Mystery Theme Swap 2

Thanks to everyone for their lovely comments on the sweater & socks! They gave me warm, fuzzies! :)

I just wanted to let you all know that I've started registration for round 2 of the Mystery Theme Swap. Come, join us. You know you want to. ;)

Now It Can Be Shown

I hope everyone had a safe & happy holiday! With x-mas over I can now finally show you what I've been working on for the last 3 months!

This is the Ultimate Gift sweater by Michele Rose Orne knit in Silky Wool on size 4 (yes, US4!) needles.

This was definitely the most ambitious project I've ever knit and I'm so thrilled that a. I finished it in time, b. it looks nice, and c. it fits! And most importantly, honey loves it!

The pattern was pretty easy to follow, but the staggered cables were a pain to keep track of. Because of that I would rate it a difficult. Really, the most difficult part was sewing it up. I've never made a sweater with set-in raglan sleeves before, but I really like the way it looks!

The other project you've already seen, but here are the completed socks upon the feet of their recipient!
Because a few of you have expressed interest in the pattern I will be writing it up. However, you're going to have to wait a little bit for it. I think I've figured out how to make the pattern work top-down, and want to give that a go before posting it. Also, I think I might have a few people give this one a "test knit" before posting the pattern for general consumption.

My Soundtrack

Here's a little music meme I swiped from Devin's blog. It looked like fun!

RULES:
1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question even if it doesn’t make sense. NO CHEATING!
4. tag someone.
5. Optional: Give your own comments on how it (the song title) relates to the question.

Opening Credits : Opera Singer by Cake

Waking Up : Tender Love by Jill Sobule

First Day of School : Army Ants by Tom Waits

Falling In Love : Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

Losing Your Virginity : American Music by Violent Femmes (not the most suitable song by them, but close!)

Fight Song : Memories (Can't Wait) by Talking Heads

Break Up : The Ledge by Fleetwood Mac

Prom : Wounded Horse by XTC

Life : Cupid's Got A Brand New Gun by Michael Penn

Mental Breakdown : Gli Impermeabili by Paolo Conte

Driving : Johnsburg, Illinois by Tom Waits

Flashback : Baby You're A Rich Man by The Beatles

Getting Back Together : Here I Am by Lyle Lovett (very appropriate!)

Wedding : When The Hangover Strikes by Squeeze (lol)

Birth of a Child : Out The Window by Violent Femmes

Final Battle : Mother by Tori Amos

Death Scene : My Humps by Black Eyed Peas

Final Credits : Joe Harper Saturday Morning by Van Morrison

Sequel Teaser Trailer : Aquarium by Robyn Hitchcock

Very silly fun! Ok, I tag Joanne & Mary! :)

Happy Ho Ho Ho To You!

X-mas knitting finished in the nick of time, cookies baked, house cleaned, presents wrapped, dinner prepared & waiting to go in the oven!

Now time to grab some hot cocoa and watch A Christmas Story.

Hope everyone has a happy & safe holiday!

Why Can't We Be Friends

Not usually the type of thing that I post here, but it's something that I've been pondering the last few days.

Within Ravelry there is a groups/forum page. It's wonderful, it allows people to make specialized group based on interest. I'm in quiet a few and every one has it's own group dynamic, although most are dominated by the posts of just a handful of members.

Now I am the first to admit that I am not everyone's cup of tea. I've always had very few, select friends. I sometimes feel like I'm a cult film, not for general consumption but loved by those few who get me.

That being said, there is one particular group that I'm involved in that I thought I would fit right in with. I really enjoyed it for about a month until it started to be dominated by just a few people and I realized that my opinions were drastically different from those that were being espoused. And being the type of person who dislikes conflict, I don't feel comfortable making my opinions known because I'm afraid that a. it would hurt someone's feelings and b. I would be attacked for them. So instead of having an actual debate about things, I sit here reading posts and start to feel contemptuous of the people who are posting.

It all makes me think that I should just leave the group, which makes me very sad.

Help Name A Sheep, Win Valuable Prizes!

My dear Hogwarts Sock Swap partner is having a contest for her 100th post! Go check it out!

Ok, off to frantically knit.. how many days left till Christmas? EEK!

Inner Daemon

If, like I, you've read the His Dark Materials series by Phillip Pullman, you are probably geeked about the movie coming out as well. I just found out that the website allows you to see what your daemon is, and allows others to comment on your daemon to make sure that it really fits your personality! :) Here's mine...



If you don't think this quite fits me, click on the "is my daemon a match" link above & answer a few questions. You can change Klitus and help determine his final shape! XD

Not Much

That's what's been going on. Ok, a LOT has been going on, but not much worth noting.

The Mystery Swap is wrapping up.. I've only got about 5 people left who haven't received their packages yet and most of those are caught up in the backlog from the UK postal strike. There were some ups & downs with this, but overall I'm happy with the way it went and my participants seem to be very happy so all is well. I'm actually going to do a round 2 in January! :)

The Circus was in town this past weekend and we got to hang a bit, which was nice. My sis & Autumn went to their show. I think sis enjoyed it, but Autumn not so much. Still a little young for this type of thing I think. She said she liked the music, but she was bored before the first song finished and was extremely tired by the end of the night. Kris won't be doing much with the band this month because the acquisition of our office should be finalized soon and he will be a busy boy during the change over. We will definitely be working the New Year's Eve show in Philly though, it sounds like I'll be doing video for them.

Knitting has been happening, but not as much as I would like. I'm glad that I limited my X-mas knitting this year. As it is I'm not sure I will get it all done in time. :( However, I am just about done with my shopping! Yippie!

Zombie Love

As some of you know I am a bit of a horror freak, and I have a particular soft spot for zombies. My dear hubby found this for me yesterday.

The singer is Jonathan Coulton, who we were actually introduced to by our niece Sofia this summer. She is a fan of the Code Monkey song. Funny stuff.

Ups & Downs

It has been a roller-coaster week of stress. On Tuesday we had an all-company meeting, the topic of which was top secret until we arrived. I actually knew some of what was going on thanks to Kris being management & all, but people were seriously wigged out all day. So what's going on? We are in the process of being sold to a big, public corporation. This isn't a big surprise to people, AMG has been on the market for the entire time Kris has worked there (6+ years). And the company that is buying us seems to be genuinely interested in preserving the company culture as much as possible. However, it is a big transition with lots of small unknowns that are causing big stress for most of us. Especially since the sale will most likely be finalized around Christmas and they have stated there will be a few "redundancies". Thankfully I know my job is safe and we have had assurances that Kris' position is safe as well. But nothing is finalized yet and I'll not be easy until it is.

Goddess? Well, Maybe...

I've seen this quiz before, but don't remember every taking it. Apparently I'm a...

What Kind of Knitter Are You?

You appear to be a Knitting Goddess. You are constantly giving and are unconcerned with reward, you simply want others to love knitting as much as you do. If someone wants to knit miles of novelty yarns, you are there for them. If someone wants to learn short row shaping, you can help. There are no taboos in knitting, only opportunities to grow. Everyone should have friend like you around if they want to learn to knit, and there's a good chance that your passion has rubbed off on a few others.http://marniemaclean.com Take this quiz!

Happy Halloween!

She's so evil, even the eyes glow! ;)

I hope everyone had a great & safe holiday! I got home to find my sister & Autumn had already arrived at my house for some trick or treating! My Mystery Swap package had also arrived, but it would have to wait until later. We had a quick pizza dinner and took off, leaving Kris in charge of handing out the candy.

After her bag was full and they left for home I finally got to open my package!

Items individually wrapped & numbered
to heighten the suspense!

4 skeins of Blue Sky Alpaca yarn (how did she know I’m a sucker for alpaca?!), bamboo needles, point protectors, and The Knitter’s Bible Knitted Accessories book. She picked the Magic Mitten Gloves for me. I absolutely love the pattern and am currently fighting the urge to shove my other projects aside and start this right away.

The theme she picked was Autumn, and I think Meaghan filled it perfectly!

Overwhelmed!

I got home today to find a lovely package on my doorstep! It's my Knitter's Tea Swap 4 package from the fantabulous Ruth! I have to say this was the most fun I've ever had with a swap. When I got my partner assignment I thought they had made a mistake at first and sent me my own questionnaire back, our answers were almost identical! Ruth is just a great person, I'm so glad I got to meet her! Ok, now for the goodies...

Everything individually wrapped
with neat little tags!

Bounty of goodies! Lime & Violet yarn in Greensleeves, CTH in Misty Moor, 3 packages of loose leaf Darjeeling!! (2 black & 1 green), 1 box of Organic Green Darjeeling bags, Honey, Honey dipper, Mesquite incense, beeswax bear candle (labeled as a b-day gift), assorted Dark Chocolate, Vanilla wafers, sock pattern, toys (notice the awesome boxing frog pen!) & treaties for the babies (organic cat nip & raw hide -see below)!

Corrina enjoying her treat.
She thinks Ruth is awesome too!

I am completely overwhelmed! She definitely went above and beyond and I'm feeling a bit guilty that I didn't do more for her. Her package is currently waiting at the post office for her and I really hope she likes it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Autumn's Bittersweet Heart

That's the tentative name I've got for these socks. I've finished the first & am really happy with it so far. I'm casting on the second tonight and will hopefully get a fair bit done this weekend. I'm really glad I went with the folded picot edge for this, I think it really finishes the sock off well.

I wasn't going to post about them until after Christmas, but I just couldn't wait.

So, Autumn... No Peeking!

Tagged

I know I've been remiss on the posting, but I didn't really have any updates for you. Luckily, I've been tagged for a meme by Anita from the Mystery Swap.

The Rules:Once tagged, you must link to the person who tagged you. Then post the rules before your list, and list 8 random things about yourself. At the end of the post, you must tag and link to 8 other people, visit their sites, and leave a comment letting them know they’ve been tagged.

1. I turned 35 yesterday. Ouch.
2. The first time I went to college I majored in Theater. I dropped out after the 1^st semester. When I went back to college I majored in Psychology & minored in Philosophy, so I could be completely unemployable. I need 20 credits to graduate, but I haven’t taken classes for 6yrs.
3. I LOVE horror movies & books. I watched my first horror movie when I was 6 and have been addicted ever since.
4. I am clumsy. Very clumsy. I am constantly dropping things at work and have fallen down the stairs (usually sliding on my ass) many times. I also trip over my own feet.
5. I’ve been going through infertility treatments on & off for about 8 yrs and am about to give up.
6. I hate cleaning. Really, really hate it.
7. My dream is to own a yarn store. I have no idea what to do to accomplish this.
8. I am terrified of spiders.
   

Let's see, who to tag. Joanne, Mary, Denise, Ruinwen, Devin, Ruth and anyone else who might want to do it. Can't think of 2 more right now. :)

Indian Summer

Gosh its hot. Mid-80s here today. Had to turn the air conditioning on as soon as I got home. It's supposed to be in the mid-upper 80s all weekend. This is definitely not proper weather for October in Michigan! And I was just getting all my sweaters out. :(

So, you're probably wondering if I've actually been knitting lately. I have been, but it's all on super-secret Christmas stuff, which makes posting about it neigh on impossible! Still, I am making good progress and am about 1/4 way through the big one.

That's about it for now. Excepting that I want to put in plug for Bryan Fuller's new series Pushing Daises. It's great fun. Very whimsical, and Jim Dale was narrating the first episode! It's also keeping in the Fuller tradition of calling female characters by male names (George, Reggie, Jaye & Chuck!). I hope this series lasts, I was very upset when Wonderfalls was canceled... I wrote my very first angry letter to a network because of it! :)
So... check it out. The first episode is available for streaming on ABC's website.

Knitters Tea Swap

So no sooner do I complete all the swaps I'm involved with (not counting the one I'm hosting), but then I go and sign-up for another!

This one I've been waiting for though. I always seem to miss the deadline. Sign-ups started today & will end once there are 200 participants. I'm so excited! :)

One Happy Ravenclaw

My package from Avada arrived today! Whee! She told me the other day that she was finishing much sooner than anticipated and should be mailing soon. She certainly spoiled me!

Super comfy House Socks, pretty stitch markers, Empress size 2 needles, Cascade fixation yarn, pedicure set, lotion, magnet, Harry notepad, dark chocolate (mmmm moose munch, won't last long...) & jam! I'm overwhelmed!

Not only were there yummy treats for me, but there were even goodies for Corrina. The greenie is already history and the freezer pops are being eagerly awaited. :)

Close up of stitch markers

Ravenclaw House Socks

The socks fit perfectly & are super comfy. They are warming the feets even as I type! :) Thanks so much for making this the most fun swap ever!

My Friday Night

Grant you, kinda boring & fuddy-duddy but more excitement than I usually have! So what are the little doughballs? Well, you may remember me writing of the fantastic bagels my bil made for us when we were out in Seattle. Honey tried to make them the weekend after we go back, but they didn't turn out quite right. I think its because he just scooped the flour into the batter with the measuring cup instead of measuring it properly. The dough was extremely stiff, but the bagels were still quite tasty. So last night I decided to give it a try myself!
This is what they looked like before being put into the frig overnight. And this is what they look like after being baked this morning...

Bagel with asiago cheese,
oregano & basil

OMG! I am the bagel master! XD Seriously, best bagels ever! The recipe is quite easy, it's just a bit time consuming what with waiting for the dough to rise and all, and the ingredients are what most people already have in their house except for the yeast and the malt powder, which we couldn't even find and used malt syrup instead. I'm so excited! All my previous attempts at any kind of bread making were disasterous (not counting quick breads which don't have yeast). I think I'll be making these for Christmas morning. :)

Muggle Post Comes Through

My fair Gryffindor's package arrived safely! Yippie! And she's loves it! XD

So, now I can talk about what I sent. First off, I want to show you the adorable stitch markers I got for her from Sunneshine's Etsy shop.

Aren't they friggin' adorable?! Sunneshine is a great seller too, they arrived within 2 days of me ordering them!

Ok, now for the socks.
I made her Fawkes socks using Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome in Sugar Maple. Let me say, totally love that yarn! It's the first time I've used it but it won't be the last. Really, a super joy to knit with! So soft & warm, unfortunately it's not superwash, but it's worth the little extra care.

Pattern Notes: I used size 2 dpns for this pattern. Really easy lace pattern. Quickly memorized & very quickly knit. Unfortunately the flame pattern doesn't pop as much with the variegated yarn, but I think its lovely anyways. Will probably knit these again.

This was actually the 3rd pattern, as well as the 3rd yarn choice I had for this swap. I initially picked one of the simple house sock patterns, then the quidditch socks. I was unable to get proper sizing with either even though I was using the recommended needles & yarn (Lang's Jawoll), which is really crappy yarn & will never be purchased by me again. Seriously, bleck! I will mostly likely just bin the skeins I have.

So that's it for me with the swapping for now. Avada is about half-way done with my socks and will mostly likely be sending my package towards the end of October, which is the actual ship date. The Mystery Theme Swap I'm hosting has finished registration & I've got 54 people signed up! I'm just managing this, unless someone backs out. :)

Worky Work, Busy, Busy

Most of my free time lately has been spent getting the Mystery Theme Swap up & running. It's been a lot of work, but I'm enjoying it. I hope it comes off well.

Anywho. I'm just popping in here for a quick update until things settle down a bit. My package for the Hogwarts Sock Swap was sent off a month early, in typical Ravenclaw over-achiever fashion, and my Gryffindor pal, Avada, should be receiving it either today or Monday. I'm so excited. I hope she likes it!

Also, I have started on my Christmas knitting. A pair of socks is on the needles for one lucky recipient. And one very lucky person will be getting something made with this...
No details will be given at this time in case said person decides to read my blog. :)

So, now I'm off to do some knitting & a bit more organizing. It will probably be several days before I can post again, so I will leave you with a bit of Corrina cuteness.

"Stay away from my chicken if youse
knows whats good for youse"

Ravelry Summer Camp

My package arrived today! Yippie! (Click for big)

Contents: letter from home, pencils, pens, pencil sharpener,
Phoenix h&g mag., Russel Stover Chocolates, H&D cherries,
bracelet & Radiant Twist yarn

Close-up of yarn

Thanks so much Robyn, it's a wonderful package. I've already broken into the chocolate and can't wait to knit something with that gorgeous yarn... probably socks :)

I Must Be Crazy...

I've decided to host my very own swap! :) It's open to knitters & crocheters and is an international swap. The idea is that you will know who your partner is but the theme of your package will be a mystery. All skill levels are encouraged to participate. You won't have to make anything for your partner, just send them everything they need for a small project based on the theme you select for them. The swap will run from October 1st-November 2nd and I will accept sign-ups until Sept. 24th.

If you are interested, please see Mystery Theme Swap for details.

Happy Feet

That's what I've got since my Sockapalooza package arrived this afternoon! Wanna see?
This package was definitely worth the wait! Not only does it include one gorgeous pair of socks what fit perfectly, but it also contains a skein of Schaefer Anne, a skein of Austermann Step, and a mystery skein that I assume the fabulous Wendy dyed herself. There's a set of pretty blue stitch markers and a new chibi to boot! It also contains a ring pop, pop rocks & fruity mentos! I feel so spoiled! Below are a couple pics of the socks. The first shows of the the lace pattern well & the second shows the purty turned picot edge!
The pattern is Elfines by Anna Bell, which is such a lovely pattern I put it in my queue, and was knit using Crystal Palace's Panda Wool in Violets. The bamboo content gives this yarn such a lovely sheen that doesn't really come through in the picture.
Thank you thank you thank you! I absolutely love them! XD

Seattle Story

One of Seattle's pigs

I don't want to give a long, drawn out account of our trip. Frankly, we didn't do much. Our purpose was to hang out with family & friends and to finally meet little Declan. This we did, and we had a wonderful time. I'm just sorry our trip was so short.

Declan's feet in the socks I knit

The t-west contingency was very kind to put up with us for the weekend, we are such trying creatures. Honey's brother even made us homemade bagels on Saturday morning! Next time we will have to stay longer so we can have more time with everyone and maybe have time to hit the yarn shops. :)

BTW- with all of that time on planes (6+hrs each way), I was able to finish my Gryffindor socks! The package is almost ready to go, I just need to pick up some goodies...

Wilton Dyeing

'Twas a very dreary, rainy weekend & I had nothing to do. So I headed off to yonder Michaels and procured a quantity of icing dyes. What follows is a pictorial representation of events. :)

Honey stated that this "looks like a tie-dye exploded!"
But in a good way.

Behold the finished skeins!

The skeins are much lovelier when viewed individually, but I thought this post was already a bit picture heavy.

The 2 skeins on the left are worsted weight and were my 1st skeins dyed. I hand-painted them and then tried to set them by simmering them in a pot. The colors ran too much and muddied, so I ended up overdyeing them. They turned out pretty good considering.

The 2 skeins on top right are fingering weight (sock yarn). They are self-striping and were dyed using the same method as my previous kool-aid dye session.

The 3 skeins on bottom right are hand-painted and were set using the microwave.
I'm really pleased with this batch of dyeing. The wilton dyes are easy to use and blend soooo much better than the kool-aid. The colors are more vibrant as well, although they still pale next to professional acid dyes. However, I don't have a dedicated dye-space, so the non-toxic food coloring will work for me for now.

BTW- I will be off for a few days. Honey & I are going to Seattle on Friday to finally meet Declan and hang out with his parents as well as Honey's brother & family. It's a short trip, only for the weekend, but well worth it. I will be sure to give the rundown when I return! :)

If That's What You're Into

Finished the first Gryffindor sock! Whee! 4th time's the charm apparently. I'm very pleased with the pattern and the resulting sock. Seriously loving this yarn too. It's the first time I've knitted with this particular brand, but it definitely won't be the last. Yummy!

In Sockapalooza news, my downstream pal finally received her package! I was so worried that it was held up in customs or lost. Such a relief! And she appears to like her package! Yippie! My upstream pal contacted me last week to let me know that I'm not forgotten and that she is almost done. I hope to have my package within the next week or so.

In other news, Honey & I have been catching up on episodes of Flight of the Conchords On Demand, thanks to the encouragement of Joanne. OMG! This is my favorite show right now (aside from Dr. Who). So incredibly funny! And the song spoofs are brilliant! The stars are a comedy team from New Zealand, and the premise of the show is that they are a band from New Zealand trying to make it in New York City. Honey says that it shows everything about the music business that Spinal Tap missed. The "Bowie" episode is particularly great. Here's a little taste... (Psst, this isn't for the kiddies!)

The Owl Has Landed!

Hallelujah! The new sock yarn has arrived! My poor owl is getting quite a workout with all my indecision on this project! The red isn't as dark as I had hoped, and there is a little bit of orange in the yarn, but I think it will work perfectly with the pattern I have chosen. I just hope my fair Gryffindor pal will be pleased.

Off to knit...

Stardust

Just got back from seeing Stardust. Fantastic! As some of you know, Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors and I've been anxiously awaiting this film's release for quite a while now. Unfortunately I had to delay seeing it because Kris was away with the circus last weekend. It was totally worth the wait!

Y'all know I'm not that eloquent when it comes to reviews (or anything for that matter), so bare with me.

The film is remarkably faithful to the novel, I suppose that's because the author wrote the screenplay. The casting was great, wonderful special effects and they managed to squeeze a lot of the plot in with out it feeling rushed (unlike the recent Harry Potter movies). Robert DeNiro was especially good... very different role for him! :)

This is the first of Gaiman's novels to be made into a movie (Neverwhere doesn't count, it was a tv movie before it was a book!) and I couldn't be more thrilled with the result. This is infinitely better than the film representations of his other works, especially MirrorMask. This gives me great hope for Beowulf, for which he co-wrote the screenplay.

This is a great film for the whole family. There is a bit of violence, but it is not at all graphic. I will be dragging my niece off to see this one. Mary, if you're reading this, you must go see it if you haven't already!

Wheat-Ear Cable Yoke

This sweater was actually completed on the 4th but I didn't want to post until Autumn received her present, which she did this evening.
I don't know why the image is showing up grainy on blogger, it's fine on my computer & flicker. (sigh) If you click the image you will be able to see it better! Unfortunately the sweater doesn't photograph well when not being worn.

Pattern: Wheat-Ear Cable Yoke by Pam Allen
Yarn: 5 skeins of Plymouth Yarns Baby Alpaca D.K. in Lilac (Color #1720)
Needles: size 4, 5 & 6.

Notes: The only modification I made was to use smaller needles, the pattern calls for size 6, 7 & 8. By dropping down 2 needle sizes I was able to size down the sweater to a 25" chest following the directions for the smallest size. I knit the sweater to the length called for in the pattern as well.

I really like this pattern. It was a quick knit and the cables added enough interest to keep it from getting boring. I'm very pleased with the results. And it fits her perfectly!

Drats! Foiled Again!

Ok. These Gryffindor socks are out to get me! I worked the leg on both socks, turned the heel & started the foot on one. It was looking kinda small so I tried it on. Well... I attempted to try it on. I couldn't get the dang thing over my heel. Now, Avada's feet are a little smaller than mine but not much. If I can't get it over my heel, the likelihood is that she won't be able to either.

Now I have a dilemma. I really like this pattern...
but the number of stitches is not adaptable. The yarn I have needs to be knit on size 1 needles or smaller. In order to use this pattern I will need to find a different yarn that can work on size 2+ needles. I actually have some Lorna's Laces that would be perfect but they were picked out by Autumn especially to be knit into socks for her. I think she would hurt me if the yarn was misappropriated.

So, do I search for a different yarn? Or do I go on yet another pattern search in order to use the yarn I already have? Input is desired and the cats are no help!

UPDATE: I have just purchased yarn that I think will do quite nicely for this project and should allow me to up the needle size! Now I just need to wait for it to arrive! I guess I will just have to cast-on something else to knit in the meantime.

Why I Love Joss Whedon

Can't believe it took me a year to find this.

Equality Now

btw- if you're wondering who the heck he is, among other things, he's the creator of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Firefly/Serenity... and he wrote the screenplay for Toy Story.

Tagged Again

I've been tagged for another meme. This one comes via Mary.
A Harmless Meme . . .
10 Firsts
First best friend - Kristi
First screen name - midnightangel
First pet name - Dusty, a wonderful mutt who lived 18yrs.
First piercing - earlobes
First crush - Oh, I can't remember.. probably Micky from the Monkees, Mark Hamil or Parker Stevenson (loved them Hardy Boys!).
First CD - The White Album by the Beatles. First album? Probably the Robin Hood soundtrack.
First school - Henry Ruff
First house location - On Alvin in Garden City, MI
First kiss - oh, I can't remember his name... Glen somebody? Couldn't of been that good, didn't make a lasting impression. Now, if we're talking first time.. that I remember. XD
First car - 1979 Mercury Capri hatchback. Loved that car. It threw a rod whilst doing 70mph down I-75.

9 Lasts
Last time you smoked - Smoked briefly as a teenager. Quit when I was 19 or 20.
Last food you ate - Masala Dosa (just had dinner at an Indian restaurant!)
Last car ride - Home from Borders & Indian Restaurant
Last movie you watched - The Simpsons Movie yesterday with my niece.
Last phone call - Kris
Last CD you listened to - Nineteeneighties by Grant Lee Phillips
Last bubble bath you took - Can't remember.. at least 2 years ago
Last song you listened to - Last night I dreamt that somebody loved me by Grant Lee Phillips (see above)
Last words you said - Kris, let the dog in please.

8 Have You Evers
Dated a best friend - yep, married him. :)
Been arrested - no
Been on TV - Not that I'm aware of
Eaten sushi - no thank you.. I don't even like cooked fish. bleck.
Cheated on your b/f or g/f - nope
Been on a blind date - yes
Been out of the country - yes, Canada
Been in love - definitely

7 Things You Are Wearing
Glasses, t-shirt, jeans, socks, shoes, bra, panties

6 Things You've Done Today
1. Fed the animals
2. Went to work
3. Blog surfed
4. Bought a new book
5. Played with puppy
6. Kissed my hubby

5 Favorite Things (not in any order)
1. Knitting
2. Reading
3. Music
4. Movies
5. Spinning

4 People You Most Trust
1. Kris
2. Dawn
3. Joanne
4. Brian

3 Things You Want to Do Before You Die
1. Travel Abroad
2. Move to another state
3. Make a living doing something creative.

2 Choices
Vanilla or chocolate - chocolate
Hugs or Kisses - Kisses

1 Person You Want to See Right Now
Declan; I'm dying to meet the little guy. :)

BTW- I finished the Wheat-Ear Cable Yoke Sweater. I will post pics after Autumn's birthday. :)

August Yarn Of The Month

It's that time of the month. I received my August sampling yesterday.




First off is Tara By GGH. This is 72% cotton/28% nylon. The yarn is a bit fuzzy and very springy! While fondling it I kept thinking this would make a super comfy robe, and at $7.35 a skein that isn't an unreasonable project.



Next is Organic Worsted Weight Columbia by Nature's Palette. This is 90% Organic Columbia Wool/10% Mohair. This is a very rough, scratchy yarn. Not suitable for garments, but I believe it would felt well. Although, at $20 a skein you are better off sticking with Knit Picks Wool of the Andes for your felting project.

I saw this review of the yarn that is of an entirely different opinion from mine, but I can't help think the reviewer was swayed by her liking for the manufacturer. I love that it's made with organic yarn and natural dyes. The color is beautiful, but I don't think the product justifies the cost.

Lana D'Oro By Cascade Yarns. 50% Alpaca/50% Wool. When I saw the Alpaca content I thought this would be softer than it is. I would say it's slightly rougher than merino. It has a nice luster and I believe would give excellent stitch definition. At $6 a skein, this is a good buy and would be great for a man's sweater.

Lastly, Ty-Dy By Knit One Crochet Too. 100% Cotton Yarn. Very soft, smooth yarn. Lovely colors. Nice twist, so there shouldn't be too much splitting. The $12.85 price tag is a little high for my taste, but it definitely is a high-quality yarn and I don't think the price is outrageous.

Oy!

Kris flew out to NY on Wednesday to do sound at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival for the Circus. He was supposed to fly home last night but his flights were canceled due to weather. They were supposed to get him out today. He just called, his flights were canceled AGAIN! Grr.. the best they can do is get him on stand-by for a 6am flight tomorrow morning, so he extended the rental on his car and is driving home. He should be home by early afternoon tomorrow at the latest. (sigh)

I did finally block the Not-Quite-Straight Scarf and I'm very pleased with the results...

before blocking

after
detail photo

As biased-knit scarves go I prefer the snowy triangle scarf, but this is still quite lovely and certainly very easy to do. I really like knitting on the bias with variegated yarns.

I'm also making good progress on the Wheat-Ear Cable Yoke sweater for Autumn. I've finished the front & back (up to the join)and am about 1/4 way through the sleeves (knitting both at the same time). Gotta get this finished by the 13th for her birthday!

And, the second batch of yarn arrived today for the Hogwarts Sock Swap. I went with the Scarlet that is stated in the books rather than the burgundy that was used in the movies and most used when knitting Gryffindor items.
Avada, what do you think? This is a pretty good representation of the color (on my screen at least; it's definitely scarlet). If it's too bright for you I have no problems sending it back and getting the darker color. :)

Oh! I also got my downstream pal's Sockapalooza package shipped off to Germany on Saturday! Domestic packages are supposed to go out this coming weekend, so I should receive my package sometime next week! Squee!