Secret Pal Questions

Here's my questionnaire for my secret pal!!

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I've become a bit of a yarn snob and only knit with natural fibers. No acrylic for me!

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
My needles are all in their original plastic packaging that they came in and they're all stored in a basket. I keep meaning to make a needle case but I can't come up with a good design yet. . . one of these days.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I've been knitting 3 or 4 years. I'm self taught from books and the internet. I guess I'm intermediate. I can handle cables but I'm not so great at lace yet.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I have an Amazon wishlist.

5. What's your favorite scent?
Currently clean linen. But I also love vanilla, lemongrass, sandalwood.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I have a ginormous sweet tooth. My favorite is white chocolate.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I'm a quilter. I can do some spinning on a drop spindle, but it's not my favorite thing to do.

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 most everything but rap and country. I don't listen to much music though because all my CDs were stolen and I haven't replaced them yet, I listen to podcasts all the time. My computer can play MP3s. I have a few CDs on my Amazon wishlist if you would like to see what I like.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
My favorite color is yellow, but I seem to always wear green. I'm not a big fan of very loud colors and being a redhead I can't wear reds or pinks.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I'm married, with no kids (but hopefully soon!) and 2 large (60 pound) dogs.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I wear scarves, hats, and mittens. No ponchos for me. I live in a pretty warm climate so heavy duty hats and mittens are rarely needed.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Currently, SOCKS!!! I've been bitten by the sock bug big time.

13. What are you knitting right now?
A pair of socks, an irish hiking scarf, and a sweater for my husband.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
But of course!! They're the best kind of gifts!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I love the knit picks needles. I'm a circular girl, except for socks. I knit those on DPNs. I would like to try the magic loop method though. I've got the book but no 40" needles smaller than a size US4.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Yes, I have both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
Probably over a year, the sweater for my husband.

18. What is your favorite holiday?
Thanksgiving.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Yarn and fabric.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I'm subscribed to knit.1 and vogue. I'd love to subscribe to interweave. I'd love to get the sensational knitted socks books. Some 40" needles in size US1 or 2. Socks that rock sock yarn or sundara sock yarn or pippi knee socks sock yarn, pretty much any indie dyed sock yarn.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I'm going to start a great american aran afghan soon so I'm going to learn lots of new cable techniques. And I'd really like to give lace another chance.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I am a sock knitter, almost done with my second pair. I'm a size 7.

23. When is your birthday?
May 19th

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

Knit picks fairy

I was visited the other day by the knit picks fairy! I love the knit picks fairy! She gave me a book (Favorite Socks), 2 skeins of sock yarn in meadow multi color, and a collection of DPNs for sock knitting (do you see a theme!!). I can't wait to cast something on with my new DPNs.

Meanwhile I'm knitting on a few projects:

1. River rapids socks by sockbug with Mountain Colors Bearfoot juniper color. I'm not all that happy with it. The yarn is fantastic and I can never go back to that silly Lion Brand sock yarn. But my problems are that it's a little too big. They're not so big that they're falling down, but they fell like they're about to fall down any second. And the color is not showing off the pattern at all. I actually love the way it looks on the bottom of the foot in plain stockinette, but on the leg it's just a big mush. 2. I'm working on my grocery bag, which is extremely boring so I don't work on it too much.
3. And I'm working on my Irish hiking scarf when I'm too tired to pay attention to the sock pattern.

Other than that, lots is going on at home. We're putting the house on the market next week. Although we still have no idea where we're moving or what our jobs will be in 2 months. It's been a super stressful few weeks. OK, off to knit after a full day of scrubbing, pulling down vines, and making trips to the thrift store.

The HP Haze Has Risen

Last night, at 12:30, I finished the last page of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It's the best one yet! But now that it's over I have some time to knit again. I have a few plans for the next few projects:
1. A sockbug sock pattern for my sock knitters anonymous August knit-a-long. I'm going to do River Rapids socks in Mountain Colors bearfoot in Juniper.
2. A shawl for myself. I somehow have no shawl and I could really use one this weekend. It obviously won't be done for this weekend and probably won't even be cast on by then. I'm going to make the Hanging Garden (I think that's the name) from knit picks (I just tried searching for the pattern on their site and can't find it). I'm making it in a midnight color that's actually black and green. It should be nice if I can master the lace. Me and lace have not been friends lately. Socks are so much more fun!!
3. I need to figure out a cable pattern for the sleeves of my boy's sweater. I think I know what I want to do but I just have to get my butt in gear and write out a pattern for it.
4. I HAVE to finish that damn Irish Hiking scarf. It's been a WIP for so long, actually it's probably a UFO by now!!
OK, I've got a plan now, I feel a little less overwhelmed. My stash is slowly starting to creep out of the craft room and I'm afraid it will strangle me in my sleep if I don't use it soon.
Oh, and I'm destashing a little. I'm getting rid of a whole paper bag full of yarn, hopefully. I'm bringing it to my stitch and bitch group tomorrow and I hope someone wants some of it. I tried last week and just brought some homespun, which no one wanted. If no one claims all this other stuff it's going to a thrift store! It's not bad yarn, I'm just never going to use it.

Hip in Hemp Pictures

No new knitting to post, thanks to Harry Potter book 7. But, I sent the hip in hemp skirt to my niece and just got some pictures of her wearing it. Isn't she just adorable!

Grocery Bags

So, I frogged my Breeze socks. It was just not the right yarn for the sock, which I knew in the first place but thought I could get over since it's just a practice lace sock. But then I just couldn't take it. I couldn't put that much effort into something knowing it's going to be crap. So, my next pair of socks is going to have to wait until I do the first sock for the sock a month knit along from sock knitters anonymous on Ravelry. I'm going to be doing the river rapids sock by sockbug. I don't have good yarn for it though. I'm going to wait for my knit picks package to come though cause I ordered some sock yarn from them.

Other than that, I'm just working on a grocery bag:

That's about it for now. I'm desperately waiting for that knit picks package (I don't think it's even shipped yet). I can't wait for my new DPNs.

Oh, and I'm hoping my sister got her package already, if not I'm ruining the surprise. Anyway, I destashed a couple skeins, some needles, and a few patterns to my little sister. She lost just about all her stuff in a fire in her apartment building the other day. The day after I mailed the yarn out I found out my older sister unloaded a big garbage bag full of crap yarn on our little sister. At least one skein I sent her was pretty good, Lamb's Pride worsted.

Fell off the wagon, big time!

My whole destashing project has come to a crashing halt. I got a very generous gift from my aunt for my PhD graduation and I figured I could spend a percentage of it on knitting and the rest would go to paying some bills since I'm barely working. I told my man that I was going to get some nice needles with the money and he said that's boring why don't you buy some pretty yarn. Now how could I say no to that. My man actually encouraged a yarn purchase (not that he has ever had any real objection to yarn). So, I thought a nice sock yarn club would be perfect but of course they're all closed. . . enter lime and violet! They mentioned a new sock club starting in September with Hill Country Yarns. So, that's where part of the money went (and if a spot opens in any of the other sock clubs I'll probably sign up for that too.)

Still having about $50 left of my allotted knitting money I went to knit picks. I got the 0-3 dpn set, the favorite socks book, and 2 skeins of essential sock yarn.

Quite a dive I took off the wagon, but I am getting rid of 4 skeins of homespun baby at my next knitting night.

AN ODE TO PODCASTERS:
I rely on padcasting to get me through the day lately. I can't seem to stand listening to the radio, even NPR has lost all appeal to me. So, my 2 hours of commuting is filled with knitting podcasts, good thing there are plenty of back episodes for me to catch up on. At home I listen to the podcasts when I am walking the dogs. The dogs can't seem to concentrate on conversations when I'm walking them so I need some company. The podcasters are my perfect companion. When I'm just hanging out at home the iPod is always clipped onto my pants. We're in the process of getting the house ready to sell so there is very little down time and I spend most of my time scrubbing, cleaning, and repairing. My favorite of all is stash and burn. It's all about using your stash (which was my goal in knitting until yesterday!) Unfortunately I'm all caught up with back episodes and have to actually wait for new ones to come out. But this one is my reality check. I listen to Brenda and Lime and Violet (and many, many more) and they talk about all this yarn I've never heard of. After a few episodes of that I'm ready to jump on the computer and order from every indie dyer on etsy. That's when I listen to stash and burn. They calculate their yardage and let you know how much yarn they've used. It's pretty scary to even think of how many miles of yarn I have in my stash. And then add on the quilt fabric stash and I'm really screwed. Now I feel guilty about my yarn purchase. I'm going to go knit to make some room for my new yarn. Oh, and another reason stash and burn rocks. . . I didn't even win a contest and they sent me a gift! I guessed correctly about a celebrity and they sent the winner (a randomly drawn person) a cone of yarn and everyone else got stitch markers! Mine are gorgeous!
Thanks!!

Oh, yeah, and what's on my needles. . . elisa's nest tote to use as grocery bags. I'm using some craptastic sugar and cream my sister forced on me when I was visiting her.

Hippie day!

I finished the hip in hemp yesterday! It's sitting on the kitchen table drying.

Need I say more?

I casted on for the breeze socks from Knitty. I'm using some ugly sockotta yarn from my stash. the yarn will look pretty bad with the pattern, but it's my first attempt at lace socks. I was going to switch to being a picker, but I can't quite figure out purling like that so it will have to wait until I'm not dying to make anything and I can practice on a dishcloth.

Oh and I'm destashing 2 skeins. It's a surprise though so I'll share how I destashed later. I need to figure out a new destashing challenge cause. . . I'M GOING TO RHINEBECK!! There is no way that I am going to be able to use up enough yarn to buy even 2 skeins (that would be using up 10 skeins by October!) This is going to require some real thought.

OK, I'm going to spend the rest of my day staring at the hip in hemp skirt. Knitty rocks!!

Just a little obsessed

I don't have any pictures today since I'm posting from work. But they're coming, I just thought I needed to blog a little so my next post isn't ginormous.

First things first, Mr. Chopper has the first leg of his rally obedience novice title. That was the whole reason for my trip up to NY this week and I'm very glad I went to see him. My mom was super nervous the first day but she was much calmer the second day of competition. Although they were running behind by over 2 hours and she was ready to leave cause she thought Chops was too stressed out (oh yes, sleeping in a crate on a beautiful day is stress to my mom!). But me and my sis were able to convince her to stay and that's the day the silly little dog got his first leg! I'm very proud of you Chopper!

Me and my sis went to see Harry Potter while I was home and I was thoroughly unimpressed. I think my problem was I listened to the book on tape right before I went to NY so the whole thing was fresh in my mind and I knew exactly where they strayed from the book and just how much was skimmed over or completely left out. I really think that had I not read the book I would have been totally lost on the plot. At this point I'm going to read the last book out of loyalty to Harry but really am not nearly as interested in it as I once was. I think they've gotten far too long and convoluted story lines for a kids book.

I got some quality knitting time in with my older sister when the whole family came over on Sunday. (I'm all about KIPing and I consider it KIPing when you knit during family functions even if they're in your mom's house.) Anyway, we talked about our future podcast. We were thinking the 3 knitwits but I believe there is already a knitwit podcast. We're going to have to think of a new name, I've got some in mind. And I'm thinking of ideas for segments that aren't done by all the other podcasters. It's all part of my knitting fantasy world. You know the place. That land where I don't have to go to work and yet somehow have a million dollars a year to spend on yarn. That special place where days are endless and you don't have to choose between squeezing in 30 minutes of knitting and taking a shower. In my knitting fantasy world I live in a town filled to the brim with knitters. All social outing involve knitting. A night at the bar. . . sure bring that scarf you've been knitting. A Sunday movie matinee. . . of course we'll leave the lights on in the theater so you can make some real progress on that sweater. Dinner at a friends house. . . handmade knitted hostess gifts are well received.

So, back to the real world. I'm in the process of getting my house ready to sell. My husband will hopefully have a new job lined up soon and we'll be moving. Yipee!! Not that I don't like my house. I actually like it quite a bit and would love to just put an extension on and call it a day. But we live next to a rental property that has been abandoned for up to 6 months at a time. An unmowed lawn with vermin is not what I like to see when I look out of the window. We have no idea where we're going. . . Rhode Island hopefully but probablly going to stay around here in southeastern Virginia. The good thing about selling the house is I have a very good excuse to not go to work. I work about 1 or 2 days a week now, and basically just go in to fill out some paperwork and get a few things done that my advisor needs. It's very low stress but I think about everything that needs to be done at home and I start stressing. We're looking to put the house on the market August 1st or so. Another good thing about getting the house ready is that I can work all day around the house, make dinner, then call it a day and knit all night. I don't have to clean the house at 7 at night, then do the dinner dishes, and walk the dogs. I can get it all done at a decent hour and have my nights free. It has lead to a large amount of knitting actually getting done. It's fantastic! Last night I completely forgot to go to my knitting group. I knit all night though and bound off the last stitch of the hemp skirt as the credits started rolling for Rescue Me. What timing! I've got a few more ends to weave in then I've got to wash and block it and then another WIP finished! Pictures will be up in the next post and hopefully pictures of my niece wearing it very soon.

Oh, and I'm absolutely obsessed with Ravelry. I'm pinsandneedles for anyone else who's on it. And I constantly have my iPod with me so I can listen to knitting podcasts while working on the house and driving in the car. They're will be more on podcasts later this week though. I'm really very obsessed with this whole knitting thing. I have to find a way to make money off of this so I don't have to work again. I'm thinking an etsy shop is on the way. Why didn't I major in knitting in college??

Finished Socks!

WooHoo!!!! I finished my first pair of socks. Just like everyone I've been listening to on podcasts, I'm over the self striping yarn. It was my first pair though and I didn't want to use some nice yarn since I really didn't think I'd ever finish these things! I'm ready for another pair of socks!! I'm going to try the breeze pattern from knitty next. It's an ankle sock with lace so it should be a quick way to try out some lace since it's normally not my friend.

Pattern: Basic sock (on label for yarn)

Yarn: Lion Brand Magic Stripes, color Purple Pattern

Needles: Size 2, bamboo DPNs

And here's the progress on the hip in hemp skirt for my niece

I'm just finishing the last row of the 4th repeat. This is the first repeat with a little bit of lace. 2 more to go. This is knitting up so fast, although it's starting to get a little boring so it may slow down a little.

Destashing

My stash has gotten out of control! I'm beginning my own personal destashing challenge. I can not purchase another skein of yarn until I knit 5 skeins from my stash. Current UFO's not included!! It's going to be extremely hard to do, especially since I'm going to NY next week and my sister is also knitting obsessed. Luckily, my LYS in Virginia is a good 40 minute drive so it's not too tempting to drive up there. But, once I need a new needle to make a project I'll be screwed. I don't think I can actually walk into the store without buying some yarn.

And I've made amajor discovery that will affect the rest of my knitting life. While listening to some back episodes of the knit picks podcast with Kelley Petkun, she was discussing he differences between english and continental knitting. I have been a "thrower" or English knitter since I started but have become completely amazed when I see people knit without all the movement I seem to have. I feel like my right arm is flying all over the plave when I knit. But, being the lazy person I am, I never actually looked for another method. Then in Episode 5 of the podcast Kelley gives the simplest description of being a "picker" or Continental knitter. I was working on the hemp skirt while I was listening to it and played around a little with picking. I absolutely love it! I'm going to switch to being a picker. Unfortunately I have many UFOs that were started as a thrower and I'm sure my gauge will change when I become a picker. So I have to finish all of my UFOs and then I'm going to practice being a picker on a dishcloth or two. I'm so excited to start being a picker! It's going to speed up my knitting so much. I have so many UFOs though, including a large sweater for my husband. I really have to quit my job so I can knit full time!