The Crazy Monkey Socks!

I've cast on the socks found here

Long Time No See Y'all

Where have I been? Ha! No where but the couch and the train to work. I’ve been knitting quite a bit lately and have a few WIPs. I’m still astounded by the many patterns I come across and want to knit but alas have no time or enough hands. Anyway – I’ve been working on several things – one of which I finished and passed on to the recipient yesterday – the 3rd Basket Weave Baby Blanket found here. I found some tulle and made – ok I tried to make the Tiffany Ribbon (you know the one on the little blue boxes) but I ended up just tying the knot and adding a left over pacifier to add to it. I thought it came out just ok – but the recipient was really happ and that just made my day!

I’ve also been working on two – not one but two Irish Hiking Knitting Scarves found here – it’s a great way to practice cables without knitting an afghan or a sweater. I’ll post those photos later.

I’m also working on a Noro Silk Garden Scarf found here. It’s so easy and mindless to work on while watching “24” Yes I know I’m on the late train with 24 – but you know Netflix is a beautiful thing! I don’t have to watch one show a week – I can watch the entire season at once. Jack Bauer is the man!!! Always getting folks outta trouble. I’m on Season Four and it’s starting to pick up. Anyway – if you like to watch old movies or hear about other movies you’d like to see – visit Netflix and see what they can do for you.

An last but not least – I’m working on the Big Bad Baby Blanket from Stitch n Bitch – by Lisa Shobhana Mason. The title means exactly what this pattern is. You start off knitting and think – oh this is a nice simple pattern…and it is. But it feels like you will never ever reach the end. This sucker is huge I tell you huge!!!! Forget the baby – this is a good sized lap blanket. I’m making mine from the Sugar N Cream 14 oz balls of white cotton. I decided to triple the yarn making it extremely heavy and no doubt warm. At this point – it’s almost too heavy to knit. – But since I only have about 7 more inches to go on it – I will knit on….

Read y’all later….by the way – got any good movie recommendations? The Debaters coming out on Christmas Day looks to be pretty good.

Ravelry

Ravelry…what can I say about Ravelry. Well…..I found myself lost in there for about two hours!!!! It was probably a lot longer but I care not to admit that just yet. Ravelry has made me a neglectful blogger – but I promise to change my ways. Fiber Enthusiats come together to share projects with folks all over the world via cyberspace. You could spend hours just looking at all of the beautiful handcrafted items and wishing you could touch and knit/crochet everything you see. I’ve found quite a few projects that I’ve added to my list of things to do, thus making my love of knitting even deeper. This place will definitely affect the starteritis in us all. The real querstion is – can I keep myself from becoming completely obsessed and forget that I need to eat, sleep and bath and (other real life stuff) in order to do all of the projects I see. I certainly hope so....So for now I am limited to visting the site three times a week. Keeps the foolishness at a minimum....and if you happen to look for me there I am missthg....

Random Things

Seven Random Things about the Knitfloozy…..I’ve been tagged by UrbanKnitrix to say seven random things about myself so here goes…

1. I love to sing at the top of my lungs in my car when I’m driving alone not just the featured singer – the background parts too.

2. I love peanut butter and cheese sandwiches

3. I have a crush on LL Cool J (Todd Smith) – those dimples are just amazing!

4. I can fall asleep when DH listens to Pink Floyd in the car at top volume and not hear a thing until the album is over. (Crazy but true)

5. I have a shoe fetish (rockin my stilettos)

6. I am addicted to buttermilk bread

7. I’ve never seen Pulp Fiction all the way through – I fall asleep at the same place every single time in the same spot in the movie and wake back up at the end when they are at the diner at the end of the movie.

Tight Knitting

Hey folks! I’m still here. I haven’t been anywhere except work and home. So what have y’all been up to? I’ve been teaching myself how to read charts and how to actually follow instructions on a pattern. Some patterns you just can’t help but wing your way through and they come out just right. So in my never ending search for patterns I came across some cool socks here. KnittyCent found the coolest yarn on Esty and I just had to have that color. I got my bubble burst when I went to purchase the candy corn yarn and it had all been sold out. Needless to say I was not deterred – I have some purple striped sock yarn that I had frogged from other socks patterns I thought were boring. So in frogging the socks and thinking that I could use the toe up pattern – I managed to mangle the cutesy lace pattern beyond recognition. So guess what I did? I started over only this time from the top of the sock. Did that help? Nope! So I have put the socks down until I can figure out how the heck I can loosen my death grip on the needles and stop knitting so darn tight!!!!

In the mean time I’ve started the Big Bad Baby Blanket from the SNB Nation book. This thing is HUGE!!!! I love it though. I’m about halfway through it and I don’t think I’ll be giving this one away. ? I’ll post some photos of the progress later of the Big Bad Baby Blanket later.

This will end up being for the Knitfloozy’s lap when watching tv or reading a book. Speaking of TV has anyone seen Nip/Tuck? I love it already and it’s only the first episode! I love Christian!!!! He thinks he’s all that and it’s just not happening the way he wanted to! The upcoming episodes look hilarious!!! My favorite reality tv train wreck New York – aka Tiffany Patterson is on one of the episodes. I mean how can you watch the show and not see how twisted folks are and not just love it cos it’s not you? Y’all have a lovely knitting and or crocheting day!

Finishing aint so bad!

In the spirit of finish-it is I have finally completed my Lady Eleanor Shawl!!!! I love it. It’s nice and warm and got lots of compliments on when I went to the Knitting& Crocheting convention in Oakland on Sept. 29th. Many ooh’s and aah’s and can I touch it – I felt like a proud mother! However, I did not add the fringe – I’m not a fringe kinda chick. But for those who did - it looks wonderful on your shawl. tee hee
So again with gauge and measuring – I had no idea it would be so big after I blocked it - I say that because I knitted two extra patter repeats. Yes I feel like I’m still learning about some of the new things that I just keep ignoring about knitting. I can no longer ignore all of the instructions that come with these more complicated patterns. But you know - since it's for me and I found that others have modified patterns they used I guess it's not really a big deal.

I am loving finishing things. I feel so much better emptying out my UFO basket.

Oh the pink baby blanket – I forgot to take a photo of it when I finished it. But the little princess I made it for will be here in four weeks! I’m so excited and cant’ wait to meet her. Here I am with her and mom at her baby shower. Her mother is a fantastic friend and will be a great mommy!

UFO's

I was cleaning out my knitting emails and came across this cute video on unfinished objects. UFO's. I do not feel so bad now about having so many unfinished projects all over creation. I am happy though that I am making progress on the many unfinished items in my knitting basket.

New Baby interruptis....

I got an invitation for a friends baby shower last week and immediately started knitting several of the burp clothes from the Mason Dixon book along with some matching bibs. (Isn’t this the cutest invite?) I wasn’t satisfied with that so I started to knit a blanket I saw on Tricotine’s site. I originally started it with some white Lion Brand Jiffy yarn and immediately frogged it. That yarn just about drove me nuts cos I frogged it three times before I switched yarns. I finally settled on the pound of love and size six needles. I’m glad I switched yarns. (Shawn if you’re reading this before the 15th stop so you won’t see your baby’s blanket!) The I switched to is definately gurly. If she has a boy .... I will be forced to knit a blue blanket...or better yet white cotton. I know, I know - white cotton for a baby blanket - but why not? Cotton is washable and dryable and easy to maintain. Anyway -she will have a blanket and a stack of burp cloths for the new baby.

Now that I’m about half way through this small project I will definitely complete some of the other projects I’ve started. Has anyone else started the Breeze socks in the summer issue of Knitty? I started them and was happy to know that with my limited knowledge of cables that I really was doing them right. I want to take a break from this baby blanket to work on them – but in the spirit of finish-itis I will press on with the baby blanket. Wish me luck in my continued spirit of finish all of the gazillion projects I have started. I hope that all of you are able to catch it as well.

Knit 1 Tea 2 Questionairre

Knit 1 Tea 2 Color Swap Questionnaire
1. Do you like loose tea or bags, or both – something you want to try?
I prefer bags….but I’m willing to try loose tea

2. What is your favorite kind of tea (Brand, flavor, variety, etc)?
Any flavor of mighty leaf tea found here

3. Favorite color in regards to tea or one you would like to try? (black, green, red, and white) (keeping in mind that this is how this swap is set up).
Green

4. Would you say you were a tea pot kind of person or just a hot water heater kind? I like tea pots.


5. What tea accessories would you like but have never purchases for yourself?
I’d love one of those tea pots that sits on top of the cup – like they’re all one piece.

6. How do you prefer to be pampered? (examples: mani/pedi, bubble bath, yummy treat, etc). Mani/Pedi!


7. If you were a kind of yarn what would you be and why?
Cotton – useful in all types of weather….

8. If you had to knit/crochet baby booties, a fun fur scarf, or a fair isle sweater, which would you choose and why? I would knit the baby booties….much easier and I love to see them on their little feet.

9. What other event would make you skip a tea party? (A garden party? A book club meeting? A yoga class? Opening night for a new action thriller? etc?) A chance to get from free Tilly thomas Yarn – the one with the beads on it.


10. What treat would you consider essential at your tea party? (Sweet? Salty? Scones? Those petite pastry trays with a couple of all sorts of things? Little crust less sandwiches?) Petite Fours….you need something to go with the tea….


11. When buying yarn for a project how do you choose - do you buy the one called for or do you substitute? I try to buy the yarn called for if I can get it. Otherwise – I’ll buy one of the suggested substitute.


12. What do you carry your knitting/crocheting in when on the go?
In my ridiculously large purse.

13. Favorite movie to watch while knitting/crocheting?
Any movie will do….

14. Are you a traditional tea cup kind of person or a mug type of person? Do you care if they match? I like traditional tea cups and yes the plate has to match.

15. Favorite childhood birthday party?
5th birthday party…..lots of friends and food

16. Favorite type of scone and jam?
I haven’t tried a scone yet – but I prefer anything that would go with peach or strawberry jam.

17. If you use candles, what is your favorite scent?
Vanilla from Bath & Body Works

18. If you could choose 3 people to have 'tea' with, who would they be and why? (famous or not, living or dead). Oprah, My Mother & My Aunt Cherri

19. You've been invited to a tea party, what 'props' will you wear (formal or casual)? Formal – I love playing dress up – definitely the gloves


20. Any allergies/preferences you have or are willing to admit to?
No allergies
Anything we missed that you want your pal to know? Nope

Finishing is catching on!

Apparently I’ve had a burst of finishing itis – and here is proof! I finished all the ends of all my many dishcloths that I’ve been making for most of my friends. So what did I do to reward myself with the finishing of all my dishcloths? I started making the Argosy Baby Blanket – found here in the Bernat Cotton. It’s pretty cool cos I bought the yarn on ebay about two years ago and found it when re-organizing my stash.

Now I must tell you – I hate reading instructions or working on patterns that require a whole lot of attention. I hate to admit it – but if the pattern doesn’t have an easy pattern to memorize – I’m not real interested in working on it. I see all the cool patterns that I aspire to knit and probably bought all of them so as I grow in my knitting – I will have a pattern to work on when I reach that point in my knitting maturity.

The other thing about knitting complicated patterns – I have tried using all of the cute knitting gadgets that allow you to count the rows as you knit – but nothing has worked for me better than my trusty pencil and post it. I guess every knitter has to find what works for them. Anyway – when I started the blanket the first time – I just about tore my hair out because I thought I had lost my mind completely with the pattern. Turns out it was my lack of attention to the pattern and not tracking where I was with my post-it and pencil. I think I tore it out about seven times before I put it down for about a month. Well some quiet time opened up in my schedule (ok I was knitting at two a.m.) because I refused to let myself be defeated by an easily memorizable pattern. Well lo and behold – the Argosy and I became friends! (I wish I had the same feeling about the Mason Dixon Ball Band Dishcloth) As you can see – I’ve made some progress on this lovely blanket and hope to have it finished by Christmas. We shall see.

I hope all of you had a great weekend. It was a balmy day weekend in Northern California. By the way –go see the The Bourne Ultimatum…..action from the first minute to the last. Matt Damon did really well in this movie.

Dog Days of Summer

I've been so busy reading all of your blogs - I just realized I forgot to post about all the cool stuff I got in my "Dog Days of Summer Swap" My pal is just so generous and we even share the same birthday! How cool is that!?! Here is a photo of the lovely box I received. Im searching for the perfect pattern to use this dishcloth yarn on she sent me! I got two not one cloth!!!! I may become a swap floozy (not ho - that implies that I will do anything for a swap) Ok that one tickled me. Thank you so much swap partner for all my goodies! She even included a minature shoe sure to enable my other fetish....loving my swap partner. I have to say though - I finally got my box together for my partner and it will be going out in the morning. I know for shame for shame....But I hope she really likes it. She is a dog lover so I included some stuff for folks who love dogs and helped with her chocolate fetish. I do believe I'm gonna be a swap lover. I really do like searching the stores and for the things that my swap partners like. Oh to be rich and afford all of the swaps that I want to do....One day...

I have no idea what Ravelry is and I had to just try to sign up. here is my status:

You signed up on August 7, 2007
You are #23623 on the list.
14281 people are ahead of you in line.
2626 people are behind you in line.
34% of the list has been invited so far

How come this silly thing never seems to change? It's been that way for the past two weeks. I'm beginning to think that y'all are making this up....Ravelry is not real. Ok - I've had a glass of haterade cos I'm not one of the cool kids on the ravelry site....

Starteris Progress

Well solving starteritis is easy....start finishing the projects you've started. I finished one! Yay! im on step two.....Step one is admittance - I've admitted that I have starteritis. Step two is picking up one project and finishing it. Here is a photo of one of the many projects I've started. I'm sending this lovely little project to our newest family member. I made this from the lionbrand diagonal baby blanket pattern. It was boring using one color so I went ahead and added a few more shades of blue to make it more interesting. I also made two more dishcloths from the biggest ball of cotton dishcloth that I came across when re-organizing my yarn. I'm on a mission to see how many cloths I can make from this one ball of yarn. I made the princess crown found here and a plain garter stitch cloth to go with it. Boring I know - but I had to knit something.....

Knitting bloggers of the free world….i have an illness – I discovered a name for this illness on the Mason Dixon blog. It’s called starteritis….. Does you have this affliction as well? I swear off all trips to the local yarn store – this only makes the illness worse. Why you ask – because I can’t keep my hands off all of the yarn there intent on seducing it’s way into my stash. Being broke can help this and so can not going to the yarn store. But what is a knitfloozy to do when she finds herself on this side of town to get some calm away from the storm?

I started counting the amount of unfinished projects and projects that I bought yarn for and have yet to start and yes my feelings are hurt and I too have starteritis. I right now have about 13 projects on various sets of needles. I keep telling myself that I will not start another new project until I finish them all. Has this worked? Absolutely not!!!! I seem to keep knitting myself into a deeper hole. I mean - how can one not be excited by all of the cool patterns to knit and since we only have two hands to knit with we must try to knit all of them at once. The good thing is – I’m not alone in my starteritis. I know there are many of you who have this same disease. Hopefully one day I will catch finishingitis so that I can get all rid of this starteritis guilt. *insert big sigh here* Does anyone have the cure in a bottle so I can take two and finish in the morning?

Knitting at the Beach

This past weekend - I spent some time knitting at the beach. The day was so unbelieveably beautiful! I love the beach! I would live there if it weren't so fiduciary irresponsible to my current status. tee hee.. I made two flower dishcloths and one that says yarn girl. I'm working on another one with the words yarn ho on it - but I don't want to give it to someone who would be offended. But those who are yarn ho's (and you know who you are) may just find one in your mail box in the near future... I found these patterns here.

I met some really nice ladies and tried to save a jellyfish that just wouldn't stop washing up on the beach. So I left it alone and let it finish its life. I even left my knitting needles for about an hour and walked down the beach with my new friends. I should've taken more photos - but I was so enthralled with all of the nature at the beach and just happy that the weather was balmy and I even got a little bit of a tan....

Book Covers...

How many times have you come across the unexpected in your knitting? Well last week when I was out and about – I came a across a man who was crocheting. Yes a man. He was sitting outside the McArthur Bart Station in Oakland and I saw him and thought hmmm….a homeless guy who crochet’s for money. Ok that’s a good idea. I smiled – and said hello and told him that I knit and he said he – if you’re a knitter you should have your needles with you! But of course I did – what other reason is there to carry a big purse. He then explained that he can’t knit but would be happy to teach me anytime how to crochet.

I started to walk away and get back to my travels and then decided – I want to learn something new today. I wasn’t hesitant to sit and crochet with a stranger because of the smile he had on his face and the people he spoke to while he was making a hat.

The truth of the matter is – he like everyone else has had some tough times. He had a period in his life where he wanted to jump out of the rat race and just be anonymous. He said that his grandmother had given him a Bible and told him he needed to go to church. Well – he ignored her plea – but kept the Bible. He dropped out of sight for about three to four months and his family was crazy with worry about him. As it happens on Bart sometimes – there are incidents on the train that news crews happen to show up. His sister’s saw him on the news and were thrilled that he was alive.

Anyway – he said his life started to turn around because he picked up the Bible his granny had given to him and read it cover to cover (thank God for praying grandmothers). He also said three to four months ago – he could not have cared less about his Bible - nor could you have spoken to him about religion in any shape form or fashion. He now has folks coming to pray with him, have Bible study with him and just give him a kind word.

There was a bus driver there when I met him and after he walked away to finish his route, Rick told me that the bus driver walked up to him one day and said – you will make 200 hats this week…don’t worry about where the yarn is going to come from. He said Nicol – do you know that I made 500 hats that week and the yarn just kept pouring in from all kinds of people.

Turns out – he’s not homeless (didn’t Mom tell you not to judge a book by its cover?). He decided this is what he wants to do. Crochet hats for a living. He is self taught and has in the last three years created over 5,000 hats. He’s donated some to the Oakland’s Children’s Hospital to the kids in the cancer ward. He’s given to mothers who have lots of children but need warm hats for the winter. A kind hearted soul.

During the time I spent learning how to crochet – about 10 or so people got off the train and said hello, said I will be back for my hats, or placed an order with him. The longer I sat there – the more I knew I’d made a good judgment call stopping to get a free crochet lesson. By the way – he crochet’s one hat every hour. He’s there everyday and would be happy to teach you how to crochet if you ask. By the way - if you stop by there – tell my new friend Rick I said hello. (Oh yeah – I had my son take two boxes of yarn to him in exchange for my free lesson)

Glutton for Punishment

Am I a glutton for punishment or what? I was perusing my local yarn store on Sunday to learn a stitch I’d not done before. Nothing wrong with that – people do it all the time. I saw this beautiful lace shawl and decided – I can do that. The yarn is so sumptuous and soft and I know I should have kept my hands to myself – but how does one go into a yarn shop and not fondle all the pretty yarn?

So I read the pattern and thought hmm this looks fairly easy – the instructions are clear. I mean really – how hard can it really be? I’m an intelligent person who can read patterns. This can’t possibly be that hard. I was more wrong than two left shoes. It makes the Lady Eleanor shawl look like knitting 101. How come nobody told me that the silk yarn will slide back and forth over the needles causing you to drop stitches that you can’t really see because the yarn is so fine? How come nobody told me that you need peace and quiet to do lace? And how come nobody told my I would stab my fingers way more than I do when I check my blood sugar? I guess I’m just a glutton for punishment.

And to make matters worse – I stumbled on to a blog that has the tessellating fish afghan on it. I know the colors that I want to use – of course none of them are already in my stash…that would be way to easy right? In order for me to create the fish blanket – I gotta de-stash what I have now. I have decided to only buy yarn for projects that I am currently working on. Yeah I know every knitter goes through this – but I will do my best to make it happen. Am I laughing while typing this? Absolutely!!! I mean it! No more random yarn buying! OK now I’m laughing so hard I'm crying! I managed to tickle myself with that one. Seriously…stop laughing! It’s not funny…ok I’m still giggling…

SANDAL PLEDGE

Please raise your BIG TOE and repeat after me: As a member of the Faux Paux Sisterhood, I pledge to follow the rules when I wear sandals and other open-toe shoes:

1. I promise to always wear sandals that fit. My toes will not hang over and touch the ground, nor will my heels spill over the backs. And the sides and tops of my feet will not pudge out between the straps

2. I will go polish-free or vow to keep the polish fresh,intact and chip-free. I will not cheat and just touch up my big toe

3. I will sand down any mounds of skin before they turn hard and yellow

4. I will shave the hairs off my big toe

5. I won't wear pantyhose even if my misinformed girlfriend,coworker, mother, sister tells me the toe seam really will stayunder my toes if I tuck it there

6. If a strap breaks, I won’t duct-tape, pin, glue or tuck itback in to place hoping it will stay put. I will get my shoefixed or toss it. No matter how much it hurts

7. I will not live in corn denial; rather I will lean on my good friend Dr. Scholl's if my feet need him

8. I will resist the urge to buy jelly shoes at Payless for the low, low price of $4.99 even if my feet are small enoughto fit into the kids' sizes. This is out of concern for my safety,and the safety of others. No one can walk properly whenstanding in a pool of sweat, and I would hate totake someone down with me as I fall and break my ankle

9. I will take my toe ring off toward the end of the day if my toes swell and begin to look like Vienna sausages.

10. I will be brutally honest with my girlfriend/sister/coworkerwhen she asks me if her feet are too ugly to wear sandals.Someone has to tell her that her toes look like they've beendragged behind her car on the way to work and no sandal in the world is going to make her feet look good

11. I will promise if I wear flip flops, that I will ensure theyactually flip and flop, making the correct noise while walkingand I will swear NOT to slide or drag my feet while wearingthem

12. I will promise to go to my local beauty school at leastonce per season and have a real pedicure (they are about $15and worth EVERY penny) I say spend another $15.00 and get a even better one.And finally...

13. I will promise to throw away any white/off-white sandalsthat show signs of wear...nothing is tackier than dirty whitesandals...

Dog Days of Summer

Do you knit, or crochet, or do both? How long have you been knitting\crocheting? I am currently a knitter…would love to learn how to crochet

Have you knit dishcloths or dishtowels before? I have only knit a set for myself

What are your favorite cotton yarns? Is there a cotton or linen you’ve been dying to try but have not? My favorite is Lion Brand’s Cottonease but would love to dry the CotLin that Knitpicks sell

Are there any cotton yarns you don’t enjoy knitting with? I haven’t met a cotton I don’t like

What type of needle do you prefer using? (Metal/Wood/Plastic) Metal – addiTurbos all the way

What other projects do you enjoy knitting or crocheting? I am learning to like socks.

Do you have other hobbies or enjoy other kinds of crafting? I make jewelry as well

What kind of treats do you like? Chocolate? Candies? Nuts? I love Lorna Doones and Pecan Sandies and those pink Peanut Patties I can only find in Texas

What colors are your kitchen and bath decorated in, if any? Black & White

What are your favorite colors and what colors do you dislike? I love all colors!

Do you drink coffee? Tea? Other beverages? I drink Might Leafy Tea (mightleaf.com) my favorite flavor is the Mint Tea

Do you have any kids (human or pet variety!)? I have two boys

Do you have any allergies? Allergic to smoke

Please share 3 tidbits about yourself that you think your pal and other swappers might find odd or interesting. I absolutely love to eat peanut butter and cheese sandwiches. I refuse to ever eat sushi/shashimi again (it ain’t natural). I love to buy shoes – but you will find me barefoot most of the time.

iPhone

I cannot say that I don’t want one. I do – but not for practical reasons . I wanna be one of the cool kids on the block with the cool new toy. I don’t need it. I want it. I am currently riding public transportation to work (BART) and having a cell phone and an iPod in one unit would be more ideal for me. I don’t like having two devices to navigate while knitting. I mean really – what knitter wants to put down her needles and take off her head phones to answer the phone for a “Mom, can I ………? (insert previously denied request here) call. My time with my iPod and my needles are my sanctuary from Goldie - you know the guy with the nappy chest hair who wants to talk to you and you haven’t given him the slightest reason even speak to you. OK granted the knitting needles are always an open invitation for the perennial – what are you making question – but I don’t wanna be hit on! Anyway – with all of the hype – I wanna be caught up in the hype and have a cool new toy to play with use. I tell you I couldn't convince Honey Bear to spring for one. I’ll quite playing the role of the spoiled brat and be happy that he hasn’t commented on the yarn stash that doesn’t seem to be depleting no matter how man projects are on the needles. *SIGH* still lusting after the iPhone….

Virtual Vacation Swap

This is my virtual vacation swap questionnaire. I read this and realized I am getting really boring in my old age….

1. If you could visit any state in the US , which would it be and why?
Florida – I love the weather and the beaches

2. If you could visit any country in the world, other than your own, which would it be and why? Greece – It’s a beautiful country that still looks untouched by tourists.

3. Have you ever driven across several states/providence/countries?
Yes – I’ve driven from Dallas to New Orleans on a girls only road trip.

4. Have you ever visited someplace you consider exotic? Where was it?
Not yet! (unless you count las vegas - I saw some exotic looking people while there )

5. What was your favorite "travel" vacation? Why?
My favorite vacation was to New Orleans . The food and music were incredible.

6. Have you ever played tourist in your own home city/state (if international, country)? Explain. No

7. Are you a museum visitor, beach comer or an amusement seeker? Beach comber

8. What's your favorite type of yarn? Debbie Bliss Cotton Denim

9. What's your least favorite type of yarn? Red Heart acrylic

10. What items do you like to knit/crochet? I love to knit dishcloths – instant gratification

11. What do you pack, knit/crochet wise when you go on vacation?
dishcloths, small baby items

12. What other crafts do you do/would like to do other than Knit/Crochet? jewelry

13. Are you allergic to anything? (Yarn wise or treat wise)
walnuts – all yarn is safe with me

14. What is your favorite color? Least Favorite?
Favorite color is any shade of blue or green. I don’t have a least favorite

15. Sweet or Savory (Treat not personality)? Sweet

16. Anything else we are forgetting to ask that you think your partner desperately needs to know?
No
http://virtualvacationswap.blogspot.com/

So I was visiting one of my favorite blogs Grumperina and she had this cool looking blanket called the Curlieque Coverlet on her site. I went on a mission like a mad woman to find this blanket – ordered it and began. Now I realize that I should have heeded the warning about it being a difficult project. That wouldn’t be any fun if I did that. I with my cotton yarn and KnitPicks needles in hand went on a mission. I completely struggled through and frogged the first section of the blanket – fourt times. Once I finished Section one – I went on to section two. This is my progress so far. I’ll keep ya updated. I’m sooo ready to pull my hair out working on this one right now. I need to concentrate on this with no one in the room. Lots of counting – but I refuse to give up on it.

Wahoo!!!!

Today is my birthday!! Most people don't celebrate their birthdays once they get past 25 - which I find hilarious. I heard a lady once describe her 36th birthday at the 11th anniversary of her 25th birthday - i thought ok. So I am celebrating the 12th anniversary of my 25th brithday! I will post photos later of some stuff that I do today....I'm almost done with my Denim Lady Eleanor Shawl from the book Scarf Style by Pam Allen - editor of Interweave Knits. Down to one skein!!!!! This is soooo ecxiting! I know it's to warm to wear it right now - but this is a feat to be reckoned with. I started this shawl one week after mothers day - so I'm excited that it's almost done. Since I've been taking BART to work and knitting a lot of comments - all positive on how intricate this pattern really is. One man started to tear up because he said he'd not seen anyone knit since his mother knit in Japan years ago as a child. He said that it made hime remeber all of the good things she used to knit for him and his ster. A couple of best friends said they couldnt figure out how to do this - so I let them practice a few short rows on it. Another lady completely unrolled it and fondled it while I was knitting on the other end. I had no idea how many people were enamored with knitting. And the one day that I didn't have it with me - apparently I'd made an impression because another lady who rides the train asked me where was the beautiful shawl I was working on! I have to say - you can make friends anywhere when you have some knitting needles in your hand! oh yeah....happy birthday to me!!!

I know I know I haven’t updated this blog in awhile. I’ve been working! YAY income is always good. Anyway – I gave up on the pink Lady Eleanor Shawl I started. I had too many mistakes in it and tried very hard to frog the shawl. Imagine my surprise when I found out that when knitting with small needles with Noro Silk Garden – it tears every six inches or so. So I had to just throw it all away. Oh the pain of tossing all of that work. That lesson has been learned. So what did I do? I purchased some more Noro Silk Garden in the hard to find denim color way and used the correct sized needle and would you believe I’m almost done? (The photo on the left of the greenish blue is actually hanging form my dining room chair.)I thought that it would take me about three or four months to complete it – but it’s been only since mother’s day (about five weeks) that I’ve been working on it and look at my progress. I’m soooooo stoked and ready to wear it. Never mind that it’s 87 degrees right now – but fall will come again soon and Lady E and I will become close friends.

Dishcloths

Love is in the air! I love knitting dishcloths! Talk about instant gratification!!!! It's one way to get something done without the long comittment to a long complicated project. And then I give them away and or use them in the kitchen! Sacreligous you say? Not at all. It's a work of art that is also usable!!!

Peanut Butter & Jelly

Ever have a favorite uncle who teaches you cool things? I had one and he was more like a big brother than an uncle. He played with me when I was a kid. I pulled the white striping off his car because I thought it was tape. He didn't punish me. He just shook his head. We had shoe fights, water balloon fights and my favorite was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He also gave me a love of good music. What does any of this have to do with knitting? Our family lost him two years ago and I miss him terribly.

When I learned how to knit I had a bunch of purple and tan homespun yarn and was experimenting with the colors to create blankets that didn't have boring color palattes. I starting making the blanket i started to notice the colors strongly resembled a peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich. So that's what I called it. I've since made several of these blankets and I'm happy to report - everyone loves their peanut butter and jelly blankets....

Progess

I've made some progress on my Lady Eleanor Shawl. I can't wait to finish it! I'm about 1/4 of the way through it. Who knew that you really needed to use sixe 10 needles instead of size 7. It's gonna be ready for fall at this pace....

So this is what I've been working on for the past couple of weeks. I have almost shed tears for this shawl but I',m determined to finish it. I'll post some more photos of my progress later on today.

Wow...

Hello it's been awhile since I posted anything to my blog. That's because I've been busy knitting. I've discovered a love of knitting dishcloths and have been knitting them like crazy. I plan to give them all away...ok not all but a good portion of them. my dishcloth drawer is over flowing... So if I know you - you just may find one in your mailbox....