SPring FLing Coffee /Yarn Swap Questionaire

Here is my questionaire partner- please let me know if you have any other questions



Coffee



1.What is your preference? WHole bean or ground- Keep it whole please



2. What kind of coffees do you enjoy? A rich, bold roast;a light fresh one or something in between? Leaded or unleaded? I get bored easily- so I try many kinds of roasts. I prefer coffees with body though. Nothing too wimpy. I am currently in the no lead category.



3.If you were headed out right now to buy coffee right now , what would you be picking up? I would be headed to my local roaster for so cool new stuff(remember I bore easily). Last time I got Nicaraugan Coffee,Indian Mysore,and some Guatemalan.

4.Do you drink for caffeine or pleasure or both? Right now it is for pleasure- no caffeine, please

5.Do you drink flavored coffees? How about add-ins or flavored creamers? No flavored coffees or add ins .

6.A large ,lovely mug or a dainty, small cup? Pass me the big booster cup ,please. Tiny cups run dry too fast!

7.Describe your perfect cup- not just the coffee but how you would enjoy it. First of all it is a freshly ground cup of something dark and sutlry in a mug big enough for 2 hands. I am curled up in my big, big reclner with a little dog on the left of me and my knitting on the right, all covered my by a lap throw. All is well.

8.You are sitting down to enoy a nice cup etc. I normally would have launched into a swan song about chocolate things right about now but I am beginning a new diet program that has no room for such things. Alas. I must forgo the goodies . Buy some for yourself and nibble in my honor! Thanks for understanding.

Yarn
1.Do you knit or crochet? Both - I knit more often

2.What are your fav. types of yarn to work with? I love wool. I enjoy cotton, soy maize, and bamboo too. I use acrylic for baby blankets and stuff needing frequent washing . I especially enjoy sock yarn. I love to knit socks.

3.What do you have on the needles right now? I have 2 pairs of socks, a slipper to felt and a baby sweater. Looking for though!

4.Waht are your favorite colors? What would you never find in your stash? I like many colors- I enloy variegated yarns and solids- greens, teals blues, light yellows, pinks,coral, brown and tans. Probably won't find burgundy,neon,or purple.

5.WHat sort of needles do you enjoy? Detest? I knit most of socks on the magic loop now- that makes circular needles with at least a 32 inch cable my fav. I do like the bamboo needles dps. I don't care for plastic needles.

6.Any notions you do not need? I am good with tape measures but do enjoy collecting markers from swaps as it is a ncie memory from the swap.

7. Ok the 2 for 20 yarn question? I have to go for the squishy sproingy sock yarn that by the way, smells wonderful too!

Spring

1.Is it truly spring where you are now? No but there are some signs- robins- tulips pushing up in the garden.

2.What is your fav spring flower? I like to see the bulbs- tulips, daffodils,and my lovely tre azalea in bright orange. I know spring is here when that blooms.

3.What do you look forward most to about spring? Getting outside again, cleaning up the garden
bringing out the patio furniture and longer daylight hours.

4.65 and sunny tomorrow - how would you spend the day- I would start my day sitting outside on the patio with coffee and a good book. Clean up the leaves and flower beds and make some ice tea. Then grill some nice steaks or chicken outside. I love to smell the grills going.

5.The day after- it is cooler and rainy- how does that impact you rmood? What would you do? How would you cheer up? I guess that is a good day to knit a new spring colored dishcloth. Watch a funny movie and sip on some special coffee or tea I have been saving. Maybe buy some flowers.
Odds and ENds

1.Do you colect anything besides yarn and needles? Yes- lighthouses- I love to visit them and clollect things pertaining to them.

2.Allergic to anything? Nope

3.Pets? Yes- 2 dogs and a guinea pig

4.Is this your first swap? No Last 2 swaps I did were longing for spring and the cocoa swap.

5. 3 favoirte blogs and why? I enjoy the yarn harlot- her sense of humor is grand. I also check Allison at simply sock yarn- nice to check on new stuff and how fast her baby is growing. Also Jen at woolgirl too.

WOw that was the longest questionaire I have ever done. Hope that answers all. Let me know if it doesn't.

It's Friday!

It has been a long and difficult week. New challenges at work- one of my little students lost their mom this week and I have grave concerns over the stepfather being able to care for her medical needs. I think of her often and wonder how she is doing. They have not contacted the school and I worry. Good news though- my DD got home at 3:30am today. I am happy to have her home for a week. She sounds like she is sick though- voice is hoarse. May have to take her Redi-Med in the am. She has been Knitting- look what she made her lighthouse loving mom. It is a little hard to see but it is warm yellow cloth with a lighthouse . I love it! Looking forward to a restful weekend.

Could it be...

The sun is trying to shine. The snow is melting a little. I saw a robin hopping around the flower bed. It really is going to be spring. It even smells like spring. My daughter will be home for spring break on Friday. I can't wait. I know she can't either. We have 2 more weeks until our spring and I sm ready to go. The last one out of Fort Wayne, lock the door and turn off the lights.

Enough weather updates. Knitting- now that is a subject I can write alot about. I frogged an almost complete pair of socks. I was loopng a pair of green sock in Farmhouse yarn. SOrry to say that I absolutely hated the stuff. I tried to like it. I really did. The colorway is a lovely shamrock green but the yarn was stiff and way too thick for my taste. I will gift it to my DD for her hats. Not that I don't have anything to knit now- a pair of tofutsies and the most luscious Snitches in a pastel colorway called - Cottage. I will post pix when I have more it knitted- just a couple inches now. The pattern is one I found on Knitting pattern Central called Cafe Curtains.

Buddy's Day out!

Looks like someone enjoyed the snow day

Had a very wet snow that my penguin buddy created by Sarah of NYC seemed to enjoy. He had to don his shades because of the glare! I stayed inside where it was warm and finished one of the butter peeps socks. Check it out---

I chose not to make the cables on the foot. They were a bit thick and I thought that it might be uncomfortable in shoes. I did get part of the second felted clog done. Maybe I can felt them by the weekend.

Lazy, Lazy Weekend

Not much happening this weekend- I have not had to answer to anyone this weekend. It was very strange to do what I wanted, watch what I wanted got to bed when I wanted. It almost felt like a vacation. My DH was teaching a seminar in Tampa and I stayed home in beautiful snowy Indiana. It was really kind of nice to have the time to myself. Lots of knitting was done. I am working on a pair of Dream in Color Smooshy socks in Butter Peeps , a lovely shade of creamy spring yellow. I am trying to avoid the dreaded second sock syndrome by working both socks at the same time. I adjusted the pattern for the loop and have been working the scks in stages. RIght now one sock is complete to the heel and one has turned the corner and the gusset decreases are done. Time to switch off again. I think this process maybe ok but I did happen to choose a fussy pattern with cables and such. They will be striking when finished- at the same time! Whoo Hoo! Also made one Fiber Trends felted clog. I like the pattern and can't wiat to make the other. Must I go to work tomorrow ? :(

Longing for Spring Questionaire

Time to post my questionaire for the longing for spring swap and boy am I longing for spring. It snows too easily around here.

1.Do you knit or crochet or both? for how long? I taught my self to crochet and knit - many, many years ago. I didn't do as much as I would have liked with it when my kids were little but they are grown and I knit daily. I did crochet my wedding dress.
2. What are your favorite yarns or fibers? I enjoy wools, cottons, bamboo, alpaca, soy. Least favorite? Fiber that are rough and scratchy- they hurt my hands to knit them. I love sock yarn.
3. WHat are your favorite colors? I enjoy most colors- love teal,soft yellows,greens,pinks and lavendar. Not a fan of bright orange or dark purple.
4. What "warm weather" project are ytou looking forward to making this year? I have a short sleeve sweater picked out to make from Cotton Classis in a great lime green. ALso a couple of sleeveless shirts- I would like to tackle the Fibonacci tank in Knitting Magazine from last spring.
5. What is your favorite scent? Least favorite? I like fruit scents especially citrus and vanilla. I am not a floral scent person. They give me a headache.
6. What is your favorite flower? I like carnations and lilies
7.What are your favorite springtime hobbies/activites? I enjoy working in the garden. Walking the neighborhood as everything is bloomingand coming alive again. And KNITTING- good for any season!
8. Do you have a garden? Flowers or veggies? I have mostly perenials in beds and annuals in pots and as accents. My veggie plot is small with a few tomatoes, peppers and squash.
9. What are your favorite sweets? I love chocolate, unfortunately.
10. Do you collect anything? I love lighthouses and do collect things pertaining to them.
11.Any allergies? Nothing big- mild hayfever type.
12.ANy pets? 2 dogs and a guinea pig( on loan from my daughter- I guess I am pig sitting!)

Hope that helps- Looking forward to a fun swap! Jan

WInter Wonderland?

We just started February and I am so tired of winter. It has been a weird combination of weather too this winter with thunderstorms and tornados- now what is with that!!! A snow day did help to get some knitting projects done. FInished Charlie Brown socks and most of a dream in color baby sweater PLUS started the first STR socks. I am enjoying those but was surprised to see the dye on my hands after I knit with it. I have red stripes on my fingers :)

My friend and fellow knitster girl, Natalie and I are going to UFO night at Knitting Today. We are having movie night, popcorn and Lucy Neatby flicks and knitting of course! I do have a couple finished projects to show off.

DD, Amanda finished a mitten on her Nifty Knitter. It really turned out quite well. I was having a hard time imagining how it could be done but it it possible. SHe wants to make a scarf from Koigu and I am going to get her the yarn for Valentine's Day. Nothing like yarn to make a girls heart beat faster. Kntting helps break up some of the studying she has to do in engineering school. Beats the heck out of fluids class(whatever that is!)

Hope to sign up for an end of Winter swap- Longing For Spring. Sounds like the thing to cure the winter blahs! Long live spring!