I'm Audrey, Who Are You?

I'm not sure I agree with all of this, but it was funny when Audrey Hepburn popped up because my daughter loves Audrey Hepburn.  There's a link to the quiz at the bottom of my post so you can see who you are.  

I have been knitting away on the Tulip sweater.  I have started over three times and I'm pretty sure I am going to run low on at least one of the colors.  I'm going to keep going to see what happens.  Stay tuned...

You Are an Audrey!

You are an Audrey -- "I am at peace"

Audreys are receptive, good-natured, and supportive. They seek union with others and the world around them.

How to Get Along with Me

• * If you want me to do something, how you ask is important. I especially don't like expectations or pressure


• * I like to listen and to be of service, but don't take advantage of this


• * Listen until I finish speaking, even though I meander a bit


• * Give me time to finish things and make decisions. It's OK to nudge me gently and nonjudgmentally


• * Ask me questions to help me get clear


• * Tell me when you like how I look. I'm not averse to flattery


• * Hug me, show physical affection. It opens me up to my feelings


• * I like a good discussion but not a confrontation


• * Let me know you like what I've done or said


• * Laugh with me and share in my enjoyment of life

What I Like About Being an Audrey

• * being nonjudgmental and accepting


• * caring for and being concerned about others


• * being able to relax and have a good time


• * knowing that most people enjoy my company; I'm easy to be around


• * my ability to see many different sides of an issue and to be a good mediator and facilitator


• * my heightened awareness of sensations, aesthetics, and the here and now


• * being able to go with the flow and feel one with the universe

What's Hard About Being an Audrey

• * being judged and misunderstood for being placid and/or indecisive


• * being critical of myself for lacking initiative and discipline


• * being too sensitive to criticism; taking every raised eyebrow and twitch of the mouth personally


• * being confused about what I really want


• * caring too much about what others will think of me


• * not being listened to or taken seriously

Audreys as Children Often

• * feel ignored and that their wants, opinions, and feelings are unimportant


• * tune out a lot, especially when others argue


• * are "good" children: deny anger or keep it to themselves

Audreys as Parents

• * are supportive, kind, and warm


• * are sometimes overly permissive or nondirective

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

Knitting With Toothpicks

I am now knitting with size 0 needles or toothpicks as I like to refer to them.  The design is very pretty, but I made a mistake in reading the chart so I will be starting again.  I may move the colors too because it is pretty hard to see the black and I would like to be able to knit up the hem instead of sewing it later.  Stay tuned...

What is it with gauge?

I have been craving a new knitting project for a while.  I recently found Twist Collective.  I ordered three new knitting patterns, here, here and here.  (With many more that I wanted to buy!)  I figured I would start with the mittens.

It would be a small (size wise) project with some difficulty (the fair isle pattern), but certainly doable.  I knit very loosely so I usually go down two needle sizes to get the gauge.  The pattern calls for size 1 or 2 needles.  I used a size 1 and got 8 stitches to the inch (I'm supposed to have 9 spi). (I'm using the yarn that the pattern calls for).

Now it's 10:00 pm and I want to knit!  I don't own any size 0 needles so what do I do?  I get out another knitting project...a kit I purchased in Sept. for this child's sweater from Dream in Color Designs.  I do a gauge swatch and I end up having to go up two needle sizes from what the pattern recommends!  Yikes! What is this gauge madness?  Do I need to find knitting designers who knit loosely like I do?  The idea of knitting a pair of mittens on size 0 (or smaller needles) is a little disconcerting.

So about two hours after starting a new knitting project I am able to actually knit on the project...the child's sweater, not the mittens.  Which I have to say is a dream to knit.  The yarn is the yummiest of colors.  Now I'm going to go to my LYS to see if they have size 0 needles...stay tuned...

What I'm Working On

It is freezing here in Buffalo today.  I am trying to stay warm and doing lots of laundry so my washing machine pipes won't freeze!  In my quest for finishing UFO's, I resurrected this needlework piece that I started in a class in 1997 or 98.  Yikes, that's a decade ago!  Most of the stitching was done for the inside of the case.  I just need to do some outlining and then stitch the outside area (which shouldn't be too difficult).  It's The Florentine Stitch Sewing Roll by Catherine Theron.  I have always loved this piece and knew I wanted to finish it...someday...stay tuned...

More completed items

I finished piece #2 for the SWAP.  It's a sweater knit that I bought at Joann's in the fall.  It's Simplicity 3634 with an adjustment to the neck (I raised it) and I cut a size larger than I normally wear in the body because the pattern is a very tight t shirt.

Here are a couple more Christmas gifts that I made for my family.  The sampler is from The City Stitcher and I made it for my husband.  I didn't finish it in time to have it framed for Christmas so this week I hope to get it to the frame shop.

Here's another Wonderful Wallaby sweater knit for my son #1.  Now all of my boys have one so hopefully any more that I make will be baby sized!  This is a fun sweater to knit but a big one takes a lot of time.  I worked on this one all summer and fall.

Now off to my sewing room to see what else I can finish...stay tuned...

Another New Year

Another year begun...a new beginning.  This year I am going to set goals rather than make resolutions.  Resolutions seem to be such hard and fast rules.  Goals are something to strive for and I am striving in 2009. 

My first goal for 2009 is to keep finishing UFO's.  I have four needlework projects that I intend to complete before I begin a new one.  Speaking of finishing things here are a few photos of Christmas gifts I made for special people.  My daughter's skirt in the following photo is a Burda World of Fashion pattern pencil skirt made from scraps of a wool skirt I made for myself a few years ago.  It fits her like a glove and she is hoping that I make more.  Unfortunately this is the only picture I got of her in it before she left for Boston.  (She is the one in the center posing with two of her cousins all in black and white houndstooth.)

My #2 son spent all last year in Scotland and had asked if I could make him a quilt that looked like the Scottish flag.  He was very happy with the results and now wants one that resembles the US flag...hmmm

Completing the SWAP is another goal in 2009.  I have finished one of the tops and will have one of my boys take a photo before they head back to school.  I am diligently working on fitting a pair of pants, but nothing yet...another goal of 2009, a decent fitting pair of pants.  I also intend to knit a mohair icelandic style sweater as part of the SWAP.  I have my work cut out for me but I am excited about it...stay tuned...