SP 12 Questionaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

My favorite yarns are merino wool, cottons, wool blends. Specifics I like: anything by Lisa Souza, Socks that Rock, Rowan. Acrylic mixed with natural fibers are ok if they give it soft smooshy texture (like Rowan Cashsoft, Tapestry or Calmer)

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

A cloth needle roll, my Knitpicks case, a plastic storage bin for my circulars

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I have been knitting about 3 years, took a class then joined a group that met weekly until everyone kinda went their own way. I am probably a fearless advanced beginner/intermediate - haven't tried a sweater for myself yet.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes, need to check and update my Amazon list - the list is HERE


5. What's your favorite scent?

I am allergic to a lot of heavy floral scents. Like some fruity scents like strawberry, apple, or light single floral scents - rose

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

A large one front and center!! Love milk chocolate, or mixed with caramel, mint or peanut butter or, or, or...

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I knit and crochet primarily. Really want to quilt. Don't have a yen to spin.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

Only one around without an iPod, probably can play CD on my computer, listen to cable TV's music - jazz, old rock and roll, Christian, classical, swing

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

I like jewel tones - fuschia, turquoise, bright colors. Pastels, yellows oranges and lime greens aren't great on me.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

Married for 34 yrs, 3 grown children in town, recently lost our Schnauzer of 13 yrs.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Scarves and hats - yes
Mittens – no, no fingerless gloves
Ponchos – no, but love shawls - I am "fluffy" so need longer ones

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Learning socks and shawls, baby items for friends and relatives, scarves, dishcloths for quick gifts


13. What are you knitting right now?

A baby sweater, a baby hat, starting a shawl in my LYS KAL

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

They are great - appreciate the time someone spends on me.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I use circulars primarily – have some in bamboo, and my Knitpicks options

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

No, unless you count my living room chair!


17. How old is your oldest UFO?

The baby sweater is maybe 1 mo old.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

I love holidays - like to decorate for them.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

T-shirts from places I visit, like postcards from different places

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I don't have any mag subs right now - they have not been in the budget. But I enjoy them a lot. I really enjoy books too.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I haven't mastered mitered squares, entrelac, am in the process of working with laceweight yarn for the first time.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I am new at knitting socks. I have a large foot - size 9 1/2 WW

23. When is your birthday?

January 15

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

kn1tg1rl - working on my inventory of books, yarn etc. Become my friend!

I'm Back!

I have returned - not actually from the dead, but from the heap of dead computer land. Mine died, rather suddenly, a complete and final gasp, leaving me in severe withdrawal pain. I have had withdrawals from prescription meds that were not as bad as this was. I would go to the library and use their computers, but time was limited and not always comfortable if I got one of the ones on a stool.

So to catch up the past few months - I am slowly still healing from the broken leg - able to walk with a cane and my brace. Have healed from my eye surgery - but have little functional healing. Very little sight in the eye and no one knows why. Very discouraging after 5 surgeries, much much pain, and money to have almost no sight in it. But God knows and holds my future, so am waiting to see what the future holds.
Do have a computer, a cast off from my future DIL, but it runs and after de-bugging it, and ordering more memory it is up and running. Am now in process of ordering software and installing and all of that stuff.

The wedding plans are coming right along - will be Sept 6 so already have dress, wishing I could wear pretty sandals, but am happy I can walk down the aisle. Hope I can dance at the reception - at least once or twice.

Many everyday things have gone on - but will stop here - all are happy and healthy - and getting skinnier - have lost about 30 lbs this winter and spring - being home and not grabbing fast food and cokes while out, I think has helped.

Have a great day - weather here was great - 75 today!

Family Matters

I have been a little behind in keeping posts going on here. Have had a lot of family matters going on that have taken up my emotional as well as actual time. Have had my share of doctors appts - they always seem to fall together for the 3 mo, 4 mo and 6 mo checkups. So have been on the doctor merry-go-round recently.

Also have had to deal with family issues in Texas. My beloved grandmother passed away Feb 19 at the age of 99 years, 9 mos of age. We were so hoping that she would make her 100 birthday. But in the last few weeks of her life, it became evident that she probably would not last that long. I was able to catch a last minute flight from Chattanooga to San Antonio via Atlanta. My sister picked me up and we drove an hour to her house where I spent the next day until she finished her day teaching and her daughter finished class and drove up from TAMU Kingsville. Then we hit the road northwestward, spending the night in Fredricksburg. Would have liked to have gotten there earlier to have seen some of the historic town, but was glad to just have a bed to fall into. Got up the next morning and drove another 2 1/2 hours to Abilene. Just throwing in some town names in case anyone reading is from Texas - gotta share my Texas roots! The service was nice - about 3/4's of the chapel was family. After the service one of my cousins had reserved a room at a local restaurant, and a fajita buffet. There were 3 step-sons left of 7, 29 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren, and 29 great grandchildren. All but 2 of the grandchildren were there - my brother who was in Hawaii - he isn't getting home until today - and one other. It was so nice to see cousins I haven't talked to in years and years. And to see their families, and pictures were flying all around of various families. Everyone wrote down email addresses, and completed family trees so our book can be updated with new additions, new spouses, and all. It really was a celebration of a great family.

I have now come on out west to Andrews, to spend a little time with my dad and step mother. A chance to visit my mother's grave, and just a time to be with my dad. He isn't getting any younger. And we just got word that his brother that was unable to make the funeral, has pneumonia and isn't expected to recover. He lives so far away, they are deciding if another trip is in them right now or not.

Valentine's Day

This past week as I mailed a few Valentine's cards it brought back memories that I think all of us have had at one time or another. Sometime along second and third grade, was the time we really got into Valentine's. Making the boxes that each student put their cards in, but also the anticipation of that one special card - that one that surely was chosen especially for me, as I looked over all of my cards - over and over before picking out the one that would go to that certain person! Surely he was doing the same, then debating whether to write, I Love you, as I too made the decision. Risk writing it and being laughed at? Or finding that he too, at least for one day, felt the same way?

As I received my Valentine's last week, I remembered all of the young folks going through the same agonizing selection. Hopefully someone found their "true love" even if only for one day.

Eye surgery

Well, been there and done that, again! For the 4th time. When my mother told me not to run with scissors, I would fall and poke my eye out - I should have listened. I had my surgery the day after my daughter's birthday (see last post. I would have put it off as long as I could, but knew I had to bite the bullet and go ahead and get it done. So it is done! And hopefully it will be the last for this particular problem. I have a little sight in the eye, but just enough to cause problems. Last night I was going to make a dump cake, and re-read the recipe before going to the store - and I thought it said to put cornflakes in the topping - so like a cook, who hasn't done this one in a while, I bought some cornflakes. When I got home, I used the ingredients for the topping, and realized that it said a cup of something else, and a cup of coconut flakes - not corn flakes! Yuck! I did it again! These things are common for me - and as I sit here and write this, I realized why it was so dry and kinda yucky - I didn't melt the sticks of butter and pour over it before baking!! My brain just doesn't kick into gear sometimes, especially on days I don't feel well and yesterday was one of those. Since I began to get more ill, it is crazy, the things I think and do. My family has to suffer along with me on my crazies. So this is my dear diary entry for today!

Well the sweetest Carebear I have ever known had her 22nd birthday birthday on Jan 21. I was busy getting ready for surgery and didn't have time to post that day. Here's wishing her another 22 and another 22 and so on forever. Maybe someday, and not soon enough for her liking, she will drop the carebear label, but never in my heart. She has been called that all of her life and I still do half of the time when she says hi on the phone.

Yarnfloozies Anniversary

For her blog anniversary, she is having a contest to come up with a rectangular stole to use up some lace weight yarn she has in her stash. I immediately thought of Sivia Harding's Moonshadow Stole. There is a KAL on her Yahoo site featuring this stole now. I wanted to start it, but have waited because tomorrow I am having my 4th surgery on my right eye, in 9 mos. Not knowing the outcome, and how much it will impact my life for a while, I have held off on buying the yarn kit. But if it goes as the dr thinks, I should be back up and running soon. Keep me in your prayers.