You Do That VooDoo!

 
Oh My! I'm just ecstatic! One mitt done! Thanks to Sunday AMC, NCIS, and some breathing space at work, I've had the time to start this on Sunday night and finish it tonight! I love it! What do you think for my first attempt at knitting on sticks in the round? I even got the "buttonhole" for the thumb! Wheeee! 

Christmas Order Deadline Extended!

 
Just in case you were sad because you thought you'd missed my holiday ordering deadline...You are in LUCK! At the last craft show, I ended up selling more existing bags than taking new orders, which gave me a bit of breathing space! Soooo...if you were hoping to put a Nana Sadie Rose bag under a special someone's tree this year, let me know? This photo is an example of what I can do that's somewhat minimal - in case you know someone who'd NEVER put the cool print on the OUTSIDE, I can put it on the inside! (This one is Patriotic Kids from the 1950s! Too Cute!) I'm setting the order date for December 3, but email me before you feel sad if it's past that date? I might be able to sneak one in under the wire?
((((hugs))) 

Lace Weight Yarn & Tiny Needles!

 
It's just amazing to me that knitting this Diamond Fantasy Shawl is not making me flare with Lupus pain in my hands, in spite of the cold weather, Size 4 needles, and the teensiest yarn I've ever used. But maybe because this pattern flows so sweetly, or maybe because I'm so in love with the look of the knitting and the Gossamer yarn in pinks and purples, I can just trip along with it. I'm in the midst of the second repeat, so you can see two lifelines here. Now I won't pretend I don't have to concentrate - there is no TV allowed when I work on this, only classical music in the background. And even the kitties are informed firmly, "NO" when they try to distract me to climb in my lap. This shawl requires a level of meditation that is quite new ... but I can dream somewhat of what it will look like and what I will wear it with!!! 

Princess? Me? ummmm....

Well, that IS what my name means (my real name). So when I saw this on another blog, I couldn't resist taking the quiz. It's pretty on-target, too.

I'm a little old to be a Princess...but if my Prince wants me to be one, I guess I'll have to do my best to accept the challenge! lololol!

What Kind of Princess are You?

The Noble Princess

You are just and fair, a perfectionist with a
strong sense of proper decorum. You are very
attracted to chivalry, ceremony and dignity.
For the most part you are rather sensible, but
you are also very idealistic.

Role Models: Guinevere, Princess Fiona (of Shrek)

You are most likely to: Get kidnapped by a stray
dragon.


What Kind of Princess are You? - Beautiful Artwork (Original Music is BACK!!!)brought to you by Quizilla

It's a Sickness...

 
 
A true ADDICTION...I no sooner block one lace shawl than I begin another! Here you see the first 37 rows of Sivia Harding's gorgeous Diamond Fantasy Shawl knit in Knitpicks Gossamer in the Sweet Pea colorway. I simply cannot stop, I've ordered Sivia's Shetland Garden Faroese Shawl as well as the Peruvian Collection Baby Cashmere in Cedar from Elann to make the shawl and my sister wants me to make Sivia's Mary Ann's Cashmere & Pearls Scarf in sapphire blue (no yarn has been picked yet) for her - but I am trying to convince her that she needs to start knitting for herself!

QOH Patiently Blocking...

 
 

QOH Close-up

 
 

UFO QOH Lace Shawl Complete!

She's blocking now...I'm so loving this shawl - she fulfills many KALs: KnitRed, UFO, Knitted Lace, Just for Me - at least 4! Photos above - and Yarn Harlot's instructions here were such a help for blocking. (Thank you Kary for pointing me to these instructions!) I might suggest (tho' I do not truly know) that perhaps she has a KING-sized bed upon which to block? I do not. As a result, my QOH triangle point is pulled down over the side of the bed (I wasn't about to re-pin everything when I realized this...my back was already complaining that lace isn't worth the strain! I set it straight, but it's cranky!)

So should I tell you I have 3 more shawls ready and waiting - addicted to lace, yes I AM!

Knitting Meme! From Birdsong!

Warning - this is a long post! Birdsong tagged me for this meme, and it not only is a long one to read, it took quite awhile to write! (Especially since I'm a bit challenged with this coding thing...). Nonetheless, a fascinating experience, so I thank you, Birdsong, we are truly "sisters in lace."

What is your all-time favorite yarn to knit with? Usually the yarn I’m currently knitting with…but – no, I’ve just discovered I can knit with Merino after years of thinking I was allergic to wool. I love the Knitpicks Merino I’ve been using to knit my Queen of Hearts Shawl and am about ready to start using their Gossamer lace weight Merino to make the Diamond Fantasy Shawl. It’s so soft! I like alpaca, too, Birdsong, and have some Misti Lace Alpaca waiting for the Flower Basket Shawl – maybe in the spring?

Your favorite needles? CIRCULAR NEEDLES! I have lots of Susan Bates QuickSilvers that I love, and I have discovered Addi Natura circulars - just love love love the cord! Bamboos were not my first love, I’d always been a pink aluminum kind of gal…but now, not only have I been converted, but I’m pining to try these Susannes ebony circulars Birdsong is so fond of, so that will be my next purchase! Hmmm, I wonder about her rosewood circs, too? And the Denise set is on my Christmas list...

The worst thing you've ever knit? I learned to knit in the 70s and began on a ripple weave afghan in yellows and orange (probably the reason I won’t have any orange around me today!). The yarn was the equivalent of Red Heart acrylic – hard on the fingers, scratchy. At some point I bought the same kit in pinks and burgundies and while the colors were better on my eyes, the yarn was just as sticky. Both afghans were never completed and found their way to the landfill years ago.

Your favorite knit pattern? Just about any lace shawl pattern. Though I have to add Aibhlinn since I’m in the middle of making my second one. Just love it. Also love Grandmother’s Favorite dishcloth pattern, just because it’s mindless knitting I can take wherever (except courtrooms, I just discovered, in my town – even bamboo needles don’t make the “cut” – I have to go occasionally for my job and thought I could make good use of my time, but not!).

Most valuable knitting technique? At this point, knitting anything in lace and knitting in the round, tho’ I’d like to get Continental knitting under my belt – can’t seem to get my stitches loose enough and I’m not going to kill my hands in the process! And I want to learn to knit backwards to make lace knitting easier, too.

Best knit book or magazine? Vogue Knitting Book, Folk Shawls, Shawls & Scarves: The Best of Knitter’s Magazine, A Gathering of Lace. Coveted but not on my bookshelves yet: all of the Barbara Walker Treasuries, anything by Elizabeth Zimmerman, and especially Waterman’s Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls and Stahman's Shawls and Scarves: Lace Faroese-Shaped Shawls from the Neck Down & Seamen's Scarves by Myrna Stahman.

Your favorite knitalong? I have to say, KnitRed KAL for Women’s Heart Disease awareness, Cloths for Katrina, Aibhlinn - but then, I'm an owner of all three of them…lolol!

Your favorite knitblogs? Birdsong, Jane, Drop Stitch Knitter, and Indigomuse, and at the risk of tooting my own horn, Sadie's Place, my new philosophy of craft blog at Nana Sadie Rose. For others – see my list over there ----->

Your favourite knitwear designer? Sivia Harding (Diamond Fantasy Shawl), Polly Outhwaite (Kiri Shawl), Mary Burr (Aibhlinn), Meg Swanson, Myrna Stahman, Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer. I also love the Fiddlesticks patterns for lace shawls, and Fibertrends, too!

The knit item you wear the most? My first lace shawl – the Triangular Lace Shawl that Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer designed and then taught us to make through Needlecraft U last spring – okay, Birdsong, when are you going to finish yours??? My KnitRed KAL Aibhlinn is a close second - it's so cozy when the wind blows!

Whom to tag? Jane who will have completely different but equally fascinating answers!

"Ain't" Technology Grand?

Ok, I'm not the most technological gal out here, but I just discovered something and I'm loving it loving it loving it! Walmart allows you to download your photos and then pick them up in the store in an hour...(or in my case tomorrow morning).

I cannot believe how much more convenient this is going to be. I do photos for Nana Sadie Rose's album that accompanies me to every craft/cat show I attend and it's been a real pain to have to download the photos from my computer to a disk, go to the store, hope the kiosk is functioning (more often than not, it's down), edit my photos one-by-one, and then print them out and pay for them.

I have no idea if this is going to be successful or not - but what a delight to think that I can download them directly from my computer to the store and just run by when it's convenient and pick them up! Ohhhh cool cool cool!

Some Thoughts on SP 6

I joined SP 6 with high hopes of having a fabulous time of meeting new people online. I was assigned my spoilee (and heard once from my spoiler), and merrily went about sending off ecards, and gifts to my spoilee. I posted my questionnaire answers and printed off those of my spoilee. The rules said "at least one something each month," and I realized that meant ecards and emails, too.

Two packages later and several emails/ecards to my spoilee, but I hadn't heard again from my spoiler. I emailed my hostess. No response. I emailed again a couple of weeks later, and got a response that they would check. Then I got a frantic "I'm so sorry" email from my spoiler saying that she had life get in the way.

You know what? Life really does get in the way. My spoilee has emailed (after several weeks of hearing nothing, so I didn't know if she'd even gotten my second package) to let me know of computer issues. I understand - I lost my work computer in a freak accident in August. LIFE GETS IN THE WAY.

I've heard from my spoiler that she has mailed something. I periodically check my post office box, but I know she's mailing from another country, so it might take a bit longer.

Now the SP6 hostesses have issued a plea for participants they have emailed to respond to them (not naming names, so no one knows exactly to whom they are speaking - unless of course, you DID get an email!), because their emails remain unanswered. Okay - those folks they haven't heard from - why not drop them out, and call in the reinforcements of angels? Isn't that what angels are for?

You know, I'm having a blast sending things to my spoilee. She hasn't updated her blog since the beginning when she spoke of her excitement to be a part of SP6. She was expecting the computer gods to continue to smile down on her (as we all do) - but it's not her fault they didn't. No one knows, but me, that she's being spoiled. (And just wait till she sees her November spoil! *wink*)

Okay. Not the way I'd originally planned my participation in this, but hey - Life Gets In The Way sometimes, doesn't it? I was taught "tis better to give than to receive," and I went into SP6 in that spirit. (((hugs)))

edited 10:40p.m. 11/12/05 Hey - I did not mean for this to be a complaint column. My point here is that life has a way of derailing the best of intentions. I tend to be an optimist - don't read this any other way?

Aibhlinn & Voodoo!

 
 
Just had to start another Aibhlinn and my first attempt at knitting in the round on sticks at the same time VooDoo! My first Aibhlinn has been a joy to wear and this Plymouth Encore DK in black and cranberry has just been sitting and calling to me, "What will I be, what will I be???" I may even have enough to make a hat for the MFMPP&F! We'll see how this knitting in the round on sticks works out (and if he's inclined to wear hats, when I know he doesn't wear scarves!). What you see on the sticks in the photo is just a little more than an inch of rib now...lolol (((hugs)))

Ruinwen's Not-So-Random RAOK!

  
Today was a rough day at the end of an even rougher week. I was truly feeling every bit of 50 and I'm not there yet (not quite!). As I climbed the steps to my door I saw a large box sitting in front of it, Priority Mail. The return address seemed vaguely familiar in my mind, but I just couldn't place it, I was too tired. I know that my RAOK's are set to go to my PO so this was not even crossing my mind...What did I find when I opened this box! This lovely lady bear (Mrs. Knitter) and her kitty "Perl" (in her knitting bag!) that you see here. With a note from Ruinwen that says "I saw this and thought of you!" Can't imagine why? ((((Ruinwen)))) THANK YOU! What a lift Mrs. Knitter & YOU gave me!