Bad blogger - no cookie

Once again, I have committed a blogging fail. The 2010-11 winter season has been murder for the house and myself. Pneumonia twice, down with bronchitis right now (and it'd better stay that way). Mom was in and out of the hospital in February and they don't know why (again).


I've gotten 2 packages from my SP16 partner, Cricket, so far. Of course I've not managed to grab pictures of the mini skeins of sock yarn she sent me for the blanket I'm working on before they were knit into it but I do have a picture of the fingerless mitts Cricket made for my out of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino that she over dyed from a gold color to this beautiful coppery cinnamon color. Using black cherry koolade. I love them, they are super warm and I like to think I can feel the warm Athens sun in them. Cricket is in Athens Greece with the US embassy as a nurse right now, and has 2 adorable granddaughters. I'll admit to hunting her up on rav so I could tell a friend what pattern the mitts are. I've also received some amazing Tazo white tea with cucumber and a mug with adorable cozy and ooooo so nummy chocolate from Greece. Pretty stitch markers (one of which has been dubbed as for the blanket only, it's a skull) and the pattern for Fireside (rav link) which is a beautiful cabled cardi that I've lusted after. I will have that knit by next winter, and am thinking of spinning up Hopper for it. Hopper is a shetland fleece I picked up at the MI wool fest on 09. Currently having been pressed into use as a bolster pillow to keep me more upright than all the pillows I have can manage at night. She's been washed, it's all good.

 

This pic doesn't show the beautiful color that Cricket achieved, but does show off her stitch work. They fit me perfectly, not too long in the finger area (something I have problems with) and nice and sung on the thumb and finger area. I have small hands so usually go in the boys department for mitts and gloves. I love to have things that were made just for me, and these mitts will be treasured for years to come. 

Scott looking like his daddy, a few weeks ago. He's still with his grandparents, but J gets to have him for 3-4 days every few weeks. They are phasing Scott into J's house more and more, with hopes that Scott will be with him full time by the start of the school year, when he'll be in kindergarten.

The Dairy Queen up by the grandparents let Scott go behind the counter and fill his own cone. A perk of a small community. Seriously, the town the grandparents live in has less than 800 people. I think the entire county has only about 20,000.

He still loves playing pirates. That's been a constant with him since before he was 2. Also loves dinosaurs, and his favorite animal is a unicorn right now.

I meant this to be longer on him, but the little man decided to grow some. It is however supposed to have 3/4 length sleeves. Something I didn't notice in the pattern until I saw the picture. Knit from a bi-color blue twist yarn from Plymouth Encore. Scott told me he loves the hood, and both he and J said he didn't want to take it off. So I consider that a huge success. I made this for one of his Christmas presents. I'm just so happy he likes it.


On the knitting front for now, I'm slowly working on the Phatghan (the miter square blanket of DOOM) and mom's sweater (of doom) and have started a lace shawl KAL. I'm knitting In Dreams (rav link) by Susan Pandorf. I love Susan's patterns and am proud to say I'm still on track with the shawl, and on schedule. Of course I'm only on clue 3, but hey, that's on track. I'm not doing the full amount of beads because 5000 beads would be heavy for the person who's getting this one. I am beading the last clue as it calls for, because Susan was so sweet to leave a few clues unbeaded before the end so I can do it w/o having to figure it all out myself. I know Sally will love this, because it's one of Susan's LOTR patterns, and Sally is a huge LOTR fan.

SP16 questionaire

1.      What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely not like? I love wools and cotton yarns, as well as some fancier ones. Not a big acrylic fan (not a snob, but it squeaks and sets my teeth on edge) and I'm super sensitive to mohair.

2.      What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have a few different cases for hooks, a large binder and smaller one too for my needles.

3.      How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I've been knitting for 13 years or so, a sub in school taught me. Crocheting for 18 years easy, my grandma taught me. I'd consider myself advanced on knitting, and advanced intermediate for crocheting

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

5.      What’s your favorite scent? I like clean scents, nothing fake. I'm actually fairly sensitive to scents so would prefer not to get any.

6.      Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I do have, though it comes and goes. I love dark chocolates and other things.

7.      What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I knit, spin, crochet, tat (needle) weave, make jewelry, do chainmaile. I also make soaps and lotion bars and have played with paper

8.      What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) Anything but rap and gospel. I have a few mp3 players and the laptop can take them.

9.      What’s your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can’t stand? Darker colors. Blues, greens, reds (like wine, garnet, brick), greys. please no super bright ones and no pink, orange, or yellow please.

10.  What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Live with family, 1 4yo son who's away from me. 8yo niece with me. We have a mutant goldfish and a turtle. The fish and turtle are both 6 inches, body length only.

11.  Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Yes, yes, yes, and maybe.

12.  What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Socks actually. Started knitting them for Scott, and he loves them.

13.  What are you knitting right now? Scocks (Scott Socks)

14.  Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes a million times yes

15.  Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Circs please, I like metal ones though bamboo are growing on me.

16.  Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? I have a winder, no swift

17.  How old is your oldest UFO? I think a few years. I usually unravel them after a while if they don't get worked on. I can always find another use for the yarn

18.  What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe? Halloween. Myself personally? Not really any winter holiday. We keep xmas in the house because of my niece. I'm agnostic with pagan leanings. By that I mean respect for nature, paying attention to the turning of the seasons, the phase of the moon and that stuff.

19.  Is there anything that you collect? Yoda, the little green muppet from Star Wars. Love him. Hummingbirds, rubber ducks. Yarn, pretty stones.

20.  Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? Soft squishy yarns, lace weight or up. Sock yarns with interesting colors or shading. I'd love odd balls of sock yarn if you have any. Anything over 25 yards in one type would be awesome. Knitting a miter square blanket.

21.  Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn? I want to get better at cables.

22.  Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I am, but I'm a noob. 8" ball of foot circ, 9.25 heel to toe, if you need more than that let me know.

23.  When is your birthday? October 6

24.  Are you on Ravelry? If so, what’s your ID? boosheeps