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My area only got about 4 inches of snow, but the temps are in single digits this morning. Here is a view looking outside.
Here is a warmer view. 95% of the Christmas stuff was put away yesterday. The rabbit is staying out for a spell though. And here is a view of my dining room. The local airports use this light stand as a landmark on evening flights. The plants are mainly orchids. The tall thing towering a 18 inches+ over the stand is an amaryllis that was started right after Halloween and was supposed to bloom at Christmas. The blooms will be pink and in theory, variegated. The volcano looking thing in the center of the top shelf is a palm tree bonsai that Sebastian has just about eaten away. I am hoping to revive it under the lights. There is yarn & knitting tools in the baskets under the stand.
The last image is a shot of 4 orchids that are blooming. There are a bunch more in spike.
I was not able to knit yesterday. Hopefully I'll get some in today. The birthday cake is in the oven for my BF's son & I have a bunch of stuff left to tend to here but, if I hurry, there may be time. Does anyone else find it hard to knit for themselves at home? Now that the gift projects are complete, knitting is something that I want to do, but seems like a lesser priority.
Posted at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Mom got her scarf and loves it. She told me last night that the length was absolutely perfect. Mom & Dad are coming to town in a couple of weeks and hopefully we'll get some shots of her wearing it.
On Thursday my neighbor and I celebrated Christmas together. Here she is wearing the hat I knit for her. Our timing was perfect because the Northeast is getting our first serious snowfall this afternoon.
On Friday, a small group at the office got together to knit and crotchet. Here is Connie's latest work in progress and a shot of the front of Giraffe. The next shot is of Kellie teaching Stephanie how to crotchet. Stephanie did a great job!!!
Finally I ordered a Vera Bradley ditty bag to serve as a second portable knitting bag. It doesn't have straps or pockets & will be less cumbersome in my large tote bag when I fly.
As I waited for these pictures to download I have started to put away ornaments. Hopefully I'll also have time to knit this afternoon!!
I hope that you are safe, warm and happy today.
Posted at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
My work schedule is going to be wicked next week so I thought I'd go ahead and answer the questions from SP2. It will be interesting to see how my answers have changed since August. If the data had changed I am striking it through for my own entertainment value & then putting the new answer after it.
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 yarn snob. I love Noro Blossom, but also anything that feels great and catches the eye. 1/20 That still holds true.
2. Do you spin? Crochet?No. Some day I may give the spinning thing a whirl. I am still mastering knitting though. I have ordered a drop spindle and a How to Book. We shall see how that progresses.
3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)
I am horribly allergic to scented lilies, although, ironically, small doses of lilies of the valley are okay. I also get wicked headaches from Narcissus and any of the super strong early spring flowers. Roses do not bother me – in fact I love their scent. 1/20 My allergies still hold true.
I also do not care for cigarette smoke.
4. How long have you been knitting?
Seriously since last fall – off and on during cold moths for a few years before that.
5. Do you have an Amazon or other on line wish list?
No.
6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
Rose. Runner up: lavender.
7. Do you have a sweet tooth?
Sometimes. I like chocolate – especially with raspberries.
8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
I like to cook. Later today I am going to start a base for sour dough bread – my first foray into that arena. I am also thinking seriously about getting/ setting up an aquarium. 1/20 Research taught me that fish are work and I need things that are more self sufficient.
I have made Christmas ornaments, taught myself some basic sewing last summer (many pillows were given for Christmas last year).
I also have a few several orchids.
9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if you want to make her a CD)
Older pop stuff – Elton John, that genera. I have CD player. I want to get some Beatles Cd's.
10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?
I love all of the shades in Noro Blossom 5 – it goes from a beautiful, clear hot pink to aquamarine blue. Another way of thinking about it is that I like all of the vivid colors of the sea – from the pinks and red of the coral to the clear blues and greens.
I am a fair skinned strawberry blond so grays and yellows do not look good on/near me.
1/20 - I still love the colors of the sea. I am also on a lavender kick. I have ordered Black Purl in Helen's Lace. Giraffe is lavender. Unusual shades of blue are also neat (like shades of turquoise).
11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
Dating a wonderful man and living with two cats.
12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)
I am working on tweaking that. My immediate goal is to savor each day. Long term – I am working on that. I want a house with rose, veggie & herb gardens, a couple of dogs, maybe a llama or two and if I learn to spin, maybe some sheep ALPACAS (see 1/9/5 entry).
13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
I like wool that feels good through out the process. I love Blue Sky Alpaca's alpaca silk blend. Anything that feels good when you touch it works well for me. I am making the rabbit out of the 4 ply Dale of Norway because it is machine washable. I am not real wild about. Noro Kuryeon was okay for the hat. I haven’t decided if I’ll get more in a different colorway. I will not buy more of that yarn. I loved Noro Transitions though.
14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I am not a fan of the acrylics. The cotton tape for the Pagan tank was okay but for now I need the spring of wool. I do not like anything scratchy.
15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
I seem to be on a Toy Animal kick. I am searching for a great pattern for a ribbed turtleneck that will flatter my figure. I want it to be snug – not boxy. The Giraffe sweater should fit the sweater bill. Now I'm on a lace kick. I also want to make myself a bunch of scarves that will not shed & that are meant to be worn indoors both for warmth & to accent outfits.
16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Anything that I finish! I am making lots of things right now. I have a sweater & stuffed animal in progress. I plan to start a shawl while on a business trip. I like things that have classic lines, that flatter my shape and are not too frilly. The rose on the Noro purse that is still waiting to be assembled is as far as I'll go with bows. I am not in "cutesy" thing - the animals are baby gifts.
17. What are you knitting right now?
Toy bear & Giraffe sweater (see knitty. com archives for pattern - it is a real sweater for adults - not another toy as the sweet BF thought).
18. What do you think about ponchos? (this is really a curiosity question for us)
I think the fad will die next year. I do not want one.
19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
Straight, although I haven’t tried circular needles. I prefer wooden needles and use plastic – not metal when wooden ones aren’t available. I fly enough to avoid metal tools. I have fallen in love with wooden circulars. They take up less space when traveling.
20. How did you learn to knit?
I taught myself from books and and article in Martha Stewart.
21. How old is your oldest UFO?12 18 months.
Posted at 06:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
No photos today but I am making progress! One foot of the new mini bear is complete. He is being made out of the same blue as the i pod cover. The front of Giraffe is with in 10 rows of the shoulder decreases. My love affair with the yarn for Giraffe continues. It is a pale lavender, angora blend.
At work tomorrow we are having a knitting/crocheting lunch. The gal that works with me is going to teach our department's admin how to crotchet. Connie and I will be knitting. I'll try to remember to bring my camera.
On the i pod front, my BF was not able to bring it over Monday night & I have not found another one to try on my creation. The son's birthday is on Monday so I am crossing my fingers that it will fit.
Posted at 07:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Mom's scarf is completely finished!! Yes, those are Christmas ornaments that are still out. I did not put up a tree but all of my other Christmas stuff is still out. Here is a closeup of the lace. I used a feather and fan pattern for the scarf. I am very happy with the way it turned out. This is the second scarf that I have made using Blue Sky Alpaca and Silk. I love the yarn and the color. This scarf used a little more than two hanks. I was originally making Clapoltis and had purchased 5 hanks so I now have plenty left over to make a scarf for me. :)
Here is the finished i pod cover, made modeling the one that Jackie created this fall. The long thing-y at the top will be a snap fastener. My BF is coming over this evening & I have asked him to try to sneak away with the i pod. There is potential for a nice snug fit . I am keeping my fingers crossed. Karen, you may be amused to know that after dinner we are going to a lecture on some orchid species that is being put on either by the American Orchid Society or the DC metro area branch of the same.
Future projects in the works: Giraffe is going to get some long needed attention perhaps as early as this afternoon. The Noro purse has been waiting months for the ends to be woven in & to get assembled. Jackie gave me some lovely yarn that I liked from the get go, but fell head over heels in love with when I wound it up this week. I am going top make it into Cozy - a wrap from the knitty archives. Jackie, thank you again!!! I also ordered some lace weight wool from the same place that I ordered my spindle. Hopefully both will arrive this week. I am thinking about turning it into a scarf using the embossed twining vine leaf pattern from the Vogue Knitting book. Ohh and I want to make my Mom an elephant and a stuffed animal for a gal in the office who had a baby. I'll use the Debbie Bliss Toy Knits book for both.
Posted at 04:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Jackie was right, Mom's scarf is not done! It is also not Clapotis. I hope I got the spelling right - I winged it. At any rate, after I got through two sections of the dropped stitches in the original pattern I decided that the silk alpaca blend was too delicate for the design. So, on the Tuesday before Christmas I started from scratch with the feather and fan pattern. I like it a lot more. I wanted to make Mom a scarf that she could wear indoors as accessory and outdoors for warmth. She doesn't do well with wool and loved the first scarf that I made her - a eyelash yarn knit together with with a silk/cotton yarn in a burnt orange/red colorway. Her new scarf is somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 done. In the interim, I mailed her this on Friday to keep her warm while she waits for the blue one. It is a surprise!! :)
I bought this Transitions colorway to make a scarf for me. Mom loved the yarn when I showed it to her over Christmas. Last week I decided that this would be a fun surprise. An added bonus is that these scarves are super quick to knit up. Yesterday Mom called & was checking on the status of her alpaca scarf. Little does she know that there is a nice surprise en route to her (mailed on New Years Eve!). I love knitting gifts for people. I'd like to have something of my own too though!!!
Here is the view I enjoyed while knitting at Al's greenhouse on Saturday.
Al grows and sells orchids. Orchids are for my BF what knitting is to me - a source of joy and a huge money pit. I am guilty of having a few myself - 15+ but since my BF tends over 100, my collection seems rather tiny. Orchids remind me of knitting. The color combinations are amazing and the shapes are fascinating. At the bottom of the picture you can see a little of the feather & fan alpaca scarf - proof I was working on it.
I have pot of homemade soup of the stove - I want to curl up in front of the TV soon & knit!!
Posted at 04:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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