Knitting, Blogging, and Dogging on Thursday

Knitting…

...the endless kid socks (or, as the knitting ladies put it last night, “Black Hole Sock”.) Finally, they are ready for toes:



Well, at least this one is. The second is about 1-1/2" behind. But soon!

Blogging…

…about how I am possibly the last knitter on planet Earth to discover the joys of the diet scale for weighing yarn:



Why didn't I try this before? Used it to make these babies, 50 g apiece, oh yeah. Ask me how I know :) They will soon be cast on for socks, Rosa’s Socks, I think. The photo does not do justice to the lovely purples in this yarn (Tess Designs Super Sock and Baby from my stash.)



Also, fun pins. This one from Day Trip Society cracks me up.


"Shhh..."

Dogging…

...because it's Thursday. Isn't it nice when your loved ones appreciate their handmade gifts?



"Thanks, Mom."

A GBCAC

Okay, so I had to give it a whirl. Here is my answer to sophanne's question: GBCAC*



*(Great Big Crazy-Ass Cable)

An interesting look, but I think the bulk might make it too uncomfortable to wear, at least in the heavy worsted I used. I'll be watching to see if anyone else takes a stab at it ;)

I really need to get some sleep. Must. stop. reading. blogs.

Dogs on Thursday (Oh, and a Lunar Eclipse)

Frisky is a lap dog in the literal sense of the word. As soon as my behind hits a horizontal surface, thwunk, there he is.


The funniest thing about this picture (aside from the the cellulite, sorry about that) is the story on the back page. Do you think maybe Frisk was trying to read it? It wouldn't surprise me.

Edited to add: If you like dogs and want a giggle, go check this out. The music completes it.

Also this week, we woke the kids up at 5 am on the first day of school to see this:


Lunar eclipse! It was so cool. We sat on the back porch wrapped in blankets and watched the whole show.

Summer's End...

I’m back from vacation and rushing around to get ready for the upcoming semester. The kids went back to school today and I’ll admit I was a bit stunned when the bus actually showed up – it doesn’t seem possible that summer is already over. We had a fantastic few months around here and it’s a bit sad to see it end, though the school year always brings exciting new things to look forward to. It’s the pace of summer that I really enjoy, I guess – that and having more time to just hang out with the kids.

In any case, I have a few FOs to show. It’s vacation knitting, mostly, little things that didn’t require too much concentration:

Cashmerino nap mat for Frisky:


Cute washcloth for a friend:


Another cute washcloth, also for friend:


And one WIP: Redo of my son’s socks – hopefully for the last time!


My niece LOVED her felted bag (and the Uglydoll I put inside it.) It was hilarious to see her galloping down the beach on a hot summer’s day in her bikini with this felted wool bag hanging around her neck and the Uglydoll’s head peeking out. Ah, to be 8 again. Also, one of her brothers has decided that if I can make his sister a felted purse, I can certainly make him a felted knapsack. Any pattern suggestions would be most welcome!

So, between now and Christmas I have to apply myself to several pairs of socks, the remaining Breeze, and the ripple afghan. And probably a scarf or two. And maybe a knapsack. Oh, and a baby gift. And I'd like to finish Einstein in the next month or so. That’s the plan, anyway, until I get distracted by something new ;) Or until reality sets in.

And now, my Ravelry update:
You signed up on July 20, 2007
You are #18983 on the list.
8296 people are ahead of you in line.
10436 people are behind you in line.
35% of the list has been invited so far
*Sigh*

Dogs on Friday

Okay, so I'm a little late. We are vacationing on the coast of Maine and dh and I are currently enjoying free wi-fi at a local cafe. I have to type fast before my battery runs out :)

Frisky is enjoying long walks, meeting other small dogs (man there are a lot of small dogs) and chasing sea gulls. He would send his love, but he's too busy napping.

On the knitting front, I went here, and bought some of this on clearance at 40% off. It is magically soft and I used it to make a tiny nap mat for Frisk - perfect for snuggling. Pics later.

Also realized that tiger socks for ds, almost done, were too small for his newly growth-spurted kid feet. Fortunately my little nephew was only too happy to spend some time frogging them for me at the beach. Now they are back OTN and my mission is to finish them before the little guy's feet get any bigger...

Off to enjoy the Trolley Museum with my kids and their merry band 'o cousins, and then hit the beach. Hope you're enjoying these last days of summer too. TTFN ;)

Dog Day Thursday

Is it Thursday already? Well, then, time to dog-blog:



There is no creature more content than a chihuahua basking in the warm sun...



...or snuggling in a giant comforter.


"Now, go away!"

Actual Knitting Content: Felted bag, finished in time to give to my niece next week:


Feels soo good to work those WIPs!

New York Link-a-Dink

I went to New York this weekend to catch a few days of an academic conference. DH came along for the kidlet-free weekend, pool, and king-size bed (he's tall). We had staunchly agreed to use Saturday night to chill out and get caught up on some studying, but our moral weakness and the hotel-window view of Times Square prevailed. Instead, we saw this - it was fresh in our minds as we just bought the video to watch for the 10,000th time - and we even procured some coconut shells to bring home to the kiddies :) Always look on the bright side of life...{insert whistling here}. Our faces hurt from laughing.

Unfortunately, I never made it here :( I was so close. But I did finish the i-cord for the pink felted bag and zip through a few more rows on the afghan in the car on the way home.

Soooo, anyway, I know it's a little early but I think I've succeeded in getting the family interested in driving out to go to this. Anyone else thinking of going?

Yes, I'm a Joiner...

...and since I already talk way too much about my chihuahua anyway, I figure I might as well just jump right on this bandwagon :)

Updates...

First, a Frisky update – he is doing fine, seems a little more tired than usual but that could be due to the very hot and humid weather. Not that he isn’t milking this for all it’s worth:


"Ooohhh, I feel faint. Quick, scratch behind my ear."

He hates the antibiotic, which is lovely because he needs to take it 2x per day for a whopping 28 days. Due to Frisky’s small size the med had to be compounded at a local pharmacy , and even though they added special beef flavoring he despises it. *Sigh*


“I’ll need a new chewy, stat. And make it a chicken-basted one.”

The vet says the meds should do the trick, so we are keeping our fingers crossed. In the meantime I’ve managed to get a little mileage in on the ripple afghan. It doesn’t look like much progress, but keep in mind this is 52” wide…



I wasn't sure about the DK but it really makes a nice drape-y fabric. I think my parents are going to love it :)

Nature-y Stuff

Mother Nature seems to have appreciated me sacrificing my geranium to the purple finch posse. Look what I came home to after a weekend of camping:



Believe it or not this is the same plant that was a half-dead finch condo just a few weeks ago! After the finches moved out I stripped off all the dead leaves and deadheaded the poor thing until just two tiny buds were left. The leaves that remained, though sparse, were in great condition, so I soaked the whole plant and sat it out in a mostly sunny spot, watering daily. Now it's nice enough to hang up again! Oh, but don't look at the back side...



We'll just keep that big gaping dent to ourselves, thank you.

Also new: Is it just me, or does it seem early for cattails?



And, today's harvest from my micro-garden:



These were yummy.

Very little knitting got done this weekend as we were too busy enjoying some killer waves with good friends on the coast of Maine. Beer around the campfire also got in the way ;) But I did finish three more stripes=6 rows= 3 inches on the ripple afghan; 13 down, 35 to go! Pictures when I have more to show.

Note for dog lovers: Although we religiously treat Frisky for fleas/ticks every month, year round, he tested positive last summer for Lyme disease. We had him treated and he seemed well, until, at this year's checkup, the doctor recommended a re-test. This was an expensive add-on test that I was reluctant to do given that Frisky had only one tick bite all year, but the doctor was concerned so I went with her on it. Turns out his levels are dangerously high. We're staring a one-month course of antibiotics this week, and with luck he'll be okay. Please, please remember to treat your doggies year round (the tick that caused the first instance of Lyme was in February in New England) and be vigilant in checking their coats - this year seems to be a particularly bad one for ticks in the Northeast.

Breeze!

My first Breeze:



Kudos to Jennifer Appleby! This is a beautiful pattern and - even better - beautifully written.



Yarn: Mondial Cashmere Gold (discontinued, no idea why, it's lovely.)
Needles: US size 2 dpns
Modifications: The small size (meant for size 5-6) ended up being a good fit for my size 7 foot, and I worked 30 rows for the heel instead of the recommended 34. (I think <Kathy needed to do the same on her heel; check out her lovely purple pair here.)



If I can find something comparable in a cashmere blend I'll definitely make some more of these. Right now I have to finish the mate to this one, hopefully this weekend.

BTW, the yarn for the project came from frogging these:




Pretty Comfy Sock - great pattern, and my first-ever short-row heel, I just ran out of yarn. I just might make these again (but, duh, with adequate yardage.)

This little FO makes me feel a little better about having missed the Yarn Harlot in Burlington, MA, this evening :) Hmm..not really, lol. But it is nice to get something done!

Tour de France KAL

Well, I learned a lot about the Tour de France but didn't accomplish a ton of knitting this time around. My goals were 1) to knit an Errol out of Charmed Knits and 2) to knit a pair of Clessidra - later changed to 2) finish as much as possible of Einstein. I did knit a Hedwig (from the errol pattern, see below) and am almost finished with the bottom section of Einstein.

The organizers of this KAL put a tremendous amount of effort into making it a fun and informative experience! Thanks to you both!

Off the Beaten Path

Today, I made an unexpected side trip and a most pleasant discovery. I used to have occasion to travel this particular part of NH on a fairly regular basis, and I often drove by a sign for Riverslea Sheep Farm in Epping. "Wool," proclaims the sign, "Yarn." "Open." (How is it possible that I never took the bait before today??)

I had Boy #1 with me in the car, and because we had already spent all morning driving I said, "Hmm, guess you wouldn't be up for visiting a sheep farm..." Next thing you know, there we were. We were greeted by the owner, Liz, and her adorable standard poodle, Lily, who coincidentally (or not?) looks not unlike a very tall and cheeky lamb.

Great place, this: a whitewashed little nook between the house and barn. They had a little of everything: dyed roving, yarn, handknit clothes, gorgeous sheepskins, and little needle felted toys and other items. There was also food for sale, apparently; at some point I heard "shepherds pies in the freezer" but I was too distracted by all the fibery stuff at the time. (Note: kick self for missed opportunity.) Yarns: 2 and 3 ply wool, some handspun, some laceweight. Great colors. Of course we bought some, for more hats:



Because we can never have too many hats. The green is for the kid (his choice, but I love it too) and the grey is for dad.

Liz is this amazingly nice and helpful person. We felt so completely welcome in her shop. She explained lots of interesting things to my son, and listened to him, and was totally cool. He was smitten.

Just before we left, she talked about some boys she knew of that did needle felting in the car to keep busy. One look at the dollar bags of roving and, more importantly, the sharp, primitive, dangerous-looking needle, and he was sold. Here's what we picked:



We drove away all warm and fuzzily with the feeling of having had ourselves a most enjoyable little adventure. So if you find yourself in this neck of the woods, I would highly recommend stopping in at Riverslea. You'll be glad you did. I know I'll be back.

Postscript: Here's what the kid made in the car on the way home:



Fun! When Boy #2 got home from camp later today he found he also enjoyed stabbing a ball of roving with a sharp pin. Who knew? He even added his initial to his project; pics when I can find it!!

Harry Potter Knitting and Flying Finches

Harry Potter madness overtook us on Friday. Hedwig was ready to go:



(My son, the 'realist' for whom I made the owl, learned a little about "artistic license" this week.)

And I am a bad, bad, Tour de France knitter because, in my quest to finish Hedwig and the duplicate stitching on a makeshift Weasley sweater for my other son, I had to jettison the Errol project altogether. But in the end, we had what we needed.



Throw in some party-store wigs, a lip-liner 'scar', and the Quidditch robe left over from Halloween last year and voila! You have yerself some Gryffindors! (Couldn't get daddy to be anybody, though I wanted him to be Lucius...or Snape lol.) We went to a local bookstore and hung in there till midnight. Fortunately we scored a decent lottery number and got a good place in line. We read the first chapter at home at 1 am and had an impromptu camp-out in the living room (i.e. everyone fell asleep in their seats). Good times...

So, my substitute Tour de France KAL goal is to finish as much of Einstein as I can:



It is so much less boring than I thought it would be :) I think it's because I love the yarns. And speaking of yarn, I hit the yarn market at a TKGA conference with my knit-bud Lynne last weekend. I picked up some great stuff that I can't show yet, but it was lots of fun. Yarn market - what a concept. Like a yarn crawl on steroids and without all the driving. Oh yeah :)

Notes from the Animal Kingdom

Our finch babies finally launched last weekend. The first one went off with mama and papa, who had been sitting atop the feeder for days peeping encouragingly and trying to coax them out. The second one watched, and hopped around for a while:



and then, soared!



Well, it actually kind of crash landed ungracefully into some small trees in our marsh, but you get the idea. Sibling number 3 stayed down low in the nest, watching all of this, and then suddenly jumped up and took off. Amazing! The kidlets got to see it too. We miss them a little but are very glad to have our front porch back.

Pet Tip of the Week: Every once in a while, have someone else wash your dog:



They come out so purty!

Summer Fun and a Little Puppy Love

Summer Fun
Knitting, baseball, and beer - how fun is this?



Stitch and Pitch at a local minor league game. With everything going on that night I suspect a few of us spent some time tinking the next day, but that's a small price to pay for a fun evening out with friends.

Also saw HP5 last night. I loved it, but some of the people who saw it with us hadn't read the books and were utterly and completely lost. A few changes to the story line annoyed my kids, but we all agreed the effects were absolutely fantastic. Most importantly, this movie, even more than the previous ones is a fiber feast for the eyes. Oh, the sweaters! Oh, the fair-isle hats! My favorites:
-The hat and scarf set worn by Hermione in the scene on the bridge where the group is discussing where the DA should meet. Her hat has extra-long ribbing and is a nubby beige-y tweed. I must make this.
-The scarves knit by Mrs. Weasley for Fred and George. At least 6-7 feet long, fall colors in big chunky stripes with irregularly-cut fringe.
-Neville's zip-front cardigan. It looks like something straight off of brooklyntweed.

Puppy Love
Kathy recently wrote about the early life of her adorable chihuahua, Sofee, in a 2nd-birthday post that included some super-cute puppy pix. I thought I'd post some of Frisky, who also just turned 2, when he was but a pup.

He looked a lot like Bambi:



Sometimes it was hard to get him to eat and he would get lethargic, so we would hand-feed him a bit of a special high calorie paste, which he loved.
I couldn't wait to make him a sweater:



He eventually grew into, and then out of it, but it was good for the first winter anyway. The kids adored him, and still do, and the feeling is mutual. There really is something about kids and dogs:



He utterly cured my younger son of his dog phobia, for which we are all very grateful. The feeding, walking and playing they do each day is a great life lesson about compassion and responsibility. Especially when he has hidden one of every pair of sandals in the house.

And here is adult Frisky in today's gratuitous chihuahua shot:



Love you, pup.

Don't Let It All Unravel

Check this out, if you haven't already:

Don't Let It All Unravel

You might want to turn your volume down :)

Also, finch update:



I think maybe their mama is ready for a little empty nest syndrome! They are pretty big babies,and all they do is lay around the nest looking cute. Their basket is hanging over some gravel behind our shrubs; I put some folded tarps down over the gravel, just in case ;) Yes, I am an enabler.

Vacation Knitting

Just got back from a trip to Washington DC (just for the fireworks)/Colonial Williamsburg/and DH's parents. Other than the grueling heat and hours of driving down and back we had a great time. Rather than regale you with pictures of fireworks and Revolutionary War soldiers, though, I'll just stick to the knitting parts. Well, and this:



There is no good explanation for why a routine pit stop should lead to the acquisition of 5 Uglydolls, but I do think the two hours straight of giggling over them in the car was worth every penny. Look, one of them even learned how to knit:



The project it's holding in its little mitts is my "official" Tour de France KAL entry, Errol from Charmed Knits, cast on yesterday on the road. I spent Thursday and Friday working on Hedwig, below, who will get stuffing, a beak and some talons later this week:



Hedwig is a combination of Ella Rae Amity worsted and OnLine Pinto, the latter of which knits up loopy like terry cloth. Held together they make a pretty cute owl covering, I think :) A lovely lady named Ann at Unraveled in Richmond, VA helped me come up with this combination; though I think she was a little concerned about my sanity she hung in there with me on the whole owl thing and I couldn't be happier with the outcome. If you are ever in or near Richmond, you should absolutely look Ann up - she is designing the most amazing projects!! And the shop is wonderful, too, lots of great yarns. It was a little skimpy in the sock yarn department, but heck, you probably have too much sock yarn already (coughcoughLynnecoughcough).



I've also sailed past the halfway mark of the bottom section of the Einstein coat! I had some time to work on it on the 4th when they evacuated us from the National Mall in DC into the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum because of a tornado warning:



The Air Force "Airmen of Note" Premier Jazz Ensemble entertained the crowd while we sat on the floor in the museum lobby waiting out the storm. They were fantastic, especially the female vocals. Life is so much more fun when things don't go according to plan :)

I'll leave you with some more dishcloths, knitted in the passenger seat en route to VA. There was a third, which I won't show here because it came out so
offensively ugly it hurts to look at it. Suffice it to say you don't ever want to interrupt a 1x1 rib with some garter stitch. Trust me on this one.

"Sheep" is Just Another Word for "Knitter"

Just because it's so much fun to follow the herd, I'm joining the Tour de France Knit-along. My category? Yellow Jersey (ie indecision + uncertainty). Yeah, baby!



My project will be either Clessidra (for me) or Errol (for my son); if I can get Errol done before the July 21 book launch of HP7, it'll be Clessidra for sure. I know neither of these are very French, but the Clessidra pattern does feature wine in the photo ;) I like wine, and wine is often French, n'est-ce pas? Also, I did a semester in France during my sophomore year, making me almost sort of part French. So this KAL was a no-brainer.

Go join up by July 7! Knit and watch cute guys in tight shorts!