Monday, July 30, 2007

Award, Nominations, Beads, and Stuff ....



Hege nominated me for the Creative Blogger Award, and I thank her and I'm mighty pleased. It's like collecting trophies. This was big in our family. Everybody was collecting trophies with skiing, but I only got two in my teens. One was for 4th place, and one was 1st place. I'm not very competitive. One of my cousins was in the Austrian Ski Team for a few years. Anyway, it seems people are coming up more and more with awards in blog land. And why not? It's fun and it makes you feel good, so I'm passing on the ball.

Christy started it all. You can read up on what's it about and what other awards you can bestow on others.

My five nominees are:


Tracy
Rosemary
Teresa
Amy
Nanette.
As always it's hard to narrow it down to a few, but here you go.
Thanks , Hege for nominating me, I feel honoured!


Now, what else can I tell you?

See this wonderful cake of Hand Maiden Sea Silk? It doesn't look quite that crisp and fresh anymore. I've tried to knit Teresa's La Dentelle Belle Scarf, started it three times, but could not for the life of me get past the first pattern repeat without a mistake! I'm totally "lace retarded" at the moment. Or, it might not be the right time for this. It's a pity, because I think the yarn and the pattern are made for each other. I'll give it another try for sure in the future. It's just to nice to NOT make it.
In spinning news there is this. Natural brown BFL, as third and last part for this project. It's not colorful, but the process of spinning is so much fun, I don't care if it looks good or not. And, I happen to like natural fibers a lot. It doesn't have to be all funky colors all the time.
This is my attempt on bead work. I thought I could whip up some mini sock connections for the key chains. Turns out, that you are fast with the stringing, but it takes time for the beginning and the ends to be usable. I need loops on both ends for my purpose. I can tell you this: I'm not cut out for bead work. I really, truly, hate it! What am I going to do with the rest of the stuff? I sure hope, maybe Hannah would like to give it a try (but I don't think she's the gal to do that stuff either). Maybe I'll burrow it in a closet, and in the far, far, future I'll need more of these "connections", and will dig it out again. Just maybe. I would rather knit a hundred mini socks, than to make ten of those things again. Alright, one can not be good at everything. ;o)



And last but not least, I'm knitting a cardigan for MYSELF!!! Hold your breath! I'm done with the back. More about it when there's more to show you, or when it's done, whatever comes first! ;o) Oh, and I'm knitting from stash. It's an adventure to root around all the boxes and bags to find something suitable for the project you have in mind. I quite like it, because most of the stash is gorgeous stuff (some forgotten, but much appreciated), otherwise I wouldn't have bought it!
Hm, Elizabeth, you thought the yarn is Karaokee, but it's Patons SWS. I've used Karaokee once before, and I got the "lemon", I guess. It was awful, lots of knots, the yarn "guts" coming out of the ball, or I think they stuffed some length into the balls to get the right weight, because it was not attached to the rest of the ball. It was a right nightmare.


SWS on the other hand, is lovely to work with, so far. Only one knot in 4 balls.

This past weekend was mostly about spinning. I've got new roving from Pick Up Sticks. Connie is carrying spinning fiber now as well. I love the Fat Cat Knits roving I've got in three different colors. I've already pre-darfted my first merino and can't wait to get started. And because I'm a fiber addict, I've already ordered more roving from Ginny at her Fat Cat Knits Etsy store. To bad you are too late, because I've got all the best colors! ;o)

Last night I was reading blogs, nothing special there. But as it so often happens, you start reading one blog, and click a link and get from one place to another and end up somewhere totally new. I came across some blogs where while reading them, I felt like I was intruding. There were so personal, and yet, once you have a public blog, everybody can read them. Somehow it didn't feel right, I felt weird and got out of there. Very strange. Ever happen to you?

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well - You are certainly deserving of that "trophy"...One of the most creative knitters I know!
I LOVE your new cardigan - the colors /the stitch pattern...beautiful!
Now I will go click your creative award links and get lost in blogland.(actually there are only 2 I don't know)

Sue J. said...

Congratulations on the award, Monika. Well deserved, that's for sure. I love the cardigan and am anxious to see more of it as it progresses. Good for you for knitting something for yourself.

Frieda said...

Congratulations , well dederved trophy ! Love the colours for the cardigan . I've used SWS for a scarf , enjoyed knitting with it too . Thanks for the links to your nominees and the Dentelle Lace scarf .

hakucho said...

Love your cardigan. Very pretty fall colors and I'm so glad to know that the Paton's SWS is so nice to knit with.

Congratulations on your well deserved award. In my book you are at the top of the pyramid when it comes to being creative :)

happy knitting :)

Teresa said...

Congrats and thank you! Definitely deserved on your part..(I'm still in love with the KH sweater...almost enough to buy the book and knit it myself!)

Don't worry about the lace. I've been there! I've been SO Frustrated that I felt like breaking my needles and tearing my hair. (However..I love my needles too much for that!). The edges and the middle of La Belle Dentelle are both 14 rows which makes it easier. So..if you blow up the pattern to a larger size, and use a marker to (post it notes) to keep track of the rows you're on, maybe that might help.

The Kelly Green Rogue said...

The colors of the cardi and beautiful, I would have never guess SWS is you hadn't told. What colorway is it?

bobbi said...

I too tried beading, am not cut out for it either.
i bought everything you need. all the tools, what a waste. i have made some markers tho. i think i posted them on my blog site long ago.

Bea said...

Congratulations! You deserve the award! Don't worry about the lace, give it a few days and pick it up again, I bet you'll be able to breeze right along the next time!

Anonymous said...

Congrats and thanks for the nomination! Now if only I'd get off my derriere and actually do some knitting or blogging! LOL

Anonymous said...

Wow, Monika, you tagged, you sewed, you're knitting yourself a cardigan........is the sky still up? lol. Good for you! The tote looks amazing and so does the cardigan (as far as it's gotten..)

Tracy Purtscher said...

Congrats, and well, golly gee thanks. It's nice to know someone thinks my random thoughts and "experiements" are creative! LOL

Oh wait, is this just a sneaky way to get me to post something??? ;-)

LOVE the cardi and it's about time you made yourself something other than socks!!!

Heike said...

Deine Weste wird bestimmt toll. Der Anfang sieht schon sehr vielversprechend aus! Die Wolle ist sehr schön - genau meine Lieblingsfarben!!

Viele Grüsse von Heike

Debi said...

Congrats on the award!

I hope the Sea Silk behaves cause it's stunning and needs to be some beautiful lace!

I love your new cardi, very autumn-y.

I know what you mean about some blogs making me feel uncomfortable. There are just some things one shouldn't discuss with "strangers" but I suppose that is part of the appeal...anonymity. Makes me feel icky tho :)

Kris B said...

You are definetly a creative blogger! I enjoyed seeing your links to the blogs. They were all fun to visit. I hope the sea silk will work out better for you in the future. The natural brown BFL looks so soft. The cardigan is looking lovely to.

Mr Puffy's Knitting Blog: said...

Congrats on the award - well deserved. Love, love, love that sweater.... Never knit with Paton's SWS but nice to hear a positive review - I think someone said it felts wonderfully too.

Violiknit said...

Congrats on the award!! That cardi is looking gorgeous and those mini sock beaded keychais are so cute! I'd have to say that yes, some blogs get really personal, but I guess everyone has a different comfort level; both for sharing and for reading, so I also just "get out of there" like you do.