Its beginning to look like Halloween around here

Its beginning to look like Halloween around here. Today the temps have fallen and so are the leaves. We have our costumes ready and now we just have to collect the candy. Well today I did get some candy so to speak. I received my first box from my SP9 pal. To update you on this. A few weeks ago I sign up for the secret knitting Pal swap. It will run for three months and I will be getting boxes each month or so durning this time. My first was wonderful. I got some neat yarn that I have never seen before. Its called Kathmandu. Its a merino wool, silk and cashmere blend. I have a little bit over 400 yards. I'm thinking of making a hat and scarf with it go with my black leather winter coat. Next I got a tin of hand cream from blue Sky Alpaca company. I have used this before and really like it. Next was a Mark lip stick/eyeliner from Avon. I also did get some candy, pumpkin truffles to be exact. My daughter who love pumpkin pie thought they are wonderful. She got to taste one. Lastly I got a 10 dollar gift card for Barns & Noble. I plan to spend some time tomorrow looking for a good knitting book. I am still working on my Einstein coat I should have it done either tonight or tomorrow. I have also been working on my white fiber, that I have been working on for a few days now. I should have that done by Friday. So pretty soon I will be looking for a new project to start. I think I will look around the web and see what I can find. Or maybe a new book from Barns & Noble.

Gansey Workshop -the pin cushion

This last week I started a Gansey workshop that is being hosted by the traditional knitting, located in the yahoo groups. So far this has been very informative and fun. Every couple of days Liz ( the designer and leader) uploads a file or two on the art of Gansey knitting. Our first project was this pin cushion. Each side has a different pattern. If you are not familiar with ganseys they are sweaters that are knit very tightly and have lots of texture. The designs are done with knit and purls not colors. Traditional ganseys were knit for fishermen and usually are made with dark colors. Navy, grey etc. I have always been interested in the both the history and method. I plan in the future to spin and then knit a gansey for my self. So if you want to learn to knit gansey this might be the workshop for you. We will be making several smaller projects using the knit and purl patterns. I next pattern I plan to try will be a pillow cover, then socks.

What I'm working on Now

I have been knitting for other people for so long that is has been fun to be a bit selfish and knit for me. I do have a couple of Christmas gifts to do. I plan to start then next. Right now I'm working on an Einstein coat from Sally Melville's Knitting experience the Knit Stitch book. I have knit this before and really liked how it turned out. The problem with the first one that I did was that I ran out of yarn and the sleeves ended up a bit to short. I have decided to break the rules some. I am using Noro Kureyon. I know its not a bulky weight but I did get gauge on the size 10 needles so I figured why not. I have had this yarn in my stash for a long time and its time to use it. I know the coat is going to be more of a sweater then a coat but that's ok as I have a heavy sweater coat already. I did ask about the yarn change on a knit list that I'm on and was advised not to. Well sometimes I think its a good thing to break a rule or two when it comes to knitting. That's what makes it fun. This has been a great mindless project. I have been taking it with my when I have to run errands. It seems that now that gas prices are dropping so everyone is on the road. I also seem to have the luck of hitting every red light there is, so I have been knitting at stop lights, which help without the road rage that can occur in heavy traffic.

What's on the wheel now

I have been trying to spend a hour or so spinning each day. At first I had a little trouble getting used the matchless. Every time I spin on a new wheel it seems that I have to relearn to spin. I haven't tried any of the other size whorls yet. I'm still using the medium one. Right now I"m working on 2 pounds of a wool roving that is called confetti. I can't remember where I bought, but I'm sure it was ebay. The roving it white with what I would call small sewing thread threads mixed in. The threads are all different colors. It has a bit of a rainbow effect. I know the picture its the best but it has been fun to spin

Secret Pal swap 9 questions

Below are the questions that I need to answered for the Secret Pal swap that is going on now. If you are not involved it still gives abit of info on me. Enjoy. 1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?I'm a total yarn snob I love to work with wool, angora, silk, alpaca hate to work with any man made yarns.2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?I mainly use dps and circulars, they are held in a jar and and a wall holder respectfully 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 for 9 years and would say I am advanced. I have taught knitting for about 5 years now and I love to do all kinds of knitting 4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?please email me for the info 5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)lavender 6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? YES dark chocolate 7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? Yes I spin I also crochet, tat and I love to read a good mystery. 8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I mostly listen to Christian rock ( newsboys etc.) I also like Celtic, bluegrass 9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?Greens are my favorite but I also like jeweltones. I'm not a huge fan of pastels 10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?Married for 19 years, three daughters ages 16,12 An 8 one dog11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?I do wear hats, mittens and scarves but no ponchos 12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Whatever the next project is13. What are you knitting right now? An Einstein coat 14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?Yes15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?I use only nylon circular and dps. I really like the new bryspun but the old grey nylon Susan bates are my all time favorites 16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?Yes but they get used a lot.17. How old is your oldest UFO? 2 weeks. I'm kind of strange I work on one thing at a time.18. What is your favorite holiday?Christmas19. Is there anything that you collect?teddy bears and sheep 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 subscribe to Knitters, Interweave knits, vogue knitting, and Spin Off. 21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Not really I love to cables, color work, enterlac, steeking,felting, really all types of knitting. 22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?I knit maybe 2 or 3 pairs a year so I'm not a huge sock knitter, but my shoe size is 723. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) in April

Fall is Here Yipee!

Here in Boise its has been a long hot summer. I really don't like the hot hot weather. I grew up in southern Oregon near the coast so even on really hot days it would cool off at night. Even though I have live in the Boise area for 20 years I still really hate July and August here. Its just not fun when at midnight its still 90 some degrees outside. Well the leaves are changing colors now and things have cooled down some. We still have not had our first frost but it is more livable. To celebrate falls return I decided to reknit this sweater. Yes I have knit this pattern before but that was a few years ago when I was a much larger size. I have gotten rid of all my size 24 cloths but kept all my hand knits so that I could take them apart and reknit them. This is one such sweater. The pattern is one of my favorites from knittingpureandsimple.com . This top down sweater is the light weight V neck. If you have never made a top down I can recommend them enough. If you don't liking working with straight needles and sewing up seams this is the sweater for you. The yarn is interlacements and the color way is called poppy fields. Or as I call it the drug sweater. All kidding aside it is a wonderful fall colorway. I think it I will wear it at my daughters next football game.

Wow has it been a month?

Wow I had no idea its has been a month sense I updated my blog. I have been rather busy with kid events. My oldest daughter is in marching band at her high school and it seems I am either picking her up from practice or a game every 5 minutes. I have been able to fit in some knitting and spinning while all of this has been going on. So over the next couple of days I will update you all on some of my finished projects and then talk about a couple that I'm still working on. To start, this in my latest dishcloth. The pattern was a fun one to do and shows up nicely with this tan and white ombre. The pattern comes from my yahoo group monthly dishcloth list. This was the mid September cloth.