I am almost on my way to work but I had to let my Secret Pal know that I recieved the package. It contained french chocolate with coffee flavoring (I love both coffee & chocolate so you can't get any better than that), a package of hard candy (it was licorice flavored which my husband hates and I love so I know he won't be dipping into those :) ) and a ball of Plassard Alizes with a scarf pattern. The yarn is a ribbon that is blue and white (not doing it justice) so after I make the scarf it needs a denim jacket. I have had my eye on a denim jacket so this is the perfect excuse to go buy it. At least in my mind. It was a very thougthful gift and I will post pictures this weekend.
On the knitting front still working on those sleeves. After knitting two sleeves at once, I don't think I could handle intarsia as I can't control 2 balls of yarn. They keep getting tangled etc. and then I have to stop untangle them. Then I knit for a row or two and they are a tangled mess again. I think I am just uncoordinated.
Well I thought I would be smart and knit both of Audrey's sleeves at once. Hrrmm shouldn't be that hard right. Ha, not if you are half asleep when you are reading the pattern and start increasing immediately after you switch to 5mm needles. Which is exactly what you don't do if you pay attention to the pattern. Needless to say it's not as fun to rip two sleeves out at once.
With that under my belt, I decided it was more fun to work on the Karabella Bias Tank. I really love the colors of the tank, but knitting with the Silky Tape is not so fun. It kind of catches on itself and after knitting with Calmer which glides through my fingers I really notice the drag. It's actually pretty funny the weather outside is dreary and it will probably sprinkle tomorrow and I am knitting a little tank ;)
I had the pleasure of spending Saturday fondling yarn, with my mom and Brooke (need to talk her into starting a knitting blog). Our first stop was Imagiknit, which just happens to be my favorite shop ever. They have expanded and moved into the space next door so the store was kind of in chaos. However, the staff is great and helped find what ever we needed. I am always amazed at how much they pack in there. I picked up the yarn for Freya, I couldn't resist. The funny thing is I picked up the yarn shown in the picture and I am not that fond of blue. I also had to have the yarn for either Willow or Honey. I also picked up some goodies for my Secret Pal, but I can't tell you what they were. My mom also purchased Ribbon twist for one of the cardigans and Brooke made off with a really cute knitting bag/stand combo. After Imagiknit, we ran across the street for tea at Samovar. They have great Ginger waffles, unfortunately I only had time for some chai and a scone to go.
The next stop was the Urban Knitting Studio in Hayes Valley. It has a much different feel and look than Imagiknit. It is very modern with dummies in the window wearing adorable Ponchos and a knitting lounge or husband parking area right behind the dummies. They don't seem to have as much yarn as Imagiknit but their staff is very friendly and helpful. I picked up some Kid Classic for one of the poncho's that was hanging in the window. Some day there will be pictures. More Ribbon Twist was purchased by my mom and Brooke purchased some yarn for a scarf. After, that we walked up and down Hayes street. They have some great shops and cafes, I could have spent the whole day there.
Then we were off to downtown... That's were the fun begins ;) We had tentatively planned lunch with my little brother. We were originally going to meet at the Thirstly Bear which is next door to where he currently works. However, we decided to eat at the cafe in the W (wouldn't recommend it). So back to the drive across town, we make it to the 5th Street garage and try to park. Not good. We drove around for quite sometime chasing down the poor pedestrians we saw if they looked like they were headed to their cars. We then ran/walked to the Cafe in W. You have to understand that my Mom is always very early to everything, at least 15-20 minutes early. So we were racing to the Cafe to meet my brother. Needless to say there was a missed connection and my brother didn't join us. That threw everyone into disarray, however, we stopped by the gift shop at the MOMA and were able to hang out with him for awhile(actually browse the store is more like it).
We then marched up to Artfibers, were we all picked up a little something. I purchased yet more yarn for a poncho and Brooke and my mom grabbed a few balls. That is definitely a place that you have to feel the yarns. Some of them look like they would be soft and they are just horrible and others are so soft. We made our way to the cashier and found out low and behold there is a sale room. Well, we couldn't just purchase what was in our hands so we all headed back to browse the sale room. Of course, we all came out with new additions to our previous horde ;) We then headed back to the MOMA to pick up my brother, we dropped him off and headed home ourselves.
That was my day from 9:30am to 9:30pm. I loved every second of it to, well for the most part the parking thing wasn't so great.
1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high-end/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?
I have to say I am a bit of a yarn snob. I love Rowan, Phildar, Bouton d'Or and of course Noro, but at the sametime if it looks pretty and feels good I am a sucker. Must admit to having a deep fondness for Habu.
2. Do you spin? Crochet?
No on spinning (but I really admire handspun yarns just no time) and crochet only when I have to.
3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)
No allergies.
4. How long have you been knitting?
My great aunt taught me when I was eight and I think I made a potholder. She is big on potholders, I have a stack from Christmas 2 years ago. Then I picked it up again 2 years ago, and moved away from the potholders.
5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes, I have an Amazon list.
6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
Probably Vanilla, Lavendar, Citrus just nothing too sweet smelling
7. Do you have a sweet tooth?
Major chocoholic here, but I don't like fruit with my chocolate. Everytime I encounter one of those chocolate covered cherries, I have to find a discrete way to spit it out. Carmel and nuts however do the trick.
8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
Really want to try beading and candlemaking.
9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if you want to make her a CD)
Computer is capable of playing MP3's. Tastes range from the Cure as listed below to Bob Marley to Social Distortion. Just no Country and no Rap.
10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?
I love deep greens, reds, black and the denimy range of blue. I just stay away from pastels that head towards baby colors and yellow.
11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I am married no kids, but plenty of pets. We have 2 malamutes(Koyuk and Star), 2 cats(Mischief and Mandy), 1 parrot (Frosty) and 3 horses(Bri, Sierra and Kola). I know I have my own personal petting zoo.
12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)
Have to get back to you on this one.
13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
Hrmm Calmer, Silk Garden, Kureyon... not sure I really hate anything that has made it home with me.
14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
Not big on anything really scratchy... or R2 Rag...
15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
Working up to my Charlotte.
16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Anything that catches my eye and is interesting. For some reason I stay away from SOCKs. Taught my husband to knit when he was layed off and he completed one sock or should I say I knitted one sock vicariously (every night I was ripping away for him ;) )
17. What are you knitting right now?
Rowans Audrey
Mohair Poncho
Karabella's Bias Tank
18. What do you think about ponchos? (this is really a curiousity question for us)
Hated them for awhile and now love them. I have completed Martini from the Cotton Braid book and I am working on Mohair Poncho.
19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
Addi's that says it all
20. How did you learn to knit?
Mostly from books, I did go into my LYS for a lesson. I had taught myself to crochet and was not comfortable holding the yarn with my right hand, which was the method that was depicted in my books. She taught me Continental and I have been happy ever since.
21. How old is your oldest UFO?
2 years old
I spent the weekend in Chico, a small town in Northern CA. My husband and I met there when we were attending college. The town has grown so fast, of course I am not measuring that by bay area standards. We had a great time visiting the college and town. Of course, we were feeling quite old.
The purpose for the visit was to celebrate our anniversary, and to visit my horse(I will post pictures soon). We drove up Friday, believe me it is the longest most boring drive you can imagine. We checked in and then I got up at the crack of dawn and headed out to visit my horse. He was sooooo cute and cranky. The ride started out great. My friend was yelling instructions/patterns at me (anyone who has had a riding lesson understands that). Then we jumped. He was feeling good and bucked(luckily he is a little guy a Spanish Arab) and I stayed on. Then we went into the arena for some schooling (not sure who was being schooled). We then proceeded to try transistions of course cranky decide to try to alternately buck and bolt. He was trying to make my life interesting. Needless to say I survived and I still love him, I guess thats what I get for turning him into a gelding(for those of you who aren't horse people, it's the equivalent of neutering a dog) ;)
We then tooled around the town. Of course I just happened to look up the local knitting store and we happened to pass it. I just had to go see. It's called Heartstrings and if you are ever in Chico stop by. The owner just opened the shop in June, and she was helpful without breathing down your neck! I have been searching for the Karabella pattern for the bias tank that is in their adds, it has been out at my favorite shops in the bay area, but low and behold she had it. So I had to buy it, in support of the shop and all. Of course, she had the yarn to go with it so that jumped in my basket and needles are so important. She had a pair of Latern Moon needles that made it in my basket. All of this occured while my husband was outside in the car. I am quick what can I tell ya.
After all of that, we went to my old bosses house (who happens to be a good friend) for dinner. The dinner was wonderful, her husband is a great cook and I highly recommend Coronation Chicken. I haven't seen her house for years, the last time I visited it didn't have landscaping. I now know what she had envisioned, it looks like an Italian villa with a granite drive. When you enter it is so warm and inviting. You look out on the backyard and see a huge lawn that winds down to a second patio which is next to a river. We had dinner down there and talked until 2am. Needless to say I didn't wake up for my 8am ride. In Chico, if you miss your windows of opportunity it becomes too hot to even think about any activities. So we tooled around the town and the park.
On the knitting front I wasn't very productive. I started the bias top, but I must have startitis as I only had 20 rows to go to finish the back of Audrey but the tank was calling me. Believe me if you were there you would understand.