This one was fun

Your Linguistic Profile:

65% General American English

20% Yankee

15% Dixie

0% Midwestern

0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Too accurate...

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have low extroversion. You are quiet and reserved in most social situations. A low key, laid back lifestyle is important to you. You tend to bond slowly, over time, with one or two people. Conscientiousness: You have medium conscientiousness. You're generally good at balancing work and play. When you need to buckle down, you can usually get tasks done. But you've been known to goof off when you know you can get away with it. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness. You're generally a friendly and trusting person. But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism. You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have low neuroticism. You are very emotionally stable and mentally together. Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly. Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is medium. You are generally broad minded when it come to new things. But if something crosses a moral line, there's no way you'll approve of it. You are suspicious of anything too wacky, though you do still consider creativity a virtue.

The Five Factor Personality Test

You Are My Sunshine....

You Are Sunrise

You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary. You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward. Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts. All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.

What Time Of Day Are You?

OTN (On the Needles)

I received this pattern as a Christmas gift from Mark and I've been waiting for the right time to start knitting. I decided to start the pattern now -- the yarn is a lovely spring colorway and I haven't anything else to work on as I'm waiting for yarn to arrive for the next sock for the Six_Sox_Knitalong. This is the Diamond Patch Socks pattern from Heartland Knits. I'm using Koigu KPPPM P314L. I love the colorway, but I'm thinking already of picking something else for another pair of socks. I think something with greater contrast would show off the diamonds nicely. These socks will be a bit thick (the diamonds have ridges of stockinette/garter stitches), and slightly loose -- just about right for my sandals on a cool day. :) The pattern is easy to remember and the placement of the diamonds isn't too difficult. Can't wait to finish the first one!
I just realized, after posting this, that I put the sock on upside down! Well, I suppose the finished pic will be right side up. ;-)

Pah

To be fair to the children, I thought I should have a pic of Pah posted, as well as Buttercup. So, here he is. :)

Opal Follies

Here's an Opal sock I attempted to design by myself. I was going for the embossed leaf pattern because of the fall colors in the Opal skein (I adapted a pattern from Beautiful Knitting Patterns by Gisela Klopper). I did a two-color rib at the top (the solid is an Opal Uni). The sock, however, is way to small for me. I think it's even too small for Buttercup... So here's the pic, and now I can rip it out, rethink, and head back to the "drawing board."

Surprise! Beautiful Lake Ontario

These socks have been on the needles for over a year. I can't believe I finally finished them! I wouldn't say they were especially difficult; but they do require concentration and my mind is usually on everything else! The pattern is from the Day Trips collection by Needle Beetle. Check out the pic of the toes. Left toe: knit before class with Lucy Neatby (Knitter's Day Out, Camp Hill, PA, 2005). Right toe: knit after learning the error of my ways. :) Always keep the same yarn in the same hand! Thank you Lucy Neatby! Anyway, I'm glad these are finally off my needles and on my feet!

In the meantime...

I knit up a bunch of socks for a friend. These are Regia 4-ply Tweed. I love the yarn -- why haven't I ordered any for me???

What kind of weather would you like today?

This morning I snuggled into the warm covers and listened to the rain falling softly outside my window. Eventually I got my day going and somewhere half-way through the laundry I realized the sun had come out. Checking the thermometer I did a double-take; 70 degrees before lunch in early April. Okay, open the house -- "Kids! Let's go out!" The kids had fun making portraits in the driveway for about an hour -- then the wind turned cold and we're back to the grey, rainy, and cold day we started with. Gotta love the weather. :) (Pah on the left, Buttercup on the right, and that white one above Pah's head is me)

Brownies Visit the Beautiful Drive

While I was in the rec room watching the news and talking on the phone, two mysterious brownies by the name of Buttercup and Pah decided to work some magic in the kitchen. These are pictures of the kitchen as it looked when I walked in. What you can't see, unfortunately, is the before -- the dishwasher was full of clean dishes, the counters were full of dirty dishes, the table was covered with "stuff." And now? The kitchen smells of orange cleaner, the clean dishes are in the cupboards, the dirty in the dishwasher. And Mama? Mama's so tickled she had to post it on the blog -- I've always dreamed of having brownies visit! (Yes, the kids know that -- what wonderful children, to make their Mama's dreams come true!) I have two reallio, trulio special children!

Bulky V Neck Pullover

This is the Bulky V Neck Pullover from Knitting Pure & Simple. I used Naturwolle from Austermann, color 03. I loved the method -- top down, all on circs. This is the sweater I completed three times. The first try looked like a maternity sweater (and if there was any hope of that I may have left it that way). So I ripped it out, added darts for shaping, and decided against the side slits. The final product doesn't look much like the pic on the pattern, but it fits nicely. I especially like the neck edge and raglan shaping. This was the first time I did the math on a sweater to fit it to me and I'm happy with the time and effort... A wonderful learning experience and a nice sweater, to boot.

Doubleknitski Number Two

Mark's Doubleknitski in Elann's Highland Wool (blue) and Paton's Classic Merino (grey). Love this pattern and I think he's going to love the warmth. I was worried that Spring would arrive before I could finish the hat. Have no fear; Spring is here -- but warm air is not. Mark should have a few chances yet to wear the hat this season....

Glad Ragg Socks

Here's the completed Glad Ragg sock. I haven't worn these, yet -- I've just been admiring them on the foot. :) This pair was for the Six_Sox_Knitalong Group. My first for the group, and the pattern Mom and I chose for our annual knitalong. Beading was a bother at first, but fun in the end. Don't know that I'd go for another beaded sock, but I can foresee other beaded projects in the future...

We're back!

We're back from our annual spring break trip to lovely Fairfield Township, PA. And I do mean lovely! We enjoyed blue skies, March winds, and spring-like temps for the whole ten days -- only to return to upstate NY and winter! I was happy to see our crocus coming up, only to find them covered in snow the first morning we were home!

I acquired a new skill on break -- knitting with beads. Mom and I chose for our annual mother/daughter knit along the Gladd Ragg socks from the six_sox_knitalong (check out Yahoo groups if you're interested!). I'll post picks later! I had fun, anyway. ;-) Ya' maybe don't want to ask Mom about it -- but her socks are beautiful! I also completed a neck-down raglan pullover for me... Three times. You know you've advanced as a knitter when you bind off, try it on, rip out, reknit, bind off, try it on, rip out, reknit... And my last project while in PA was the Doubleknitski for Mark. I just finished that one this morning -- he'll need it 'cause it's only 26 outside and it's not that warm inside!

And now we're back to school (Nine weeks left in the school year, and then we'll have a bit of a break and on to year 2. Where does the time go???), laundry, cleaning... Mark was an absolute sweetheart and cleaned house while I was gone AND baked cookies for us, so my load is light this week! Life is good!

Lavenderberry Doubleknitski

Buttercup models her new hat. This is the second hat I knit for Buttercup (the first was a colorwork hat I attempted before I had any clue about how to do colorwork). She picked the colors, I picked the pattern. This was the real double knit pattern I was looking for. Google Doubleknitski and you'll find the pattern and lots of warm caps. :)

Pah's Harlequin Hat

Harlequin \Har"le*quin\, n. i. To play the droll; to make sport by playing ludicrous tricks.

Need I say more?

The hat is from a free pattern at Elann.com. The yarn is Elann's Sock It to Me Collection; Harlequin in Blue Jeans and Blue Stonewash. I was looking for a double-knit hat pattern and found this. Pah found it at the same time and decided he needed a hat like that. The hat's not really double knit. You use a provisional cast-on and knit the "first" hat with one skein. Then pick up the live stitches and knit the "second" hat with the second skein. When all is said and done you fold one inside the other and off you go, out into the snow. A warm, reversible hat -- really very simple to make. I'm not impressed with the Sock It to Me yarns and I'm envisioning this hat done in Opal -- one of the patterning yarns and a complimentary solid. Hhmmm, I may have to go shopping...

You appear to be a Knitting Purist.
You are an accomplished knitter producing beautiful

pieces with a classic feel. You sometimes

lament losing half of your local yarn shop to

garish novelty yarns. Perhaps you consider

fun fur scarves the bane of knitting society

and prefer to steer new knitters towards the

wool and cotton blends. Some might call you a

bit of an elitist but you know that you've

been doing this craft long enough to respect

the history behind it and honor it with

beautiful piece that can last a lifetime.
http://marniemaclean.com


What Kind of Knitter Are You?
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Opalympics Medal Ceremony

Buttercup has been watching the O. with me and also watching me knit. She loves the Opal colors and is more excited than I about each new skein. When I told her I was on my last Opalympic sock she mysteriously disappeared. Later that evening when I presented the final, finished sock -- Buttercup presented me with my very own medal! Aren't kids the best? :D

Opalympics Event #3: Rodeo 1150

Whew, I made it! I completed the Rodeo 1150 yesterday just before dinner. I decided (after six pounds of yarn arrived in the mail) that this is the final event in the Opalympics. I have a couple of sweaters to start and four hats to knit (since winter has finally arrived in upstate NY, it's time to get some hats on the kids!). I think I'll save the kids' Opal for next winter. Their feet grow too quickly!

Speaking of the Olympics -- did anyone else tire of the commercials? Maybe we're one of a few who only have rabbit ears (okay, glorified rabbit ears -- but we still get just the major networks and PBS). Maybe the coverage was better on the premium channels. Maybe there are too many commercials everywhere. Whatever the case -- I'm ready to turn off the tv and return it to the closet!

An afternoon with Pah

Pah:
(In his manliest 4-year-old voice) "I will fight you!"
(quiet narrator's voice) "and the sword went on and on through the darkness, into the dragon..."
(dying dragon's voice) "AAAAAGGGGHHHHHHhhhhhh......."

Remember when you could completely escape into make-believe fun? Now I've got to have peace, an iPod, and a good book... Unless I lean back, close my eyes, and listen to my favorite 4-year-old narrating his adventures; that is, if I don't mind action stories with sound effects. ;-)