Answers for my Secret Pal - Hope these help

What is your occupation? I am currently an Executive Assistant to the CEO of a gourmet food chain.

Do you have any hobbies outside of fiber arts, or even hobbies you'd like to try someday, such as scrapbooking, beading, etc? Not really, I do love baking, I went to culinary school for that, so I should. I also do, or used to do, until I picked the needles back up, stamped cross stitch. I don't forsee picking up any more hobbies in the near future as I don't have enough time as it is to get everything I want to get done done. I've thought about scrap booking, but all the goodies would put me over some line that I should never cross, if you get my drift.

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? Such a toughie........I would love to go to Bora Bora, although I have been to Tahiti, it's just not the same. I would also kill to go to the Maldieves, and also to the Greek Islands. I just love blue, blue water and sand. (although I hate sand on me. Yuck!

Favorite......

Movies: There was a time when I would only say 16 Candles, but there have been so many stellar movies since that time that this becomes a hard question. I love the happily ever after type movies, a good romance, or a great mystery. I'm a big Bridget Jones fan. I'm also a big fan of almost anythign Vince Vaughn does or Will Ferrell.

bands/singers: I don't really have a favorite band, I do really like the Corrs, but I should, I'm Irish. I'm very eclectic when it come s to my music, I really enjoy most things from classical to rock. Although I have to say that I'm really not into heavy rap or punk type music. I'm a big fan of Jack.Fm (my local is CBS FM 101.1), they are all over in most markets now, and play such a variety of music that it's great for me, I don't get bored too quickly.

TV shows: I LOVE "NCIS", and also love watching "The Unit", "Derek", "Numbers", "Stargate SG-1", and of course watch some of the stupid shows on MTV and VH1 when I get bored although "Pimp my Ride" is always a good one, although I don't like the new cast they have although Mike is at the new place, and he's funny.

Color (not just for yarn!): There is no doubt about it, you can ask anyone that I know, my favorite color is PINK. I don't just love to knit it, I love it in, on, or however, wherever it may show. I do have issues with it when people who shouldn't be wearing it wear it, it's a tough color to pull off, and I can't always pull it off. I stay away from the bright pinks for clothing. Green, however is MY color because my eyes are hazel, and when I wear something green my eyes just POP. I have some DB that I got at stix-n-stitches anniversary sale just waiting for me to cast it on for the DB Cashmere Cabled sweater. Can't wait!!!!

Flower: Calla Lilli, no doubt about that. I carried Purple Calla's down the aisle for my wedding. Comming in second would be Gerbera Daisies, I just love their vibrant colors (they have some great pink ones, two-toned too) and how long they last.

Authors: I read James Patterson, Helen Fielding (Bridget Jones), Sophie Kinsella (the author of the Shopaholic Series), Meg/Meggin Cabot (she wrote some very cute books as well). I love a good mystery, and a cute romance.

Animal: I'm not a big animal lover, I'm allergic to most of them, although I do love kittens. I think when DH and I buy a house I might start getting my allergy shots again so that we can get a dog, he really wants a dog.

Ice cream flavor: Mint Chocolate Chip (Breyer's to be exact) but will never eat it again for fear of gaining weight. I do still however eat ice cream, but just not that.

Saying/quote: You know, I can't remember right now, but I'll keep thinking because I know that I do have a favorite quote and saying. So look for updates to this one soon.

Sunday, Oct. 29 - Turn your clocks back 1Hr.

So it's been awhile since I have blogged, so I figured I'd start with the easy stuff. I got to turn my clock back an hour last night, which means I will have an extra hour of sleep for the next couple of months, or at least that's how I view it. I look at the clock and say wow, it's only 9:20, it could really be 10:20 or even better, in the morning when I turn over and it's 5:00am, I can now say YEAH! one more hour of sleep to go instead of having to get up. I know what you are thinking, not very rational. Well, when it comes to my sleep and time, I've never been very rational. So this is how I think, and it helps me pass the day away. Oh well.

Sooooo......It Finally Happened....

I was quite tired last night when I got into bed, but of course, I couldn't get into bed without one of my many knitting projects. Well......I woke up in the middle of the night, and it felt like I was all tangled up in something, but I somehow wrote it off to just being half awake/sleep. Well, when I woke up this morning, as sure as S#*t I was wrapped up in my knitting! Thank Goodness for two things, 1. I was working with Angora, what a wonderful thing to have wrapped around you, and 2. It turned out that I dind't pull out too much, it was just about 6 stitches that I had to re-do, no biggie. Although, I just found out on my way to work is that several rows back, I somehow dropped a stitch, not in the middle of a row which you can sort of pull through, I did a beginners mistake and dropped it at the first stitch of the row. I see frogging in my future!

Loving the Cables Too

I have been working on my cabled hat that Deborah at s-n-s taught me. I switched momentarily from my original hat that I started working on at my birthday since the yarn I used is a little to slippery to practice with, besides I promised my friend Diane a red hat a long time ago. My next project using cables will be a cabled shawl from Knittingbag.com. They also have a store in Darien, CT, which I have not yet been too, but since that is my old stomping ground, I plan on heading up there one of these days to meet Marcia who is the owner, and so far has been absolutely fabulous to me, in person.

I've worked with the Blue Sky Alpca's Bulky before, and just loved it. It knitted up sooo quick, and I'm a slow knitter, I was just so surprised at how quick the sweater I made came along. Now I just need to finish it off, you know, seam it up and block it. But that's ok, I finished pretty much at the end of the winter last year, and it will be perfect for this year. Maybe I'll do that tonight...hmmmmm....I've heard that somewhere before.

Marcia has been so good, she even sent me a little sample of the pattern since I haven't really worked with cables much before so that I can familiarize myself with it, and I just happen to have 1 skein of the Blu Sky left from my sweater to work with. But I can't wait to order the whole thing and begin it, I'm in such a quandary because I just know that DH will kill me when he sees the bill....hmmmmm.....how to avoid death? Something to ponder this evening while I'm swatching for the shawl (just LOVE it), and finishing my sweater. Oh no!!!!! Tonight is NCIS and the Unit, what shall I do? I can;t do anything during NCIS, all my concentration is on the show and all the hotties! hehe! Oh well, I'll figure something out!

SP9 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
What yarns are my favorite???? Hmmmmm……That’s a tough one, I really love Debbie Bliss, almost any of her yarns, although I’m not a big fan of her Tweeds that just came out. I love working with almost anything, although pure cotton is a bit difficult for me right now since it has no give, the owner of my LYS thinks that working with the Sugar-n-Cream may have caused some of the pain I have been experiencing in my wrists (aggravated in other words my carpal tunnel). I don’t mind acrylic, but I did a sweater with it, and…..Well, I never fully finished it, not because of the material just because I’m not much into finishing (I have one side to go). I love knitting with big/think yarns; they go much quicker, and being a slow knit, it makes it much more satisfying. I own a few size 15, 17, and 19 needles. I also like knitting with yarn from Schoeller & Stahl, one is called Palma the other is Big Ball. He first one is what I use for my i-pod socks, but need to come up with something else to knit with it because they have the most fabulous colors this year, and the other I use to make baby blankets out of. The baby blankets are a quick knit for me, and actually so are the i-Pod socks since I’ve knitted so many. I like the Malabrigo, I think that is what I am going to use next. I promised an old co-worker of mine that I would knit her a red hat, and so I think I might do it out of the Malabrigo, I’m stealing that idea from Monica (callingonkahlo.blogspot.com). Enough with my yarn like and dislikes, this has become a short story, sorry about that.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
At the moment I don’t have anything in particular to store my needles, but I am always on the look out. I did find something last Christmas at my LYS and had it on my “Wish List”, but DH never got a chance to get in to pick it up before the color I wanted was gone.

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 a devout knitter for the past year, but have been knitting off and on since I was a child. I have my mother to thank for my knitting, but many others to thank for my skills to be where there are today (Barbara, Sunday, Deborah, and Sheila of course). As for my skills, I would have to say I’m in the beginner to intermediate stages of knitting. I have knitted a few sweaters, and some scarves, and some felted bags. Of course, I have yet to complete something without having to “frog” it. I am just about to learn cables for the first time, and hopefully I too like Monica (callingonkahlo), fall in love with it too as I have some Debbie Bliss waiting to be knit into a wonderful cabled sweater for me. (Debbie herself said that it was such an easy cable pattern that I would be able to do it with no problem) Let’s cross our fingers Debbie!

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Not really, but I’m working on a few to get everyone ready for Christmas. I’ll keep the site posted as to where I do my wish lists. Right now, I have a small one on Amazon, and then another one on morethanyarn.com.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)
I love the scent “Love Spell” from Victoria’s Secret, and also really like “Pear Glace”. I like a lot of the scents from Bath and Body Works, but I really like the “Creamy Coconut”, as that is the closest I can get to coconut do to my food allergy of it. As for candles, I like a lot of different scents, I’m not into things that smell very musky or anything like that, but I like things that have strong scents. I was just recently in White Barn Candles, and they had some great scents that were so strong I loved them. As far as bath items go, I’m allergic to some of the oils and bubbles, so if you’re a pal who’s thinking along those lines, stay away from the bath products.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I have a sweet tooth, unfortunately, but nothing specific comes to mind, although I do love chocolate and caramel together. No coconut or almonds please.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
No, I am not a spinner, and I think my husband is very grateful as knitting takes up enough of my time. Every once in a while I pick up my cross stitch, but I’m still on the “stamped” cross stitch stuff, and that’s just fine with me, who needs to do all of the counting and math to figure out the other stuff? Not me.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I don’t have a favorite genre of music, I’m a big fan of “Jack FM”, if anyone out there knows that station. It is a national station, so I know that it is in more than just my listening range. It’s considered the i-Pod station, because it plays such a wide variety of music from the 60’s all the way up to today. My computer does play MP3’s.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I would definitely have to say the color pink is usually in my colorways. I’m also a big fan of purples, and blues, and well green’s. I try to stay away from yellow and orange, just because they don’t look to good on me, but I guess that wouldn’t really stop me from knitting with those colors for other people as I did for my sister with her i-Pod cozy, and other i-Pod cozies I made.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I am married to a wonderful, wonderful man, he’s very kind, generous, and sweet hearted. He’s definitely a one of a kind. We definitely have our moments, don’t get me wrong, but for now he’s all of the above. Give me a few days, and they may all turn around, you never know with me. Our living situation isn’t the best at the moment, but we are working through it, and looking to buy a house SOON! We do not have any pets.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I would have to say I wear all of the above. Although I am not a big fan of mittens as the technical terms, I much more prefer gloves.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I can’t really say that I have a favorite item to knit yet, I’ve worked on so many different projects, although I am up to my third Tie-One-On.

13. What are you knitting right now?
Ok, more importantly what am I not knitting right now.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Who doesn’t like to receive handmade gifts? They are unique and fun, and more important; they were made from the heart just for that special someone. I would have to sat that some of the handmade sweaters I’ve seen come out of my LYS are of much better quality than one’s bout in stores.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I use both, but I must say that I definitely do prefer the circulars to the straights, it all depends on the project I’m knitting, but even then I try to go for the circulars. I just love my Denise needles. I prefer bamboo needles over the other options, but I really like the Addi Turbo’s. Although I have heard that the Addi Bamboo are “Terrific”.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Yes, I own a ball winder and swift.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
Just about 9mos, since I finished off my mom’s shawl last year when I picked knitting back up, that I started knitting for her 4-5 years ago for her Christmas present. I had to take it back, she didn’t think it was big enough, it needed to wrap around almost double for it to be big enough (OH MY!!).

18. What is your favorite holiday?
I would definitely have to say Christmas, but I do Thanksgiving, it’s the one holiday I spend with my father, and we make a wonderful chestnut stuffing together. It’s become tradition. But this year I will be spending it on a wonderful (first time) cruise with my DH. Let’s not get in to why it’s only the DH, but just makes it much better, since it falls just around our 2yr anniversary.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
I can’t say that I’m a big collectables type of person, I actually called my DH to ask him, and his answer was “YARN!”. LOL. Then he mentioned the Disney teapot collection I have, and now that I think about it, I do have quite a few of those collectible editions Barbie’s. However, I am starting a collection of measuring tapes, I have 1 white sheep, I have the all supreme “Coach” measuring tape, and I have just recently added the black sheep of the family the “Black Sheep”. I keep eyeing up new one’s, as the Yarn Harlot say’s, you can never have too many.

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 subscriptions to knitting magazines, I have thought about it though, but for some reason or another just have held off on it.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I had been wanting to learn how to cable, and I just learned for the first time last night, although I think I still have a long way to go until I feel comfortable casting on my DB cabled sweater.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I am NOT a sock knitter, and no offense to those of you who are, but “ya’ll must be on something” to be playing with that tiny yarn and all of those tiny DPN’s. Although I have heard from some non-sock knitter’s who have jumped ship, or switched “team’s” as they say on Seinfeld, that it is truly wonderful to do. As for foot measurement’s, does it help by me saying that I wear a size 9 sock from the Gap?

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
Actually, my birthday just passed, it’s September 23……We won’t post the year, that’s a secret for all us ladies to keep to ourselves. Actually, if you read one of my previous posts, you’ll see I threw myself a birthday party this year, it was a knitting party. I invited everyone over to the house for some food and drink, and then all of the ladies went to the yarn shop (Modern Yarn in Montclair, NJ for their knitting lesson) I had to drag others into my world, and what was a better way then to sneakily do it by disguising it as a birthday party. Hehe! All I have to say is that almost everyone has finished their project from that night except for little ol’ slow knitter herself ME!

Peg's Stichin' Birthday

So, every year, as it happens with everyone, I had my birthday. Every year though I get very depressed around my birthday for who knows what reasons, but I do. Some of it having to do with high expectations on my part and not knowing what they are so obviously they can't be met, but this year I was going to be dammed if I was going to let this happen again, so....I threw myself a birthday party. What kind you ask? Well, obviously there was only one choice for me, it was to be a knitting birthday party, and I was going to invite my closest friends and family. I must give you a little backround to this though, the whole party idea came from my 2 little nieces who are absolutely obsessed with my little stuffed animal Baby (read previous posts for where int he world is Baby), and I had told them I was going to knit Baby a sweater, but it never came to fruition. Well, they were so intrigued by me knitting every time I saw them it was "AUNT PEGGY!!!!! can we knit now too". Well, being the novice that I amI was in no position to help them, especially since one of my nieces felt she could do it on her own and needed no help from me. SO I let her have at it with a ball of Sugar and Cream and some needles. (needless to say we got a big ball of mess from that yarn).

Now back to the Party. I invited quite a few people, some who had to travel a far distance to come. And, they all came to celebrate with me and learn my favorite past time. I held a small luncheon at our house catered primarily of course by my employer (Balducci's), and we had absolutely wonderful sandwiches and salads. We also had (there was no doubt it was to be had at my party) cheesecake from Baby Watson/D'Aiuto's, a little shop on 8th Avenue in NYC (the absolute BEST). We also had fruit salad made by the in-laws and some pastries I had added to the end of the order without DH knowing. (hehe) but they were awesome (the lemon bars are out of this worls, no wonder I'm putting on weight working at this place (UhOh!). Ok, now onto the party once again. There were people at the house that would not be joining us for the real party (the knitting that I had arranged at Modern Yarn) with the wonderful Christina and Paige. They were so fab/patient) with my guests, including my two 5 year old nieces and my 1 year old cousin.

Everyone had a blast, thank goodness Monica had her camera, my pics came out horrible, so check out her blog for more on my party and some pics. I had gone into the evening with the thoughts of everyonelearning how to make a hat in some fasion, as I had read in the Yarn Harlots (Knitting Rules) that a hat is the best first project since you can learn all the aspects of knitting, and it's a quick knit as well. Well, everyone had their own thoughts, and some decided to make a scarf, some blankets, and one person (an experienced nitter a bolero). everyone choose some wonderful yarns, and had a blast learning/honeing their skills. My nieces loved soooo much, and my SIL picked it up so well that she had knit two scarves by the end of the week. (she was also knitting for the kids, and using Rowan Biggy Print with size 15 or 18 needles). I'm trying to make myself feel better by posting that last little bit.

Well, I started a hat that evening too, like Monica I was to learn the cable, but being the slow knitter that I am, and also having had this knitting block for so long, I just got to the first round for the cables last night and wonderful Deborah at sns taught me, and then the wonderful Patty was so happy to pull out what I had done since as soon as Deborah walked away I messed the entire row up. Oops! Oh well, that's what "frogging" is for.

Ok, I'm done with this post, onto finishing my questionannaire for Secret Pal 9!!!!

I'm BLOGGING again!!!!!!

I know, I know, it's been a long time since I've put my fingers to the keyboard for some good blogging, but you must understand, I've also had a little bit of a knitters block to go along with that. Hopefully with a little help from Sunday at s-n-s (I couldn't finish the Debbie Bliss Bolero I was working on), I will be right back into the swing of things, and knitting up a frenzy. Or as much of a frenzy as this slow knitter can knit.

So there is so much to post about, I don't know where to begin. As you see above, I have been working a a DB bolero ( I picked the yarn up while she was here visiting s-n-s in June) which I was knitting up so quickly, but then just fel I couldn't handle anymore. But hopefully now I'm back! I tried picking up a few dishcloths here and there, but nothing was giving me inspiration. I was still going to the regular Thursday sit-n-knit at Stix, to keep up with everyone thinking I would become inspired, but felt more inspired to watch them do there amazing works of art.

Well, I think I am going to do a seperate post to talk about my superb b-day party that was pulled off with the help of a few friends....keep reading to find out who, or you've already read, and now you've gotten to this! Who knows!