KnottyMinds

Pretty sweaters and pretty shoes for pretty girls

My latest project, besides the never-ending Keepsake shawl is a short wrap sweater for my daughter. You know, a little “Look ma, no pattern!” kind of knitting. I need to mention, that though I love (love!) flying by the seat of my pants while knitting, my absolute need for perfection overrules any fun I might have while doing so. That being said, this is a very exciting, ulcer inducing sweater that I am working on. I am using this small sweater as a way to experiment with Rowan’s Cashcotton, a lovely cotton, angora and cashmere blend. Wait, did I mention microfiber? I believe that it has some of that as well. The yarn has that nice, matte sheen of cotton, with a little bit of fluff and a lot of forgiveness. Also, it is extremely soft. Pictures soon, along with a pattern. I pinky swear.

I have forgotten to mention that my amazing friend Lori is coming to town tonight. Her arrival coincides nicely with the recent departure of my family to a wedding in Milwaukee. Friend arriving + family leaving = insane amounts of time in yarn stores. Oh yes, and drinking in lovely drinking establishments. Do not confuse this kind of drinking with home-drinking. This is put on the good shoes and leave a big tip kind of drinking. Though, what with the shoe goodness and the tip leaving, there will inevitably be less funding for the actual drinks. One cannot have everything, can one?

How Have You Been?

I am spending the summer doing summer-y things.  Like taking a summer physics class.  There is nothing so relaxing in the summer as carrying a 40 pound textbook to the park to have another futile attempt at memorizing equations while the kids entertain themselves on the playground.  Again I ask, "why am I doing this to myself?"  For anyone who has a smartass answer lined up for the comment section...that was a rhetorical question. 

In my spare time, I am trying to wrestle all of my random crap into organization in the shiny, NEW house.  The yarn is finding its way into a special yarn corner.  As a bonus, it is finding itself in some degree of organization.  Not at all like the rest of the house.  This is disapointing to me becuase I made a pact with myself that the NEW house would not be like the OLD house.   That is, not messy.  But in a surprise twist of events, the same messy people live in the NEW house as did in the OLD house.  Not OCD me of course, but the other three inhabitants.  This mess could not have anything to do with me.  No way.  If I had my way I would just rip apart the house and start over.  But not all of life is as nice as knitting. 

Due to recent comments, I have once again picked up the Keepsake shawl that I abandoned almost a year ago.  There will be progress pictures and other knitting pictures just as soon as I can find that camera cord.  I know that it is in this house somewhere. 

Just in case anyone cares what I like...

The Secret Pals 5 Questionaire: 

This is mostly for the secret pal, but I will take gifts from anyone.  I'm not finicky.

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high-end/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?
Yes, I am a terrible yarn snob.  Although I am not one who adheres to a Rowan only diet, I do prefer the “finer fibers”.  I knit mostly with wool and other animal fibers, though occasionally I work with a nice cotton.  ***I'm not kidding anyone here, so I will admit that I mostly knit with Rowan, unless I spun it myself, or it bears the name Koigu on the label.***

2. Do you spin? Crochet?
I spin and I am currently attempting to learn to crochet.  I like interesting rovings.

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)
No allergies, but I am sensitive to smoke.

4. How long have you been knitting?
I have been knitting for 9 years, since I was 20.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I do have an amazon wish list, thank you very much.  It is chock full of knitting goodies and other miscellany.  It can be found here , just search for my wishlist using my name.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
I prefer earthy scents, i.e. sandalwood, ylang-ylang.  Vanilla and other food scents are wonderful too.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?
I do have a sweet tooth.  I am crazy about dark chocolate, no, any chocolate. 

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
I like to sew as well as knit, although I am not a master seamstress by any definition.  I enjoy refinishing old furniture and I want to learn to reupholster furniture this year someday.  Look at me, I'm learning to pace myself.  I must be maturing. 

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I like all kinds of music (I really mean that).  I listen to everything from John Coltrane to Nickel Creek to Tool.  I like hearing music that is new to me.  I use a Mac powerbook that plays MP3s.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?
I mostly love reds, although I have passion of all intense colors.  What am I saying, I like 'em all.  I'm so democratic that way.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I have two children and one husband.  The kids are a girl, 5, and a boy, 3, they like kid things.  The husband is 27 and he likes guitar things and is ambivalent to anything knitting-related.  There will be a puppy added to the mix at the end of June. 

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)
I guess if I had to pick a dream…my life’s dream would be to move my family to Paris pending a lucrative job offer at an amazing environmental company.  The “adult” job will be a cover for the wild-knitting, organic-vegatarian-eating, tattoo-getting, non-excessive-consuming (except for fiber and chocolate) lifestyle that I lead.  I will have an hour-long commute to and from work everyday on the metro.  I will use the time to listen to classic books and rockin’ music on my ipod, while leisurely knitting yarn that I spun in my free time.  At home, after a nutritious dinner that my husband prepared, my brilliant children will read to me from classic novels while I spin yarn into the evening.  At the appropriate time the children will put themselves to bed and my husband will spend the rest of the evening telling me how amazing I am while he perfects the bridge on a song he wrote about my knitting. 

I obviously haven't put much thought into this yet.  If I had more time, I could come up with something more detailed. 

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
I like the Rowan.  I also knit quite a bit with Koigu KPPPM, although I don’t intend to.  The colors are just so enticing.  I tend to like anything that has a nice hand and feels good.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I am not a fan of novelty yarns.  I have bought and tried them in the past, but I found that they obscure all of my lovely stitches and are truly not very fun to work with.  ***I have upgraded my dislike to Hate.  Can you feel the anger?***

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
Knitting is my only knitting obsession. 

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I like to knit everything. 

17. What are you knitting right now?
I can't speak about all the projects or they might make their way loose from the many hiding places and choke me with their many loose ends. 

18. What do you think about ponchos?
I have resisted and will continue to resist the poncho craze, as ponchos are way too practical for my taste.  If I wanted practical, I would wear a sweater.  I prefer wraps that will occasionally fall off of my shoulders, resulting in that sexy, sloppy look that I love.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
I heart circular needles.  Long ones for everything.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Addi turbos, all the way.

21. Are you a sock knitter?
I love me some sock knittin’.  I haven’t knit a pair for about 6 months and I can hear the double points calling me from the drawer.  I covet Lucy Neatby's Celestial Merino sock yarn.  Lovely stuff, it is, and machine washable.

22. How did you learn to knit?
I took a beginning knitting class that started with a sweater.  It was the ultimate way to start knitting, because I have never been intimidated by a big project since.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?
Sadly, my oldest UFO is from that initial learn-to-knit class.  I hate that sweater.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
I am a Simpson’s fan. I love them like my own dysfunctional family.

25. What is your favorite holiday?
I like every day.  I'm not too interested in any particular holiday.

26. Is there anything that you collect?
Mostly I collect yarn and yarn accoutrement.

27. Are there any books that you are dying to get your hands on?

I am terribly interested in the new Deb Menz color book, which I believe in listed on my Amazon wish list.  I recently attended a yarn sale at which I bought more book than I can tell you about here. 

Hey, pal, thanks for the patience.  For the rest of you, posting will now be resumed on its normal, sporadic basis.