Secret Pal 10

Dear Secret Pal,

Welcome! Please, make yourself comfortable. This is my third round of Secret Pal, and you can see how I’ve answered the questionnaire for Round 8 and Round 9. You can also browse the labels Secret Pal and Exploits in Crafting (I've just made the switch to New Blogger, so the back-labeling thing has been a bit of a pain). I’ll try to incorporate any changes in the questionnaire in this letter.

As you will soon notice, we are planning to spend the upcoming school year in lovely New Hampshire. The Consort will be spending his sabbatical year (he teaches university) writing a book, and, both of us being East Coasters, we have been missing real mountains, so figured this was a good way to get our mountain “fix”. Our two girls, however, have adopted the Midwest (despite both having been born in California, and having lived in New Jersey and North Carolina in their wee days), and they consider the upcoming year as The End of The World As They Know It (And It Ain’t Fine) (not really, they’re starting to come around). I said “As you will soon notice,” because, although I haven’t yet talked about this on the blog, I am starting to freak out about the mechanics of the move. We have to CLEAN THIS PLACE UP (meaning, mostly, ALL THE CLOSETS AND THE BASEMENT, OH, AND THE LIBRARY, AND THE LIVING ROOM AND THE KITCHEN) so we can rent it out while we’re gone, we have to FIND A PLACE TO LIVE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE (this may be a bit of a problem because the landlords have to BE OKAY WITH A DOG, A CAT, AND A RABBIT), we have to GET THE GIRLS REGISTERED FOR SCHOOL OUT THERE, making sure that THEY CAN KEEP UP WITH THE PROGRAMS THEY HAVE STARTED HERE.

Yes, and let's not forget WE HAVE TO FIND RENTERS FOR OUR HOUSE!

Phew! Sorry for shouting; like I said, I’m starting to worry a bit.

Anyway, this means that I’m having to rethink my upcoming knitting. So I will give you my wishlist, but I’m seeing this wishlist sort of like the Christmas list you make up when you’re six years old, and it’s 67-items long, and Santa probably won’t bring you anything on it anyway, because, really, at six years old you don’t quite understand the concepts of “excess” and “decadence”, and “living within your parents’ means”, but the fun part is writing it out in all its glory. Yes? Okay, here goes:

I would like to own a ball winder. I know nothing about brands, quality, things to look out for, but I did notice this one, which was on sale last time I looked.

I have purchased the Simple Knitted Bodice pattern. But I don’t have the yarn. They suggest Tilli Thomas, but that stuff is $38 per skein, and there is NO WAY I would ever wear something that cost that much in materials; so I’d totally be expecting a different yarn choice. It looks like I’m right between the size L and XL, and I would make the long-sleeved version. In olive (because I have no imagination) or maybe a dark blue – a lapis lazuli-type color? And, I'm totally not into sequins. Crystal beads, yes, sequins, no.

I also have the Winter 2006 Interweave Knits, which I got because of the Nantucket Jacket on the cover. I’d want to make it long-sleeved (it’ll be chilly in NH!), so I’d need more yarn than they say, and I’m thinking, oh, how about a nice Cinnamon Stick color (like I said, no imagination), but again, a different yarn selection would be perfectly fine (I’d be making it in the 46.5 version).

I really like the idea of socks, but mine are always a bit big. I would love to do a toe-up pattern, if you know of a good one.

I’d also like to try short-row heels (I’ve only ever done heel flaps).

Of course, sock yarn to go with these patterns would be swell!

Do you have any idea of what I could do with one skein of worsted lorna’s laces?

Oh, by the way? I seem to be an extremely slow knitter. I started this sock on Super Bowl Sunday (February 4). I’m not even done with one! (Oh, and the Hogwarts colors? Not done on purpose.)


Although part of that is because I’m working on a lace-weight shawl (which I’m not going to post a picture of just yet). Doesn’t look like much yet, but, hey, I’m up to 236 stitches per row, and I started with 6.

Thank you for reading, and I look forward to SP 10.