For the Love of Yarn! (and books, too!)

I've officially been out of school for three weeks now. I have slept in, read, knitted, been lazy, caught up on watching stuff from the DVR and now am ready to try new things. Well, cook new things!

Jason and I decided that we would go through the Cook's Illustrated magazines that we have (a great magazine if you want to know the WHY behind what is being done and how long it takes them to perfect it!) and pick a few recipes to try each week. Some had no recipes that we wanted to try and others had a few. One in particular had quite a few pages marked...just about ALL of them! We tried two of the recipes from this magazine-Almost No Knead Bread and The French Onion Soup. This was my first time making bread by myself as well as a fancy soup. Both turned out well, even though the soup takes FOREVER to make.


YUM!

Posted by srapalmateer at 8:50 AM | 3 comments    
Labels: cooking

Once again, it's time for another round of Secret Pal. Here's my questionnaire...

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
Lately, I've been using a lot of sock yarns (mainly BFL, merino, bamboo). I cannot stand novelty yarns!!!!

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have three cases to store my needles in (one for straights and two for interchangeables)

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 about 5 1/2 years and I taught myself. I would consider myself to be of intermediate skill level

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes, on Amazon and Loopy Ewe...links are on the left (<---)

5. What's your favorite scent?
Coconut Lime Verbena (from Bath & Body Works)

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Yes, dark chocolate peanut m & m's and I LOVE cashews!!!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I am learning how to spin and hope to purchase my first wheel soon!

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
All kinds...but lately I've been listening to the 70s channel on the TV
Yes, I can play MP3s.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love all kinds of blues...there really isn't a color that I do not like!

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
Married to Jason with a cat, Ophelia

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes, yes, yes, no

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
SOCKS! And right now baby blankets since everyone I know is having babies (a couple two at a time!)

13. What are you knitting right now?
2 baby blankets, 2 pairs of socks

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Circs, bamboo or metal

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

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
about three years...a sweater that I just have never gotten back to...but will soon!

18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe?
Christmas (for both). I love the colors, the weather, getting together with family and friends

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Elephants and sock yarn

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
The Eclectic Sole
I have Creative Knitting and Interweave Knits subscriptions currently.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I'd love to do some entrelac...I'm always behind in trends!

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
YES! I wear a 9/12US

23. When is your birthday?
September 6th

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?
Yes, srapalmateer

Posted by srapalmateer at 6:16 PM | 0 comments    
Labels: sp14 questionnaire

No, not the biking class! (I cannot even imagine doing that!)

But the old fashioned way with a spinning wheel...this past Saturday, I spent 5 hours at Cloverhill Yarn Shop learning how to spin. I tried out five different spinning wheels-The Ladybug (which I did not like-too difficult to treadle), the Kiwi (which was pretty good-although just a beginner wheel), the Traveler (also did not like too much), the Joy (definitely did not like-too low to the ground) and the Traditional (which is the wheel that I am thinking about purchasing). I want to go back to the shop and try out all the wheels again just to make sure since spinning wheels can be quite pricey!

I also learned how to comb and card wool fibers as well as plying spun singles into what everyone knows as yarn. It was a great class and Jen, the teacher, was fabulous!

In July I will be taking another class, but this time learning a different technique for knitting socks with one long circular needle from the toe up called magic loop.

Posted by srapalmateer at 9:17 PM | 2 comments    
Labels: Knitting, spinning

It seems to me that my family is diminishing just a bit more quickly than I would like it to! Since February, there have been 7 (yes, I said seven) deaths in my family.

• Aunt Ellen (mom's side)
• Dad
• Kas (Aunt Ellen's daughter, a cousin of mom's)
• Ed (cousin of mom's)
• Harry (Dad's cousin's husband)
• Mary G. (Grandpop's last surviving cousin)
• Pop Hovel (father of mom's oldest friend's husband)

Today was Harry's funeral. It took place at Garrison Forrest Veteran's Cemetery where my maternal grandparents, some cousins and even a classmate of mine (HS) are buried. Mom, Chris and I went and stopped by the graves to pay our respects. It was sort of like playing hide and seek since there is a system to how the graves are laid out, but even when you know the system it is like finding a needle in a haystack!

My grandmother always used to fear January because that seemed to be when all the folks in our family passed on and usually only three. Now I'm beginning to think it just needs to be in the first six months of the year and who knows how many...

Posted by srapalmateer at 9:02 PM | 0 comments    
Labels: deaths

On Monday, Megan and Stan (Jason's sister and brother-in-law) became the proud parents of Lilian Kaye Walsh. Lily weighed in at 6 lbs. 15 oz. on June 15th! All are doing well, except maybe Jack, who still thinks he's got a little brother!

Posted by srapalmateer at 7:30 AM | 2 comments    
Labels: family, niece

Apparently, today is the day that the 1,000,000th word was added to the English language. The Global Language Monitor is responsible for the formula that is used to calculate how many words are added per day (that would be 14.7, if you were curious). The word was added at about 5:22am our time (10:22am Stratford-on-Avon time).

The 1,000,000th word is....(drum roll, please!)

Posted by srapalmateer at 8:51 AM | 1 comments    
Labels: millionth word

Yesterday afternoon, we had some wild storms here in Maryland. We were supposed to go to the Orioles game but decided to turn around and come home. We stopped at a local BBQ/Pit Beef place to pick up dinner. It's still raining and starting to get heavy again. We were waiting to turn out of the parking lot...tons of traffic since it was rush hour. Cars were coming just far enough apart that we could not get into the turn lane. Finally traffic lessened so that we could cross, but to our surprise a minivan pulled around us to do that same thing. Apparently we were taking too long. Of course, Jason honked and the driver of the minivan got out of the car at the traffic light and gave us an "oh well" shrug. Of course one of the passengers then gave us the finger.

(**And this is why teaching is so difficult...people think this type of behavior is OKAY!!!)

Posted by srapalmateer at 7:14 AM | 0 comments    
Labels: safety