Monday - bleh!!!

I am finally home - had to take my mother to the doctor tonight, and with the gigantic mounds of snow piled up on the streets and my mothers inability to walk (she refuses to use a walker and doesn't manage well with a cane) it took a lot longer and was much more stressful than usual. But now I am home and fed and destressing at my computer.

I managed to do a few more rows of the FBS yesterday - I really love this pattern - and now that the knitting gremlins are leaving me alone.... well I'm not jinxing it again by saying anything. I was thinking about adding beads on the points around the edge - has anyone done this? As you can see I am mad about beads! If anyone does buy beads, check out The Bead Wrangler. I placed an order last night and got an email today that they shipped out priority mail today! Is that service or what?

I plan on winding the rest of my live lobster yarn into balls tonight because I am just too wired to do any lace knitting. I want to get it wound so that when my Plymouth Bamboo needles arrive (did I mention that I think these are the best bamboo circular needles around - much nicer that Clover or Crystal Palace with those nasty metal joins) I can cast on Mariah. I am looking forward to that, I love cables almost as much as I love lace.

Does anyone know how to set blogger so that I can respond directly to someones comments - right now I get an email telling me I have a comment but I can't email the person back - the email address is <noreply-comment@blogger.com> Is there some way to change this?

Speaking of comments - thanks Deb for the ideas for my beef stew - I love turnips and greens - I will try that next time I make it.

Yarn & Flowers & Secret Pal's Oh My!

This is turning out to be a very good weekend. Yesterday I received my Secret Pal for SP4, I also received the name of the person I am making a shawl for the Crochetville Shawl/Poncho Swap plus the name of the person for the Crochetville Spring SP and my February Flower partner too! Oh Boy! I love these swaps and secret pals - It is so much fun surprising people with goodies. I know how much I love it when someone sends me a gifty in the mail just because. It really does make whatever crap went on during that day seem totally insignificant.

So in honor of all my SP's, I went yarn shopping yesterday. I went to Smileys and picked up some pretty pink mohair to make flowers got the Flower exchange - I have already made some in wool, but I wanted to try a soft fuzzy yarn too. I also picked up the yarn I need to finish my nephews' hoodie and some green yarn to make leaves. I bought Knit 1 finally - some really cute things in there. I saw a bunch of things I want to pick up for my SPs. I plan ongoing back soon.

I started the shawl last night for my Crochetville Swap - here are a few pictures: It is a sapphire blue yarn from my stash - I wanted to add beads to it - here is a close up: I am just not sure if I like the pearl beads or if I should buy blue beads instead. Any opinions?

I also saw this: which I am planning (I think on picking up for a SP from another list) I though it would make a gorgeous needle holder - it measure 14.5x4x4 so it should hold all your needles perfectly. You can find it here.

Today I am thinking of heading over to the Eastside Knitting meetup at Starbucks on 28th and 3rd. If I finish my housecleaning and laundry and it doesn't snow - I am going to go. I didn't work on the FBS at all yesterday so I will probably take that with me.

Afternoon update: Well I never did get out of the house for the meetup - I don't know, this Sunday just seemed like a cooking and knitting at home kinda day. I have decided to redo the blue shawl with blue beads which I have ordered from here, she has lovely stuff and great cust svc. I am going to make a few other changes but those are a surprise.

On the cooking front, I made the most delicious beef stew in the crock pot. I mixed 1lb beef stew meat (floured and browned) with 1 can condensed tomato soup, rosemary, time, salt and pepper. Wow is it good! I was out of veggies so it is just meat and gravy. Next time I will add carrots, onions, and a little red wine. I just wish I can find a good lemon cake recipe ~ I am so in the mood to bake today.

I am also back to work on the FBS - no comment on the progress ~ I have learned my lesson. I want to cast on for Mariah, I am just waiting for the Size 7 bamboo needle I ordered from Patternworks to show up. They sell plymouth bamboo needles which are my favorite. Well back to my domestic pursuits.

Friday Fun and recipe help wanted

You are interchangeable.Fun, free, and into everything, you've got every
eventuality covered and every opportunity just
has to be taken. Every fiber is wonderful, and
every day is a new beginning. You are good at
so many things, it's amazing, but you can
easily lose your place and forget to show up.
They have row counters for people like you!



What kind of knitting needles are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Also a question for all you great cooks out there - I am looking for a really good recipe for a lemon tea loaf or lemon pound cake - you know the kind that tastes tart and sweet and moist and wonderful. If any one has a favorite email me at knitwitch@gmail.com

If you have a good recipe for shepards pie - I would love that too!



Told you I was tech challanged.

Jinxed

Remember when I said that the FBS was just flying off my needles? Well in the future remind me not to say stuff like that anymore. Last night it took me 3 hours - 3 HOURS - to knit 10 rows. I tinked twice as much as I knit. I missed a yo somewhere and could not get the pattern to work out again; knit a row - no not enough stitches, rip out; knit a row, still wrong, rip out; over and over. Finally at 10:42 last night - right # of stitches in the right place, creating the correct pattern. I have one very wonky looking flower basket, but I think I should be ok (the knitting goddess willing).

I also decided to rip out the Lopi poncho I started and use that yarn for Mariah - this is the Live Lobster color yarn that I think will look cool in this sweater. Once I finish the FBS I will cast on this this one.

Then there is this - hosted by Nathania & Norma - I have the pattern and have been wanting to make this one for a long time (seems a lot of other people have too!)

Secret Pal Questions

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high- end/natural fibers)?
Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?

No, I am not a yarn snob – I like anything as long as it is soft. I don’t like harsh, or plastic-y feeling yarns

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

I crochet – a lot!

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)

Just dust

4. How long have you been knitting?

Off and on since I was 8 about 35 years (ah!)

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

Yes Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/registry.html/ref=cm_wl_topnav_books/104-5384589-8645534?type=wishlist

And knitpicks
http://www.knitpicks.com/Cart/WishListView.asp?fa=Y

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

I love lavender and green scents like apple and pear – don’t like berry scents or strong smells

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?

Oh yes – I love chocolate and caramel popcorn

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

Crochet, jewelry making, used to needlepoint and cross stitch but find it hard on the eyes

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

I love rock and roll especially 80’s music and classic rock

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?

Green is my favorite, I love rich deep colors – autumn and winter would probably be my favorites. I also love teal, aqua and purples

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

I live with my SO David and we have his twin boys on the weekends

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)

I want to travel around the world, knitting and crocheting as I go. I want to start my own massage/spa and quite my day job.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

I love merino and alpaca, mohair, cashmere of course, anything soft. I like lighter wt yarns – not really crazy about bulky – too heavy and uncomfortable to work with.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I don’t like anything that feels harsh on the hands, really plastic-y acrylics even some cottons.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?

Lace and cables – I love the challenge of knitting more complex patterns.

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

Shawls, wraps, ponchos then sweaters

17. What are you knitting right now?

Flower Basket Shawl from Interweave Knits, Mariah from Knitty, a lace mohair scarf for my sil and a crochet hoodie for my nephew

18. What do you think about ponchos?

I love them as long as they are not too big and long and pointy in the front – I like the ones that are more like capelets and not to 70’s looking

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

Circular

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Bamboo or plastic, but I have nothing against metal

21. Are you a sock knitter?

Not really, I have made a few, but it is not a love of mine

22. How did you learn to knit?

My mothers friend taught me cast on and knit and the rest I picked up by reading

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

About 1 ½ years – I started a sonnet from knitty and ran short of the dye lot for the sleeves so it is sitting there till I can match the color better (jo sharp dk wool aubergine)

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

I like bears.

25. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween and Christmas

26. Is there anything that you collect?

Cookbooks and yarn

More pictures

Last night when I got home from work I had 2 pkgs waiting for me. First was this:
The Charlotte kit from Nancy @ bronx girl knits. It is even more gorgeous in person!

Then there was a pkg from Angela, who was my afghan square swap partner - in it was this:

Aren't they lovely? Take a closer look at the entralac
you can't see it in this picture, but there is a little heart shaped charm knit in that says "made with love".

I sent her back 2 squares in slip stitch color work - this is one of them:

I also got some more work done on FBS : this is a close-up of the yarn:
I am really enjoying knitting this - the chart is very clear and the stitches just seem to fly off the needle.

Monday

Not my favorite day of the week, but this one is not as bad as feared. The commute into work this morning was ok - too much traffic, but manageable. My car won't be seen again till the spring thaw, but I can live with that - I don't like to drive anyway, besides it gives an excuse to just stay home and knit (or Crochet - did a lot of both this weekend)

AND

best of all:

I won This from Nancy at Bronx Girl Knits. Is that not the best prize ever!?!

So this is a Monday I can live with.

Snow Day

As you can see from the above pictures from last night and this morning - I am snow bound. The only good thing about this is that it has given me ample opportunity to work on some projects that have been lingering around.

First up is the felted bag from magsbags that I have been working on for months. Here it is prefelted: and felted: cute huh?

I used Paton's classic wool and a wool I picked up at Smiley's - it felted very quickly, only one run through the washer! Next time though I think I will make it a little taller, I used one skein of classic wool I think I will try 1 1/2 if I make it again.

The best laid plans

So here I was already to spend this whole weekend knitting the FBS - I finish the first chart and realize I forgot to copy and upsize the other charts. Ok, I will just work out of the magazine right? Wrong! These 43 year old eyes can NOT read that teeny tiny chart for nothin'. So I will have to work on something else till David can reinstall the softwear for the scannner. I have lots of W'sIP so I know I will find something to work on, but man I really wanted to work on this! Anyway here is what I have done so far - the first 24 rows:

Snow day

I am finally home after running all kinds of errands this morning, the snow has started and it is already sticking. I have no plans to leave this apartment for the rest of the weekend. Now it is just me, a cup of good coffee and the FBS. David is at some kind of training and won't be home for hours, so now is the perfect time to sit and knit....and that is just what I am going to do!

Can't stop futzing

As you can see - I've changed formats again. This time I remembered to copy my template first, or at least most of it - which would have been great, execept my computer crashed before I was finished and now it is all screwed up and I have to fix my links and sidebar stuff and I just can't do it now, so I will have to fix it when I get home.

Damn

It's over!

The boards are now behind me, I feel like a great big weight has been lifted off me. I just have to wait the 6 - 8 weeks to see if I passed and can get my license. That's the bad news, the good new is now I can concentrate on my knitting and crocheting.

I cast on for the FBSRedux today, and so far so good. The yarn is really pretty and the chart - so far - is easy to follow. I will post pictures later. I am also finishing up a quick large hook crochet shoulder wrap, just doing the edging - will post pix of that too.

The War President Mosaic


Faces of the Fallen

Thank you Jessica

Button button Who's got the button?

Me!! Me!! I do!! I do!! See under my profile - I've got a button!
Thanks to Kari for making me my very own button. Can you tell I am excited by this?

Also this will be my last post this week (except for Thurs - please read this) 'cause I am taking
the state boards on Thurs and will be spending the rest of this week studying and praying!

TEST

   This is the new blog function on photo bucket! cool huh?

Rainy Friday blahs

It is an incredibly miserable day here in NYC, wet, damp, icky. The weather also seems to be playing havoc with my internet connection at home, so no pictures will be posted till it works itself out.

Since I have been hearing that 2005 is the year of the Sock, here is my nominee for a sock I would actually try to make (I have no love DPN's) I really love these socks, I will probably never make them, but I would love to own them! I received this sock pattern, which I also want, badly. I need to find someone to knit socks for me - yeah that's the answer, I can make something for them and they can knit me socks. Ooohhh, I like that idea.

I have some lovely variegated wool I bought at Knit-Wits in Boise last year, I am thinking about making a Sophie bag out of this. The wool is a blend of soft earthy colors like butter, cream, beige, soft brown etc. I would love to do it with beaded handles as most expertly explained by Norma. I would like to make the handle with matching earthtone beads. I have so many projects I want to start, so this will be on the back burner for a while, but it is something I would like to make this year.

Tomorrow I will head over to Smiley's for the mariah yarn. I am definitely going to make this sweater!

The only good thing about the weather today is that is was warm enough to wear my poncho. I love this poncho and would wear it all the time if I could. The yarn is Peace Fleece sport/dk and it is so cozy and comfortable.

I haven't started any of the KAL's I joined. I still haven't decided on the yarn for Mariah. Smiley's has 100% wool worsted wt on sale for $1.99 each - this is the yarn I am using for the crochet hat for me. It is virtually identical to the Paton's Classic wool and they have ( or at least had when I was there on Sat.) a color I really love - sort of brick/brown/red color. So for about $22 I can make this sweater. I am going to stop there this Sat after my review class and see what they have left.

I also signed up for the Crochetville shawl/poncho swap. I really love these swaps, cause I love making stuff for others and I love receiving stuff too.

More Pictures

Yes! My internet connection is back! So here are the pictures I promised:


First - Some of the beaded stitch markers I made to send out as RAOK's


Next my yarn for the FBS Redux


And lastly, the Crochetville Hat Swap hat. I really like this hat and I am making one for myself in brown wool. This one is made of a double strand of Barella Sport in deep sage, the rose is one strand of medium sage and 1 strand of natural and is attached to a pin backing so it can be removed.

Stuff

Still can't post pictures, found download on canon site so hopefully I will be able to soon.

Stolen from Gidget:

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:
1. Colette
2. Pookie
3. ESM

THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD:
1. miracole
2. knitwitch
3. only 2

THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. My intelligence
2. That I am a good friend
3. That I try to help people when I can

THREE THINGS YOU DON’T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. I procrastinate
2. I can be brutally honest and say things that are hurtful
3. I am lazy

THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:
1. Italian
2. Italian
3. Italian

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:
1. Religious extremists
2. Wasps/stinging insects
3. poverty

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
1. Coffee
2. Coffee
3. Coffee - did I mention coffee?

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
1. Black suede shirt
2. black jeans
3. silver pentagram

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS OR MUSICAL ARTISTS (at the moment):
1. Elvis Costello
2. Led Zepplin
3. Melissa Etheridge

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS (at the moment):
1. Anything by
2. the above
3. three artist!

THREE NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS:
1. Beaded knitting/crochet
2. spinning
3. writing a novel

THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP:
1. Trust
2. Humor
3. Respect

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE:
1. I am descended from Royalty
2. I was thrown out of the Brownies
3. I was chased by a cow in Puerto Rico

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX (or same) THAT APPEAL TO YOU:
1. Intelligence
2. Sense of humor
3. great smile

THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN’T DO:
1. Be neat
2. sing
3. be coordinated

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
1. Knitting./crochet
2. reading
3. cooking

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
1. Win the lottery
2. Go home and go back to sleep
3. pass the state boards

THREE CAREERS YOU’RE CONSIDERING:
1. Licensed massage therapist
2. travel writer
3. just being rich

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:
1. Egypt
2. Budapest
3. Scotland

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
1. Cruise down the nile
2. write a novel
3. be happy

THREE WAYS I AM STEREOTYPICALLY A BOY:
1. I have very short hair
2. I wear pants alot
3. I prefer comfort for fashion

THREE WAYS I AM STEREOTYPICALLY A CHICK:
1. I love to shop
2. I cry at movies, tv commercials, sad songs - you name it!
3. I love make up and jewelry and girly stuff

Updates

I just posted a bunch of books to the Lost in a Good Book blog (see sidebar ----->)
just email me if you want any and I will mail them out to you!

My home computer lost it's internet connection again this weekend and since David and the boys were both home, I couldn't post anything. I have lots of pictures and stuff I want to show off, hopefully I will be able to do it tonight.

I am mailing out my Crochetville hat today, plus I have a bunch of small RAOK's to send out - I will post those pics later.

I am starting the FBS Redux with the yarn I bought on ebay and I joined the Mariah KAL, which I am thinking of doing in this, which I already own or this which I would have to buy. What do you think?

Pictures

Here is a picture of a wrap I am making from Woolease sport on size 10 needles - the stitch pattern is on the July 4th page of the knitters perpetual calendar:


This is for Shelley who wanted to see what the stitch looked like.

and


the finished necklace on my neck. I ordered some more supplies from FireMountain to make
some more pieces and I have the jeweled stitch markers I am making for my RAOK's and Secret Pals.

I am almost finished with the 2nd Hat for the Crochetville exchange, I have one more to make to send in for forwarding to the armed forces. I will post pics after they are received.

Lost in a good book!

I have created a blog for my book stuff, since I do almost as much reading as I do knitting and crocheting, I thought it would be a good idea to create home for my book thoughts. You can see the link on my side bar under my wish list. I would really like a button for it but have no clue how to make one.

Book swap

I received a lot of positive feedback on the book idea I posted yesterday. Last night I started making a list of books - I got through 2 bookshelves! I have to type the list up and post it. I still have one more shelf of my own but it is currently blocked by my Christmas tree, once its down I will tackle that one, then there is David's bookshelf and the one in the kids room! I should have quite a few books to give away. So far it is mostly softcover novels and a few Harlequin romances that belonged to my mother. I do have a few hard covers too, it will be a very eclectic list.

I found this while blog surfing - isn't it cute? I signed up for Yarnerd's February Flower Exchange and think this would be perfect.

I finished the first hat for the Crochetville Hat Swap - it came out perfect, in my humble opinion.
I will post pic after I mail is so as not to spoil the surprise. I like it so much I am going to make one for myself too.

Ideas for an icky Tuesday

I am seriously running out of room in my apt. especially in the book and yarn departments. So I came with an idea last night. I am going to make a list of books that I have that it wouldn't break my heart to part with. I will post the list to a link in my sidebar, once it is up check it out and pick out 1 or 2 books you might enjoy, then email me and I will mail them off to you.

Started my Crochetville Hat Swap (CHS) hat last night - very cute! I think I am going to make my swap recipient more than one.

I want to start a sweater for me, but I still have a lingering bunch of W'sIP that I need to finish first.

Quick pic

Here is a shot of the beaded necklace I made - it is not very good, I will try to get a better one:

The End

of my vacation - I have to go back to work tomorrow and I really don't want to. I have been off since Dec 23 and I have not missed my office at all. True, I have been totally lazy and done absolutely nothing this whole time, even the stuff I swore I would do, and I have missed having a set schedule and knowing what day of the week it is - I HAVE NOT missed commuting to work.

Since this was my last day off, I decided to treat myself - I took me and my gift card to AC Moore on Hempstead Tpke. I promised David (and myself) that I would not buy anymore yarn till I used up some of what I already have so I bought some jewelry making supplies and made my self a very pretty necklace to go with the unikite earrings I bought some time ago. I will post pictures tomorrow. I think I will make a matching bracelet.

The store has a vary nice yarn dept - there is seating and the yarn is nicely displayed. The notions dept was a little week, not a great variety of needles or sizes. I bought a sz 13 circular 'cause I want to start a quickie hat and my other 2 pair are in use.

I also have to start my Crochetville Hat exchange - found this really cute pattern, that I think I am going to try - just need to go stash shopping for a good yarn choice.

Happy 2005

Happy New Year all! Hope everyone rang in 2005 in a pleasant way ( I can remember way too many lousy NY'sE parties).

Since David is still on midnights _ I spent the evening reading a good book (The Eyre Affaire) and drinking champagne waiting for the ball to drop. I have lived my whole life in NYC and never once spent it in Times Square - the closest I got was dinner at an Indian restaurant on 44th st before heading down town to a party in the East Village some years ago.

The only knitting done was to finish my squares for the afghan exchange.

2004 will not go down as a very good year - here's hoping 2005 will bring peace and happiness to all!