Cassandra's Place

Ice storm photos

2011-03-15T16:23:00.003-04:00

ALL OF THAT WHITE IN THE PHOTOS IS INDEED ICE.

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T13:09:00.000-05:00

My favorite Valentine is my family. (My husband of 16 years & my 3 daughter's). I just made an organic chocolate cake with chocolate frosting for dessert tonight. Dinner will consist of red & white food items. I hung a red metallic banner over my husband's chair that says "Love you forever". I put out a plate with Lindt truffles & ghiradelli raspberry chocolate squares. My 2 oldest girls will receive a small box of chocolates & my husband (I will sneak a few) will get the box of exquisite chocolates that i picked up at the chocolate shop yesterday.

Another storm

2011-01-29T14:36:00.006-05:00

Here are more storm photos. The first photo shows the layer of ice on the glass of my back door. The other 3 photos are taken from my yard.

Preemie hats

2011-01-24T21:19:00.002-05:00

We delivered 55 preemie hats to our local NICU on December 31st. They were so happy to have these. They desperately needed them. If you come across my blog & see this post, please knit or crochet some preemie hats & request my address to mail them to. I will be grateful for whatever you can send.

Another snow storm

2011-01-18T16:10:00.001-05:00

We are now on our third major snow storm within a week & a half. Today's storm dropped about 9 inches of snow, then turned to sleet. Now roads,trees & wires are covered in ice. I know it's winter, but give us a break!

An idea for my secret pal

2011-01-12T18:54:00.003-05:00

Here's something that i saw that would make a great secret pal gift. (Just click on "An idea for my secret pal" above. That will bring you to Patternworks website for a pattern & the sock yarn to knit them with).

Snow Storm # 1

2011-01-12T16:55:00.003-05:00

Here are 2 photos of the snow storm we had early last week. We got about a foot of snow in 1 day. The first photo is of my driveway. 2nd photo is of my husband plowing.

Yarn Giveaway

2011-01-10T08:06:00.011-05:00

Hey everyone, check out this blog for a chance to win some nice yarn. Click above on the words Yarn Giveaway. It will take you directly to the blog.

Another round of Secret Pal

2011-01-01T17:07:00.002-05:00

Yeah! I love secret pal. It's so much fun. Looking forward to it again. I have done quite a few rounds already.

Secret Pal 16 Questionaire

2011-01-01T16:54:00.002-05:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? Soft wools, patons bamboo & angora blend, sock yarns.
What fibers do you absolutely not like? mohair, scratchy wool, acrylic

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? small case

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? 6 years. A friend taught me the basics & i then took knitting lessons at my local yarn shop.
Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? intermediate

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? no but i can give you some ideas if you request it.

5. What’s your favorite scent? lemon, coconut,lavender, lilac

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? yes Favorite candy? M & M's

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? no

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

9. What’s your favorite color(s)? red,blue,grey,chocolate brown.
Any colors you just can’t stand? yellows,oranges,greens

10. What is your family situation? mom to 4 daughters ages 22,14,12,& 1.
Do you have any pets? no

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? yes

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? socks, baby items

13. What are you knitting right now? to much too list. I have 4 pairs of socks which are looking for their other mate, a few sweaters, odds & ends.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? anything but plastic

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? yes i own both

17. How old is your oldest UFO? 3 years old

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas What winter holiday do you observe? Christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect? gnomes, amethyst,sock yarn

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? I have sock patterns on my wishlist via Ravelry.
What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? almost all.

21. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn? knitting 2 socks at once but i really dont have time to learn that right now.

22. Are you a sock knitter? of course. What are your foot measurements? I am a US size 6 shoe

23. When is your birthday? June 28

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what’s your ID? MrsV

Secret Pal 15

2010-03-16T16:29:00.001-04:00

What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? soft wool, natural fibers, 100% cotton, sock yarn.

What fibers do you absolutely not like? acrylic, mohair, scratchy wools

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

How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? 5 years. A friend taught me.
Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? intermediate

Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? no

What’s your favorite scent? lilac, lavendar, lemongrass

Do you have a sweet tooth? YES.
Favorite candy? milk chocolate, M&Ms

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

Do you spin? NO Dye? YES

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

What’s your favorite color(s)? Red, grey,chocolate brown. Any colors you just can’t stand? black, yellow, orange, green

What is your family situation? Married with 4 girls

Do you have any pets? NO Are you allergic to any pets? Yes

Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or
ponchos? Yes to all

What is/are your favorite item/s to
knit? socks, baby items (my youngest is 10 months)

What is on your needles right now? too many things to count

Do you read knitting books? yes when I have a chance. What kind of books i.e. technique, pattern, fiction? varies mostly love stories or mysteries

Do you like to receive handmade gifts? yes of course

Do you prefer straight or circular needles? either is fine
Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? bamboo

Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? yes

How old is your oldest UFO? lost track

What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
What winter holiday do you observe? Christmas/New Years Eve

Is there anything that you collect? miniature items, journals especially handmade ones.

Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? hand dyed sock yarns of any kind

What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? all of them

Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn? no, not at this moment

Are you a sock knitter? Yes
What are your foot measurements? I wear a woman's size 6 shoe.

When is your birthday? June 28

Are you on Ravelry? Yes
If so, what’s your ID? MrsV

Are you on KnitPicks Knitting Community? no
What’s your username?

Final secret pal package received

2009-10-12T11:36:00.004-04:00

Now I know my secret pal partner. Her name is Judith and she's from Omaha, Nebraska. She sent me a book titled "the knitter's book of handy patterns", 2 skeins of Mondial bamboo yarn in fall colors, and she sent me some handmade cards personalized with my name on them. Terrific. Another great round of Secret Pal.

What a sweet gift

2009-09-25T14:58:00.002-04:00

I recently did a swap on Ravelry. The woman knew that I just had a baby and she took a few days and knitted this up for me and included it in the swap package. I almost cried. Just beautiful.

Look at what I couldn't resist!

2009-09-10T09:38:00.005-04:00

I attended a fair at my children's school. There was a booth with people from Ecuador selling these beautiful 50% wool/50% cotton sweaters. Any kids sweaters were $ 25 each. So although my baby is only 4 months old right now, I could not resist these 2. They are size 2 so they wont fit her for 2 years but at that price, I couldn't care. Nice buy!

Secret Pal package

2009-08-25T13:20:00.004-04:00

look at the yummy soft yarn. It's 3 skeins of Cash Vera DK in Charcoal color. I see a scarf or hat with this yarn. A soft knitted wash cloth, lavender soap. A candle from Yankee Candles that I forgot to put in the photo. It sits downstairs on the piano. Smells very nice.

Lightning Storm

2009-08-17T11:42:00.003-04:00

What a storm. Nice variations in the lightning.

Double rainbow

2009-08-11T09:30:00.000-04:00

this is what we saw after the rainstorm we had last week. Beautiful

Secret Pal 14 package

2009-08-04T10:27:00.003-04:00

I'm sorry for the delay in posting pictures of my first secret pal package. The yarn is Cascade "Venezia". It's 70% merino wool & 30% silk. Very soft and it's my favorite color. I love the notecard. It has this design on it that seems like it has been lasercut. The magnet is hanging on my fridge. The notepad is by the phone and is used for message taking.

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY

2009-08-02T07:59:00.002-04:00

We have had so much rain this summer. I am so sick of it. During the last few days alone, we got so much rain that most of our county has been declared a state of emergency from flooding. I had to drive thru a large puddle in front of our grocery store the other day, (following a bunch of cars going the same way) and what happens? The water torn off the cover from under my car. Its the cover that protects the underside of your engine and such. I had to call a friend whom came over with wire to strap it back up temporarily until my husband got home from being away the weekend. It had broke the cover right off from the screws so it's not possible to rehang it as the cover is broken off where it was connected to the 4 screws. We were lucky with our basement not being flooded. Our neighbors were not so lucky.

Magic Wings

2009-07-18T20:52:00.002-04:00

My family & I went to the Magic Wings Butterfly conservatory & gardens to celebrate my 37 birthday and my 15 wedding anniversary. (got married on my birthday).It was great. Butterflies were flying around freely and were landing on people's heads. There were so many & the colors were beautiful.
It was a 2 hour drive each way for us. The baby slept most of the way.

sp 14 questions & answers

2009-07-03T15:33:00.004-04:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? 100% cotton , bamboo, or very soft wool.

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

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? 5 years and learned from my local yarn store instructor. Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? intermediate

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? no

5. What's your favorite scent? lilac or rose

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? yes.....
Favorite candy? milk chocolate

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? sew.
Do you spin? no

8. What kind of music do you like? soft rock

9. What's your favorite color(s)? red, grey.
Any colors you just can't stand? black,greens,yellows

10. What is your family situation? married with 4 girls ages 21,13,11 years old and a 7 week old. Do you have any pets? no

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? yes to all

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? right now...baby items since i have a new daughter

13. What are you knitting right now? baby sweater for fall
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? yes
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? either Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? bamboo
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? yes

17. How old is your oldest UFO? i dont know

18. What is your favorite holiday? christmas What winter holiday do you observe?christmas/new years

19. Is there anything that you collect? miniature realistic items

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? no What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? all of them

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? no

22. Are you a sock knitter? yes. What are your foot measurements?ladies size 6 shoe

23. When is your birthday? june 28th. yes i just had a birthday

24. Are you on Ravelry? yes If so, what's your ID? MrsV

She arrived

2009-05-22T08:08:00.001-04:00

Well on May 5th (12 days past my due date), I gave birth to my 4th daughter. She weighed 7 lbs. 2 oz. and was 21.5" long. We have named her Sabinna.

OVERDUE

2009-04-29T09:32:00.002-04:00

I am officially over my due date by a week. The heat wave is killing me. Any suggestions on how to get these contractions going? I have had contractions on and off for a few weeks now, and my Doctor is amazed I haven't had the baby yet as my other 3 kids were anywhere from 4-11 days early. Contractions come (some strong) and after a few hours they stop. Every other day it's the same story.
I have tried all recommendations from Doctor, but the castor oil; which I hope would be my very very very last resort. 50% effaced and have been for weeks, 1 cm dilated.

Secret Pal 13 final package

2009-04-01T10:26:00.003-04:00

Sorry it took me so long to post about the final package. The 100% cashmere is so soft. I need to make sure I choose the perfect project for it. The candy bar went to a friend as I am trying not to have so much chocolate/sweets during the final few weeks of this pregnancy. My secret pal's husband was in a band and so his cd was a part of my package.

Secret Pal package 2

2009-01-30T09:15:00.003-05:00

Here is a photo of the 2nd secret pal package which arrived last week. I just love the yarn. It is so soft. I can't wait to knit up this baby sweater pattern that she sent along with it. My secret pal knows that I am expecting a baby in April and decided to put this great package together. Thank you to my secret pal.

Secret Pal 13 package 1

2009-01-30T08:38:00.003-05:00

thank you to my secret pal for this wonderful package. Missing from the photo is a package of spiced cider which I made up before taking this photo. Sorry for the delay in posting about this wonderful package from my secret pal. My husband uses the digital camera for work so I get lucky once in awhile when he leaves it with me.

Ice storm in NY

2009-01-13T11:09:00.004-05:00

Here you can see the ice storm that hit NY. These pictures were taken in my back yard of the trees covered in inches of ice. All the white you see is ice. The other image is taken from my driveway looking up my road. We were without power for 4 days. Others were without for up to 9 days. Roads were impossible to drive on due to downed trees and wires in the roads. It was very cold. Such crazy weather but boy it looked beautiful afterwards.

Strawberry hat and felted booties

2008-12-19T14:30:00.003-05:00

This is what I knitted up (and felted the booties) and donated to the school fair for them to sell. The hat sold, the booties did not. I was surprised they didn't sell because the school had put a $ 20 price tag on them. I brought them back home and the baby I am expecting in April 2009 will have these booties for the winter of 2009.

Pumpkins

2008-12-04T08:50:00.003-05:00

These are the pumpkins that my 2 daughter's carved out for the holiday. I like how the photo turned out.

SP 13 questions & answers

2008-11-11T07:42:00.002-05:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love to knit with soft wools and 100% cotton. I am picky about my yarn preferences. I don't knit with acrylics or any other synthetics or fur yarns or mohair.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? An old diaper bag

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? I have been knitting for 5 years. A friend taught me a bit and I then started taking knitting classes at my local yarn shop.
Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Intermediate

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? NO

5. What's your favorite scent? lavender

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? YES.
Favorite candy? M & M's and milk chocolate with almonds

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? SEW.
Do you spin? NO

8. What kind of music do you like? Sheryl Crow, Fleetwood Mac, others like that.
Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) YES

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Red, Gray, Beige
Any colors you just can't stand? green,yellow,orange,black

10. What is your family situation? Mother to 3 daughters, baby on the way due in April 2009, happily married for 14 years.
Do you have any pets? NO

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? YES to all.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? socks especially but I also like to knit hats, scarfs, fingerless gloves. Now I am knitting baby things as well.

13. What are you knitting right now? sweater for daughter, 3 pairs of socks, baby things (lots of projects on needles right now. I can't just knit 1 project at a time.)

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Absolutely.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Either
Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? bamboo or aluminum is fine

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

17. How old is your oldest UFO? about 3 years...a pinwheel baby blanket I started but then had a miscarriage, so now that we are expecting, I have been working on it and will try to have it done by April 2009.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas (without the snow and cold weather)

19. Is there anything that you collect? amethyst, gnomes,fairies, miniature items

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? No not really. Perhaps a nice bag pattern from "These 2 old bags".
What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? basically I subscribe to all of them.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? no. I once thought I'd like to attempt 2 socks at a time method but now realize that I wouldn't be able to do it. I have the book to show me how so maybe someday I'll attempt it.

22. Are you a sock knitter? YES
What are your foot measurements? I wear a ladies small shoe size 6

23. When is your birthday? June 28th

baby hat

2008-10-22T08:49:00.002-04:00

I knitted up very quickly this newborn hat for my grand daughter Hannah whom was born on August 6th. I used up some cotton sock yarn that I had leftover. I did a lace design throughout the hat. When I went down to visit, I put the hat on her. Well let's just say that it will fit for a week and that is it. Either the hat was way too small (tight knitter) or the babies head was bigger than a newborn sized head. Who knows? So it was nice while it lasted.

Look what we came across!

2008-10-22T08:41:00.002-04:00

We came home late one evening to find this on our lantern. Look at the size of it. (husband's hand for comparison of size). Anyone know exactly what kind this is?

Secret Pal 13

2008-10-22T08:28:00.002-04:00

Another round of secret pal is getting ready to start. I am so excited. I missed the last round because I missed the signup deadline. I can't wait to get started!

They're here!

2008-08-19T07:30:00.003-04:00

My daughter had her twins 2 weeks ago. Both girls. They had to deliver them early as my daughter developed a pretty bad case of preeclampsia. One weighed 5 lbs. 2 oz. and the other was 4 lbs. 11 oz. They are good babies. They like to sleep (for now).

Longing for spring swap

2008-03-13T15:52:00.003-04:00

Received my package yesterday. I took a photo of my package however I didn't get in the photo the incense, the lavender lip balm, a few pieces of organic chocolate & 2 tea bags of some nice organic tea.

Cobblestone sweater

2008-02-25T08:24:00.002-05:00

Well I finally finished the sweater that I was supposed to give my husband for Christmas, but ended up giving it to him on Valentine's Day. I bought 14 skeins of the skye tweed yarn (2 more skeins than the pattern called for) and I ran out of yarn about 8" from finishing. This yarn had been discontinued and I couldn't find it anywhere online. I then checked Ravelry and messaged others whom made projects with this exact yarn and asked for leftovers. I had 3 members respond and lets say they were so friendly with mailing me their leftovers. I got enough to finish the sweater and then some. I just might make a matching hat or two with the remainings.

Longing for Spring Swap

2008-02-19T09:37:00.002-05:00

Here is the questionaire for the swap
Questionnaire

Do you knit or crochet? I knit only. How long have you been at your craft? 5 years
What are your favorite yarns/fibers? 100% cotton or 100% soft wools.
What are your least favorite yarns/fibers? mohair or acrylics, or anything that is not natural. No furry, no eyelash.
What are your favorite colors? reds, browns, earth tones, grays
What are your least favorite colors? black, greens, yellows, white
What ‘warm weather’ project are you looking forward to making this year? perhaps a shawl or a vest
What are you favorite scents? rose and lavender and coconut
Least favorite? really cheap imitation perfume smells
What is your favorite flower? Rose
What are you favorite spring time hobbies/activities? knitting and dyeing wools
Do you have a garden? If you do, tell us a little about it. Do you like to plant flowers or vegetables? NO I don't have the time for taking care of a garden so I don't bother anymore.
What are your favorite sweets? milk chocolate with nuts, sweet candy
Do you collect anything? gnomes, fairies, miniature items of "realistic" items
Do you have any allergies? I don't like the smell of cigarette smoke
Do you have any pets? NO

Pink Llama

2008-01-18T11:45:00.001-05:00

My daughter asked for a pink Llama, she got it! it's the Fiber Trends felted alpaca & Llama pattern.
I blurred out all of the distractions in the background so you could focus on the actual object in this photo.

Sp11 package 3 photo

2008-01-18T10:35:00.000-05:00

I finally got to taking photos of my swaps. Here is my last SP11 package that I received. My pal was great.

Hand dyed sock yarn swap

2007-11-23T14:43:00.001-05:00

I am participating in a hand dyed sock yarn swap. I love sock yarn!!!!!!!! I love to knit socks!!!!!!!!
I will update with a photo of what I sent out to my partner. I believe she also is the person whom is sending to me as well. So photos to come when I receive my package.

sp11 package 3 out in the mail

2007-11-23T14:40:00.000-05:00

I have mailed out my 3rd and final package to my sp11 pal. I hope she's pleased with her package. My husband had the camera with him at work so I wasn't able to take photos of what I sent. Perhaps I can borrow my pal's photo when she posts to her blog upon receiving it.

photo

2007-10-24T06:58:00.000-04:00

As promised, here is the photo of my second package that I received from my sp11 pal. The yarn is very soft. Thank you.

My 2nd secret pal package arrived

2007-10-22T20:43:00.000-04:00

Thank you to my secret pal for your wonderful package. After being at the dentist for 2.5 hours getting 3 stainless steel pins impeded into my gums for bridge prep., It was such a nice treat to find my 2nd package waiting for me at the post office. I will post a photo tomorrow when I am feeling a bit better.

Sp 11 package 2

2007-10-18T20:28:00.000-04:00

Well I managed last week to ship out package #2 to my secret pal. She received it today. Boy is it hard to shop for yarn when you don't know the person whom your shopping for. So I got her a bit of everything. I hope she can use some of it. She can't knit with wool so that leaves cottons and acrylics.

Poncho time

2007-10-05T09:29:00.000-04:00

Lion Brand website just posted a new pattern that is just what I was looking for as my new project for the fall weather here in NY. It's the "Basketweave Cape". I love the charcoal colored yarn they used, but not into knitting with acrylic SO I will have to see what my alternatives are for a chunky wt. yarn. Check it out on the Lion Brand website.
Here's the link: http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/VK25CapeAD.html?noImages=0

**I apologize if my link doesn't work. I'm not that computer smart yet. You can copy the link and paste it into your browser.

First Sp11 package that was sent out

2007-10-02T12:43:00.000-04:00

In this photo is what I sent off to my pal for her 1st package. She really loved it. I'm glad to hear that.

SP 11 update

2007-09-08T16:02:00.000-04:00

Well today my secret pal received her package from me AND I received my package today from my pal. She sent me sock shaped needle protectors, the sheep shawl lace pattern that I wanted, and merino wool lace yarn to knit it up with. I can't wait to get started. (Now that the kids are back to school, I have some "me" time.)

Sp11 contest

2007-08-17T08:17:00.000-04:00

1. What is the one knitting accessory you could not live without? the end protectors that go on the end of the needles. I started using these because I found that when I pulled my knitting out of the bottom of my bag, stitches came off and undone.

2. If you're heading on vacation, do you take knitting with you? Absolutely!
If so, how much and what type of project? socks as it takes up less room.

3. Where have you travelled to that you'd consider your favorite spot? Isle of Haute in Maine. Small private island with only a few people whom live there. You can only get there by boat. So quiet!

4. What is your favorite knitting book at the moment? I really don't have a favorite knitting book.
Do you own it?
5. Do you listen to podcasts? No.
Which is your favorite(s)?

SECRET PAL 11

2007-08-13T09:05:00.000-04:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love to knit with soft wools and 100% cotton. I am picky about my yarn preferences. I don't knit with acrylics or any other synthetics or fur yarns or mohair.

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

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? I have been knitting for 5 years. A friend taught me a bit and I then started taking knitting classes at my local yarn shop.
Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Intermediate

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? NO

5. What's your favorite scent? lavender

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? YES.
Favorite candy? M & M's and milk chocolate with almonds

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? SEW.
Do you spin? NO

8. What kind of music do you like? Sheryl Crow, Fleetwood Mac, others like that.
Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) YES

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Red, Gray, Beige
Any colors you just can't stand? green,yellow,orange,black

10. What is your family situation? Mother to 3 daughters, married for 13 years.
Do you have any pets? NO

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? YES to all.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? socks especially but I also like to knit hats, scarfs, fingerless gloves.

13. What are you knitting right now? sweater for husband, 3 pairs of socks, lots of projects on needles right now. I can't just knit 1 project at a time.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Absolutely.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Either
Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? bamboo or aluminum is fine

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

17. How old is your oldest UFO? about 3 years...pinwheel baby blanket

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas (without the snow and cold weather)

19. Is there anything that you collect? amethyst, gnomes,fairies, miniature items

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? The Sheep shawl or the Seascape shawl pattern.
What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? basically I subscribe to all of them

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Fair Isle, Intarsia

22. Are you a sock knitter? YES
What are your foot measurements? I wear a ladies small shoe size 6

23. When is your birthday? June 28th

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

Sp 10 update

2007-07-23T11:59:00.000-04:00

well I received my last 2 sp10 packages from my partner. She was going thru health issues and just couldn't get it together on time. But she did eventually mail me out the 2 packages. Better late than never. It's also a waiting game to see whether you get anything or not. It worked out in the end for me.

Last SP10 package

2007-07-02T07:43:00.000-04:00

since I forgot to take a photo of the last sp10 package that I mailed off to my sp10 pal, I borrowed her photos from her blog. She loved all 3 packages that I mailed to her. It was nice spoiling you Nicole.

Surgery

2007-06-15T20:23:00.000-04:00

Well on June 19th, I will have ankle surgery and will be laid up for 8 weeks in a cast and crutches. I need some small knitting projects to keep me busy as I am unable to do anything during this time. If you want to help out and send me a small project, get in touch with me and I'll send you my address. My 2 daughters are upset about the news. This will take a toll on them as well. I have set up a food chain and playdates for the 1st two weeks after surgery but what happens after that is uncertain. My whole family lives 1.5 hours away, and none of them have offered any type of help. (I mean at least offer to make a few meals, freeze them, drive the 3 hours round trip to help me out). I drive to visit them all of the time. I have been in my home 18 years. My mom has never been to my house, my dad came once and when I told him no smoking in my house, he never came back. My sisters have been here twice. Pretty sad that you can't rely on family when you are in desperate times. I have never asked them for help until now, and I don't receive any positive reactions. What to do????

SP10 Final month

2007-06-15T20:20:00.000-04:00

Well it's the last month of secret pal 10. I will be mailing off my last package to my partner. I hope she likes it. Picture will come once she confirms receipt of it. As of today, I have only received 1 package in April. I hope there's more to come. We'll see.

2nd sp 10 package mailed off

2007-06-03T13:23:00.000-04:00

This is what was in the 2nd package I mailed off.

1st secret pal packaged mailed

2007-06-03T13:19:00.000-04:00

This is what was in the first sp10 packaged that I mailed off. Hand dyed sock yarn, candy, organic soap, notepad, cascade 220 yarn.

Easter chicks knitted pattern

2007-05-20T09:30:00.000-04:00

I have had several requests to share the pattern for the knitted easter chicks.
Here is the link: http://www.craftown.com/knitpat5.htm

Lilac sock knitalong

2007-05-18T09:05:00.000-04:00

I participated in a sock knitalong and here is the finished product. I used some merino wool sock yarn that I hand dyed myself.

First SP10 package received

2007-05-16T09:17:00.000-04:00

I received my first sp10 package and all I can say is WOW! Take a look at the beautiful yarns. The natural colored cotton is so soft. The chocolates are waiting for me to enjoy. Thank you to my wonderful pal. I appreciate your thoughts that went into this.

The Bear

2007-04-30T12:16:00.000-04:00

Here is the wool teddy bear that I knitted up in 3 days. I threw it into the washer 4 times and as you can see it didn't really get felted 100% but when I gave it to my daughter, she was pleased. So that is the most important thing. I will say that I won't be trying this again (knitting a project like this in 3 days....I am tired!!)

Socks for Marianne

2007-04-30T12:13:00.000-04:00

The socks for my 8 year old are done as well. Notice how the socks are different? Weird but nice!
She likes them. I'm happy!

Socks for Rebecca

2007-04-30T12:11:00.000-04:00

I finally finished the socks for my 10 year old. I like the way the yarn knitted up. She's happy with them.

Easter chicks

2007-04-30T12:04:00.000-04:00

I was asked by my daughter's teacher to knit up something Easter related to sell at the school. The money raised will go into the class fund. The class fund was set up to help pay for expenses of the class for those whom couldn't pay their part. So I knitted up these chicks using 100% wool. It took me about an hour per chick. My husband finished them off by adding the red felted details and the black eyes. Three sold at $10 each.

First sp10 arrived to my partner Nicole

2007-04-16T10:43:00.000-04:00

Nicole contacted me to thank me for my 1st package. It contained a skein of hand dyed sock yarn, a skein of cascade 220 wool, candy, some writing paper, a bar of organic jasmine soap. She's into sock knitting which makes it easy for me to shop for her because I am into sock knitting as well.

SP10 MY FAV KNITTING PATTERN

2007-04-05T08:37:00.001-04:00

I would have to say that although it was the most difficult pattern for me to do & 2 years of knitting (only knitted during my spare time), my favorite pattern was from a Yankee Knitter Designs called "Fisherlad Guernsey Sweater" that I knitted for my husband. The pattern on the front also continues onto the back. I gave it to him on Christmas morning and he loved it. He couldn't say enough about it.
He has worn the sweater many times and has received many glorious comments on it. One of his friends asked whether I could knit the sweater for him. My husband responded back "NO, this is a one-of-a-kind".
I have attached a photo of the pattern, a photo (minus the husband's face) wearing it. It was the only way he would let me post the photo so hence the photo without a face/head.

Secret pal 10

2007-04-03T08:02:00.000-04:00

To the person whom was chosen to send to me, I just wanted to respond to your question that yes I have received your emails. Thank you so much for inquiring.

time to contact the secret pal

2007-04-02T22:15:00.000-04:00

Well according to the secret pal guidelines, we must contact our partners on the 1st & 15th of each month during the swap months. So I sent to my secret pal a April's Fools Day e-card. It was funny. She emailed to say she liked her. Her little boy enjoyed it as well. So now I killed 2 birds with 1 stone as the saying goes. I contacted my secret pal on the 1st of April and I can blog about it today which takes care of 1 post out of the 4 that I need to have every month as well during this swap.

My Fav knitting accessory

2007-03-30T15:32:00.000-04:00

I had a habit of grabbing a project to work on from the very bottom of my knitting bag and then wondered why stitches were dropped. I of course have no idea how to get stitches back on when they have unraveled down to a few rows. I then patiently await for my local yarn store to open so she can fix my problem. After a few times of this happening, I was given the suggestion to buy point protectors to put on the end too keep my stitches on the needles. So now I have a case full and I do use them often especially when I am knitting socks as these stitches always seem to be the hardest ones to get back on the needles.

Secret Pal 10 partner

2007-03-29T09:20:00.000-04:00

For this round of secret pal, I requested to have a partner here in the USA. The last round of this swapping got a bit overwhelming for me with the international shipping costs. So now I have a partner whom is only a few states away. The swapping runs from April-June. We send 1 small package a month for those 3 months or 1 large package in June. I prefer to send (& receive) a package a month because there's more excitement involved with it. The partner I was chosen to send too just loves knitting socks which is wonderful for me because so do I. I find it easier to send to someone whom has the same interests as you. So off to shop for the first "gift package".

Nice shawl from secret pal 9 partner

2007-03-19T17:33:00.000-04:00

Another gift from my secret pal 9 partner. This shawl is nice. I have had a few friends comment on it. Thank you. I hope your secret pal was a kind as mine.

secret pal 9 package

2007-03-19T17:27:00.000-04:00

I'm just now getting to download my photos (I'm behind a bit, I know). This photo shows the 5 skeins of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes yarn that my partner sent me to practice from the fair isle knitting book she mailed prior to the yarn.

favorite color swap 2 questionnaire

2007-02-11T18:24:00.000-05:00

1. What are your top three favorite colors? reds, greys, browns

2. What crafts do you really enjoy? knitting, hand dyeing, sewing

3. What products do you really covet? sock knitting, nice stitch markers

4. What other activities do you enjoy besides your favorite crafty things? playing with the kids and spending time with my husband

5. Is there anything you collect? miniature items, nice journals

6. What is your zodiac sign and/or Chinese zodiac symbol? cancer

7.What are your favorite…

…scents/smells? lavendar, rose, lemon

…types of music and/or bands? sheryl crow, fleetwood mac

…authors? none really

…animals? none

…places to shop? yarn stores

…season? spring

…yarn/fabric/paper/other craft supplies? sock yarn

…candies or goodies? milk chocolate, sweets

8. Do you have any wish lists? sheep lace shawl pattern from fiber trends

9. Are you allergic to anything? very scratchy rough wool, mohair, fuzzy yarns

10. Do you have any pets? What are they? no

11. Please include anything else you would like your secret pal to know about you- anything that would be helpful in finding you little gifts that you will really enjoy.

Secret Pal 10 questionaire

2007-02-04T13:53:00.000-05:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? soft wool (must be at least 50% wool), 100% cotton

What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? mohair or acrylic, rough itchy wool

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

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? 4-5 years. A friend taught me & I then participated in weekly knitting classes at my local yarn store.
Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? intermediate

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? no

5. What's your favorite scent? lemon, lavendar

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? yes
Favorite candy? milk chocolate

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? I hand dye sock yarn to sell on ebay to pay tuition for my 2 daughters, I sew & I do scherenschnitte (a type of papercutting)
Do you spin? no

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I like sheryl crow, fleetwood mac, linda rondstat

9. What's your favorite color(s)? red, dark orange, burgundy, wine
Any colors you just can't stand? yellow, black, white, green

10. What is your family situation? married for 12 years with 3 daughters.
Do you have any pets? no

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? yes to all of these.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I love to knit all things.

13. What are you knitting right now? socks for the family, winter stuff.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? absolutely

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? both
Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? all but plastic

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

17. How old is your oldest UFO? 3 years: a pinwheel baby blanket.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas.

19. Is there anything that you collect? miniatures, fairies, gnomes, elves, amethyst

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? I would love to have the sheep lace shawl pattern.
What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? mostly all of them

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? not really

22. Are you a sock knitter? yes
What are your foot measurements? ladies size 6 shoe, 9 inches foot measures

23. When is your birthday? June 28th

Yarn

2007-02-01T09:06:00.000-05:00

I just listed a bunch of yarn on ebay (user id: vormer). I need to sell, so if you see something you like......

secret pal 9 package

2007-01-11T10:44:00.000-05:00

Here is a photo of a great Fair Isle knitting book that I received also from my secret pal 9 partner.

secret pal 9

2007-01-11T10:40:00.000-05:00

Well now that I have a few spare moments, I can catch up on listings for the swaps that I am involved in. Here is a package from my secret pal 9. I have a wonderful partner.

Anyone have???

2007-01-11T09:51:00.000-05:00

I am looking for a metal/aluminum 11 inch circular needle size 3 for knitting cuffs on socks. If you have one or more that you would like to get rid of or sell, please get in touch with me by leaving me a comment on how I can contact you. Thank you.

Hello fellow bloggers & swappers

2007-01-02T08:45:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had a nice Christmas holiday and a great New Year's celebration. Here's to a wonderful 2007 to all of you.

secret pal 9

2006-12-30T15:14:00.000-05:00

I received another wonderful package from my secret pal 9 partner. Thank you so much. I have enjoyed all of the gifts you have sent to me. I was under the impression that we "revealed" ourselves to our partner during the "final package". I got a card from you but without any revealing info. to tell me who you are and whom I have been getting these great packages from. Can you contact me to fill me in a bit about yourself?

Hi Chris

2006-12-04T10:46:00.000-05:00

This message is for Chris who left me a message yesterday on my blog about the trouble with her swaps as well. Get back in touch with me and perhaps you & I can swap with each other with a swap we wanted but never received. Send me your info. and I'll do the same.

Coffee & Yarn Swap

2006-12-04T10:40:00.000-05:00

My partner received her parcel. She's pleased. This is what I sent.

secret pal

2006-12-02T12:57:00.000-05:00

My secret pal 9 partner received her 2nd package yesterday in the mail. It sure arrives in England in record time. Her first package made it to her in 4 days, and now her 2nd package makes it in 4 days. Fast! It takes 2 days for me to get a letter from my family in the mail & they only live 1 1/2 hours away. Crazy huh? Alice (my secret pal 9 partner) loves what I sent her. She emailed me to say that the sock knitting kit I sent her will be her Christmas Sock Kit to work on during the holiday. Enjoy it Alice!!

secret pal 9

2006-11-24T16:10:00.000-05:00

To my secret pal 9 partner:
I received your nice package today. The yarn is wonderful, the soap is so nice smelling, and the candy bar will be enjoyed by my 2 girls, my husband and myself. Thank you for being a great partner.

secret pal 9 package 2

2006-11-20T09:53:00.000-05:00

I will be mailing out to my secret pal her 2nd package. She loved the 1st package. Photo is posted in a previous post. She will like this package as well. I will wait until after she receives it before I post a photo as it is a secret!

It's not over till the fat lady sings

2006-11-20T09:05:00.000-05:00

For this swap: we had to send to 1 partner a swap that they never received or for a swap that they were not particularly happy with. I chose to do the pink swap that my partner stated she would like to redo. Photos of what I sent.

Knit Mitt Kit Swap Questionairre

2006-11-01T12:11:00.000-05:00

What are your favorite colors? red,maroon,dark coral, dark tangerine, dark pumpkin

Are you a new mitt knitter? How long have you been knitting mittens? I have knitted wristwarmers for 5 friends, & mittens for my kids.

Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn? multi

What fibers do you prefer in mitten yarn? soft wool (I can't wear scratchy rough wool)

Where do you usually knit mittens?

How do you usually carry/store small projects? ziplock bag

What are your favorite mitten patterns? the easy ones especially if done in the round

What are your favorite mitten knitting techniques? none in particular

What new techniques would you like to try? fair isle

What are your favorite needles for knitting mittens? no favorites in particular

What are some of your favorite yarns? alpaca, merino wool, cashmerino

What yarn do you totally covet? alpaca or very soft wools

Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object? alpaca shoulderette or lap blanket

Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)? anything but plastic or dpn

If you were a specific kind of yarn, which brand and kind of yarn would you be? alpaca or merino

Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack? milk chocolate or sweets

What’s your favorite animal? allergic to animals

Would you prefer super warm mittens or something more like fingerless mitts? super warm mittens as it gets cold in NY

If you were a color what color would you be? RED

What is your most inspiring image, flower, or object in nature? tulips, flower fairies, babies

Do you have a wishlist? no

Anything else you’d like to share with the group today? any questions, just ask.

To all of you knitters out there

2006-11-01T09:47:00.000-05:00

I wanted to promote the yarn that I am selling on Ebay. User id: vormer
I also sell hand dyed merino wool sock yarn. My 2 youngest daughters & I have been dying sock yarn since April '06 and it's been good. However, I need to sell more to pay tuition so help me out knitters and check me out on Ebay. Thank you.

Swap-bot

2006-10-31T14:02:00.000-05:00

To Anonymous who left a message about whether it's fair to leave feedback for a "no send" only 7 days after the "mail by date" of the swap. Sorry if it offends you however when I leave the ratings for the swaps I don't get, I also state that I will change the feedback once something arrives. If something doesn't arrive, feedback remains the same. Otherwise, I am a very sincere person and I will change the feedback once I get something. Keep in mind that I have been screwed out of 7 swaps total despite the fact that I have mailed every single one of mine. It's pretty sad when you can't count on swappers sending their packages. As of today's date, I still yet to receive the 7 swaps. So if you mailed the swap, I should have received it or will receive it shortly. Of course I have no idea which swap we are talking about since you didn't state which one you mailed off or will be mailing off.

Secret Pal 9

2006-10-28T13:50:00.000-04:00

to my secret pal: I have received your package today. WOWWY! I just love it. Thank you for your little note. I was unable to go to the sheep & wool festival but I hear it was so busy that it made it hectically crazy for some peope to walk around. This is what my secret pal sent me.

Updates

2006-10-28T13:48:00.000-04:00

Today I have mailed out the final package to my secret sister. Also I mailed out my final package to my swap with the same person for a month partner. I hope they both are happy with what I have sent them over the last 4 weeks of these swaps.

Swaps

2006-10-26T12:32:00.000-04:00

Well after sending all swaps that I had signed up for, it's a bit sad to see that other swappers didn't take it as serious as others like me. I am still waiting on 9 swaps to arrive. If it continues to appear that swappers just want to receive and not send, I won't be signing up for anymore. I go way beyond the swap requirements, spend quite a bit of money on shipping these out, and I anxiously await mine. When I do get my swap, it's so nice to open it up. When I don't get my swap, it's heartbreaking. So I will have to wait & see what I will do.

secret sister swap

2006-10-26T12:29:00.000-04:00

I have mailed out 3 packages so far to my secret sister. She lives in Alabama. 1 more package to be shipped too her. Then this will complete my secret sister swap responsibilities to my partner.
I have also received 3 packages as well. Thank you to my secret sister. It's been a fun swap.

swap with the same person for a month

2006-10-26T12:24:00.000-04:00

well to update on this swap:
I have mailed out 3 seperate packages to the partner I was chosen to send too. She is from Missouri. I have received only 1 package from the person whom was to send too me. She is from the UK. So here's to more packages that I can expect. (I hope).

Secret Pal 9

2006-10-26T12:22:00.000-04:00

My first package has gone out to my pal in England. I sent her......sssshhhhh it's a secret.
I will have to post photos once it's arrived to her. I will say though that what I sent her will keep her fingers busy.
UPDATE: Now that it has arrived, here is what I sent.

Secret Pal 9

2006-10-23T09:29:00.000-04:00

I have my pal's info. She is from England. It's going to be rough finding things for people you don't know. I will send her 1 package a month (Nov.-Jan). She likes to knit socks so perhaps each month she will get a sock kit plus a few other small treats. International shipping sure can add up when you are involved with international swaps.

hot socks

2006-10-23T09:21:00.000-04:00

hot socks
Originally uploaded by Cassandra12565.

Wow! What a wonderful treat from Lizette for the Hot Socks Swap.

Secret Pal 9

2006-10-11T09:22:00.000-04:00

Dear anonymous,
My email address has been corrected now for the secret pal 9. Sorry about the problem you encountered with trying to contact me.

stitchmarkers swap

2006-10-04T10:17:00.000-04:00

for the stitchmarkers swap, we had 2 partners. This swap came from Michelle who lives in Wa.

swaps

2006-10-04T09:47:00.000-04:00

this is what I sent for the "Have you any wool?" swap. This went to Jen in Ma.this is what I received from my "Have you any wool?" swap. This came from Deborah in New Jersey.this is what I received from the Magic yarn ball swap. It was sent by Maylin who lives in France.This is the assorted candy swap I received from Jessica who lives in Ma.this is what I received from the Knitting & Assorted Swap. It came from Jen who lives in Ma.

Secret Pal 9 questions & answers

2006-10-03T15:24:00.000-04:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love soft wool (must be at least 50% wool) and I like 100% cotton. No mohair or acrylic please.

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

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I have been knitting now for 5 years. A friend taught me. I would say that I am intermediate.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
no

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)
Lilac, lavendar, rose, coconut, vanilla, strawberry

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
yes...I love m&m's, milk chocolate with almonds

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I sew. I do needle felting. Papercutting. I don't spin.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I like soft rock. Linda Rondstat, Sheryl Crow, Fleetwood Mac. Yes my computer plays MP3s.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
My favorite colors are red, maroon, very dark pumpkin orange,rust, dark/light gray.
I don't like yellows, peach, greens,black.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I am 34 with 3 daughters ages 8, 10, 18. Married for 12 years to a sweet man. No pets due to allergies.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
yes, yes, yes.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I love to knit things for my kids. I knit them hats, sweaters, legwarmers.

13. What are you knitting right now?
A few gifts to give as part of my swaps thru swat-bot. I also have a new grandson so I'm knitting him a sweater. Lots of knitting projects going on as usual.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Absolutely. Especially simple things as I am a simple natural person.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
anything but plastic is ok

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
yes I do

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
2 years...a pinwheel baby blanket. I stopped knitting it when I had my miscarriage.

18. What is your favorite holiday?
I don't have one in particular but I like Christmas because I am able to give my knitted items as gifts to my family.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
I collect amethyst stones, miniature items that resemble real life, needle felting figures.

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 would love to have some very lovely extremely soft alpaca yarn. Hand dyed wool is wonderful too. I think I get most of the knitting magazine subscriptions.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
fair isle, knitting images into my projects

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
yes I am a sock knitter. I have a woman's small foot measurement. I wear woman's size 5 shoe
or 8.5 inches for sock measurements.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
June 28th

secret sister swap

2006-09-25T09:53:00.000-04:00

Well today I found out my "secret sister" swap partner. Her name is Lana from Alabama. How it works is that I have to send her 4 parcels from October 10th-October 31st. The first 2 parcels should be small, the 3rd parcel should be medium size and then the 4th and final parcel should be bigger. With sending the 4th parcel, I provide information about myself to her so she knows whom she has been getting these gifts from. The idea is not to let her know before the 4th parcel.
The difficult part is to get her to provide me with enough info. about herself so I have ideas as to what to send her.
I can't wait to see what I get from my secret sister. It's going to be full of surprises here for these 4 weeks.