From secr't pal 2 secr't pal

The Questionnaire : Answered !



1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? I don't have a favorite yarn as yet.I do however like natural fibers, especially hemp.What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I LOVE NATURAL fibers with the exception of cotton. I don't mind acyclic blends, but hate, hate, variegated yarns !

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I store my needles in a beautiful tall glass vase

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn?Learned thru knit meet-ups , 70+ year old bad ass knitting mentor ( she is a real bad ass knitter, The Original Knitting Gangsta, I like to call her, books and the net. Thank GOD for google. Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I have been knitting for 3 years now. I am a seasoned but still need a few tricks to consider myself intermediate.

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

5. What's your favorite scent? girlie and musky. strong but not deadly..... Smell My ...knits.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? JUST SAY NO !

17. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? I journal daily , write poetry and stories. Do you spin? I spin on spindle and will soon own my own wheel.

18. What kind of music do you like? Reggae , hip hop, easy listening elevator and hold music , no really Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? yes , she can. (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

9. What's your favorite color(s)? I have a love for RED,GOLD,GREEN. Rasta colors .Any colors you just can't stand? I have no real color hate ...pastels and Hot Pinks turn me on some times..

10. What is your family situation? 1husband, 3 sons ages 12,10,8 Do you have any pets? Two quiet frogs and fish.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? ponchos,scarves,hats haven't had the luxury of wearing hand made mittens yet.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? something ( just a tad complex)to lose my self in, something to watch television and talk with, or tote to work.

13. What are you knitting right now? a scarf with leaves, stems ,flowers

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? circular , my Denise needles suit me , bamboos are nice too.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? not yet , lol , soon as it's in the budget

17. How old is your oldest UFO? a few months,

18. What is your favorite holiday? Holidays :) I have two: Thanksgiving & Kwanzaa

19. Is there anything that you collect? I collect cans for recycling and cash ( DIY chick)nice pens, Lucite bracelets and funky costume jewelry and clear lipglosses.

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 could use the latest issue of KNIT1 or Vogue , I don't have a subscription ...okay, okay I didn't pay for all those subscriptions..

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Spinning on a wheel ( will start at the end of Aug, wheel on layaway )

22. Are you a sock knitter? I can knit a sock up tot he heel ,then it all gets fuzzy from there! Will try again , not until the winter hits and I build more heel tackling confidence. What are your foot measurements? save 8.5 women

23. When is your birthday? 11-30-78

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

Dearest Pal,
Welcome to my humble knitting adobe.
I am pleased to greet you !
I want you to know that while all the above is true, the bones of it is , I am a simple,self improving, Eco-conscious vegetarian of African-Caribbean decent who has a big family and likes to get my knit on with a passion!
I will be spinning soon and am totally wild on the idea. I will try to entertain you and make you feel at home; forgive me if I am a tad forgetful with my post ,I will try to share with the world what you share with me....All in all , let's have fun and I want to thank you in advance for spoiling me I am forever gracious !!!!


ps: please- please- please- don't bail on me !
love ya and happy happy SP!!


PEACE

Look what I did ....

A game of Mangala anyone ?

knit girl 1 and knit boy2 sat playing peacefully as we knitting mamas did our thing:




Presenting the knottie hotties! My urban knitting Crew , we meet every Thursday at a local cafe ......It's gotta be hot or knot !

'Tarah knocking out her project

Lavine's intense knitting

and during Me Time :

I am knitting up this little # a little faster than i thought ! It is a gorgeous ribbon yarn that looks nice in seed stitch ...... should be down with the 11 inches of the body soon . hope it fits ..gauged it and all...

A (not so cute) tomato sprung from my mother's garden today !!!!

The eyelet (beach bum) baby blanket....in full view .... A finished object !!!!

Dat's all folx !

happy knitting !

Back @ the plantation...

Back to work today.

I did not knit once while on the phone. Focused MAN !!!!!!!!!!

I banged out my work with a smile one my face and left with out hesitation once my shift was over! I am on a mission for promotion or a new/ better job...Nuff said .

Tonight I am reading her :

and working on her:

( lil' leg candy for ya !)

I am on a roll with my knitting and won't stop now. Who knows when the "knitting itis" will set in again and I end up with 5 projects on the needles and become a very, very tired and bitter knitter.

Hubby is staring me down like "GIRL !" so uhm , I gotta go !

Time to check on the good ole credit and make sure I'm doing my part to make sure when it's time to buy my house I got all my ducks in line feel me? The link above is a good start. I encourage you to try...The porch is calling me, maybe after dinner... dang I need a rocking chair for the porch... (jokes?)

PEACE & FLEECE

kill spouse or knit blouse?

knitting and marriage ....

Do you ever use you knitting as a way of not killing your spouse?No really, Along with meditation knitting can help your relationships with your kids, spouse , in laws, if you let it.
Takes discipline I know this, but if you grab your knitting instead of hitting, well you could change the world...wrote poem 'bout it wanna read it , here it go !

knit to mourn,
or when a babe is borne
knit when you love
knit when you hate
knit for peace
knit in faith.
knit for the kids
knit for your man
knit a middle finger for that bitch you can't stand.

Just knit-Don't hit !

Ommmmmm My God- knitting!

knitting and meditation are very related . I am working on an article for BlackPurls Magazine in which i explore this truth. I have been the blog editor for the mag for a while and we have come to an end of that chapter as we will no longer be keeping this column in the magazine. If you have not checked the mag, do so. It is a great project with great people behind it. It has been my pleasure to be a part of the team when I can.

Do you think knitting and meditation are related?

holla at ya girl !

My knitting brings all the boys to the yard...

I have noticed that knitting is a man getter! Ha!

We all tend to attract people with our knitting from reminiscent grandma's who can no longer churn out Afghans due to chronic arthritis, the curious, coveting all- too- busy- house wife who ooohs and ahhhhs to the innocent babes drawn to our swift hand movements pacifying and distracting them. I have been amongst these people, drawing them to me and my knitting.

Really, most women I have come across while knitting don't really stop and talk, or maybe i need to knit a bit more out there to get that. But it has not failed , a man , genuinely intrigued, perhaps stumped will usually kick off a conversation about my knitting. I mean, I'm sitting there usually engrossed in the craft , hands moving, If I'm feeling especially grateful for multi tasking abilities, I may also be finishing up a book.( I learned to read while I knit to keep up with my reading . And it has helped !) and I'll look up , startled, to see a pair of eyes staring down at me, or a approaching me.

MAN...getter ????
I have never read any where that this could happen? There was no forewarning , no blog postings in the rings I stalk , I mean read through, no info in the Stitch -n- Bitch books or at the knitting meetups or the LYS... lol....no mention of this occurrence.But it does make sense if you think about it , approach a woman and her knitting, start a conversation, ask for a date why not? That is exactly what has been happening !
I tell the pursuer that I am married and not interested in dates or them for that matter; that I am married with 3 sons.They tend to back off , linger with a few more comments and go about their merry way... This happened three times last week alone. I have tested my theory this week yet... will keep ya posted though !

Of late , I have been drawn to the beach to work on Baby girl's blanket ( which I finished Saturday, by the way....) I mean, the beach has really drawn me -

Like me in my little flimsy,metal, out door one seater, sitting right on the sand, knitting in hand, sun beaming on my back. HEAVEN. or by the skate park on the bench listening to the boys ride and praying they all get to go home in tact. fingers crossed !

Once I became a regular these past two weeks I then felt comfortable sitting really close enough to get my toes wet. Each time the salty sea came to shore my metal one seater sinks a little deeper but I did not mind repositioning and recommitting to the stitches at hand.... It has been blissful... peaceful...just what I needed.

happy knitting
and b careful who u attract ! lol....

wants -vs- NEEDS

Just when thought I had control of my Melba Marcos syndrome , Jordan Paige adds Bella to the collection! Man I WANT one of these babies ..Be still little heart..

I think I'll give it a few months though. My summer bag is suiting me just fine..and it is not a NEED But that little Bella # has me foaming at the mouth...Such a beauty.....retailing for $69.00, it comes it Black Licorice and Pearl..I may be brave and get Pearl..White bags are sexy...check 'em out for your self...

The mid kid,( that is what we will call my 9 year old (middle) son for safety reasons) will boarding the bus and leaving at noon today. Heart be still, I SAID ! Thank goodness I have the famous baby blanket to drown my sadness into... It will be a good thing, for all of us.....I know ....I am not sad; will miss him tons.

When I asked if he wants me to knit him a wash cloth and send it to him, he was quick with his reply,

" No , don't do that !"

nuff said ! I'll back off ...

a child shall lead...the sheep...

Everybody is " going green" and I am highly excited and inspired!

I was checking out some interesting links online and ran cross this: http://petakids.com/superstar.html

What do you think? Wonder specifically what manufactures do this ....Happy that I'll soon be a owner of a spinning wheel and 1lb. of hemp....

Doing my part.

Not saying I will knot knit with wool any longer or spin wool, But I will do some research and get more knowledge on what they heck I am doing ...Cause at the end of the day I want to make sure I am helping knot hurting ...feel me ?

The latest issue of Knit1 has great articles on this " Green Affair"..

check it out and get in the know ....Even cotton is a Earth damaging culprit..

Educate...and educate some more...

PEACE

Monday ...A week end survivor !

I woke up this morning feeling lonely . Is this because my boy is leaving for camp or the fact that no one is reading or commenting on my blog .. dunno , but i then got a light bulb idea ... i think i'll try to get out and meet some one new.... yeah! That s sure fire way to get a reader and uhm, make a friend...
We are doing a little packing today and I must tell you the tears are rolling. My husband just doesn't get it ..He keeps reminding me there will be one less mouth to feed ! MEN ! and that dang logic of theirs !
I have more knitting to do one the blanket as you know but i have been sneaking around with some lovely ribbon yarn trying to gauge this :

a cute little # from the knitty archives...

talk to you soon ...

S'mbody say it's Sunday?

Sundays are pretty low key in my house.

Today we are going to the park for a few hours ; a little lunch and some sun will be nice. knitting in tow of course...

My 9 year old is going off to a 4 week sleep over camp and we are all a bit excited and anxious about this experience. I will be writing letters like a mad woman , and have already geared my little heart up for the receipt of a two liner as his reply... But that is fine with me ..I will save his little letter and add it to the scrap book file. Yes I have not started actually scrap booking this file yet. There are tons of cards and kid notes and A+ test marks that i have collected from my 3 boys...I do plan to eventually go through it all and make some nice organized memory books but have not yet found the time..So for now his 2 liner letter will be saved in the sentiment stash ! and will bring tears to my eyes in the later years, i am sure...
May be he will surprise me with a long letter with a lovely drawing lol... I'll keep you posted.

Still working on the (1 year old UFO) baby blanket.... 6 days to go !!! It is looking very nice .. about 12 " to go !!!

lata

vacationing in my city....and getting knitty

This week between writing and more writing I:

Downed a mid-day Margarita...tasty

Helped my little cousin taking her knitting to the next level

Assisted my son with his UFO...

Worked in Peace .....on that manuscript while chillin' at the Reality Cafe

Thursday knite knitting...I was a lone knitter , but 'taint no quitter ...

I sat knit and had a pina-colada smoothie.....While listening to a live band .....

A man came by commented on my knitting and askd if he could join me !!!!dang it !

Stil I was polite and amiable.....he seemed like he needed a friend....we finished on good terms after talking about general things like yoga, books , yada ......and he said he'd buy my book once it was published and gave me his card for future contact....lol....you bet your knitted socks he will be on the " my book just got released mailing list " !

happy ,happy knitting !

Heat wave ~humid knitting@the beach

Who's that girl knitting in this heat?

Le summer scarf...

baby blanket made with love

up close and personal with the eyelet garter stitch

A naked neck in Quebec

One of the trends I loved seeing while walking around the streets of downtown Montreal were the variety of scarves worn . Had I had knowledge of this fashion staple , ( duh!) I would have packed my own hand knit scarves... When in Rome.....




Here are a few examples of the fashion frenzy.















I am no longer a scarf hater.

I appreciated seeing the different styles and fabrics adoringly draping the necks of the Quebecian women.

So in light of this rediscovery of classic simplicity ,I have decided to make a few scarves in a light cotton for summer time wear. It is very chic and can be worn in many ways with a little creativity.

Here is some Canadaian I-candy :

Montreal Botanical Gardens


I was very distracted...I did not touch my knitting...