I am part of a ‘knit a sock a month’ club. With my big mothers day lace scarf taking up most of my time - I sat down yesterday and today deciding to power through the socks for April. These are going to my good friend Sara. I hope that she enjoys them. They were knit using two circular needles and two socks at once. A great technique to use.
After finishing the Debbie Bliss ?Garter Stitch Blanket? I was left with an excess of yarn - especially in pink. I decided to try my hand at the project from the same book ?Simple Hat.? The first one in my zeal - well became a garter stitch had instead of the stockinette stitch that the pattern called for. The funny thing is that I didn?t realize the mistake until the hat was finished. OOPS!!! I then re-did the pattern and followed the directions closely: Stockinette stitch.
The end product, two really cool hats but in the end I liked the garter stitch hat more than the stockinette one. A mistake that will gladly be repeated again.
Saucy Knitters Hot Sauce Swap Questionnaire
Hot Sauce
1. What kinds of sauces do you like? Do you like ‘em hot and spicy or more toward the sweet? Do you like four alarms going off at once, or a heat that builds? - I like mild to medium - just a little spice. Something with a kick to it but nothing that is going to set me to tears.
2. Do you have any sauces that you do not like at all? - I am not fond of teriyaki sauces. I am not that big into mixing sweet with savory.
3. What do you like your hot sauce on? - Okay so here is where my weirdness comes in - love it on eggs, potatoes (anyway - mashed, French fries, hashbrowns, etc.,) straight, chicken, ribs, chili, and most of all chicken wings!!! I am sure there are many more but I can’t recall right now.
4. What kinds of recipes do you like to work your hot sauce magic with? Do you BBQ? Throw it in take-out? Put a dash into your eggs in the morning? Do you like to cook, or do you prefer to just dress up a good take-out dish? I usually just throw it on as a condiment. I can’t really think of any time that I used it in a recipe but am willing to try.
5. Do you have any particular food allergies that should be avoided when picking out a hot sauce? None
6. Recipe you would like to share? Unfortunately no. I just pour it on!
Yarn
1. Do you knit or crochet? I have been knitting for about two years right now.
2. What are your favorite types of yarns to work with? I have not really worked with to many different yarns yet. I realize that I should expand my repertoire. I like the feel of cashmere but who doesn’t?
3. What do you have on the needles (or hook!) right now? - Right now I have two projects. I am one of those start to finish kinda person. I have a sweater that I am knitting out of Alpaca (very exotic yarn for me) and the other is a series of baby hats - just because I am trying to use up all the yarn for a previously finished project. ☺
4. What are your favorite colors to work with? Are there any colors you wouldn’t want caught dead in your stash? I love any shade of blue. My absolute favorite is cobolt blue it is so deep and rich. As for what would not be in my stash - Orange. Not a huge fan of it.
5. Any preference in your hooks/needles? Prefer bamboo over plastic or aluminum? You’re good with whatever you’ve got to work with? I am one of those rare people that enjoys knitting with metal needles. I like the cool feeling to them and also the yarn slips easily on and off. I love Addi Turbo’s - lol but who doesn’t? I went as far as to buy a whole set off of ebay and have not once regretted that decision. I also have a set of bamboo - but the wood is rather coarse on my fingers and I can’t say that I enjoy it that much. I have never used plastic so I have no opinon on them.
6. Notions. C’mon, let us know - if you get one more measuring tape, will you run screaming from the room? Or are you the type that loses stitch markers constantly? What notions do you love and loathe? I love notions. I have quite a bit of them but they are all fun. I love stitch markers and really don’t think you can ever have to many of them.
7. Any fiber allergies we should know about? - None
Stuff
1. Are you a snacky type of person? Do you like candy? Chocolate? In between hot sauce applications, what would we find you snacking on? I am not a big snacker. I go through chocolate moods and right now I have to say that I am not really that big into it.
2. Are you into recipe magazines? Knitting mags? What kinds of quick, stash-it-in-your-knitting-bag reading do you like to have on hand? I love the UK magazine simply knitting. I always try to pick that up. I love to cook to. I don’t have a recipe magazine subscription but love looking at cookbook. My favorite Food TV right now is Tyler Florence. His recipes are easy to follow and always taste great.
3. What cheers you up? Hanging out with friends or family. Going to take pictures. I am also into photography.
4. Do you collect anything other than yarn? Not really the only other hobby I have is photography so I guess I collect pictures if you can count that.
5. Do you have pets? No
6. Any other allergies? No
7. Are you a swap newbie, or have you done this before? Any good advice for newbies you’d like to share? This is a totally new experience for me so I am not sure what to expect.
Saucy Knitters Hot Sauce Swap Questionnaire
Hot Sauce
1. What kinds of sauces do you like? Do you like ‘em hot and spicy or more toward the sweet? Do you like four alarms going off at once, or a heat that builds? - I like mild to medium - just a little spice. Something with a kick to it but nothing that is going to set me to tears.
2. Do you have any sauces that you do not like at all? - I am not fond of teriyaki sauces. I am not that big into mixing sweet with savory.
3. What do you like your hot sauce on? - Okay so here is where my weirdness comes in - love it on eggs, potatoes (anyway - mashed, French fries, hashbrowns, etc.,) straight, chicken, ribs, chili, and most of all chicken wings!!! I am sure there are many more but I can’t recall right now.
4. What kinds of recipes do you like to work your hot sauce magic with? Do you BBQ? Throw it in take-out? Put a dash into your eggs in the morning? Do you like to cook, or do you prefer to just dress up a good take-out dish? I usually just throw it on as a condiment. I can’t really think of any time that I used it in a recipe but am willing to try.
5. Do you have any particular food allergies that should be avoided when picking out a hot sauce? None
6. Recipe you would like to share? Unfortunately no. I just pour it on!
Yarn
1. Do you knit or crochet? I have been knitting for about two years right now.
2. What are your favorite types of yarns to work with? I have not really worked with to many different yarns yet. I realize that I should expand my repertoire. I like the feel of cashmere but who doesn’t?
3. What do you have on the needles (or hook!) right now? - Right now I have two projects. I am one of those start to finish kinda person. I have a sweater that I am knitting out of Alpaca (very exotic yarn for me) and the other is a series of baby hats - just because I am trying to use up all the yarn for a previously finished project. ☺
4. What are your favorite colors to work with? Are there any colors you wouldn’t want caught dead in your stash? I love any shade of blue. My absolute favorite is cobolt blue it is so deep and rich. As for what would not be in my stash - Orange. Not a huge fan of it.
5. Any preference in your hooks/needles? Prefer bamboo over plastic or aluminum? You’re good with whatever you’ve got to work with? I am one of those rare people that enjoys knitting with metal needles. I like the cool feeling to them and also the yarn slips easily on and off. I love Addi Turbo’s - lol but who doesn’t? I went as far as to buy a whole set off of ebay and have not once regretted that decision. I also have a set of bamboo - but the wood is rather coarse on my fingers and I can’t say that I enjoy it that much. I have never used plastic so I have no opinon on them.
6. Notions. C’mon, let us know - if you get one more measuring tape, will you run screaming from the room? Or are you the type that loses stitch markers constantly? What notions do you love and loathe? I love notions. I have quite a bit of them but they are all fun. I love stitch markers and really don’t think you can ever have to many of them.
7. Any fiber allergies we should know about? - None
Stuff
1. Are you a snacky type of person? Do you like candy? Chocolate? In between hot sauce applications, what would we find you snacking on? I am not a big snacker. I go through chocolate moods and right now I have to say that I am not really that big into it.
2. Are you into recipe magazines? Knitting mags? What kinds of quick, stash-it-in-your-knitting-bag reading do you like to have on hand? I love the UK magazine simply knitting. I always try to pick that up. I love to cook to. I don’t have a recipe magazine subscription but love looking at cookbook. My favorite Food TV right now is Tyler Florence. His recipes are easy to follow and always taste great.
3. What cheers you up? Hanging out with friends or family. Going to take pictures. I am also into photography.
4. Do you collect anything other than yarn? Not really the only other hobby I have is photography so I guess I collect pictures if you can count that.
5. Do you have pets? No
6. Any other allergies? No
7. Are you a swap newbie, or have you done this before? Any good advice for newbies you’d like to share? This is a totally new experience for me so I am not sure what to expect.
After three months, many states, and numerous yarn shops, I was able to finally finish the Debbie Bliss Garter Stitch Blanket. It started out easy enough – knit 56 squares that would then be stitched together to form a baby blanket.
Easier said than done. For some reason my LYS does not carry Debbie Bliss yarn so I substituted it for Bernat’s solid yarn. Well little did I know that the company is undergoing some major changes that would change the weight of the yarn even though it was the “same product.” The other kicker was I was silly in not purchasing the all the skeins of yarn at once leading to much problem finding them.
Adding insult to injury I was transferred to three different states in the time span of one month causing even more difficulty in not only finishing the project but also finding the right yarn. EEK!!!
At last though success and here is the finished project. I added a fleece backing to the blanket because the back of the blanket was rather rough. The blanket turned out nicely and I would definantly do it again although learning my lessons of purchasing the materials I need before hand and start earlier to allow for enough time to finish.
What is next on the needles? Well working on my first sweater which is still in a box packed away ready for the final move.
This week I received the new Knit Picks (Winter 200 
catalogue. One word sums it up: Fabulous!!! I immensely enjoy their podcast. In an earlier episode the VP of Knit Picks discussed the time and care that goes into each catalogs. It is very clear that they do. The catalogs consists of patterns, books (with are at a great discount- around 30%), yarn, and supplies. It is fun to look and dream about possible projects to cast on. This catalogue has a great cable hat pattern that once I finish my next project I am sure to cast on ASAP!
My most current project are two socks on two circular needles and this amazing sweater. It is my first and the yarn I have chosen is Alpaca. The Alpaca is so soft - the yarn has an amazing texture and feel. Pictures will be forthcoming. Currently my camera is out of commission and at the camera shop. The colours that I have chosen are beige, white, and brown.
Today is the day that I finally got my invite into Ravelry. I am so excited but of course irony is that Flickr is down. It looks absolutely amazing and I can’t wait to explore all the options that are available. Its odd in that you really have no clue what awaits you in this knitting utopia but the expectation is overwhelming. There is a section to record your stash, a place to record your library of books, a forum for discussion, and a place for friends. At first glance it is a wealth of knowledge.
Also this is exciting because this week I was accepted into the SAM 5 knitting project - knit one pair of socks a month this will be my first group as such and how fitting since its also my first pair of socks - completed!!! I hope to learn a lot from this experience and learn different styles of sock knitting.
Christmas has come and gone and grandma’s scarf went well. It was wonderful. She was so happy to get the hat/scarf combo and I was happy to get the three month project done. It took so long just due to school plus the amount of concentration that I needed to dedicate to it. There are lots of new projects that are running through my head right now as to what to start next!!!
Currently I have to finish the sock. It is my first pair of socks and I am pretty happy how they have turned out so far. The heel is solid and has no holes in it. YEAH!!! The hat on the other hand made from my precious NORO yarn did not. So much for pattern making on my own. It was a nice width but lacked in length. I will be taking the hat apart when I get home from my xmas vacation and reknitting it using more yarn and a pattern this time.
Pictures to follow as soon as the camera that I have drys out from the dive it took into the water. OOPS! Once thing that this vacation has given me is time to finish up on pod-casting. My following blogs will include information about podcasts out there. I look forward to spreading the word about podcasts - great way to spread news about knitting.
Now that the academic portion of dive school is done I can concentrate once again on my knitting projects. Christmas break is going to be wonderful for starting some new things and finish up older projects that I still have on going.
1. Grandmothers scarf
This scarf took quite a bit of time to complete. It is a diamond lace pattern that measures about 50 inches in length. There is a hat that I knitted earlier in the same yarn. I am so happy to have gotten this done prior to Xmas
NEW PROJECTS
1. Noro hat: No real pattern for this. I am using a bunch of different patterns and hopefully will get a basic hat. The yarn is so beautiful and it is my first time working with it. If it works I will post it. 
2. SOCKS: I am working on my first set of socks! The yarn is a pretty pale green and I plan on using two circular needles to knit them. I am using the Knitting Korner video to learn how to knit it. So far things are going well. I will post pictures of these in the next blog entry.
So I have not been able to do any of my knitting projects recently because in two days I have my oral boards in Radiation Health. It is incredible all the information the goes into Nuclear Medicine and such. I am excited though because in about 48 hours I can pick up my needles again and concentrate on finishing my grandmothers christmas scarf. Pictures will be forth coming.
Welcome to the lillypad. This is a blog dedicated to my new hobby - knitting. There are several different projects that I am currently working on. The two main ones though are : A christmas stocking (my first) and a scarf for my grandmother. It has a diamond pattern on it and is rather cool. In my next post I will include pictures of both!!!
I am knitting the scarf on my new Addi Turbo circulars. They are so comfortable and the yarn slides over them with ease. It is such a pleasure to sit down and knit the scarf. (Although the scarf pattern requires attention and I often find myself messing up, ripping out stitches and having to redo them again.
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| « Apr | ||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
