Saturday 23 February 2008

weekly topic no.6

Have you done a swap before (doesn't have to be a knitting swap)? What do you like best about swapping? Are there any personal "requirements" that a swap has to have before you join?

Well, as trusting as I am (see previous post), I still like to be safe rather than sorry. So I like swaps with good organization, some kind of safety net. This could be that there are angels in the swap, or that everything has to be dispatched by a certain date, and a postal tracking number needs to be sent on by email.
It can also just be a general awareness by the hostess(es), that things happen, and not everything might work out perfectly.
Another good thing is easy contact with the host- do they answer emails quickly, and adequately?

I have done swaps before, but not knitting swaps. Also usually these swaps were not blogbased, but with people i knew from a forum. There was an initial questionnaire, but you just bought things based on that, no further stalking needed. I have sent out (and sometimes also received, sigh) chocolate, books, audio books and music cds before.
Generally, my experiences are good. But my piece of advice: trust your gut. If someone is really evasive (sort of " the cat ate your parcel"), it is never a good sign. Neither is, if contact just stops.


Friday 15 February 2008

Anticipation

I am a very trustful person, and it will take me a long time to acknowledge that no, my swap partner has not moved to japan and customs are holding up my swap parcel, but yes, i have been left out. I believe in the good in everybody, and will therefore not get too anxious if nothing arrives for a while.
That said, i like being in contact, and i like knowing that there is someone for me.
I like expecting, and certainlydon't mind waiting, but i love little teasers.

Sunday 10 February 2008




due to my cold this weekend, and classic procrastination at the same time, i decided to make myself some slippers.
our kitchen floor is notoriously cold, and so are my feet when i indulge in cooking sessions.
so i knitted these huge socks from yarn leftover from two sweaters i knit for other people and felted them in the washing machine. Careful: they get teenytiny once felted...







ich hab mir spontan noch aus Restewolle (Achtung: Farbe ist strikt aus Schmutzunempfindlichkeit gewählt, außerdem hatte ich die noch von anderen Pullis da) Hausschuhe gestrickt. Außerdem mein erster Filzversuch. Die werden ja winzig...

Saturday 9 February 2008

Valentine's Day (weekly topic no. 4)

I have to say, being european, and having been single for a considerable amount of time, i have stopped thinking about valentine's day as a legitimate "occasion". Too often have i sarcastically thrashed it, too often have i read cynical columns about blind consumerism and the cut flower industry.
Now, that i am actually part of a couple, and beyond that "we are celebrating every day" stage, i should probably take refuge in valentine's day. Claim my gifts, knit my loved one a scarf, and well, get on with it.

But somehow, it never happened. We are in a long distance relationship, but we are also in for the long haul. A combination that does indeed make us treasure every day that we have together. the 14th of february won't be part of those days, and so i don't see a celebration coming up. but maybe a long phone call ;-)

Friday 8 February 2008

the FOs of January/FOs im Januar


Although i am still fighting with my bolero, thanks to amyknits i have continued knitting, and have now arrived at the sleeves.

Bin endlich bei den Ärmeln angelangt, nachdem das Projekt erstmal ein Jahr "reifen musste" ;)







my red mittens (red variegated regia yarn) are lined with unspun red wool- see the little dots?

die roten Fäustlinge haben meinen Polentrip an Neujahr gerettet, weil sie dank ihres Wollfutters kuschelig warm sind.







also, i had plenty left, to do Saartje's Bootees. My friend will have her babygirl this month, and has promised to take them with her to the hospital.

außerdem hatte ich viel übrig, und hab damit Saartje's Bootees gestrickt. Ein tolles Muster, ganz schnell gestrickt, aber sehr filigran und mädchenhaft.
Meine Freundin will sie schon gleich ins Krankenhaus mitnehmen!

Fragebogen „Socks & Drugs & Rock’n’Roll“Socks

Schuhgröße:
39
Woll-Vorlieben bzgl. Material, Garnstärke, Farbe(n), Muster…:
am liebsten ganz normale 4fädige Sockenwolle. Möglichst maschinenwaschbar ;-)
Ich liebe die Wollmeise, und auch sonst gemusterte Wollen, einige Regias zum Beispiel Ringel, oder Canyon oder so. Alles geringelte ist toll.
Farblich liebe ich Grün, Rot, dunkles Lila, und auch sonst kräftige Farben. Gut finde ich auch noch klare Blautöne, Grau. Ich bin das, was man einen "Wintertyp" nennt.

Das geht gar nicht (Material, Form, Farbe):
Orange und Gelb nur minimal (also gelb mit Grün, Orange mit Rot...), Erdfarben stehen mir überhaupt nicht, und Tweedmuster finde ich nicht so prickelnd.
Hast Du einen Ravelry-Account?

missfriday
Rauch/Tierhaarunverträglichkeit?

also meine Socken sollten lieber weder nach Rauch riechen , noch sichtbar Tierhaare anhaften haben. Allergisch bin ich allerdings nicht.
Drugs
Ohne folgende Leckerei(en) kann/mag/soll ich nicht leben:

Ich liebe Schokolade mit hohem Kakaogehalt (70-85), außerdem Lindor. An anderen Dingen mag ich getrocknete Mangos und Äpfel. Ich bin absolut teesüchtig.
Gar nicht leiden kann ich:

Weiße Schokolade
Allergien/Nahrungsmittelunverträglichkeiten etc.:

Milch

Rock’n’Roll
Lieblingsmusikrichtung:
Klassik, Renaissance, Barock, Singer/Songwriter-Pop, 60erJahre Twist etc.
Lieblingsband:
-
LieblingssängerIn:
Bodo Wartke, Katie Melua, Tori Amos
Lieblingslied:
Winter- Tori Amos
Lieblingsmusikvideo:
-
Lieblingsmusikfilm:
Sound of Music
Lieblingssongtextzitat:
Father says bow your head like the good book says
Well I think the good book is missing some pages
Gonna lay down
Gonna lay down
Lieblingsinstrument:
Cello
Hast Du ein Instrument erlernt?
Ja, Klavier, Geige und Klarinette
Spielst Du es regelmässig?
Hm, nur Klavier
Welchen Namen trüge die Band, in welcher Du spielen würdest, wenn Du nicht bereits in einer spielst?

Erste gekaufte Platte/CD:
Die Prinzen, alles nur geklaut
Erstes besuchtes Konzert:
Mozarts Zauberflöte
Bestes besuchtes Konzert:
Tori Amos
„Leiche im Keller“/ Musikalische Ausrutscher:
Die Kelly Family ( ich war jung)
Momentan läuft in meinem Player ständig:
Hörst Du Radio? Wenn ja, welchen Sender?
nein, ich höre nur manchmal Deutschlandfunk
Last-FM-Profil vorhanden? Unter welchem Namen?
-
Möchtest Du lieber etwas, was zu Deinem Geschmack passt, oder würde es Dir auch gefallen, etwa die spezielle Lieblingsplatte/-band vom Pal zu hören?
ich bin da offen ;-)

Saturday 2 February 2008

weekly topic no.3

Q: What is your process when planning a project? Do you shop for yarn and then find a suitable pattern? Do you find your pattern and then go out to buy the yarn? Or are you stash-busting? If your stash is out of control, how did it get that way?

Lots of good questions this week, and i have to say, i never quite thought about this one!
On the other hand, dealing with comes naturally as a knitter. In practise, i usually find a great pattern, and then go out and decidedly buy wool to the requirements of it.
The exception is sock yarn, which i buy in advance, and later decide on a pattern to knit it in. I do this because i find it hard to buy expensive wool, and then later find out that i need more/less for a certain project, but it is impossible to match the dye lot (or even the yarn itself, if you buy abroad). I like having everything planned out.
With sock yarn, 100g are always enough, so that saves me the planning and i go yarn-mad.
Lately i had an exception to this rule, and i bought the most extraordinary amount of kidsilk on ebay (ba-aa-aa-ad for my budget). Oh my god, receiving this packet was surely one of the most exciting days last year!!! But i still haven't cast on, simply because i cannot decide on a pattern.
I am trying to find that perfect lacey cardigan to match this truly gorgeous yarn, but nothing has hit me yet. Well, i'll just continue stroking the yarn ever so slightly every now and then.
In conclusion, my stash is limited. No yarn closet for me :)
I have some left-over green aran wool, from a pullover i made for my boyfriend, some chunky brown yarn from a jacket for my mum, two or three skeins of sock yarn, and well, about 26 skeins of kidsilk *blush*