28 February 2007

Happy 1st Birthday, Jack!

Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Jack, happy birthday to you!

Jack is 1 today! He's such a cutie pie!

Jason and I decided to name Jack's hedgehog, Hank. It will be a bit easier for him to say then Hector or Horatio (I liked that addition to the list, Mel).

Even though today is Jack's actual bday, his party is not until Saturday. Jason and I are unable to travel so far away during the school year, especially since Jason is getting ready for MIDTERMS and I've been out a lot recently due to visiting dr's and school-related meetings. We're mailing the hedgehog this afternoon. I hope it gets to SC in time!!!

25 February 2007

A Name for the Hedgehog


I got around to felting the hedgehog this morning (finally!) and he's in the process of drying (slowly). He is for my nephew who is turning 1 on Wednesday. I thought I would give him a name. Here are the names that I think would be best (they are in order of my preference)...
  • Hank
  • Hector
  • Hugo
Any other suggestions????

23 February 2007

Secret Pal 10

Here is the questionnaire for Secret Pal 10:

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love all yarn...there never seems to be enough of it! I can't say that there is a yarn that I absolutely do NOT like. I can't seem to leave my LYS without some sort of sock yarn...it's my version of candy! My husband bought Arctic Lace for me for Valentine's Day. I have yet to buy any lace weight yarn to make any of the gorgeous patterns, but I am trying to finish some of my UFOs.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
My needles are in a case that my hubby gave me for Christmas a few years ago.

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 a little over 3 years. I taught myself! I would consider my skill level to be intermediate.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I do have an Amazon wish list
5. What's your favorite scent?
My favorite scent is Coconut Lime Verbena (Bath & Body Works), cinnamon, but NOTHING flowery!
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Can't eat any candy :-( But I like all kinds of nuts (protein, protein, protein)
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I enjoy scrapbooking. I do not spin, but would like to learn one day!
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I like pop/classic rock/'80s tunes. My computer and iPod play MP3s.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
My favorite colors are blue and yellow. I'm not all that fond of orange, but I don't hate it!
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I am happily married and have one cat.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes, yes, yes, not really (but I only have one!)
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
SOCKS!
13. What are you knitting right now?
Socks, afghan, hats, shawl
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
I LOVE handmade gifts.
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I prefer circulars with large projects, but straights are good, too! I definitely like bamboo needles. I also love the addi turbo metal needles!
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No, I do not own either.
17. How old is your oldest UFO?
About a month old
18. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas
19. Is there anything that you collect?
Elephant figurines (only with the trunk up-it's good luck!)
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I'm interested in everything to do with knitting! I do get Creative Knitting and Knit Simple by Vogue Knitting. Occasionally, I buy the interweave press mag...I have the new one! (spring '07)
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I would like to learn how to do entrelac, dye yarn, spin...the list goes on.
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes, I am a sock knitter! I wear a size 91/2 US.
23. When is your birthday?
September 6th (born on Labor Day...appropriate, no???)

22 February 2007

Cha..Cha..Changes

I had to change the template for my blog. I wasn't feeling the other one. This one is BLUE. Blue is my favorite. Blue makes me feel better. Blue reminds me of clear skies, Caribbean waters, gorgeous eyes, The Blue Man Group and much, much more.

21 February 2007

Oh my...

The past 24 hours have not been great.
  • AI was actually BORING
  • My hubby found an error on my credit report
  • Company that placed error on my credit report is making me jump through hoops to get the error fixed.
Good things in the past 24 hours...
  • Hubby wrote the letter to said company to fix error
  • Hubby bought me a latte from Starbucks (yummy)
  • Hubby took me to the library to get more KNITTING BOOKS!!!!
I love that man!!! ;-)

20 February 2007

Laissez les bons temps rouler

Happy Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras!!!!

I am still working on that sock (previous posts). It's coming along. I have finished the gusset and and working on the foot itself! Maybe it will get finished while I watch American Idol tonight?!?!

Yesterday, I bought more yarn! I bought Lion Brand's mircospun in coffee and blush. I made a shawl for my sister-in-law with it in black and loved how soft it was. I may do that again but make it up with both yarns knit together?!?! I haven't quite decided yet...

18 February 2007

Sock progress...

This is what I've accomplished so far. I am currently working on the heel flap soon to be on the heel turn. These are some pretty LONG socks! Mom is coming over today, so I'll have her try them on.

I really like how the stripes accentuate the "reflections" even more than if I had used a solid color yarn.

Have I mentioned how soft the sock is?!?!?! ALOE! JOJOBA! Together in one place....now, that's the life!

16 February 2007

Crazy Fool Am I

Craziness! I definitely don't know when to stop! I signed myself up for Sock Madness (appropriately named-not because of the socks, but because you have to be mad to do this), a contest, with brackets (like March MADNESS...get the connection???), to see who can make socks with specific patterns the quickest.

Thank the Yarn Gods that I am only taking one grad school class this semester, so I hope to have time to actually make it more than one round in SM. Last semester, I took 2 classes (1 online and 1 that I had to drive an hour there and back) and I don't think I knit much at all. :(

I know I keep mentioning grad school, but haven't said much else about it. I have been teaching Spanish for 14 years and want a change. I decided that I would earn a Master's in School Library Media. What this means is that I would become a Media Specialist in a school. Basically, still a teacher, but helping students and teachers find information and teaching them how to find that information. I am having a great time with the classes that I have taken so far and am wondering why I didn't start this sooner?!?! About 9 years ago, I was in another Master's program for guidance and counseling. It was a good program and I learned a lot, but could not take a sabbatical with a mortgage to pay. The great thing about finishing the program I'm in now will be once I graduate, I will have a Master's + 30 (credits) which equals mo' money! (not that money is what this is all about...it's about me being HAPPY and SANE!!!)

It couldn't last...

It's back to school/work today. We do have a 2 hr. delay though. Beggars cannot be choosers! Plus, we have Monday off for Presidents' Day.

15 February 2007

Socks

Well, I have 22 more rows to go to finish the leg portion of the Reflection socks for Mom. This pattern is definitely slow going, but the finished product is looking mighty fine! I should be able to finish the leg sometime tomorrow evening. I'll take a pic and make another post then.

Another UFO...

Yet another UFO... I still need to felt the hedgehog. The little guy has been finished since early January. I need to get him felted soon, since he's a birthday present for another little guy, my nephew, who's turning ONE at the end of the month. I had so much fun knitting the hedgehog. It was EASY! I am definitely glad that I made this purchase when I went to Stitches East (Baltimore). A fellow knitting buddy and I went just to see what it was like. We made quite a few purchases that day. I also bought some sock yarn and patterns from Lisa Souza. I did start one of the patterns that I purchased, but life (grad school) got in the way and I put it down. I should pick the scarf back up since the weather here is just getting colder.

Another SNOW day due to Ice

Just another day in Maryland with the weather...if you wait 5 minutes, it WILL change!

I got some more work done on the Reflections socks last night. They are a bit of a slow knit, but they are looking good.

This is another UFO that I've been working on. It's a hat with lots of CABLES and a few BOBBLES from Fiber Trends. It was making me cRaZy the other night, so I had to put it down and start something new. It has 3 different patterns to follow to create the rows of cables and bobbles. I knew it would be challenging, but didn't think I'd need to pull my hair out over it! I'll get back to it in a few days...once the socks get finished! I'm using a tweed yarn in a pale blue. It's soft and a bit bulky. Hopefully, it will make a nice warm hat.

14 February 2007

My first post-a SNOW day!


It's snowing...no, sleeting..no, raining...no, ICE! That's what the weather was like yesterday and I have a snow day today! I've been wanting to start a knitting blog, but haven't really had the time with work and grad school. I thought I'd take the time today to begin!

J and I waited awhile before we went out to scrape the ice and snow off our cars. That was a good idea since the sun came out for alittle while.

To the knitting! I've been knitting for about 2 years now. I am self-taught with some help from how-to books. I attempted to teach myself back in college, but life got in the way and decided about 2 years ago (on a snow day!) to pick it back up. I've been knitty like crazy ever since. I started out by "practicing" and ended up knitting a scarf for the hubby. My next project was a baby blanket for a friend. Unfortunately, I didn't take a pic of it...it was made from Lion Brand's Pound of Love in denim. From there, I've made about 4 other baby blankets, shawls, mittens, hats, and SOCKS!

I fell in love with knitting socks. I find them to be quick and don't get into SSS (single sock syndrome). I took a class at my LYS because I couldn't figure the patterns out on my own. Now, about 9 months later, I've made about 8 pairs of socks with enough stash to make about 5 more! I bought 2 new sock patterns last week-one from Cabin Fever and the other from Fiber Trends. Last night, I started a pair ("Reflections") that shows off the pattern of the socks when you wear clogs. These will be for Mom. She loves the clogs from Clarks. I thought that would be a pleasant surprise for her. Here's a sneak peek of the socks. The yarn is a superwash wool that has aloe and jojoba in it. My LYS said that the aloe and jojoba are good for about 40 washings. An added bonus is that my hands feel nice and soft while I'm knitting!