It starts with a W, ends with a W and there's an O in the middle...

I got my last package from my Secret Pal!!!



I am SO SO SO SO lucky! Seriously, did you see that bag? I can't believe she took the time to make it for me, it's absolutely gorgeous! (It's even more beautiful in person too!). I love it.

Then there's Lorna's Lace. You can never go wrong with that yarn. It's beautiful. And on top of that, I got Raspberry-Chocolate flavoured coffee. My favourite flavour!!!!

Thank you Brooke, you've been a fantastic Secret Pal. I can't believe how spoiled I have been!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

So we had the first big snowstorm of the season today. It was wonderful. I know, not everyone thought so, but since I don't drive, it didn't affect me as much. I thought the snow was beautiful. I just hope it won't all melt before Christmas!

I'm not going to talk about WIPs this week. My boyfriend bought Guitar Hero for the Wii last week, and let's just say I feel like I sold my soul to the videogame. Christmas knitting? What Christmas knitting? Look, I'm playing My Name is Jonas!

Despite the lack of knitting, I have some fibery goodness to show you. I got a package from my Secret Pal and it was better than anything I could have expected!



My very own spindle!!! It's beautiful and I've always wanted to learn how to spin! Oh but wait, there's more.



You can't spin without fiber! The spindle was actually part of a kit and it comes from Maine Woods Yarn & Fiber and I love the colours.

Now I just need to figure out how this all works. Hopefully I'll have more time to learn after Christmas. THANK YOU SECRET PAL!!!

In other news, as I mentionned in my previous post, I turned 30 today. I gotta say that today was pretty uneventful. My real birthday celebrations happened on the weekend. On Friday, I had a party with friends (including one that I hadn't seen in over a year!) and on Saturday, I had one with family. I had a great time. My mom made me a scrapbook (it was her first one) and it's probably my favourite gift... that and my new iPod. I love it I love it I love it. And my boyfriend got me a set of speakers for it so it will be great when we have people over. I also got a few gift certificate including these:



Sorry the pic is so blurry. They are Effiloché gift certificates! I'll be able to buy some yarn! Woohoo!

Finally, another great gift was a picture that my friend took when he went to Chile this Fall and that he got framed. I love it and it made me want to make something for him. Like a hat. His birthday is on December 27 and my new goal is to finish my boyfriend's scarf and then make a hat for this friend. I need pattern ideas now!

I have new ya-arn!

Earlier this week, I found a cute little package in my mailbox : it was a gift from my Secret Pal! Yay!



You see yarn, of course, and a little white mystery box. What could be inside?



Stitch markers! Woohoo! I love 'em!

But let's look at the yarn again:



Don't you just love the colour? Oh and it's merino by the way. But the colour! It screams baby stuff to me. Now I don't have kids, but I have the worst case of baby fever you've ever seen. It's all I can think about. And I feel the urge to knit baby things. Maybe I will...

THANK YOU SECRET PAL!!!

Ps/Shedir is done and I'll post a picture soon.

Flash your stash for some cash!

^^ Ok so there's no cash involved in my stash flashing, but wouldn't that make a great TV show? I know I'd watch!

My Secret Pal 11 hostess, Robyn is holding a little contest and to participate, I have to flash my stash. So here it goes. I'll let you know first that my modest stash isn't going to make anyone jealous. But I'm happy with what I have (and don't even know what to do with it all).

So here's my knitting closet:



That's where I store my yarn (in the baskets!), my books and my magazines. But not my WIPs. They are all over the appartment.

I didn't want to take out all my yarn to take pics, so I just took one of my little sock yarn basket. I don't have that much, but since I don't really knit more than one pair of socks a month, I feel I have plenty.



Weekly WIP Report

I have ignored pretty much all my projects except for Shedir (link to pdf file). I'm not going to post a picture though because it's almost done. So you should have a FO pic later this week. And I can now surely say that it's BEAU-TI-FUL!

I have totally ignored my second Marina Piccola sock (I haven't even cast on for it yet). Don't worry, I don't suffer from Second Sock Syndrome. I just was too into Shedir. As soon as I finish it, I'll start the sock. But it's safe to say I won't have a pair for September ;). The good news is that I'll only have one sock to knit for October! (I make it sound like I don't like to knit socks but it's actually my favourite thing to knit).

I've made some progress on the Woven Trellis scarf, because you can't work on anything with a chart while watching Heroes (the scarf, however, is the perfect TV-watching project). Last time I measured, I was at 40" on the second tube. I'll get there, even if it's not until 2009!

Food!

I love Autumn, it's my favourite season. I love to cook in Autumn, there's something really comforting about it. And I love squash! Yesterday, I tried this recipe for a stuffed squash. It was great, though I replaced lamb with beef because it was what I had on hand. I also added cheese. If you try it, I suggest you use your favourite spices (though the ones suggested work great). Whatever you have on hand will work.

Answers to some knitting questions

My Secret Pal hostess, Robyn, asked us to answer these questions, so here I go:

1. What is the one knitting accessory you could not live without?
The one I use the most is probably my tape measure so I'll say that.

2. If you're heading on vacation, do you take knitting with you? If so, how much and what type of project?
I always take some knitting with me. Usually always a pair of socks, cause it's small and portable. The last time I travelled (I went to Paris and London last year), I had brought socks and a lace shawl. That lace shawl is Kiri and it's still not done.

3. Where have you travelled to that you'd consider your favorite spot?
Germany, definitely. I was by myself and I felt so independant and strong.

4. What is your favorite knitting book at the moment? Do you own it?
That's a very difficult question. I guess I'll say Knitting Rules! by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. It's both funny and useful. And since I've read it, I've been able to knit socks without a pattern. Oh and I do own the book. If I had to choose one I don't own, it would be Fitted Knits, by Stefanie Japel. I really want to make the Back-to-School U-Neck Vest, I'm just not sure I want to buy the book just for that pattern.

5. Do you listen to podcasts? Which is your favorite(s)?
I listened to a knitting podcast a while ago and I have to admit that I found it pretty boring. I won't name it, because I don't remember which one it was anyways. ;) But I've listened to the last episode of Lime & Violet and I really enjoyed it so I'll probably continue listening to that one.

6. If you could only knit with 1 color for the rest of your life, what color would that be?
That would be impossible! Hmmm. I'll say blue, because there are so many beautiful shades of it...

7. If you were far into a project and then noticed a mistake near the beginning what would you do?
It depends. I'm not a perfectionnist, so if it was just a small mistake, I'd forget about it. But I've unravelled finished sleeves after noticing a mistake so I will start over if necessary.

8. Where is the most unsual spot you've ever knit?
Ha! I have knit on the stairmaster. It was not a positive experience and I found out that for me, knitting and exercise don't mix (unfortunately).

Secret Pal 11 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
Sock yarn is always my favourite yarn to knit with (though I realize there are many different kind of sock yarns, as long as it's not acrylic, I'm ok). Wool-wise, I like merino the best. I hate acrylic, though I do have some that I'm trying to use.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
Storing? They're all over the place! I really should come up with a better storing solution.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
Kitting is all there is, unless you count cooking. I don't spin but I'd love to learn.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
These days, I listen mostly to French-Canadian artists. But I also like Tori Amos, Björk, Beck, Placebo, Radiohead and many more.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love blue and I love reds. I love earthy tones. I like yellow but I don't think I'd make me a whole yellow sweater ;). There aren't any colours I can't stand, though I tend not to wear green close to my face unless it's a very dark green. It makes me look sick.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I don't have any kids. I live with my boyfriend. I'm allergic to pretty much anything that has fur so no pets.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes, yes, yes and no.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Socks, definitely. I could knit only socks for the rest of my life and I'd never get bored. I also love to knit hats because they're a very quick knit, but you can only have so many hats...

13. What are you knitting right now?
I'm making a plain ribbed pair of socks for my mother, and a ribbed scarf, also for my mom. I'm also trying to make progress on the Kiri shawl I started over a year ago. I'm itching to begin new projects but I want to at least finish the scarf before I do.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Of course!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I prefer circular, except for socks, for which I almost always use DPNs. I really like bamboo needles, but aluminum is good too. I'm not a fan of plastic, even though I like my Denise set.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Unfortunately, I don't.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
It's the Kiri shawl I mentionned above. I started it in May 2006. I also have a cardigan that I need to seam. I started it in August 2006.

18. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas!

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Does sock yarn count?

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I do not subscribe to any mags, but I always get Interweave Knits and the fall and winter issues of Vogue Knitting as soon as they hit the shelves. The yarns I'm dying to knit with are pretty much all sock yarn (though I do like regular yarn too), mainly Socks that rock, Koigu, Lorna's Lace and many of the indie yarns. As for books, I love many of them but the ones I'm coveting the most are the Charlene Schurch sock books and one on Latvian mittens.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I want to try some colourwork. It's my goal for the next year.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I'm sure you can guess the answer to the first question ;) My shoes are a size 6.5 or 7 (I'm in Canada, I don't know if sizes are different elsewhere).

23. When is your birthday?
December 3. Turning 30 this year!

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?
I am on Ravelry and my username is Caroline.

Oooh gifts!

Before I talk about the great package I received today, I will mention that I got the brand new Harry Potter book and that knitting will probably be set aside for a little while. I promise I won't post any spoiler on this blog, and I hope you guys will do the same.

So now, the gift. I got my last package from my Secret Pal, who happens to be Melanie. I am totally in love with everything she sent.



So what you see is yarn, fantastic organic chocolate (I already ate some!) and a fabulous-smelling soap.



The label says Huacaya Alpaca + Chiengora. Chiengora? Isn't that dog yarn? How cool! The only thing I'm worried about is that I'm allergic to dogs. I've been petting the yarn for a while now and I seem to be ok so I'm assuming either it's not really dog hair or I'm really allergic to dog's saliva and not the hair. Who knows. I have over 460 yards of it and I'd really like to make a shawl. I just need to find the perfect pattern (I accept suggestions).

Anyways. I hadn't planned on signing up for Secret Pal 11, but I just changed my mind. Sign-ups are up until July 31st, so visit this site if you want to play!

Oh I almost forgot to mention: I just cast on for another project : Coachella. I'll post WIP pics soon.

Goodies!

Thank you Secret Pal! I got a great package yesterday. It had some incredibly soft alpaca that she spun herself! No one had ever spun yarn for me before. I have 174 yards of it and it's a pretty thin weight. If anyone has ideas for patterns, please share as I'm really looking forward to using it. I also got a cute little pouch with dragonflies on it as well as some delicious chocolate bars (I ate one of them already). :)

I also got in the mail a DVD with the Knitty Gritty episode featuring the Yarn Harlot from Robyn. Thanks again, I'll watch it tonight.

Stash in boxes

I got a great gift from my Secret Pal a few days ago.



She gave me angora!!! I've never knit with angora before so I'm thrilled. I'm thinking of making mittens, what about you? I also got a cute card and some delicious chocolate. Thanks again, Secret Pal!

My Secret Pal hostess, Shelby asked us to post our stash. Well mine is very small:



This is the bulk of it and it fits in two baskets! I also have some more in there:



There's no eggs in that box, just some yarn and patterns. I'm moving in a little less than a month so I had to start packing. Of course, I left some things unpacked, like a couple of projects (I can't go almost a month without knitting). Here's my sock in progress:



Michelle asked me if I was using Trekking for these. It's actually Regia cotton. I'm loving the stripes and the yarn is really nice to work with. I recommend it.

Current favourite

My SP10 host Shelby asked participants to post their favourite WIP so here I go. I just started a couple of new projects and this one is my new favourite:



The pattern is the Winding Cable Socks, I got it when I subscribed to the KnitsNews newsletter. I love it because I'm using my new favourite sock yarn ever: superwash merino wool from Fearless Fibers. This one is the raspberry colourway. I liked it a lot when I saw it online, I loved it when I received the yarn and I want to marry it now that I've started knitting with it. It's the softest sock yarn I've ever used.

I've also recently cast on for Isabella with the black cotton I had in my mini-stash. I don't have a picture because I left it at my boyfriend's. I'm not sure I'll keep working on it anyways. I had to go down two needle sizes to get gauge, which means I have to use size 1 (2.5mm) needles. It looks like it'll take forever to finish.

I was supposed to go to a knitting meetup tonight but I ended up not being able to make it. I'm pretty bummed as the yarn faeries from Ariadne were supposed to bring some Lorna's Lace. I've never worked with that yarn and I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to resist. I guess my wallet is happy :)

We wants it!

I went shopping for my Secret Pal and got the most gorgeous sock yarn. It's beautiful. The colours are fantastic. It's... perfect.

And now I want to keep it for myself.

But I won't. It's for my pal. She'll love it I'm sure. And I don't want to buy new yarn for me until I make two more pairs. *sigh*

Oh and I'm not going to tell you what it is or post pictures in case my Secret Pal sees my blog (who knows just who reads this thing).

Also, in case some of the Montreal knitters are interested: Effiloché stocks Colinette Jitterbug sock yarn (no, it's not what I got for the pal) and it looks BEAUTIFUL and is incredibly soft, but it's a bit pricey (25$). I'm sure I'll treat myself and buy a skein someday though.

Bleh blah bluh

I haven't been feeling well this week. Everyone is sick around me so I may have caught something. I don't know. I'm just *really* looking forward to the weekend (I'm going to my mom's, yay!)

I received an email from my Secret Pal (HELLO SECRET PAL!!!). She said "I hope you like alpaca". I have a feeling she'll be a great pal. ;)

I've been knitting quite a bit, mostly on the ripple weave socks:



(Colour is really bad on that pic). I can't wait till I'm done, especially since I'll try the Fearless Fiber yarn I ordered a while ago next.I'm almost decided on a pattern too.

I was looking through my sort-of-stash and I decided I needed to make something out of the cotton I have. I'm really liking Isabella. I may wait until I get the new Vogue knitting though. Have you seen the preview? There are cute things in there...

Ok. Now I'm off to start the seaming on the blue cardigan. Yes, I'm going to seam. It's time. I just hope I don't ruin the thing...

SP Questionnaire

I haven't participated to a Secret Pal exchange in a while so I'm very excited to be part of that one. Thanks to Robyn for her help with my registration.

So, here's the questionnaire:

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love good ol' wool. Of course, I've also enjoyed cashmere the one time I used it ;) Like many people, I don't really care for scratchy acrylic.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
Store? ;) Most of my DPNs are in a bag. My straight needles (that I pretty much never use) are in a sort of vase. I use mostly my interchangeable circular sets (Denise and Knitpicks) which are in their own cases.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I've been knitting for a few years now. Maybe three or four? I learned from books and the Internet. I'd say my skills are intermediate.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I don't! But I recently made a post on books I'd like to own (though I can now scratch the Book of finishing techniques from that list since I'll get it from Mona tomorrow).


5. What's your favorite scent?
Good question. I don't have a favourite, but I prefer fruity scents to flowery scents.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Yes, yes, yes. I'm addicted to jujubes and jellybeans. And I love chocolate.


7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
Knitting is my hobby of choice. I want to learn to crochet someday. I don't spin but I'd like to learn.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I love all kinds of music. Most of my current favourites are French-Canadian artists (you all really should check out Malajube, they're great). I also LOVE Tori Amos, Björk, Fiona Apple and other strong female artists. Other than that, hmmm, let me check my little iPod: Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, Franz Ferdinand, FrouFrou, Beck, Garbage, Green Day, Metric, Mobile, Nirvana, No Doubt, Placebo, Radiohead, R.E.M, The Dresden Dolls, Weezer...

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love blue, red and pink. I rarely wear green (it doesn't look good on me) and yellow. Except on my feet. Any colour is good there.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I live by myself and will move in with my boyfriend in the summer. Unfortunately, I'm very allergic to most pets so I have none.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes, yes, yes and no.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Socks! I also like hats. I'd love to knit more sweaters but my seaming skills leave a lot to be desired.

13. What are you knitting right now?
Socks :) I also just started a hat. I need to block and seam a cardigan. And I have a shawl UFO that I need to get back to.


14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Of course!


15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I much prefer circular needles. I love bamboo but I'm totally in love with my Knitpicks options set.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Sadly, no. It's on my list of things to get.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
It's my shawl and I started it in May. Every other object that I haven't finished have been frogged.

18. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas!


19. Is there anything that you collect?
Sock yarn ;) No, I don't even have that much. I try not to collect things cause I'm a big clutterer.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I'd like to get old issues of Interweave Knits. My oldest one is from Summer 2004. Patterns? Hmm. I've always wanted to make Rogue. I'd like to make the Simple Knitted Bodice as well as Flicka and Cherry from My fashionable Life. Oh and I also love many patterns from White Lies Design. I don't have a subscription to any knitting magazines. And yarn? Oh my. There are MANY brands I'd like to try. I've never used Socks that Rock, Koigu and Lorna's Lace, to name a few.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I want to try colour work. Actually, I've tried fair isle before but my knitting was too tight. I need to give it another try.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes, I'm a sock knitter. My feet are small, I wear a size 6.5 (that's in Canada, I don't know if it's different from other parts of the world).

23. When is your birthday?
December 3 (I'll turn 30 this year!!!)

****
Robyn mentionned a tattoo meme on her blog. Here's mine (sorry for the bad quality):



It's on my right shoulder blade. I had it done in 2001. I don't think I'll get a second one but if I did, it would probably be a fleur de lys.