Fall Felted Bag Exchange Questionnaire

1. How long have you been knitting or crocheting? How did you learn? or from whom? I've been knitting since a teen (from Gram) and let it go since then...and picked it up a few years ago, and now I've been a daily knitter for about a year.
2. What was your first felted object, and why did you decide to try felting? a Booga Bag! Why did I try felting? I couldn't imagine the transformation from wool to felt in my washing machine...so I had to try it.
3. What are your favorite colors? Any you hate? Favorite colors...most all colors. Personal current favorites: black,sage green, or...Bright accent colors with blacks or browns. Least favorites are pastels, orange, neon. I like Kaffe Fassett colors, too!

• What are your favorite styles\types of bags? (Long straps? Short handles? Handbags? Totes? Embellished? Plain? Include links to patterns or photos if you’d like – give your pal an idea of what you enjoy!) Um...let's see. Favorites are either bags with long handles (to use as a purse or knitting bag) or an embellished tote. Favorites include:Jasperuvia Bag ( a new favorite that I adore!) and...

• Wintergarden Handbag
• Natalie Collection bags
• Knit Kit's My Constant Companion Bag.
• Noni's Urban Adventure Daily Bag or Prism Bag
  

5.What handbag or bag are you carrying today? Do you use a separate bag to carry your knitting? I'm carrying a purse with sock knitting in a small silk knitting bag, and I just received a Jordana Paige messenger bag in the mail today...haven't used it yet.
6.What other things do you enjoy knitting or crocheting? Socks, lace shawls and scarves, felted bags. Sweaters.What sort of needles do you enjoy working with? (straights vs circs, bamboo vs aluminum) Short Bamboo and rosewood dpns for socks, addi circs and Knit Picks Options for other. I love Addis, but haven't tried the lace Addis yet.
7.What’s one project you’ve not yet tried but are dying to make? Arctic Lace patterns, and some Russian patterns. I own the Arctic Lace book, but haven't attempted anything yet. Also, the English Garden Carpet Bag...I love the embellishments!

8.What are yarns that you’ve not yet tried but are dying to work with? You mean besides Qiviut? :) Let's see...Wollmeise sock yarn, Malabrigo yarn, Zephyr Silk Merino laceweight yarn...the list goes on and on. :)
9.What other hobbies do you have? Do you spin? Sew? Garden? Read (cookbooks, mysteries, knitting books), I sew (I love to collect Amy Butler and Kaffe Fasset fabrics) to make Amy Butler bags, and ... I knit. :) OH, and being a mom to 3 sons and wife to one great Hubby.

10.Besides yarn, do you collect anything? Yankee Candles in food scents (like Cider Donut, Shortbread Cookie, Oatmeal Cookie, Frosted Pumpkin, Farmhouse Apple...)

11.What kind of goodies do you enjoy? Sweets? Salty? Anything you hate or are allergic to? No allergies...I love chocolates, chocolate covered raisins, Swedish Fish candies, Dove milk chocolates, Reese's, etc...
12. Do you have any kiddos? (Furry kind count!) 3 sons (8,15, and 18), 2 dogs, 2 cats, 5 cockatiels and a guinea pig...and a geriatric hen. Really.
13. What kind of project best personifies you and why? Socks (quick gratification, portable, and luscious yarns and colors) also.... lace patterns (for the romantic/adventurous side of me....I like the challenge and the results for scarves, shawls, etc.
14.What is your favorite part of Autumn? You can also share a special Autumn memory if you'd prefer! The fall leaves, the scents of the apple farm and hot cider and caramel apples, apple pie, etc. Apple picking. Raking leaves. Real Maple Syrup on hot pancakes! Fall fairs....all of Fall.
15.Tell us 3 things you would do if you won 10 million dollars in the lottery. Um...practical things...like pay off bills, probably move to a small country home/farm in the area, and give the rest to others. Too impossible to imagine! I'd have to give most all of it away to those that have real needs. I am blessed with what I have already.

Where Have I Been?

Oh my, it's been awhile since I've updated my blog! Time does pass quickly, doesn't it? I've returned home from a quick week in CT, picked up my son from college for his 2 week stint home until he returns for the fall semester, finished up my sockapalooza socks, sent off quite a few swap boxes, and frogged my beloved sweater for my niece due to knitting errors in my lacework (Bethany)...which I'll cast back on soon.
I also need to take time and take some lovely photos of a tote I've received from CC in the International Tote Exchange...it's bright and beautiful, and came with some great goodies...some perfume, lip gloss, and a pedicure set...what a wonderful treat! :) There are some photos of this tote on CC's blog if you'd like a peek before I get my photos up.
I'm also getting ready for teaching arts and crafts during our church's Vacation Bible School which is in two weeks...yikes, it's getting close! We have a Western theme this year, so I'm sewing a calico long skirt that I can wear with...you guessed it, a sun bonnet. Oh my...I think I'm having flashbacks of Little House On The Prairie!

Felted Bag Exchange 2!

Dear Knitty Friends and Felted Bag Fanatics.... It is almost time for the sign up period for the
Fall Felted Bag Exchange! This event is also called Felted Bag Exchange 2. Check it out!
The first round was a blast! Join in the fun!

SP11 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I like to knit with wool blends and silk blends. I do not care for fun fur and acrylic yarns.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have some needles stores in a clear vase, some in cases, and the KnitPicks Options set are in their original case. I also have the dpn tubes for storing dpns while traveling. All needles are stored and safe! :)

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Learned young, didn't knit for 20 years, and picked it up again a few years ago...I'm an obsessesive knitter now. :)

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Not at the present.

5. What's your favorite scent? With candles, it's food scents, such as chocolate chip, cappucinno,
sugar cookie, maple sugar, etc....especially the baked good scents. Weird, huh?
Favorite scents for body: Lily of the Valley.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Definitely a sweet tooth for Swedish Fish candies, Dove milk chocolates, Reeses peanut butter cups. Twizzlers. Yeah, I like sweets.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? Are there other crafts? Um...I usually just knit and read. No spinning for me.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Gaither Vocal Band (gospel), Celtic. Yes to the MP3 and computer for music.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love color in general, if not neon or garish. I fancy autumn colors right now...deep reds, greens, browns...as well as blues. OK, I like all colors! I like solids quite a bit now for socks to show off lace patterns.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Happily married, I have 3 sons (8,15, 18)...2 dogs (Toby, a12 yr. old shepherd mix and Annie, a 6 month old Schnoodle) , 2 cats, a guniea pig, 5 cockatiels and one old chicken (Sonya).

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Yes to all.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Right now...lace patterned scarves, fingerweight socks, sweaters...

13. What are you knitting right now? Socks for a swap pal, Bethany sweater for niece, a tank for myself, and beginning the Forest Canopy Shawl this week.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Always appreciated.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I use bamboo dpns a lot for socks, I love addis for everything else. I just purchased the Knit Picks Options set, but haven't used it yet.

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

17. How old is your oldest UFO? a shawl in garter stitch...it's in a lovely wool, but the pattern bores me....Knit, knit, knit... :)

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas!

19. Is there anything that you collect? Um...yarn (laceweights, socks, and felting yarns in general), Yankee Candles in food scents (muffins, chocolate, coffees, fruit and biscotti scents... you name it! No "official" collections per se.

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 subscribe to Interweave Knits, Piecework, Knit Simple. I love Cookie A's sock patterns, Addi Turbo Lace needles, Felting books (I own Knit One Felt Two).

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? more lace! I still need to try socks on circulars.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Yes I am! My foot measurements: Women's sz 10 shoe, length: 10.25 inches and 9.5 in circumference.

23. When is your birthday? July 31st.

No Sheep Box from Andrea!

This arrived on my doorstep today...what a nice surprise on a sweltering hot summer day...I love unexpected surprises. :)
Andrea was my secret and very gracious No Sheep For You Skein Swap Pal...this month she sent me two lovely skeins of SWTC's Phoenix in the Canyon colorway...a 100% soysilk tape yarn, that is VERY soft to the touch, TWO bags of Ghirardelli chocolates (hidden already from the kids), 4 dp needle tubes (these are great), a beautiful butterfly tape measure (can't ever have too many of these), and some Lavender scented Eucalan wash. Thank you Andrea!!!

Thank You SP9 Pal!

The mailman brought me a bag of goodness from my Southern SP9 Pal! I am spoiled! I received a lovely needle case organizer, handcrafted in purple fabrics, with beautiful button closures (I REALLY need close, sharp, colorful photos to show you...and I will try...I hope to get a new Nikon CoolPix soon!), a bar of coffee soap (what a scent...my favorite!), a ball of Crazy yarn, TWO skeins of Magallanes wool... hand dyed by Araucania Yarns in Chile, and a lovely artistic scented sachet...it's absolutely divine!
Thanks, SP9 Pal!

MY kind of "Ice Cream!"

Now, this is MY kind of Ice Cream Cone! This site was seen at the TKGA summer convention here in NH this past weekend...balls of various yarns atop sugar cones...and take a lot at their version of yarn "root beer floats"...too funny.

Now, this next photo is NOT true to color...we're having rainy, dark days here this week, and although I try, my camera isn't even close in capturing the citrus green and other Cascade 220 colors that arrived yesterday in the mail from Angelika's in Oregon. I ordered these yarns on Tuesday, and they arrived on Thursday! Wow...along with a free Pure & Simple pattern for the Simple Fair Isle hat, a Pure and Simple pattern catalog, some yarn sample snippets of various Cascade yarns, and a Noni pattern catalog! I will definitely order from this shop again. She carries all 250 colors of solids and heathers in the Cascade 220. A dream come true!

This pile of yarn is for a felted bag test pattern ("Shirley") for Marie of Miss Me Knits. The pattern looks great, and I can't wait to start! Go and see her blog for the picture of this bag...I can't wait to start this (said it again) and hope to begin tonight or tomorrow.


Next is a glimpse of the Love It tank from a few days ago: I need to finish it soon, before fall begins!

And here, a knitting photo I found somewhere, and it's just for fun.