Contests

One of the blogs I read Knitting in The Shadows is having a contest, actually she grabbed the contest from Knitty Otter so if you answer it you can enter 2 contests with one answer, and since I am all about the economy...

Getting to Know you Contest Questionnaire:

1.)How long have you been knitting?

Fifty-one years. I learned from the little green, Teach Yourself to Knit, Crochet, and Tat book when I was nine, with the idea that since all of the grandmothers that I knew did needlework, and all of the moms, aunts, etc. did not, I would learn to do all of the needle arts and once all of the grandmothers had gone I would teach and get rich. Every thing seems to have worked out except the getting rich part.

2.) How long have you been knitting socks?

Thirty five years, and I recently took my first socks to a Yarn Harlot book signing, and made her blog. The first socks are felted and very heavy and only get worn about 3 times a year which accounts for their lasting so long.

3.) What do you do with a problem like Maria?

It depends on the particular Maria you have in mind, since I can't think of one at the moment I will need to get back to you.

4.) What is your all time favorite sock yarn?

My own hand spun? Henry's Attic hand dyed by me? Whatever I am working with at the moment? Maybe I have not found it yet, but I will keep looking and let you know when I do.

5.) Toe Up or Cuff Down?

Toe up, afterthought heel. Even when I am sorta kinda using a pattern.

6.) What's your favorite color (this week or for all time)? Do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?

Jewel tones. Fuchsia and teal. Blue reds. Don't like brown, or gold, or avocado much but that may be because of my age.

7.) Do you have a pet(s)?

Yes I do, but please don't tell the rest of the Junior High, and I am getting ready to collect a bunch of new 6th grade ones to replace the 8th graders that have gone on to the high school.

8.) Babies: Oven Roasted or Barbecued?

Roasted, but I quite like babies, and then again once they reach Jr Hi, but the ones in the middle, (toddlers to 5th grade) let's roast them.

9.) Besides socks what is your favorite type of thing to knit?

Sweaters, or anything someone in the family wants. But not blankets, I will make you a quilt if you need a blanket.

10.) What's your favorite scent?

lilac, lavender, and tea tree oil.

11.) What music are you really loving right now? Like a song or a band?

The star singing, because he has a new girlfriend and all is right with his world.

12.) How many pairs of socks have you hand knit?

I have 32 pair of hand knit socks in my drawer. I don't know how many I have knit for other people, lots anyway (35 years remember)

13.) What's your favorite treat? Salty or Sweet?

Cookies, and ice cream, and chocolate, and... Sweet or salty? Yes

14.) What was the most interesting thing you smelled yesterday. Not good or bad necessarily, just the thing that stuck out most so that you actually took notice of it.

The bathroom - It needed cleaning!

15.) Needles - DPN's: Wooden, metal or plastic?

Short, wood, dpn's down to zeros then metal, cause I might as well like metal that is all they come in.

16.) What is your favorite sock pattern that you've knit? What do you recommend?

The default pattern that I knit over and over is toe-up, 2x2 rib on the top of the foot, afterthought heel, 2x2 rib leg. It is my mindless knit while I walk around the class room answering questions or just keeping order, pattern.

17.) The last penultimate Question: If you were stuck on a deserted island who would you want with you, what knitting would you want with you and would you ever want to leave?

At this point, 7 sheep, some dyes, my needle collection and Barbara Walker, (and the Japanese stitch dictionarys if there is room). One of my friends, if she wants to come. I want to stay for a long time, if I have internet...forever.

18.) Now, the last question: What is your bodies natural diurnal clock's pattern? Are you an owl or a lark?

I am a Lark, up early start fading with dusk. Need to do most of my intense thinking in the morning.

Fifth Fast Sweater Finished

Say that 5 times fast. This is going to be all of the Fast sweaters for a while at least. It is too hot to have the really warm stuff on my lap, so I will cast on some mittens for the charity knitting.

I ordered the yarn for sweaters for the grandchildren, from Webs, so that should be here soon and I can get started on those. I hope to get the backs and sleeves of the boys, sweaters done before Mom and I leave but that may not be possible, in which case I will take them with me.
I used a seed stitch border on the hood because you can't see any design, and it overlaps which should keep it around the face and on warmly without need of drawstring. It is soft and fuzzy and very very warm.

Once that was finished I got out the Trip Trap I started early last year, and ripped out the fronts. The sweater
is made of all of these short pieces of yarn so I wanted to have a way of knowing which yarns went into which stripe, So I got out the snack baggies, (since I have a lifetime supply) and a black marker. I labeled the baggies L-1 through L-6 and R-1 through R-8, (because I finished the right side and most of the left before I actually checked against the back and realized that I had changed gauge, (probably changed needles) then as I ripped out, each of the 4 colors of each stripe went into the corresponding baggy. Now if I can avoid losing the baggies, (they are all in a larger baggy) maybe I can get this finished. I would like to be able to wear it this year.