Coffee Topic #3

I have a post about the knitter's "C word" in the works, but I'll get this post up first to keep you entertained!


This morning I sit here sipping a fresh cup with a bit of cream and some sweetener.. and the first sip makes the morning seem just a bit better than it was before. I love the smell, the warm feel of the cup in my hand, the taste - just everything! What is it that you love about your first cup of the day? Are you a daily drinker? How do you take yours? Tell us how you love to enjoy your first cup!

I'm an almost daily drinker... depends on if I get up in time to get the pot going. The smell of coffee is really what does it for me though. Just smelling the pot brewing can get me going in the morning. I love the warm feeling of the cup in my hand -- but I usually have to wait for it to cool down a bit. I have a sensitive mouth I guess :o). I take my coffee with a good amount of sugar and flavored cream. I have a pretty big sweet tooth, haha.

November!

Well, first here's my answer to the topic of the week for the Amazing Autumn Coffee Swap:

With Halloween coming up this Friday, tell us what you think of when you think Halloween! Do you love it? Hate it? See it as a sign of Fall? Are you a total sucker for candy and little kids in cute costumes?

Well, I don't get all gung ho about it... I typically don't dress up or do much decorating... but I am a total sucker for the candy and little kids in cute costumes. We carved a pumpkin and turned on the light and waited and waited for trick or treaters to come by. Alas no one did. Oh well, more candy for me I suppose. Here's our pumpkin:


Otherwise this weekend has been one for casting on. Before I show you what I've started this weekend though, I'll give you a poorly lit FO shot of the socks I finished a couple weeks ago. I started these sometime around when I moved back from Germany and the first sock sat in my knitting pile all alone. About a year later I decided I should really knit the second sock so that I didn't have to worry about my gauge changing. Luckily it hadn't and I know have a wonderful pair of socks.


Ooh... it's really blurry too when the picture is bigger. I need to take another one when I have natural light. You can't tell how pretty the Wollmeise color is!

Anyways, on to what I've cast on. Reading some knitting blogs lately I came across one discussing NaKniSweMo -- National Knit a Sweater Month. I read on and decided to join in. So at midnight on November 1st I cast on for the February Lady Sweater and hope to finish it by the end of November (or at least in time for Christmas).


I've gotten reasonably far -- I'm just about to separate out the sleeve stitches-- and am excited about how it's going. I'm a little nervous that it may be too small, but I won't be able to tell until I separate offthe sleeves.

I also cast on a cute little neckwarmer for my mom out of Misti Alpaca chunky.


It's turning out so dense and soft and I absolutely love the pattern. I make have to make one for myself too!

So that's all I've been up to for now. Hopefully there will be a lot more FOs in the coming weeks. After all, Christmas is less than 2 months away and as always I have big plans as far as knitting and crafting goes.

Summer to Fall

Well, I'll begin with the Fall because I have a weekly question for the Amazing Autumn Coffee Swap.

The topic is:


I took the above photo in Colorado on my recent mini-vacation. It was about 45 outside, the leaves were crunching, and I was so in love with being there. So this week's topic - what makes a "Fall day" for you? How do you know it's here, and what do you love about the weather, the scenery, or something else that makes Autumn lovely?

The "I" above refers to the host of the swap. I have my own fall pictures :o)


These are from a recent trip to the UP of Michigan. I love the beautiful colors and the crisp air -- being able to wear sweaters and scarves without the heavy withercoat and boots. I love the excitement of the upcoming holidays and... sigh. I love everything about fall. It's my absolute favorite season.

And now onto some of the fiber festivals I went to this past summer (well, August and September).

First, was Stitches. It was a fantastic time as the Knitter's Guild here in town had a bus go down so I was with my knitting friends the whole time. Unfortunately they don't allow cameras inside, so I only have pictures of my extensive purchases. Ha.

I got a lot of sock yarn...

Some yarn to make some fingerless gloves


Some 100% Alpaca yarn for a sweater


And a great deal on a bag of yarn


I also got a pattern for a great cabled sweater, but I don't have an individual picture of that.

I also went to Wisconsin Sheep and Wool and unfortunately forgot my camera. I went with a couple members of my knitting group and we had a fantastic time wandering amongst the booths, looking at sheep, and watching the herding dog demonstrations. We even got to see (and pet!) a day old lamb. I think I want sheep now. I have pictures of teh things I brought home though, so wihtout further ado:

Some more sock yarn purchases. (OK, I admit it, I'm a sucker for red, orange or yellow sock yarn. Now I just have to use some of it, hahah!)


I also bought a few types of roving... some suri alpaca in fawn, some white rambouillet, some black and white Finnsheep, and some dyed merino that reminds me of the northern lights in that it's really dark with splashes of magenta and green. I haven't taken any pictures of that because I haven't put any of my fiber stash on Ravelry, haha.

The prize of the day though was some yarn to knit the February Lady Sweater (ravelry link).



I'm so excited!

The final exciting yarn related thing from the past few months was that I got a spot in the Wollmeise Sock Club! I found out about her when I was living in Germany -- when she was still taking custom orders via email and was barely known here in the US. I love her colorways and so when I heard about the Club, I decided to throw my name into the lottery, not expecting to get a spot. But I did! Since everyone has received their packages (we got them in the middle of September), I won't put up the "spoiler" warning.

The contents:




The knitting needles are size 2.5mm dpns (what I use!) made from the wood leftover after manufacturing cellos! The pattern has twisted stitches and cables to make a beautiful bavarian design. The yarn colorways are of course amaazing... and even better in person. The package was well worth the cost of the club. Now I can't wait for December though!

Well, after that onslaught of pictures I think this posting is done. I'll post again soon though with pictures of the pair of socks I finally finished last weekend!

Back to Blogging

Hey there folks! Long time no see! I've kind of fallen off the face of the planet, haven't I? Well, as the weather gets colder and the leaves begin to turn colors, my little fingers begin itching to be knitting again. Caleb is also changing shifts this week, so we will finally be back on the same -- and now new and improved day -- shift! Hopefully all this means that I can get back into normal routines that have been disrupted for the past several months, and will actually have something to write about in the coming weeks.

As far as what has happened in the last month and a half craft-wise... not too much other that stockpiling, haha. A lot of things have progressed some, albeit slowly, but nothing has really been completed (other than a chemo cap for a member of my knitting group which I didn't get a photo of). I've also been organizing and redoing my craft/guest room (making it more crafty, haha), but it isn't in a state to be photographed yet. So all in all, some progress, but no real pictures. I have a few pictures of the stuff I bought at Stitches and WI Sheep & Wool, but none from the actual events. I'll post them in another post later so that I can actually get this one posted :o)...

And now to leave you with a questionnaire for a new swap. I participated in the Spring Coffee Swap earlier this year, and am super excited about the Amazing Autumn Coffee Swap that is beginning now. Sign Ups are open until tomorrow, October 15, so go sign up now!

Questionnaire

About Your Yarn Passion

1. Do you knit, crochet, or do both? When did you first learn?

So far I only knit, but I would love to learn how to crochet. I learned when I was about 10, but then didn't really get into it until I went off to college... and even more so when I was studying abroad in Germany. See my first post on this blog for a more detailed account :o).

2. Do you like using a particular type of needle or hook? (wood, metal, straight, circular) Is there something you've been wanting to try, or a particular size you always seem to be short on?

I use dpns for socks and circs for most everything else. I usually use metal because I'm a rather tight knitter and am always afraid I'll break wooden ones. I did recently get a gorgeous pair of wood dpns in a sock club package though... I may have to try them.

3. What kind of projects do you enjoy making? Any types you just haven't ever gotten into as much as others?

I've done a lot of socks, but am really on a mittens and sweater kick right now (well, I haven't actually knit any, but I got yarn for a few patterns I really like - ha!). As far as types of projects I don't do.... I don't think there are any really. I love any challenge!

4. What's on your needles\hook right now? What's your oldest UFO (unfinished object)?

I have a lot of WIPs/UFOs. A lot. Like about 15 -- as you can see from my Ravelry list on the sidebar. I get distracted very easily. I have a few pairs of socks, a couple shawls, a stuffed pig, an afghan, a couple more pairs of socks, etc. etc. Haha. My oldest UFO would be an afghan. Since we can use the part that is done, I don't really have any motivation to work on it. I should get back to it though.

5. If you were going on vacation tomorrow, what project(s) would travel with you?

The socks that I'm almost done with and the shawls for my friends that recently got married. They're all almost done.... and I really could use some free time to work on them!

6. What are your favorite types of yarns? Any you're allergic too, or just hate working with? Anything in particular you've been dying to try?

I love (and have a lot of) alpaca. It's the softness that does me in. I've also recently purchased a merino-tencel blend.... sooo pretty! It looks like silk! As far as what I dislike working with -- acrylic. I'm somewhat of a yarn snob, though can see where it has its place. When it feels like plastic though, that's where I draw the line.

7. What sort of colors do you love in yarns? Brights? Pastels? More muted colors? Variegated? Are there any you can't stand?

I love saturated fall colors! Reds and yellows and oranges. I'm not a big fan of pastels, and try to avoid pink at all costs (unless it's in some cool variegated yarn, and then I at least look at it, haha).

Your Coffee Passion

1. Do you prefer caffeinated or not?

Caffeinated. I don't think I've been in a situation where the caffeine was not OK, haha.

2. Whole bean or ground? For what type of pot or press?

I got a grinder just before the last coffee swap, and have used whole beans ever since... yum! We have an autodrip coffee maker, and also one of the little stove top "Italian coffee" makers.

3. What types of roasts do you enjoy? Are you more the light and lively or dark and robust type?

I am a light roast gal... the dark ones can get a little too bitter for me. I also like flavored coffee -- caramels and nutty flavors.

4. How do you 'take' your coffee? Creamers? Sweetener? Other add ins?

I like my coffee like I like my chocolate -- with milk and sugar! I usually have a hazelnut creamer, but have also added just milk or half-and-half. I 've also been known to add a shot of flavored syrup if I'm at a coffee shop.

5. That first morning cup - is it about the taste, or the caffeine?

Can I say both? In the past it was all about the flavor, but since transitioning back to day shift from nights, it's been a little about the caffeine too. If it tastes bad though I won't drink it just for the caffeine -- hence me bringing my own coffee to work everyday instead of drinking the crap they have there.

6. Do you enjoy going out to coffee shops like Starbucks? What are some of your favorites?

I do like coffee shops, though I usually get the espresso drinks there and not just straight coffee. I like Caribou Coffee and a couple other local shops that are in my hometown.

7. You've just made the perfect cup of coffee - is it in a thick mug, or a thinner cup? Where would you sit to drink it?

Thick mug!! I'm all about the coziness of the experience, I'm not into fancy designs or thin porcelain cups. I like something I can wrap my hands around. Typical I curl up on the sofa and wrap myself in an afghan.

8. You're enjoying that perfect cup, and have a magic cabinet in your kitchen - when you open it, magically, your favorite treats will appear to enjoy alongside the coffee - what are they? Are they sweet? Crunchy? Soft and flaky?

Since I'm all about the sweet, flavored coffee, they would of course have to be sweet too! Like I said before, I like my coffee the same way I like my chocolate.

All about YOU!

1. Do you have other hobbies like spinning or scrapbooking?

I "spin" (I have a wheel), "scrapbook," "embroider," and "sew" -- but don't have time to do it as often as I like. I just have time to shop for it, haha. If only I could retire at age 25 and just craft the rest of my life.

2. Do you collect anything?

Unless you count crafting supplies, not really. I do have a "bierdeckel" (sort of like paper coasters from bars) collection that I have from when I lived in Germany.

3. What is your favorite part of Autumn?

I love everything about Autumn! The colors, the weather, the air, the holidays -- it all makes me happy!

4. What sort of scents do you enjoy? Any difference in what you like for your house versus what you like for your body?

I like spicy scents -- vanilla, cinnamon, etc. -- and fresh scents -- cucumber melon, green tea, etc. I don't like flowery scents! (except maybe lavendar)

5. Are you allergic to anything?

Nothing other than a couple medicines -- but I really don't like coconut!!

6. Are you on Ravelry? What's your ID?

I am :o). My nickname is KnitEurope -- even though I'm not in Europe anymore, haha.

7. How would you spend an ideal fall afternoon/day?

Hmm... it would probably start by drinking a mug of coffee sitting in a chair outside wearing a big, cozy sweater, then a walk through the park with my boyfriend, and finished by curling up on the couch knitting while watching a movie.

I suppose that's "everything" about me. I probably go into a little more detail than required, but I always want to know more information about my pal than a simple "yes/no" answer, so I try to provide it too. I can't wait to get paired up and start working on getting together fabulous stuff for my pal!

Coffee Swap Package!

My Coffee Swap package arrived on Monday! Angie was an amazing pal. I hope we keep in touch!! Anyways, on to the goodies!


The package arrived covered in a very prettily packaged box!


There were lots of things wrapped in pretty spring wrapping paper as well, but I was too excited to open it to remember to take pictures. You're lucky you got a "before" picture, haha.

Here's all my goodies:


And now some close ups. Here are some pins, stitch markers, earrings, and a bracelet. Angie did the beading herself! Isn't it pretty?!


My butterfly coffee mug (I love butterflies!), a cute little hen, ice cream cone magnets and candy!


Of course there was coffee...


And there was some gorgeous sock yarn (each with their own customized patterns and sock blockers!! The purple one also came with beads to do a beaded sock with!)!





The whole package was also "padded" with various vintage yarns she had received.



An amazing package all in all. Thanks again Angie!

Coffee Swap Topic #6

We'll go free form this week - Post about your WIPs, post about your package, post about the weather where you are - just be sure to include that the post is for the Spring Fling Weekly Topic somewhere inside it when you tell us it's there! I'd love to hear how folks are enjoying the goodies they received, if they have, or how much fun you had shopping for your pal!

Well, I think I might just be squeaking in on the deadline for this one. It's been a pretty crazy week. My parents are visiting right now, so there was lots of cleaning and such to do before they arrived. It just barely got done :o).

My package has already been sent (and my pal should get it in the next day or so!! I can't wait to see her reaction!). I can post a couple pictures here about what was in it. I made some felted Gerber Daisies:


As you can see in the second picture though, the wire I chose wasn't heavy duty enough and the flowers just "wilt". I also made a coffee cozy (that ended up too big for the mug I got her) and baked some almond biscotti (which turned out really tiny). Ha. Nothing turned out quite as I imagined. But the biscotti still tasted good, and hopefully she has a mug that the cozy will fit!

I have to go quick bind off the socks I'm giving to my mom tomorrow, so I have to cut this post short. I hope to find more blogging time soon! I never did tell you guys about my adventures in dyeing...

Coffee Swap Topic #4

Well, it's that time again. Time for a Coffee Swap topic of the week! This one is a very intriguing one:

Let's pretend for a minute we all live in the home of our dreams, have land, and don't have to work so time is unlimited! It's Spring planting season! What would you grow? A little veggie garden? A bed of bright spring blooms? Or is your thumb so far from green that the only thing you'd be planting is your tushy into a nice chair on the porch to get some knitting or crocheting done in the nice breeze?

Sigh, if only that were true. But on to the question. Honestly, I'm not the green thumb in the house. C is.


These are some of the seedlings he started in our basement so they would be ready for planting when the time comes. There's onions, leeks, broccoli, cabbage, romanesco, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, and I think that's all. The picture is from 2 weeks ago... everything is a lot bigger/greener now. If I were to plant things, it would likely be flowers. It would also be really cool to have a dyer's garden. I would likely just be sitting on a big porch with my knitting and coffee though :o). (I really wanted to do that the other morning... grab a coffee and some knitting and sit outside and watch the sunrise. Except I was just on my way home from work and I needed to get to bed. sigh. Night shift has its downsides.)

Coffee Swap Topic #3

So I was so late on getting to the last topic, that it is now time for a new topic of the week in the Coffee and Yarn Swap! I promise, that big post is still in the works, it's just really... big. Maybe I'll split it up more so that it doesn't take so long to read/write. Anyways, this week's topic is:

Tell us how you started drinking coffee. Were you in high school or college and making it through all nighters? Did you get it from a family member? What drives your love of the bean?

I started drinking coffee in high school, though all I really drank were the fancy lattes and mochas and such. My parents don't really drink coffee (my mom hates it and my dad only drinks it with company), so I never really had it around the house. I started drinking more traditional coffees when I went to Europe because they don't really have the Starbuck's style of cappuccino most places... it's a real espresso and foam cappuccino! It kind of threw me at first, but then it began to grow on me (though I still preferred the Jacob's Milka "cappuccino" mixes to straight up coffee over there ;o) ). Believe it or not, it really has been in the last 6 months that I started drinking just plain coffee. I had made espresso for myself and had choked down the swill they call coffee here at work, but never really had had a cup of "plain" coffee that I liked (except for on a mission trip in Costa Rica where we drank black coffee in the 90 degree weather of the afternoon after laboring away building a house because it was THAT good). When my boyfriend's mom came down for Thanksgiving, we warned her to bring her own coffee maker unless she wanted the thicker "Italian coffee" my stove top percolator puts out (it's yummy though!). So she brought hers down along with some of her own coffee. She made some and I decided to try it. Amazingly, it did not taste burnt or super bitter like other plain coffee I had tried! She very kindly said that the coffee maker was her "travel" one and left it here for us. I still prefer the flavored coffee to straight up dark black coffee, but who knows where this coffee maker will take me!

Coffee Swap Topic #2

A quick little post while I am busy compiling a beast of one. Here's my response to Topic #2 from the Coffee and Yarn Swap! This week's topic:

Since some of us is beginning to see glimpse of Spring, while others are still getting snow have you change what projects are working on? Have you put away the hats, scarfs and mittens, and brought out the cute tank top sweater projects and lacy wraps? Have you change yarn to something more lighter and cooler, not so heavy and bulky?

Well, we're still kind of getting snow (and rain, and water in the basement... but that's another story that I won't get into on here). But either way, I don't think that weather has too big of an effect on my knitting. Socks are the main thing I knit, and they're good in both hot and cold weather. I may tend to gravitate towards lighter, springier colors, and avoid the big heavy afghan unless the air conditioning is on, but in my mind there isn't a set point where I put away one set of projects and drag out another. I have enough on the needles to keep me occupied no matter the weather :o).

I Give Up...

on SM2. There are already 17/20 people finished in my division, and I'm not even to the heel on sock #1. Plus I have to work 3 12.5 hour shifts this weekend. It just isn't going to happen and I'm not going to kill myself trying to do it. The pattern this round is turning out very nice, I just don't have a desire to knit on socks right now. I'll tag along on the coming patterns though... and maybe do a little more cheering from the sidelines since I won't be competing too!

I have a couple projects OTN for my coffee swap pal, since I'm not in the mood for socks. Can't tell you what they are quite yet, though I'll be sure to take pictures so I can post about it later! (On the otherhand, since there's only one package in the swap I suppose it doesn't really matter if I blog about it. It's not like they'll go searching through blogs later to find the pictures in order to figure out who I am. By the time they see the items they'll already know!) I love swaps though. I haven't participated in many, but I always love trying to find little unique things that my pal will really enjoy. I found something quite unique already... I hope she'll like it!

Work is kind of sucking right now. I switched to a new (to both me and the company) shift a couple months ago. I still haven't quite resolved how to most effectively use my time, nor how best to communicate with coworkers on other shifts so that I can get my work done. These long weekends aren't much help. Here's to the weekend going REALLY fast...

Happy Knitting

Cofee Swap Topic #1 and a little more

I was treating myself to some of the Jacob's Milka Hazelnut Cappuccino mix I brought back from Germany (must savor....) and realized I hadn't posted about the topic of the week for the coffee swap yet!

This Week's Topic:

Browse around some of the other blogs of participants, and find one person who enjoys a similar roast coffee to you - share something interesting about them that you find on THEIR blog, and tell us what you've been working on knitting or crochet-wise this week!

I was suprised how few people actually liked the coffee like I do! But I found someone who matched me almost exactly. Nichole B. is a fan of "light to medium roasts" and loves flavored coffee just like me! She definitely loves her puppies :o). She also just opened an Etsy Shop! Go check out her stitch markers! She's also gotten more snow since "spring" has begun, so I can definitely comiserate.

Knitting-wise I haven't done too much this week. I brought some socks with me when C and I went up north, but didn't get too much done on them. The second round pattern for SM2 also came out Monday. I'm only through the ribbing on Sock #1. The plan tonight though is to knit knit knit!

I'm not usually a meme kind of person, but this one happened to catch my eye. You're supposed to "tag" people, but I always hate doing that, so if you feel like doing it feel free!

Middle Initial Meme

1. What is the first letter of your middle name? E
2. A Famous Artist/Band/Musician the Eagles
3. A Four Letter Word east... haha
4. A US State There isn't one!
5. A Boy's Name Elijah
6. A Girl's Name Emma
7. An Animal Emu
8. Something in the Kitchen Eating Utensils
9. Reason for Being Late Elephants What? See here.
10. A Body Part Eardrum
11. A Drink Erdinger!... oh I miss Germany
12. Something You Shout Egad!
13. Something You Eat Egg Salad.. mmmm..
14. A Movie You've Seen Empire Records

OK, that's all for now! Happy Knitting!

On to Round 2! (and a Coffee Swap!)

I did it! I finished my socks and just snuck in to get to the next round (number 34 out of a possible 40)!! Horray! I have to say I was quite excited. I definitely didn't get as much knitting done as I had hoped/wanted last weekend, and with the numbers creeping upwards and not being able to knit Monday or Tuesday because of work, I was getting increasingly nervous that my goal of making it through Round #1 would not come to pass. But I put in a solid 10+ hours of knitting on Wednesday night/Thursday morning and pulled it out around 9am Thursday. I would of course love to make it through Round #2 as well, but I definitely am realistic in my chances. I think it might even be more fun on the sidelines since you actually get a chance to read the forums on Ravelry and Flickr!

And of course because I like to give (and receive) gifts... I joined another swap. I've been reading random people's blogs due to SM2, and came across a great one. The Spring Fling Coffee and Yarn Swap. I have to say... I love coffee (in it's highly cream and sugared form, haha) and who wouldn't love a swap that involved both coffee and yarn? So to my future swap partner, here is my questionnaire!

Coffee

1. What is your preference? Whole beans or ground?

Well, I guess I have to say ground since I don't own a grinder. I've heard that it's great from freshly ground beans though. ETA.. hahaha... ironically my boyfriend got me a coffee grinder as an Easter present! Now to find some whole bean coffee...

2. What kind of coffees do you enjoy? A rich, bold roast; a light, fresh one, or something in between? Leaded or non?

I prefer the milder roasts, with the exception of my love for espresso (I even have one of the stove top "italian coffee" percolators). I've always had "leaded" coffee... can't say I've ever tried decaf.

3. If you were headed out right now to buy some coffee for the house, what would you be picking up?

I have to say I'm a flavored coffee nut (probably blasphemy to all you die hard coffee drinkers). We've been drinking the Foldger's Gourmet selections the most, and also buy the "one pot" (though we get 2 :o)) bags from Steep & Brew (a -- I think -- local coffee company).

4. Do you drink for caffeine, pleasure, or both?

Both. At work it's mostly for the caffeine, but at home mostly for pleasure. Except those odd days where by gosh I need a cup to get functioning at home.

5. Do you enjoy flavored coffees? How about add-ins or flavored creamers?

LOVE flavored coffees. I just love the added dimension it gives to the flavor. Plus, who am I kidding, I have a LARGE sweet tooth. Anything that tastes like caramel, chocolate and hazelnut can't be bad in my book! I do also use the flavored creamers (yes, even if it's also flavored coffee!).

6. A large, lovely mug or a small, dainty cup?

Large! I love being able to wrap both hands through the handle and cozy up with it.

7. Describe your perfect cup - not JUST the coffee, but how you'd enjoy it!

Hmm.. I'd have to say a caramel coffee with hazelnut creamer poured into a large mug that I can warm my hands on while snuggling under an afghan and watching the Food Network. Oh man. Now I really want some coffee!!

8. You're sitting down to enjoy a nice cup in the local coffee shop, knitting bag in hand, iPod all tuned up - or maybe you're there with a few friends for knit night! What treat do you pick up to enjoy with your coffee? A sweet, rich brownie, or something more healthy? How about a salty treat? What goes best with that great cup and company?

Sweet. Always sweet, lol. But of course not too crumby or sticky if I'm knitting!

Yarn

1. Do you knit or crochet?

I knit. I've been trying to figure out crochet for the longest time. I really want to crochet (heh.. I wrote knit at first) Babette.

2. What are your favorite types of yarns to work with?

Hmmm. I really tend to like the natural fibers more than acrylic (though I've definitely worked with my fair share of acrylic). I tend to prefer the skinnier half of the yarn spectrum (sock and lace weight). Honestly, as long as it's soft and/or has amazing colors, I like it.

3. What do you have on the needles (or hook!) right now?

Ho boy. Do I really want to admit all this, lol. I have 3-4 socks OTN that were put to the side when Christmas knitting started and haven't really been picked up again. I have an afghan that has been an ongoing project since Spring of 2006. I have a few things that were supposed to be Christmas presents but now have moved on to "other holiday" presents. And a cute little pig that I'm knitting for my sister but got hung up on the little bit of crochet for the legs.

4. What are your favorite colors in yarns? What about those that you'd never find in your stash?

I love most colors! I tend to lean toward the deep reds/burgendies or blue greens. The only color that I would absolutely dislike would be pinks (the only pink I have in my stash is for the pig for my sister!) and some purples. I'm not a very girly-girl in that sense.

5. What sort of needles or hooks do you enjoy using? Any you just detest?

I like metal needles. There, I've said it. I really am not very fond of bamboo, I always feel like they are going to break on me! For socks I usually use dpns and not circs.

6. Are there any particular notions you absolute do NOT need? Some of us swap a lot - are you sure that you have enough tape measures to last your lifetime? Enough stitch markers to mark every stitch of a 10 foot wide afghan?

Honestly, can't really think of too much. I do have quite a few stitch markers, but who can't use some more?

7. You walk into the yarn shop and have exactly and only enough money to purchase 2 skeins of yarn in their 2 for 20 special they have going..The choices are a soft, thick cotton/viscose blend in your favorite colors, slightly variegated..a beautiful sock yarn that's just squishy and sproingy in your hands.. a soft, worsted weight wool like malabrigo.. and a lovely bamboo blend with colors to just die for. Which do you walk out the door with?

Hmmm... tough choice. Normally I would say the sock yarn. But, given the size of my sock yarn stash, I may have to go for the Malabrigo-esque yarn. I've heard it's lovely:o)

Spring

1. We're starting sign-ups on the first day of Spring - is it already truly Spring-like where you are?

Hahahaha. Well, last week it was in the upper 40's and most of the record setting amount of snow had actually melted. Today however, it snowed another 7 inches!! Argh. I will be so happy when this is over...

2. What's your favorite spring flower? Do you have one?

I love daisies. They're so simple and pretty! I have to say though, that I rather dislike tulips, so please, do not send anything with tulips! I grew up in Holland, MI where we have "Tulip Time" every spring. It rather killed anything that could be beautiful about the flower to me.

3. What do you most look forward to about springtime?

Not having to scrape my car anymore :o). No, I love the smell in the air and the birds chirping and the random spring thunderstorms.

4. They've predicted a gorgeous day tomorrow - Sunny and about 65 with a nice breeze - how do you spend your day?

Walking with my boyfriend in the park, and then maybe knitting with the windows open to let in the breeze.

5. The day after, it's going to be cooler and pouring down rain - does that impact your mood? How do you spend that day? what helps cheer you up?

I love rain so it wouldn't affect me at all. Maybe make me feel less guilty about sitting inside and knitting!? haha. Knitting always helps me feel better though.. it's a great stress reliever for me.

Odds n Ends

1. Do you collect anything BESIDES yarn and needles?

I do have a collection of bags (that I use for knitting) that have various city names from around Europe on them. Otherwise I'm fairly collection free.

2. Are you allergic to anything?

Nothing not medically related :o)

3. Do you have pets?

Two gorgeous kittens Buddy and Kati (AKA Girlie)-- See adorable sleeping kitties in photo above.

4. Is this your first swap, or are you an old pro? What are the last 2 swaps you participated in?

This will be my 3rd swap. I participated in the Secret Pals 11 and also in a knitting swap on Facebook.

5. List 3 of your favorite blogs - craft related or not - and tell us why you love them.

Hmmm... only 3 huh. Well, number 1 would have to be BrooklynTweed. I love his photography and his adaptation of patterns is absolutely inspiring!. Number 2 is JanuaryOne. Her photography is also amazing and I find her posts to be interesting and fun. Lastly, hmm, probably Elemmaciltur. Another one with gorgeous photos (guess I'm a sucker for them). I find his content on spinning to be interesting, and plus I've met him and love hearing about his life in Germany.

OK... well I think that's it for now! Have a great Easter weekend.. I'll be working :o(.