Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Ethereal Fichu completed & blocked by Maggs




I cannot tell you how impressed I am by my lovely & talented bestest bud Maggie....she has taken my Ethereal Fichu from the blob of rosy, messy stitches & turned it into a creation of beautissimissness....she really has....
and as friends go, she is pretty awesome ESPECIALLY considering the fact that she has been feeling less than perfect or even just blah for the past few weeks. I understand that old age takes its toll but this was too much even for her!!! LOL!!! but in all seriousness, I can never thank her enough for taking the time & trouble to do this for me. Maggie....well, you know how I feel about you, old girl....many, many thanks...

now, give me a moment & I shall present....ta da....my Ethereal Fichu in all its glory.
I shall attempt to post them in order from the pile on the floor to the glorious, in the blocking stage, completed item.

when last I spoke to Maggs, earlier today, she had stretched it another 8" or so & straightened it out because she said the line was crooked, but you sure couldn't tell if it was crooked from what I could see...to me it was just PRETTY!!! REALLY PRETTY!!!! she is a perfectionist tho & that's 1 of the things I love about her. especially when she is being picky with MY knitting!!! ha ha ha!!!!! anyways, I'll post another pic if she decides to send it to me but if not, these will just have to do!

Jasper, I will miss you.


One of my dear friends, Wabbit, lost her wonderful dog Jasper recently. He was tired & passed away in his sleep. He was one of the sweetest dogs I ever knew. A section of my heart is broken forever & I will miss him always.
I also know that he is running around with my Sandi & my Spike & having a ball.
I love you, Jasper.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Sandie's Sachets


I should be taken out & beaten for the way I screw things up on the computer. dear Sandie was kind enough to send me a pic of the lovely sachets she gifted me with when we finally met face to face at the Rhinebeck Fiber Festival in New York & it has taken me THIS long to post them. I swear to you the intention was there, it was just time bashing that got the better of me. so here they are....and they are lovely!!! and they smell great, each a different scent from the others!!! I have 1 in my closet, 1 in my "craft" room & 1 in my bedroom & they are heavenly. Thank you so much, Sandie, for scenting my life so sweetly!!!!!!!!

Sunday, October 29, 2006

happy halloween from my SP9 bud!!!!!


is this the most adorable lil punkin you ever did see???? secret pal o mine, did you knit & felt that yourself????? it came out just lovely!!!!! and check out the card that she made just for me me me!!!! yes, I know she did!!! I can tell!!!!
and look really really closely now......fobs that say I for Increase & D for Decrease....I have NEVER seen anything like that before!!!!! they are adorable!!!!! thank you so much my dear SP9 pal...you are the best!!!!

Saturday, October 28, 2006

news!!!!

so much to tell!!!!!!
my SP9 sent me a very special goodie today!!! I'm just waiting for my pic so I can post it properly....thank you so much, my awesome goodie giver...I'm delighted by what you sent!!!!!! happy halloween to you my dearest!!!!

maggs was kind enuff to take my fichu today & will block it for me as soon as she can....but my sweet friend has a bad tooth & it's been paining her for quite some time now. there's no hurry, dear friend...you just take care of that tooth!!!!! and thank you for all that you do for me....even tho I threatened you with bodily harm altho I really don't think anybody needs to know that if you get my drift.

I'm still moving along on the triangular shawl but decided to take a break & do the edging on the baby alpaca throw that's been done now for almost a year. it's the nature tree of life lionbrand pattern & it's just beautiful w/all the leaves & trees on it. it's also buttery soft as only baby alpaca can be. I just love it so I better hurry up!

and sandie is still whipping out hats for caps for the capital http://www.savethechildren.org/capstothecapital/ so please check it out & get started on those caps for those innocent lil babies. It’s a truly worthwhile cause!!!!!

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

home...safe & sound!

well, it's been a hectic 2 weeks but I'm now back home....I couldn't just come straight home from the airport...no....we had to stop for groceries on the way. I thought my bladder was going to explode!!!! (yes, I have issues & never ever use the bathrooms on the plane...all 2 of them for 300 people...I'd rather pull my eyeballs out thru my nose)....and having a window seat meant I could just sit there & try to sleep for 5 friggin hours...yeah right. but who's complaining???? I managed to finish 2 of the 3 projects...my Fichu (yes, it still needs to be blocked 1st) & my red scarf from the Knitter's Scarf & Shawl book...very easy but it looks fabulous!!! I might be able to finagle maggie to block the Fichu for me since she is such an expert & does a truly awesome job. we shall see.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

sandie & me


this lady is awesome....finally we meet in person!!!! more to come!!! (let's just hope I can post the pic of the 2 of us!!!)

Monday, October 16, 2006

contest questions!

http://javajem.blogspot.com/2006/10/get-to-know-you-questions.html#links

a contest!!!! answer before the 18th...whenever that is....I'm still so confused being away from home!

1. Where is your favorite knitting spot? in my bed, where the light is great & it's quiet & nobody can distract me. did I mention I miss my bed being 3000 miles away from home??!!!

2. If you suddenly could never knit again (shudder) - what would you do instead? what a horrible thought!!!!!! I don't know....oh my.....what was the question???? well let's see....watch TV & tuen into a big ol vegetable, what else!!??

3. If you could travel anywhere in the world - where would you go and why? I would go to vienna & austria because I've always wanted to. no idea why. not for the pastries, in case that's what you were thinkin!!! LOL!!!

4. When you were little - What did you want to do "when you grew up?" Are you doing it? I wanted to be an actress & a singer. I can do neither. I can't sing a note & I'm extremely shy but in my dreams....ahhhhhhhh!

5. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? anything vanilla w/nuts & hunks of chocolate!

Sunday, October 15, 2006

hello from NY

no pics to report but I did hit a few yarn shops so far. my nephews wedding was wonderful & there was alot of tears along w/seeing long lost relatives. the weather is gorgeous...typical autumn in upstate NY...I love it & I don't wanna come home...cept to see my sweetie & my friends of course. more to come!

Sunday, October 08, 2006

what am I doing anyway????



I've been so busy trying to organize myself for next wednesday when I leave for NY that I've really had nothing to post about. I have projects, this is true. my triangle shawl appears almost done but in actuality I have a really long way to go & will be forced to wear my sweatshirt jacket instead. maggie made a gorgeous pi shawl last year & has offered to lend it to me so I'll have something to wear over my dress while heading to the wedding. I already told her that when folks start complementing me on my shawl I shall say that I made it. and why not??? they can't PROVE I didn't. well, if they read this I guess they can. but now your talking technicality & I ain't gonna go there. let's just leave it at that.
my friend kim had emailed me the other day, all in a dither, telling me to go read the yarn harlot...like right away!!!! so I went to her site & saw a pic of a lacey thing & in the title was the word ETHEREAL. stupid me thought she was working on the ethereal fichu that I'm also working on & my 1st thought was "wonder if she had the same problem as me"...I emailed kim back splaining my thoughts to her & got chastised for not noticing that the yarn harlot had gotten married!!!!! how the hell am I supposed to know???? I thought she WAS married!!!! that's what I get for reading her books when she says "my husband joe". oh well, at least I'm posting. if you want quality you'll have to go to somebody else's blog.
I should probably take a pic of my triangle shawl while I'm here. but the pics never come out w/the nice bright color of the yarn I'm using. everything I make appears neon & beleive me, it's really not. I use some really nice stuff. but then it's really not my fault because I'm not taking the actual pic...joe is. I'm at his mercy because I'm too damn cheap to buy myself a camera. yes, sandie, I know what you're thinking & you can just yell at me at rhinebeck. better not have your camera with you to take my pic either. I just might steal it & then what'll you do, huh??? it's a real long way from your house to mine, sugar puff!
I must tell you what joe did. I was chatting w/him the other day as we sat on the porch smoking our cigarettes & I just happened to mention that maybe I should get 1 of the sony portable cd things...for my plane ride all by my lonesome for which I will be a basketcase. it would at least keep me occupied. never being 1 to keep a secret, he told me that he had ordered me a portable cd/dvd player & sure enough it arrived the next day & it's just wonderful! so now I can watch my knitting dvd's (yes, I love to watch knitting, in any shape or form & think more people should make dvd's so that maybe I could finally manage to knit without looking...my goal in life...that & being able to fake burp. did I just say that out load???) while on the plane in between knitting the backyard leaves scarf, the 2 sox on 2 circs, or the ethereal fichu (maybe I should hold off on doing the fichu on the plane since I am easily ditracted & could possibly make a mistake. ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!! no, really.
geez louise have I been babbling on & on over nothing for the past 1/2 hour? let me see if I can get a pic taken of that triangle shawl. wish me luck.
and as a spcial added treat, here is a pic of Tabitha, who didn't want to move while the pic of the shawl was being taken.

Friday, October 06, 2006

SP9!!!

yep, I joined...1st time for me & I'm very excited. excited to meet & become friends w/another knitter...excited to hand pick goodies just for her/him (?) & excited to get goodies myself!!!!! this is the questionaire we are to complete & I tried to be as honest as I could but I was heavily sedated so you know how that goes. and I'm leaving next wednesday for NY to meet more knitters at the Rhinebeck Fiber Festival (especially my great buddy Sandie!!!....hiya Sandie!!!!) & also attend my nephew's very posh posh wedding in Tarrytown so I'm nervous & very flustery & not even sure I understood the questions!!!! but here it is anyway:
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? My all-time favorite is alpaca…baby alpaca especially. And also quiviot which a dear friend gifted me with after her trip to Alaska. I whole ounce of it! I DO NOT like acrylics. Of any kind. Not even for children. Especially NOT for babies as they are a fire hazard. Some lovely baby yarn in the softest of wool is so much nicer


2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have a holder w/pockets on the back of my door for my double points & assorted sized crochet hooks & a Circular Solution for my massive addi turbo circular collection. I never use straight needles at all…for anything… Cept for maybe testing the doneness of cakes.

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 off & on since I was a teenager but still consider myself just an intermediate. I get easily distracted & bounce from project to project, rarely finishing anything. Very immature, I would say!

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.) vanilla is 1 of my favorites. Or anything spicy or oceany.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I like chocolate…hard chocolate candies too like Nips!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I have, off & on, but can’t say I’m very good at it. I stick to knitting mostly.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) yes, most definitely. Not into hip hop…prefer soft instrumentals or dance music w/lots of drums, almost tribal!!

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I love flame colors…oranges/reds/yellows…also love the purple/babyblue/pink colorway…adore chocolate brown…greens…geez, I love color!!!!

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Recently lost our dog. We just have a beautiful, mature female cat named Tabitha. I live w/my soul-mate, my best friend, my babis; Joe.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? All but hats…never got into hats much.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Lace shawls. Not that I’m very good at it, but I love to attempt them. They boggle my mind.

13. What are you knitting right now? 3 shawls, 2 pr of sox & 2 purses.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? absolutely

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I love the circular addi turbos. I have several in every size. I recently acquired a rosewood circ which I adore & would love to own an ebony circ…..I expect to find them at a garage sale 1 day.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes, both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? Not very old as I recently ripped them all out.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect? Other than gorgeous yarn?? I have a collection of hideous trolls from Norway that I love…well I have 6 but 3 or more is a collection, in my mind.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? Lace lace lace….I would love Fiddlesticks or maybe something unknown that I never heard of…trust me, I am very easy to please!

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Would love to improve my cabling w/out a needle & my fair isle…among many many others…..would kill to knit w/out having to look at my hands.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Definitely!!!! I love handknit sox!!!!! I’m a basic 8-1/2 but my feet know enuff to fit into just about anything.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) march 7