A Post From Meems

Hi everyone! I thought I'd let you guys know that my Mom is still alive and kicking. She's still knitting and sometimes I get a little upset that she doesn't pay more attention to me.

She's been busy painting the house getting it ready for our Thanksgiving guests. I didn't bother Mom much while she was painting but I thought my paw paint prints were cute on the hard wood floor. Mom didn't think so.

I think I overheard Mom saying that we would be locked in the office while the humans are having their Thanksgiving shenanigans. I am not pleased.

Sent from my iPhone

Beyond Bed Bath and Beyond

This weekend Alan's nephew is getting married.  They were registered at Bed Bath and Beyond so we went there.  We picked out two sets of dishes and then went to the register to pay.  Here is the conversation and what followed.

Cashier 1:  Because you purchased something from the registry, wrapping is free!
Me:  Oh that's great.  Thanks!

The cashier then pulled out two purple plastic bags.  I was thinking to myself how horribly ugly those were and that she wasn't going to use them for OUR wedding gift!  I was wrong.  I watched as she struggled to put the heavy box inside the hideous purple plastic bag. 

Me:  Oh, that's okay - I can wrap those at home.
Cashier 2:  No - no - it will look really nice.  I promise!
Me:  (thinking to myself - it's free) Oh, okay.

Alan then came to the counter and I told him that I was going to go to another store and that I'd meet him at the car.   He was pushing the cart to the car with these boxes wrapped in purple garbage bags that were tied at the top with purple ribbon.  We laughed all the way home. 

I can't believe that any store would consider this acceptable by any means! When I think of a wedding, I most certainly don't think of purple plastic garbage bags!  I went to the Hallmark store and bought proper wrapping paper and bows and here is the before and after.   Yes, we are still in boxes - so I apologize.

BEFORE

AFTER

Being the environmentally responsible person that I am, I found a use for the purple bags.  One was for the offerings that were left in the litterboxes and here is the other:

On the cat front we are continuing to have a huge problem with Pinhead.  We have been on poop alert as he doesn't think the litterboxes are meant for him.  We have confined him to the office and Meemers comes out for visitation.  Sometimes he tries to get a little "frisky" with her.  What followed after this picture was a hiss and a quick bite to Pinhead's ear.  Meems is such a good girl.

I have managed to finish the grey Hap Shawl.  I just need to find my tapestry needles to graft the edges together.  I know they're in one of these boxes, somewhere!

Happy Knitting everyone!

The Other Side

Well we're here.  Can't say much more than that.  This move was one giant mess.  It didn't matter how much time I spent planning and choreographing everything.  It was a huge clusterfuck.  But, it's over mostly.  Still have to go back to the old place on Saturday and vacuum and there are a few more things in the garage.

Moving the cats to the new house the morning of the move was comical.  We had them in carriers and Kyle sat by them.  It was a meowing trio.  It's funny because I couldn't see the cats because I was driving, but I knew each cat by their different meows, even though they were meowing in distress.

Here are some photos to finish out this post.  It's all I can do right now.  The WIP box is still MIA but it's somewhere here in this pile o'boxes in what is supposed to be the dining room.   Do you see the cat?  Find the cat.

Now do you see it?  Meems' kitty butt.   And because it's often Monkey See, Monkey Do around here.... You can just barely see Meemers' little kitty ears at the top.  Tippi is here passed out. 

And so I don't get accused of leaving anyone out, here is Pinhead Poppy sleeping in the sun after finding a nice box of cables to cuddle up with. 

Here he is in a sun-induced coma.

That's about it for now.  Maybe there will be knitting progress.  Some day.  But that some day is not today.

19 Years

I can't believe my baby is 19 today.  He was greeted this morning with his traditional birthday donuts.  No candles this year.  They're in a box somewhere and I wasn't digging around for them, nor was I going to buy more as it would require more packing.  He wanted a Honeybaked Ham for his birthday dinner and since it didn't require cooking or finding something to cook it in I very gladly accommodated!!

Kyle, June 1991

Happy Birthday, Kyle!!

See You On the Other Side

Escrow closes the 25th.  Things are happening very quickly.  The boxes are adding up and the piles are getting higher and higher.  The cats are in distress that their kitty beds have moved.  Something's up, but they just can't put a paw on it.  Their world is coming to an end and there are many changes for them, the little darlings.

The last VGA monitor possibly on the planet is going bye-bye as Dad is getting another flat screen to match the other one.  (He has two.)  Tippi is going to be extremely upset as that has been her warm perch.  She and Dad spend quality time when he works from home.  Currently the garage is HER domain.  She inspects it regularly after a human uses it.  She is the Garage Dominatrix.  In the new house the garage is Dad's office.  It has nice pergo flooring, a window to place their perch so it's going to be quite nice.   But it's not going to be hers.   How will she survive?

Stay tuned.  See you after the move!!

Mia's Perspective on Moving

"I really don't know what all these boxes are for, Mom.  I'm packed, ready to move.  Wake me up when it's time." - Mia

Yippee!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Just Hangin Out

We are busy packing boxes getting ready for the move next month.  There aren't any knitting photos to share but I promise you I've been knitting and spinning.

Here is Pinhead Poppy hanging out with Dad.   There's so much excitement here we just can't stand it.

It's May? Seriously?

Holy cow, Batman!  Where did April go?  Life has been seriously busy for me, both at work and at home.  Knitting and spinning has kept me from the looney bin.  I moved my office from the 2nd floor to the 3rd floor.  By myself. 

This month we were kept busy preparing the paperwork for buying a house and we are actively looking.  Since I'm the kind of person who doesn't wait for anything, we've started going through our crap stuff and throwing and giving away.  If I don't need it for several months I've packed it.  I've even started packing knitting books and patterns.  I haven't started sorting through the yarn yet.   We're going with the Realtor tomorrow afternoon to look at a bunch of places. 

On the knitting scene, I'm still working on Sharon Miller's Hap Shawl, although I think I may have to frog a few rows.  I'll work on that tonight.  On the other hand, maybe I'll spin.  Who knows?  Right now I do whatever brings me the most pleasure.

Meemers' birthday is in May.   I think I may think up some kind of contest in honor of the Birthday Girl.  Stay tuned!

Marching On

I figured I'd try to get a post here given this is the last day of March. 

Life has kept me incredibly busy both at work and at home.  Spring cleaning has commenced and this time it's different as I'm tossing and cleaning with the mindset of moving in the next year.  If I haven't used it or touched it in 2 years it's going.  Of course, yarn and spinning fiber is exempt from this rule.  :grin:

I've managed to find time for knitting but not as nearly as much as I would like.  I picked up the Ice Fantasia shawl and got to the edging until I managed to totally screw it up.  I stuffed it in the bag and set it in the time out basket.  I might pick it up and frog back.  I might not.  I don't have the patience or mindset to make that kind of decision right now.

I've also been working on Lake Louise.  I'm just about finished with the main lice pattern but again I haven't had the patience or mindset to work on the detailed charts yet.  It too is sitting in its plastic bin waiting patiently for me to return to it.

I did cast on the 2 Ply Grey Hap Shawl.  It's plain simple garter stitch knitting in the middle and I'm about 2/3 done with the center square. 

Sometime (hopefully soon) I won't be having my brain sucked out from work and stuff at home and I can get back to these projects and finish them. 

Hard to believe that tomorrow is April...........

The Reindeer Have Arrived

I'm so excited to have Lappland finished!  I was bummed that the clasps I bought for it were too small.  But I ordered some new ones and they should be here this week.  Other than that, it's done!  I even sewed a patch on the sleeve.

So, what's next?  Lake Louise!!  I cast on during the Olympic Opening Ceremony but there isn't much to show yet!  When I do, I'll post some photos.

Woo hoo!

I drove home today with the sunroof open and mah hair blowin in the breeze.   

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Sleeve Increases

The instructions say to knit two stitches, increase, knit the round to the last two stitches and then increase and knit the last two stitches.  I've chosen to knit these 4 stitches (2 stitches at beginning of round and 2 stitches at end of round) in the background color. It makes a nice "seam" going up the sleeve.   It makes it easier to see where the increase row is too.  I am constantly losing track of where I am and it's nice to be able to find my way again.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Sleevitis

I am well into my first sleeve.  My "placket buddy" and I are setting the goal to get our sweaters done before the Olympics start.  I want to get it done so I can start Lake Louise during the opening ceremonies.  For those alert enough, you will notice that Lake Louise is coming from my Dale stash and is listed on the left.  I'm stash knitting at last!  Yay me!

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Arrival of The Deer

I finally finished the body of Lappland.    I shouldn't say "finally" as this is the fastest I have finished a body in a while.   I ran out of the natural yarn and had to order more.  Thankfully Susan from Spinblessing had more in the same dye lot, but I suspect a different dye lot would have been fine. 

I don't do color work knitting back and forth.  To me, that's insanity.  So - I created steeks for the front and back necks so I could keep knitting around. 

The back looks the pretty much the same, just a wider steek.  I generally add an odd number of steek stitches, knit the first two stitches and last two stitches of the steek in the same background color and then alternate colors across as I carry the colors across.  I do a K2 together (to decrease one stitch) or a K3 together (to decrease two stitches) and knit one stitch on the right side of the neck (as you're looking at it), knit the steek stitches, knit one stitch and then SSK (to decrease one stitch) or a SSSK (to decrease two stitches) on the left side.   Usually I would leave the front neck and back neck stitches on a holder.  But in this case there is going to be a front placket and it will be cut down the red rectangular area.  The back neck stitches are on a holder and will be put back on the needles when I'm knitting the neck.   When I pick up the stitches for the neck there will be a nice curved neckline instead of the jagged stepped neckline that would have been created by knitting back and forth.
When it comes to the sleeves, I basted where the sides are and will use this as a guide for sewing and cutting the steeks.

So here I am.  Body done.  Off to sleeve hell.  Stay tuned!

My Stash of Shame

I admit it.  I have a big stash huge stash.  It's embarrassing, actually.  I have so many Dale of Norway projects stashed I don't even remember what I have.  I am going to create a list on the side somewhere.  Maybe if I see what I have I will be more interested in knitting them.  I don't think I have them listed on Ravelry.  There is probably  more than I've listed and as I find them I'll add them.    Embarrassing, I know.  Hush, Lorraine.

Color Me Happy

I'm going to be attending a class taught by Janine.  Janine and I go way back; she taught me how to spin and loaned me her Ashford Traditional wheel. 

Friday, Saturday and Sunday I will be attending her 3 day workshop.  I'm SO excited!!!

The Ernie Project

Last summer, Bev and I met up in San Francisco.   There, we met up and made the great fleece/sock yarn exchange.  I swear, I got the better end of the deal;  I got around 4 or 5 pounds (not sure on the weight) of luscious creamy chocolate brown Ramboulliet roving and Bev got a bunch of sock yarn that was tucked away in a bin.  This fleece came from pretty boy Ernie.  I have been spinning for about 6 years now and I have never spun anything so soft.   I will 3 ply this and it will be aran weight.  Ernie is definitely going to be a sweater of cable-y goodness.  I don't have a clue how many WPI I'm spinning and I don't have a clue as to how much fleece I have.  I'm truly spinning blind here.  Ernie will become the sweater he's meant to be and I will be designing an aran just to show him off.   I will post photos later and will put up "Ernie Project" progress-meter on the sidebar.  Right now I'm just spinning the first bobbin so there isn't much to show.

Meanwhile, I'm just about ready to start on the main pattern of Lappland.  I think I can get it finished at lunch and be ready to go tonight when I get home from work.  Yippeee!!

The Never Ending Part

While my other fellow knit-a-longers are well into the upper body charts I'm still whittling away on the body.  Did I mention this is the XL size?  Sigh.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Lappland at First Glance

Here is my Lappland so far.  10 inches to go.  Ugh.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē