Stick a fork in 'er. She's done.

Branching out is finished.

This was fun. Not that hard, I used up yarn from the stash. It definitely gave me more confident as far as lace patterns go, basically I learned hey, they take concentration. If I don't concentrate I mess up, that simple. Learning this I think my next lace project (which will feature actual lace-weight yarn) will probably be a summertime endeavor when my knitting episodes are less um, tv-oriented shall we say? (Hey Amazing Race and American Idol are both on right now. Good stuff!) But I am happy with this scarf. It's a little shorter than I imagined so it will probably wait and be more of a wintertime neck-warmer item than the springtime accessory I had hoped. Alas, I am still happy with it.

The Fun Fur Bandits, otherwise known as my bad not-so-secret pals who sent me the crappy gifts are coming over later today for a Knit-In. I know, can you believe I'm letting them in my house? We'll see, maybe I'll make them do the dishes...

Sigh....

I just love this yarn...

This is Bernat Satin and I surprise myself by waxing poetic about something that retails for $2.29 a ball but it really is just so wonderful... Just looking at it in this ball I wound, doesn't it just look like spun sugar? Or like a frosty pink cupcake you could just sink your teeth into? And the thing is, it feels that way too. It is so soft, but not like lofty cotton-y soft, this is like satiny knits-like-a-dream soft. Anyway, I'm using it to start a cardigan for my niece.

The color is 'Seashell.' Of course, what else could this yarn be destined to be but a sweet little sweater for a sweet little girl? I could never make myself anything out of it-for me it's actually too soft, it has no body, it just hangs and kind of squishes around. But for my niece...

Even the seed-stitch border I've barely started already looks so cute! Just one of those times where the yarn, the needles, the process everything just clicks.

In the meantime I have also finished the navy wool v-neck. Well, I've finished the knitting part, I just have to tack down one part of the neckband and block it. I just want to have the recipient try it on first. I know it kills the element of surprise, but I'd rather have someone have a sweater they like and are actually going to wear. And I've promised myself not to post it's picture until it's ultimately done because otherwise, I can be the type of person to have something sit around just because it's missing one little thing like that. But pics will follow, I promise.

One sleeve down one to go...

While lots of endless stockinette usually doesn't bother me, tonight as I'm about halfway down the second sleeve now, I can feel just a little hint of boredom, just a little bit. Thinking about my next big project, starting to look forward just a little to when this one will be over.

And you know I never knit alone. And I can't help but think my knitting companion is not that excited about this sweater either...

Muppet Test!

I wouldn't have picked Scooter, but now that I think of it, it kind of makes sense....

You Are Scooter

Brainy and knowledgable, you are the perfect sidekick. You're always willing to lend a helping hand. In any big event or party, you're the one who keeps things going. "15 seconds to showtime!"

The Muppet Personality Test

The Mosh Knit

Punk. Knitting. Podcast.

What else can I say?

I told you it's punk rock.

Worst Secret Pal contest

I suppose it started innocently enough. On the Secret Pal Seven home page Erin saw one day where the hostesses had posted about the Best Secret Pal Contest. She also noticed that someone had posted a mean comment asking if they could nominate someone for the Worst Secret Pal. Being the wonderful purveyors of etiquette that they are the hostesses wisely whisked the mean comment away and replaced it with something much, much nicer. (Note SP7 hostess Erin on that page should not be confused with our Erin.) So being the sarcastic, snarky Jersey girls we can be, Erin and Tracy and our friends and I one night at knitting had a way hilarious discussion of what could this poor soul have received in the mail that made them make that comment? Well, I laughed and laughed and innocently enough went home that night. Never really thinking much of the conversation again.

You know how it's just not a good thing to get drunk and pass out around your friends if there are magic markers laying around? Or when you were 12 and went to slumber parties maybe they froze your bra when you were sleeping? Yep, night after night I was just sleeping away...

Well, lets just say the week after that I missed that knitting group to go to the other group that I go to once a month. Although I'm sure I was in the girls thoughts. Because what happened?

Well remember the two great packages from my secret pal last weekend? Well guess which one is actually not from her?

Yup. That would be the big box of Fun Fur with the mixed tape that really looked a lot like it had just been found on the street somewhere. (The music on there is actually pretty decent, but really Erin did you find this in a motel???)

And moron me of course, did it ever occur to me that "Hey? One of these doesn't have any postage on it????'' Of course, nope!

Duh.

I began to realize something was up when I then got these crappy gifts in the mail from Tracy (another package mysteriously marked 'secret pal') yesterday.

Oh man! Where do you people shop? Let's start with the not so bad stuff. The box that says 100 cats is a box of crayons, presumably to go with the Hello Kitty Coloring book (gimmie a break, you know how old I'm turning my next birthday) and the not-so-bad post-its. Those things are like, ok well, whatever. Then we move on to the Smiley face hairbrush... The crappy yarn that looks like it's like 100 years old (boy I'm using the word crappy in this post a lot) and then the candy. French Chewy Taffy. MMM MMM! I guess I get that for my comments about candy abuse. Sigh...Then there's that round thing above the taffy. That's a pretty pretty mirror covered in smiley faces! (I can just see myself whipping this out of the briefcase in the middle of a meeting.) And of course, nothing, just nothing can avert your eyes from the worst thing in this package...

Toilet tunes.

Yes, somewhere in this godforsaken world a "toy" manufacturer actually came up with this horrible idea and went far enough to actually have the product made. According to the package, it appears to be some kind of 'toilet' filled with 'goop' that when you push on it makes disgusting bathroom noises.

What the hell????

What kind of store would sell such a thing? I really hope you had your pepper spray on you when you went in the store to buy this. Have you noticed it's still in the package? That's because I'm AFRAID of it. It's existence is just disturbing enough for me, I really don't need to know what it's like inside. Not yet anyway... Maybe when the night sweats go away...

Anyway, I would just like to note on the bright side my real secret pal has been an absolute gem about all this. Besides sending me the really good package the other day filled with things that I actually like I am also extremely thankful that she seems to see this humor in this whole charade. As for my Jersey knitter friends... Just wait- you know what they say about payback... There are Fun Fur accessories in your future....

Acrylics anonymous

This is my husband's aunt Sylvia-

In addition to being an excellent cook, an intelligent and attractive woman, an excellent hostess, and someone with some very, very interesting stories to tell, Sylvia is also a knitter. Ahh yes... She's one of us. But if you ask me Sylvia is far from your regular, run of the mill every day knitter. Sylvia knits amazing, original gorgeous things and makes them look effortless. Sweaters with amazing cables or gorgeous lacework that are often original designs. She's not really one for patterns. She's been knitting so long she kind of improvises a lot. Everytime I see her and her husband in the winter inevitably one of them is wearing one of her sweaters. And she must knit a lot because I really don't think I've ever seen the same sweater twice. And this weekend I realized almost every sweater Sylvia knits is knit with acrylic. She hates wool, she finds it too itchy and too expensive. And honestly her work is often so gorgeous and intricate, I don't see how the acrylic part would ever bother anybody.

Recently, she invited me to go with her to her favorite yarn store Smiley's Yarns. I had heard of Smiley's before. Apparently they often have huge sales in Manhattan where they'll have a large party room in a hotel just filled with bags and bags of yarn at unbelievable prices. Last Saturday Sylvia and I visited their store in Woodhaven, Queens. Yes, most of what they sell is acrylic. But-I found most of it to be really, really nice acrylic. And looking at all those great colors, soft yet washable, so very inexpensive, well of course... I totally caved...

Yep, that's what we would call a yarn haul. Whoa. But then again, it's really not as bad as it looks, I promise. Here's how it breaks down.




The red Patons Canadiana is for a sweater for me. Possibly another top down raglan like the one I'm working on now.

The black Filati Cervinia, is for a short sleeve cardigan I've been coveting forever. It looks like there's a lot of it because it is dk weight and I wanted to be certain I would not run out of yarn. Yeah, that's it...

The pink Bernat Satin is for a sweater for my niece.

And the gray Bernat Sox is for a pair of socks for my hubby.

And the size dpns I needed for the sleeves to finish the sweater I'm working on now. Yep, it is a lot of yarn, but honestly it was so cheap. And the store was awesome. So well organized, really like not a single skein out of place. And so much of each yarn, which really is a treat for me, one of the reasons I order online so much is it's hard to find a yarn I like and enough of it for a whole sweater in some of the smaller stores. But I didn't have that problem at Smiley's! So I treated myself. I got to spend a lovely afternoon with Sylvia, have dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Queens, and make friends with my inner acrylic appreciater.

Hello. My name is Jana and sometimes I like to knit with acrylic...

Thanks Secret Pal!

So last night I got home to find not one but two- yes two packages there for me from my Secret Pal! Oh boy! The first-

Peeps hearts and Hershey's Peanut Butter kisses which I have been dying to try! Yum! Those adorable little Clover needleholders that look like tiny sweaters- they are so cute and will definitely aid me with getting some of these needles organized better. I also got 2 pairs of cushy warm socks from Lane Bryant (one of my favorite stores of course!) A de-stress facial mask which I could definitely use some de-stressing lately. A cool Sanrio Pen and some post-it flags to help with marking patterns. I'm already going to start using them on the Branching Out pattern, they should be a big help.

And as if that weren't enough there was also Box #2!

This box has some lovely green chenille and Fun Fur in 3 cool colors -red, green & purple (sorry the color's a little off in this photo. Oh and a tape with music that I'm dying to listen to at work tomorrow. Everything is great, it was so neat to get home and have packages to open and see all this great stuff I can't wait to use. Thank you Secret Pal!

Works in Progress

I have to admit I've been holding back a little. I haven't posted any pictures of the sweater I've been working on? Why? I guess because it's not that exciting, it's a very simple, traditional top down raglan.

But that's really not fair either. While it's not the most exciting sweater in the world I have to admit I love it!!! It's not for me, but I am really enjoying knitting it, the Cascade 220 is great to work with and it's just so cool how the simple increases create the yoke, and then I can just knit the body and the arms straight down, and the best part of course- there won't be any seaming in the end!!!! Woo hooo!!! That will definitely be a treat!

So there haven't been many progress pictures of that because it really is just knitting, knitting, knitting, but I will post more down the road, maybe when I get the ribbing or a sleeve done, definitely when it's finally finished.

The way I usually pick what I'm working on is I usually have one mindless repetitive project going (the sweater right now) that I can knit in public. I do belong to 2 knitting groups and we tend to get a little chatty:) so it's best if I'm not working on something that requires counting or too much brainpower during those times. (My brainpower is already somewhat limited to begin with, and we know definitely do not ask me to do math while I'm knitting, my brain will explode someday I swear!)

On the other hand I usually do have another project going that might require some attention, or just be there to distract me once in awhile. A lot of time it's socks but the other day I started this beautiful thing

Ok, so it hasn't realized it's full "beauty" potential yet, blocking will help a lot when it's done. This is the Branching Out pattern from Knitty. I'm not using either of the recommended yarns, I'm using the Andean Silk I had leftover from the cardigan I made a few months ago. Which makes me verrry happy, because this is one of the yarns I had in my stash, only 300 yards or so that I had no idea what the heck I was going to do with it. So I'm happy I came across this pattern I had admired a few times already. So another beautiful thing- it's stashbusting! (Yay Karin!!!!) And you have to think that at $3.29 a ball, if I had bought the yarn for this scarf it would have cost me under $10. It's a beautiful thing....

El Jorongo yarn

Ahh the 3 day weekend. Such a beautiful thing. The laundry is done, I've gone to the gym, ran my errands and now I can spend the rest of my Monday off listening to podcasts and knitting. Yay!

Anyway, so now I finally have some time to blog and can show pics of the yarn I received from El Jorongo the other day. This package came to my office.

Wow. That's a lot of yarn. So that night while watching the Olympics I set up the ball winder and put it together in several 50 yard balls. This is yarn from the Criollo sheep which are indigenous to Mexico and South America. I picked the natural undyed color because I wanted it to be really authentic and representative of where it came from and how it was made.

Yeah... Did I say it was a lot of yarn? Umm, yep, it's a lot of yarn. So I have to admit when I first got it, well, I kind of had some doubts. First of all, it just looked like so much, I saw all my stash reducing prospects go right out the window. But then when I balled it up I realized there really isn't that much of it. I figure there's between 1200 and 1500 yards, and it is pretty bulky stuff. But then I thought about it, knit a swatch, blocked it and really started to like it. While it's not the smooth, overly processed type of fiber we see here all the time, it is very warm and after blocking my swatch it is actually very soft and has a nice bit of fuzz to it.

And then I was actually happy because I realized I may actually already have a pattern picked for this yarn. It's funny because I've wanted to make this pattern each time I've looked at it I figured the yarn would be really expensive, so now it looks like since I already have the yarn I might actually be able to make this pattern after all.

This is The Einstein Coat, in Sally Melville's book The Knit Stitch. I've heard so many people rave about the pattern and the finished product, and it does look fun to do. I like complex knitting sometimes, but I also really love the mindless, garter stitch, relaxing listening to podcast, watching tv knitting too. So we'll see, I have the couple of projects I'm working on now, but once they're done there's a strong possibility this will be the next project on the needles.

The Blizzard of 2006!

Yay! Snow! I know, a lot of people hate snow but I usually don't mind. It's pretty conducive to some of my favorite activities, curling up with cup of tea, sitting down with a good knit, catching some Olympic Hockey. That's how it usually goes. This weekend unfortunately is a different story.

Work??? Ewww! I know, but hopefully my nightmarish deadline really is going to be tomorrow finally and things should lighten up quite a bit after that. If however the necessary people are not able to attend tomorrow as planned because of the 'Blizzard of 2006' and things get postponed then you can probably anticipate more whining... So I guess between work this weekend and going outside to shovel like 8 million times (I don't always like the shoveling part) I'm a little cranky. Sigh...

Anyway, for some knitting content though someone asked last time what I like to use the Lily Sugar and Cream yarn for. Well, I use it for washcloths.

Well, washcloths, dishcloths. You could use them for whatever you want. This one is folded in quarters and will probably get used for a washcloth. This is one of my favorite patterns. It is called the Honeycomb Dishcloth and can be found here in the knitting patterns. However the picture does not really convey just how cool these cloths really are. Like I said you can use them as washcloths or dishcloths, my favorite thing personally is to tweak the pattern a little and make them big, like what some people call tea towels, and just keep them near the sink. The yarn is a laughable $1.49 in most big craft stores (one ball makes one cloth), it comes in every color and variegation under the sun and the cloths are just fun to make. There a great, cheap opportunity to maybe try something new like cables or lace patterns with little pressure, and trust me there's just something about them-everyone I've given them too has always come back and asked me for more!

A knitting group on the road...

So I finally finished these from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch.


Sorry for the crappy grey photo. I've been working a ton of hours lately and not often home in time to catch any natural light for pictures. Anyway, I did finally get used to the really stretchy Cascade Fixation yarn and actually felt pretty comfortable with it. I probably will use it again at some point, it's a stretchy/cottony type sock that would be perfect to wear in summer or in warmer climates. (hmmm...) And I'm happy with the stitch pattern, it was pretty easy and kind of cute I think. But it's onwards and upwards with this book, with stitch patterns that go up to 12 stitch repeats, it will probably be awhile before I knit any plain old stockinette socks again.

In other knitting news last night my knitting group spent some time at a local nursing home.

This outing was coordinated by Tracy who I knit with (hi Tracer!) and her mom. Tracy's mom is an activities director at this nursing home near where we meet each week and they thought it might be nice if we dropped by one night for a Stitch and Bitch with the ladies. It was a great night, chatting with the women, some knew how to knit or crochet already but just wanted reminding or just wanted to see what we were working on. One woman was just happy to sit and wind some yarn into balls and just chat with us. All in all it was pretty rewarding and entertaining. A few of the women mentioned they'd like us to come back sometime. I think that is probably the sign of a successful evening.

Torino... And beyond...

I really thought I might have some finished objects to post today but seeing as I'm still in my bathrobe more than half way through the morning and am nowhere near the intended casting off, I'm throwing in the towel and figure I'll just divert your attention with something else. Something that I do feel needs to be addressed. This would be the upcoming Knitting Olympics.

(Cue trumpet music)

How neat is it that there is going to be a Knitting Olympics???? Now for some reason I have been been totally psyched about the upcoming Athletic Olympics for weeks. (Note how I need to call the Torino games the Athletic Olympics now, because the Knitting Olympics have already gotten so huge, and I don't want you to get the two confused) Anyway, it's surprising for me to be excited about the Athletic Olympics because I'm not a very athletic person myself and most people think there is already more than enough sports viewing going in this house. But I don't know there's just something about it, I feel like the Athletic Olympics is one of the few places where people are still competeing from sheer love of sport. Not for the fame or the fortune. I don't imagine too many people competeing in the luge or curling or women's hockey have many groupies. But these people still go out there and give it their all, and manage to become the best of the best.

Knitters also do not have groupies. Sigh... But they should. Especially Stephanie Pearl-McPhee aka Yarn Harlot who has given us this wonderful gathering called the Knitting Olympics. Stephanies blog is a usual must read in and of itself, but this Knitting Olympics is just taking it to a whole new level. Anyway the concept is you cast on a new, challenging project during the Opening Ceremonies and must be finished by the Closing Ceremonies. Pretty neat. And the coolest thing? A few days ago the number of people participating reached over 2500!

That is more than the number of actual olympians in the Athletic Olympics.

Wow.

Unfortuately I am not taking part. I currently find myself with 2 projects I'm smack in the middle of and well, I'm just taken with them. Sigh... The Knitting Olympics are not in sync with my current project schedule at all. Drat! However, I have posted a little button in the sidebar to show my support (I really am supportive, despite the sarcasm of the button, it was just my mandatory choice, it has a Simpsons character on it. Hello!) and I guess I'll just hope maybe sometime in the future something similar may come along...

And when it does... I will be ready... (cue trumpet music again)

Sexy? No. Comfy? Heck yes!

This week I finished knitting what I can only think of as the sock equivalent of granny panties.

Simple short socks knit out of some Cascade 220 I had left over from making a Sophie Bag. I had made socks like this previously out of acrylic but they weren't as warm as I had hoped, so these are wool and I tightened the gauge up a little bit and I love 'em. And the Cascade really does have quite a depth of color, you might not be able to tell from the picture but the purple really does have little tones of red and blue here and there that make this such a great color. I know the design isn't sexy but hey, it's January and here in Jersey we have some frosty days. Actually today happens to be a lovely miserable gray that could only be compared to like British fog meets a Bauhaus song meets a hangover. This is my interpretation of the weather today. Makes me glad to be staying inside and knitting!

So there's some big football game coming up next weekend (I don't know if it's true or not, I just heard it somewhere...) and for some reason this has come to mark the big yarn/craft store sale season around here. (It's like being a football widow is so pitiful, the yarn stores even feel bad for me... Sigh...) So yesterday I went to the LYS where I purchased my ball winder and got myself a swift at a lovely 20% off. Woo hoo! Then I had the nerve to keep going so I went to A.C. Moore which I forgot was hosting the "Knitting and Crochet Party" (it was insane, the knitters had like lampshades on their heads and the crocheters kept doing Tequila shots and picking fights with each other) so I just picked up a few little things and went on my merry way.

Yay washcloth yarn! The lavender Sugar & Cream doesn't translate that great in the photo but trust me it is sooo pretty. The other items are supplies for stitchmarkers themed after guess which holiday coming up? No, not President's Day...

Ok purist maybe, elitist no way!

Ok so a lot of it's true, but I don't think I'm a yarn snob, after all I did make the cat bed from Stitch and Bitch out of Fun Fur!


You appear to be a Knitting Purist.
You are an accomplished knitter producing beautiful
pieces with a classic feel. You sometimes
lament losing half of your local yarn shop to
garish novelty yarns. Perhaps you consider
fun fur scarves the bane of knitting society
and prefer to steer new knitters towards the
wool and cotton blends. Some might call you a
bit of an elitist but you know that you've
been doing this craft long enough to respect
the history behind it and honor it with
beautiful piece that can last a lifetime.
http://marniemaclean.com


What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

I'm back!

Back from a great visit with my sister and her husband and my new niece! You know as soon as I got there I made my sister open her birthday gift first thing! I had gotten her a few things she wanted for the house, and of course made her the socks she had been asking for for months.

Oh and after I made her socks I had some of the yarn left over so you know what I had to do with that!

These were for my beautiful niece Adelaida. Now just a footnote: the yarn is Knitpicks sockgarden yarn in Daffodil. I am aware that these are colors that might make a normal person somewhat woozy, but again if you know my sister, you know that orange is a big favorite color for her, and just the orange and the green and yellow in this yarn, well, it was meant to be. While my sister's socks are a pretty straightforward, basic sock pattern, Addy's were a different story. This pattern is the Hugs and Kisses Better than Booties Baby Socks which involved this way intricate short row heel and toe thing I had never done before. All with a special zig zag bindoff. Yeah, I know, it even sounds hard. On the first one I did the toe 3 times before getting it right. Now, I don't know as much as a lot of knitters out there, but still I had not been this challenged in a long time. So much so that honestly, that second little baby bootie almost did not get made. But it was worth it I guess. I learned from it. Also in the end it was worth it of course, just to see this...

Oh they're so cute! They just make all that frogging and swearing worth it! Oh and for anyone paying attention this yarn was the issue I had at the beginning of December where I didn't think it was going to come in time for me to get the socks done for my sister's birthday and stuff. Knitpicks had said the delivery would take 5 to 19 days. Of course, being December you know that package had to come on, yep, the 19th day. But still I love Knitpicks, just look at that picture? How could you not?

So I spent a lot of time in Florida just catching up with my new niece and my sister, cooking, eating, knitting, taking lots of lots of pictures.

Sorry, I had to include that one too, I just thought it was so cute. It's my sister, Adelaida and my mom. My mom by the way was a really good sport and did accompany me to the one yarn store I visited. She is a non-knitter but always a very good recipient of knitted gifts and a pretty well behaved companion for yarn crawls. Which I imagine must be pretty boring for them. It's like if I ever had to accompany my husband to a football store, or like a Lord of the Rings store if they existed, I would probably be reciting nuptials over that. But my mom is pretty good. We took a drive out to Sip and Knit in Maitland. A really neat little shop, the people working there were very friendly and there was a pretty good selection. Knowing that whatever I purchased needed to go in my suitcase somehow, my purchases were somewhat limited, but I am nonetheless very enthusiastic about them.

Sock yarn ahh, lovely sock yarn. Two kinds I have not seen in any stores around here. I love the stripey one, it's like a brown and green and cream mix and the one on top is actually a dark burgundy. (I know this is a not good low lit picture) I bought the chibi more because I had lost my tapestry needle somewhere in my luggage, needed another and also figure this case might be a big help so I don't lose more needles in the future. I also did a little shopping for my secret pal too. I hope she likes what I have to send!

Vacation all I ever wanted...

Signing off for a few days! Tomorrow I'm going to sunny Florida with my mom to meet my new niece (yay!) and celebrate my sister's birthday (just a couple of days late). I'm so excited! I've already got my travel knitting (socks of course) and the camera packed, ready to relax and take lots of pics. Happy knitting all!

It's done!!!!

My Clapotis is finished! Isn't it pretty! I used 7 1/4 balls of Noro Silk Garden. Regular old size 8 bamboo 29 in circular needles. It's not blocked in these pictures but I just couldn't wait! I really loved this pattern. It was uninvolved enough to do while watching tv or listening to a podcast but involved enough that it was fun to watch the different steps. And I didn't think it would work but it is just like in the pictures, you really could use it as a wrap or a scarf.

Knitting South of the Border

My father and his wife recently spent some time over the holidays touring around Mexico. They actually have a lovely home in a beautiful town there called San Miguel De Allende and this December they finally had some time to get out and explore the surrounding areas. One of the places they visited was the town of Pátzcuaro where they visted eljorongo a knitting and weaving business that uses wool from local sheep. Just look at these great pictures that my dad sent me

this is dyed wool that has been hung to dry

this is one of the weaving looms

Interesting isn't it? The website for eljorongo is definitely worth checking out. I love where they describe their business and talk about the "team of expert knitters" used to handknit many of their goods. (What do you say Erin, maybe our group could try out for the team? You can be team captain because you can translate :) There's also a section of the website called the art of wool where they have pictures of the team at work.

I emailed El Jorongo today to see if maybe there's a way I could just purchase some of their yarn. Just to see what it's like. Maybe I could get one of those fluffy brightly colored skeins for myself? We'll see, details to follow!

It's Friday!!!!!

And Fridays are great!!!!! Especially when you have a 3 day weekend like me! Yay! And now I'm really in a good mood because I just got the cutest e-card from my secret pal!!! Thank you so much nice person out there! It was so cute!

Well, not much planned for this weekend, I have lunch dates tomorrow and Sunday but other than that I'm really up for just some relaxing and catching up on my knitting. I know it's late for it but this is pretty much my first weekend I get to recover from the holidays. Plus it's been a crazy week because my husband at the young age of 37 somehow managed to get the chicken pox this week! Yes, the chicken pox! We knew he had never had it but never thought about it much until he woke up Monday feeling really sick completely covered in red bumps. He did get to the doctor and has been resting, but it's really knocked the wind out of him so he's still a little out of it. I asked if I could take his picture for the blog but he said no, he's not feeling so pretty I guess.

I do however have a picture from knitting the other night!

As you can see we had some visitors! Four brave guys throwing down the shackles of society and picking up the knitting needles! How cool is that! I love how this picture perfectly captures me on the far left just running my mouth, babbling about knitting (I do this in my sleep now, it's pathetic) and Erin second in from the right looking at me thinking "Jana is telling them the completely wrong way to cast on!" And then there's Chris our resident crocheter on the end smiling and looking cute, trying to pretend it's all normal. Haha!!! But no really, other than me screwing up the casting on lesson it was a great night. We all had fun and the guys were so interested in the knitting and so polite and they really picked it up, even if the instruction might not have been that coherent at times...

TMI: Too much information!

So my knitting group comrades talked me into doing the Secret Pal program. I think it will be fun. But I had to fill out this questionnaire and well, I don't want to put anyone to sleep here but honestly at times I can be a bit wordy. So my apologies, especially to my Secret Pal who probably never wanted to know this much about me!

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand?
I don't think I am a yarn snob because I do love Lily Sugar and Cream yarn that is like the cheapest thing they sell at most big craft stores. I love this cotton yarn for washcloths which I love making and using, and my family is now addicted to them too! I might however be an acrylic snob. I never use Red Heart, I use Lion Brand sometimes but really not a lot. I don't mind acrylic if it's going to be a good acrylic, I like Plymouth Encore a lot, most often I'll usually use acrylic to knit baby stuff for my new niece a lot. Especially some of the new cushy ones out there by Caron and some of those brands.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?
Don't spin, used to crochet, not so much anymore really. Totally, sadly obsessed with knitting...

3. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I made the 'roll your own needlecase' from the Stitch and Bitch book. Circulars are in a case I got free at stitches last year, which is really filling up and doesn't do that great a job. And the situation with the double points, well it's just sad. And I use them a lot, I love knitting socks, but they just haven't found a home yet, they live in the very cold and lonely bottom of my knitting bag.

4. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
Hmm.... On and off since I was a kid. Obsessively for the last 2-3 years. I guess I might be intermediate or advanced intermediate? I'm really not that scared to try anything. Although Fair Isle and lace knitting are both things I have little to no experience with.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yep, Amazon and Knitpicks. Looove the knitpicks....

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
Honestly not a big scent person. Taste, now that's another story! (See question #7)

7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Favorite candy? I can't offend the other candies by picking just one! I am a equal opportunity candy lover. Chocolate, fruity, anything really. Although honestly I do have to say I really, really don't like some of the gross ones, like gummy bugs, worms, etc. That's like candy abuse to make it into something gross like that. Really.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
Umm, cooking would be the big one I guess. Love to cook, the food network is on in this house a lot. That's about it really. It's a good companion to knitting.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I always say I like all kinds of music as long as it's good music. If you look at my cd collection you would immediately say there is a strong punk/alternative/80's connection there. Some bands I guess I'd have to mention would be the Replacements, the Cure, old Liz Phair, Sublime, NOFX, Operation Ivy, Face to Face, Bad Religion. But I also like some country, only the really good stuff though like Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Nickel Creek, other bluegrass. And I like the Beastie Boys a lot but I wouldn't say I'm a fan of rap at all. Oh and I also do really like a lot of old jazz and big band stuff, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday, Louis Prima, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, love, love, love that type of stuff. And I even like some oldies/soul type stuff, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye... See? I could go on and on and on.... I think my computer plays MP3's. I think that's how I listen to the podcasts but I'm not sure...

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
Unfortunately I still wear black like I it's going out of style. But I also really like dark-jewel type colors, purples, reds, greens, etc. Not into anything too bright, and I really don't like yellow or orange that much.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
Married for 5 great years. We have an 18 pound cat named Allister and he pretty much rules the roost. It's his world we're just living in it.

12. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I'm becoming a scarf person since I'm finding so many to knit that I like. It gets cold in Jersey sometimes so I have been known to wear hats and mittens too. As for ponchos, sorry, don't like 'em. I love Martha Stewart (I know I'm like the last one left on earth) but she can leave that poncho at home!

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
Basic wools pretty much. Lamb's Pride, Cascade 220. Also Plymouth Encore. All sock yarns and anything from Knitpicks. And of course, Lily Sugar and Cream for washcloths.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
Not to big on the ribbon yarns actually. I knit a couple of pieces with that railroad yarn Plymouth Eros, and honestly they just don't get worn.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
I'm really obsessed with the new knitting podcasts, Cast-On and Knitcast. They're just so fun and interesting to listen too. And blogs. I could just read blogs for hours and hours.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I guess socks. They're just so portable and fun. I seem to always have a pair on the needles. But I also like sweaters and washcloths and scarves too.

17. What are you knitting right now?
Clapotis in Noro silk garden after all the cool ones I saw on different blogs. And of course, socks.

18. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Not so much, I just feel like most things handmade I could probably make myself. Although I'm really into stitchmarkers, they would be neat.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
I appreciate both some are good for some projects some for others.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Bamboo/wood and addi turbos are my favorites.

21. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
A winder yes, a swift not yet, maybe someday...

22. How did you learn to knit?
My godmother taught me when I was 5.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?
Honestly I don't think I have one. I really just have current projects. I don't like to let things build up.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
Love the Simpsons and South Park and that kind of stuff. Love Hello Kitty. I guess I also like penguins, and I'm hoping to go see the new panda bear in D.C. soon.

25. What is your favorite holiday?
Thanksgiving. It's that taste thing again.

26. Is there anything that you collect?
Yarn? Knitting books? Otherwise I guess I collect cookbooks. I have a lot.

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
Knitters and Interweave knits.

28. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?
I would really love some bamboo double points. I have 2's but I'm sure at some point I should have size 1 and size 3. I have double points in 7 and 8 in metal but I'd love to replace them with bamboo. As for patterns I love the knitting pure and simple patterns and fiber trends patterns but only have very few. I'd really like to have more.

29. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Definitely lace.

30. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
My feet measure about 9 inches around but I usually will knit a sock for 8 1/2 around so it fits good. And my feet are not small unfortunately. I wear a size 10 and my feet are wide. Gosh, this is embarassing!

31. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
March 20 and I'm a Pices!

Thanks Dad!

Just had to post a little something to give a belated thank you to my dad. I just can't go another day without mentioning all the wonderful Christmas gifts I got from him.

This is a bunch of knitting books I have wanted for a long, long time. Of course the Amazon wish list helped identify them, but I really give my dad credit for buying me knitting related stuff. I can only imagine what goes through the head of a non-knitter when they see these. (Yarn Harlot?) My dad was like "All those books are about knitting?" Yeah dad, they are. I know you don't get it but, trust me, these are really, really, really cool. I haven't taken a picture of them sooner because when the box came I pretty much tore it open and have been devouring them since. I'm a good part of the way into Knit's End already which I'm really enjoying. It's so easy to identify with her writing. It's so nice to see there are others out there who also obsess over, oops I mean enjoy, knitting just as much. :)

Also I'm already planning my first project from the Scarf Style book. This book is absolutely gorgeous by the way, there's just something so beautiful and simple about just such a quality group of scarf patterns like this. So yesterday of course I had to get out there and buy some more yarn!


Specifically the green yarn which is a gorgeous Lana Grossa Merino I'm going to use for the Falling Leaves scarf which I have in mind for a Christmas gift for someone next year. (See? I'm already planning ahead!!) The blue is a terrific Cascade 220 for a neckdown raglan which is another gift for someone. The one on the top is shaped different because I also caved and finally got myself a yarn winder. So much easier than just trying to wind a ball with the yarn wrapped around a chair or my feet or just laying on the floor. And I got some addi turbo needles which I love.

On another positive note I finished the secret gift project I've been working on today and will probably post pictures in the next week or so for the big reveal. (Ooh! Ahh!) This one was tough, I have to say it was a challenge like I haven't had in awhile. But I made it! Going back to Clapotis will be a walk in the park...

Happy New Year!

A new year has begun. For the new year a new blog look! The product of much lip biting and and several do-overs I was hoping to make the blog look a little lighter, a little friendlier and more colorful. A color other than pink that is... While I think a new year is a good thing I'm not much of a resolver. I listen to a public jazz station out of Newark at work and one of the dj's I really like was saying that he would not make resolutions but that he had "a few things on the board." And I guess I could say that, I have a few things on the board. Knitting-wise they would definitely be

1. I'm still committed to being more ready for the holidays next year with more knitted gifts for people. I'm trying to make specifics plans of what to give to who and next weekend plan on going to the local lys to try to start to make things happen. Ask me where I'm at in July with this one.

2. Try lace knitting. Again. Yes, my previous attempt may have ended in a flurry of naughty swears and a very pretty ball of laceweight flying through the air but try, try again. There are just too, too many gorgeous patterns (birch, kiri, etc.) taunting me. I have to get in on that, I will weather the swears to make this happen.

3. Try socks on circular needles. This I think will be easier than #2. I'm doing pretty good at the socks lately, they seem to be going pretty quick on the clover toothpicks, I think circulars will be really cool.

4. Be a better blogger. Better photos, better stories, better something. Just better.

On a completely separate note I just wanted to mention I have a link in my sidebar to a podcast called Cast-On hosted by Brenda Dayne. While I do not have an ipod this podcast is definitely my new addiction. Brenda is witty and entertaining and educated and interesting. She plays pod-safe music on her show which I think is really cool in and of itself. These are unsigned artists, putting their music out there for the love of it. And you can just listen to the podcast on your computer just by clicking the link on the website like I do. When the main tv is monopolized by football or some dumb war show or when there's just nothing on the 8 gazillion channels we have (which is 99% of the time) it is just heaven to sit and knit and listen to this show. I know it sounds bizarre, I know my family is concerned about my knitting addiction ("Now she's making up something about a knitting talk radio show???" It's just so sad to see her going on like this...") But I swear it's true and it really exists and if you have the tiniest knitting bone in your body, please check it out, it is really, really just a very cool thing!

This is just disappointing...

I expected a much higher score. Where were the knitting questions? I think my score should definitely be raised due to my vast knowledge about knitting and the Simpsons alone. And what about that big box of comics in my closet! That has to count for something! C'mon people! Who made this test anyway!