My new Handheld

This was my weekend project - prayer beads. The aim of the beads is to keep you focused during prayer. I now understand why so many different cultures (Hinduism/Buddhism/various tribes beliefs worldwide/Catholicism/Judaism) have some form of bead/hand held aid to assist in meditation. The workshop was tons of fun and it was fascinating to see what different beads represent to different people.

The beads on the left are me (amber), Mr Catty (tiger's eye - the color of his eyes), a marbly green brown for our friends, an exotic turquoise embellished bead for our life mission, and an agate fish to keep us focused on who's really important.

The middle strand is Colossians 1:10-12 in bead form.

The strand on the right is my family, starting with the crystal bead at the top for my grandmother, the hexagonal fluorite bead for my immediate family, the red bead for my father (cherry Lifesavers in church), the multifaceted peacock blue bead for my mom, the green beach glass bead is me, the blue unusual bead is one brother, the long skinny wood bead is the other brother, the blue green zircon bead is my sister, and the teardrop shaped peridot bead is for my cat children, past and present.

TSNYN

Here it is! The Shrug Not Yet Named (or Started). Don't you love the cool pool-y turquoise playing off the cocoa brown? Well, I do. And that's all that counts.

Bringin' the Bling

A treat for me - a different type of crafty break from the scarves and purses. A trip to Bead Crazy where I found 4 strings of freshwater pearls, the silver clasp, and a kyanite bed for the dangle. 1 1/2 hours later (who knew it takes so long to string alllllll those little beads?) and it looks like something from the Sundance jewelry catalog? Kinda. In the right light. With one eye closed.

And lookie, a new addition for the sidebar. Gotta love a woman who knows her priorities.

Isabelle taking a rest from being very dangerous. And yes, that's Plush Blankie II acting as Protector to the new futon.

The view from the gable. Sunset - check. Rolling farm land - check. Red barn - check.

Whew!

The cleaning frenzy finished this afternoon. I even got MrCatty's office cleaned out (without throwing too much away, dear). My hall is now filled with stuff for the garage sale and clothes to go to Salvation Army.

I'm working the last two scarves of the scarf project - a farrow rib in the violet Kidsilk Haze and a pocket scarf in a Manos Cotton Stria multi-lilac colorway. The double eyelet scarf is being blocked and all the other scarves are wrapped, tagged with the Catty tag, and ready to be given away.

While I'm caught up in the now mind-numbing scarf knitting process, I'm pondering my next project (note that I'm totally bypassing the monkey purse project - why oh why did I agree to 'go there'?) I'm thinking maybe Clapotis (with the Koigu from Olivest), or a sleeveless tank (with my leftover skeins of Sunsette from Sitcom), or (squeee!) maybe my Peruvian Alpaca will be here this weekend.

4 days and counting

'Til I'm off for a few days. In addition to cleaning the Catty House from top to bottom, I've slated the scarf project to be fini, make a dent in the purses, and plan my next project - something for moi. And I think Olivest is going to be frogged. It's not you, Olivest - it's me.

Nice purrrrrrrse

Here's the kitty purse, all done. Let's play "Where's Waldo" : there are actually 4 kitties visible in this picture. The girls at work have picked out their monkeys and their yarn colors, so now my work is officially ready to begin.

FluffCuffs

I have a Bean fleece jacket that needed some cuff camouflage. I have a 1/4 skein of Whisper in the exact same color. Hmmm. What to do? What to do?

Since the Whisper doesn't like machine washing, I knitted the 12" long cuffs on #9 needles and attached them to 4 small buttons I sewed around the cuff band via pulling the knit apart slightly to stretch around the buttons.

And guess what? I had yarn left over this time!

It's a Block Party

Monkey Purse, being blocked.

Purse Prototype

I started the Monkey Purse Prototype. It knitted up very quickly, but here are some changes I made to the pattern.

1. I used Inox circs instead of the metal DPNs as recommended in the pattern. I had no issues at all with the twine seizing up on the needles.
2. I single crocheted the bind off. Doing a traditional bind off was very annoying; the twine was very tight on the needle. The single crochet was a breeze since the bind off was taking place off the needle.
3. I hate the I-cord handles, so I did a triple crochet band. It's flat, but I think for the amount of use the purses are going to get, it should be fine.
4. For some reason, my bag is 6-CDs worth of blocking, not the 16 as noted in the pattern. Hmmm. Ya know, I really don't mind the cute littleness. So I guess the prototype will be mine.

The monkeys should be here this week. (And I bought the Black Cats for me)

Piles of stuff

So in this corner, I've started the 11 scarves...2nd up (Aria is #1) is a drop stitch scarf in Berroco Suede. Since it's being knit on #17 needles, it's going quickly. I'm hoping to have it finished and fringed by the end of the weekend.

Over in this corner is the new shipment of 11 skeins of 48 lb twine for the monkey purses. I can't tell the girls at work that it's here or I'll have to stop the scarf project (or quit my job to make enough time).

Of course, we can't neglect the corner over there where Aria is waiting for her eyelet trim to be finished and stitched on...

And of course there's corner 4 where Olivest continues to languish.

Oh, and the order for the Alpaca is in, but won't be here for 2 weeks or so. I think that should give me enough time to clean out the corners.

A Barrel of Monkeys

That's what I'm gonna need to create the great Cocktail Monkey Purses for all the girls at work. Be sure to check the pattern out here.

I also received this for inspiration on the scarf project I need to finish by next month.

And to give me something to look forward to - a friend of mine is going to Lima Peru next month and has promised to bring me back some gorgeous alpaca. My mission - to figure out the yardage conversions for the patterns I want to knit up. I wonder if he has a weight limit on what he brings back....

Just call me Carmen Sandiego

Ok, I really haven't been anywhere interesting or even done some knitting, but I definitely feel like I've been missing in action. As I mentioned last month - I've been divesting myself of responsibilities/commitments/etc. and that is turning into more work that just keeping the farkin' jobs themselves. But I think I actually may get some knitting done this month. Olivest languishes in one knitting bag, Aria is being worked on one set of 5 rows at a time. I've decided to knit scarves for the 11 women who have been my ministry team for the past 6 years. I'm trying to pick out yarns/colors indicative of their personalities, yet go with their wardrobes. So you know what that means? A trip to my LYS! Woohoo!

Speaking of the LYS - check out the new buttons over there---> Ayep, There's one for KYarns (my LYS) as well as one for Bogie's site, Knit Flix. Knit Flix was one of the first knitting blogs I came across and has been a motivation/inspiration for me. Dang, that girl can KNIT! So thanks Bogie! And congrats on nearing the 20000 milestone!

Another Blankie on the Wall

Plush Blankie II

I think I misposted when I said I used Gatto - the trim is actually Crystal Palace Whisper. I really like using brighter, more intense colors for baby stuff. Fire 'em up a little. Get 'em jazzed. Kick 'em up a notch. Ok, I'll stop now.

In other knitting knews - I frogged Aria. The YO patterns SO don't work for me. I'm thinking of doing a cable pattern instead, and using doublepoints for the knitting.

Olivest is coming along - I have about 9" inches done; I figured 14" to the underarm so I'm over 1/2 way there.

I spent this week resigning from a lot of personal commitments; this is a good thing. One little, not-so-silent corner is being selfish in thinking there is going to be more time to knit. Poor little deluded selfish corner!

Not just for ponchos anymore

And the progress on the Olivest. It's about 5 inches worth. I figure I have about 8-9 more to go to the underarm.

Valentine's in March

"Love" for Mom - in Eros and Colorlash on #10 Brittanys.

"Pepe LePew" also for Mom. I'm not sure why she wants to look like a zebra, but hey - I love working with Splash, so who am I to argue with Mom? This is a boa in 11 stitches on #10s (what can I say-it's what I had in my knitting bag when I started to knit it up!)

Spring is a state of mind

Aria in periwinkle. The pattern is a simple YO, K2together on # 7 Inox needles.

I couldn't decide on a Rowan Kidsilk Haze color - so in addition the periwinkle, I picked up this teal. And meanwhile back at the shop, there's a lovely rose (almost the same color as my shirtsleeve in the pic.)

Chchch-changes

It's been a very busy week here in Cattyville. The upside is I start a new job on Monday. The downside? I start a new job on Monday. That being said, my knitaddiction is suffering.

I did finish Plush Blanket - since I couldn't find a shade of Plush that went with the rainbow colorway, I ended up knitting the whole blankie in one color and used Gatto in an acid green as a double crocheted border. And it works nicely. Trust me; the picture is coming.

I also started and finished a black and white Splash boa for Mom (who loved SkinnyMcGinny II). The scarf definitely has a Pepe LePew vibe which should make Mom happy - she likes the Warner Bros. crew.

I figured since I was mailing Mom a scarf, I should make it worth the postage and send two. So I've started a triangular dress scarf in the leftover jeweltoned Eros from "Mata II" with the fuschia Colorlash from "Flame". And as usual? I've run out of yarn 80% through the knitting.

Objects in the lens...

Are closer than they appear. This is my friend Comet. Or actually, Comet's nose. And rump. Comet lives on my friend Annie's farm along with sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, cats, dogs, and more llamas. Comet's likes include sneaking up behind you and attempting to give hickeys and making sure Heidi the goat doesn't get any loving that could possibly be redirected to her.

But hold the camel!

Tea in the Sahara. To keep that Stash Lemon Ginger Tea hot hot hot.

Can I get a cabana boy with that?

Fan's Dance in the South Seas colorway of Splash.

And on the other side of the temperature spectrum - Black Ice

Not just an Olympic sport

Kitty Discus in its felted glory. I really love how the mix of remnants (Blue Sky Alpaca in fuschia/Mountain Colors in Ruby River/Himalayan Yarn Co. in blues/Lamb's Pride in Sapphire and Teal) blended so well when felted. And a happy surprise was the lip of the discus curls up right at the edge of the fuschia/blue color switch.

Izzy agrees.

Finishing January in style

Finished Black Ice, complete with fringe (and I haven't hung myself yet ala Isadora Duncan). Finished a Splash scarf in trade for some homemade Valentine's cards.Getting ready to start Plush Blankie II. Have felted Discus and Sahara once (gonna need another 1-2 times to achieve felted perfection).

Wow, I think January has been a banner month for FO.

What's in a name?

Finished Discus (and added it to the 'to be felted' pile with Tea).

Since I was not ready to deal with 'Olivia' at 9:00 last night, I pulled out a skein of Eros Glitz in a black/silver metallic colorway to make a skinny scarf. In honor of the weather, I've christened it "Black Ice". The name was somewhat appropo as MrCatty navigated the Cattymobile into work this morning.

Hunkering down

What's a girl to do when it's below zero, windy, and snowy? Think hard...keep thinking...why knit, of course. This weekend was very productive:

1. Tea in the Sahara finished. Pictures to come once I've felted it down (read: sometime before March 21st..of this year).
2. Ribbit Socks - a FO before this blog started, except for the non-kitchenered toes. Which are now. And are on my feet. Sans picture (you actually expect me to shave my legs? and put on pj bottoms that match the socks? Bah! Silly rabbits.)
3. Kitty Discus - a variation of WendyKnit's Kitty Pi.

Now I'm off to hunker down some more with MrCatty and finish the Discus (which could be done in time to felt with Tea.)

Simple things

Like cat toys can brighten a day. Jack is in love with his 'Baby Monkey' baby monkey. Let me clarify right now before being inundated with requests for patterns - the baby monkey is actually a knitted rectangle, tri-folded to make a dense square, then stitched down on the edges. But he loves it no less than if it were an actually living, breathing primate. Which is to say "To the death".

'Tea in the Sahara' went to work with me today. I realized the last time I worked on it, I must have twisted it and inadvertantly created a Mobius. Which really won't work for a tea cozy. At. All. So, a-ribbiting I went. I've casted back on and am caught up to where I left off on the bar graph. So let's call it a draw for now.

I'm basing the pattern on

the tea cozy in this book. I haven't worked short rows much and with LouLou next up on the docket, I think this project will be good practice.

On fire.

Flame done in Colorlash and Gem. In the middle of January, a girl needs something that looks hot.

Not "Complicated" at all.

Avril Glovelets. Done on #6 circulars.

Avril was done in a lumpy Tibetan wool/recycled silk blend. These pics are the glovelets in the unwashed state. I think when they've been washed, they'll soften and smooth out a bit. I know I usually do.

And speaking of Avril, does anyone else think she looks like Meg Ryan's little sister? Ok, just me then.

Today is not my day

And tomorrow isn't looking good either.

The Olivia redo is not going well. I'm frustrated by how the stitch pattern is coming out - somehow I'm not accounting for an additional YO stitch, so this nice angle is emerging on one side of the panel. Since I really like the diagonal eyelet effect, I'm going to take some time this weekend to swatch a square to figure out what the heck I'm doing wrong.

On the upside, I started the Avril glovelets last night during "24". They are zipping along nicely in the Tibetan wool/silk. When they are finished, I'm going to to tighten up the 2x2 ribbing pattern and create a semi-boiled wool feel by throwing them in the washing machine.

And after that? I'm indulging Jack by making a Baby Monkey toy.

If you don't have mice...

Jack deciding Collection's "Baby Monkey" needs to be mauled.