Alphabet Meme

Okay, I never do this but ...

Shelley tagged me with this Alphabet Meme and it's the 2nd time she tagged me for a Meme. So I guess this time I should answer, huh? Here goes:

The Alphabet Meme:

A - Available or Taken: Taken
B - Best Friend: Samantha
C - Cake or Pie: Pie
D - Drink of Choice: Water (ice cold) but Red Wine takes a close 2nd place.
E - Essential item you use everyday: Computer
F - Favorite Color: Orange
G - Gummy Bears or Worms: Gummy Bears
H - Hometown: Milford, New Hampshire (but I've lived all over the US while growing up)
I - Indulgence: Yarn and Knitting Books (& knitting all day if I can get away with it)
J - January or February: February because Winter is almost over.
K - Kids & ages: One but I raised Three (all are now in their 30's) and I have 18 grandchildren, ages 1 to 18. Some near & some far away.
L - Life is incomplete without: Love
M - Marriage Date or Most Memorable Date ( and why): Got married July 10, 1999 to the man of my dreams.
N - Number of Siblings: 5 sisters and 2 brothers
O - Oranges or Apples: Apples (and Grapefruit)
P - Phobias or Fears: Driving over bridges ... and ... my health declining before I retire.
Q - Fave Quote:“Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect.
It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.”
R - Reason to Smile: having a good life with lots of family and friends.
S - Season: Spring (to sit in my back yard again to watch & listen to the birds while I knit)
T - Tag 3 or 4 People: Actually I don't like to Tag anyone ... so this is for anyone who wants to do it.
U - Unknown fact about me: M-m-m-m-m, it's so unknown, even I don't know what it is. Oh yah, here's one ..... I've been married more than twice. (I've finally gotten the right man tho)
V - Vegetable you don't like: lima beans
W - Worst Habit: letting junk mail pile up
X - X-rays: Yes ... don't remember them all ... shoulders, hands, etc.
Y - Your Fave Food: Ice Cream
Z - Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

Look at what I got! ... Yarn and Books!!

I went to Color Knitting Class last night. Just barely got my homework/practice done. Which was just the stranded hearts that I added on to the Mosaic practice piece I did.

And just because I love stranded knitting. And just because I love the look of stranded mittens ... I got this book ... Knitting Marvelous Mittens. Fortunately, I got it at a much better price than what's out there right now. This a very convenient book, so I consider myself to be very lucky to find it at the right price. It also means I better knit some fancy mittens next month for the Knittin' Mittens KAL I'm in. I haven't even done January's yet, but I'll whip something up tonight and post tomorrow. I guess I hadn't done them yet because I'm the one giving the prize this month for the draw and of course I'm not in the drawing.

But I've been knitting the mittens each month to put aside for all the grandchildren for Christmas next year. Getting a head start this time. It's about time that I've smartened up right?

Well at the class last night we learned how to to Intarsia knitting ... I started & finished my practice piece right there. Used the cotton which doesn't have a nice smooth look, but it was only practice. Looks like sherbet flavors doesn't it?

AND The Seed Stitch Fine Yarn had a few bags of yarn still on clearance. Just sitting there. BEGGING to be taken home. Sooooo ....

Look at what I got ... Debbie Bliss Cotton DK for only $1.95 a skein. How could I go wrong? And the color mix will be perfect for something for the Munchkin who's first birthday is in March. Something to wear in the Spring & Summer right?

Something with Intarsia maybe?

Wool loves to be felt ...

and there's been some Heart knitting to be felted going on around here!

Spent Sunday afternoon at Victoria's from Seed Stitch Fine Yarn knitting hearts to be felt and distributed around the store for a contest. What contest you ask?

Well starting February 1st go into the store and guess ...

How many felted hearts they have in the store. If you can guess you will receive the SSFY "True Love" gift.

February 14th

The "True Love" gift will be awarded.

Also, check out the class schedule ... You can learn to knit these hearts to felt in a class by Victoria. Or one of the other classes given by some very talented knitters in our community.

Happy Valentine's Day!

And behind the scenes ...

The Stitchingnut is doing other felting, as well as a couple of hearts for herself and friend, Sammie in Georgia. Since Sammie doesn't have a computer, I feel safe in revealing this bit of information.

BTW, that piece of cotton yarn running thru the yarn is to keep the two holes in the middle of the heart from closing up and to be removed after the felting process in order to insert pretty ribbon. If I didn't do that ... then they would close up during felting & any accidental holes would of course stay open when you wouldn't want them to. That's called the Murphy's Law of Knit Felting!

See that pile to in the back to your right? Well that's the OTHER felting. Pictures to come when all is done.

Okay, go back to your knitting ...

Red Scarf Project at M.I.T.

We ended up with twenty (20!) scarves - 18 were mailed today, and two others will be mailed separately. Hurray to all participates!

Here's two pictures of about 16 of them before they got boxed up. I understand the others come by before the box got taped up for the mail.

Thanks to The Dilettante Debutante for getting them sent on their way ...

As well as our photographer, FemiKnit Mafia and Aswim In Knits for bringing the camera.


Now how in the world did I forget my camera? Owwwee, off to Community Night Knitting to get the cobwebs out of my head!


Good work girls!!

Did you think ...

I dropped off the face of the earth?

I've been too busy to Blog ... between work, knitting class and The Red Scarf Project. The SnB group at M.I.T. decided to each knit and send scarves out as a group during our Independent Activity Period (IAP) this year. So I had to get that scarf done ... it was weighing me down ... and has to go out with the others this Thursday. I was so ready to finally finish it this morning and here it is now all blocked and ready to go. Along with a scarf I knit last year. I had decided to donate it to the Project also ... just in case I didn't get the red one done.

But I did it!

I'm done, done done ...

Another reason you haven't seen much of me this week is because I'm in another knitting contest. Yup. This time it's for the Seed Stitch Fine Yarn store. They're having a contest for a Tea Cozy design. So I've got my design drawn out on paper and I can picture it perfectly in my head ... my mind's eye can see it perfectly. Now if only I can pull it off! I'll take progress pictures as I go and will reveal all once I have it down at the Seed Stitch on display. The way the voting works this time ... is, votes will be put in by the customers that go into the store. All entries will be on display for everyone to pick their favorites.

Tea Cozy Contest begins March 1st. One month to make a tea cozy of your choice. Knitted or crochet. All cozy's are due, completed, and in the store on the 31st of March. Then they will let the public decide on their favorite. Winner receives tea for two at the Old Ritz in Boston.

(it's now called Taj Boston.) I SO WANT TO WIN this one!

So for now, I'll leave you with a little Mosaic from knitting class ...

A hodgepodge of knitting and bits of news ...

1. Moving right along with the Tube Scarf using Rowan's Kidsilk Haze ... love that yarn! And I finished the 3rd book in the series written by Maggie Sefton, Needled to Death. I see she has a forth one out called A Killer Stitch, but I'm going to wait for it to come out in paperback. All three books were fun to read. Took me awhile to read them tho, only because I've been reading only once I go to bed and some nights ... well I fall asleep pretty fast. But it wasn't the author's fault ... I just get up early, work all day, and knit whenever I get the chance so I'm pretty tired already when I get to bed. My next book for bedtime reading just got here today ... 'Knitting A novel'
I usually get paperback. This one is hardcover, but I only paid $1.59 for it. And BTW, the reviews were good.

2. And look what I got? Some goodies came in the mail yesterday! From Sock Porn. Aija asked if anyone was interested in receiving a booklet on a special sneak peek of the book, The Friday Night knitting Club by Kate Jacobs . I just had to leave her a comment and she'd send it out. Oh yah, I love to read and all the better if knitting is mentioned right? The "sneak peek" is a way to see what it's about a little before purchasing this book for my next "bedtime read" ... which I no doubt WILL get when it comes out in paperback I think.

BUT, the best part was the goodies, Aija (doesn't she have a unique & interesting name?) put into the envelope ... some samples of the markers she makes for her Etsy Store called ZeroMarkers. Check out her store ... the markers are beautiful! Made with fresh water pearls. Gee thanks, Aija. I just love them!! I bought markers for Christmas gifts for the grandchildren I'm teaching to knit this year ... so I'll keep Zero Markers in mind for next year so they can add to their collection. The ones that are still knitting by then, that is.


And now
for what's in the News ...

3. Check out the news link posted by Well behaved women rarely make history! (click on the Home Video once you get to the news page). If it isn't all the snow they're getting out West, it's the ICE and the accidents it's causing. Sorry guys!

4. And check out the Subway Knitter the Amazing CharlieCard Mitten, in today's Boston Globe!

Anyone not from around Boston might wonder why it's called a Charlie Card ... here's where the name came from ...

Back in 1959 The Kingston Trio had a major hit with the song Charlie on the MTA. But the name came from the song which was written years before The Kingston Trio as a political song/ad. (note: the MTA is now the MBTA) Below are the words to the song, but also check out the History page to get more insight on why the song was written in the first place.

(And check out the History on the song)

"Let me tell you the story
Of a man named Charlie
On a tragic and fateful day
He put ten cents in his pocket,
Kissed his wife and family
Went to ride on the MTA

Charlie handed in his dime
At the Kendall Square Station
And he changed for Jamaica Plain
When he got there the conductor told him,
"One more nickel."
Charlie could not get off that train.

Did he ever return,
No he never returned
And his fate is still unlearn'd
He may ride forever
'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned.

Now all night long
Charlie rides through the tunnels
Crying, "What will become of me?
How can I afford to see
My sister in Chelsea
Or my cousin in Roxbury?"

Charlie's wife goes down
To the Scollay Square station
Every day at quarter past two
And through the open window
She hands Charlie a sandwich
As the train comes rumblin' through.

Now you citizens of Boston,
Don't you think it's a scandal
That the people have to pay and pay
Vote for Walter A. O'Brien
Fight the fare increase!
And fight the fare increase
Vote for George O'Brien!
Get poor Charlie off the MTA."

Chorus:
Or else he'll never return,
No he'll never return
And his fate will be unlearned
He may ride forever
'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man (Who's the man)
He's the man who never returned.
He's the man (Oh, the man)
He's the man who never returned.
He's the man who never returned

(I use to listen to the Kingston Trio along with Peter, Paul & Mary all the time back when I was 13/14 ... pre-Beatle years. Loved 'em!)

(Hope I haven't told you too much, LOL)

Thanks for the link, Kim!

Here's a very interesting article that Kim from "Knits with a Silent K" found at Redhat Magazine ...

Be careful who you knit for:
Copyrights and crafts

by Bascha Harris

Additional Note:
I was originally adding more to this post when my system went down. I thought I should add at least one picture. And so here it is, the LAST (hopefully) fingerless mitts for the season. This is the pair for my grandson. You know, the 8 year old that said he wanted a pair like his sisters because he thought they were cool. And and guess what .....
He's cool too!

The winners have been announced!

For the Miracle Bag Contest at Strickanleitungen

Break out the wine bottle and give 'em a toast...

Platz 3: die Schaftasche von Claudia.

Platz 2: die Rosenzwergin von Sabine

Und *Tusch* Platz 1 die TeeTee-Fliege der Garnprinzessin.

Congratulations to the three top winners! It was fun participating and getting all the nice compliments I received, both in person and in blog comments. I had fun even tho I didn't win. Really! Thanks for all the support, cheers and thumbs-up I got from all my new friends here, with the Community Knitting Group at Seed Stitch and the SnB Gang at M.I.T.

Since I was asked more than once about the knit pattern I used for the Placemat, I'll include it here. The border is just garter stitch picking up the stitchs along each each and the flower stem is applied icord.

The leaf pattern is from the book, Nicky Epstein's Knitted Embellishments and the flower pattern is from Nicky Epstein's Knitting on the Edge.

But the center is an idea from a book called The Encyclopedia of Knitting and Crochet Stitch Patterns that I've had from back in the 1970's. I changed the pattern a little because I wanted it to look like latice work in a garden. It's not exactly like in the book tho.

I did a long tail cast on of 50 stitches with knitting needle size 7.

Row 1: knit across
Row 2 & 4: slip one stitch as if to purl, Purl across, turn
Row 3 & 5: Slip first stitch as if to knit, then follow in pattern with *sl 1 (purl wise) k1, yo, psso both stitchs [this means to pass the slipped stitch on right needle over both the k1 & yo just made], repeat from * across to last stitch. Knit last stitch.
Row 6: sl first stitch (purl wise), Purl across

Repeat Rows 1 - 6 for Pattern Stitch

That's all there is to it.

And I have one more bit of news for you all. A big SALE is about to happen at the Seed Stitch Fine Yarn store. [if you're not on a yarn diet, meet me there] 30 to 70 % Off two days only [oh go ahead and fall off the yarn diet for one day].

Here's the email message I got in my email box ....

CLOSEOUTS, DISCONTINUED COLORS, LAST SEASONS YARNS,PATTERNS, BOOKS AND GIFT ITEMS!!

SUNDAY, JANUARY 21ST AND MONDAY, JANUARY 22ND

12 NOON TO 5 PM BOTH DAYS 30%,40%,50%,60%,70% OFF

MAKING ROOM FOR NEW FIBERS

SEED STITCH FINE YARN

10 FRONT STREET

SALEM, MA

Make room for more Happy Knitting!

Is there a camera looking into my house?

Photo by Hugh Kretschmer

The DH got the Jan/Feb 2007 AARP magazine and after chuckling to himself for maybe 10 minutes, he hands it to me opened to this page and says, "Isn't this us?" Very funny man ... well it's ALMOST like our house and yes, maybe it's us. With me viewing my knitting and him in his chair with the newspaper. But the clutter is only half mine, right? Okay, half is still a lot. And maybe it is more than half. But just a little. It takes up a whole corner of my living room, a corner of the kitchen, half of the office/sewing/computer room and yes, even two thirds of the bedroom. But whatever isn't knitting, yarn, books or tools for stitching is much neater and orderly than the house in the picture. DAMN it, stop snickering!!

Okay, maybe the pile of junk mail on the kitchen table and on the floor next to my easy chair is mine also. Or the 3 bookcases over full with books between 3 rooms. Or the sprinkling of nicknack's in all the nooks and crannies. But ...

What ever you do .... DON'T, don't

take away any of my knitting.

Don't even joke about it !!

They're in the mail!

They'll be in the mail no later than tomorrow anyway. Just have to wrap them up with a birthday card and take 'em to the Post Office. Shelly's going to be really surprised. We don't normally exchange birthday gifts between our brothers & sisters. Why? ...

Well because there's 8 of us!

Now it's back to my Mosaic knitting project for class. I'll tell you all about it once I get a picture taken. I already know that I prefer Fair Isle to Mosaic or Slip Stitch ... Well let's see if a few more rows change my mind.

Back to Knitting!

Look at what I got!

Isn't this a neat looking little tool for knitting? DPN point protectors or stitch protectors as Sherry calls them. Use them while you carry your knitting project & keep the stitches from falling off and protect the points while you're at it. Got it from Sherry at Three Owls Knitting Etsy Store. It was my 2nd purchase. I wanted to be sure I was really happy with it before showing it off. Well I was happy enough to buy a few more, LOL. The kitty is my favorite!

Started a class at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn this past Monday. The class is called Color My World and it 's about color theory and knitting with color. That's part of the reason I'm out of sight right now. Just knitting and working ... oh yah, working at MIT takes a lot of my time up too.

I'm still knitting on the Red Scarf Project and fingerless gloves for my grandson. Got the pair for my sister, Shelly's birthday done and will post a picture before I send them out. They're different than the rest I did. I like them a lot and will knit a pair for myself also.

Well just as soon as I can ....

p.s. Have you read the Yarn Harlot today? It's about the part of the world that can't wrap their heads around the fact that people DO LOVE TO KNIT SOCKS and are willing to spend money for nice yarn ... that's right NICE yarn to boot!
Go check it out ... I'm one of those sock knitters in Blue Moon's STR Club!

The voting has begun ...

If you go tho the following link:
http://anleitungen.bestrickendes.de/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=164&catid=2
you'll find all the pics of the knitted objects in the contest I've entered. And if you click on a picture you get a "rating" table and some stars...
You can give stars to the things you like most. Each star is a point -
and the entry with the most points at the end will win the prize!
[which I don't even know what it is!] The voting will go on for 10 days and I think you can vote each day.

The voting is going on for 10 days ... so please stop by and vote for your favorites. It doesn't have to be just mine [altho I'd LOVE all the votes I can get!] but the ones you really do like, LOL. I've already given some of my competitors some votes ... the most lovely or interestingly unique. I have a couple of favorites of my own [hey including mine, hehe].

Let the games begin!

Let's Celebrate My Birthday!

My Granddaughter's try to keep me young by letting me 'good off' with them.
But I'm still going to be 58 this Monday, January 8, 2007.

Going away for the weekend!
[I might not be back until after Monday.]

Drum Roll Please!

I've finished my Wundertüte [Miracle Bag] Contest entry for Strickanleitungen. [BTW, a note has been added below in red ... ]

The "Miracle Bag" I think is the fact that I paid the postage to have 150 grams of yarn [from Germany] sent to me of unspecified brand or quality and I was to design something non-wearable with it. I was allowed to add no more than 50 grams of my own yarn. And that was it.

Here's what Angela sent me: It's a Cotton/Acrylic blend. Washable. Which helped to know in order for me to decide what I would design. A nice quality yarn, but the colors would be too drab alone, don't you think? I needed to "punch it up" so I got the color I thought I needed and would give me that punch ...

Works?
Rowan Wool Cotton!
Now isn't this a little more interesting than with the pink & plum alone?

I've sent my entry in and Angela has posted it. The voting doesn't start until after January 7th tho, because that's the deadline for all entries to be in. I'll post a link below so you can go and check out all the entries. I hope you'll come back and VOTE next week also. There are some very cute, unusual or interesting knits created by others. A lot of bags and toys! But also a few very original items. Take a peek. But before you do ....

Here's mine up close ....

Have you guessed what it is yet?

No?



Did I hear that drum roll?

What do you think? Is it okay for my first design? BTW, I've been asked if the center portion is knitted. Yes it is. Only the green boarder is crocheted and it is the Crab Stitch. I always called it reversed crochet, but maybe a Knitter gave it the name "crab stitch" ... because crocheting makes some knitters "crabby?" Haha, I don't know, but the center portion is a stitch that I found in a book I have from the 80's and it reminded me of Latice Work and therefore = Spring! Yup, a Springtime Place mat.
To heck with the tea ... I need some wine. Time for a knitty break, LOL!

Check out the other entries also ... right here.

Start the New Year out right!

The Independent Activities Period (IAP) is a special four week term at MIT that runs from the first week of January until the end of the month. IAP 2007 takes place from January 8 through February 2. IAP has provided members of the MIT community (students, faculty, staff, and alums) with a unique opportunity to organize, sponsor and participate in a wide variety of activities, including how-to sessions, forums, athletic endeavors, lecture series, films, tours, recitals and contests.

So the SnB group [with the leadership of Katie Livingston this year] has organized the following activity for the Red Scarf Project ...

Join us!

IAP 2007 Activity Charity Knitting/Crocheting - Learn to Knit/Crochet and participate in The Red Scarf Project Katie Livingston Vale, MIT Knitting and Crocheting Group Tues Jan 9, 16, 23, 12-01:30pm, No enrollment limit, no advance sign up Repeating event. Participants welcome at any session Learn to Knit or Crochet and participate in The Red Scarf Project, a project of the Orphan Foundation of America. The Red Scarf Project collects red (and other unisex-colored) scarves to send in Valentine's Day care packages to college students who have aged out of foster care. MIT knitters and crocheters will be making scarves to contribute to this worthy project. "How to Knit/Crochet" sessions will be held on Tuesdays and "Practice and Chat" sessions will be held on Thursdays. Can't craft with us on Tuesdays or Thursdays? Turn in your completed scarf by Jan 25th and we'll include in the the MIT package. Web: http://www.orphan.org/red_scarf_project.xhtml Contact: Katie Livingston Vale, N42-250, x3-6690 Sponsor: Information Services and Technology

And what is the Stitchingnut doing?

I'll be there both Tuesday & Thursdays. I'm starting out with the scarf from Interweave Knits!

Happy knitting!