Knitters Treat Exchange Questionnaire

1. What is your favourite type of yarn? >>> natural fibres and blends…wool/merino/cotton/silk/alpaca.

2. What is your least favourite type of yarn? >>>I do not like 100% acrylic and novelty yarns such as fun fur. Since I’ve been knitting with some the of the luxury yarns out there, I’ve become a "part-time" yarn snob.

3. What’s the first thing you do when you visit a new yarn shop? I am attracted to colours and I love the way some yarn shops display them…I will walk around the shop and look and feel every yarn in the store…then move onto patterns, books and magazines. One my way out, I will take a look at the knitting accessories....also, I look out for the "specials"

4. What other crafts do you do? >>>Decorative painting, quilting, sewing, spinning with a drop spindle, some cross stitch (but I am still working on a 4” x 4” kit which I started in 2002!)

5. What crafts would you like to do? >>>At some point, I would like to learn how to crochet, felting, jewellery making, spin (with a wheel), and weave.

6. What magazines do you current subscribe to? >>>None at the moment

7. Put this type of magazines in order to preference: knitting/crochet/other craft/food/home/fashion/celebrity gossip/garden...
>>>knitting>food>fashion>other craft/home

8. What types of things do you like to knit? >>> socks, sweaters, shawls, scarves, hats, lace...do not like knitting dolls or toys (too fiddly for me)

9. Are you allergic to anything? >>>fish and walnuts

10. What do you like to smell like? Very light and fresh florals during the day, a trace of fresh and fruity after a shower, something more exotic and alluring in the evening.

11. What is your favourite way to relax? >>>Other than knitting?? I like to read the newspaper on a Sunday afternoon…also, I will read “chic lit” (should I have admitted to this???) since I do not have to concentrate too much on the plot. Also, I’ve recently discovered yoga…great way to relax the mind, body and spirit.

12. Where would I go first? >>>The Italian café…love a good cup of cappuccino and a biscotti.

13. What do I come out with? I will take home a cannolli filled with whipped cream for the Spouse and myself.

14. Where do I go next? >>> the bakery

15. Any other words of wisdom for your pal? I love colour and the lustrous illusions it creates. I have an eclectic taste for style…I will wear classic style and accent with something whimsical…like a funky piece of jewelry (bling).

what is off my stix

It was a friend's birthday last week, so I decided to make her a felted case for her mobile phone.

Using Kilcarra in aubergine and lavender, I made a rectangle

and stitched the side and the bottom to create the pouch

Although, I put it through the wash cycle twice... It was still to big for a mobile case...

So I searched through my stash, and found some cotton and whipped up a garter stitch face cloth...

and used the case as a gift pouch for a bar of olive oil soap...

this is a birthday that never ends...

This is a birthday that never ends, it seems to go on and on…
The Spouse returned from the other side of the pond last week and brought two birthday presents for me. The Sibling sent over a book titled, The Secret.
The Mother-in-Law spoiled me with a home spa kit and the hottest fragrance, Vera Wang Princess.
Just when I thought my birthday moment ended…it resurfaced last Tuesday night, at the weekly Rathmines knit night where Holly surprised me with a gift of her dyed roving. I can’t wait to spin this yummy fibre. Then, Isobel presented me with another present…soft and springy laceweight yarn from Avoca. Ahhhh…I am starting to like birthdays…

customer service

I love to shop for yarn, call me a yarnaholic... On this side of the pond I know of four shops that sell yarn.

The mother and daughter proprietors of the lovely shop in Blackrock Market are like rays of sunshine. They are friendly and happy people. Their enthusiasm for knitting is contagious. Customer service is excellent and I enjoy being in their store.

There are two other shops on the north side of the Liffey, however, the sales staff at both make me feel like the invisible woman...they are not aware of my existence. I walk around in these stores and no one seems to care or take notice that I am a yarnaholic and I want to buy yarn.

The fourth store on this list is a little out of the city centre, however, they have a large variety of the blended yarns. The customer service at this location is the total opposite of what I experienced in Blackrock. The words that come to mind…unfriendly, unhappy, unenthusiastic…get the picture??? The customer asks the seller, "what is the yardage in one ball of kilcarra?" and his response is a non-verbal cue, a person’s body language is worth a thousand words… the seller rolling his eyes at the customer.

As a consumer, let us take a stand… speak up and demand for good customer service.

St. Paddy's Day 2007

Today marks my first St. Patrick's Day in the Emerald Isle. Lots of fun stuff on this Bank Holiday weekend ...it is a three day weekend for us folks here.

I am off to enjoy the Irish festivities this weekend. May the luck of the Irish be with me as I search for that pot o' gold (yarn???) at the end of the rainbow...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

the first time

I am participating in the first ever Knitters Treat Exchange. It is a one time only thing so I thought I would give it a try. The first task was to sign up...Deadline to sign up is March 31st...still have time.

The second task was to answer the Knitters Treat Exchange Questionaire which I posted on my sidebar.

no blogging today

no time for blogging today...just knitting, and fitting in some housework too!

the comforts of home

I missed the post man when he came knocking on our door. He (I should not assume, could have been a she) left the standard note, “we attempted to deliver your parcel, but you were not at home. Please pick up your parcel within three days.” The Spouse braved the cold, rainy and windy weather as he walked to our local post office to pick up my package for me.

I opened it with excitement since it was from my best witty knitter friend, t. in Toronto. She spoiled me by sending me the comforts of home…
Tim Horton’s!
and
some warm and toasty yarn by Fleece Artist.

progression

On a recent Sunday outing to Blackrock, I had to take a double look when I saw this…I stood and watched this group of people on horses as they disappeared into the sunset…errr, cloudy day? My amusement with this herd only confirmed my status as a city slicker.
It was a short trip on the Dart to Blackrock, home to This is Knit. I was like a child in a candy store…savouring the colours and textures of all the yummy yarn. I met the proprietors, Lisa and her mom, Jacqui. They are a great mother/daughter team. When I arrived at their store, Jacqui was teaching Herbert how to knit a scarf.
I left feeling satiated, having my fill (feel?) of the yarns. Since I am replacing all my straights with circulars, I also came away with some new Addis.
Oh yeah, that means I am progressing…dpns will become my new hair ornament. With a little help from my Irish knitting friends, I hope to knit a pair of interesting socks.

lost, but not found

I knit in public places…an oddity here on this side of the pond. Most times, I have my knitting bag with me, so I can knit while waiting for the bus, I knit while I am commuting on the bus, I knit at cafes while sipping on my cappuccino, I knit when standing in the Q at the bank....

A few weeks ago, I decided to knit my last pair of Fetchings for this winter season. Fetchings has been my choice of "knitting in public" project because of the portability. I choose an unknown blue worsted yarn from my yarn stash. The first mate was knitting up quickly until I finished the first skein. I reached into my knitting bag…no second skein. I searched and search every nook and cranny of my home and it is not to be found. It must have fallen out of my bag. Anyone seen a blue ball of yarn somewhere in Dublin 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 12????

knit as u go

I have a new WIP called “knitting as u go”. I started to knit Lizard Ridge. However, this pattern uses approximately 21 skeins of Noro and is overwhelming on my budget if bought all at once. By "knitting as you go", I can buy 1 or 2 skeins at a time and knit a square or two at a leisurely pace.

a bit of Dublin history

With every new adventure, I take the opportunity to explore my new surroundings. Yesterday, I took the bus to the National Museum of Ireland: Decorative Arts and History. It is locally known as Collins Barracks. When the bus driver realized I did not have a clue to where I was going, he proceeded to give me very clear directions. Thank you, Mr. Bus Driver for providing me with the following history lesson:

Croppie Acre:

A memorial park across from Collins barracks. Thousands of bodies are buried here. They were the executed rebels during the uprising of 1798.


great morning to enjoy the daffodils...

Collins Barracks:

It use to be a military barracks, named after Michael Collins, leader of the Irish Free State in 1922.

The history can be found here.

The purpose of my visit to Collins Barracks:

To attend my first spin-in with the Eastern Region Group of the Irish Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers. The venue for the spin-in was held in one of the museum's meeting rooms within the Square.

So along with my drop spindle, I joined the other spinners, along with knitters and weavers...and enjoyed my first spin-in.