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!