It Arrived!!

Well - it arrived - my Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb silk and wool yarn(color "Jeans") to make....drum roll...the clapotis: http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/PATTclapotis.html . I know this may be "old hat" for some of you reading the blog, but for me it is a new and exciting project. The yarn feels wonderful and the picture does not do it justice. It has a lovely sheen and I can't wait to finish just one more project so that I can give myself permission to start Clapotis.

A Visit to Aurora

Today - I was off to Aurora New York to visit the McKenzie-Childs factory, farm, and home. It is in lovely Aurora, NY. I went with a group of wonderful women and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I purchased a few sale items and was wowed by the home tour....unbelievable. Then we had a relaxing lunch at the Aurora Inn overlooking Cayuga Lake. While McKenzie-Childs had some gorgeous "needlepoint-like" pillows there were no kits available. But if you like to work with fiber and color McKenzie-Childs is just a feast for the eyes and imagination. Wouldn't it be fun to create some knitted items that resemble some of their lovely patterns? Anyways - it was a great day.

Here is the link...http://www.mackenzie-childs.com/

For the St. Thomas Church Knitting Group

Hello ladies. I had a great time at our knit-along last night. Thanks Sue for being our hostess. It is so much fun to knit and share. Feel free to leave a comment here at the blog (nothing is more exciting for a blogger than to find comments posted at her site). Be patient...since I have selected to monitor all comments it may take a few hours before I get your comment and post it. Have a great day and a great Memorial Day Weekend....
Kate

Look what came in the mail today!

Thanks Secret Pal for such a terrific package. I was having a gray-day here in Rochester today and your fabulous felted fuchsia bag and book really perked me up. I had to get a post up right away. What a super pattern. I love the intertwining handle. I'd love to know where you got the pattern. It's a perfect size for the book too. I think I'll keep it with me in my van so when I'm waiting to pick up my son at the golf course I'll have a fashionable tote for my new favorite book. You're super, secret pal!

Trying to add a button to my blog...

Ok - this is probably a funky way to do it, but I'm just going to do a post that has an SP8 button (photo) in it and then add it to the side of my blog. Here goes...

Well...it worked. We'll keep it here for now. As you can tell, I'm a new blogger and don't always do things the cleanest way possible. But I learned some "good stuff" tonight.

The Picot Edge

The picot edge is great. Thanks go to Booga J (see her web link below). This is Sockotta yarn, purchased over the winter break in February when I was at a LYS in Fort Walton Beach. I have a special someone who loves these colors and needs cotton socks. She shall have them.

http://www.boogaj.com/knitting/2006/01/how_to_picot_ca.html

Beefing up the Blog

Ok - I decided that this blog needs some beefing up so I'm going to add a photo of myself. How ego-centric. But - since I've been in SP8 I have been fortunate enough to see a pic of my spoil-ee who lives all the way out in Washington State. It was fun to see what she looked like. So, I'm posting a photo here. This was from a fun "girls weekend" at my Mom's house down in Florida over a year ago. My sisters and sister-in-law and I all gathered there for a weekend of crafting. We had a blast and I sure hope we can repeat that event some time in the future. My knitting is going slow this week. I have a great excuse, though...today is my 20th wedding anniversary. We've been celebrating. And... we are off for a little get-away this Friday. My son will be staying with his grandmother and we will be headed down to the Bristol Harbour Inn- about an hour from here.



It is a romantic weekend get away - my husband's idea and I can't wait. I'm going to send my blog link to my hubby. So as you read this....Thanks HUBBY!
TTFN

Heard from my pal....

Yup - I heard from my Secret pal - twice already - electronically. Thanks secret pal! I also started a new pair of socks this weekend and am getting ready to add the picot edge. If it works - I'll put up a picture and a link to the site where I got the directions. I'm doing a quick post tonight to keep up with my once weekly posts required for SP8. I had every intention today of getting out to my favorite craft store to pick up something for my secret pal - but work and stuff got in the way. Tomorrow!!! I'm determined.
I'll post again soon...
Thanks again secret pal!

Rambling on....

I enabled the blog to make comments easier today.... I learend that from my new Secret Pal that I was assigned. Yes....

I received my Secret Pals 8 assignment (my new spoil-ee) today. I can't wait to get started. I'll have to do some thinking because she is alergic to smoke and pets. I have pets so making a gift may be tough. But as I type this I'm thinking perhaps I could work on a project at my office (since I own my own business the boss doesn't care!). My knitting is going slowly this week. I have a conference to attend, lots of volunteer activities and it is GORGEOUS outside. I'm finishing up a secret project that will be disclosed and posted on the blog later in the year (weaving in ends and working on the trim). I also am ready to bind off the socks. I think after I finish the socks I can give myself permission to start another project. I've found one I really like in the new issue of Interweave Knits - see page43 - probably just the shell. TTFN

Secret Pals 8 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn's to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely (not) like? Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view) my tastes run to the expensive in fibers. I like the wools, wool blends (with mohair, yak, bamboo etc.), silks and fine cottons. I really don't work with any acrylic unless it is for a quick baby blanket which I look at as something that has to be durable/washable and inexpensive to make. I feel like this is a hobby that I want to enjoy thoroughly and enjoy the process...so I invest in the yarn and see it as just that - an investment that pays dividends with the joy I derive from working with the lush, lovely, tactile yarn and then having a beautiful garment when I'm done.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have some fabric cases to hold my needes and hooks and for my circulars I try to keep them in their original packaging so I don't have to measure them each time I'm starting a new project. I've yet to do an inventory of my needles to carry in my purse - this is on my goals/to-do list. I put the fabric cases in one large plastic box with a lid and slide it under my bed. I live in a small front-entrance colonial and storage space is at a premium.

3. How long have you been knitting? I started when I was 16 (in 1976). Then I took a break during college and got back to it when I was in my mid twenties. I took another break after I had my son at age 29 and just got back to it in a "big way" about 3 years ago when my best friend turned me on to felting. Now - it's my primary hobby. When I was on my knitting breaks I was either crocheting, cross-stitching, needle pointing, sewing or quilting. I'm a needle kind of gal!.Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Intermediate to advanced.

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

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) Candles: lilly of the Valley or Gardenia. Chanel's Cristalle for perfume (only on very special occasions) and my current fave for body lotion - believe it or not- Johnson and Johnson's baby lotion - it's mild and springy.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Yup! Favorite candy? Godiva chocolate bars with raspberry. - Can't ever turn down cholocate and rasberry (but not white chocolate).

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? See number 3 above. Do you spin? No

8. What kind of music do you like? old 70's rock, Adrina Thorpe-type music, some country like Sara Evans, and because of my college experience in North Carolina "Beach Music" - esp. Summer Time's Callin' Me by the Catalinas. Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) - yes

9. What's your favorite color? PINK
Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? I like cool colors in the spring and warm colors in the winter and right now I seem to be attracted to lime-green.
Any colors you just can't stand? nope

10. What is your family situation? I am married and have one 16-year old son who is a rising senior. In addition I am quite close with my two sisters, my mother, and my two sisters-in-laws, all of whom are quite crafty and talented, but all of whom live many miles from me.

Do you have any pets? yes, we have two cats - Lynx and Pounce. They are awesome kitties also know fondly as Rockhead (because Lynx seems especially lacking in intelligence, but he does attend Rockhead U.) and Mr. P. (our affectionate name for the softest cat in the world)

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? YES!

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I like shorter projects - usually - socks, sleeveless shells, purses, vests, but from time-to-time I take on the mega project. I'm seriously considering a Clapotis - if I can find the right yarn.

13. What are you knitting right now? On my needles now is a gift for a VERY SPECIAL SOMEONE which I can't say much about because she may check out this blog. I'm also working on a pair of socks (soon to be completed) and a baby blanket for our church's knitting group. I have a cable jacket (so much for short projects - but it calls for bulky yarn so that will speed things up a bit) that I'm thinking of taking on after the socks and the gift for my VERY SPECIAL SOMEONE.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? No preference on straight or circular - whatever works for the project is great. I like in order, best is first - Bamboo,aluminum, plastic

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? No.

17. How did you learn to knit? My mother taught me. My older sister was going off to college and was asking all the special people in her life to knit a 6"x 6" square for a patchwork quilt. The year was 1976 and and I chose a variegated red-white-and-blue yarn for the bi-centennial. That patch stood out on the quilt.

18. How old is your oldest UFO? 1.5 years (it's my only one too! - not bad!)

19. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving - I was born on Thanksgiving day.

20. Is there anything that you collect? Right now - only yarn. I have a few items that are lions (after our name - which is spelled LYON - but that's ok.) - they are discreet - like a pewter pin my mother-in-law gave me or pretty gold earings a friend bought me. I don't really want to get into collecting stuffed lions or anything like that but, every once in a while I'll gravitate to a tasteful lion-item.

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?Books: The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber, Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Guide to Knitting (I think it would be a good resource). Stitch 'n Bitch: The Happy Hooker (for crochet I already have the knitting book). The Yarn Harlot. Yarns: too many to make a definitive choice. Patterns: I'm waiting for a book of patterns by Veronik Avery - her designs are so intricate and pretty and I want to try one for my first "really advanced" project

What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits and Cast-on (the magazine for The Knitter's Guild of America).

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I'd like to learn to make a picot edging for my next pair of socks. I'd also like to see a demonstration of steeking.

23. Are you a sock knitter? Yes What are your foot measurements? I wear a size 8M shoe and my foot measures about 9 1/4"

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 11/26/59

Finished a Project

I certainly need to get better titles for these posts (more imaginative). But, for now I want to just get a post done because Secret Pals 8 is starting up and I want to be sure to make my once weekly post requirement. One photo was the "in-progress" photo from about a week ago and now, as you can see, I am done. The pattern was from Classic Elite - as was the yarn. I love the fit of this shell and I have already worn it once. Double-click on the image to get a bit better feeling for the yarn - it's three strands of cotton - one white, one black, one khaki. The effect is wonderful.