminded that I can do something right! I hope your week is off to a great start, fabulous blog readers.
05 June 2006
I finished it. Kind of.
Aaaahhhh! This is why it was better to have my bustier unfinished in my knitting basket. It is too big!! I measured and it seemed fine but when I sewed on the fabric and laced it up it's too big.
Just when I think maybe it's not that big and I can live with it and wear it, I move a certain way and the back of the top sags unflatteringly. I took a picture to prove that it's too big and I'm not just being everly critical but Blogger isn't letting me upload pictures right now.
I'll try to figure it out in the next few days because I really want this top to work! I love the yarn and the pattern is really pretty.
I have some ideas of how to fix it but I'm not too thrilled with any of them. I thought of sewing the knitted fabric closer to the grommets inthe back but even that won't tighten it up enough. I'd have to lose the lace-up back altogether and I don't want to do that. I also could fold the the knitted fabric and sew some darts into the back but I'm not sure how that would look. I'll try to figure it out in the next few days.
Any suggestions? I'm open to anything as long as I end up with a pretty tank top that fits!
Just when I think maybe it's not that big and I can live with it and wear it, I move a certain way and the back of the top sags unflatteringly. I took a picture to prove that it's too big and I'm not just being everly critical but Blogger isn't letting me upload pictures right now.
I'll try to figure it out in the next few days because I really want this top to work! I love the yarn and the pattern is really pretty.
I have some ideas of how to fix it but I'm not too thrilled with any of them. I thought of sewing the knitted fabric closer to the grommets inthe back but even that won't tighten it up enough. I'd have to lose the lace-up back altogether and I don't want to do that. I also could fold the the knitted fabric and sew some darts into the back but I'm not sure how that would look. I'll try to figure it out in the next few days.
Any suggestions? I'm open to anything as long as I end up with a pretty tank top that fits!
04 June 2006
Fear of finishing be gone!
It is becoming apparent that I have a problem. A serious problem finishing my projects. I finished knitting this lovely tank top ages ago but only 1/2 the fabric is sewed on.
I try to make myself feel better by saying that I knit 2 mother's day scarves and 2 silly apple cozies in the meantime, proving I can finish things. But there's really no excuse. I've had plenty of time. The sunny weather has again turned rainy and grey so I couldn't even wear it if it were done, I tell myself. Again, not a worthy excuse. I could have finished it before the weather turned bad again.
I'm afraid of screwing it up in the final moments. It's knitted beautifully, the grommets are perfectly aligned but I'm afraid my sewing will mess it up. I need to get over this. Tonight, people, I will finish the stupidly named but very pretty Modern Bustier.
Ah but the finishing will not end there. I have finished knitting all the pieces of the corset pullover. Here is the 2nd sleeve. It will not sit in my basket for weeks. It doesn't matter that I have other projects I want to work on or that I enjoy knitting more than finishing. I will finish this in a timely manner.
I try to make myself feel better by saying that I knit 2 mother's day scarves and 2 silly apple cozies in the meantime, proving I can finish things. But there's really no excuse. I've had plenty of time. The sunny weather has again turned rainy and grey so I couldn't even wear it if it were done, I tell myself. Again, not a worthy excuse. I could have finished it before the weather turned bad again.
I'm afraid of screwing it up in the final moments. It's knitted beautifully, the grommets are perfectly aligned but I'm afraid my sewing will mess it up. I need to get over this. Tonight, people, I will finish the stupidly named but very pretty Modern Bustier.
Ah but the finishing will not end there. I have finished knitting all the pieces of the corset pullover. Here is the 2nd sleeve. It will not sit in my basket for weeks. It doesn't matter that I have other projects I want to work on or that I enjoy knitting more than finishing. I will finish this in a timely manner.
I must admit, though, that once I finished this sleeve, I started something else. I have a good reason. Really, I do. Mike and I took the MAX downtown on Thursday night and the thought of sitting on the train with nothing to knit was terrible so I knitted this:
It is much more suited to Portland's current weather than a summery cotton shirt. Sad but true. I finished it last night but I will not start the other until I finish seaming my other things.
We took MAX to the Rose Festival Waterfront Village. A fancy name for a carnival and we went because it was the 1st night so it was free. It was grey and rainy (no surprise) but still fun! We rode the ferris wheel. I hadn't ridden one in years so it was really fun!
This is the carnival as seen from the ferris wheel. It's blurry because the ferris wheel was moving. 
The carnival didn't have tickets for the rides, they had a credit card thing that you add money to and gets scanned at every ride! Everything is getting so modern. I liked tickets better. One benefit (maybe) is that the ferris wheel lady forgot to scan our card so we got to go on another ride for free! We picked a spinning ride and this is Mike, mid-spin. 
On a completely unrelated note, I greatly enjoy seeing other blogger's lovely pictures of their cats. You probably are aware that I have a dog, but I like cats too and even have 2 of them. but they are greatly under-represented on my blog.
Because of this my letter K for the abc-along is for KITTIES! Before you get too excited, my pictures are boring because my cats are not nearly as interesting as yours seem to be. They sleep all the time. When not sleeping, they are outside far away from the camera.
This is Gatsby.
I found him on Craigs List and after a rocky start he's a happy member of our household. He was freaked out by the dog even though the dog didn't bother him and then he ran away and we didn't see him for almost 2 weeks and I felt really, really horrible for losing him. Then he appeared on our front steps and wanted to come back in. During his adventure he must have decided that the dog is better than whatever he encountered while he was gone. His favorite thing is to get petted. Mike says he's pushy and needy while I just think he's lovey and snuggly.
This is Ramona. The pest. 
She is the prettier of the 2 and she has extra toes on all her feet. I got her before Mike and I got married and while he did help pick her out, she lived with me. After we got married, Ramona decided Mike is a million times better than me. She's a traitor. She lets Mike do whatever he wants to her but if I just walk by her the wrong way, she hisses and attacks me. Sometimes I think Mike loves her more than me. The only time Ramona ever wants to sit on my lap is when I'm knitting and I don't want her on my lap. I'm convinced she does it just to spite me.
I don't want to leave you with Grumpy Ramona so here is something more cheery. These pretty cotton prints were on sale the other day. Check back for some sewing projects in the future!
01 June 2006
Apple Cozy Pattern
Okay y'all. The Knitorama pattern sucked so much that I totally changed it when I knit my apple cozies. There's been some interest so I'll share it with you. 
Materials: I used size 8 dpns and Lion brand woolease. Guage doesn’t really matter, you just want it to fit an apple. If you get to the end of the increase section and it doesn’t seem big enough, add a few more increase rows and the same number of decrease rows to compensate. This will make your cozy both wider and taller to better hold those gigantic apples you can buy at the supermarket. This will also work if your yarn is thinner than worsted weight. Don’t forget, though, that the finished product will stretch!
CO 12 stitches and divide evenly on 4 dpns. Join for knitting in the round.
Row 1: knit across
Row 2: make 1 (m1) stitch at beginning of each needle – 16 st
Row 3: on each needle knit to 1 stitch before end, m1 – 20st
Rows 4-13: Repeat rows 2 & 3 five more times – 60 st
(This explanation might help you visualize the pattern. Each dpn holds the stitches for 1 side of the apple cozy plus 1 stitch to simulate a seam between each side. So after casting on, 2 stitches on each needle are the beginnings of one side and the 3rd stitch is the “seam” stitch. On the first increase row, you increase at the beginning of each of the four sides. On the next row, you increase at the end of each side, then knit the “seam” stitch. By doing this, you create evenly rounded sides and, therefore, an evenly rounded apple cozy. If you use fewer dpns or magic loop, just place markers between the stitches for each side and follow the instructions.)
Rows 14-15: knit across
Beginning with the next row, begin knitting back and forth, not in the round! (you could switch to a straight needle but I found it easiest to stick with the dpns)
Row 16: On each needle, purl the first stitch (this is your “seam” stitch), purl 2 together (p2tog), purl to end – 56 st
Row 17: slip, slip, knit (ssk) 1st 2 stitches on each needle, knit to end – 52 st
Rows 18-25: repeat rows 16 & 17 four more times – 20 stitches (5 on each needle)
Row 26: on each needle, purl 1, p2tog twice. On last dpn, CO 8 stitches.
BO all stitches.
Finishing: With scrap yarn, sew end of 8 cast on-bound off stitches to the edge of the cozy, making a loop.
Bobble button and leaf: I knitted these as written in the book, Knitorama, so I won’t post the patterns. It’s really easy, though. For the bobble, CO a few stitches, increase a few more, decrease and cast off. Then roll or fold up the tiny knitted piece you just made and sew it across from the loop you just made. Viola- a button!
The leaf is knitted the same way only bigger. CO a few stitches, increase a few more, knit several rows even, decrease down to 1 stitch to make a nice, pointy tip and bind off. Sew it on wherever you would like to embellish the apple.
Materials: I used size 8 dpns and Lion brand woolease. Guage doesn’t really matter, you just want it to fit an apple. If you get to the end of the increase section and it doesn’t seem big enough, add a few more increase rows and the same number of decrease rows to compensate. This will make your cozy both wider and taller to better hold those gigantic apples you can buy at the supermarket. This will also work if your yarn is thinner than worsted weight. Don’t forget, though, that the finished product will stretch!CO 12 stitches and divide evenly on 4 dpns. Join for knitting in the round.
Row 1: knit across
Row 2: make 1 (m1) stitch at beginning of each needle – 16 st
Row 3: on each needle knit to 1 stitch before end, m1 – 20st
Rows 4-13: Repeat rows 2 & 3 five more times – 60 st
(This explanation might help you visualize the pattern. Each dpn holds the stitches for 1 side of the apple cozy plus 1 stitch to simulate a seam between each side. So after casting on, 2 stitches on each needle are the beginnings of one side and the 3rd stitch is the “seam” stitch. On the first increase row, you increase at the beginning of each of the four sides. On the next row, you increase at the end of each side, then knit the “seam” stitch. By doing this, you create evenly rounded sides and, therefore, an evenly rounded apple cozy. If you use fewer dpns or magic loop, just place markers between the stitches for each side and follow the instructions.)
Rows 14-15: knit across
Beginning with the next row, begin knitting back and forth, not in the round! (you could switch to a straight needle but I found it easiest to stick with the dpns)
Row 16: On each needle, purl the first stitch (this is your “seam” stitch), purl 2 together (p2tog), purl to end – 56 st
Row 17: slip, slip, knit (ssk) 1st 2 stitches on each needle, knit to end – 52 st
Rows 18-25: repeat rows 16 & 17 four more times – 20 stitches (5 on each needle)
Row 26: on each needle, purl 1, p2tog twice. On last dpn, CO 8 stitches.
BO all stitches.
Finishing: With scrap yarn, sew end of 8 cast on-bound off stitches to the edge of the cozy, making a loop.
Bobble button and leaf: I knitted these as written in the book, Knitorama, so I won’t post the patterns. It’s really easy, though. For the bobble, CO a few stitches, increase a few more, decrease and cast off. Then roll or fold up the tiny knitted piece you just made and sew it across from the loop you just made. Viola- a button!
The leaf is knitted the same way only bigger. CO a few stitches, increase a few more, knit several rows even, decrease down to 1 stitch to make a nice, pointy tip and bind off. Sew it on wherever you would like to embellish the apple.
23 May 2006
1 more day to win yarn!!
Yes, that's right, you can win yarn. And knitting books, or a Starbucks card. 
How can you win you ask? Let me tell you.
Seven friends including fellow knit-blogger Kirsten are going to Croatia to work on a ship called the Logos Hope. Kirsten, Lisa and Julie used to live on a ship called the Doulos that was part of a Christian ministry. They went to countries in Asia, bringing a floating bookstore, conference center and hope to people that really needed it.
Now, years later, there is a new ship-the Logos Hope- that is in dry dock in Croatia being revamped an refitted to be part of this mission. My friends are going for 3 weeks to chip rust and do wahtever needs to be done but they need money to get there. It just happens that Croatia is an expensive place to fly to.
Enter the contest!
Jen set up a contest to help them raise money. Donate $7 or more and you will have a chance to win a fabulous prize, but you only have until midnight Wed, the 24th! Sorry I didn't let you know soomer but I was out of town for the weekend. Visit Jen's blog for details about the contest and Kirsten's blog for details about the trip. There's a link on her sidebar to a letter she wrote about it.
The pictures are just part of the possible prizes you may win. Vesper sock yarn, Socks that Rock yarn and others could be yours!
As a last note, for the record, Kirsten and the others are the fabulous kind of Christians that are more about "what can I do for you?" than "believe what I do or else." If you choose to support them, they would be very thankful.
How can you win you ask? Let me tell you.Seven friends including fellow knit-blogger Kirsten are going to Croatia to work on a ship called the Logos Hope. Kirsten, Lisa and Julie used to live on a ship called the Doulos that was part of a Christian ministry. They went to countries in Asia, bringing a floating bookstore, conference center and hope to people that really needed it.
Now, years later, there is a new ship-the Logos Hope- that is in dry dock in Croatia being revamped an refitted to be part of this mission. My friends are going for 3 weeks to chip rust and do wahtever needs to be done but they need money to get there. It just happens that Croatia is an expensive place to fly to.
Enter the contest!
Jen set up a contest to help them raise money. Donate $7 or more and you will have a chance to win a fabulous prize, but you only have until midnight Wed, the 24th! Sorry I didn't let you know soomer but I was out of town for the weekend. Visit Jen's blog for details about the contest and Kirsten's blog for details about the trip. There's a link on her sidebar to a letter she wrote about it.The pictures are just part of the possible prizes you may win. Vesper sock yarn, Socks that Rock yarn and others could be yours!
As a last note, for the record, Kirsten and the others are the fabulous kind of Christians that are more about "what can I do for you?" than "believe what I do or else." If you choose to support them, they would be very thankful.
17 May 2006
Letters and packages
Before I get to the letters and packages, I would like to tell you about my outfit today. It's really pretty boring- kakhi capri pants (because it's HOT here in Portland!) and a white t-shirt. My job has a pretty relaxed dress code. We can't wear jeans and polo shirts or collared shirts are preferred. T-shirts are okay, though, as long as they don't have logos and are made out of "nice material" and v-necks are usually fine because somehow they are nicer than crew necks.
Whatever.
I bought a new white v-neck t-shirt last night and decided to wear it to work today. I felt slightly uncomfortable despite the fact that it's within the dress code limits because it's still just a basic, white, bought-it-at-Target t-shirt that in the right light you can almost see through.
I shouldn't have worried, though, because I had not one, not two, but three different people tell me that I looked nice today and it seemed like I had dressed up. Now I'm wondering what I usually look like because all that was new was a white t-shirt people!! I didn't even wash my hair this morning and the only make-up I had on was mascara. Seriously, a white t-shirt is dressing up? I work with crazy people.
Okay, pictures. I got a lovely package from Ms. Bugheart a few days ago with a lovely skirt from her Great Monday Giveaway. I thought I was just getting the skirt but this is what she sent me! It was very happy to come home to.
I got cute Japanese stickers, a note pad and the dark blob is a ball of green yarn. I have also recieved some lovely fabric from Yahaira from her Monday giveaway but I haven't had a chance to take a pitcure yet.
Whatever.
I bought a new white v-neck t-shirt last night and decided to wear it to work today. I felt slightly uncomfortable despite the fact that it's within the dress code limits because it's still just a basic, white, bought-it-at-Target t-shirt that in the right light you can almost see through.
I shouldn't have worried, though, because I had not one, not two, but three different people tell me that I looked nice today and it seemed like I had dressed up. Now I'm wondering what I usually look like because all that was new was a white t-shirt people!! I didn't even wash my hair this morning and the only make-up I had on was mascara. Seriously, a white t-shirt is dressing up? I work with crazy people.
Okay, pictures. I got a lovely package from Ms. Bugheart a few days ago with a lovely skirt from her Great Monday Giveaway. I thought I was just getting the skirt but this is what she sent me! It was very happy to come home to.
I got cute Japanese stickers, a note pad and the dark blob is a ball of green yarn. I have also recieved some lovely fabric from Yahaira from her Monday giveaway but I haven't had a chance to take a pitcure yet. I also came home to these on the same day! 
I was so excited that someone had sent me flowers. Then I read the card and realized they were not meant for me. They were for the lady who lived in my house before I bought it. It was from some organization to thank her for "all she does" for them. I don't know what she's been doing for them in the last year that I've been living in the house and she has been living 2 states away but whatever. I got pretty flowers! Because I'm behind (what's new) in the abc-along, I'll have my letter I stand for Identity mix-up.
And the fabulous letter J: July wedding! 
One of my dearest friends is getting married in July and she lives in El Salvador. Mike and I just bought our plane tickets. Central America, here we come! I need a vacation badly. July can't come soon enough.
No knitting today! My moms loved their Mother's Day scarves and sleeve #1 of my corset pullover is coming along slowly. I won't bore you with pictures.
09 May 2006
Green knitting
Last month, I didn't do any Project Spectrum-themed knitting. This month, by accident I already have!
When I realized last weekend that Mother's Day is coming up soon, I decided to knit something for my mom and my mom-in-law. I needed something quick, since I have to send it early enough for it to get there on time, and easy and pretty so I decided on the Airy scarf from Last-Minute Knitted gifts. Mike helped me pick out the color and it's kid silk haze in a pretty seafoam green. I didn't even think about it being a project spectrum color until today. I finished the second tonight and there's enough yarn left over that I can probably knit a 3rd and have a matching scarf too!
I followed the pattern almost exactly. I added a selvedge stitch on each edge and I did a few extra repeats because it was shorter than the pattern said it should be. I haven't blocked them yet but they're about 6" wide and 34" long. Still 2 inches shorter than the pattern says to knit it but they're long enough.
I know this because I tried one on.
I hope my moms like them! I know I do. I'll knit one for me in a while. After cranking out 2 of them in only 3 days, I'm not really in a hurry to knit a 3rd right away. Besides, I have my corset pullover to get back to. I had about 4" of a sleeve done but then I ripped it out and started over because I didn't like it. Now I only have less that an inch done. The scarves were a nice interlude but back to the sleeves I go.
When I realized last weekend that Mother's Day is coming up soon, I decided to knit something for my mom and my mom-in-law. I needed something quick, since I have to send it early enough for it to get there on time, and easy and pretty so I decided on the Airy scarf from Last-Minute Knitted gifts. Mike helped me pick out the color and it's kid silk haze in a pretty seafoam green. I didn't even think about it being a project spectrum color until today. I finished the second tonight and there's enough yarn left over that I can probably knit a 3rd and have a matching scarf too!
I followed the pattern almost exactly. I added a selvedge stitch on each edge and I did a few extra repeats because it was shorter than the pattern said it should be. I haven't blocked them yet but they're about 6" wide and 34" long. Still 2 inches shorter than the pattern says to knit it but they're long enough. I know this because I tried one on.
I hope my moms like them! I know I do. I'll knit one for me in a while. After cranking out 2 of them in only 3 days, I'm not really in a hurry to knit a 3rd right away. Besides, I have my corset pullover to get back to. I had about 4" of a sleeve done but then I ripped it out and started over because I didn't like it. Now I only have less that an inch done. The scarves were a nice interlude but back to the sleeves I go.
07 May 2006
Questions and more questions
I joined Secret Pal 8 and I am so excited! Part of the deal is that I have to answer some questions so here goes:
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love wools that aren't too scratchy and alpaca because it's really soft. I recently knit a scarf with Rowan felted tweed and fell in love with it. I love pretty much any natural fiber. I never knit with fun fur or eyelash yarns because I like a more natural aesthetic. Acrylic has a weird feel that I'm pretty sensitive to but blends that have a very small % of acrylic are usually okay.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
My circulars are all in a desk drawer but my dpns and straight needles are in this that I sewed myself.
3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I've been knitting for about 5 years and would say I'm pretty advanced. I've knit sweaters and socks, lace and cables. I can follow any pattern put in front of me and I love learning new techniques to improve my knitting.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
No
5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
I love earthy scents like sandalwood and vanilla. I love citrus scents and lavender too. I don't like anything too floral or too sweet. Mike got this air freshener for his birthday and it is NOT a scent I like.
That's right, it's meat scented. We're vegetarians so it was a gag gift.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I do have a sweet tooth but I don't like candy very much. I love really good chocolate, the darker the better and scarffen berger is my favorite brand. I really like any combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Besides chocolate, I love lemony desserts and candy.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I love home improvement/ decorating projects and gardening, which is good because my house needs a lot of work! This is my backyard! Hopefully, not for long.
I like to sew but haven't for a while. I would like to get back into it more. I took a drop spindle class and spun some yarn but I haven't been bitten by the spinning bug. I only have so much time to spend crafting and the things I do, I want to do well. I still have some roving but I'm thinking of felting 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 a lot of music. Anything that makes me happy, so no death metal like my husband listens to while I'm gone. I love bands that have been around a while like U2, the smashing pumpkins, james, jackpot, the chili peppers, cake, beck. I like some newer groups like the yeah yeah yeahs, modest mouse, the killers, the smiths. I also like spanish music like bebe. I love it when people share music with me that I haven't heard before. I can listen to mp3s.
9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
Yellow is my favorite color, but not necessarily to wear. It's just such a cheery color and it makes me happy. I like most all colors and I've knit with a wide range of colors. It really depends on the mood and what I want to make. Sorry, that's not much help. Just scan through my blog if you want an idea of what I like. I knit mostly with solid colors although I love the yarns that look like solid colors but have a little variation. I like knitting things with cables and textures so they would get lost if I used multi-colored yarns. They look so pretty in skeins, though. Maybe I should branch out.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I have a goofy, hyperactive dog who has made a few appearances on this blog. I also have two cats and the prettiest, fluffiest bunny ever seen.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I love scarves and mittens. I love hats, too but my hair is usually so crazy that it looks stupid shoved under a hat. I have 1 hat that looks good on me so I stick with that one. I never caught on to the poncho craze. I don't think they're hideous, they're just not for me.
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I love knitting tank tops because they're pretty quick to knit and they don't take much finishing. I like sweaters too but they take more time, stress and yarn so I haven't knit too many. I always fear that they will turn out badly but they don't so I really should knit more of them.
13. What are you knitting right now?
I'm knitting a 3/4 sleeved cotton pullover as seen in the previous post.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes, I do! Who doesn't?
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I usually knit on circulars though that's mostly because I have more of them. I love bamboo and plastic is okay. I do knit with aluminum needles but they're not my favorite. I love all the beautiful straight needles taht are out there but I can't justify spending a lot of money on needles.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No but I wish I did!
17. How did you learn to knit?
I picked up a cheesy learn to knit book and taught myself. I have never taken a class or had anyone even give me a lesson. I'm a good book-learner, I guess.
18. How old is your oldest UFO?
A baby dress I started 3 years ago and then lost touch with the mother-to-be before the baby was born. It's really cute but I probably won't pick it up again until I know a baby girl to knit it for.
19. What is your favorite holiday?
I love Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love winter weather and family.
20. Is there anything that you collect?
Besides yarn and knitting books, I collect floaty pens (I don't know if there's a better name for them). You know, the pens that say Dinseyland (for example) on one side and then have a floating Tinkerbell on the other. I covet this person's collection. I spent a month in Europe once and get some really cool floaty pens and then the airline lost my bag. It was very sad.
21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I don't have a lot of self-control when it comes to knitting books. If I want something badly enough, I tend to go out and buy it. I don't have any magazine subscriptions but usually buy every Interweave issue. I really should just get a subscription.
22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I would like to do more colorwork.
23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I have knit some socks but wouldn't call myself a sock knitter. I'll probably knit another pair sometime but I'm not in a hurry. I do love looking at all the beautiful sock yarn out there, though. I like sock yarn that has 2 colors (maybe 3). Like mostly brown with a little bit of pink. I'm not into rainbow socks or crazy tie-dye lookin' socks. My shoe size is 7 1/2 .
24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
January 20
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love wools that aren't too scratchy and alpaca because it's really soft. I recently knit a scarf with Rowan felted tweed and fell in love with it. I love pretty much any natural fiber. I never knit with fun fur or eyelash yarns because I like a more natural aesthetic. Acrylic has a weird feel that I'm pretty sensitive to but blends that have a very small % of acrylic are usually okay.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
My circulars are all in a desk drawer but my dpns and straight needles are in this that I sewed myself.
3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I've been knitting for about 5 years and would say I'm pretty advanced. I've knit sweaters and socks, lace and cables. I can follow any pattern put in front of me and I love learning new techniques to improve my knitting.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
No
5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
I love earthy scents like sandalwood and vanilla. I love citrus scents and lavender too. I don't like anything too floral or too sweet. Mike got this air freshener for his birthday and it is NOT a scent I like.
That's right, it's meat scented. We're vegetarians so it was a gag gift.6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I do have a sweet tooth but I don't like candy very much. I love really good chocolate, the darker the better and scarffen berger is my favorite brand. I really like any combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Besides chocolate, I love lemony desserts and candy.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I love home improvement/ decorating projects and gardening, which is good because my house needs a lot of work! This is my backyard! Hopefully, not for long.
I like to sew but haven't for a while. I would like to get back into it more. I took a drop spindle class and spun some yarn but I haven't been bitten by the spinning bug. I only have so much time to spend crafting and the things I do, I want to do well. I still have some roving but I'm thinking of felting 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 a lot of music. Anything that makes me happy, so no death metal like my husband listens to while I'm gone. I love bands that have been around a while like U2, the smashing pumpkins, james, jackpot, the chili peppers, cake, beck. I like some newer groups like the yeah yeah yeahs, modest mouse, the killers, the smiths. I also like spanish music like bebe. I love it when people share music with me that I haven't heard before. I can listen to mp3s.
9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
Yellow is my favorite color, but not necessarily to wear. It's just such a cheery color and it makes me happy. I like most all colors and I've knit with a wide range of colors. It really depends on the mood and what I want to make. Sorry, that's not much help. Just scan through my blog if you want an idea of what I like. I knit mostly with solid colors although I love the yarns that look like solid colors but have a little variation. I like knitting things with cables and textures so they would get lost if I used multi-colored yarns. They look so pretty in skeins, though. Maybe I should branch out.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I have a goofy, hyperactive dog who has made a few appearances on this blog. I also have two cats and the prettiest, fluffiest bunny ever seen.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I love scarves and mittens. I love hats, too but my hair is usually so crazy that it looks stupid shoved under a hat. I have 1 hat that looks good on me so I stick with that one. I never caught on to the poncho craze. I don't think they're hideous, they're just not for me.
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I love knitting tank tops because they're pretty quick to knit and they don't take much finishing. I like sweaters too but they take more time, stress and yarn so I haven't knit too many. I always fear that they will turn out badly but they don't so I really should knit more of them.
13. What are you knitting right now?
I'm knitting a 3/4 sleeved cotton pullover as seen in the previous post.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes, I do! Who doesn't?
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I usually knit on circulars though that's mostly because I have more of them. I love bamboo and plastic is okay. I do knit with aluminum needles but they're not my favorite. I love all the beautiful straight needles taht are out there but I can't justify spending a lot of money on needles.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No but I wish I did!
17. How did you learn to knit?
I picked up a cheesy learn to knit book and taught myself. I have never taken a class or had anyone even give me a lesson. I'm a good book-learner, I guess.
18. How old is your oldest UFO?
A baby dress I started 3 years ago and then lost touch with the mother-to-be before the baby was born. It's really cute but I probably won't pick it up again until I know a baby girl to knit it for.
19. What is your favorite holiday?
I love Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love winter weather and family.
20. Is there anything that you collect?
Besides yarn and knitting books, I collect floaty pens (I don't know if there's a better name for them). You know, the pens that say Dinseyland (for example) on one side and then have a floating Tinkerbell on the other. I covet this person's collection. I spent a month in Europe once and get some really cool floaty pens and then the airline lost my bag. It was very sad.
21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I don't have a lot of self-control when it comes to knitting books. If I want something badly enough, I tend to go out and buy it. I don't have any magazine subscriptions but usually buy every Interweave issue. I really should just get a subscription.
22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I would like to do more colorwork.
23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I have knit some socks but wouldn't call myself a sock knitter. I'll probably knit another pair sometime but I'm not in a hurry. I do love looking at all the beautiful sock yarn out there, though. I like sock yarn that has 2 colors (maybe 3). Like mostly brown with a little bit of pink. I'm not into rainbow socks or crazy tie-dye lookin' socks. My shoe size is 7 1/2 .
24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
January 20
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Atom Feed (xml)
