100% Pure Wool

I swatched the yarn from Uruguay - I'm getting 4.5 stitches/inch and 6.5 rows/inch on size 6 needles. It is very nice to knit with but the dye does come off a tad on your hands. Like Manos, there is no true solid. This is black which I intend on mixing with another multi-color from the same vendor. Now if I can only find the book with the patterns in it I'll be a very happy knitter, since I ordered enough to make four sweaters.

Not much doing today

Dinner last night with some former coworkers was so relaxing. I miss them so much. We were really a tight knit (oh, I really don't believe I just said that) group. We get together every four to six weeks or so and bring each other up to par on what's been happening in our lives - they're like extended family. Only one of us has found a job so far - not a good sign. Know anyone who wants to hire an aging, smart, witty, charming, loyal employee? Me neither...

Rather boring day today but tomorrow looks promising. I think I'll get to knit with some friends and sip coffee. I'm going to bring my new wooden swift with me so I can wind some of that yummy yarn that arrived. It's going to receive my full attention (at least one skein anyway). I really, really want to swatch this. OK - pick yourself up off the floor and stop laughing - words I never thought would escape my mouth have been spoken willingly. As long as it knits nicely I think this will turn out to be one of my favorites. At least until Saturday that is. I can hear the yarn calling to me from Wooly Monmouth and The Knitting Gallery - "pick me, pick me". Saturday's schedule will be a yarn store, lunch, another yarn store, a bead store (maybe), and then knitting and fondling the yarn that's bought. I know, I know, it sounds grueling but someone's got to do it - I'm up to the challenge! And I have a wonderful support group to cheer me on.

The highlight of my day was my mystery shop - they actually pay me to shop - imagine that! I evaluated the store and did my food shopping at the same time. As if shopping for food isn't enough - later in them month they're going to PAY ME to shop for SHOES! It just doesn't get any better. I'm blessed, truly blessed - paid to shop for SHOES! I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Nope - I'm wide awake! Being unemployed does have it's benefits albeit little ones, like being able to mystery shop and not having to get up until the dog licks my eyes - did I tell you he's very smart? When he decides it's time to rise and shine that's what he does licks my eyes until they pop open LOL.

Happy Days Are Here Again

My most favorite person in the whole world just came to my house THE FED EX MAN! Four boxes from Uruguay - whatever could they be??? The suspense is killing me - wait a minute while I go open one. What a surprise - it's YARN! See their little faces peeping out. It's very good yarn though - no crying or whining. They did tell me they want to go to their permanent place of residence though, since they were not all adopted by me. Now, I can't tell you who adopted them - you know - what with being shipped from a foreign country and everything. There's definately some undercover folks involved and I wouldn't want to blow their cover (we all know how those secret agent types can be!) I guess if they read my blog they'll know their "shipment" has arrived.

Socks that won - thank you Candice for being a wonderful teacher!

OK - guess it's time to get some knitting related stuff in here. These are the socks that won me a prize at AC Moore - I'll probably never make another pair like this so they better last a lifetime (in fact they better be heirlooms for my children!)!

And this big guy is Koko. He is the best guy in the world. He doesn't like yarn or chewing anything else for that matter. He's just a 120 pound puppy!

Meet Jack

Meet Jack. Jack likes yarn - the only problem is he likes to eat it! So far he's chewed holes in my Hanne Falkenberg Sweater and my Birch Shawl. Jack is a bad doggy! We love him anyway!

Day One - What Not To Expect

OK, so there's a negative conotation in there but it's the simple truth. I won't be posting daily - don't have that many words in my head for an entire day so I gotta keep some around for an emergency!

Alrighty then - on to the positive stuff. I can't post pictures of all the things I'm working on because it would take up all the bandwith alloted for me and all the other bloggers here! I'm the BEST starter in the world (notice the absence of the word finish). The sobs coming from the UFOs in my bins eventually subside to a whimper and then I can't hear them at all. It's probably because they've been smothered by new acquisitions. It's a sickness that I can't seem to cure. I LOVE yarn, and needles, and gadgets. It's pretty sad when yarn store owners in other states are on a first name basis with you! I get so enthusiastic about a new project but once I've conquered the new technique or pattern - it loses its appeal. I do much, much better if I'm in a knit-a-long with real live people.

Over the weekend my knitting buds and I went to the AC Moore Knitting Party - what fun, I entered my socks but coudn't stick around to find out who won. I had places to go, people to see, and things to do. Now just what do you think they were LOL. It was our monthly day in Staten Island. First stop the card show at Mount St. Lorretto; up next is The Yarn Girl and last but not least the best Italian restaurant we've dined at in a very LONG time - Il Pomadoro on Hylan Blvd.

I'll be posting pictures of finished objects and works in progress soon. I have to prove to some folks that I really do knit :-)