Move complete

Friends, Romans and Country people lend me your ears....

the move from blogger is complete.

My new address (corrected):

http://www.knittingitout.wordpress.com/

playing!

Puppy Sitting

Luna comes to visit

Luna is Lehu's sister's dog (Gracie's cousin), she's about 7 or 8 months old and is a St. Charles Cavalier/Brittany Mix. She's absolutely adorable and VERY much a puppy. She is like Gracie's mini-me and Gracie is less than amused by this. They have been playing together really nicely, but Gracie gets tired pretty easily...Luna has no stop button.

Georgie is also not particularly thrilled with this dog's curiosity, but he isn't giving up his spots in the house. She is fascinated by the cat, I don't know if she's ever seen one before.

We have snow today, and it keeps on coming. Yesterday, I made bread. Mmm.

She's a very sweet little pup and she is with us until New Year's Eve, when Teddy (my sister) comes to visit!

Happy Holidays

Yo! F.O.

My February Lady is done!

Here's the 411

Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton in Tomato (some of you might recognize this yarn from the Tomato I made from it and subsequently frogged).

Buttons are actually from JoAnn's!! I am so pleased with them.

The fiber is so very very soft.

LOVE!

Hanukkah Comes Early

Gracie has been a lovely nurse this week. I have been home every day and will stay home tomorrow too. Since I work with people who have compromised immune systems there is really no sense in going in and sharing all my germs.

The sad thing is that I have not felt like knitting at all. Until today, when I decided I would open the box from Knit Picks that was sent to me via my mom (who lives in Guam). I was going to wait until Friday night, but I just couldn't wait any longer. Can I just say I love Knit Picks and their amazing new Wish List! Yippee!!

The loot is so extensive it is almost embarassing. Suffice it to say that I have no need to go yarn shopping in the very near future. I should get my act together and put it all on Ravelry, but I haven't yet. Maybe tomorrow if I don't doze off all day like I did today. Got to love bronchitis.

I got the Carmen Banana Kit to go with my Mr. Foster. He is finished except for his tail. I made his robe, probably too big because I ran out of yarn (oops), still need to make his red pj's. Also got the Hugo Cap Kit. So excited about that one!!!

I appreciate all of your get well wishes, I would love that!

Gracie and I are having a sick day. She's fine and I have a cough that won't stop. More knitting time though...

Knitter's Kitties

Georgie & Idgie on Lehus legs. Oops, caught Lehu snacking on sunflower seeds.

A Knitter's Challenge

I was reading forum posts on Ravelry a few weeks ago and saw, in the Windy City Fiber Folks thread, a post entitled: TRADE OFFER: Knit for Handspun or ...

The post said she had the second of her pair of mits as well as the second sock to complete. Feeling rather confident in my knitting skills (!!), I was curious. I pm'd her. I also, by the way, looked at her gorgeous handspun and my curiosity grew. I am not really interested in spinning. I love that many of you are, but me? I'm really happy knitting and designing.

Well, last Sunday we met in person. Mind you, I still had not asked much about the patterns, I just figured I'd figure them out. And, my dear friend Sarah said, yes, of course you can figure it out no matter what it is. I wasn't worried.

So, I'm excited to say that I'm about to start the toe on the first top down sock I've ever made in my entire knitting life and I actually like the pattern a lot. I might actually try a top down sock, people, how amazing is that? I've been really interested in trying one of Cookie A's patterns, or Grumperina's Jaywalkers, or ... Thank you SpinSpanSpun for opening up my knitting world.

I should say that this woman is a lovely human being as well.

I'm likely to finish this sock today, then I'll weave in the tails...and get going on the mit! Huzzah! Another new pattern. So exciting.

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend.

Preview of February Lady

Here, my friends, is an upside down pic of my February Lady. I am doing the sleeves at the same time so I keep them even (and don't run out of yarn). Not a great pic, but suffice it to say:

1. I love this sweater.
2. It actually fits me, perfectly!!!
3. I'm enjoying making it.
4. I'm looking foward to finishing it.
5. I found beige shell-like-ish and squareish buttons.

Thanks for your curiosity! Finished pics will come very very soon.

Inspiration

I am - like many of you I'm sure - starting to get many many many catalogs in the mail. Yesterday Talbot's came. I did not know that Talbot's carries "plus" sizes (I'm steady in the 1x/small 2x range). I saw this sweater (photo is from their online catalog).

Now you may or may not recall the February Lady I attempted to make for a friend from Jaeger Roma...it was nearly done and it was just slightly too big for her. I ripped it out that day and haven't touched it since because my feelings were so hurt...I think I was feeling very sensitive that day. Crap, I have a lot of those days but that's another blog altogether.

So...I vowed I'd make something else entirely. And, this Talbot's one is made from exactly the same fiber combo as my Jaeger Roma. The color I have is a sage green and it is lovely to work with.

My plan is to copy the design/shape of this and see how it turns out. Good news to those of you who might be waiting for patterns from me...I have some time off the next two weeks (starting Friday, YEAH!) so that's on my list.

Have a lovely day!

Reunion with my Dear Friend

Giftie. Yay!

So, you all know what kind of a clown this dog Gracie can be...listen to this...

Sarah was coming over and we were going to head to brunch at The Alps - a diner very near to our house that just re-opened after MANY years.

I went for a walk about 25 min before Sarah was to arrive, and ended up stopping at a neighbor's house (I was walking to her house to pick something up from her) and chatting a little longer than expected. I was still at the neighbor's house when Sarah called to say she was sitting on my front porch -- oops! I apologized and said I'd be there in 10 min.

Then I called Lehu to let her know, and Gracie went out to the front porch, grabbed the giftie that was wrapped in gorgous golden fabric, and ran...I hear all of the hubub on the telephone. It was so funny.

In the pretty wrapping (re-usable LOVE IT) was a great canvas tote, perfect for knitting projects, and a really cute purple-decorated tape measure. NOTHING that Gracie might be even remotely interested in.

Hope you had a great day. The weather here was aMAzing today.

Christmas cactus bloomed for Halloween. Soooo pretty! I know I still owe you all a pattern or three...

Socks made from Berrocco Comfort Socks (I love this yarn). I did a row 1: k2 k1 then row 2: k2 p1 rib to get a different effect. I used size 1 circular needles (2), toe-up with Wendy's underfoot gusset (which I LOVE).

Links later.

For the newest great nephew! My own design which will soon be available here and on Ravelry.

Whiskers on Wednesday

The Cat with her Own Room

or
Ruthie's Abode

or
Peaceful Household, Happy Cats

Have I told you all about our experiences of having Miss Ruthie groomed -- actually shaved into a lion cut? We did this about 6 months ago. The old girl is losing her teeth and does not do a great deal of grooming (really not much grooming at all), and she is the long-haired feline in the house.

Yeah, so, when the groomer said "the other cats might treat her as a new cat" I disregarded it since Ruthie is the outcast cat in the pecking order around here. Ruthie and Gracie do fine, but the other cats notsomuch. I just figured it would be all normal. I was wrong.

For the first two months we did this Ruthie and her personal litter pan live in our room and the bathroom. Sleep was not to be had because Ruthie purrs REALLY loudly and she likes to wedge herself between my chin and my shoulder (when I'm on my side) or on my chest under my chin when I'm on my back. She didn't once go and play with the other two under the door. No interest at all whatsoever. Harumph.

Then we tried various other things, re-introducing techniques galore. Nada I tell you NA-DA. These cats were having none of that.

We have a room in the basement that has shelves and a rocking chair and other kitty paraphernalia. We moved Ruthie down there and she is happy as a clam. We see her more now because she used to just hide most of the time. I visit her a couple of times every day. We sit together on the rocking chair and she looks up at me with her toothless face and all's well in the world.

I know it seems so sad, but really it has been the best solution. Even when we leave the door open to the room, she doesn't leave it. She just looks up at us as if to say, "are you kidding, in here I'm the queen and out there Georgie is going to jump me."

Happy Whiskers on Wednesday from Queen Diva Miss Ruthie.

Whiskers on Wednesday

I just can't believe I'm actually posting for WOW...it's been a long time.

I give you our most recent portraits of Idgie (black and white) and Georgie (the other guy).

Cutie Pie

Tap Shoes in June. Isn't she a cutie? Not the most clear picture, but it makes me smile nonetheless.

Autumn in the Air

I am one who prefers the transitional seasons, so autumn is pure joy for me. I love the colors and the smells in the air, apples, pumpkins, warm cider with cinnamon...

Gracie seems to be sniffing for something...she has an amazing sense of smell especially for such delicacies as (fill in gross thing here). But she's so cute with her sniffy explorations, I just have to share them...

Mmm...something is in the air.

Where is it?!


Golden Determination

Autumn, Apples and Animals

Yesterday, Lehu and I drove out to the country to go to an apple orchard. I chose a place that had a petting zoo...well it wasn't so much a petting zoo as it was a few animals who were more interested in the food than affection...except for the llama.

I think that the Urban Zoo should go to the country. I want llamas and goats and sheep.

Here's a little slide show of our adventure.