Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Let me Bowl you over

I have been working on a felted bowl for Cliff's (Megan's boyfriend)Birthday. The colors match their dishes. The first bowl I tried came out too tall.

Here is a picture of the too tall felted bowl:




Here is a picture of the next size not yet felted a different shape too...














Here is the felted finshed product....






For the second bowl I did a provisional cast on and less rows before the mitred squares, then when I did the I cord bind off it made the top have a scalloped edge.

This morning at Latvian Knitting one of the ladies had made a felted mobeius bowl from Cat Bordhi's Second Treasury. I really liked the shape and decided that instead of a mobeius on top I would do a latvian twist. So more felted bowls to come.

I have almost finished my baby sweater for the Baby Sweater Knit along at www.k3tog.typepad.com. Pictures to come soon.

The screens are on and Boo has a new vocation he follows outside animals from window to window.

Monday, May 22, 2006

The Cat is out of the Bag


Mom in case you can't tell this is a laundry hamper not a bag


Ok so I let out the news today that I am planning a knit along to start in August...

The Red Sock Knit Along

Details to follow....

I have been busy this week helping Megan and Cliff look at apartments and jobs and etc... the good news is Cliff got a job in his field (graphic Arts) at a screen printing place. Megan is still looking for part time as she is going to school in the fall.

I have been knitting felted bowls and trying to come up with a pattern that is the right size, so far I have one too big and one on the needles that might be too small, pictures to follow soon.... Also I am still working on my cotton socks and tried a short row heel, did not like it and ripped it out! So now I am back to my original plan of a spiral replacement one. And finally I ripped out the baby sweater hood and am redesigning it...More to follow on all of the above.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Boo The Helper

So we all know that Boo likes to help but did we all realize just how much? The other nite I babysat my friends little one and Boo was certainly intrigued.

I am just checking on Gunnie, Mom he might need help with that toy






Then Later I found Boo doing this

I was not trying to get at his formula, I was searching for wet wipes for you mom, Gunnie smells funny





Finally on to knitting content, I am currently working on some beautiful red sockotta socks and came home to find this the other day




I think my helper was involved again.
Anyway back to knitting I am working on a baby sweater for Chell and Ana's knitalong and have decided that the designer's baby had a really small head because the hood is too small for any baby's head I know.

I also have some plans to make C3 from Knitty, Annie Modesitt was wearing it at Yarnover and it looks much better in person, than the knitty picture.

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Tea Swap Time

Today I received a post card from my swap pal, she wanted to know some information about me. Well here goes I like any kind of yarn and prefer it to have some red in it. I am not crazy about green or purple for colors, but that would be okay too. I really like wool blends, cotton and wool blends or all wool, my motto is any kind works for socks. Actually, that is what I tell my students when I teach socks that you can use any kind of yarn you like for socks.

As for tea, I realized when I took my picture of my stash it is mostly herbal. That kind of surprised me, because I drink all kinds of tea. The only kind I am not too fond of is Green Tea but I am trying to learn to like it because it is so good for you.

Boo liked the post card too...

Let me see if I can figure out who this is from for mom....Hmmh a US flag and a pickup truck, I don't recognize either one so maybe I will just sleep on it...

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Boo is Alone

Ok so the excitement is over and the kitties are back with Megan's friend Lisa. Boo is all alone again. I think he likes being alone, he gets undivided attention and has a prime position for blog editing on the back of my chair. He especially likes to spin around.






I am participating in the Knitters Tea Swap and am looking forward to receiving a mystery package. I drink mostly herbal teas, and like any kind of yarn. Also I am putting a package together for my partner, I went to Mrs Kelly's Teas at the farmers market yesterday and picked up some tea now to just get the rest organized.

I have signed up at Michelle's Blog (K3tog.typepad.com) for the baby sweater knit along. It should be fun to see everyone's baby sweaters.

Friday, May 05, 2006

The Gran Cats are here

Well the little ones have arrived seems they are both girls and both prima donnas. Baby (the lighter faced one aka Cornflake) has taken to growling at everyone and everything, Ducky just licks ears and hisses at Boo. Boo seems somewhat unpreturbed and just hangs outside the door to the room they are in because maybe they will come out. I though maybe we could keep them until at our house until next week when Megan moves home permanently...but I think poor Baby who is scared to death of Boo would have heart failure.


Hi I'm Baby aka Cornflake and I am scared of Uncle Boo, and when I get scared I scream just like a real baby







Hi I am Ducky and since I was kidnapped oops I mean kitten napped in Indiana I like to stay close to a real person who will protect me from kitten nappers





So yesterday I went to Indiana to take empty suitcases to Megan, and bring Megan home with full ones. I got there and she wasn't all the way packed yet so I told her I want to go to the Yarn Shop while you pack. Ft Wayne only has one and it is in a refurbished train depot.

this is the outside facing the river, the two humans in the picture are Megan and Cliff





This is the main room










this is the hallway to the second room where the classes are held and more yarn



It was a nice shop and the owner did not mind me hanging out for a couple of hours. She had the usual yarns and then some I wasn't familiar with, she is a Rowan stockist and has lots of Jamison. I found some Rowan CashCotton in a light blue for socks.

I am currently waiting for Megan to get home so she can take care of her cats

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

The Gran Cats are coming

Megan and the grancats are coming this weekend. I am excited, but Uncle Boo seems uncconcerned.




Why should I worry I am the king of the house




Here are my newest socks, from Meilenweit Cotton Fantasy, featuring a spiral toe and the pattern is Springy Socks from Knoxknits designer Judy Sumner. As usual I changed the toe and probably will do a spiral replacement heel to match the toe.









Finally the rain stopped so I need to go outside at some point today and work in my garden. I am cleaning out some excess perennials in the front Bee Balm, Jacobs Ladder, Orange Day Lillies and Columbine. I need to go look at some new perennials to add to the garden then decide what to do with the window boxes and the back yard.

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Rain Rain Go Away

I am so ready to be rid of this rain.
I need to get to my garden and want to have a fire in the pit. However this is good knitting weather, so I should not complain right?

Currently I am working on some Meilenweit Cotton socks and yesterday at Borealis found some red cotton sock yarn, I have wanted some plain red cotton socks for awhile.

When I was reading Yarn Harlot today it reminded me that we all have special people
that have passed on and here is mine.

This is my mom

My mom was a knitter too and I remember the first socks she made me for skating. The air was blue as she was turning the heel and I don't think she enjoyed sock knitting. She told me once that the reason I knit socks was because they were small and went fast. She did knit some beautiful mittens though, I remember once when I was about 10, we had an oil burning stove in our house, that had doors that opened and when we came in from outside in the winter we would drape our wet mittens over the door to dry. My Mom had just made me some red and black Norwegian mittens with a boy and girl holding hands and one day I lost one. We looked all over for about a week and couldn't find the mitten. So she made me another one and then one night at supper my dad said what is burning and then we all smelled it coming from the oil burning stove and I went to look and there sitting inside stove was my mitten smoldering. I must have hung it to dry and it fell in...No more hanging mittens after that.

So here is the moral of the story don't hang your mittens on the stove door cause they might fall in.