another FO

I finished my cable beaded mittens last night!! Woo hoo! I had about 2-3 hours left on them and I just decided they were getting done... It was supposed to be cold in the am and it was... so the perfect time to finish them. I LOVE them. I will start in the summer sometime my own cable beaded scarf to match the hat and the mittens. I really like knitting with the Dream in Color Classy.. it just flies off the needles.. I am going to be on Spring break so I am setting some knitting goals along with some house duty goals along with some friend time goals.. The week will go fast... It's my birthday the 1st of April and I am asking for molah because my friend and I are going to a huge yarn store in Lansing, MI and I am looking to buy, buy yarn.. I just bought a ball winder. You would think with all the sock yarn I have, I would have bought one by now. I can't wait until it gets here. I am going to wind, wind, wind... OH my knitting goals. Finish my Claudia socks in Jill's pink ( an awesome color), restart and finish a pair of mittens for my friend by the time we go out to supper on the 3rd.. ( they are her belated Christmas present), start my daughter's prayer shawl for her confirmation, start my STR March Sock club socks...when I finish with the mittens, I will also begin my monkey pal socks... so many many goals. There's nothing like finishing a project though...OH and somehow I didn't get signed up for the Spring Fling Coffee Swap. Boo Hoo. I just took it as a sign from God that I have enough to do...

Am I supposed to be this busy?

It's my youngest child's birthday today. He is 12.. this is his last year in elementary school.. I shall miss the Winter and Spring pageants, parties, and just having one teacher. He opened his presents last night because today was so busy.. He got a MP3 player and was very happy. We made chocolate chip cookies to take for his last treat at school. Tonight we have religious education and that takes up most of our night. We filled about 100 Easter eggs for my first graders so they could have an Easter Egg Hunt... I'll be glad when tonight is over!! I have not had much time for knitting... this saddens me.. I have so much to get done. However Spring break starts this weekend.. so hello knitting needles and projects.. I got my Socks that Rock club yarn/pattern. I really like it. I haven't done January's but I am going to go ahead and start on March's after I finish the pair I have on the needles now. I am in two swaps and need to start my Monkey socks for my Monkey swap.. just need to pick the perfect yarn for the socks!! Always such a dilemna because you want them to be perfect.. Had to frog almost an entire lace scarf I was knitting.. ugh.. that was hard. I was trying to finish it for Easter and found a missed stitch that led to a massive hole.. Yes, there were tears.. But I put it back on the needles and will start over because I really like the pattern.. So alt least I knitting goals

Spring Fling Questionaire

1.Coffee what is your favorite ? Whole Beans or Ground?
I would prefer whole beans, but really ground is also ok...

2. What kinds of coffee do you enjoy?
I prefer a milder blend. I love breakfast blends

3.If you were heading out to buy some coffee right now for your house, what would you be buying?
I would be stopping at our local roaster and getting something that they recommended in a mild flavor. They always have good suggestions..

4.Do you drink for caffiene, pleasure or both?
Both, I need the caffiene in the am, but I love coffee anytime!

5. Do you enjoy flavored coffees or add ins?
I enjoy some flavored coffees, but mostly I like flavored creamers and I put Equal or Splenda in my coffee. I like vanilla, caramel, creme broulee. I don't like fruity flavors.

6. A large, lovely mug or a small dainty tea cup
Oh a loverly mug please

7.Describe your perfect cup, not just the coffee, but how would you enjoy it?
I have to say that my morning coffee is my favorite.. I love to get up and sit outside on my swing with my coffee and either look out at the lake (If I am up there) or outside looking at my garden watching the birds and knitting.

8.Your sitting down at your local coffee shop with a cup of Joe and what treats would you pick to enjoy it with?
I love dunking cookies like shortbread or plain biscuit cookies... also would enjoy most things
chocolate.

Yarn

1. Do you knit or crochet.
I only knit...

2.What are your favorite yarns to work with?
I love almost all yarns... Cascade 220, sock yarn, bulky... it just depends what I am getting ready to knit... I have never knitted with Malabrigo and that would be what I would like to try next.

3. What is on your needles right now?
A pair of cable beaded mittens in Dream in Color Classy Black Parade.. I need to finish these. I also have a pair of Herringbone socks in Clauda Paints, and lace scarf in baby aplapaca..

4.What are your favorite color in yarns and what would you never find in your stash?
I love buttercream yellow, sage, eggplant, rich jewel tones and also greens. Probably won't find bright pinks, purples or neon colors

5.What sort of needles to enjoy or do you have some you detest?
Can't say that I have any I detest. There are just certain ones for certain projects. Right now I am trying to add more 40" circulars to my collection as I am doing more and more Magic Loop.

6.Are there any sort of knitting notions that you do not need?
No really, I can use about anything, because I am always misplacing things.

7.You walk into a yarn store with just enough money for two skeins of yarn.. what do you buy?
I would probably get malabrigo because I haven't used it before, but if there is a really pretty sock yarn.. I would be in trouble...

Spring

1. Is it truly Spring where you are?
Not yet.. it's trying though..

2.Favorite Spring Flower?
I like Tulips and also hyacinths..

3.What do you look forward to in Springtime?
Sunshine, opening the windows, hanging out the laundry, flowers coming up.. opening up the lake cottage.

4.Gorgeous day tomorrow, sunny 65 degrees, how do you spend your day?
I open up the windows and wash the bedding and hang it outside to dry, start messing around in my garden, refill the bird feeders and sit on my swing and drink coffee and knit!!

5.The day after that is cooler and rainy. How does that affect your mood and what do you do?
I am glad I got done what I did on the nice day... Then I tackle my craft room which is a mess and get some order to my yarn.. then I knit with some coffee while I look out at my birdfeeders.

Odds and Ends

1.Do you collect anything besides yarn and notions?
I collect snowmen ( in fact they stay up all year in certain part of my house), nursey type items and mugs

2.Are you allergic to anything?
No

3. Do you have pets?
Yes, one house cat.

4. Is this your first swap and list last two
Not my first. My first was Sockapalooza. I just finished Longing for Spring and also did Winter wonderland coffee swap.

5.List three of your favorite blogs..and why ( this is kind of hard for me.. I am still a newbie blogger)
Shup up I'm counting.. she makes me laugh
Yarn Harlot.. she inspires me
Alabama Fibers.. Just like the blog...

Monkey Sock Swap Questionnaire

I am so glad to be doing the Monkey Swap again!! Here's my questionnaire

Shoe Size: 9
Foot Length: 9 inches
Circumference: 9.5 inches

Yarn"
Favorite Color: I love buttercream yellow, eggplant, sage, and blue.. that being said.. I really love all colors!!

Colors that clash with clothes? Orange, bright neons

Solids or Variegated: Really either would be fine

Favorite Sock Brand Yarns: Smooshy; Claudia paints, Sockatta; Treckking;

New Sock Yarn you would Like to Try? Flat feet, shibui, and any independent dyers

Cookie A patterns:
I have Hederea and Monkey and Flicker: I would like either Mona or Thelanious

Allergies:
None for Me.
I do have a cat in the house, but no exposure to smoke!!

I live in the US and would be open to international...

Did you wear green?

Hope you had a Happy St. Patrick's Day!! I made corn beef and cabbage for the first time. It was a hit. I took it in to a carry-in at our school. Needless to say, there was none left. Wow, school staff knows how to party... We had so much food. I am currently working on a pair of socks in Claudia. The color is just lovely, yellow and pink, so springy. I wanted to have them done by Easter, but I don't think it's gonna happen 'cause Easter is sneaking up on me. My 13 y.o daughter is making her confirmation this year and I want to make her a prayer shawl. I think it will be lovely. I made one for my niece last year. I was her sponsor. I need to get busy though because it is on May 2nd... Bought some Jitterbug at the LYS. I haven't knit with it so I am excited to get it started,but I have about four other sock yarns in waiting. Including my January STR that I haven't even started yet... oh my, it's almost time for my next shipment... Gott go knit!!

Wonderful Wednesday

I know, today is Thursday, but yesterday when I got home from work I had a package with my name on it. It was from my longing for spring swap partner, Devin. What can I say, it was perfect. It was so much fun to open and see all the wonderous stuff inside. First, I have to start with the yarn, oh my gosh, It's sock yarn from Unique Sheep in the Azela colorway. I just can't wait to wind it and put it on needles. I also got some beautiful yarn in jewel tone colors. It's waiting to tell me what it wants to be, but believe me, I am listening. I also got my first pair of knitpicks needles. Circs 40" for magic loop. How cool!! A neat sock pattern and also a very pretty notions bag. My stitich markers are already in it... I know, they are greedy that way. I got some chocolate and no, it isn't all gone yet, but close. Tonight I am going to start my own lavender plant. yes, that's right. I got a silver bag that you open up and add water and viola there's lavender. Just one of may all time favorites. thank you so much Devin. You have made spring come early to my house and I'm lovin' it...

knitting projects

So, I was looking at a list I made of projects I want to finish and also start... I finished the cable beaded hat and I am on the second mitten for the cable beaded mittens. I am finishing a pair of bluebell socks in Tofutsie for a friend. I have a pair of Claudia paints waiting in the wings for Blue Bells pattern also. I have started a beautiful alpaca silk scarf and want to finish before Easter. I promised a pair of socks to my mother-in-law for her birthday( December).. yes I am way behind. I have not started my STR club socks from January. So as you can see, lists are starting to make me very nervous... but I want to be able to put some checks next to projects and have them finished... Much warmer today.. almost 40 degrees.. ya hoo.

relief

I am so happy. My hot cocoa swap partner finally got her package. I was so upset that it was so delayed. But the bestest news is that she loves her package. I had so much fun getting her goodies together and now I can focus on my Longing for Spring buddy. I finished my cable beaded hat and It is superb. I am now started on the cabled beaded mittens that match. some of this love might be because I am using dream in color Black Parade in Worsted and it just can't be dreamer to work with. I am also just finished with my first felted project. it is the Vermont bag in 101 designs. I used farmhouse yarn and it felted up so beautiful. It is going to be a birthday present for a dear friend of mine. it feels so good to get some projects finished. I am working on a pair of socks for a friend's daughter and then a pair of socks for me. It's warmer today so we are cooking brats on the grill for supper. I really am longing for Spring.