International tote exchange III

Still haven't got my assignment for the tote exchange...hoping to hear something soon!

Ready to start!

Just read the questionnaire of the person I am sending a purse to in the knitted purse swap and I have some great ideas and am looking forward to getting started this week! The mystery shawl has met with distractions...got my yarn balled, picked my needles and got ready to start...couldn't find my stitch markers...but in looking for my stitch markers, I did a bunch of beading stuff that I forgot I had (and if you know me, you can see where this is going...) so I decided to organize the beading stuff and make stitch markers...I have the attention span of a flea lately!!! So, now the stitch markers are made, the yarn & needles are ready and I think I'm going to make a pot of tea and try to get clue 1 done tonight. Wish me luck!

Mystery Shawl

Well, I have dug through the stash and picked my yarn for the Mystery Shawl KAL...It is Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud, the color is Stream...still not sure on my needle size but I'm thinking size 4... the first step is to get it wound into balls! I have tomorrow off so I'm hoping to get one skein wound tonight and start clue 1 tomorrow...

Knitted Purse Swap - Update & questionnaire

Just got my Secret Pal assignment for the swap and got an email from the Pal that was assigned me...so now I'm really getting excited about this! Had a fun evening tonight drove 100miles each way to go to Wendy's & Target with Kaitlyn, just because, after work...had a good talk during the drive (it's amazing how different teenagers are when they are captive in the car :) ! ) So now I'm going to do my questionnaire and maybe knit a bit before I crash...

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Basically I like natural fibers...wools, alpaca, bamboo, etc...I like to try new stuff too... I really don't care for acrylics...

2. What do you use to store your needles in?

My straight needles are all in a vase...circulars & dpns are in ziplocks...

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I started knitting about 3 years ago, a friend got me started going with her to a knitting group that used to meet here at a coffee shop on Mondays...that group has pretty much broken up but now a bunch of us spend Wednesday afternoons at the local fiber/spinning/weaving shop...I guess i would consider myself an intermediate knitted...

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

I have a wish list on my website and will be putting together an Amazon list soon...

5. What is your favorite scent?

Lilac or lavender...

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

YES!!! LOL Dark chocolate & swedish fish

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I recently got my first spinning wheel and I am having a blast learning to use it...I also needle felt...and love to bake & cook...

8. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

Favorites: Natural earthtones...blues...teals...
Dislikes: Oranges...pinks (unless they are part of a multi-color)

9. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

Right now it's just me & my 15 year old daughter (Kaitlyn) at home...
We have a golden retriever, Ben, and an angora bunny, Bean.

10. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

I like to do projects that are small enough to take with me...socks, hats, mittens...

11. What are you knitting right now?

Made a couple of ipod socks this weekend...and just started my first attempt at a lace shawl...

12. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum or plastic?

I find I use my dpns and circulars the most...just got my first bamboo needle (size 13, 16 inch) and I love it...I think I will start to gradually replace my other needles with bamboo or wood...

13. Is there anything you collect?

Yarn...fiber...knitting, spinning & cookbooks...oh and polar bear & sea turtle stuff...


Well, if anyone reading this has anymore questions just ask...

Long week

It's been kind of a long week here as I have what I think is the worst cold I have ever had in my life...I didn't do much spinning this week, did a bit of knitting, made an ipod sock for the kid out of some left over hand painted wool that was in my stash...easy quick project that didn't require a pattern or much thought and she loved :) My local fiber/spinning/weaving shop is starting a consignment room so I've been trying to think of some things to do to put in there and I'm also tryung to plan for next Christmas already (LOL this from me that procrastinated until the last possible moment!!!) I have some ideas for the purse exchange I signed up for but need to wait to make my decision until I get my assignment and read their questionare... We were going to go skiing today but this cold has got me so down I slept instead, working tonight then all day tomorrow and days Monday, so hopefully we'll get some skiing in Monday evening...My exciting news for the week was that the yarn I sent to my secret pal in the spin to knit exchange got to her safely and she was happy with it! I can't wait to see the pics!

Knitted Purse Swap II

Knitted Purse Swap II

I sent an email today asking to join this swap...it sounds really cool and I already have a couple of ideas...

Spin to Knit Secret Pal Exchange

I sent my first skein of yarn out to my secret pal for the Spin to Knit exchange this week...I hope she enjoys it and has as much fun using it as I did making it! I also got an email for the secret pal that got my name...I've never signed up for anything like this before and I'm glad I did...

Bean Bunny

Here are pics of Bean...she has grown so much since I got here and she is a really cool bunny...her favorite treats are green beans and strawberries...I can't wait to start spinning with her wool and make myself some mittens!

Finally...pics & snow!

Ok, been saying I was going to get some pics on here...so hopefully this will work!!! We finally got some snow yesterday and here are pics...the new wheel...my first 2 skeins of yarn (!!!!!)...Ben the big red dog, Ben & Kait playing in the snow... I think I figured it out!!!

It's snowing!!!

We're actually finally getting some snow today! If it keeps coming down like it is maybe we'll head out skiing tomorrow evening (would be the first time of the year). I'm trying to get caught up on a few things around here today... got the yarn I made for the secret pal exchage ready to go out this morning, just need to write a note and drop it at the post office tomorrow on my way to Fiber Whims. Put a button on my lasted knitting project, a cute little headband that I knit in a hand painted wool/alpaca blend single that I don't even know where I got but had just the right amout for. (www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTcalorimetry.html)
I'm going to close this for now, go bring in the dog, clean my apt and get my chores done...I am going to try to post again tonight and actually put pics of the new wheel up on here...we'll se if I can figure it out! LOL

First Entry

Wow, I think I actually got this thing set up! Just a short note tonight, it was a great weekend here...got my skein of yarn for the Spin-to-Knit Secret Pal Exchange done...will send it out on Tuesday... went to a very nice potluck at Fiber Whims (our local spinning/weaving shop), got some housework done and spent some time with my daughter...and it is actually snowing tonight so maybe we will actually get some snow for skiing :)
Anyway, I'm going to close this for now and will play with it more after work tomorrow...