knit two, purl two » Secret Pal 10

Das große SP10 Finale

Susan — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 10:37:34 +0000

Secret Pal 10 ist nun vorbei und es scheint, daß gestern die letzten Päckchen zeitgleich angekommen sind. Da Emilie hier kommentiert hat, gehe ich stark davon aus, daß sie mein Päckchen auch endlich bekommen hat (es gab da einen Streik bei der englischen Post – solange hat noch kein Päckchen auf die Insel gebraucht). Es hat viel Spaß gemacht, Emilie zu beschenken, sie hatte einen ausführlichen Fragebogen und hat es damit mir leicht gemacht, die passenden Dinge zu finden. Sie wohnt in London und so hoffe ich sehr, sie im Oktober persönlich kennenzulernen!
Mein toller Paketbote überreichte mir gestern strahlend ein weiteres knallgelbes Paket aus Italien. Ich habe wirklich noch nie einen so netten und begeisterungsfähigen Postler gehabt. Ich glaube fast, wenn ich ihn eingeladen hätte, beim Auspacken dabei zu sein, er wäre in Versuchung geraten. Auch war er ein bißchen traurig, als ich ihm sagte, daß das vorerst das letzte internationale Paket war. Aber: es geht ja vielleicht weiter im Herbst mit SP11.
Ich habe das wundervolle Paket von Silvia dann doch alleine ausgepackt und war wieder überwältigt:

SP10 is over and it seems that yesterday the last parcels arrived at the same time. I guess Emilie got her last parcel finally because she left comments here. It was a lot of fun to spoil Emily. She had a good and detailed questionnary and that makes it easy to find the right things (I hope so). She’s living in London and I hope so that we can meet when I’m there in October.
Yesterday my great postie gave me with a beaming smile my last yellow parcel from Italy. I never had such a nice and enthusiastic postie. He was a little bit sad when I told him that this was the last international parcel for the next weeks. But perhaps I’ll join SP11. And this is the wonderful parcel from my wonderful pal Silvia:

Schöne Socken für mich! Knallrot und mit einem hübschen Zopfmuster. Ich freue mich immer sehr über selbstgestrickte Socken (warum kriege ich denn so selten welche? ). Wundervoller Kaffee für perfekten Espresso (und ja: auch als Nicht-Italiener besitze ich natürlich eine Caffettiera) und dazu passend zwei Tüten mit venezianischem und genovesischem Gebäck. Wirklich traumhafte Schokolade (schon zur Hälfte genossen) und fünf Knäuel wunderschöner Baumwolle mit einem tollen Grün-Orange-Farbverlauf. Ich habe schon eine Idee, was ich daraus machen kann.

Amazing red socks with a nice cable pattern. I love to get socks for myself! (Unfortunately I get hand knitted socks very rarely – why? ) Wonderful Italian coffee for a perfect espresso (and of course I own a caffettiera ) and delicious cookies. And -aaahhh!- wonderful chocolate (I already ate the half of them). And you can see 5 balls of wonderful cotton with a great color run in green and orange. I already have a little idea what to make with them.

Und die Socken passen perfekt. Dank der wenig sommerlichen Temperaturen trage ich sie auch schon. Liebe Silvia, vielen Dank für diese schöne Runde SP, du hast mir tolle Sachen geschickt und mir viel Freude bereitet!

The socks fit perfectly! Because it is cold here (hello summer?!) I’m already wearing them. Dear Silvia, thank you so much for being such a nice and generous pal. All your parcels were great and you made me happy!

Eigenlob stinkt zwar…

Susan — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 12:28:56 +0000

…dennoch platze ich gerade fast vor Stolz. Und bevor ich das Teilchen als Bestandteil des letzten Secret Pal-Päckchens nach London schicke, will ich es hier verewigen:

Self-adulation isn’t good but just in moment I’m nearly bursting with proud. And before the needle case will be shipped in the last secret pal-parcel to London I want it to perpetuate it here:

Langsam kriege ich das in Griff mit dem Nähen und dieses Needlecase ist richtig gut gelungen und den Stoff finde ich auch cool.

Slowly but surely I get the hang of this sewing thing. I think this needle case is really nice and I love the fabric, it’s cool.

Jetzt hoffe ich nur, daß es meinem Pal auch gefällt und beende hier die peinliche Eigenlobeshymne

Hope that my pal will love it too and now I’m ending with this embarassing hymn of praise

holiday questionaire

Susan — Fri, 25 May 2007 17:41:18 +0000

Some questions for a SP10 blog contest:

With the weather turning warmer, many of you are thinking of traveling (though some of you have just returned, you can play along). 1) What do you pack to knit? and 2) What do you hope to shop for?
Assume that you will be gone for ten days to someplace „foreign“ that is known for having great knitting locations. (Bonus: Where would you go on a „knitting holiday“?)

1) I would pack to knit only dpn’s and one ball of sock yarn for very simple socks. Perhaps a lace shawl when I’ve just started with one, it’s not too big and not too heavy for a trip. From experience I know that I’m knitting less on a trip than in my normal live. When I’m in a new city or country there are a lot of other things for me to see or to do.
2) At my last trip to London I was in a few yarn shops because I want to buy some Rowan yarn and I was looking for Sublime Yarns (I didn’t have luck) and it will be the same in October when I’m in London again. And this is also the bonus-answer: the trip to London in October will be a knitting holiday: traveling with knitting friends, purchasing yarn and visiting the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace.

A parcel from my secret pal!

Susan — Wed, 23 May 2007 07:57:53 +0000

Yesterday another wonderful yellow parcel arrived from Italy! My secret pal wrote me a long letter to explain the gifts and she was so thoughtful with them!

I got a hank of organic wool and I love it! The wool is very soft and I like the natural color, don’t know if I’ll dye it. I think it would be a scarf for me. And look this wonderful soap that doesn’t look like a soap but a treasure from Mesopotamia! And without any perfume like I want it. Lokk at the little bottle, it isn’t perfume, it is Condimento Balsamico! I will use it on my next ‚Italian night‘ when I’m preparing pasta.

My dear secret pal. I love everything in this parcel, thank you so much for being such a thoughtful pal!

My secret pal sent a parcel

Susan — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 08:58:06 +0000

Gestern ist mein erstes Secret Pal-Paket angekommen, ein schöner knallgelber Karton der italienischen Post hat im Treppenhaus auf mich gewartet. Und drin waren lauter tolle Sachen, vor allem Wolle Wolle Wolle!

Yesterday arrived my first secret pal parcel, a beautiful yellow box from the Italian post was waiting for me on the stairs. And in the box were a lot of beautiful things especially yarn yarn yarn!

Vier Knäuel von Madil Loden, eine Mischung aus Schurwolle, Alpaka und Viskose, fühlt sich traumhaft an und die Farben sind klasse!

My pal wrote me such a nice letter and described the yarn exactly: four balls of Madil Loden, a mix of wool, alpaca and viscose. The yarn is soft and I really love the colors!

Zwei Knäuel reine Wolle in einem schönen Farbverlauf.

Two balls of pure wool with a great color run and the colors are beautiful!

Dann habe ich neben einem sehr lieben Brief noch eine Tafel sizilianische Schokolade bekommen und einen Peelinghandschuh, den ich heute noch ausprobieren werde. Meine liebes Secret Pal: tausend Dank für das schöne und durchdachte Paket!

There was a “non-knitting” part in the parcel: Sicilian chocolate and a peeling mitten which I’ll try out today. My dear secret pal, thank you so much for the great and well thought parcel! Happy Easter to you!

SP contest questions

Susan — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 07:22:22 +0000

My SP10 hostess Bobbi started a little contest with two questions:

1) How old were you when you learned how to knit?
2) Who taught you?

I think I was something about six when I started to learn to knit. It must be my mother who taught me the first stitches. But my mother was always very impatient when she taught me something. In elementary school we had to learn to knit when I was eight and since this time I used to knit little pieces for my dolls, Barbies and Monchichis. Last year I found my Monchichis at my parent’s and here is a picture from one of my first pieces.

Later I think I was ten or eleven my grandma taught me to knit socks. And then my knitting destiny takes its course

halber Schotte

Susan — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 12:18:36 +0000

Sodele, der erste Strumpf der Highland Schottische Kilt Hose ist fertig und passt prima! Ich bin ja ganz begeistert von dem Muster, das sich leicht merken und schnell stricken läßt und durch den Umschlag oben sitzt der Strumpf richtig gut.

Yesterday I finished the first sock of the Highland Schottische Kilt Hose. The pattern is easy to knit and looks great and the sock fits very good.

Das ist Sockenwolle von Wolle Rödel in einem richtig schönen dunklen Rot. Den zweiten habe ich gestern abend angeschlagen, um mich von einer Familienfeier am Nachmittag zu erholen. Den zweiten Strumpf will ich so schnell wie möglich stricken, denn diverse Menschen haben mich auf die wundervollen Clessidra Kniestrümpfe in der Knitty gebracht, für die ich schon Wolle gekauft habe.

It’s sock yarn from a German wool shop called Rödel in a wonderful deep red. I casted on the second sock last night after a hard afternoon at grandpa’s birthday. I want to finish it as soon as possible because I really wants to knit the wonderful Clessidra kneesocks from the new Knitty. I already bought yarn for it

Seit heute weiß ich auch, wen ich bei SP10 beschenken darf und freue mich sehr über die Auslosung und auf die neue Runde

This morning an e-mail with my SP10 match arrived and I’m very happy about this match and I’m looking forward to the beginning of SP10.

Und gerade habe ich mich selbst beschenkt und den nächsten London-Flug gebucht. Im Oktober geht’s wieder zur Knitting And Stitching Show!! Und Ihr könnt mir glauben: ich freue mich jetzt schon!

Just in moment I booked the next flight to London: in October I’ll be again at the Knitting And Stitching Show!! And take my word for it: I’m over the moon!

Secret Pal 10 Questionnaire

Susan — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 09:23:55 +0000

It’s time for the SP10 questionnaire. All posts to SP10 you’ll find in the left sidebar in the categorie Secret Pal 10.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I prefer pure wool or other natural fibers or sock yarn with a little bit of poly-xy. I love alpaca. I absolutely hate something like “Brasilia”: fringed yarn (in German we call it “Fusselgarn”) or bouclé, 100% poly-xy: aarhg!!

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
For my circular needles I use a “Regia Box” (that’s a simple metal box) and I sewed some little bags for the circulars. For my dpn’s I sewed a little needle case.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I’m knitting for years, my level is intermediate. I learnt it in school and my grandma teached me to knit socks.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes, I’ll send you the link if you want.

5. What’s your favorite scent?
I’m sorry: I hate candles with any scent! And I don’t like any flavored bath products. I do not like any synthetic scents.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Oh yes: I love very dark chocolate!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
Yes, I’m spinning since a year.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Yes, my equipment can play MP3s. Music all over the place: Rock, Pop, classical music too but please no Techno!

9. What’s your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can’t stand?
I like blue, red, orange, brown, black, green. I don’t like yellow.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
Single with one cat.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes, I wear scarves, hats and mittens. No Ponchos please! I think they are an undesirable trend

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I love to knit socks and cardigans or lace shawls.

13. What are you knitting right now?
A pair of socks: Embossed Leaves Socks and a cardigan from German knitting magazine.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes!!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Circular needles or for socks and other little pieces dpn’s, bamboo, ebony or rosewood.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
I only own a Niddy Noddy.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
Just in moment I do not have a UFO!!

18. What is your favorite holiday?
Day of Reunification: October 3.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
No.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
For the books: see my Amazon wish list. I’m reading the Rowan Magazine, Interweave Knits, sometimes the Vogue Knitting and some German knitting magazines.

21. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?
With every new project I learn something new or I learn, that I have to learn a new technique. I should train to knit with two colors.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes! I love to knit socks! My measurements: in German 40, that’s US 9

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
01/01/