Dishcloth contest

Aside from all the little and trivial day to day niceties that we are afforded every summer, I will truely be thankfull if me and my family have a healthy and accident free summer. That is all I could ask for. Last summer, shortly after he turned two, my eldest son was diagnosed with a childhood form of hemolytic anemia. Thankfully it was treated and cured and there have been (and should not be any more) no relapses. Scared the life out of me. It of course happened on a weekend and we took him to the local emergency room. Not fun. Apparently, when a child has cause-unknown anemia, the first thing that comes out of a doctor's mouth is leukemia. I am truely amazed that I am not as starkly grey-haired as I feel I should be. But, thankfully, after the blood work they did they found what was wrong and were able to do what they needed to do. A year later now, and I am hopefully looking forward to a happy and peaceful summer. (If only broken by the occasional Band-Aid!)

"Spring into Summer" Dishcloth Swap Questionnaire

When did you learn to knit? Who taught you?
My great-grandmother taught me a million years ago, but I didn't stick to it for very long. i recently retaught my self and have been knitting for a little over a year.
What was your very first completed object? Your most recent?
My very first completed project was Bubby from Knitty. Most recent was a few fuzzy scarves for family members. (See further down on blog.)
What was the very first thing you sent to the frog pond? (pulled out and started over) Your most recent?
About 85% of my projects started get frogged. (Either partially or totally.)
What is currently on the needles for you?
I am working on a fuzzy scarf for my mother-in-law, a pair of cabled knee-highs in wool-ease, the cover cardi from Creative Knitting, and I have to finish sewing up a pair of booties for my cousin's new baby.
What types of needles do you enjoy working with? What have you tried and hated?
I really like circular needles. I have a tendancy to misplace one needle out of a pair. The only circs that i really did not like were the Boye needles. The cable would never unwind and the join was funky.
Have you knit dishcloths before?
Yes. I have knit the ballband dishcloth and the star shaped washcloth from Mason-Dixon Knitting.
What was your favorite one?
The ballband.
Least favorite?
The star shaped. The bobbles on each tip ended up odd...
Do you use homemade dishcloths or face cloths yourself, or give them as gifts, or both?
Only for myself, so far!
What are your favorite and least favorite scents? (For your body, such as soap/lotion/etc)
Please nothing frou-frou!
What are your favorite colors?
Right now I am into melon, apple green, robin-egg blue, etc...I found a great dish towel with the colors on it. I will post a pic soon! Any happy colors will work!
What colors (if any) are your bathroom and kitchen decorated in?
Kitchen still has 70's decor (rental), bathroom is white and apple green.
What other hobbies and crafts do you enjoy?
Chocolate: Dark? White? Milk? Ew?
Any chocolate is fabulous! Not a huge fan of white.
Do you like salty treats? What kinds?
Hmmm...popcorn, chips, snack mix, trail mix, etc.
If you could go anywhere in the world for one day and spend the day any way you wanted, where would you go and what would you do?
I would adore going to Scotland. I am part scottish and have never been! As for what I would do? Anything!
Do you have any allergies? (Yarns, foods, etc. that might impact what your pal can send)
No allergies!

Goodies!

My fabulous knitted purse from Lia! She made it out of Royal Bamboo. It is so soft. I may have to buy some for myself to make a summer top out of.







Here is a jumble of all the nifty little things Lia packed with my purse. I love the stich markers! The stitch markers were tied to the card with a length of cord. at the end of the cord was a little charm in the shape of a sun, on the back of the sun was "Made with a smile"!




















And my candy! A whole box of violet crumbles!!!! I am giddy! lol Thanks Lia!!!!

More Markers!

The note cards and fimo markers from Dana.













The jewel toned markers from Elizabeth.















I am so tickled with participating in the swap! I am so going to have to do the summer round also!

As for knitting, here are the fuzzy scarves I have finished! Thankfully, I only have one more to do!

Stitch Markers!

Thanks again Sulah and Caroline!

Happy Day!

*doing a little happy dance*
lol....I am just so happy that the weather is finally nice! It is supposed to get up to 70 today. I have the windows open here at home and I am wearing short sleeves!!! Also, I got my Knitted Purse Swap package in the mail ON TIME! I am looking forward to my partner getting it, and I am dancing in anticipation to get my package! I am looking forward to the next swaps I have signed up for: Spring Felted Bag and Sockapalooza! The last was J's influence...I wouldn't have known about it if I hadn't read about it on her blog. I am looking forward to socks! I still have to finish the pair of knee-highs that I started. At least I won't be needing them for awhile!
I promise to post pics soon...I have pics of the finished swap purse and of the stitch markers I have recieved from that swap also, but I now have to find the usb cable for my camera! :)

Spring Felted Bag Questionnaire

1. How long have you been knitting or crochetting? How did you learn?
I have been knitting for many years - my great-grandmother taught me when I was about 10 years old. unfortunately, I did not knit for the vast majority of that time! i retaught myself about over a year ago and have been knitting steadily since. I do also crochet now. I taught myself from a book a few months ago and have made a few projects. It's more fun than I thought it would be!
2. What are your favorite yarns to knit\crochet felted bags with?
I have only made one felted bag so far, and used a recycled wool for it. I do have to say that it looks much better as a bag than as a cardigan!
3. What are your favorite needles to knit\crochet with?
My favorite needles any more is circular needles. That way I don't lose one! :)
4. What are the last 3 bags you knitted\crochetted (include URL for Yahoo! or flickr album or your blog if you have them!)? You can also link to patterns if you don't have pictures of your finished objects!
Retro Stripes
5. Do you carry the bags that you make, give them as gifts, or both?
I haven't made one for myself yet, so only for gifts!
6. What is your favorite felted bag that you have made for yourself?
See above!
7. What are your favorite colors? Do you like bags in these colors or choose other colors?
I love most colors, anything with a rich hue! (Not so much with black and white) I am usually drawn to tweeds and heathers, I love the subtleties! I wear a lot of neutrals, so I like to make a statement with my bag!
8. Chocolate: White, Milk, Dark, or not so much?
Milk chocolate, please! (Unless it is mixed with mint...I will take any kind of chocolate mixed with mint!)
9. Coffee, Tea, or Milk?
I am a Seattle girl, so i have to have my coffee(real coffee...espresso! cafe au lait!), but I love tea, too!
10. Do you prefer sweet or salty treats? What kinds?
I am more of a sweets girl. I seem to love the obscure and odd. Pastilles, Frangos, the little hard candy bon-bons, you know...things you can't find! Lindt truffles are rather lovely, too.
11. If you went into Bath and Body Works and could only come out with one item, what would it be and what would it smell like?
Just one? I am a bath and cosmetic junkie...not makeup, but lotions and balms and lip glosses. As for scent, nothing heavy or frou-frou. I love their more natural scents. I like the Black Raspberry Vanilla, Midnight Pomegranate, Clover and Aloe, the tea scents are great, the ones with cucumber are yummy, I really like Citrus and Grapefruit scents also!
12. Do you enjoy any other crafts or hobbies? Do you collect anything?
No other crafts right now! I would like to learn how to spin. I do collect tea pots and tea stuff. I am also partial to anything cletic or scottish!
13. Are there any bag patterns you have not yet knit, but hope to someday?
Too many to choose from! Just nothing itty-bitty! The only time I have looked for something itty is to put it in something big!
14. What is currently OTN (on the needles) for you?
A fuzzy scarf for my grandmother-in-law.
15. What is your most recent finished object before that?
The Retro Stripes bag from Interweave Knits.
16. What's cutest: Puppies, Piggies or Pixies?
Pixies!
17. Do you enjoy reading? Books, Magazines, or both?
Both! Anything! Everything! LOL
18. Do you have any children? (kid-kind or pet-kind apply!)
Two boys - one two and one three.
19. What are some of your favorite yarns for other projects?
Superwash wool, or wool-blend, or cotton-blend. Inexpensive and machine washable! Although, I would love to experiment with other natural fibers....
20. And for the final question, one I see debated all over: Novelty Yarn: Love it! Hate it! or It depends!
Depends! I haven't used it for myself, but I have used it for gifts! (I don't think I would enjoy a really fuzzy bag, but there are great yarns out there besides eyelash!)

Wow.

On may 27, this blog will be a year old. A whole year. I can probably count on one hand the things I have stuck with for a year or more....LOL!
Pics and knitting stuff soon! (have to finish something first!)