Most things I do in my life have a level of competitiveness. I was in high level classes in grade school, I competed locally and nationally in sports, I went to a competitive engineering school as one of the few women in my program and I now work for a competitive company in a department where I am the only women. For those reasons, I refuse to give in to the competitive-snobby nature of making clothes(sewing/knitting).

Making clothes is something that I LOVE. I’ve been doing it since I was 11 years old and I refuse to let anything ruin it for me. So while I mentioned that interesting incident in my last post, please know that it doesn’t get me down. The good things that I have encountered with my sewing and knitting far out weigh the bad. Heck, I’ve met all of you…well not physically met.. but you get what I’m saying.

The good side of knitting is the thing I’m trying to impress upon the girls that I work with at the Girls Club. “Knitting is pleasant” was something that I started saying as a joke. One girl was saying “Ha Ha,look, I have more rows than you” and I countered with we aren’t going to talk like that because (in my fake british Mary Poppins accent) “knitting is pleasant”. Now the girls will use it anytime conversations stray or attitudes creep up.

So my new mantra is “Knitting is pleasant”.

And because it is so pleasant I’m going to share with you some knitting loveliness straight from the UK.

It’s the Glimmer kit from Kim Hargreaves .
I’ve been drooling over this for a long time and thanks to the generosity of my parents, this was another one of my Christmas presents. It took a little while to get to me because they were out of the color or Summer Tweed I wanted but Kim and her mother Kathleen kept me updated on the status of my order and sent it as promptly as they could. I really want to dive in but I’m going to hold off until after the Knitting Olympics.

I finished the latest design. Here is a preview.

I’m finishing up the details and the pattern should be posted Tuesday.

And before I go, Latoya Denise tagged me for the “4 Things” meme.

Four jobs in my life:

1. Software Engineer
2. Cell Phone 411 Operator: Ding! “Sprint..What city and state?”
3. Customer Service Rep for GMAC. ” I’m sorry your car got repossesed sir (snicker, snicker) but you haven’t paid your bill in 3 months. What did you expect?”
4. Sales Associate at JoAnn’s (Employee discount. Enough said!)

Four movies I could watch over and over:

1. The Last Dragon
2. Chasing Liberty
3. Brown Sugar
4. Coming To America

Four places I have lived:

1. Cleveland, Oh
2. Rochester, NY
3. Atlanta, GA
4. Rochester, MN

Four places I have been on vacation:

1. New York City
2. Toronto
3. Miami
4. Las Vegas

Four websites I visit daily:

1. USAToday.com
2. Elann.com
3. yrnews.com
4. Newsgator – for all my daily blog reading.

Four of my favorite foods:

1. Ice cream
2. Red velvet cake
3. Potatoes (in any form)
4. Anything my grandmother/mother/aunts cook

Four places I’d rather be right now:

1. On a beach in Miami
2. New York City
3. Getting a massage
4. Anywhere with my friends

Four bloggers I am tagging:

How hasn’t been tagged for this? If you haven’t consider yourself tagged.

Jen made a comment the other day that knitting and knit blogging is competitive. Well last night I got to see it first hand.

Every Wednesday is SnB night nite at Helios Coffeehouse and there is no prejudice to who can join. Everyone’s welcome.
I arrived at 6:30 and started knitting. Shortly there after about 6 women I’ve never seen before walked right past me and sat down at a table. They looked at me several times but never really spoke. Then another two girls came in, looked at me, and sat on another couch. The regular SnB’ers don’t really show up until around 8pm but when they did (12-15 peeps), the others didn’t join us and still didn’t speak. Now it could be coincidence that 8 women just happened to want to knit on Wednesday at Helios and I understand that not everyone wants to join a group but let’s be real here. The SnB listserv is over 200 people and Helios is a very unique and specific place to choose. Did they really not know? But to wrap up my thought, last knit I was introduced the cliqish nature that knitting can have. I found the whole thing interesting but rather funny.

Thanks to everyone for all the nice comments on my latest projects. The Diamonique pattern may be a little delayed. That’s because I’ve been working on a variation of the top that I want to include.

This was the version I originally intended to make before I came up with the other. The neckline is a little wider than I want so I’m going to rework the front.

And when you get a chance, check out Lauren’s Project Spectrum .

I’m usually very “anti-bandwagon”. I don’t like to join everything that comes along. I want to join because I really like the idea behind it. Lauren’s idea is a good one.

The point of Project Spectrum is to create something using the colors designated for that month and it can be anything. Knit,crochet,bead,embroider,whatever. For me this will help me break out of my mold of pinks & reds and push me to try new colors.

On the eve of the sockapaloooza sign-ups, I have come to a realization about me and sock knitting. I only like to make plain socks. No lace, no overall ribbing,no nothing. For me socks are my busy work. Something to do when I really don’t have time to invest in a large project. Something to carry in my purse in case of long boring wait at the doctor’s office. I like socks but not enough to slave through a repeating pattern on size 2 needles. So to all the people that do intricate sock patterns….I salute you but it won’t be me.

I started some footies in Claudia Handpainted Yarn. It looks similar to Koigu but feels so much better. Footies are my favorite type of sock and this is great as a knitter because that means I only need one skein of yarn to make them.

I’m in a mood to finish some things before the start of the Knitting Olympics so I finished “My So-Called Scarf” today.

I’m also finishing the Lacy Sweater that’s been sitting around for awhile. I only have a sleeve to finish so that should be done soon.

And making her debut is my “diamonique” top. I wore it to the “Fine Wines and Rhymes” event a friend held at his house. He hosted about 35-50 people for a wine tasting and poetry reading. It was nice although people didn’t get as dressy as I thought they should have. Never the less, I looked nice and received a few complements. I wore the top with a black matte jersey skirt and knee-high stilleto boots.

I may post this pattern but if I do, it will definitely be for a price. This little bugger was hard work.

The Interweave Knits preview is up and I spy photographic improvements. Yes that’s right people, I spy the usage of the proper undergarments.

Thank you IK. Pretty photography makes me happy! My faith in you is restored.

I Spy …. A Challenge

Stephanie has thrown down the gauntlet and started the 2006 Knitting Olympics to coincide with the Winter Olympics.

Did you know that Dale of Norway designs the official team sweater for the US Ski Team and you can buy the pattern? I didn’t. Here is a pic . But I digress….

The point is to pick a personally challenging project and start on the first day of the Olympics, Feb 10, and finish by the end of the games, Feb 26.

I’ve decided to be on Knitting Team USA and I will be working on the Martha Cardigan from Rowan 37. This will be challenge because it will be my first cardigan, it has a button band (my first), and it’s knit on US 3 needles.

Are you up for the challenge?