Sittin 'n Knittin

Happy New Year!!

2007-12-31T16:56:00.001-05:00

2008 promises to be great year and I can think of no better way to start than in a home of our very own. This afternoon we moved the last dribs and drabs out of the old place and finally are completely in the new place. It's not pretty, but then moving never is, is it? Tomorrow unpacking and organizing begin in earnest and I might even have a few minutes to knit! I remember packing the camera cord, but which box? Or is it in a bag? Pictures if I ever find it.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!!

2007-12-24T15:08:00.001-05:00

We closed on the house Thursday afternoon and I wanted to say thank you for all the well wishes. We tore out carpet Thursday night, with the help of our Realtor(!!) The wood floors have been refinished and rumor has it that Santa himself will be venturing down the chimney at the new place later this evening. I'm off to pack up the air mattress, suitcase and a small kitchen kit so we can 'camp out'. Enjoy your holiday! I know we will.

H is for...

2007-11-29T20:26:00.001-05:00

How long has it been since I posted?! As a partial explanation, I give you:

H is for Househunting, which leads to Househunting Headaches, which lead to Househunting Hell which is the direct cause of Househunting Heartache which eventually (if you say the right prayers and burn enough candles) leads to Househunting Happiness and then to Holy Cow We're on the Verge of becoming HOMEOWNERS!!

It's a very long story that I will refrain from boring you with. Inspection Saturday, hope to close in time to spend Christmas Eve in our own home!

G is for...

2007-09-22T19:35:00.000-04:00

Gray Hair! It would seem everyday I find another, but on my birthday? I think they multiplied last night. Now, don't get me wrong, I actually like my gray hairs. Every one. I will never color them. They way I figure it, I've earned them. And as someone who often marches to the beat of a different drummer, I can appreciate that they seem to have a mind of their own; they kink and are unruly. They will not be tamed. After a lifetime of mostly straight hair that doesn't like to do much but go flat before I've even left the house, I look forward to the adventure that a full head of gray hair will provide.

Birthday Bangs, with Grays

So, do you flaunt or deny your grays?

F is for Flyboy!

2007-09-20T20:22:00.000-04:00

F is for Family. With every passing year I appreciate my family more. My parents have never told me how I should live my life, raise my son, treat my husband. They have never pushed, guilted or judged. They appreciate me, and have no unrealistic expectations. They and my little brother mean the world to me.

And Flyboy. What can I say? Motherhood is the most amazing journey. And most of the time Flyboy makes it rather painless. He's a great kid with such shining optimism and enthusiasm he truly brightens my life. I cannot imagine life without him.

E is for...

2007-09-16T21:41:00.000-04:00

Can you handle another nickname? Somehow, over the years, the ubiquitous "Anne Banana" morphed into Eenie Bean. And it stuck. I've been answering to it for at least 30 years. Gotta love family!

A Finished Object:

Solstice Slip socks
STR lightweight in colorway Firebird
June 2007-August 2007

I enjoyed knitting these and hope to have the opportunity to wear them this week as we head into fall here in New England.

As soon as I opened the Fall issue of Interweave Knits, I knew I would knit the Minimalist Cardigan. Having recently catalogued most of my stash over on Ravelry, I decided I had no excuse to buy new yarn. Shocking, yes, I know. However, I think I found something suitable. I'm using some Hemp Yarn that is 55% hemp, 45% cotton. I scored this yarn at the HCSS Yarn Swap last year (or was it the year before...?) and thought it would add some interest to my wardrobe with the bonus of being machine washable. Of course, gauge is vastly different, but I think I've got it under control.

I'm 5 inches in and while I can only knit with this inelastic yarn in short chunks, I'm loving the results so far.

D is for...

2007-09-15T21:45:00.000-04:00

Duluth, MN where I was born.

Diamonds. When I was 22, I had a really, really bad break up with my first post-college boyfriend. I realized I didn't need a man in my life to feel complete, that I could be complete and be by myself. Around this time I moved to California. While exploring San Francisco one day, I found this simple, elegant, beautiful estate wedding ring in a little jewelry store in Union Square. I bought it for myself, my first diamonds, as a symbol of my independence. I wear it always.

CeCe fini!

2007-09-15T21:38:00.001-04:00

C is also for CeCe!

CeCe by Bonne Marie Burns
RYC Cashsoft 4 Ply in Eggplant

OK, so it's been done for like a month, and the photo is crap but her she is! I LOVE this sweater, especially now that the mornings are a bit chilly on the way to work. I think I've worn it every morning for the past week and a half. Cashsoft feels so luxurious, it feels like a treat to wear. Even better, I got this yarn dirt cheap when Knit Happens had that huge sale a while back and it cost me less than $20. Woohoo!

C is for Connecticut

2007-09-05T17:34:00.000-04:00

C is for many things....

Connecticut, my home since February 2004. I'm still warming up to living here.

Cloquet, MN, the town where my mother grew up and lives again. My grandparents' Cabin is there, as is my parents' retirement home. I have many wonderful memories associated with summers at the cabin on Big Lake and love to return with Flyboy whenever possible.

Cambodia, the last overseas trip I took. I still get teary-eyed seeing pictures of Angkor Wat, remembering the first time I saw its towers. At the time, I was pregnant with Flyboy but early enough on that I had no idea. Someday I want to take Flyboy to see the temples and tell him the story of his beginning.

B is for Bridges...

2007-08-30T19:21:00.000-04:00

B is for...

Bridges. Bridges fascinate me. It began as a child, going down to the Duluth, MN harbor with my grandparents to watch the iron ore boats come in (think the Edmond Fitzgerald, but bigger). The boats had to go under the aerial lift bridge to enter the harbor. To this day I get a little thrill watching the bridge rise as these giant barges glide silently in and out. As an adult I lived in the San Francisco bay area for eight years. For a good part of that time i commuted over the Bay Bridge while my husband, the Golden Gate. Every crossing of the Bay or Golden Gate Bridge, I found something to admire or relish, if only for a moment.

Bangkok. Bangkok is where I learned just what I am made of, and that I truly can handle whatever life throws at me. Two months in on a five month Pacific Rim trip, I woke up in the middle of the night. With a fever. 105 F to be precise. And having auditory hallucinations. I was alone, in a thatched hut, on a tiny island, a 24 hour journey by boat, bus and train to Bangkok. I found the strength to get myself to Bangkok, find a decent place to stay and off to an Emergency clinic. Fortunately, it was just a nasty upper respiratory thingy topped off with a touch of dehydration. But anytime I feel stuck, helpless or weak, I remember this journey and know I can get through.

On lighter note, B is also for Broadway. If I had the time and $$$ I would see everything that hits the Great White Way. Most recently I saw Legally Blonde during previews. Just don't ask how many times I've seen Les Miz, OK?

A is for Annie

2007-08-27T19:53:00.000-04:00

I have been watching the alphabet posts over at Bev's place all this month and thought I would jump on the bandwagon. Since I never did a "100 Things" post I realize that there might be one person out there curious about me (hi, Mom!). So here goes nuttin'!

ETA: Thanks to Cassie for the idea! (click for link to her original post)

A is for Anne, my given name, along with a few nicknames: Annie, Annabelle, Anna Banana, Annimol.

A is also for Arlene, my beloved maternal Grandmother who passed away August 20, 2007. She was nearing 93 and not doing very well. I am very happy that she is with Grandpa Fred again, and I'm sure she's mixing up a batch of ribbon brownies for him at this very minute. She was the second telephone operator in her small town of Cloquet, MN and the only woman to hold the position of Mayor there as well. She taught me to never take myself, or life too seriously, and the importance of laughter in a marriage. I feel so fortunate to have had her in my life for so many years.

A is for Australia. In 1992 I took my first solo overseas trip to Australia. I met people from all over the world, on these amazing one and two year long adventures around the world. This trip set into motion the next three years of my life...To be continued!

I managed to finish CeCe, some Regia Bamboo ankle socks, my RSC Solstice Slip socks, a pair of Wendy's Eyelet Rib socks in Lisa Souza's Wild Thing but have NOT managed to get any photos. Sigh.

No Words

2007-08-02T18:56:00.000-04:00

We have arrived safely in Minnesota to spend vacation with my family, but a number of Minnesotans never arrived home last night. While no one I know was involved, please keep the victims of last night's Minneapolis bridge collapse and their family members in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.

2, 4, 7, 24, 297

2007-07-19T23:26:00.000-04:00

These numbers represent my current obsessions:
2: the second Solstice Slip sock
4: the fourth MS3 clue to be released in the morning
7: need I say more?
24: season 1 on DVD from the library. They even give you THREE WEEKS to get through it. It won't take that long, though! Just starting '12:00pm to 1:00pm'
297: My spot on the waiting list for Ravelry as of 11:30pm.

Yes, I do realize that 3 of these currently can only involve obsessive thought, but that is where 24 comes in. Oh, yeah, and working on Cece. Yeah. Sleeve island, knitting on a deadline. Why do you think I'm obsessed with the socks? I have a feeling it will be a crazy weekend! (Too lazy for links) I did finish the Regia Bamboo socks, and even wore them the other day. Camera is MIA but hope to find it and update this weekend.

Speaking of crazy-making things, the reason I sorta dropped off the face this time is that we are house hunting. We put an offer in on a little place we loved. The owner decided to take the house off the market. Sigh. It's a teensy bit more complex than that, but you get the jist. I'm not a big fan of this whole process. All I want is a little house to call our own. Is there a saint you can bury upside down to bring you luck in buying a house?

where did June go?

2007-07-01T16:51:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure exactly what happened to June, but apparently it's gone. Friday Mystery Stole 3 launched and I went up to Creative Fibers in Windsor, CT to join in on a casting on party. Great idea in theory, but socializing and starting an unfamiliar lace pattern calls for occasional Forensic Knitting!I had a lovely time, met new people whose names escape me and got to see Bev, which is always a good time! I managed to get through row 41 there, then completed the first chart before going to bed, when it looked like this:

There are some scattered beads worked into the pattern, and I'm happy with the subtleness of the beads I chose. However, when I realized that the point of the stole is anchored by a bead, I used a larger frosted quartz bead and like the look very much. I am assuming the stole will be a big ol' rectangle that happens to have triangular ends, so I do have a similar bead reserved for the other end of the stole. Today I completed row 86 with only 14 more rows to go until Friday when clue #2 will be available. Too lazy to take another picture right now.

And a quick Summer of Socks update:

STR June sock club, heel turn completed on sock #1

Regia Bamboo anklets, about 2 inches to go before I start the heels.

the Solstice Slip pattern is really simple and I find myself grabbing it when I'm out and about over the plain stockinette anklets, so slow progress on them. But they will all get done at some point.

It doesn't seem like a lot, but I've been preoccupied of late with a packed work schedule and something else big that I'm not quite ready to talk about out in the big, wide open world. Hopefully an update soon, though! Later this week I hope to have a yarn p*rn update, too!

Summer of Socks Start **with Rockin' Sock Club spoiler!!

2007-06-23T23:31:00.001-04:00

Just a quick post to show I've started my SOS projects! First up, completed toes for what will be a pair of plain anklet socks. Perfect car knitting. The yarn is Regia Bamboo color 1067, a skein I picked up when I went up to the lil' ol' get together Webs hosted for a certain Northern Gal a few weeks ago. (Yeah, I know, I never mentioned it. Nor did I mention that the trip to The Cape turned into a trip to see the in-laws in NH because of the crap weather on The Cape, enabling me to stop by the Webs tent sale. I'll post loot pix one of these days!) Next up, the Blue Moon ladies have done it again. This was waiting for me when I got home from work Thursday. A colorway I never would pick up myself, yet really love how it knits up! Rockin' Sock Club June kit, STR lightweight colorway Firebird.
The June offering is a slip stitch cable pattern, easily completed without a cable needle. It seems to be moving along fairly quickly and I'll be starting the gusset increases in another inch!
In accordance with the bylaws of SOS07, none were started prior to 5am Thursday, 6/21. The Solstice Slip sock was cast on Thursday night, the bamboo anklets Friday afternoon.
Tomorrow presents lots of good car knitting, hopefully I'll have some good progress to show!

Obsessions du jour

2007-06-17T20:53:00.001-04:00

In no particular order, here are my current obsessions:

1. Bonne Marie's CeCe, in Cashsoft 4 ply Eggplant. I got the yarn for a song in the big sale at Knithappens.
The body is done, next I'll knit both sleeves at the same time. My goal is to wear this to my 20th high school reunion in August. I'm probably jinxing myself, but I'm not terribly worried about it at this point.

2. Baby Cable Rib sock from Sensational Knitted Socks, knit toe up with a Widdershin-style heel. I'm using some Schaefer Anne yarn gifted me by a friend. Loving the yardage! I divided the skein into 2 equal-weight balls, and it took about 34 grams for this sock, leaving me just over 25 grams left in the first ball. I do believe I'll have enough left over for a pair of ankle socks....fingers firmly crossed.
However, I think it will have to wait until after Summer of Socks 2007, as finishing the other sock won't count in my total, and I don't want to risk making a pair of ankle socks and running short on the longer pair.

3. The Knitting Answer Book. When Susie was destashing I picked this up. I really like its compact size, the illustrations are clear and the organization works well for me. I'm glad to have this reference book on my bookshelf.

4. Victorian Lace Today. I ran across this on the shelf at the library and it followed me home. I, like everyone else in blogdom, have fallen hard for this book and must have a copy for myself!

5. Prep for SOS07. I've got my husband's digital scale out of the garage and plan to wind up some balls of yarn tonight to prepare for Thursday's start! Don't want to use up valuable sock knitting time by winding and dividing skeins of yarn.

I've been quiet lately as work has been keeping me on my toes. As they say, it only gets worse before it gets better, and this coming week seems to be holding true. But you can bet I'll be casting on a new sock Thursday!

Monkeys and Memories

2007-05-27T17:12:00.001-04:00

First things first...Johanna won my leftover Walking on the Wild Tide contest and the yarn and a little something else are winging their way to Canada. Second, I finished my Monkeys!

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.
Yarn: Mediumweight Socks That Rock in Blue Brick Wall
Needle: Inox 2.5mm Magic Loop style
Started: 5/17/07 Completed: 5/25/07

These went so fast I couldn't even believe it! I really love the colorway and the way it works with the pattern. I think I may do another pair of Monkeys, but probably toe-up....stay tuned.

Today has become a rather introspective day for me. While still in my morning lounge wear (read: t-shirt and Target sleep pants) I read two articles on The Gate that propelled me down memory lane. The first was a rundown of the Monaco Grand Prix results, the second the Cannes Film Festival award winners. I looked down and realized this was the T-shirt I had on:
Twelve years ago this month I was staying in a little youth hostel in Monaco with a view of the castle from my tiny window. The streets were abuzz with the upcoming Grand Prix, grandstands and barriers being erected, roads freshly painted with race markings. My friend Megan and I took the train to Cannes one day, saw some interesting displays about various movies being honored, bought a t-shirt, saw Barbara Hershey and Peter Gabriel walking down the sidewalk. Not together.

I started to realize that travel during the months of April and May is a recurring theme in my life--1994 found me in Singapore/Malaysia/Thailand/Vietnam, 1995 was France/Spain/Monaco/Italy, 1997 a return to Italy, 2002 Japan/Thailand/Cambodia.
From a practical standpoint, April and May are 'shoulder seasons' when travel may be a bit less expensive, but for me it was more about starting new chapters of life. Leaving the country, I often felt lost, aimless, unsure of what direction I wanted my life to take. Each time I returned stateside with a renewed sense of self and a confidence about what lie ahead.

As May 2007 comes to a close I find myself floundering once again. If I were single and childless, I know what I would do--grab my passport, backpack and a Lonely Planets guide to somewhere. I am not saying I wish I were single and childless, as my husband and son mean more to me that anything else in the world and enrich my life in countless ways. But I struggle with finding a way to capture that confidence, take a quantum leap forward, overcome the aimless uncertainty. Travel made it easy because of the giant step outside of Me, the Me defined by my day-to-day life in the USofA. Just days in a row of self-discovery through meeting new people and new challenges, discovering amazing works of art in world class museums or climbing ruins in Cambodia, bungee jumping or finding a public bathroom. Everything I "own" for the moment fits in my backpack and has a use. Each day is new and different. I gain perspective on who I was when I left, what I have discovered about myself while away, where I see myself headed. At some point, the desire to return and start fresh hits. Not a feeling of being homesick, but an excitement about stepping back into Me albeit a changed Me, a fresh Me.

The challenge for me is how to accomplish something similar within the context of wife, mother, inability to take 1-5 months off to travel alone....?

7 Random Things

2007-05-22T19:53:00.000-04:00

I got tagged by newlywed Bev, so here are 7 Random Things about Me

1. I love to travel and have visited 30 countries so far, 28 before the age of 30.

2. I have a yin yang tattoo on the outside of my left ankle to remind me to strive toward Balance in everything I do.

3. I was an only child for 12 years before my brother came along

4. I drove a stick shift for 16 years until February when I cracked up my car. I've been driving an automatic for three months but my left foot and right hand still haven't quite figured out that they don't have that job anymore.

5. I have a piece of marble that once was part of the floor of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. It was given to me by a worker doing some maintenance, at the insistence of the security guard. Even though I am not Catholic I cherish it.

6. I have seen Les Miserables 5 times on 3 continents.

7. I had a Lauren Hutton/David Letterman gap between my two front teeth until my wisdom teeth came in and pushed them together in my mid twenties. It still freaks me out when I get stuff stuck between them.

So many people have already done this one, I'm not tagging anyone in particular, but if you decide to do it, leave me a comment so I can check it out!

32.8g

2007-05-21T21:09:00.000-04:00

The contest is officially closed, however, I have a TIE!! Bullknitter guessed 32.2g and jl guessed 33.4g! Now, I am not going to split the Silkie remains in two, but will resort to the Random Number Generator. If you two would kindly email me at: Annimol AT aol DOT com with a number between 1 and 100 and your snail mail addresses, I will get and a little sumpin' for you both and the silkie remains to whoever gets closest to the generated random number.

Thanks to everyone who participated! Camera battery died so no new photos today, but hopefully tomorrow.

Shhhh!! Be very quiet....

2007-05-18T10:02:00.001-04:00

I'm stalking a Monkey.....ooh! I think I've got him backed up against a Blue Brick Wall!

Just like everyone says, an amazingly quick knit. Started these last night during "The Office". I am really falling hard for this colorway, picked up at Rhinebeck last year.

Thanks for all the sock compliments! My goal is to make a good sized dent in the current sock yarn stash before Rhinebeck so I can add on again. Not to mention the Bank Error discount at Blue Moon. This is pair #9 for 2007! No where near the caliber of those going for the 52 pair plunge, but someone has to cheer on the sidelines.

We are off to Cape Cod for the weekend, which will provide plenty of opportunity to wear handknit socks and knit socks, given the forecast calls for mid-forties and 100% "chance" of rain all day today and tomorrow. Another update when we return. Maybe, dare I say, even another FO!

As for the contest, keep those guesses coming! A few of you are close...but I'm not sayin' who!

a Twofer and a Contest

2007-05-17T21:25:00.000-04:00

Two completed pairs of socks in two days! Woohoo! And it was even just chilly enough to wear these today:Grasshopper socks, Blue Moon's new Silkie Socks That Rock, Walking on the Wild Tide colorway. This was the Rockin' Sock Club April kit, in case you have just been rescued from a deserted island and haven't caught up. I love love love love LOVE them, which is ironic considering how much I despise purling, and the entire pattern is p2tog!! They were very comfy today, and stayed up very well. I knit them using an Inox 2.5mm circ, did not do any calf increases and only knit the leg to 4 inches, then did 18 rows of ribbing. I also have lots left over!

I started these a while back. The yarn is Jojoland Melody, which I'd been stalking on eBay for quite some time. Having never seen it in person, I wasn't sure about buying it. Then one day at the LYS, I saw it!! It was a titch splitty when I wasn't paying attention, and it does not claim to be superwash. But such a deal at only $7 for a single skein. I think I had about 6-8 yards leftover after finishing these babies. I knit them on an Inox 2.25mm needle, toe up, fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants style, with a garter stitch short row heel.

And now the contest portion of the show! Below is a photo of my ball of leftover Silkie STR, sitting on T's digital scale. Note the weight has conveniently been blacked out.
Here's the deal. Leave me a comment with your guess at how much this lovely weighs and the person whose guess comes closest to the actual weight gets it! The weight is in grams, measured to the tenth of a gram. Contest closes Monday night, May 21st at 9pm Eastern.

Catch Up, Move Forward

2007-05-05T21:10:00.000-04:00

The knitting portion of what I've been up to since my last blog post, over 3 months ago! Argh!
In no particular order:

Ariann in Araucania Nature wool color 48

Thuja in Artyarns supermerino
(fabulous Martini sock blockers courtesy of my amazing secret pal, Mary!!)

Clapotis in Malabrigo

Crusoe in Koigu

Falling Water lace prayer shawl in Artyarns Regal Silk color 110
(scroll to bottom of list of free rectangular patterns)

Inside Out Socks in Monsoon
Rockin' Sock Club February kit

I also rushed through another pair of Thujas and a pair of Jaywalkers for my niece and nephew for late Christmas presents, neglecting to take photos along the way. Add to that transportation issues, daycare/pre-school issues for Flyboy, health issues, flooding, and hectic work schedules and what do you get? A serious case of Blog Neglect.

Having signed myself up for Summer of Socks 2007, I realized I needed to get off my butt and just post already.

What's on the needles? Socks, of course. I'm 2/3's of the way through a pair of shorty socks in Jojoland Melody in green/teal/blue. I've been totally stalking this yarn on eBay, but had never seen it live and in person leading to some reservation. But then on a fluke trip into my LYS, I found a nice little stash and picked up a single skein for cheap to try out. Pics once sock #2 is done! I am also halfway through the first foot of the April kit of the Rockin' Sock Club. I really like the yarn, and I've got a handle on the lace pattern now, and the p2tog over and over isn't too bad. Before too long I'm hoping to start on a 3/4 sleeve CeCe with yarn (RYC Cashsoft 4 ply in Aubergine) from the big sale a while back over at Knit Happens.

So yes, I'm still around, still knitting, and still blogging!

Suffering from PDF

2007-01-22T20:22:00.000-05:00

PDF. That would be "Post Disney Fatigue". We had an amazing time this weekend! Flyboy was a real trooper and we enjoyed 2 twelve hour Disney days (!) followed by a long day at Kennedy Space Center and an early morning flight home today. Flyboy braved Soarin', Star Tours and Dinosaurs! He loved them all. Post with photos tomorrow.

In other, fiber-related news, my pal for SP9 really loved her package! I'm so happy, because I really enjoyed putting it together. Thanks for being such a great giftee, Mary!

Thank You, Secret Pal!!

2007-01-16T14:39:00.000-05:00

I got my Secret Pal 9 package Saturday, but just had a chance to photograph it:She gave me her final 2006 Rockin' Sock club package!! TWO skeins of STR lightweight, colorways Mustang Sally and Rare Gem, emergency sock yarn keychain and the Winter's Eve beaded sock pattern. Plus some Crystal Palace DPN's and a little bottle of Eucalan. I've never really had the desire to knit with beads, but this pattern and the Mustang Sally may just be the inspiration to do it. Thank you Tiffany!

I will be sending off a package to my Secret Pal tomorrow morning, photos once she gets it!

Happy Fourth Birthday, Flyboy!!

2007-01-14T09:31:00.000-05:00

My dear sweet boy is four today! My life has changed in more ways than I can begin to say since his birth, and I am grateful for every minute.Flyboy's birth announcement photo

Notice the airplanes on his outfit

Flyboy at two weeks old

Flyboy at Oshkosh, 2004
Behind that pedal plane, he's wearing an airplane shirt

The Gates
Central Park, NYC
February 2005
Wearing his bomber jacket

The American Museum of Natural History
New York
January 13, 2007
Wearing yet another airplane T-shirt
Taken with Flyboy's camera

Happy Birthday, my Best Little Buddy!

FOs fo sho...

2007-01-10T20:24:00.000-05:00

I've got three, count 'em THREE FOs for 2007. Let's see if I can keep it up!

FLyboy would not let me get a photo of Daddy's Christmas socks without him. So behold T's finished socks...and Flyboy in his rocket jammies.

I"m getting ready to send out my package for Secret Pal 9, and decided to toss in a couple of warshcloths.

Variations on Mason Dixon Knitting's moss grid towel, Blue Sky Cotton , much more purple than the photo portrays. These were quick and fun, and took less than a full skein for both. I've got another full skein in sage and it just may end up in a moss grid towel for moi.

I'm waiting for the yarn I ordered for my pal, and then I'll send it all off to...another state. I hope she likes what I've put together for her!

Meanwhile, my pal emailed me to say my package is on its way to me. Yipee! I can't wait to get it!

New Year, New Goals

2007-01-06T21:43:00.000-05:00

So I've been mulling over beginnings, fresh starts, new ideas this first week of the new year. I"m not much for resolutions; the word itself raises the hackles of the rebellious teenager in me. Some thoughts percolating for a while have manifested in the form of "__-along"'s, such as Knit from your Stash 2007 and 100 miles by April 1st. It seems that Project Spectrum 2.0 fits nicely into my planned 2007 knitting, so I may as well join them all! Too lazy to add buttons right now, however. Ahem.

My current knitting goals are as follows:
1. Finish T's Christmas socks--only 2 inches of 3x1 ribbing to go...
I added some reinforcing yarn to the heel. It's not nearly this contrasty in real life, but I love the subtly shifting color thang of the trekking.

2. Finish thuja socks for nephew . Same yarn, pattern, and size as ones for Dad. Should go fast.3. Knit jaywalkers for niece, out of Lisa Souza sport weight merin o once it arrives. Should go fast, she's only 7 with a 20cm long foot.

4. Knit Bonne Marie's Ariann out of Araucania Nature Wool, procured from Webs over the New Year's weekend, on closeout! 6 skeins for under $30!! 5. Knit Hourglass sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts out of natural silver alpaca from A Touch of Twist. Or some variation thereof. Many thoughts swirling, will get back to you.

6. Knit 8 pairs of socks for ME from my sock yarn stash. Yes, I know I've got nothing on some people, who shall remain linkless. But I adore it all so much I can't stand to have it just hangin' around anymore. I've got enough here for 18 pairs, including 5 skeins of Trekking, 4 skeins of Socks That Rock, 2 skeins of Schaefer's Anne, enough for a pair each of Sundara, Wildfoote, Ellen's 1/2 Pint Farm, Lorna's Laces, and 3 unknown inherited skeins, 2 possibly Mountain Bearfoot:
I see some Project Spectrum potential in that pile!

7. Finish the Clapotis I started before Thanksgiving and gift it already. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your perspective), the giftee has no idea it is happening, so no motivation to put it tops on the list.

Non-knitting goals are not so concrete. I know I want to be more fit, and for motivation Runagogo fits the bill. My plan is to ski my way to April on my NordicTrak--no snow required! Which is a good thing given the high today was a balmy 70+F. I would also like to do more sewing this year. I have some fabric and vague ideas.

The rest of this month is going to busy, too. My parents arrive Thursday night for Flyboy's birthday on the 14th (FOUR! He's going to be four!) Then T, Flyboy and I jet off to Disney World for a long weekend. Somewhere in there I must send off my Secret Pal 9 package. It's almost ready.

Maybe I can finish T's sock tonight or tomorrow, and put one goal into the completed category.

Happy New Year!

2006-12-29T12:19:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone who celebrates it had a wonderful Xmas! We spent the weekend in Maine (without internet access), came home for 2 quick days of work, laundry, unpacking and repacking and now are off to New Hampshire for the New Year weekend (again, no internet access). Thought I'd leave you with a few quick photos of gifts received...

Della Q circular needle case!

100 yds of hand dyed, hand spun wensleydale!

Schaeffer's Anne sock yarn!

And gifts given...

Thuja socks for Dad, Lisa Souza worsted weight merino in olive tones!

Celia scarf for Mom, pattern and yarn from Morehouse Merino

Thank you to those who gifted me, and I'm glad Mom and Dad loved their gifts...and Dad's socks fit perfectly!

The biggest and bestest I save for last. My fabulous hubby gifted me with the Rockin' Socks Club membership! Wowza! I'm so excited I can hardly wait until that first package arrives.

Off to NH with a requisite stop at Webs!

Happy Elfmas

2006-12-19T09:31:00.000-05:00

The holiday spirit is slowly creeping in here at Chez SNK. Flyboy says Happy Elfmas!

Knitting-related post after Flyboy goes to Christmas story hour at the library....

Too Much

2006-12-17T18:33:00.000-05:00

This display of Christmas cheer cracks me up. The house is set really far back from the road, so they built a platform about 6-8 feet high right on the corner of the road and their driveway. That 'stuff' under the lights hanging off the bottom? TALL grasses like you find around wetlands. Ahem. From left to right: Pooh, Tigger and Eyore, the Grinch, Snoopy on his doghouse, a penguin under the arch which reads "Santa's Workshop" and "Santa's the Coolest", the Grinch with loaded down sleigh and Max the Reindeer/Dog, Santa Shrek, and on the right side facing their driveway? That would be Spongebob, also dressed as Santa.

Unfortunately, my favorite display is about 10 miles from our house and I didn't have a camera when I saw it. Someone has the usual assortment of waving blow up figures in their front yard--Santa, Rudolph, Frosty etc Sitting in a real, vintage '60's VW bug convertible. Red, of course.

ETA: yes, those are the extra large blow up figures!!

Ugh

2006-12-11T23:01:00.000-05:00

I'm having difficulty navigating the waters of this particular holiday season. I'm not really sure why. Perhaps the prolonged warm spells and lack of white precipitate. Maybe the fact that we haven't solidified our plans for Christmas yet. Or the fact that our teeny-tiny cottage cannot accommodate a Christmas tree and people simultaneously. Sigh. I'm struggling along with some Christmas knitting, as well as a bit of sewing, but I feel like I'm just going through the motions. It can't possibly be December 11th, can it? How this has happened, I'm not exactly sure. Last year I started my well thought out Christmas Knitting Plan of Action in August. August. This year, well, keep your fingers crossed for me. As all my current projects are stealth, no photos...which makes for a boring post indeed. But photos will be forthcoming once they don't give anything away!

Not Very Hoofy Doofy

2006-11-27T20:39:00.000-05:00

Returning from Thanksgiving in New Hamshire on Saturday afternoon, the plan was to make a quick stop at Webs. As we pulled into the parking lot, the lights shone brightly through the windows, at least a dozen people visible inside. The dashboard clock read 5:33pm. I jumped out of the car, raced up to the door...which had posted hours: Saturday until 5:30pm. sigh. I am not one of those people who will bolt in just after closing, even if I know exactly what I want and where it is. Three minutes before closing? No problem. In the words of Flyboy, "not very hoofy doofy" (hoofy doofy = Flyboy speak for great/something you like)

Now for the fiber portion of our program. Yes, my friends, 'tis true. I am the last person on the planet to knit Clapotis.

I've dropped 9 stitches so far, it is about 40 inches long and I've used about 1-1/4 skeins of 3 purchased, so I'm sure I'll have some leftover. I haven't decided how long to make it. It will ultimately find its home....somewhere else.
The yarn is Malabrigo and I am loving it. It feels so yummy between my fingers. As an added bonus, I'm getting used to the vinegary smell. That will wash out, right? Please, someone tell me the smell, THE SMELL will wash out!!!

In other fiber news, this arrived today:
560 yds of superwash Merino worsted weight goodness in the olive tones colorway, Lisa Souza style. Can I just say that this yarn feels so soft that I wish I were making socks for me. Alas, this yarn is destined to be socks for....someone else. But I do believe that there is enough that I will be able to make a pair for myself. After Christmas.

Current Christmas knitting count: 2 projects finished, 2 half finished, 4 in "of course I can pull it off even though I haven't cast on yet" denial land. We'll see how Hoofy Doofy it all turns out.

Exercise Your Rights...

2006-11-07T09:38:00.000-05:00

Flyboy says:GO VOTE!!!
I will...when I turn 18!

November

2006-11-06T09:22:00.000-05:00

In a nod to Deb, here is my November calendar. It is the Japanese character for Integrity painted on handpainted silk.

Have a great birthday month!

**A plea to my Secret Pal...can I have an email address for you? I just feel a bit insecure about the whole thing having only received anonymous comments on my blog. thanks!

Socktoberfest is O-vah

2006-11-03T21:09:00.000-05:00

How did I do? Well....not so great. I almost finished my purple falling leaves socks, mostly airplane knitting. I repeat, Airplane. Knitting. I decided Airplane Etiquette dictated that I refrain from actually trying on socks while on said airplane. The result? Too. Tight. Too. Small. I spent the better part of October cruising that river known as Denial. They'll block out just fine. Maybe. Not. Sigh. River cruise over, I am left with this:

Nearly finished socks without needles in them. I will frog, let the yarn rest for a while, get past my frustration and quit calling myself names, knit some other socks and then revisit.

Speaking of other socks, I did manage to get this much done on a second pair of Koigu Crusoe socks. I love how quickly this slipped stitch pattern moves along.Hey, these socks match the sofa!

To cheer me up from the bitter disappointment of not finishing these 2 pairs of socks, my husband gave me this photo:

Greg Grunberg modeling a scarf I donated to a charity auction

Maybe next year I'll finish a pair!

Halloween photos

2006-11-03T20:54:00.000-05:00

OK, so they're a wee bit late. But here they are. Flyboy wanted to be a witch, so I made him a witchy robe. He has worn it to sleep in every night since!

Flyboy models his witchy robe over jammies

T is the pumpkin carver extraordinaire. This is a close-up of his pumpkin this year. He rarely punches through the whole pumpkin, but tends to just carve away the outer layer leaving the paler flesh to give this gorgeous orange glow.

A Little Rhinebeck Therapy

2006-10-26T20:33:00.000-04:00

Here is most of what I purchased at Rhinebeck :

The lustrous blue is a 100yd skein of silk from Spirit Trail that was in the *discount* basket for $10.50 and will make a lovely pair of Fetching wrist warmers. The larger skein is from A Touch of Twist, 100% alpaca sportweight, natural silver color, a whopping 665yds. I bought 2 of these at Maryland, and wanted a little fiber insurance for a sweater, TBD.

The requisite Socks That Rock, colorways Downpour and Blue Brick Wall. Yes, I stood in line for like 20 minutes to get it. However, I met some interesting folks in line, talked to Cara as well as The Harlot. Time well spent? I think so. And no, I don't need to be reminded that I haven't cast on the 2 skeins I purchased in Maryland.

I ended up spending the bulk of my $$ at Morehouse Merino this year. I bought their new pattern, Camellia which is a simple tubular scarf, and 2 skeins of verigated yarn to make a few:

I also picked up this kit, with a deep burgandy yarn and 3 shawl patterns. BTW the background for all these pix is my completed, blocked Kiri shawl!*

Recognize these lovely ladies?

They helped me find "squares" for my Blogger Bingo card while I worked on a secret mission, which will most likely be revealed in the next few days here. I may or may not have made other purchases that may or may not be birthday/Christmas/SP9 prezzies.... ;)

*Funny story. T and I were in San Diego for the charity event we worked at, staying at the Four Seasons Aviara Resort (rough, I know). I had not blocked Kiri, and forgot to buy pins. T went down to concierge and asked them if they had any straight pins. 20 minutes later? A white gift bag with 40 T pins. In our room. That night I blocked Kiri by pinning it to the floor of our room on top of a hotel towel. Wait, what? I mean...no, I didn't pin anything to the floor of the Four Seasons...there are no pictures! You can't prove anything!

Rhinebeck, here I come!

2006-10-19T22:21:00.000-04:00

Playing Blogger Bingo? Am I a square on your card? Identify me by:
My teal ribby cardi and my scarf. If the weather becomes too warm for a sweater, I will keep the scarf visible in some manner, as it is quite distinctive. See you at Rhinebeck!

Watch this Space!

2006-10-19T08:15:00.000-04:00

For those of you playing Blogger Bingo, I will have a photo up tonight to help you find me!

I'm a joiner

2006-10-11T22:52:00.000-04:00

I'm really looking forward to Rhinebeck this year. Last year I was a newbie, blogless and apparently clueless. I met many well known bloggers, but I had no idea who they were. None. Tres embarrassing in retrospect.
So now I'm a joiner. I have a blog. I am playing Blogger Bingo! I will be a Square and a Player, Saturday only.

Speaking of joining...I did it. I finally joined a Secret Pal swap. KSKS was a great warm-up. I think I'm ready. This button? Says it all.

SP9 questionnaire

2006-10-09T22:37:00.000-04:00

Here is my Secret Pal 9 questionnaire, down and dirty as I am a) not at home and b) exhausted after getting up at 3:30am to catch a very early flight half-way home, so sorry, no links. Maybe once I make it home.
What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I will admit it, I am a yarn snob. I prefer natural fibers, but a bit of nylon in sock yarn for strength is OK by me. I love Blue Sky Alpaca’s entire line, I love Cascade 220 for it’s fabu felting. Basically, if it’s natural fiber and soft I love it. I love the "No Acrylic" button!
What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? One of those on-sale-at-Target-for-$1 plastic see-through bins. It’s a disaster!
How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I have been seriously knitting for 2+ years, I have no idea when/how I learned because I did some knitting as a kid (Mom says nobody taught me I just figured it out, but I find that hard to believe…) I consider myself a solid intermediate knitter, but I’m not afraid of a challenge.
Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No, but I would love anything by Elizabeth Zimmerman, and I really like the new Chicknits pattern, Ariann. I covet Chibis, too
What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.) Natural, not over-powering scents (do you sense a theme?); subtle is best in my book. I love citrus scents, melon, jasmine, lavender if it’s not too strong.
Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I have a horrible sweet tooth with a penchant for dark chocolate, but I’m trying to cut back…
What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I do not spin (I have tried, and it’s just not in the cards for me right now). I like to make stitchmarkers, and I am dabbling in sewing a bit. I would love to find a good pattern and sew myself a circular needle holder that folds up and is portable.
What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) Broadway musical soundtracks and ‘80’s pop/new wave, in a nutshell. But I am open to newer music. I , like the music Brenda Dayne finds for the Cast-On podcast. Yes on the MP3s
What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? Not a fan of pastels in general, or orange/yellow/pink/brown. Love blues and greens, purples, black/grey, reds. I like muted shades.
What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Married with an almost 4 year old boy, no pets
Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I have more scarves than I know what to do with, do not wear ponchos. Coming up on hat/mitten season here, though!
What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Um…socks. I love the mindless, repetitiveness of knitting bags in the round to felt (french market bag, booga bag), and fitted knit tops/sweaters for ME (green gable, something red, ribby cardi) And I have recently discovered the delights of knitting lace.
What are you knitting right now? 2 pairs of socks
Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes
Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Addi circulars. I actually just gave away almost all my straight needles at our yarn swap because I never, ever used them. I would like to try some wood or bamboo circulars, though.
Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? No and no
How old is your oldest UFO? Don’t really have one…my socks nearest completion have been on the needles for less than a month, I think.
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas!
Is there anything that you collect? Ummm…Addi circulars. Stitch markers. Tape measures (because I am forever losing them) Do they count?
Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? Do not have any subscriptions, but covet Interweave Knits; I love Cece and Ariann from Bonne Marie; I love Lisa Souza’s sock yarn, Socks That Rock, and I would like to try Schaefer yarn Anne, the sock yarn.
Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I would like to knit a gansey, and whatever new techniques I may need for that
Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? YES!!! Length 9", circumference at ball of foot 9.5"
When is your birthday? (mm/dd) September 22

Here, There, Everywhere

2006-09-29T00:07:00.000-04:00

I have been an FO fiend lately...behold:

Two lovely cotton baby beanies from Erika Knight's Simple Knits for Cherished Babies

Baby Blue Jeans from Last Minute Knitted Gifts...these are so freakin' cute I can hardly stand it! TWO co-workers are prego, baby shower next week. I, however, will not be in attendance as I will be working here which I am looking forward to, except for the Getting There & Back part. You see, Getting There involves flying to Minnesota with Flyboy to drop him with my parents, then flying to San Diego 2 days later. then I work my a** off to help make the event a success and raise $$$ for the Susan G. Komen Foundation only to turn around and fly back to MN a week from Monday, and back to CT the next day. If I were anal enough to add it all up, that would total 8 flights, 3 layovers in O'Hare, 1 in Dallas, and roughly 17.5 hours of flying in 10 days. At least I can bring my knitting with me, even if I must check my hair gel.

Which leads me to this:
I jumped on the bandwagon, it's true. My goal for Socktoberfest is to finish my current pair of two-toe-up-at-once Falling Leaves socks, and complete 2 other pairs of socks, yarn/patterns TBD.

Speaking of Falling Leaves, here is my current status: both heels turned, few more rows of plain stockinette at the Achilles and launch into the lace pattern all the way 'round.

*Sigh* I apologize for the rambling, scattered nature of this post, but I have tons to do before we leave. Just trying to get into better blogging habits!

PS Did you happen to notice who commented on my last entry?! (she asked, beaming)

We Close Our Eyes

2006-09-25T00:20:00.001-04:00

We close our eyes and the world has turned around again
We close our eyes and dream and another year has come and gone
We close our eyes and the world has turned around again
We close our eyes and dream...
Oingo Boingo

Yet another year has come and gone, but at least the new one is off to a good start! I had a wonderful dinner out with my boys At Abbott's Lobster in the Rough....pictures here.

Why, yes that is my ribby cardi and thank you for asking.

Fini!!

2006-09-22T00:56:00.000-04:00

Kiri done...needs blocking...not coherent now.... more to follow after sleep...

(I) See a Little Light

2006-09-18T23:29:00.000-04:00

Forgive me my momentary late 80's flashback* as I count down the final rows until the completion of Kiri. I'm hoping to finish before Friday. Sort of my last major accomplishment before....let's just say "entering my late 30's". Lends an air of sophistication, don't you think?

Back to Kiri, I just completed the first row of the last repeat before the edging. Only 19 rows and what is sure to be a hellish bind-off (I'm sure I'll accompany it with a stiff drink) before BLOCKING! No, I haven't blocked Something Ecru yet. Or finished weaving in the ends. The sudden 80-degree days don't provide much motivation to finish a sweater. It will happen. There will be evidence.

We had our Yarn Swap this weekend, photos here and here. I'll post photos of the goods soon. Suffice it to say I am beyond happy with my booty!

And just a friendly reminder, tomorrow is International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Arrr!

*Anybody get my reference? Anyone? Bueller? Anybody even reading this?

Excuse me, waiter, this glass has a hole in the bottom

2006-09-12T20:50:00.000-04:00

Many moons ago, I had a co-worker who was, in a word, negative. Her glass wasn't half empty, it had a hole in the bottom. I learned, albeit a bit slowly, to never ask this particular person how the weekend was, or any question that left an opening for the inevitable sigh followed by "Well..." and the litany of things that went wrong. In her, I saw a reflection of my own tendency to be hyper-critical. I am a Virgo after all, and have a certain reputation to uphold. I do make a concerted effort to keep my criticisms to myself. Unless, of course, I find myself seated next to Clairee Belcher, because you know what she says: if you don't have anything nice to say, come sit by me! My husband fills this role for me, allowing me to get the minor tirades out of my system. Somehow, this makes it easier for me to find the things or moments to appreciate and remember.

So here are a few of the things I will remember from this weekend, in no particular order:
The bride and groom were beautiful and happy.
The wedding cake was amazing.
The DJ was kickin' and Flyboy had a fabu time dancing with cousins and new friends.
The rain started well after the outdoor activities finished.
I never have to eat lobster at the Peaks Island Lions Club ever again in my life.
(I do love lobster...when cooked sufficiently)

My Something Ecru, the knitting portion, is completed. I had the goal of finishing it before we went to Maine this past weekend. Casting off the final stitch a mere mile from the Maine border counts, does it not? No photos as it needs some serious blocking. I am having a bit of a "hole in the bottom of the glass" moment about it, wondering if blocking will fix the button band or if I must re-knit.....Please keep fingers crossed for me!

Kiri is...I'm not really sure where she is right now. Suffice it to say, I have not been actively working on her. I hope to jump back in now that the cardi is "done". In a fit of desire for a fresh face and renewed enthusiasm, I did cast on my Falling Leaves socks, the pattern my KSKS pal sent me with that beautiful violet yarn. I am working them both, 2 socks on 2 needles, toe up. I like the way the pattern is turning out, but still don't feel comfortable knitting without the chart. And it's a really easy chart! I'm not sure if my heart isn't in it right now, or if it just isn't intuitive enough for me. At any rate, I WILL memorize this pattern and I get to turn the heels in another inch and a half or so.

As soon as I recharge the camera battery, I'll have photos, including some yarn p*rn!

Haircuts and Happiness

2006-08-27T21:42:00.000-04:00

Last month when both T and GW* needed haircuts, T decided 'we' should get one of those home clippers and do The Boys'** haircuts at home. I survived the first round, and this morning managed to survive round 2. T doesn't look half bad! Apparently a new talent I never would have discovered on my own. But still anxiety-inducing, for me. I just keep telling myself it increases my yarn budget!

The happiness bit? Today, T, GW and I drove into Manhattan and saw Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. The happiness began when I got tickets half price from some discount online spot yesterday morning. You see, I'm a bit of a theatre nut*** and it's tough to live a little over an hour out of Manhattan and see so few shows....this is the third since moving to Connecticut 2-1/2 years ago. GW did so well for a 3-1/2 year old. His first Broadway show! Brings tears to this mother's eyes. Most of dinner and the drive home he kept saying, "My favorite part of Beauty and the Beast is..." And as if that wasn't enough, we found parking about 10 blocks from the theatre. On the street. FOR FREE. Legal, even. The garage a block away? $27 something plus tax.

Oh, you're here for knitting content? I did manage to complete 4 rows of Kiri on the drive down and back, before the ambient light became insufficient. I'm beginning to think I was a bit 'round the bend when I decided to do Kiri on size 4's...I'm up to somewhere around 355 stitches per row, on my 12th pattern repeat and I think I'll be going about 17 or 18 repeats to get my desired size and I'm adding 24 stitches per repeat....argh! The math boggles my mind....I'm probably better off not knowing how many stitches I 'get' to purl every WS row...Yes this IS my first major lace project. I really do love it, and hope I haven't completely lost it to think I can WEAR it to this charity event T and I work every year. It's Columbus Day weekend. What do you think? I'm also hoping to finish Something Ecru next weekend and cast-on my KSKS socks...sigh. So much knitting, so little time.

I'm off to purl my way into dreamland...

*Henceforth, GW, my sparkly 3 year old, airplane obsessed child, will be known as Flyboy
**I often refer to my husband, T and Flyboy as My Boys; borrowed from my mother who refers to my brother and father in this manner, something I find quite endearing
***I once stood in line for 5 hours for a return ticket to the Phantom of the Opera matinee in London's West End, got out of that and had approximately 40 minutes to eat something and get to the evening performance of Les Miserables. Yes, both in the same day. Seriously.

Late to the Party

2006-08-25T22:10:00.000-04:00

Um, hi. My name is Anne. I'm a Podcastaholic. I kept hearing about this podcast and that from various... enablers. Finally, I gave in. Today. I downloaded Lime & Violet. And Cast-On. All of them. Let's not talk about how many....episodesI have listened to today, OK? But what I'm really worried about is this: once I make it through all these episodes, with only one new episode each per week, then how do I get my fix? I'm not ready to look through that door just yet...gulp.

In actual knitting news, I continue to plug away at Something Red and Kiri.

Something...Ecru?

Did I hear you ask what yarn I am using? Why, I'd be happy to tell you. I bought 4 of these:
Ugly Cabled Cotton Shrug, Old Navy, 3 in size XXL, one in XL (above) for $5.97 each. Gotta love the bonus yardage for bigger sizes! All have been ripped and I'm gonna have a buch of yarn left over. I'm hoping enough to do CeCe, but definitely enough for at least a couple baby sweaters. The cotton is really yummy! I am contemplating overdying, but not sure yet.

Kiri

I've completed 11 or 12 repeats and continue to love the pattern. But still looking for the Purling Fairies....the wrong side is a bit tedious. Yet I persevere because I love it so!

Just a few more rows on the cardi, then off to dreamland...

KSKS Kit Arrived!

2006-08-25T21:50:00.000-04:00

My kit arrived the other day, from Lori in Texas (sadly blogless)!!

The bag pattern is her own, and the beautiful yarn is hand-dyed superwash in a beautiful violet colorway. You don't see it skeined, because as soon as I ripped into the box and saw the yarn and the Falling Leaves pattern I pulled out T's scientific scale to wind up 2 balls of equal weight. You will also note not one but TWO Addi Turbo 16" size 0's. That's right--I'm going for my first attempt at 2 socks at once.

The Clover Knit Mate has all the bits that I am forever losing or forgetting to pick up! There are some beaded stitch markers that will be put to good use, and another pattern, Fancy Ribbed Dogs from 3 Trails Handknit Designs . It takes sportweight sock yarn, of which I currently have none, so....I wonder if I'll last until Rhinebeck......

Thanks, Lori! I sure appreciate the generosity. Look for photos of the WIP soon!

50 Things

2006-08-15T12:14:00.000-04:00

1. First Name? Anne
2. Were you named after anyone? My mom’s name is Elizabeth Anne, but everyone used to call her Annie, so she named me Anne Elizabeth...and started going by Liz
3. Last time you cried? Wow. I honestly can’t remember...must have been in some movie. I always cry in movies, even stupid, sappy ones
4. Do you like your handwriting? My handwriting is atrocious and getting worse
5. What is your favorite lunch meat? Genoa salami
6. Do you have kids? only the sweetest, most polite 3-1/2 year old boy around!
7. Would you be friends with you if you were someone else? I’l like to hope I would be!
8. Do you keep a journal? no
9. Do you tend toward sarcasm? Sarcasm? No...we don’t have that around here (wink wink)
10. Do you still have your tonsils? Yes. And my wisdom teeth!
11. Would you bungee jump? already have--at the home of Bungy, Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown, NZ back in 1994
12. What’s your favorite cereal? Peanut Butter Cap’n Crunch, but I never buy it
13. Do you untie your shoes before you take them off? I have Birkenstocks, clogs, a pair that zip up, and sandals...I do unzip, but I don’t unbuckle the sandals
14. Are you strong? Sadly, not as strong as once upon a time physically. Emotionally, very strong
15. What is your favorite ice cream? Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough Fro Yo
16. Shoe size? 8 US, 39 or 40 European
17. What do you like least about yourself? I am a world-class procrastinator
18. Who do you miss the most? The couple that introduced me and my husband, Jeff & Rachel. They spent a couple years in Thailand, now they are back in Northern California--complete opposite side of the country
19. Do you want this sent back to you? I snagged this off someone else’s blog, but I love to read them, so if anyone does this after reading in on my blog, leave a comment so I can read yours
20. What color pants and shoes are you wearing right now? grey knit cotton lounging pants, bare feet
21. Last thing you ate? A banana
22. What are you listening to right now? Lazytown--The Boy is watching Noggin
23. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Cadet Blue
24. Favorite smell? I bought some purple basil at the farmer’s market this weekend, and the smell when I opened the bag at home was amazing! I love natural scents much more than fake or perfumely/chemical smells
25. Last person you talked to on the phone? Jane, my intrepid work supervisor
26. First thing you notice about someone of the opposite sex? If they are facing me, eyes/hair
27. Do you like the person who sent this to you? I borrowed it from Susie’s blog, and I enjoy reading it...
28. Favorite drink? Decaf, non-fat caffe latte...or a really well-made Cosmo
29. Favorite sport? Curling!
30. Eye color? Hazel, but they change depending on what color I am wearing. They can also look green, blue and grey
31. Hat size? Huh?
32. Do you wear contacts? Yes. For 14 years. Ugh.
33. Favorite food? Fruit of every type...or dark chocolate anything...but my real answer should probably be either Saag Paneer or Pad Thai...
34. Scary movie or happy ending? I’m a sap for happy endings, but every once in a while I like me a good scary movie
35. Last movie you saw at a movie theater? You, Me and DuPree
36. What color shirt are you wearing? Vintage white T shirt from the Cannes Film Festival (wait, how old does it have to be to qualify as vintage? I bought it at the festival in...1995, does that count?)
37. Summer or winter? Neither--I am all about fall! I guess being born on the equinox makes me biased...
38. Hugs or kisses? Both, but nothing beats a really good, lingering hug from a hubby and a 3 year old at the same time
39. Favorite dessert? Homemade cheesecake with a strained raspberry puree drizzled on top
40. Who is most likely to respond? No idea
41. Least likely to respond? everyone?
42. What books are you reading? Janet Evanovich’s Full series
43. What’s on your mousepad? I use my right thigh, no mousepad
44. What did you watch on TV last night? Miami Ink
45. Favorite sounds? My son’s laugh. It’s infectious!
46. Rolling Stones or Beatles? Beatles, natch
47. The furthest you’ve been from home? Siem Reap, Cambodia to see Angkor Wat
48. What’s your special talent? re-directing a 3 year old to prevent the fit/temper tantrum/begging scene
49. Where were you born? Duluth, MN
50. Who sent this to you? Nobody. I saw it on several other blogs and thought it would be a good thing on a new blog to give a bit of an idea of who I am!

Mission: Completed!

2006-08-07T22:00:00.000-04:00

This is the KSKS kit I sent off to Emmy last week>>>

I had such an amazing time putting this together, and her reaction made it all worth while.

the two bags are my 2nd and 3rd sewn objects since college and I am quite pleased with how they turned out. I just may have to drag the sewing machine out more often!

Since so many people in their KSKS questionnaires complained about their DPN's piercing through their purses and project bags, I devised these pockets to hold the ends in place and allow the WIP to hang down into the bag. The pocket on the left side has velcro on top.

The yarn is "Summer at the Lake", custom dyed by the lovely Scout just for my pal. The Bear* did not want to give it up, but I won the wrestling match and off it went!

All photos taken at my parent's lake place in Cloquet, MN home of the only Frank Lloyd Wright designed gas station on the planet, and where almost all Diamond matches are made. Yes, folks, that's what I'm good at--completely useless information that may get me a few points during trivia nite at the local pub, but not much else.

In knitting news, I started working on Polly's Kiri Shawl in JaggerSpun Zephyr yarn, 50% merino/50% silk in Sage on my Addi size US4's. 1 false start, 1 visit to the frog pond and now 8 pattern repeats in, I seem to have the pattern down. Now if only somebody would magically appear and do all the WS purl stitches for me, I'd be a happy lady...
*The Bear was in no way harmed during my lifetime--he is an antique rug my mother inherited from a good friend who doesn't have room for him but can't bear (har har) to part with him. He lives in the loft of my parent's lake place in comfort with lots of company and the occasional scratch behind the ears.

Ring-A-Ding-Ding

2006-07-13T23:29:00.000-04:00

Music from a previous life

Call me sentimental, but nothing beats a cool summer evening's journey across San Francisco on a cable car. Sure you might have to stand in line with a few tourists, but the breeze on your face, the shine in a child's eye, and the ring-a-ding-ding of the bell as you made your way through Chinatown and over Nob Hill to the Wharf reminded me of how lucky I was to call The City home.

Or maybe, the news of the 44th Annual Cable Car Bell-Ringing contest just reminded me how much I miss those cool summer evenings while I wish for central air in Connecticut.

Meanwhile, too hot to knit! Instead--sew!! KSKS pal's project bag? Done! Bonus lined, zipped pouch for accessories? Done! Handmade sterling silver/jasper/turquoise stitch markers? Made! All I have left is to decide on a few Value Added goodies, and off it will go...where it will land? Only I know...

2006-06-29T23:32:00.000-04:00

Finally some photos!!

Blue Gable

And the prototype for my KSKS pal's bag...which, by the way, is for ME. Did I mention I like little bags? BTW--blue shawl in background is It's a Wrap Take 1.

Bear with me as I sort out all this blogger stuff...someday my photos will be more than straight down the middle!! Off to bed and a long weekend in NH. Happy 4th!

Photoless

2006-06-28T23:20:00.000-04:00

I have several FO's--one knit, one sewn. I will post photos as soon as I can tear T away from his new work "toy" and the garage so I can track down the camera and have him give me a quick tutorial on downloading pix...I guess I am still a Luddite of sorts...and had NO idea that the origins of the term "Luddite" was directly related to knitting until just now. How cool is Wikipedia!!!!? But I digress.

Green/Blue Gable is officially finished and made its public debut at Knit Night yesterday. Despite reading about some issues at the KAL, I did not have any problems with the pattern sizing, and only made a few changes--waist increases and 5 rows of ribbing at the sleeves and bottom edges.

And for the first time in....more years than I care to recount, a SEWN object! Still in the planning phase of my KSKS pal's kit, I made a tiny bag prototype, based on this pattern. Undecided on what my pal's bag actually will be at this point.

Oh! Did I mention that I was here? Click on the picture, notice the dark red, sleeveless shirt that is sitting down, sorta toward the upper lefthand corner? That would be me. Learning how to spin. Promise--when photos get loaded, there will a pic of the POS that I "spun".

(Shhhh! Can you keep a secret? I special ordered yarn for my KSKS pal from Someone and it is beautiful!)

Photos (hopefully) tomorrow...?

Impatience

2006-06-20T18:21:00.000-04:00

By nature, I am an impatient person. And certain things tend to set me on an accelerated path straight to obsessionville. Perhaps you, too, have had this experience: you want/need to talk to someone. You dial their number. The line is busy/goes straight to voicemail. ARGHH!!! It's all I can take to occupy myself and avoid hitting redial every...60 seconds. Oh, alright, every 15 seconds. No? So it's true--I AM the only one. At any rate, my current obsession is checking my email. All the KSKS matches have been sent out, and I have yet to hear from my pal. I know, she could be on vacation this week, or wrapped up in...something more important than KSKS at the moment. But just a one line email to say hi...that's all I need!!

Fortunately for me, another source of my recent impatience arrived today--my size 4 Addi's that I need to complete Green Gable. All I have left is the ribbed bits around the bottom and sleeves and finito! I promise pics to come, but the camera hasn't made it home from T's office in a few days now. Definitely by the weekend.

***ETA: Yeah! I heard from my pal!

On the hunt

2006-06-17T21:23:00.000-04:00

Today, my husband, T, our 3 yr old son, GW and I spent the day in the Essex/Deep River area of CT with my FIL. They indulged me in a quick trip into Yarns Down Under. Not having my match for KSKS yet, I spent a few minutes doing recon. Wow! They have small but perfectly adequate stock in Mountain Colors Bearfoot, Cherry Tree Hill, Schaefer Yarn's Anne, and a huge pile of KOIGU!! I resisted temptation, helped in part by the $$$ work done on my car yesterday. Fortunately, my FIL keeps a boat in Essex, so I'll have plenty of opportunity to return.

In knitting news, I finished It's a Wrap, Take 1 in a blue 100% linen yarn I bought at MS&W in a 50% off bin. Knitting with it was interesting, and I love the finished product. The maching washing and drying made a huge difference in the look and feel of the wrap. Not only is it softer, but all the p3tog really evened out, as if I had blocked it! Yipee! Pics maybe tomorrow. Currently working on second sock for T out of $6 Regia. Lucky for me, Webs is on our way up to FIL's house. Gotta love in-law visits that make great yarn shopping easier!

Knit Sock Kit Swap questionnaire

2006-06-15T22:46:00.000-04:00

What are your favorite colors? Let's visit this by exception, shall we? Not a fan of yellow, orange or bombard-the-senses brightness.
Are you a new sock knitter? How long have you been knitting socks? Started my first pair in October of '05, have finished 5-1/2 pairs since...you be the judge
Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn? Both! I've yet to use solid but would like to try patterned socks best supported by solid yarn sometime
What fibers do you prefer in sock yarn? Soft! Superwash! I am all about the washing machine. A bit of nylon for strength is nice, but not necessary. Oh, and not a big fan of the cotton
Where do you usually knit socks? My cushy green sofa mostly, but also the passenger seat of my hubby's Honda Element and whatever chair I plop into for meetings at work
How do you usually carry/store small projects? I've got a few bags kicking around, including one of those Lantern Moon taffetta bags. Usually whatever is handy, including ziplock baggies
What are your favorite sock knitting patterns? pom squad from Magknits
What are your favorite sock knitting techniques? I do Magic Loop exclusively, currently obsessed with Magic toe-up cast on, short row heels
What new techniques would you like to try? maybe 2 socks at a time on 2 circs, or short row toes
Do you prefer circulars or dpns for sock knitting? CIRCS!! I feel like I knit faster with them and don't feel like I'm wrestling with a porcupine
What are some of your favorite yarns? Socks that Rock and Koigu, but I have limited sock yarn exposure at this point and hope to broaden my horizons...unless you have your heart set on gifting me with either, and that would be OK, too!
What yarn do you totally covet? I like the idea of sharing my name with yarn (Anne by Schaefer yarn), I love Scout's Rosalie...I really like handpainted yarn...truth be told I love it all!
Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object? I have no idea!! If money were no object, I'd probably think about cashmere yarn...yummy
Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)? Addi turbo, size "0"
If you were a specific kind of yarn, which brand and kind of yarn would you be? I'd be 75% superwash merino/25% nylon (for added strength!), handpainted in a complex palette...sorta like Koigu
Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack? I dig those tangerine-sour Altoids. Oh, and did I mention dark chocolate?
What’s your favorite animal? Tigger!
Do you have pets? What are their species/names/ages? Pets? No. Only a 3 year old boy who pretends to be a puppy, kitty or frog from time to time.
If you were a color what color would you be? I used to be a dark, mysterious green and am slowly morphing into a deep purple/blue
Describe your favorite shirt (yours or someone else’s).. an oft-washed, fitted but not tight dark khaki/brown short sleeve T from H&M that goes with almost everything else I own
What is your most inspiring image, flower, or object in nature? Halfdome at Yosemite
Tell me the best quote you’ve ever heard or read. There are so many, but the current mantra is: Life is not a destination, it is a journey.
Do you have a wishlist? no
Anything else you’d like to share with the group today? this is my first swap and I'm looking forward to the whole experience!!

Jumping in...

2006-06-15T21:47:00.000-04:00

The water is pretty warm! I've been thinking about starting a blog for several (many?) moons and this provided just the right motivation for me. I have a bazillion ideas swarming around in my head and can't wait to get my match!

Did I mention that I am a complete newbie? Please bear with me as I learn and work out the kinks.

Anne