Cat Naps

Although this was taken a couple of months ago, it pretty much depicts my life of late. I don't know if it's the pollen, or what, but I've been joining Brahms in many of her afternoon naps lately. 

Her Name is Louisa

Yes, and Lou Lou for short.
We have a lot of things in common, like Alpaca.
And weather that's not too hot (Lou Lou has not haircut appointment on the books in the future).
And, looking good next to green....grass...yarn...those green with envy at her luxurious coat.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I must admit I led you on. I knew I'd be doing the naming of my new maskot unless some remarkable name was presented. And MOST of you realized she was a girl because she had no horns. For those of you who didn't, well...there's a learning curve, I suppose. 

Missing Cat

Today I thought that Brahms was missing. From 11am on, I proceded to lose my mind as I scoured the apartment, then the neighborhood.

You see, I found a knocked over vase next to an open window (three flights up) and thought that she has made a really big mistake. Not to mention the mistake that I made in leaving the window open and leaving the room.

I brought out the tuna, the catnip, sent the other one to look for her. Nothing.

Then I decided I had to eat something because I was getting hysterical and went to the store two blocks away. On the way home I looked in every hedge and called her name. Nothing.

Then I came into my apartment and there she was, with tuna on her breath.

I think I just used up a REALLY HUGE favor from the universe.
I love this cat like no tomorrow. She has been with me for 13 year and is my soul-mate, or as another puts it, my familiar.

Thank you, Universe above. 

In Search on More Buttons

My local extensive button shop has these lovely buttons that I have bought. I pretty much bought her out of the small selection she has.
So, I have been looking on the Net for more buttons of this nature, but whenever I find some, they seem to be in these really cutsie shapes. I am looking for more like the ones I've photographed here. Anyone who can point me in the right direction?

I have a huge antique button collection, but I'd really like to use this style on some of my sweaters this year. 

Buttons 2

 

Buttons 3

 

Reversable Cable Scarf

One day after I finished my last project from Scarf Style, I start another. Yes, and it's the same weight of alpaca, but this time hand dyed.

Paula gave me a Lily Chin pattern for a reversable cable scarf/shawl that she made. It was lovely, but I just couldn't work with the pattern. I found it really confusing. Now with this pattern I may not completely understand how it works, but it works! Six rows of a 3x3 rib and then a cable row! I can handle that.

I used a different gauge that recommended because with a scarf I don't really care about size so it's a bit more narrow. I just really wanted to use this yarn from Blue Moon. 

Pouting

Suki clearly feels that this is the only way to be close to her mom this morning: Plant herself on the yarn itself. 

Balloons in Pink Detail

 

Balloons Finally Set Free!!

Not yet blocked, but I finally finished this last night. Out of season now, but I truly love it. Made the yarn mistake purchase no mistake at all. In fact, I have since bought more similar but less expensive yarn to continue making scarves from this great book, Scarf Style. I'm enjoying the challenge and find myself working with single point Bryspun needles these days on this sort of project.
Yahoo! 

New Mascot

Hey! Help me name her!

Today was a big pollen filled day and it wanted to slow me down. Alas, I thought I'd deal with all the airborne toxins at once today and finally painted my bathroom. I had already put up new fixtures as inspiration and bought the paint yesterday. I'm proud to say I did it all in about 3 hours.

Very Pink.
I like pink and I make no apologies about it. The intensity of this particular purple infused pink will certainly set my mood in the morning. I'm hoping that it'll be a good thing. 

Merino is Keeno

 

Spoiled

I find that I am being spoiled by only spinning Merino. I tried some shetland last night and thought...Ughhhhh! What is this stuff. I'm sure I'll get over it...or maybe not. My speed with the drop spindle is really picking up and I'm producing yarn, yarn and more yarn. It's something to do when my mind cannot properly concentrate on knitting. That would be quite often these days.

I am still working on the lovely pale pink scarf and went today to find paint chips because I now believe this must be the color of my bedroom. 

Baby Suprise Sweater

Yes, this is Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Suprise sweater that I just finished yesterday. I decided to try and get out more, so I signed up for a 3 session class on this sweater. I went to one session. I wanted to meet more people, but the level of the knitters in the class was on the newbie side and they were too busy counting stitches, etc. to converse. I didn't go back, but finished the sweater anyway.

The bottom mitered corners in front were not hitting in the right place when I counted off the stitches per the pattern, so I just frogged that part and re-established the corner in it's proper place.

This is knitted in Heirloom washable wool from my trip to Australia. I wish I had knit it a bit tighter instead of going for the gauge. Ah vell. It will be comfortable for Isaac never the less.

I also got to use some vintage buttons from my collection, and that's always fun, even if it means to keep the sweater out of the dryer. I think it should dry flat anyway...

Suprise Sweater Back

 

Finished Felted case

My angelic friend Nana agreed to make me a felted computer case from the books Alterknits by Leigh Radford.
I had a felting phase that was brief because I just couldn't stand the amount of knitting on a large object, amoung other things. I knew that Nana loved felting and asked her if she was up for the task. It's perfect!! This is what knitting friends are for. 

Pre-Felted Laptop Case

 

Mohair/Merino

Yup, the long fibers get everywhere... 

Colors of the Circus?

 

Lighter and loftier spinning

 

Easter

Today was Easter. Didn't really feel like it at my house, except for the fact that for this last year, I've spent every holiday with my knitting group. It was Sunday, Starbucks was open and we did some serious knitting. Knitting and laughing. One more week with Paula before she goes to her Summer gig. WHAHHHHH. Seriously. I'll really miss her. We all will. Meanwhile I've been hand spinning lots and lots of yarn. I never thought I'd get so hooked on it considering what a resistance I put up initially. So, now I'm saying that I'm not going to get a spinning wheel. This is probably something I should not promise about. At this point I love the drop spindle. It's little, simple and just right for watching a movie on the couch. Okay, tired hands. Tired eyes. Should go to bed.

The cat who could care less about bunnies

 

The Cat Who Loves Bunnies

 

The Trojan Bunny

Not really, just folk art for the season. My cat Brahms used to take the now missing string and pull this along the floor. I suppose I love it because when I saw it at the store, I knew she would love it. 

Food for the Knitter

Embroidered Front of Lavender Sweater

Last Sunday, I was sitting in my knitting group...knitting. I had already been knitting around 6 hours that day. I had to finally admit it. I was in PAIN. Elbow, wrist, you name it. So, I agreed upon the insistance of those around me that I give it a rest.

Give it a rest.
Seems easy enough, until you come face to face with your compulsion. I promised 2 days. I actually pulled off 3 days. I did this by icing my arm and doing some drop spindle spinning. What really hurt the most was mousing at work.

Yesterday I went back to the lovely pink scarf, listened to Brenda's podcast and made some headway without seriously injuring myself. Today, I've been at a loss. Somehow the sweater that I was working on when the pain hit has faded in it's attraction to me. I have one sleeve cast on and here you have the front and the back. (Which were supposed to be the same, but I got bored and changed the pattern).

So, I thought I'd post the pinned pieces here on my blog as a way of reconnecting with them.

Here's the other thing: It's really Spring here and still all I want to do it knit with wool. For many of you, I can here you say, big deal! So what! Knit with the wool!!! I just like the immediate gratification of wearing what I knit pretty much right away.

This brings me to saying that the rain is letting up, it's nearly 1pm, I'm in a crap mood and I need to leave the house. So there. I actually wrote something