Something is actually finished!

I have been meaning to photograph the final finshed spring hiking sock, but I did finally get my Seattle sock finished last night. I should have found a better place to photograph them, as the photo has a lot of pattern going on. I love the way the Seattle sock fits and the colors are beautiful! However it is close to 100 degrees here now, so they will be a treat to find again in the fall!

Happy Knitting!!

I love this!!

I love this, but can't remember my youtube user name and password combo, so you'll have to just follow the link!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0YfCDVSxrE

Happy Tuesday!!

PRGE (mini) questionnaire

1. Why are you punk?
It is an attitude as much as a style - I am always off the track a little bit... A friend recently described me as feminine with a hard edge - I was thrilled... Although, anything black, with skulls, funky, and deconstructed is right up my alley!

2. What are your five favorite things? (these don't have to be knit related)
Cooking a wonderful dinner, an afternoon of crafting or knitting, Seattle, visiting my grandma, anything that is handmade with love

3. What are your three favorite things that you have made with knitting/crochet?
Wavy lace shawl (my first lace), tofutsies socks (I wear them alot) and my black cashmere hat

4. What five things would you love to see in a swap box someday?
local items from my swap partners home, hand spun yarn, new patterns that my swap partner enjoys, lace yarn, chocolate

5. What are your three favorite yarns? What are your three least favorite yarns?
jade cashmere, alpaca (especially lace weight), tofutsies are favorites -- anything acrylic, anything novelty, anything that is not natural fibers are the least favorites

6. What are your five favorite delicacies?
good chocolate, good wine, cake, beautiful hand dyed yarns, handmade gifts

7. What are your three favorite guilty pleasures?
My Name is Earl, sale shopping, cheap pedicures

8. What would you like your pal to know that is not covered here?
I love handmade and well thought out gifts. I try to shop at small stores where you are actually supporting people not corporations - I still believe that if enough people make small changes, collectively we can make big changes. Yes, there's a little hippy in my punk. I am so excited for this exchange!!

New treats

There hasn't been much knitting this week. But I have a couple of projects that are really close to being done, so soon....
But I was up in Boulder at Shuttles, Spindles and Skeins and bought the new IK and they had all the back issues so I was able to get the one with the Swallowtail shawl in it!! Yippee! I have been looking for it for about 6 months now!

The two books you may recognize from my PRGE pal, Spinalcat. Beth from Baseball Knitter, made the ingenious suggestion of taking MSKS to Staple and having them cut off the binding and spiral binding the book. Now both of these books are so much more useable and I don't have to photocopy every pattern that I want to use! Thanks Beth!!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!
Happy Knitting!!

PRGE (mini)!!

I just opened sign ups for Punk Rock Gift Exchange (mini). It is a one month punk knit/crochet swap. If anyone is interested details can be found at www.prge.blogspot.com.

Really there will be finished knits on this site soon!!
Happy Knitting!!
sunne

Final Seattle Post

So there hasn't been much knitting. I didn't finish the Seattle socks while in Seattle :( I did finish one, and the second should be done in the next couple days - no knitting time right now.

So here is the done Seattle sock posing around my dad's house. First we have the view out the bedroom window, looking at the ferry docks - my favorite. Then we have mr.sunneshine holding the sock so that it is in view of the former Kingdome (now Qwest Field) and Safeco Field where my beloved Mariners play! I think I like the second photo best, since it is by far the funniest/dorkiest knitting photo I have taken to date.

I went to my 20 year class reunion. I have to say that it was super fun! I went to a small private high school. There was one really clicky group and the rest of us all sort of hung together. At the reunion, the clicky people still hung together, but most of them weren't beautiful anymore and the rest of us caught up, laughed about old times and generally had a blast! So glad that I went, I will go to the 25th.

Happy knitting!!

Solstice Festival

WARNING - this post contains random painted and unpainted naked people... If you will be offended, don't look!


I was in Seattle for the weekend and had a wonderful time. While walking with our coffee on Saturday morning, we ran into a sign for the Solstice Festival in Freemont. We didn't realize what a huge endeavor it was, until it took us almost an hour to find a place to park.

I am still not sure exactly what was up with the parade - but as far as I could tell - it was groups of people who got together and put on skits, played music, danced in wonderful costumes or were just looking for an excuse to be naked in public (and there was a lot of naked-ness - some good, some not so much).
Here are some photos of our favorite costumes, floats and people from the parade.

Then there was the auto art show. So many amazing vehicles. I really liked the black bras on the front of the mini van with the curlers on top and the very metal punk figure car. (something very mad max about that one...)

Finally, I had to play with the chalk and make some street art.

No knitting here, there will be some tomorrow and more on our trip!! (Have to charge the camera battery before I can download any more photos!!)

Happy Knitting!!

Its been a bit since I posted, so here is a picture-full post...

I have been working on the yard. The garden is now weeded, turned and planted! And with such a terrible winter, I thought I would loose all my plants, but the little urban garden is amazing!! Everyday when I look out the back deck, there is something new blooming. Now for a little more weeding time....

My Socks for Soldiers kit came in the mail yesterday! I love the little bag - it has all these pockets for needles and markers! I will start my SFS Big Black Socks on the plane to Seattle. And there were two other boxes... Some amazing soaps that I traded stitch markers for. Its too bad the blog doesn't have scents - they smell amazing!! And my sock yarn from Spincycle Yarns. It was a treat (read - retail therapy). I have been wanting this for so long, I will wind it soo






There is no knitting to show, but here is the stitch marker lab! Things have been cranking with them. The etsy site is picking up again and my LYS has had a bunch of big events and the markers have been flying out during them. (Even the LYS that was sure they wouldn't sell them called on Saturday to re-order - hehehe).

Happy Knitting!!

virtual vacation swap questionaire

1. If you could visit any state in the US, which would it be and why?
I would go to Washington and spend more time. It is my favorite, favorite place. Eastern Washington is so beautiful and bountiful, Western Washington has wonderful indoor and outdoor activities. The food is amazing, the scenery is phenominal, the activities are plentiful and there is plenty of culture.

2. If you could visit any country in the world, other than your own, which would it be and why?
I would go back to New Zealand. When I was there there was so much to do, so many places to go, that there wasn't time. Plus, there was so much to do - tramp, museums, wine tasting, yarn shops, visit penguins..

3. Have you ever driven across several states/providence/countries?
Yes, I have taken many road trips across the country and canada. I try to take at least one road trip a year.

4. Have you ever visited someplace you consider exotic? Where was it?
The Islands of Greece were exotic, as was the yucatan penninsula in Mexico - both very different, beautiful, romantic and adventurous.

5. What was your favorite "travel" vacation? Why?
I think it was my New Zealand trip with my husband - we did a little of everything from staying in a five star hotel, a bed and breakfast, and camped. We ate at dive-y local places and nice restaurants. And best of all, we were just on our schedule. No rush, no gotta sees, just whatever struck us at the time.

6. Have you ever played tourist in your own home city/state (if international, country)? Explain.
Yes. With all the mountain towns and old west historical sites, there is a lot of touristing around here. I am always up for an adventure and when we have friends from far away visiting, it is always fun to try something/some place that we have not yet been.

7. Are you a museum visitor, beach comer or an amusement seeker?
I do all of them. There is a time and a place for everything and a you never know where you will find adventure, meet an interesting person or see a view that takes your breath away.

8. What's your favorite type of yarn?
Anything natural and not too itchy. I have knit with things that I never thought I would, and loved them, so I hate to limit.

9. What's your least favorite type of yarn?
Acrylic, fuzzy, mohair, angora, novelty yarn.

10. What items do you like to knit/crochet?
I knit a lot of lace, socks have been heavy on the summer "to knit" list, scarves, hats, anything really. I don't crochet.

11. What do you pack, knit/crochet wise when you go on vacation?
Always more then I can possibly finish and generally a diversity of projects. I don't want to be out of town and hate the project that I am working on. So generally a lace shawl, a pair or two of socks and a mindless project.

12. What other crafts do you do/would like to do other than Knit/Crochet?
I make stitch markers regularly and make cards, invites, cook, garden, and make jewelery on a more infrequent basis.

13. Are you allergic to anything? (Yarn wise or treat wise)
I am allergic to wheat.

14. What is your favorite color? Least Favorite?
My favorite colors are purple and black, but anything earthy and muted is great. I am not as fond of yellow, orange bright colors.

15. Sweet or Savory (Treat not personality)?
sweet

16. Anything else we are forgetting to ask that you think your partner desperately needs to know?

more socks...

I am really loving socks right now! They are fun and fast!!
The James Bond socks are done. They are a little bulky, but its one pair of Toasty Toes socks down (still have enough yarn left for at least one more pair - if not three more socks). And it was the first time I had done pattern down the feet.

I cast on my Rococo socks in Sleepless in Seattle from WhiteOakStudio. They are great and going really fast! I got 12 rows finished during a 45 minute pedi this morning. (Thankfully the pattern is easy, as I left it in the car and didn't have time to go back.

And just because, I started the dress from Romantic style. I am only two repeats into the bottom lace. This is going to be a challenging piece, but I am up for it! There will be no getting bored.

Finally, I would like to rave about the sock book that my prge pal, Spinalcat, gave me. I finally had time to browse through More Sensational Socks. Its so great, because it gives you a few sock patterns to do, but more then that its a great reference. It gives all different stitch patterns, heels, toes, cuffs, and cuff down/toe up variations. So not only can you knit what she wrote - it helps you to design your own!! And since I was just wishing for a sock reference book - this could not be more perfect!

Finally, I leave you with the link to the Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest. I thought it was going to be hillarious, but its amazing the dress that people have made out of TP - check it out!

Happy Knitting!!

Purple Flowers

Does anyone know what flower this is?

We were at the botanic gardens this weekend, and found it but there was no name tag. I Love the way it looks with the pretty tines and purple color!

Just a shot in the dark...

Thanks Spinalcat!

Thanks to my prge pal, Spinalcat (aka Amy), I have two more knitting books - and I am so excited!! I have been dying for Romantic Style, but none of the LYS that I frequent stock it! The dress on the front cover is so cool!! I can't imagine that I will make it through next week without casting it on!! There are also about 10 other projects in the book that I love and would totally wear - yippee!! And for my new found love of socks, More Sensational Knitted Socks!! Which is really cool, since the patterns are so different then the ones that I have! These two gifts may totally blow my summer knitting list -- or I may have to revamp it! Thank you so much Amy!! I know both of these books are going to get a ton of use!!