I'm so Happy I could Spit!

I finished the bleepin' pink linen dishcloth!!! When I first started this awful item, I followed the recommended needles from Mason-Dixon Knitting and I used my brand new KnitpPicks options needles bought especially for this project and the recommended yarn, Louet Euroflax Linen. I neglected to check gauge and this thing has been a mass of rough spaghetti from the start. Here is the finished project unblocked.... You can see that it is a bit loose. Blocking did help a lot.... However, the stitch definition is nothing like those in the book. I gave it to my mother-in-law who is visiting this week and she loves it. I am just thrilled that the #@%^&* thing is finally off the needles!


In slightly happier knitting news, I popped out a rolled brim hat in Diakeito.... I have no recollection of needle size but I used the formula from The Knitter's Book of Handy Patterns. I ended ripping out the crown about three times because I made it too short and I wanted to use up as much yarn as possible-trying to use up the one skein I thought I owned. Of course after I finished the hat I found a second skein. Whoops. Need another project now or it will be another hat that is destined for the Christmas pile. Patty if you can get this yarn, try it out. It's a nice wool worsted and I love the colors.

Jenny, if you are reading this, go away...



I'm waiting...


Ok, she's gone back to the glam life in Naples. I've completed 2 of the four projects for baby July boy... a bib and burp cloth from Mason-Dixon knitting (yeah shocking that I used their pattern, NOT!) out of basic Peaches and Cream cotton. I still need to add a button for the bib and I altered it slightly and made 2 buttonholes, each about a 1/2 inch apart, for more wear time.

My Harry Potter Sock Kit partner will be happy and so is eldest. The swap requires a handmade bag for the goodies. So I had some Reynold's Utopia in the stash and knit her up a bag from Hip Knits:65 Easy Designs from Hot Designers. Eldest saw the bag and begged for one for her birthday since she is a mega Harry Potter fan... swap partner's bag is on the left and eldest's is on the right. However, the swap partner's bag has the gold dominating colorway on the back. Eldest wanted hers to be gold dominating on both sides. This was a fun, easy purse to pop out in about a week's time.

As part of the swap, we are also giving Harry Potter sock yarn in our swap partner's house colorway. That required a yarn purchase. A good excuse to finally order from Morehouse Farm. The results of this purchase were.... The yarn is luscious. I got a bunch of the laceweight and couldn't resist the Monet colorways. Go drool at their website. Turnaround from order to delivery was just under a week so I highly recommend them. The picture does not do justice to the colors.

Happy knitting!

Bold for stuff you've done, italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and normal for stuff you're not planning on doing.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with bananafiber yarn
Domino knitting (=modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own handspun yarn- HAHAHAHA
Slippers
Graffitti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colours I tried!
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies...)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone elses handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living (want to do a lot)
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Knitting two socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with selfpatterning/selfstriping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
JewelryKnitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/armwarmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

It's going around. Do it if you want.

HSKS Trivia

Trivia

1. Who is the Fat Lady's friend?
- Violet


2. When the Fat Lady was attacked by Sirius Black and fled her portrait, who took over for her as guard of Gryffindor Tower? Sir Cadogen

3. Usually when Harry is in Dumbledore's office, what are the portraits of previous headmasters doing?

- Snoozing

4. Which one of the Triwizard champions did not go to the World Cup?
Fleur Delacour

5. Who did Harry give his Triwizard winnings to?
- Fred and George Weasley

The next two are anagrams. Rearrange the letters to get the correct words.
6. Live gong cram la man (two words)Minerva McGonagall

7. Owl or video- Oliver Wood

8. What author's name appears on the book "Quidditch Through the Ages"?
- Kennilworthy Whisp


9. What does the Keeper do in a game of Quidditch?
- Guards the goal


10. In the Goblet of Fire why did the Mad Eye Moody imposter put Harry's name in the goblet?
- He wanted Harry to win the tournament


Picture Scavenger Hunt

Find these pictures and either post the pictures on your blog or links that will take us to those pictures.

- Dobby holding his sock from Harry
- Cho Chang and Harry's first kiss
- Viktor Krum and Hermione at the dance
- Mad Eye Moody

Fun Questions

. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? I swear Lisa Marie Presley because my dad was an Elvis fan but parents deny that. My middle name, Marie, is after my mom and her mother.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Yesterday- my dad's birthday, he would have been 66.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Not really despite the nuns' best efforts
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Rare roats beef
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Two
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Sometimes
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? Yes.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Nope, lost them at 15.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Hahahahaha, ummmm no-afraid of heights, death, stuff like that.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Crispix
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No, I wear Birks every day- even in winter
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Yes-emotionally, not physically
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Ben and Jerry's Phish Food or Four Seas Ice Cream-Chocolate
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Hair and smile.
15. RED OR PINK? Red
16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Tummy.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Jenny-you live too far way dammit!
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU/ANSWER ON THEIR BLOG? Yes.
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black shorts and no shoes
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Banana and pineapple smoothie
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Spongebob
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Razzmatazz
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Vanilla, coffee, roses, ocean, marshes
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My husband last night.
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yes
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Red Sox - I know they themselves are not a sport but if I'm watching baseball it's them!
27. HAIR COLOR? Ask me Monday-getting highlights
28. EYE COLOR? Brown
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS Yep since I was 12.
30. FAVORITE FOOD? Chocolate
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Best in Show
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? White TShirt.
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer
35. HUGS OR KISSES? Both
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Creme Brulee
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Don’t know
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Don’t know
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING? George Washington's War by Robert Leckie
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? A drawing made by my youngest.
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Best in Show and Stunt Junkies on Discovery
42. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles.
43. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Barbados
44. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? No
45. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Needham Mass
46. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Anyone who responds. Let me know in my comments if you post to your blog!

HSKS weekly Trivia

Trivia #1
What's the name of this potion? Felix FelicisThis potion has the colour of molten gold, and while exposed to the air, large drops will leap like goldfish above the surface without spilling.

Trivia #2
Which book is this line from? Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"Harry and Cho were now too embarrassed to look at each other, let alone talk to each other; what if Ron and Hermione started going out together, then split up? Could their friendship survive it? Harry remembered the few weeks when they had not been talking to each other in third year; he had not enjoyed trying to bridge the distance between them. And then, what if they didn't split up? What if they became like Bill and Fleur, and it became excrutiatingly embarrassing to be in their presence, so that he was shut out for good?"

Trivia #3
Who utters these words?
"Oh I am glad I'm not on duty. I wouldn't fancy having to go and tell the Irish they've got to stop celebrating." Mr Weasley

Dishcloth Swap Questionaire

I apologize to the swappers out there. I have signed up for several swaps so you'll just have to poke through to find the appropriate questionnaire, Today's is...
Dishcloths!!


When did you learn to knit? Who taught you?> I learned back in 1995 the first time and relearned (when I became addicted!) in 2004. Both times I learned at the same shop in Virginia Beach, The Knitting Corner from the owner, Carol, who has since passed.

What was your very first completed object? Your most recent? My first was my daughter's baby blanket and my most recent was a hat from Diakeito yarn- simple rolled brim.

What was the very first thing you sent to the frog pond? (pulled out and started over)Not sure, can't remember. Your most recent? That would be the hat, I pulled it 3 times to get the length right. I self designed it from the Handy Book of Knitting Patterns and kept getting the length too short before the decreases.

What is currently on the needles for you?A pair of socks and a baby blanket

What types of needles do you enjoy working with? What have you tried and hated?
I haven't met one I didn't like but I tend to live on circulars, mostly bamboo or Addi Turbo.

Have you knit dishcloths before? Yes

What was your favorite one? I really liked the one I did back in my February 11th post.

Least favorite? Don't have one

Do you use homemade dishcloths or face cloths yourself, or give them as gifts, or both?Both

What are your favorite and least favorite scents? (For your body, such as soap/lotion/etc) I tend towards floral or food scents but I don't like sandalwood or patchouli

What are your favorite colors?Jewel tones/brights

What colors (if any) are your bathroom and kitchen decorated in?Blue and White with an ocean/beach theme- Post Christmas Tree Shop for the New Englanders!

What other hobbies and crafts do you enjoy?Photography, scrapbooking and reading

Chocolate: Dark? White? Milk? Ew? Milk and White but all really just no nuts

Do you like salty treats? What kinds?Not really but I love low salt wheat thins

If you could go anywhere in the world for one day and spend the day any way you wanted, where would you go and what would you do? I would get all my girlfriends together- all my Navy, church, college, kitting and other buddies, and spend the day at a spa rented out just for us!

Do you have any allergies? (Yarns, foods, etc. that might impact what your pal can send) Other than no nuts in my chocolate (a preference not an allergy) I have no allergies.

Answer to Trivia Question

Just answering the trivia question for the swap-Voldemort!

Also I have to brag...I got a 185 on my Praxis I Reading and a 180 on Praxis I Math. Still have to wait for the results on the Writing part but I have successfully validated out of all future math courses!!!

HSKS Questionaire

1. What Hogwarts house have you been sorted into? Gryffindor

2. List your three favorite double-point needle brands, including size and length. any wood really prefer size 2 or 1 normal-not shorter length.

3. Would you like to try a new brand needle? If so, which brand? Size? Length? Sure any work for me.

4. If you are a RAVENCLAW, do you prefer the colors in the film or the book? Do you have a strong preference?

5. If your pal decides to send candies or chocolates are there any that you don't like? no nuts or jelly types, chocolate better

6. What are your favorite scents? not into musk or sandalwood but any other fine

7. Do you have any allergies?nope