The Crows ring out winter

 

Here's a pic of the crows in their scarves. It was a little thrill for me to drive past them one morning last month and see them bedecked for winter's last hurrah.

Spring Sunset on the Lake 

More orange

I find toothbrush travel cases make great crochet hook holders. This one is a soft orange rubber and has room for about 6-7 hooks.

One search over

I found handles for April's PS Intarsia bag! I think I had looked on every website known to crafters for the perfect handles and finally decided I didn't KNOW what the perfect handles looked like. I kept changing my mind - beads? cording? webbing? bamboo? So I checked out the local Joann's and ended up with these for a whopping $4.00. Ayep. I can live with that. While I was there, I noticed a rack of discontinued upholstery samples for $1.99 each. So I picked up this Liz Claiborne ultrasuede sample in Maize (it's a little more orange-y than the pic shows)- it will cover a piece of cut-to-size cardboard to reinforce the inside bottom of the bag.

Love of the Orange

I think I have made my love of the orange pretty clear. While I don't wear orange (except for my Splash scarf), I love having it around me. Even right now, where I'm sitting I can see orange everywhere. For example, right here. Cat with orange markings. Orange knitting bag. Happy!

Project Spectrum - April Project 1

Here's a fast and satisfying knit thanks to Kaity! This little slippers are an early birthday present (94 years!) for my beautiful grandmother. Since I didn't have the yarn Kaity used, I fudged a bit by using 2 strands of Lion Brand Magic Stripes in the "Bright Spring" colorway. Yes, I know the stripes don't match location for location, but hey. It was fast and fun and I don't think Gram will mind a bit.

And to find Kaity the rest of the time, be sure to check out her new location here.

Flashing the Stash

To check out the CatStash, skip past the next post down. I knew today would be a busy day, so I prepared the posts ahead of time. I thought posting them today would give them today's date, but nopeys. So just think of me operating in another time zone. Or alternate universe. Or maybe it's just Blogger's April Fool's Joke on me.

Out like a Lion's roar

At least that's how I think March is gonna go. Not the weather mind you, but the days. Suddenly it's March 29; wasn't it February just last week? Not that I'll miss the loveliness that is mud season in Vermit. Or the boredom of looking at the same sweaters, winter coat, and boots. I'm just a little panicked about the whole "finish March's Project Spectrum, start April's".


The panic is fully self-induced. I need to get back to the happy place of a month ago, with the promise of working on fun, colorful projects without deadlines. And even before I leapt into PS, I knew I would be all anal-retentive about starting a new month with the previous month's project still on the needles. Which is why I picked small, portable, easy projects for April. No 'two different sweaters going at the same time' for this girl.


Of course if Jessica is on the needles at the end of April, I may need an intervention. May's big project is a top-down swing coat.

Flashing the Stash - The Closet

Since we live in an apartment, I made a promise to myself that the stash needed to stay manageable (no SABLE here). So it's with great regret I needed to overflow into the storage closet space. Granted it's only a large, handled shopping bag's worth. And the alpaca cones don't fit into the storage drawers. And...well, you get the justification.

Flashing the Stash - Drawer #3

And in the bottom drawer of my little storage cart, you will find yarn for May and July's Project Spectrum. The green cashmere blend is for a top down swing coat with cool pewter clasps and the Wildflowers is going to be Oat Couture's Tropical Tee.

Flashing the Stash - Drawer #2

Here's what you'll find in Drawer #2. My April PS project (a knitted bag out of Cascade yellow and orange) and full skeins of more sock yarn and Plush used for baby projects. There is also some skeins of microfiber for Lucy Lu which I'm hoping to get to in the next month or two. Stop laughing. It could happen.

Flashing the Stash - Drawer #1

Drawer #1 contains all my 'scarf yarn' - Eros, Suede, Colorlash, Fonty Serpentine, and Kidsilk as well as my sock yarn and Bubby Chinchilla remnants. You'll note some PS purple in there (for July).

Ouchies

Knitting was a bit on hold this week - I spent most of the time taking care of the Big Fat Shew who had bladder stone surgery on Wednesday. Monday, we took her in for a possible UTI, Tuesday we thought there might be some renal failure, Wednesday - good to go on the surgery, Thursday we bring the sore girl home and the rest of the week has been spent making sure she's treated like the queen she think she is.

She's healing up nicely - maybe I can get back to knitting on Jessica. I also started a drop stitch scarf, desperately trying to make a dent in the cone of burgundy alpaca. I think it's reproducing itself in the darkness of the closet.

Domestic goddessing with Belli-cose

"No, you may not change the sheets."
"Ok, you can take the sheets off the bed, but you may not put them back on."
"Alright, the sheets can go on, but this is my final warning. Back away from the down comforter."
"Fine. I'll asphyxiate you with my clam breath while you sleep."

Picking up what I'm putting down

The fruits of the KYarns "Picking Up Stitches" workshop. Yes, I know the yarn and stitches are gargantuan, but all the better to see you with, my pretty. Had this been an actual knitted garment for human consumption, there would be a tad more proportion.

You know you wanna

Ack!

Knitting class tomorrow. Swatches needed for class? 3. Swatches actually knitted? 2. Swatches still to be steam blocked so they don't roll as I learn the "picking up" thing? 2.


Gotta go!

'In' is safer than 'on' or 'under'

At least it is in Pipperdoodle's Universe.

Here he has pulled open a drawer which normally houses the flannel sheets. Jack is very interested in the new place.

"Dood. Like that is so fresh. I wish I had thought of it."

Our video watching was interrupted by the sound of the laundry bins being knocked over. We believe the laundry hamper amplifies and focuses the extra-terrestrial emanations only cats can hear/feel. Witness the eyes, people.

"By your command, Lord Vader"

The fun just never stops

When you're part of Project Spectrum.


First something Red - Murano glass earrings. The red beads are from Piperia, the citrine end beads are from a too-small necklace (look for the remainder to pop up in next month's PS beading project.)

And then a little Pink to brighten the day. The swatch is part of my Picking Up Stitches Finishing class next Saturday and the nail color is "Not Too Bora Pink" from OPI. (And yes, I did pick my swatch colors to go with this month's PS)

Wonders of the Internet #1001

Remember Project 1A - the KoolAid stain? A little surfing gave me a simple, cost-free solution:
Dampen the stain with water, then cover with a layer of plain ol' table salt. Let set for a few minutes, then vacuum up. Repeat as necessary. After two treatments, we are stain-free without using toxic or expensive chemical processes.

The Internet - it's a good thing!

Project Spectrum: March Project 3

Here is a pink hat for the charity knit bag. All yarn was from my stash.

Lambs' Pride in 'Orchid Thistle' and Lion Wool Prints in 'Autumn Sunset' done on #13 Addi circs. Pattern (created by me on the fly): cast on 90 stitches, join yarn and knit 2x2 ribbing for 1.75 inches. Switch to MC and continue to knit SS in round for 5 more inches. Decrease one stitch (I did a SSK) every 10 inches and continue to decrease at the same points for 2.5 more inches (your decreases will be slanted). Don't cast off, just cut a long tail, thread through a tapestry needle and draw through needle stitches. Draw all stitches together, crisscross over opening a few times with the threaded tapestry needle, then weave in end. The decreases will give a nice little star pattern when all drawn up together. The hat is a bit big, but I'm going to felt it slightly to tighten it up and create a nice warm woolie.

See? She is pink!

Here's is the lower half of one Jessica sleeve. Instead of the tricolor alternating stripe, I'm going with a more random pattern using 2 colors. The cuff end is at the stitch holder, pending finishing to the correct length which won't be determined until I finish the upper half of the sleeve.

Something Pink

Continuing in the Project Spectrum vein, here's a glimpse into my knitting bag - this is my knit kit. The cool, circly zipper bag is actually a Jelly rubber pencil kit picked up at a big box store for $1.29. Inside are two little compartment cases (a whopping $1.69 for 2!): the green one houses all my stitch markers by size, the pink one holds safety pins, point protectors which I never use, and my tape measure.

Also in the kit is a funky star nail file for the pesky rough edge (and emergency sander for my bamboo and wood needles), a thimble, a Nemukko Nyago mechanical pencil/pen, scissors, and a packet of tapestry needles I've had for 20+ years. The packet was originally 6 needles. I'm down to 4. I hereby apologize to anyone who may have inadvertently found a needle stuck in a sofa cushion.

Project Spectrum: March Project 1A

aka The KoolAid Incident. Last night, while the CatMan and I were watching a movie, Pip (Doodles/Dudes) explored the effects of knocking over a glass of KoolAid. Besides the lovely dye aspects (this would be "Tropical Punch"), did you know it travels extremely quickly on carpet?

So this is a Project Spectrum project not listed on the sidebar. I'll be creatively figuring out a way to remove this PINK from our rug.

Project Spectrum: March Project 1

The first five inches of Jessica. I know what you are thinking. "Catty? March is supposed to be about pink and red, honey." Well just hold on to your needles, kids...pink is the accent color for this sweater. I have to knit all the black stuff first.

I swatched the alpaca on #3 (yeah, I know. Craziness!) and #6 needles. While it looked better on the 3s, I knew if I wanted ANY chance of finishing sometime this spring, I had to go with the larger size. It may require a camisole under it - we'll see.

Lenten thoughts

I did not grow up in a home that celebrated Lent. The denomination I'm affiliated with does not celebrate Lent. Yet I'm intrigued by the concept and the surrounding ritual. Take this statement posted by Sara at Going Jesus:

Wednesday, February 15, 2006:
Whatever useless things these hands have done
It's early yet, but I realized today that I'm really looking forward to Lent. I love the depth of the liturgy in Lent, the way it tries to get us to flip over the rocks and see all the squirmy sightless things that live under there. The challenge is to see them with an understanding of grace, which is what holds the despair at bay. There's a little thrill in facing something squarely and realizing that the opportunity for transformation exists. Watching an old pattern or habit peel away and lose its power is a tiny bite-size Easter, an unexpected place for life to break out. I see it all the time, if I remember to look.

Exactly Sara! Spring nudges cold, hard, frostheaved soil - the Lenten season nudges us past that pretty little Christmas baby tableau (which here in Vermit is still frozen to the ground where it was planted 3 months ago), through some soul tundra, to a time of spiritual thawing and blooming. So this year, I'm celebrating Lent. I'm going to flip over some rocks, hopefully squish some squirmy things, and take my bite-size Easters as grace and joy instead of chocolate.

Project Spectrum

You've most likely seen the Project Spectrum button on the sidebar. I love this knitalong for several reasons. There's focus (every month a different color), but no imposed deadlines or types of projects. I'm excited to be using this 6-month event as a 'stash-buster/start knitting the stuff I bought months ago' opportunity.

My big March project is Jessica, using the Peruvian Alpaca from my stash. I'm also creating a pair of red earrings and my charity knit will be a pink hat using stash yarn.

I'm spending the next few days in preparation for the March 1 start date. This includes winding the alpaca, making necessary pattern adjustments for my body type, and sorting through my hat patterns.

And I just saw this 'Finishing Workshop - Picking up stitches' posted at KYarns. I'll be signing up since I really really really need to learn the RIGHT way to pick up stitches!

Koigu has left the needles

Cinco gives me a hand modeling the Koigu Identity Crisis, which actually turned out to be a longgggg scarf and glovelets.

Yarn: Koigu KPPPM, dye code P106, dye lot 139. The picture above is a true representation of the colors.

The scarf pattern: 30 stitches on #3 needles (I used my Addi circs).
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: YO K2tog across row
Row 4: Purl
There is a 3 stitch garter edge on all 4 edges of the scarf. Remember to double check your stitches before and after your (YO,K2tog) rows for the first few inches to make sure you aren't adding an extra stitch.

The glovelets are the tried and true 2x2 ribbing. Since my hands are broad across the knuckles, I cast on 60 stitches on #2 Brittany DPNs. I added a 6-stitch buttonhole at the 4.5" mark for the thumb, then continued in pattern until the glovelets measured 7" long.

And get this! I've got yarn left over!

On your mark...

Not much to show on the knitting front - the Koigu is coming along nicely; I think there's probably another 8" or so to go. I'm just hoping I have enough for the glovelets. If not, I may just go wild with remnant Koigu bits - it could be fun. Randomness. Me. Rightttt.

I'm eagerly planning for Project Spectrum. In my brain right now, I'm contemplating 1) knitting project for me, 1) beading project, and 1) charity knit in the monthly color scheme. I'll post more solidified ideas later. But let me just say, I'm preparing even as we speak (er..type).

And finally, here's Jack-a-Blope lurking behind the computer monitor. I'm pretty sure his "friend" Cinco was nearby and Jack was triangulating a surprise attack.