Knit n Knibble Party!

Well finally the boys aren't on the computer and I can post pics from the Knit n Knibble 2nd birthday party on Saturday. What fun meeting fellow knitting bloggers!

Here is Jenny, Christy and KnK regular Susan at our knitting table.

Here's another with Nicole on the left and Jenny again on the right. We had such a blast!



Just like last year's festivities, Caroline, the owner, had giveaways every hour. Her vendors were really good to her this year and she gave out 7 an hout! Jenny won a glove, Nicole won some Opal yarn as did Christy. Unfortunately I didn't win anything but then again I won 10 skeins of Clip last year. I did purchase quite a bit of yarn...hey, a girl's got to take advantage of a 15% discount!

I have to put aside my Icarus for awhile so I can complete a Florida Bag from KnitPicks for my mother-in-law's birthday. Looks fun until the challenge comes to get the lining inside! Stay tuned!

Icarus Update

By the time I finished the second repeat of Chart 1 last nite it was waaaaaay past my bed time. So here is an updated photo bright and early today.



Definitely in the groove with the pattern...which I adore. I'm sure I will be itching for Chart 2 real soon. Looking forward to knitting up Miriam's Adamas for my mom for her birthday.

Frustrated Phoebe

Although hubby liked the iPod, after initially working and synching songs it went blank. Tried a whole bunch of things to get it back...at least now I have an icon on the screen...although it is the sinister folder with caution graphic. Hoping that it just needs to charge back up...even though the charge icon isn't on the screen, it is acting like it wants to charge. If not off to the apple store after going to book night at the independent book store on Thursday.
Frustation #2: Left work early to take E. to the doctor and arrived at camp at 3:30 as planned. No E.! He went on the field trip and they are never back before 4 and of course you know what comes next...he had a 4pm appointment that needed to be rescheduled. Urggh, kids!!!!!!!
How odd that there aren't any knitting frustrations here today...and I'm not going to jinx it with but "the day isn't over yet."

Well at least here is a pic of my Icarus w/ one repeat of chart 1 done. I'll take another once I finish the second repeat of Chart 1.

Official Answers to Hurricane Sock Questionaire

1. Repeat after me "no hurricanes, no hurricanes, no hurricanes" . Okay we just had to get that one out of the way first. We needed to created a bit of "good weather karma"! GRIN
Not a blasted hurricane for the rest of the season!

2. If your pet(s) wrote a paragraph about you to describe you to us what would they say? (If you have no pets then just pretend you husband or best friend wrote it! This is a 3rd person writing exercise that is always fun.)
Ruff Ruff, bark , bark. OK all kidding aside, this is a hard question...my dog would say that he is the only one in the family that doesn't get any knitted items. And I'm a type personality who likes to procastinate.


3. What is your favorite hurricane supplies snack?
Well that's a no brainer, chocolate of course!

4. Do sock patterns normally fit you "as written" or do you usually modify them for size in any way? (other than foot length)
Patterns usually fit me although for some odd reason the cuff always seems a bit big. But that's not just for me. It's almost for DH and E. Think I need to invest in some invisible sock elastic.

4a. What are your foot measurements, not just shoe size? (Measure the length of your foot from heel to toe, then the ball of your foot. )
Foot size is 5 1/2 to a 6, heel to toe is 7 in and total foot is 8 1/2in and foot circumference is 7 1/2in.

5. What one city abroad would you visit and why if money was no object? (and terrorism was non-existant)
I would love to actually go to Tahiti to the resort with the huts over the blue, blue water.

6. Do you wear socks all year round or just during the winter? Do you prefer them tall or short or regular height?
I wear socks all year round (even in Florida because DH and E. like the house really cold and my feet get extremely cold). I do not like tall socks at all....sort of in between regular and short.

7. The last time the power was out during hurricane season (or bad weather of any kind) did you knit by lantern or were you lucky enough to knit to the humm of a generator? Or did you knit at all?
I'm embarassed to say that we were one of the very, very fortunate people who didn't lose power. But to get in the overall mood, I lit candles and still knitted.

8. Make a wish for your favorite sock yarn that you've already used once. What would it be? ? Dont be shy about listing an exact colorway or two if you'd like.
I really like Dani's yarn from Sunshine Yarns.

9. What is it about sock knitting that keeps you wanting to knit more and more socks?
It is a feeling that comes over you...I remember that I just was dying to learn how to knit socks last summer. I couldn't wait for a class at my LYS so I got Socks, Socks, Socks from the library and away I went. And have never looked back.

10. Make a wish for a sock yarn that you are dying to try but haven't bought for yourself yet. (be specific,even colorway if you'd like)
There are a number of sock yarns that I would love to try but haven't gotten around to it yet, some are hard to come by, most of the LYSs in FL don't carry a lot of sock yarn so I usually get mine online. I've heard a lot of great thing about the following: Vesper, Seacoast Handpainted, Shelridge Farm, Sundara, Claudia's Handpainted, Zen Yarn Garden, Sweet Georgia Yarns and Socks that Rock.

11. What size needles do you knit socks for YOURSELF with the most? Are they circular or bamboo needles? What brand?
I prefer size 3...my loving hubby for my birthday got me a Lantern Moon double-pointed needle roll/case filled with lantern moon rosewood needles. So I'm all set with needles. I haven't learned how to knit socks on circulars.

12. If you could only take 3 yarn related books and one previously knitted project that you love with you when you evacuated what would they be?
Sensational Socks (endless possible patterns), Loop d Loop (patterns are outside the box), and Folk Socks (love Nancy Bush)...previously knitted project would have to be my Flower Basket Shawl (first lace project and my most satisfying knitted project and challenge to date)

13. What knitting notion do you wish you had that you just keep putting off getting for yourself?
Swift...would have said a yarn winder a couple of weeks ago but now I have one.

14. What is your favorite tv show?
Tie between 24 and Lost.

15. Do you want a lacey sock or a "solid fabric" sock from your hurricane sister?
Lacey would be a great addition for a change of pace.

16. It's midnight and the power has been off for two days, its hot, and you have a craving for something sweet! What would it be? (This is a FOOD related question ladies! LOL)
Well it would probably be chocolate number one and tomatoes number two. Only thing I craved while I was pregnant.

17. Tell us a story about any of your hurricane weather related experiences.
We ran away from Charlie...we were scheduled to go on vacation the day after Charlie was supposed to hit so we packed up the car and went a day early up to Georgia (on our way to NC). We spent the day at Stone Mountain when Charlie hit and only learned what was going on from my father-in-law in Tucson.

18. What was the one thing you wish you had remembered to get last year for hurricane supplies that you swore you wouldn't forget this year?
Lots of peanut butter and we really need to have more water on hand.

19. What color sock would you like to receive from your sock sister? (if you don't have a pref just say so otherwise give us a hint!)
Well I had requested socks in a pink/brown combo for sockapaloooza but I needed a sock angel and I don't know if she is privy to all of my sockapaloooza info.

20. Thanks Christy for hosting and supporting all of the hurricane knitters!

Phew I think that about covers it.

Happy Father's Day!

It seems like just yesterday it was Mother's Day! DH likes to play basketball and so he is before we meet my 'rental units for brunch in Palm Harbor. E. and I can't wait for him to open up his gift...a black iPod nano. It's so much lighter and smaller than my iPod...(I've had mine for almost 3 years already...my Hanukkah gift). He loves NPR's Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me and so I've already loaded his iTunes in XP with the subscription feed. Will come in handy when he goes on a biz trip to Chicago mid-week. I just might have to post the look of surprise later today.




Took off yesterday from knitting but on Friday night got about half-way through my second repeat of Chart 1 of my Icarus.

Trekking up to Georgia

So in about 2 weeks we will be trekking up to Georgia...staying at a friend's home in Elijay in the forest just north of Atlanta. Here's the yarn, needles and Sensational Sock book that are being used to create E his trekking along socks to hike in. I went with the Basketweave pattern and will post an updated photo over the weekend. Got a lot knitted yesterday during my PTO running around to doctor's appointments. I love when someone asks what I'm knitting...forget how strange it might look to someone who has never seen double-pointed needles in action. Took a break to check in as I work on my Icarus!

Hurricane Sock Party!

So if you live in those states (you know who you are) and like to knit. There's still time to join the Hurricane Sock Party at Christy's...become a hurricane sista! You only have until Friday, June 16 and then the swap is closed. I luckily found out when I stopped by to visit Becky. The party involves making one sock for your swap partner and then mailing out a hurricane emergency kit (including the rest of the yarn, pattern and other items that might be important for a knitter weathering a storm). Scout has even created Hurricane sock yarn (Damn Debris, Blue Reef, Run Like Hell, Storm Surge)!

30 Things About Yours Truly

How could I not resist playing along with Kerrie in honor of her 30th birthday. She is holding a contest as she posts 30 things about herself. Everyone, doing the same and sending a link back to her is eligible to win HipKnits yarn.

And away we go...
1. I am the oldest child with one younger sister who is 3 years my junior.
2. I grew up in Yonkers, NY and was born in a Catholic hospital during Passover (very challenging for my parents...not a whole heck of a lot of food to choose from).
3. I have two Ivy League degress...BA in Art from Brown University and a DDS from Columbia.
4. However, I do not practice dentistry...in fact pediatric dentistry because of rheumatoid arthritis in my hands. It's okay if I drop knitting needles but not dental instruments.
5. I moved to Florida from New York 15 1/2 years ago (and still secretly root for the New York professional teams, especially the Yankees).
6. I met my husband days after moving down here at a Karaoke bar (thankfully I never sang because otherwise we might not be married).
7. I have two older step-kids, daughter who is 26 and a son who is almost 23, and we have a very active 10 1/2 year old son together.
8. After moving done to Florida, I worked for a medical marketing newspaper, started my own freelance writing and copyediting business, was managing editor for 2 websites (both out of business due to loss in venture capital).
9. Fell into public relations...enjoyed writing press releases and getting media attention for one of the aforementioned websites.
10. Fifteen years ago, I was obsessed with counted cross stitch and entered many contests... and of course, now it is knitting...much more portable (had lapframe with magnifying glass for the cross stitch) and easier on the eyes and I can wear the items I make (or give them away).
11. I was originally taught how to knit by my grandmother who lived to 99 (and my great aunt to 102).
12. Love to cruise! My first cruise was for our honeymoon 14 years ago on the Crown Princess...yes, we actually went on the Love Boat!
13. I am addicted to Reality TV!
14. But I also like the serials like 24, Lost, Sopranos and Big Love.
15. I couldn't live without my DVR player or Netflix.
16. I have been working in public relations for 5 years...and media relations is my specialty. In fact, one of the segments that I worked on will air this Sunday on Animal Planet's new show "After the Attack" at 8pm (EST and Pacific). My ER director was interviewed about a gator attack.
17. For the past 2 years, my friend Stephanie and I challenged each other to read 60 books. She made it last year and I only got in 59.
18. We currently have a dog and cat. Siberian Husky named Latka and a Himalayan cat named Yaffa. Plus we are summer sitting the class gerbil named Squirmy. He cracks me up...we did so last year (though we were told he was very old and to prepare E that he might not make it thru the summer. But he did and looks good so far, knock wood).
19. I used to run every morning. However in training for the Disney Half-Marathon I fell into a pothole running in the street in the wee hours of the morning and broke my foot...the break wasn't discovered until 3 weeks later.
20. I started going to La Leche meetings when I was 4 months pregnant and breastfed my son until he was 2 1/2...he weaned himself cold turkey.
21. I love Sushi (hubby too) and apparently we passed along this preference to our son. Every person on their birthday gets to choose where they would like to have their birthday dinner. Each one of us always chooses a sushi restaurant! Despite the fact that I loved being pregnant and breast feeding, the one problem was that I couldn't eat sushi. I came to develop this love late in life...when I was 26!
22. However, no such age problem with CHOCOLATE. Always loved chocolate even as a toddler. I think that my "allergy" to chocolate was a parental ploy to not eat as much while I was growing up.
23. After the first time I try a new recipe that I like I don't measure the ingredients the next time.
24. Trust me I learned the hard way that I can't do this when I use my bread machine...which I can't do without.
25. I used to wear contact lenses and at night (once the contacts came out) coke bottle glasses until I had Lasik almost 6 years ago. Vision is still 20/20 with no need for reading glasses or any revision surgery. I thought that I had died and went to heaven the morning after the surgery when I was able to read the clock clear across the bedroom.
26. Confession: I only wear thong underwear. Two girlfriends at my former job told me that if you can suffer through the first two weeks of being uncomfortable you have it made and won't go back. Oh how true...and I bet there are more closet thong wearers who also knit out there.
27. I'm a morning person and can't sleep past 7:30 even on the weekend. Also means that I prefer to exercise in the morning. Speaking of which...
28. I haven't done in a long time...well at least a couple of weeks. Fell out of the habit and need to start again as clothes are starting to not fit as well as they used to despite the fact that I eat very healthy (even with the occasional chocolate attack...made healthy by partaking of chocolate covered soy nuts).
29. I used to prefer chardonnay...Kendall Jackson primarily but now love reds. But my friend Stephanie turned me on to Prosecco...sparkling white not quite to the level of champagne but a great light wine to serve during the summer months.
30. Lots of I'd like to learn how in knitting: I taught myself how to knit socks with double-pointed top down so next step would be magic loop and toe up; want to learn how to dye yarn and spin and knit with beads.

Back in the Blog: Part Deux

I can hardly believe I have been so delinquent about posting. I seriously better get my act together if I want to be a part of the Toasty Toes Swap hosted by Amanda come July!


Lots of FOs accounted for...which EQUALS lots of knitting time so I did stay active on that front. And so in chronological order:

My sockapaloooza socks were made for Lisa B. up in Mass who just happens to be part of Alison's knitsmith group. I knitted up (as one of my past posts alluded to)...Walking Away Socks: Reflection in Opal Flamingo. What a fun pattern and my first sojourn with Opal!





Next up on the finished hit parade was a pair of baby booties for our friend's daughter and first grandchild...Cable Baby Rib from last year's Interweave (summer I think). I ended up using some leftover Dale Baby Ull in white from my Finnish socks.



Of course, I then waited to the last minute to knit up something for my friend Stephanie's 40th birthday. She was being whisked away to France by her husband and thought that she could use an eye pillow for the long flights filled with lavender. She's a vegan so I had to find something that was not wool, silk...basically not animal-derived. Enter Southwest Trading Company's Oasis made from soy. It was heavenly to work with! and I used the pattern from Handknit Holidays...fast knit!



I fell in love with a couple of patterns that I just had to have with moi being the recipient! First up was the Calla tank at MagKnits using Dale Svale in a light grey...fairly easy going pattern...especially knowing that there was an update in the pattern for the smaller sizes. Here's my Calla with a couple rows done:




However, shortly after I got started...when I was tooling around some blogs... I happened upon a post over at Claudia's Blog and discovered the Green Gable sweater. Just had to buy the pattern and get me some of the Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece...decided on the tea rose as I was trying to match a jacket from the now defunct Petite Sophisticate (boo hoo) but alas not quite right. Here's a shot of the yarn awaiting to go and then a progress photo of the lace insert.







I actually have completed the sweater and wore it for the first time last Friday...although it isn't blocked yet or softened with a soaking. I was very itchy during work. Who would have thunk it? Updated photo for another day and posting.

I also joined the Trek Along and still need to cast on. I'll be making socks for my son who picked out the colorway last summer. It will be a great car project on our drive up to the mountains of Georgia where we will definitely be doing some trekking!

And finally the obession of all obessions: the ICARUS SHAWL! Soon as I saw the page in the summer IW I ordered the exact same yarn courtesy of Sandra Singh. The alpaca is divine! And making rapid practice having started late on Sunday I am already done with my very first repeat of Chart 1.

Well that has been my knitting life in a nutshell.