zoot

questionnaire

2006-01-09T11:45:00.000-08:00

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand?

I suppose that, yes, I'm something of a yarn snob. I really like natural fibers and generally don't shop at craft stores like Michael's or Joanne's for yarn. Though, I do buy 100% cotton there sometimes and I do like Lion Wool and Wool Ease for certain things. You can't beat the prices, that's for sure!

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

Neither. I would like to learn the basics of crochet, to do finishing, etc. but I haven't learned yet. Spinning is not something I'm interested in ... yet. Still working on being a good knitter!

3. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

I have a big glass vase on the mantle, which is good for straights and dpns, but isn't so convenient for circs. Still trying to figure out what to do with those.

4. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

About 2 years (not counting when I was younger). I think I'm intermediate-ish.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I do, but I only share them with people I know personally due to privacy concerns.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

I love anything citrus and very subtle florals. Basically, anything clean and fresh smelling.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I like candy, but not overly so. Chocolate with nuts is my favorite.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

I'm just starting to sew, but more for practicality than as a hobby. I love to cook, is that DIY? :-)

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I like many kinds of music. I don't really care of country, metal or opera, but anything else that someone recommends, I'll always gibve a listen to!

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?

My favorites are muted earthy colors, nothing too bright, and jewel tones. Greens are my favorite (goes with the red hair).

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I live with my husband and our dog, Sammi.

12. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I like scarves a lot lately. Hats aren't generally necessary here in Silicon Valley. Ponchos aren't really my taste, though I have seen some capelets I like.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

I love Rowan All Seasons Cotton and every Noro yarn I've worked with. Also, Karabella Aurora line and anything alpace or mohair.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I'm not too fond of 100% man made fibers. They just feel ... squeaky ... in my hands.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession(s)?

Crack silk Haze anything (I blame the Harlot) and a Delphine Wilson inspired sweater.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

I don't know; I enjoy everything I make. I'm on a sweater kick now that it's winter. I have certainly made a lot of baby and child things for friends and those are probably my favorites because they are so quick and are so appreciated!

17. What are you knitting right now?

Currently working on a Klaralund for me and a Manly Sweater for DH. Soon to start my Delphine inspired sweater.

18. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Of course! What knitter doesn't? :-)

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

Circulars!

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Bamboo and wood are my favorties, though I do love my Addi Turbos for wool and other sticky yarns.

21. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

Yes, as of Christmas, thanks and big kisses to my DH!

22. How did you learn to knit?

My mother taught me when I was about 8, butit didnt' stick. I picked it up in 2004, when I quit playing World of Warcraft. Unfortunately, knitting is a much more expensive hobby! ;-)

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

Well, not more than 2 years! I started Kyoto from Knitty last summer and quit knitting on it when my dog chewed up on end of the bamboo circ I was knitting on. I've replaced the needle since, but never have gone back to the sweater. That double seed stitch is a killer!

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

I love all things Simpson and south Park, and all animals.

25. What is your favorite holiday?

Fourth of July! I adore fireworks and the food. Plus, you know, the national pride and all.

26. Is there anything that you collect?

Not really, except recipes and knitting-related things.

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits and Cast-On. I love magazines!

28. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?

I've been eyeing the new Rowan Soft Lux, but haven't purchased any yet. I also really want to make the turtleneck shrug from ScarfStyle, but haven't bought the Kid Classic yet.

29. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I have some Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock and the teeny tiny dpns, but I have yet to get the nerve to try socks. Also, I haven't done much cabling, but the Delphine sweater should rememdy that. Hmm, I've tried simple lace, but want to get more complicated with that. I need better chart-reading skills.

30. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Not yet, see #29.

31. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

December 25. Yes, Christmas Day!

2006-01-04T13:45:00.000-08:00

i caved. i signed up for secret pal 7. when i first discovered this whole knitblog community, i kept seeing the buttons on everyone's blogs and wondered what the heck it was. when i finally figured it out, i kept missing the sign ups - how do people know these things??? for secret pal 6, i finally had the opportunity to sign up, but chose not to do so, because of all the bad experiences that people had had. well, the hostesses this time around seem like enforcers (cheery ones, though) so i thought i'd give it a go. i love packages - making them and receiving them. so what the heck. if it sucks, i'll just not do it again.

now that i've seen this

2005-12-16T14:41:00.000-08:00

i've seen everything. how cool!

another post, another picture

2005-11-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

Two pictures and two posts in one day. Will wonders never cease?!? I just received pictures from my good friend's baby shower and they included one of her holding the teeny tiny baby sweater I made from Rowan All Seasons Cotton. The pattern is from Simple Knits for Cherished Babies by Erika Knight. Doubly appropriate, I suppose since my friend's name is Erica. I hadn't time to finish the matching hat for the shower, but it's done now and is pending delivery next week. Hopefully, the little one hangs in there until then!

Erica with Baby G's Sweater

Pretty in Green

2005-11-14T09:10:00.000-08:00

This is another picture of the first sweater I made, worn by my cutie patootie "niece". I can't believe how tall she is, but it looks like she still has some room to grow into the sweater. And I thought it might be small on her - ha! Just goes to show that I have not clue #1 about kids. ;)

Sidney

61 days

2005-10-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

Only 61 days until Christmas...and that doesn't include shipping time. So, do I work diligently on the remainder of my unfinished knitted gifts? Oh no. That would be logical. Instead, what do I do?

I give the big ol' middle finger to logic, order 5 skeins of handpainted cashmere (Mont Blanc in the Sawyer colorway) from Axelle at A. L. de Sauveterre and cast on for another Clapotis as soon as it arrived. The yarn is just to wonderful not to knit with. However, what it is bringing me is a false calm, soon to be overridden by [temporarily stifled] holiday panic. But for now, oh cashmere, how I love thee!

knitalong

2005-09-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

i signed up for the colchique knitalong, being hostessed (is that a word? if not, it should be!) by the lovely and talended jessica of fig & plum. this is the english version of the knitalong, as there is already one in french. jessica and others who actually understand french are translating the phildar pattern. thank goodness for that. i speak many a language, but french ain't one of 'em. this will be my first foray into cables. honestly, it doesn't look that difficult. i hope i'm not biting off more than i can chew. the sweater is definitely a beauty though, so keep your fingers crossed for me.

as for projects on the needles, i still have maybe 30% of the secret mother-in-law project left to complete. i've finished christams gifts for both my grandmother and ryan's grandmother (simple lace scarves using kid silk haze, one in cranberry and the other in fuschia) and i'm a third of the way through a scarf for my grandfather (based on the my so-called scarf pattern) in southwest trading company optimum wool. i've yet to start the secret mother project, but it should be relatively quick and i still have a couple of months.

i've missed the last month of sunday snb sessions, primarily due to laziness, and the last meetups due to work and my anniversary. bah. i miss going and chatting with everyone. hopefully this weekend i'll be able to muster the energy to get off my lazy arse (yes, i used the word arse; i blame the harlot) and go. this evening i'm heading over to commuknity to pick up the copy of rowan magazine #38 that erin's had on hold for me. i hope i'm not too late!

WEBS - Hurricane Katrina Relief

2005-08-31T09:46:00.000-07:00

I just received an email from WEBS:

Dear Customers, over the past couple of days, all of here at WEBS have been moved by the devastation that Hurricane Katrina has brought the Gulf Coast. The magnitude of this tragedy is overwhelming. We met with our team here and we all agree that we need to do something. So, starting today, for the next 10 days, we will donate 10% of all purchases to the American Red Cross. If you order on-line, over the phone or shop in our Northampton store, 10% of your purchase, through September 10th, will be given to the hurricane relief efforts of the Red Cross. There is nothing special you have to do, just shop.
We hope you will join with us in supporting this very worthwhile cause for the people who have lost so much across the Gulf Coast States.
www.yarn.com
Sincerely,
The Elkins Family and the Webs Team

pictures ... finally

2005-08-17T14:10:00.000-07:00

not much time to write, but here are the completed projects pictures, finally. (the image loading is now working.)

clapotis, in lorna's laces lion & lamb in the charcoal colorway:

and a couple of closeups:

child's placket neck pullover from last minute knitted gifts in rowan cashsoft baby dk:

buttonhole bag (from mason-dixon knitting pattern) in lamb's pride bulky:

click on the thumbnails to see a larger version (in a new window).

we are off to phoenix for a week for a wedding, so hopefully i'll have more wips to show when i get back. i discovered that there is a place about 20 miles from our hotel called the fiber factory, with 4,000 square feet of yarn! needless to say, i'm taking an extra empty bag with me.

hurray!

2005-08-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

thanks to 3 straight hours of knitting at the meetup last might, my clapotis is now finished. and, i'm wearing it today to keep from freezing to death in this meat locker that passes for an office. it was so nice to see everyone last night. i haven't been to meetup or s'n'b for a month (exactly a month, because that's when i started clapotis). finally got to meet mel, who always seems to end up on the opposite end of the looooong table from me at the knitting arts meetups. and mel, you rock. pretty please to post pictures of the ski masks asap! ;)

so, yeah. i've been ever so bad about the picture uploading. i have the darn things, I DO! i just haven't gotten around to uploading them. must.do.this.weekend! no excuses.

*edit: i forgot to mention; big, fat congratulations to jennifer for getting her groovy pattern published in crochet me online crochet magazine!

Sammi

2005-07-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, this really is a knitting blog. I have a ton of FO and WIP pictures to post this weekend, but I just had to show off a picture of the new puppy! I won't be knitting her any doggie sweaters, though. I think she'd have a fit if I tried to make her wear anything.

Isn't she just a doll?

More pictures are here, if you are interested.

2005-07-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

Wow, I just saw this site. The Fall 2005 collection is inspirational. I especially love the Sleighride Coat, Cable Shawl (although it's not much of a shawl with sleeves?) and the Long Reno Coat. Who can help me with pattern design based solely on one picture? :)

I definitely want to knit myself a coat one day. I've been eyeing a bunch of patterns since I began knitting, but it seems so daunting a process. Either too many hours to count or needles so big there will be hand pain... I'm sure at some point, probably once it gets chilly again, I'll get over the angst and just go for it. For now, I'll just look and try not to drool.

Finally a meme for us. Thanks Marnie!

2005-07-25T16:15:00.000-07:00

You appear to be a Knitting Purist.You are an accomplished knitter producing beautiful pieces with a classic feel. You sometimes lament losing half of your local yarn shop to garish novelty yarns. Perhaps you consider fun fur scarves the bane of knitting society and prefer to steer new knitters towards the wool and cotton blends. Some might call you a bit of an elitist but you know that you've been doing this craft long enough to respect the history behind it and honor it with beautiful piece
that can last a lifetime.

What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

in case anyone didn't know...

2005-07-06T09:19:00.000-07:00

the new knitty issue is up!

a nice list of helpful sites

2005-06-21T16:49:00.000-07:00

this great list is from knit flix, whom i found through christina at warm fuzzy knits. thank you for saving me from having to put together my own list of helpful online knitting resources!

so, yeah. pictures of baby sweater #2 (the child's placket neck pullover from last minute knitted gifts in rowan cashsoft dk #505 (mist)) are still on the memory card. also, the sweater is still neatly folded on my dining room table, which means it has not made it yet to miss molly jane (yes, her ever-so-hip mama made her a blog already) in seattle. of course, it's not really wool/cashmere weather now...even in seattle. so i suppose my lateness might be forgiven. of course, i don't want her to outgrow the darn thing before she even gets to try it on. bah. being a procrastinator really bites.

there are also pictures still to be taken of my in-progress projects:

+ kyoto in a german 100% cotton
+ secret mother-in-law project (not so secret to the 2 or so people who read this, but just in case she locates it somehow i don't want to mention it), and
+ baby sweater #3 & hat (chunky cardigan & matching hat from simple knits for cherished babies in rowan all seasons cotton #211 (black currant)).

oh and there is a front and a sleeve of charity in rowan ribbon twist #113 (rocky), but i put that on hold until i have holiday gifts completed and, more importantly, it's cool enough outside to even think about it. and then there are the not-even-started-yet projects, like the secret mother project and the secret father project. sigh. so much to knit (and blog), so little time.

For all you sock knitters

2005-06-17T10:07:00.000-07:00

although i have not yet mustered the gumption (nor the inspiration) to try knitting socks, these patterns from spun magazine just might have me convinced. how great are those geisha socks?

now if I can just find the perfect yarn...suggestions are welcome, but be warned i like solids and light colors, especially white, for socks.

first real post

2005-06-06T17:29:00.000-07:00

welcome one and all to the first installment here at zootknit.

i have been knitting for about 8 months now and have, thusfar, completed a garter stitch scarf (not worth seeing), two baby sweaters and a felted purse. that sure doesn't sound like much, does it? and i felt so accomplished too.

darling husband took some photos of baby sweater number 2 this weekend, but i haven't yet gotten them off the memory card. but, here is a picture of me with the recipient of my first sweater, miss sidney.

you can see it's a little big for her, but i have no doubt she'll outgrow it before i can blink an eye. babies are like that, or so i hear.

more to follow at some point.