Yes, that's a Jordana Paige and no, it did not cost $8.98 but it is MINE!  All MINE!  It actually was a Mother's Day present from my sweet family and I have neglected to post about it.  I let other women at Stich n Bitch sit next to it and even touch it and look inside!  Aren't I generous?

But this did cost only $8.89:

Yup, it was on clearance at Target.  My lucky day.  It has a nice muslin feel lining and a little zipper pocket not visible in the photo.  I've been showing everyone.  "Wanna see my new bag that only $8.98?"

Um, yes, I gave a bag issue.

But now for the Knit Sock Kit Swap Questioannaire that my poor secret swapper has been waiting for since Sunday!  It's all about me.  Rah.

What are your favorite colors? Purple and . . . purple and . . . let's see . . . PURPLE! Oh! and green and red and blue and brown and cranberry and turquoise and chartreuse and teal and black and periwinkle blue and mauve and some yellows and some oranges and some greys . . . =)

Are you a new sock knitter? How long have you been knitting socks? I am not a new sock knitter. I knit socks for the first time about seven years ago but did not begin knitting them until about two years ago. I have taken a beginning and an advanced class.

Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn? I am a promiscuous knitter and a color ho (see above) so anything goes. I love it all!

What fibers do you prefer in sock yarn? Any wool or cotton or silk is fine. I just prefer it to be truly sock/fingering/lace weight and to have some softness and a little nylon or the like for stretch.

Where do you usually knit socks? I knit everywhere (including stoplights and the grocery store line). I tend to knit on more difficult patterns like lace or color work at home or somewhere without a lot of disruption.

How do you usually carry/store small projects? As you can see from my blog I have a bag problem (read as FETISH) so a small bag, of course!

What are your favorite sock knitting patterns? I loved the Jaywalker, I am enjoying Ann Budd's slanted rib pattern from the Interweave website (sorry I can't remember the name right now), I like Nancy Bush's patterns, and I like having a formula that allows me to develop my own designs and make up my sock as I go along.

What are your favorite sock knitting techniques? Dutch heel, slip stitch heel flap and eye of the partridge.

What new techniques would you like to try? Socks on circular needles and toe up.

Do you prefer circulars or dpns for sock knitting? Either are fine but I am wanting to try two circs.

What are some of your favorite yarns? For socks -- Cherry Tree Hill, Mountain Colors Bearfoot, Koigu, Sockotta, Trekking.

What yarn do you totally covet? Cashmere and alpaca, of course.  But on areality scale, I've been wanting to try Socks that Rock.

Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object? A lace sock pattern with a cashmere/silk blend.

Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)? Mostly metal dpns or circs. Inox dpns (6 inch) and Addi Turbo circs.

If you were a specific kind of yarn, which brand and kind of yarn would you be? A Great Adirondacks alpaca multi-color or a cashmere in deep eggplant.

Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack? Chocolate and chocolate and chocolate.

What’s your favorite animal? Dogs, cats, sheep, alpacas, pygora goats.

Do you have pets? What are their species/names/ages? Pug named Gracie (1 1/2 yrs), two cats named Patti (2 yrs) and Napolean (1 yr) and three big old dogs in the back -- Brutus (chocolate lab), Zorra (sheperd mix rescue), and Gabe (chow mix rescue).

If you were a color what color would you be? Purple!

Describe your favorite shirt (yours or someone else’s).. The Chics with Stix knitting t-shirt with yarn and needles in a martini glass and the t-shirt that says "Eat, knit and be merry!"

What is your most inspiring image, flower, or object in nature? Multi-colored cliffs like those found in northern New Mexico, Utah, Arizona.

Tell me the best quote you’ve ever heard or read. "One still must have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star." -- Nietzsche

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost. The world will not have it." Martha Graham

Do you have a wishlist? Probably in my head somewhere.

Anything else you’d like to share with the group today? Well, I'm beginning to think that the pile of clutter in my dining room is related to resentment I hold towards my mother and that -- oh, this isn't group therapy? Never mind.

My selection for Poetry Thursday free day.  Lorna Crozier of Canada, one of my favorite poets.  There are several good poems are on the site.

And heeeere's Gracie! 

I have been inspired to share her story because of the sad events at Scout's house over the past several days.  They had to get rid of their dog after he bit their pre-school age daughter.  It was heart breaking for the kids.  They are trying to find a new dog.

In February of this year, I had to put down my nearly 16 year old little dog, Tiva.  She had been sick over the past year so we were prepared to let go of her but we were not prepared for the emptiness of the house after her death.  About a month later, I felt ready to start looking for a new dog.  My kids have had a thing for pugs for awhile and insisted that we get one.  I had a strong feeling that we needed to be open to whoever our new dog might be, that this was not to be a process of us picking out an animal and purchasing it like a new toy or peice of furniture.  I sensed that the dog was coming to us and perhaps needed us -- or that we needed the dog!  So I told the kids we were not going to pick a particular breed except "small."

So, one Sunday in March I announced that after going to Target I was going to go by PetSmart and PetCo and see what dogs were up for adoption and "start looking."  In the parking lot at Target, another car pulled up next to ours and my daughter and I noticed a pug sitting on a man in the front passenger seat.  As we got out of the car, we began visiting with the man and the pug and my daughter instantly fell in love.  (But was she the only one?)  Within a few minutes we had learned that the people in the car were from Pug Rescue, that they had just picked the dog up from the people who were relinquishing her, and that her name was Gracie.  A few days later, she came home to live with us! 

And she is the best dog.  Well, except for a few problems like her potty training problems that we are still working on . . . but she is still the best dog!  Luckily, she had been pretty well treated by her previous owners.  They gave her up because they were a working couple with no children who worked too many hours and could not give Gracie enough attention.  She was clearly very lonely and has needed lots of togetherness and closeness but, as you can imagine, my children have been more than happy to oblige.  So there is no question in my mind -- we found the dog we were meant to have.

I hope that posting this will send some positive energy out into the universe and perhaps help Scout's family find the next dog they are meant to have.  Good luck guys!