knitting-cat

First Sweater Finished At Last

I started this sweater about 3 years ago. I found the yarn on ebay and loved the colors. At the same time I found this pattern in the Noro book.

Took everything to my sister's, she is the experienced knitter. She helped me swatch, redid the pattern so that I could knit in the round and have no seams. She is a devotee of Elizabeth Zimmerman. I knit the body until it was time to add the arms. She helped me with DPNs so that I could do the sleeves. We made sure they were the perfect length.

About a year ago, she helped me knit the arms into the body. Then I did very little. This Christmas Eve, she came over and I asked what to do next. She looked at it, and the volunteered to work on it. She had a 12 hour trip to Indiana and back and needed some "easy" knitting. She knits lace(excuse me while I puke) and fancy sweaters. We are complementary. I knit large and funky; she knits lace weight and dainty.

When she came back the sweater was finished. She even blocked it. Horrors, the yarn bloomed and the perfect sleeves were no longer perfect, just longer.

My sister, ripped out the extra length and reworked the sleeves. I picked the sweater up on Friday (1/11) and have worn it for two days straight. Many compliments on my sweater. The colors are awesome.

My sister is the one who got me started on Knitty and is a lurker, so I will not out her here. But with apologies to Harry Shearer, thanks #3, with apologies to Harry Shearer.

Details: Started 3/2005 Finished 1/9/2008
Pattern: Earnshaw from Simply Noro by Jane Ellison
Yarn: Noro Kureyon color #36
Needles: Denises and Clover DPSs, but now I use Brittanies.

Knitty SP10 - January Goodies

Last week after a busy week, I came home to a package from Canada. It was from Tokyo Kitty and took much longer than she thought it would to go 500 miles. I thought it was coming from the south, but no, it came from the north, by sled dog I guess. Either that or Customs thought they would take a look. Anyway I was so tickled to get this package.

The beads and rayon are from a kit, by Swallow Hill Creations, to make a necklace and bracelet. The beads are so gorgeous, mostly purple. They call it a soup of beads and what perfect description. I put them on the plate to show you but the picture deos not do them justice. The folks at Swallow Hill have a sense of humor, they include a bandaid! I am looking forward to stringing them and then knitting them. I need to get 0000 or 000 needles.

I also got a really cute Hello Kitty notebook, can never have enough of those.

Finally some Dr. Stuart's Tranquiity tea, what a way to end the day.

Thank you Tokyo Kitty.

Charlie Brown Swap

My weenie sent me two packages. I was overwhelmed by my riches.

A pumpkin trinket box and a BOO! pail with peppermint patties. The small size so I could eat only one and not feel guilty. A ghost figurine who will look great on the table.

Wonderful purple notecards. I love useing them for thank you cards.

A lined purple, of course, journal with lines. It is a nice size for notes.

Decaf Earl Grey tea with the secret ingrediant on the box bergamot. I never knew what made Earl Grey taste so good.

The Fiber Trends pattern for a felted kitty , "Here Kitty, Kitty". The patternw as camera shy. I have to make one of these. it is so cute.

Four cool Halloween pencils, which are going to school.

That was enough but no, there is more. An embarassment of riches. Three different skeins of yarn

Interlacements Madagascar in blue, which is almost a violet.
Malabrigo in sweet grape. So soft!

Lastly, Cadenza by Colinette in florentine, doesn't look like spinach to me. The colors are well, purfect.

Thank you zenbaby!!

Hope your weenie was good to you too.

SP 9 Final Package

I have been looking for the pictures from the second package Poops sent me and they are no where to be found. Aren't computers greeat? Well they are most of the time.

I decided to take pictures of my last package. i kept it in the box until I could take the picture.

My SP9 was Poops, and WOW what a package she put together.

Two more skeins of homespun yarn. There are beads in the yarn and it is so soft. I can't decide what to make.

A skein of Noro 184 in my favorite colors, purple, pink, teal just lovely.

A purple(my favorite color) journal for notes. Too pretty to use but I will anyway. Especaiily with my set of colored pencils.This is the first item to benefit from my new philosophy. I do not plan dying with beautiful things that were too good to use being tossed!

For Halloween a SPIDER and a PUMPKIN. They are on my desk at school.

Thank you POOPS for being a great SP.

Knitty SP9

I returned from a trip to find two packages, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and my SP9 package. Guess what I opened first? My SP package of course. IT took two weeks for me to blog this due to vamera/cable problems and a family crisis. But now it is up. I love everything.

Inside is the most gorgeous yarn. It is from handpaintedyarns.com on Calathea. I think I am going to make Smart Girls Knits from Champagne Maker with it.

There were three sets of stitch markers from our very own Entrlac.

A tube of wildflower seeds, which is perfect since my husband is starting another wildflower bed for me. We use composted milfoil, and that gets everything really growing.

A bar of Lindt's chocolate which I am saving for a stressful day. I have to limit my chocolate intake.

Ans a hand knit felted coaster/dish. I am going to use it as a coaster. I like the edges to keep the water from running on the table on these hot days.

I like this picture but it does not show my presents off very well.


THANK YOU SP!!

Sock Box Swap Package

I got back from a short trip and look what I had waiting for me.

THe felted sock bag is gorgeous. It has a pocket inside. The camera did not really pick up the lovely tweed fiber. Pink, blue, purple looks like a summer perennial garden. I love the bag and the color. The bag has a zipper and the black icord piping is just spectacular. This was her first felted project, so I am honored that it was for me.

Two skeins of Lorna's Laces in Amethyst Stripe..Sensing a pattern here?

A set of Brittany Needles which are my favorite.

A vial of lavender essential oil. I have never had any and it is to die for.

A moleskin notebook for my purse, Hello Kitty notebook is almost gone.

What is not in the picture is a whole bag of York Peppermint Patties. They were delicious.

I was overwhelmed with the generousity and talent of my Swap pal. I do not know who she is, but she is from Oregon...so now to find out who.

Spring Fling

As I was getting ready to post the picture of my second package, I found that the first one was not up. My apologies to TrixieG, who was my upstream. She gave me clues but I finally found her when she mentioned that her avatar looked just like the coaster she sent me.

Package one contained purple Cherry Tree Hill Fun Fur, which is very soft even if it is fun fur. A pattern for felted vases, which I am going to try this summer. Two skeins of Nashua Wooly Stripes in a combination of my favorite colors and 2 Knit Picks Crayon in a lovely shades of green and purple.

Finally the nourishment, Decaf Earl Grey and shortbread to go with it. The shortbread was out of this world.

Package two topped package one, which is hard to believe.

Package included Cascade Pastaza which is soft and fluffy, must be the llama. A large hank of Salsa from Dancing Leaf Farm in purple/green all shades.

I also got a Hello Kitty gold piece, tissues, a cool pink cat coaster. Hello Kitty notecards. and a cute note pad. There were also four adorable little paper clips. Finally for the math teacher in me, two Hello Kitty pencials, we will know whose those are and who has taken them

Super Sox Box Swap

1.What are your favorite colors?
Purple, Lavender, and the colors that go with them
What colors make you cringe?
Washed out colors, beiges
2.Are you a new sock knitter?
Yes. I made two pairs and I am working on my third.
How long have you been knitting socks?
About a year
3.Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn?
Multi-colored
4.What fibers do you prefer in sock yarn?
Wool
5.Where do you usually knit socks?
In my bed or on the go
6.How do you usually carry/store small projects?
In a yarn ‘tainer.
7.What are your favorite sock knitting patterns?
Plain ones
Any favorite designers?
No but I like lacy ones
8.What are your favorite sock knitting techniques?
I’ve only done toe down.
9.What new techniques would you like to try?
I want to try toe up
10.Do you prefer circulars or dpns for sock knitting?
DPNS
11.What are some of your favorite yarns?
Lorna’s laces, Cherry Tree Hill
12.What yarn do you adore and yearn for? What yarn makes you happiest?
Yarn that is pretty
14.Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)?
I love my britanny’s. Snapped my #2’s. I also like Fiddle sticks they are really pointy.
If you were a specific kind of yarn, which brand and kind of yarn would you be?
Cherry Tree Hill Mohair thick and thin
Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack
Peeps, york peppermint patties.
Do you collect anything?
Hello Kitty
What is your favorite scent?
Ginger and light floral
Will you be celebrating a birthday, anniversary, etc. between now and the close of the swap?
Anniversary is June 15th, Second time around, year 5 and oh so much better.
What’s your favorite animal?
Felines
Do you have pets? What are their species/names/ages?
Amber about 10 or 12. Adopted three years ago. She had been a single cat in an older lady’s house. Then lived in the house for a year with no one, just someonec oming in to feed her.
Mr Paws, who adopted 6 years ago (he was about 2) but he is now my husband’s cat!
Tell me the best quote you’ve ever heard or read.
Service is the rent for living.
What is your motto in life?
The glass is half full.
Anything else you’d like to share with your Sox Box pal?
Not that I can think of at the time.
Any allergies to be aware of for this swap?
Chemical scents, candles are air fresheners are a no-no
Coffee, Tea? Decaf no matter what. I love Decaf Earl Grey, or the fruit bliss teas

Post Modern

PostModern from knitty.com

POSTMODERN PATTERN

Done in yarn from Fraydknot. On EBAY

FRAYDKNOT SELLER LINK

We keep out house on the cool side, 55 in the evening and 50 while we sleep. I found that these help me stay warm. I do not have those shapely lanky legs, but they still work!

I used ribbon instead of an icord to hold them on. Easy knit and lovely results.

Another SP8 package - Spring

Everything was wrapped nicely. This time I remembered to take a picture BEFORE I opened them up.

I am glad I was on vacation. My SP has really read my questionaire.

I have wanted to make a mobius strip for a long time and she found a Merging Colors Mobius Capelet in my colors. I can't wait to get started but might force myself to wait until summer so I can give is all my attention. There are 8 colors and 29 permutations of combinations. Right up a math teachers alley!

I also got two, mind you two boxes of my favorite PEEPS, purple and aqua.

Also 6 skeins of Cherry Tree Hill Fun Fur in purple. I am using one right now in a felted bowl. I know that fun fur is a gag for some, but I love Cherry Tree Hill's as accents it is so soft.

A lovely book to keep track of my projects. Bath time tea bags, they will be so relaxing.

Finally, Hello Kitty was shy and missed the photo shoot, a Hello Kitty air freshener.