Yarn Harlot visits Cleveland !!

I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting the one and only Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, today in Cleveland at Joseph Beth Booksellers in Legacy Village.

She is just hilarious and so clever (and also, like me, the mother of 3 teenage daughters).

Some highlights of her presentation that I took home with me include:

We're not just knitters. We are a community, a culture, a team.

Because of our knitting, we have more friends. We are smarter.

Knitting isn't just something you do, it's something you are.

There's no way that sitting around knitting is more stupid than football.

She talked about examples of "CHOKE" - "Cultural Humiliation Of Knitter's Everywhere"

and best of all:

"We can't fix the world until everyone knits."

I also took home the latest statistic that the BIGGEST group of BLOGLINE users are KNITTERS!!!

and remember, Stephanie says that

"If your friend doesn't like knitting, she's not doing it right!!"

Wherever she goes, she cleverly takes a picture of her sock in the foreground, with the crowd or wherever she is, in the background. As seen here, that's ME in the front row on the end in RED

She has an entry on her

BLOG

"CLEVELAND ROCKS" and speaks very highly about Cleveland Knitter's!!

That's my daughter # 3 in the pink working on a LUCY BAG and getting assistance from a young knitter.

YARN HARLOT is coming to CLEVELAND !!

IS COMING TO

STEPHANIE PEARL-MCPHEE

signs her new book, "Casts Off" on Saturday, March 31st at 2:00pm

at JOSEPH BETH Booksellers

Legacy Village

Cleveland, Ohio

"From the best-selling author of "At Knit's End" and "Knitting Rules!" comes yet another hilarious book of tongue-in-cheek observations on the world of knitting. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off invites knitters of all ages, levels, and persuasions to embark with her on a journey deep into the land populated by those who are obsessed with yarn, needles, and what’ s on their needles now."

Check out her terrific blog by clicking below on the pink harlot icon

My Favorite Knitting Accessory

My hostess for SECRET PAL 10 is having a contest

and has asked us to post about our "favorite knitting accessory".

For me ------- it's my NEW SWIFT

I just love the beautiful wood and spinning design. I had no problem hooking it up, now I just have to figure out how to use it !!!

Then it will surely become my new favorite accessory.

Both purchases affordable with the 40% off online coupons at

JoAnn.com

In the background you can see my computer nook, my corner station, where I spend more time blogging and doing secret exchanges online than I do knitting !!!

P.S. I have a new ball winder too!

GlitterMaker.com

I just found this amazing website to make all kinds of cool glitter !!!!!

WOW, I just may have to redo my whole blog now that I know how to do this !!!!

Check it out and make some for yourself right

SECRET PAL 10 QUESTIONNAIRE

Here we go......

The Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

Hand-dyed, variegated, merino, ribbon, rayon, bamboo, silk, wool for felting.

What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Mohair or anything "itchy".

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

Plastic round containers.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn?

I learned as a child from my mother but I picked it up again 3 years ago.

Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

Intermediate

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

Yes, I have a yummy Amazon wish list!

5. .What's your favorite scent?

Lavender, eucalyptus, bergamot. No incense please !

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

No, I prefer no chocolate or candy!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

I would like to try hand-dying yarn. If I had more time for other crafts, I would enjoy making my own greeting cards or scrapbooking. I used to do needle point, cross stitch, candle making, and stained glass.

Do you spin?

No, but I'd like to try.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

Oldies from the 70's, Broadway tunes. My computer plays music, I don't have an ipod.

9. What's your favorite color(s)?

Blue, aqua, turquoise, coral, indigo, aquamarine, sky blue

Any colors you can't stand?

Gray, yellow, orange, hot pink, tan

10. What is your family situation?

Divorced, single mother of 3 teenager daughers.

Do you have any pets?

No pets and I'm allergic to cats and dogs.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I prefer scarves and shawls. I don't wear sweaters (too hot!).

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Felted bags, scarves, shawls. I'm trying to learn to knit socks, afghans and flowers.

13. What are you knitting right now?

Cable Comfort Throw Afghan, Blue Moon Socks that Rock, Multidirectional scarf, Interlacements Feather and Fan Shawl, Felted Bags.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Yes!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

Circular needles.

Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Addi Turbo or Bamboo.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

Yes, I recently purchased both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

1 year old

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Passover, Thanksgiving, Chanukah.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Button collections, salt and pepper shakers.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?

My first choice is the book, "Knitted Flowers" by Nicky Epstein or "Stephanie Peral-McPhee (the Yarn Harlot) Casts Off"

"Yarns to Dye For: Creating Self-Patterning Yarns for Knitting" by Kathleen Taylor, or the "The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook: Dyeing, Painting, Spinning, Designing, Knitting" also look delicious since I want to try dying my own yarn.

I've also been wanting a COLOR THEORY book or reference such as the

"Pick, Point & Match Rainbow Color Selector" COLOR WHEEL.


What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

Cast On (TKGA) and Knitter's Magazine


21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Mosaic, reading a chart, intarsia, easy lace.

22. Are you a sock knitter?

I'm a very beginner sock knitter.

What are your foot measurements?

Size 8 or 8 1/2 shoe.

23. When is your birthday?

July 10 - I'm turning 50 this summer !!!

Stay tuned for MORE and sign ups are still open until Feb. 28.

Click HERE for the SP 10 BLOG

Flowers to Knit & Crochet BLOG

I have been collecting patterns for flowers to knit and crochet. With spring right around the corner and these patterns so delicious and numerous, I decided to open a new blog called


"FLOWER PATTERNS TO KNIT & CROCHET"

Take a look !! Join the blog and be a contributor !!!

I Won a Book From Berocco

I won an autographed copy of the book, "Family Tree"

by Barbara Delinsky.

Sponsored by Berroco Yarns.

You can check out Berroco's "Family Tree" pattern book here:

Berroco Knit Bits Newsletter # 174

Of course, I would have rather won the pattern book than the novel.

Who has time to read with all the knitting going on?

It looks like a captivating story, I may just have to put down the needles to read it!

Thank you, Berroco.

Noni Bobble Bag Felted

I am very proud of my NONI BOBBLE BAG. From this project I learned to knit and felt bobbles. On my next bag, I wouldn't stuff the big ones with as much poly fiber fill because it left some holes, where you can slightly see the white showing through.

I also would space the bobbles further apart.

It was not easy to sew on the handles into the thick material after it was felted.

I purchased this project as a pre-packaged kit at a booth at Stitches East and it was WAY short of the yarn amounts needed to make all the multi-colored bobbles. I emailed the shop, but sadly, I never got a reply.

Fortunately, I had plenty of feltable yarn in my stash to finish off the bobbles.

Stay tuned for MORE designs of felted bags with BOBBLES to come. Now I'm inspired to try other bobble arrangements.

The Ultimate Blog Party

I invite you to join the

"5 MINTUES FOR MOM ULTIMATE BLOG PARTY"

CLICK

HERE

It will be a week long bash starting March 2, 2007 and

ending with the big prize giveaway on March 9, 2007.

Come list your blog, be inspired by others, and have a chance to win terrific prizes!!

2 Secret Pal Exchanges

I just joined 2 new Secret Pal exchanges.

I was so inspired by the beautiful scarves in past exchanges, I was waiting everyday for the next one to begin!

INTERNATIONAL SCARF EXCHANGE 4

and


SECRET PAL 10