I am a lemming.

I joined the rest of the knitting world. And i was quite a bit late, too. This weekend on my tour of the Yarn Market, I bought some Fiesta Ballet in the Morocco colourway. It is for my new Clapotis. I think i am the last person to start this project. I am making with the ballet yarn on size 5 turbos. Obviously that is a smaller yarn than the pattern calls for. The gauge is a bit loose but it makes a nice drapey fabric. It will be a nice shawl. I think it will be a Christmas gift for my grandma, she will like the colours. The yarn is an Alpca/Tencel blend and is quite slippery. I read that you cant use too fuzzy of a yarn cause the stitches wont drop, but my yarn is almost too slippery.


The project is going well. I have gotten to the second section and am having fun dropping stitches. Officially it is back on hold until I finish some other projects that are further along.

In other news...

I got in to Ravelry! (this seems like i am the last knitter on earth again!) I have started my notebook and stash and queue. If anyone would like to come visit me my user name is Stanzi.

Yay

Secret pals rock!

I am a bad secret pal recipient. I received a quite excellent package in the mail (thursday maybe??) and said nothing. Well here is the post. I got a skein of Nashua Creative Focus Chunky, a GIANT box of Baci and a cloche pattern to go with the yarn. YAY. I have tried to be well behaved and feed the people in my office the Baci, but I failed. So instead I am left eating it all myself. Which I'm sure was the general idea, but I am probably not supposed to eat it all at once. The yarn is lovely, and in the perfect Rose shade. However, I am in a cast-on moratorium. I am not allowed to cast on anything else until at least 2 other projects are finished. As soon as i am allowed to cast on something new this is the first thing to go. It looks like it will be a quick knit.

Sorry for the post delay.
mmmmmm baci.

Ahoy Matey!

mystery project, mystery project, mystery project. bachelorette party. mystery project, mystery project, mystery project...

Not much going on here, or maybe there is too much going on here. I am not sure. I haven't had much time for knitting, since I was hosting an all day and all night bachelorette party on Saturday. Thankfully everything went smoothly and we all had a blast. Thank god, cause I wouldn't want anyone disappointed in my mad party planning skillz. I took Sunday and Monday to recover and resumed knitting last night.

This weekend, I am touring The Yarn Market with my knitting club! Their distribution center is right outside of town and there are supposedly warehouses upon warehouses of yarn!! They also have some exclusive colourways that you cant get anywhere else. I am already exited and its only Wednesday. Hopefully ill pick up some yarn for a clapotis. I was thinking about making it a little lighter, and perhaps use Noro Silk Garden Light. Well we will just have to see what i come home with.

By the way, i wouldnt want anyone to forget, today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

SP11 Questionnaire #2

I don't know where this questionnaire came from, but many SP11 participants have posted it, so here I go.

1. What is the one knitting accessory you could not live without?
My j-shaped cable needle.

2. If you're heading on vacation, do you take knitting with you? If so, how much and what type of project?
Yes. Actually I hadn't touched a knitting needle in a year when i impulse purchased a knitting book, needles, and enough yarn for a large sweater on vacation. Although yarn is squishy, I wouldn't recommend doing that while backpacking in Europe. As far as what type of project i would take? I a not sure, probably a sweater, that would last me the entire trip.

3. Where have you travelled to that you'd consider your favorite spot?
Gaaaah, I only get one. No I am picking three. My latest favourite US locale is Charleston. Overseas, it is tied between northern Wales and Paris. They are tooo different to say one is better than the other.

4. What is your favorite knitting book at the moment? Do you own it?
I am really enjoying the Pure Wool Collection by Rowan, and i do own it. I know this isn't a book, but i would love to own all the patterns from Zephyr Style.

5. Do you listen to podcasts? Which is your favorite(s)?
This American Life. Ira Glass is my hero. I saw him live once and have never laughed that hard.

6. If you could only knit with 1 color for the rest of your life, what color would that be?
Hrmm,the bottle green merino that i have been using lately. I have stopped and started a zillion sweaters with this same yarn and i have yet to get sick of it, so i guess thats a good sign.

7. If you were far into a project and then noticed a mistake near the beginning what would you do?
It depends on the mistake. If you have noticed my last posts, i have to rip stuff out a lot.

8. Where is the most unusual spot you've ever knit?
I like to knit at my local pub. I They actually have quite good food and it is a nice place to get a beer and a good sandwich after work. I am not sure if this is a strange place compared to other knitters, but the other patrons seem to be startled by someone knitting.

hrmm.

Lately i have had a little bloggers block. The frustration i felt 2 weeks ago is somewhat cured. The new (replacement) sweater is going well. I have the back done and am a couple inches into the front sides. I also have some secret projects going on, so i cant post about a lot of what i am doing. I locked myself in all weekend and knitted for 2 days straight! (i am very very behind on one of my secret projects) It was a little hermit-like but by the time i figured i would leave my apartment on saturday freakish storms hit and i didn't want to go out. The power kept going out to, so i would rather be in my apartment with no power than the grocery store. Also why would i want to leave the house when i was marathon-ing the office. I have never watched this show, and when i decided i wanted to, i couldn't start until i had seen all the previous seasons. that is how i am with tv shows. Netflix let me stream seasons 1 and 2 and than i bought 3 from itunes. 3 seasons in 5 days. yes, i am a loser. thats what i do when i get into a tv show. The same thing happened in February with a tv show which shall remain nameless. At least this was only 3 seasons of 30 minute episodes, versus 6 seasons of 1 hour episodes.

I was supposed to clean all weekend, because i am hosting a small bachelorette party on saturday, but that of course didn't happen. i am such a mess. i have soo much to do and soo little time. I guess there wont be much more knitting this week, i have party supplies to buy and cleaning to do. i am not even sure if i can make it to knitting club this week. Gawr! Hopefully i can post some pictures of the non secret projects soon. I have awful natural light in my apartment and it rained all weekend.

Speaking of knitting club, i found a new one. It is hosted in the home of one of the ladies at my regular knitting club. It only meets once a month which is sad cause they are a fun group. These are my people. I had a ton of fun.

Well i am going back to work. Pictures of non secret projects to come soon.

P.S. a knitting hint for you out there. one of the secret projects is a popular project using Cascade Eco wool. See if you can guess what it is. :)