My Saucy Knitting Friends Rock!

So I got my goodie box from my Saucy Knitters swap pal Kathy, and holy mackerel, does she rock. I got the post office notice on Thursday and ended up telecommuting on Friday.

Friday deserves a blog post of its own, but since I was too sleep deprived, here's the story in a nutshell - 2 a.m. Friday morning, Mom calls to tell us Alex has been up coughing for hours and can't sleep. Mike jets out to Jersey to get him, I run downstairs at 3:45 to get Alex because Mike can't find a parking spot, we both get up at 6:30. He goes to work, I stay home and telecommute, and Alex sleeps like a log.

Mike gets home on Friday and I make him drive me to the post office before we do anything else, so I can get my box. I can't even begin to tell you about the insane giggling I experienced just imagining what fibery and saucy pleasures awaited me. I finally opened the box, despite Mike's constant chastising, before we hit Target (we were doing some quick weekend picking up of stuff).

Well... pictures speak a thousand words. So these pictures should all tell you that Kathy freaking rules.

Le Box - two skeins of (hot) red sock yarn, two skeins of beautiful variegated green yarn that's just desperate to be hugged, GIANT BAG OF M&M PEANUTs, two rocking sock patterns, and a really nice pen and case.

Must look closer at sock yarn. You will see my feet lovingly wrapped in these by the Fall, I guarantee you.

Green. Ahhh... The color of Spring. I may have to whip something up in this immediately, if not sooner, just to feel the soft wool winding around my fingers.

The sauces. The sauces! How cool is this sauce? Not only is it Jamaican Hot Pepper Sauce, but the little cap on top is handmade - Kathy wrote that children were making them and selling them when she was there! How cool is this for a souvenir!

Pocket-sized Tabasco sauces. For all my traveling needs. You know these guys are coming to Des Moines with me in May.

There was also a tasty-looking Key Lime Margarita grilling sauce that Mike keeps eyeing, and I have to smack his hands lest he take it and sleep with it under his pillow. My sauce!

Again, Kathy - thank you, and you ROCK.

Coffee Swap Questionnaire

Mmmmm... yup, it's another swap - you know my addictive personality - and this one involves yarn AND coffee. Can you get a more perfect swap? Anyhoo, here's the questionnaire.

Coffee

1. What is your preference? Whole beans or ground?
I've been gravitating toward ground lately, because I'm too impatient to ground the beans. ;)

2. What kind of coffees do you enjoy? A rich, bold roast; a light, fresh one, or something in between? Leaded or non?
Absolutely leaded - I'd be sleepwalking otherwise. I like a light, fresh roast now that we're in Spring. It picks me up.

3. If you were headed out right now to buy some coffee for the house, what would you be picking up?
I'd probably run down to Dunkin' and get a pound for the house. Dunkin' rocks.

4. Do you drink for caffeine, pleasure, or both?
Both, for sure. I love caffeine, but I just like the taste of coffee, the curling up on the couch when I have a mug, the whole experience.

5. Do you enjoy flavored coffees? How about add-ins or flavored creamers?
Ooh, yes and yes! Love flavored coffees, especially any kind of vanillas or caramels. Ditto for the flavored creamers. The only flavors I really don't like are amaretto or chocolate raspeberry-flavored ones.

6. A large, lovely mug or a small, dainty cup?
A big ole mug.

7. Describe your perfect cup - not JUST the coffee, but how you'd enjoy it!
Nice and hot, just poured from my French press, with just enough flavored creamer to wake it up. I'd curl up on my couch, knitting bag next to me, and drink it slowly.

8. You're sitting down to enjoy a nice cup in the local coffee shop, knitting bag in hand, iPod all tuned up - or maybe you're there with a few friends for knit night! What treat do you pick up to enjoy with your coffee? A sweet, rich brownie, or something more healthy? How about a salty treat? What goes best with that great cup and company?
Chocolate and coffee are made for each other. Brownies sound good (with nuts, naturally), or a nice hot bagel. Or a muffin. Some starchy product.

Yarn

1. Do you knit or crochet?
I do some crochet, but I'm a far better knitter.

2. What are your favorite types of yarns to work with?
I love wools and cottons. Not so good with the mohairs or eyelashes, but a nice wool or cotton, in any weight from aran all the way down to fingering (I recently started knitting socks) is wonderful. I don't mind if there is a man-made fiber in the blend, but if it squeaks on my needles, it's outta there. ;)

3. What do you have on the needles (or hook!) right now?
I've got a Snowflake Lace Sock on one set ; I'm also working on a princess pram cover for my son's former teacher's baby. I've got a ridiculous Ravelry queue.

4. What are your favorite colors in yarns?
Bright, spring-like colors are what I'm gravitating toward now. I love primary colors over pastels.

What about those that you'd never find in your stash?
I'm over the gray thing. I had a lot of gray and it just got depressing. Ditto for brown, if it's on its own (I like it with greens and blues, and pinks). Purples have left me a little cold lately, too.

5. What sort of needles or hooks do you enjoy using? Any you just detest?
I've tried the plain plastic needles and my yarn sticks to 'em - do NOT like that. I love, love, LOVE bamboo needles, though. Aluminum and stainless steel are just fine, too. I don't mind the plastic crochet hooks so much, but that's probably because I'm not as good on crochet.

6. Are there any particular notions you absolute do NOT need? Some of us swap a lot - are you sure that you have enough tape measures to last your lifetime? Enough stitch markers to mark every stitch of a 10 foot wide afghan?
Can you actually have enough tape measures? I know I always misplace mine. Ditto for stitch markers. I've only swapped once before, so I guess I'm not on notion overload just yet.

7. You walk into the yarn shop and have exactly and only enough money to purchase 2 skeins of yarn in their 2 for 20 special they have going..The choices are a soft, thick cotton/viscose blend in your favorite colors, slightly variegated..a beautiful sock yarn that's just squishy and sproingy in your hands.. a soft, worsted weight wool like malabrigo.. and a lovely bamboo blend with colors to just die for. Which do you walk out the door with?
I think I'd try the bamboo blend, because I've been wanting to try bamboo yarns out. The malabrigo would probably be my backup.

Spring

1. We're starting sign-ups on the first day of Spring - is it already truly Spring-like where you are?
Spring seems to come in waves in NYC lately, so today, yes, it's Spring-like. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

2. What's your favorite spring flower? Do you have one?
I love gerbera daisies.

3. What do you most look forward to about springtime?
The longer days - it's like nature's prozac. And the cool weather, not too hot, not too cold, just right. Ahhh...

4. They've predicted a gorgeous day tomorrow - Sunny and about 65 with a nice breeze - how do you spend your day?
I don't have to go to work? Then, I get the kids, the husband, and head for the park or something outdoors to do, like a zoo.

5. The day after, it's going to be cooler and pouring down rain - does that impact your mood? How do you spend that day? what helps cheer you up?
Oh god, yes. I get very mopey and absolutely stir crazy when I'm stuck indoors in lousy weather. I'd try to get to a movie with the kids (and bring an easy knitting project) or let them keep busy and I'd work on a knitting project.

Odds n Ends

1. Do you collect anything BESIDES yarn and needles?
Books. Lots of books. And Hello Kitty stuff.

2. Are you allergic to anything?
Just penicillin.

3. Do you have pets?
Two cats!

4. Is this your first swap, or are you an old pro?
I've only done one swap before, and I'm in another one at the same time as this. So I'm getting there.

What are the last 2 swaps you participated in?
I was in the Longing for Spring Swap and loved it! I'm currently also in the Saucy Knitters Hot Sauce Swap.

5. List 3 of your favorite blogs - craft related or not - and tell us why you love them.
Aside from my friends' blogs, my three fave blogs are PopCandy, Whitney Matheson's pop culture blog from USA Today; You Knit What (Two) is always good for a giggle, and yes, I'll admit it... I read Perez Hilton every day. But I'll also mention that I have Lime & Violet's Daily Chum in my Bloglines, too...

Swaptime!

Since my first swap went so well, I've ended up getting involved with two more. A new friend that I've met through the Longing for Spring Swap has asked me and one more knitter to co-host a Hot Sauce Swap with her - most awesome. I've also just signed on for a Spring Fling Coffee and Yarn Swap - ooooga.

First up, the Saucy Knitters Hot Sauce Swap Questionnaire.

Hot Sauce

What kinds of sauces do you like? Do you like ‘em hot and spicy or more toward the sweet? Do you like four alarms going off at once, or a heat that builds?

I love a good, sweet hot sauce, that builds rather than assaults my taste buds from the get-go.

Do you have any sauces that you do not like at all?

I haven't found one yet, but I do try not to try sauces that talk about how hot they are for the sake of being hot rather than adding to a dish.

What do you like your hot sauce on?

All sorts of stuff; I particularly like it on chicken or beef, though.

What kinds of recipes do you like to work your hot sauce magic with? Do you BBQ? Throw it in take-out? Put a dash into your eggs in the morning? Do you like to cook, or do you prefer to just dress up a good take-out dish?

I like hot sauce in chili, or tossed in with some chicken when I'm grilling it up. I like it thrown in with Chinese noodles, like lo mein, too. And I LOVE salsa with a nice kick, so hot sauce in salsa is aces with me.

Do you have any particular food allergies that should be avoided when picking out a hot sauce? None that I know of!

Recipe you would like to share?

It's simple but tastes great - Lightly coat a wok with oil (I use canola oil or peanut oil); toss some chicken cutlet strips into a wok with some broccoli; apply teriyaki sauce to your taste. Boil up some soba noodles (or whatever noodles you like) separately. Toss the chicken, broccoli, and noodles together when all cooked. Then give a couple of shots of hot sauce to the whole business, mix it up, and enjoy.

Yarn

Do you knit or crochet?

Primarily, I knit; trying to get better at crochet.

What are your favorite types of yarns to work with?

I love wools and cottons the most; usually a good sport or worsted weight is great for me because they're so versatile. I've just started knitting socks, which has been fun, so I've begun exploring fingering weights.

I have also seen a few wool blends that knit up nicely, but primarily, I love the wools and cottons.

What do you have on the needles (or hook!) right now?

Just when I had worked through my UFO pile, I started knitting socks! I have the second sock for both the Snowflake Lace Socks and the Horcrux socks (for my 4-year old) on needles, plus a Princess Pram blanket for my son's former teacher. My Ravelry queue is insane!

What are your favorite colors to work with? Are there any colors you wouldn’t want caught dead in your stash?

Since it's Spring and I've had enough of winter, I'm all about bright, happy colors. Pastels are okay, but I have been drawn to bright stuff lately, like teals and yellows. There are some beautiful shades of green out lately, too. I'm digging the whole pink/brown and blue/brown/green combos I've seen lately.

I think since I'm deep into Spring mode, dingy or drab colors, like olive greens, brown on its own, and navy blue are colors I'm going to steer away from.

Any preference in your hooks/needles? Prefer bamboo over plastic or aluminum? You’re good with whatever you’ve got to work with? Let us know.

I've been using my bamboo needles a lot lately and enjoying them more and more. Aluminum needles are great, but I love the way that yarn slides on the bamboo and makes working a project so enjoyable. Plastic tends to frustrate me because the yarn sticks.

Notions. C’mon, let us know – if you get one more measuring tape, will you run screaming from the room? Or are you the type that loses stitch markers constantly? What notions do you love and loathe?

I am constantly losing stitch markers! I haven't received any notions yet, so nothing to scream about here.

Any fiber allergies we should know about?

Thankfully, none!

Stuff

Are you a snacky type of person? Do you like candy? Chocolate? In between hot sauce applications, what would we find you snacking on?

Oh man, I have been SOOO snacky lately. I love Payday bars, Peanut M&Ms, and Lindt truffles. But I'm a chips girl, too; I've been hooked on Veggie Crisps lately after a while of not having them. My kids have gotten me hooked on Pringles, and I've always loved Nacho Cheese Doritos.

Are you into recipe magazines? Knitting mags? What kinds of quick, stash-it-in-your-knitting-bag reading do you like to have on hand?

I love magazines! I subscribe to Everyday Rachael Ray and a few other chick mags (Health, Glamour, Marie Claire, et al). I buy knitting magazines periodically, and usually get either Vogue Knitting or Interweave Knits. I share a Paula Deen magazine Everyday Food subscription with my mom (buttah!) and we used to get Everyday Food, which I still like to check out and have gotten many good recipes from.

What cheers you up?

A bright day, nice weather, a good book, '80s music, soft yarn, a day with nothing to rush around to, and snuggling on the couch with my husband and kids.

Do you collect anything other than yarn?

Books. LOVE books. Recipes and knitting patterns. Hello Kitty stuff.

Do you have pets?

2 cats!

Any other allergies?

Aside from hayfever and ragweed-y stuff, none that I know of.

Are you a swap newbie, or have you done this before? Any good advice for newbies you’d like to share?

I've only been in one another swap before, and it was so much fun! My partner spoiled me to bits and I loved it! (Hi, Kristen!) My best advice to newbies - treat your partner in a way you wouldn't treat yourself. Really get to know, as best you can, who they are and make it fun for them. You'll be even more thrilled when your goodies show up because you won't feel guilty!