Thanks Secret Pal!

I've been waiting for one sunny day so I can take a proper photo of the haul I got from my SP10.

The fabulous Kae sent me not one, not two, but THREE books...

Knitting Without Tears by Elizabeth Zimmermann - my first EZ book and current bedtime reading. This book is even better than I expected. Her no-nonsense writing style really appeals to me and it'll probably be the first knitting book I read from cover to cover. I am tempted to take up her challenge of knitting socks on 4 different sized dpns to see if my fingers will really magically adjust the tension.

I'm already planning to make the seamless jumper with the saddle shoulders (especially after seeing the drool-worthy version here).

Stupid Sock Creatures by John Murphy - This is more an inspiration book rather than a practical step by step. It's laid out a little like a comic book, with stylised illustrations of the sock creatures (some of which, I must admit, are a bit scary looking). Having said that, there are lots of good ideas and techniques that I will probably used in different combinations. I especially like the different types of lips/pouts.

Finishing Techniques for Handknitters by Jane Crowfoot - An informative book on finishing (and other) techniques. I particularly like the very clear photos showing what different types of increases and decreases look like (for increases I've always just picked up the horizontal bar from the row below and knit into the back but now I think I'll use the pick up the stitch from the row below and knit into the back method as it's so much more invisible!)

In addition, I also got the following goodies...

• Cherry pattern by Anna Bell from My Fashionable Life
• 2 skeins of Berroco Bonsai - a surprisingly soft bamboo ribbon yarn
• A pretty spiral diary
• A box of chocolate Pocky sticks (not in photo as it no longer exist)
  

Thanks again, Kae!

Knit Off...!

I am a dismal failure! Team Louet, I let you all down.

Despite knowing that it starts 3am Sunday Sydney time, I signed up for Socktopia's live Knit Off. "Surely it can't be that hard to pull an all nighter to knit a pair of socks," thought I.

Alas, I completely over-estimated my stamina to pull all nighters in my advancing age. (Was I insane?)

It didn't help that I had a pretty full on weekend - I came home at 3am (2am thanks to daylight saving) from a hens' night on Sunday morning, already knackered, but decided to wait for the pattern launch on the website nevertheless. 3am. Nothing. 3.15. Nothing.

When 3.30am came and went, I couldn't cope any more and stumbled off to bed.

By the time I woke up, someone had already finished a sock! I tried to catch up, purely because I didn't want to let my team down, but I was so groggy from lack of sleep the night before so I only managed 1 sock by the end of the weekend.

(I name thee, Egg Yolk sock. Second sock is still in the making!)

Needless to say, I'm not going to attempt such a reckless venture for a while. I think.

On a more joyous note, I received my first Secret Pal package on Tuesday! It contained a ball of Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran, a ball of Bouton D'or Plum'Kid and the Erika Knight Glamour book.

I've had my eye on the Kid Silk Haze gloves in there ever since I saw a copy at Kinokuniya. Thanks Secret Pal!

In other knitting news, I've started the Jo Sharp cable cardigan for my mum from Knit 2. See?

(In the background is the wonderful Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush which I got recently and a wash cloth made from GGH Scarlett. I was at a LYS a couple of weeks ago looking for 2.5 dpns and somehow walked away with a ball of this softest of all cotton yarns. Don't ask. I'm weak!)

Oh and I'm supposed to talk about my favourite knitting accessory - does a piece of waste yarn count? It's so versatile. I can use it as a stitch holder to hold live stitches, tie knot to make a stitch marker, thread it through a row as a lifeline, and best of all (unlike most other knitting tools), it's FREE! So there you have it.

SP10 Questionnaire

I finally signed up to a Secret Pal! Here are my answers to the SP10 questionnaire...

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I almost ALWAYS knit with natural fibres but I'm not really a yarn snob. One of my favourite yarns is the good quality but affordable Rustic 8ply (100% wool) from Bendigo Woollen Mills. It only costs around AUD$10.70 for a whooping 200g ball.

If I must talk brands, my staples would be the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino range or Jo Sharp Silkroad Tweed range. I do luuuuv Rowan Kid Silk Haze and anything by Noro but they're not the most versatile/affordable of yarns. (Incidentally, Jerms presented me with a box of yarn when he proposed which included a skein of GORGEOUS Noro Iro. I don't think he realises how many points he scored that day.)

Of course I also like anything hand spun or hand dyed. I mean, who doesn't?

I don't use a lot of novelty yarns but I'm not totally adverse to them. I do loathe that Patons Feathers/Ostrich stuff however.

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

A couple of ancient biscuit/chocolate tins.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I learnt to knit when I was 6. I was actually taught by my babysitter.

I'm probably an intermediate knitter. I can follow pretty much any pattern and even make up patterns when I can be bothered, but there are quite a few things I have not tried, e.g. steeking (eerie music in background)...

I'm also a poor finisher. I hate seaming and picking up stitches and I can't for the life of me master Kitchener stitch. I would love a book on beyond the basics finishing techniques.

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

Here.

5. What's your favorite scent?

Anything citrus - like lemon or lime. Or gardenias. I'm not into strong floral scents - they tend to make my eyes water.

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

Most definitely. The bitterest dark chocolate and Hi-chews. And assorted Japanese snacks, e.g. Pocky.

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

In an ideal world where time is not a constraint, I would do a lot of felting and sewing, and learn to 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 would LOVE a compilation CD. I listen to a lot of Aussie alternative/rock... The Whitlams are my favourite band of all time. A few more International examples of what's on my iPod are... Ben Folds, Ben Kweller, Kings of Leon, Sufjan Stevens, The Magic Numbers, The Polyphonic Spree and Radiohead.

Yes, have iPods. Can play MP3s.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

I'm not into really extreme colours like hot pink or lime green but I generally like all colours. Except maybe shades of yellow/mustard. I also can't wear any shade of brown.

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

Married. No kids. Although am plotting to kidnap my neighbour's tabby.

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

Yes, yes, no and noooo!

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

Cardigans. And definitely going through a sock phase at present.

13. What are you knitting right now?

Socks. A second Cloud bolero. A cable cardigan for my mum.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Sure!

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

Circs. Addi Turbos and bambo. I have (multiple pairs of) most needle sizes and I'm getting a set of Knit Pick Options for my birthday so it will be hard to get me needles.

I would love one of those Clover felting needles though!

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

Yes to winder, no to swift (surely that's over the entire SP10 budget?!).

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

I recently discovered pieces of a lime green (what was I thinking?) cardigan at my parents' place which I started when I was still at uni. So it must be between 8 and 11 years old.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

I love the hot Australian Christmas. Beach, prawns, thongs (i.e. flip flops), mangoes.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Japanese craft books.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

Any book by Elizabeth Zimmerman.
Any pattern by Anna Bell from My Fashionable Life.
Yarns you can't get in Australia, e.g. Morehouse Farm Merino, Koigu, Fleece Artist and that Berroco Bonsai stuff. Sock yarns like Trekking XXL or Regia in solids or stripes.

I subscribe to Interweave Knits. Incidentally I'm quite picky about knitting mags. I don't like any of the Australian knitting magazines. I can get Vogue Knitting at my local library so I tend not to buy them unless there's something I actually intend to make (which is rare).

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

Steeking. Norwegian colour knitting. Continental knitting.

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

Recently converted. 26cm. Me, Big Foot.

23. When is your birthday?

21st March

(Hoorah! I finished!)