Well, at least I can read about it...

Can I get a Woo?

(That would be the car's antenna bisecting the pic. The CatMan is not Herb Ritts)

Or more like a 'whew'. There was some broilin' (floppy brim hats only work when you remember to take them to the beach), some drankin' (though there weren't many Southern accents where we were), some knittin', and a lot of laughter. The trip was looooooooooong, but luckily we had satellite radio to keep us occupied. Funniest satellite moment? Listening to Spinal Tap during Live Earth: "'ello Wimbledon!"

Part of the joy of unpacking is making up to the cats for leaving them alone in the care of their friend Judy who spoils them to no end. Izzy is not amused that I took my knitting, but not her.

Project specs: Opal Silk/Wool sock yarn, color #1120 (Tiger...rawr!). Knit on Brittany #2s using the tried and true pattern.

I yam what I yam

My tote and I share some similar qualities: structured, uniform exterior, slightly wild interior, and a little girlie girl icing.


Project specs: 12 mitered squares using hemp twine on #8 Brittanys. I made a plastic mesh frame for reinforcement which I placed between the lining and the tote. After lining, I used this scarf which I knotted on the side after I tacked it in place.

And here's Miss Bizzybellie sacked out for the count. I have no idea why she is choosing to sleep on the CatMan's stiff Carharts when there are two soft t-shirts right next to her. But then again, I have no idea why she does what she does anyway.

So we are off later today for the Chicken Vacation. The car is packed and I've just got some cleaning to do around the house. But it appears they've turned the water off. This could prove interesting. See you all next week!

Another Conversation

in the continuing saga of the Chicken Vacation. On the phone with CatDad last night:

CatDad: "Oh, hey there. I thought it was your aunt calling back."
Me: "??"
CatDad: "Yeah, she called me a few minutes ago to find out where we were going on vacation."
Me: "But I thought she was going with us?"
CatDad: "She is. I just never told her where we were going."
Me: "??"
CatDad: "Well, we got to talking and I just never got around to telling her the actual location. She knows now, though."

*Note to self - get more gin.*

Learning some lessons

with the white, blowing curtain and the angle of sunlight, this picture is quintessentially summer to me.

I started on Scarlet Thursday night. Instead of 1x1 ribbing, I adapted a one-repeat lace pattern (pssst- it looks strangely familar, eh?) I'm checking my progress each step of the way to avoid another Ed situation. So far, I've dropped my needle size down to an 8 (recommended was 9/10)and I'll be decreasing a bit from the waist to underarm. I am enjoying the Classic Silk slubbiness and it's knitting up so quickly, I might get to wear this on the Chicken Vacation!

However, some lessons take repetition to be valid. Note below:

The yellow exclamation point is the end of my red remnant. Yet 13 stitches remain to the end of the row. Since this is a lengthwise knit, I am not relishing the tinking of a bazillion stitches . So Red Scarf #1 is on hold until I make a LYS run. KYarns has a loverly little basket of wool remnant skeins which are perfect for projects like Dulaan and Red Scarf; I know I'll find enough to finish this row off. A visit is scheduled this week anyway since my niece has decided on socks as her "learn to knit" project. Her favorite colors are green and blue which are woefully lacking in my stash. So I've added needles and yarn to my "buy for vacation" list, right under the Bombay and tonic.

Enough with the swatching!

I feel like I've knit half the stole already! After consideration, I'm going with the 3rd swatch (#6s). I really love the look of the 2nd swatch, but at 5" for 35 stitches and Melanie indicating there would not be allowance for extra pattern repeats (whine but I'd only need one more /whine), I know I wouldn't be in the ballpark for the finished width of about 20".

I picked up some great beads from here - metallic dark blue iris - think of oil with the rainbow sheen on the surface.

I just hope I get the first clue before I leave on the Chicken Vacation.

What AM I thinking?

Well, at least the yarn I picked goes with this month's Project Spectrum.

A Conversation

A conversation with the CatBro this past week re: The Chicken Vacation -

Me: "So instead of staying overnight in Dover, we are staying in Salisbury. We'll meet you there instead."

CatBro: "But we aren't going through Salisbury."

Me: "If you're driving through Dover, you have to go through Salisbury. It's on the same road."

CatBro: "Salisbury is out of our way."

Me: "I'm looking at the freakin' atlas; there's only one main road down the center of the DelMarVa peninsula. It goes through Dover AND Salisbury."

CatBro: "We didn't go through Salisbury the last time."

Me: "I'm telling you. One. Freakin. Road."
CatBro: "Google doesn't say anything about going through Salisbury."

(continued bickering for a few more minutes.)

CatBroWife (exasperated, in background): "We have to drive through Salisbury just like the last time."

CatBro: "Oh."

We shall not discuss the conversation that occured re: getting on to the Outer Banks.

All knitting is completed on Hip2B. Just the sewing remains. So can you guess what I started?

Saving the day

So Ed is a Frogged Object. *sigh* I think the biggest mistake I made is using a #8 to knit - I got gauge, but Ed turned out to be way too drapey in the wrong places. So I'm gonna think about it some more and maybe try the pattern again in a few months.

Good news? Red Scarf 2008 is up and running. I think after the Ed disappointment, finishing Hip2B, and getting ready for The Chicken Vacation, I would enjoy a little scarf knitting. And it might be the perfect introduction for teaching my niece.

Cuteness alert: This morning, I was stopped by parade of 6 adult geese and 13 goslings of various ages crossing the road. Were they having a play date? Headed home from a late night? Early morning skinny dip? Only the geese know for sure.

hmmm

I finished Edward over the weekend and I'm not feeling a warm sense of satisfaction. The fit isn't what I was hoping for - the final decision will be made after blocking. There is enough cotton in the Wildflower DK blend to be stretchy - with the previous frogging and the abandonment time out, I think it might need a bit of refreshing. So stay tuned for either a FO or a F(rogged)O.

Hip2B is down to the last two squares. Tonight I'm hoping to start the lining with project completion slated by the end of the week. I'm holding off on starting anything new until these are done - that should help my motivation.

Project Spectrum Wish List

There are certain items that will always be my Holy Grail. 3 of them happen to fall into this month's colors.

Item 1: The perfect red lipstick. Not too loud, not too opaque, not too shiny, not too orange or blue.

Item 2: The perfect silver hoop earrings. Matte, not shiny. Maybe hand-hammered. Big, but not Sade-sized. (For the record - I adore Sade and want to be her when I grow up. I just don't want those earrings.)

Item 3: A black suede fringed coat. No, I'm not a biker babe or a cowgirl - I just have always wanted one.

And thank you to those who commented and emailed with clothing suggestions. I heard ya and ordered - stay tuned for the outcome.

Finishing is the hardest part

I'm cruising along with Hip2B - well, cruising might not be the right word when knitting with hemp twine. I've got about 11" left of the side panel and 3 mitered squares of the back panel. Then there's the whole sewing together, figuring out the handles, and making the lining bit. But I'll be glad to be done with the knitting portion - I'm starting to feel it at the base of of my fingers and thumbs.

I'm hoping to dig Edward out of hiding very soon - he was set aside (read: tossed in the closet) to make way for some deadline knitting at the beginning of April. My goal is to finish him in time for the Chicken Vacation.

And while we are speaking of The Vacation, anyone have suggestions for nice, lightweight cropped pants that do not rest on or about 'MuffinTopLand'? Seriously, I'm 45 years old with hips and would like to look like I still have all my wits about me!

Boxed up and away

Dulaan 2007

5 scarves, 6 hats, 5 pairs of socks.

I didn't make the Magic 28, but I did do my 5 + some.

EOM

"EOM" is the abbreviation my company uses for "End of the Month". This month has been a weird one weather-, work-, and other- wise. On one hand I'm glad it's over. On the other hand, I wish I had enjoyed May more - it has always been one of my favorite months.

In 29 days, I'm on "Family Vacation" with the CatMan, my parents, siblings, and their children. Today I nicknamed it the "Chicken Vacation" because I plan on marinating and baking myself. It's good to have a plan, eh? I scored a bathing suit on loan (I really don't want to spend $100.00 on something I'll wear for a week and then never again) and all I have left to do is rent the car and burn a few more CDs for the trip.

I also have to plan the trip's knitting bag - the drive will be 14 hours each way (done over the course of 2 days). In addition, my nieces have politely suggested THIS would be the time to teach them to knit. Maybe I'll need a "knitting suitcase"...

Oh the indignity of it all

I just figured out why the June/July Opal sock yarn appealed to me:

Queen Cashew was not as flattered as I thought she'd be.

Here's some progress on my Hip2BSquared Tote. The front panel is made up of 12 mitered squares. I soaked, then blocked this section to get a true read for the panel that will act as the sides and bottom of the bag. This section is measuring at 12" x 15" and I'm gauging the side panel to be about 8". I think these measurements will give me a useful but not unwieldy tote.

The CatMan and I are attempting to enjoy the long weekend - last night we cooked out with friends, tonight is the roast beef dinner fundraiser for a local fire department, and tomorrow might be lunch at the Shed if the weather holds out. Enjoy the holiday!

Just around the corner

Our colors for the next two months are red, black, and metallics.

I've decided on Oat Couture's Tee in some Classic Silk (cotton/silk/nylon blend)

(this is the very cool flooring in my kitchen - see what I mean about its most excellent camo abilities?)

And socks for June/July will be fun golden and black tiger stripes - did you really expect me to do true metallics?

Orange you glad I'm done?

I know I am!

Before:

Scary, huh? The wallpaper is a lovely little vinyl number in yellow, olive, and orange floral stripes. The flooring was the whole mustard spectrum - brown, yellow, and Dijon. Hello 70's! Where is that Seals and Croft album anyway?

Today:

Wall color: Exciting Orange by Sherwin Williams. Trim: Popcorn White by Glidden. Mmmm..soft orange (think cantaloupe in the AM light, adobe in the PM light) with french vanilla trim. The flooring is a wonderful cathair/food/mud concealing linoleum that resembles slate. I love my kitchen now!

Linked up to join The Nester's Paint Party!

Next up? Repainting the entire upstairs (did I tell you about the cobalt blue trim??)

Been Eyre and done that!

Here's a long view of March/April Project Spectrum's Eyre Stole.

Project specs: 8 skeins of Frog Tree Alpaca knit on #6 Inox needles, using FTA's Cape Cod Shell scarf pattern, (doubled pattern repeats for width and lengthened to 5.5 feet). Color #009, a soft dove grey. J. (the landlady) came out to ask me why I was taking pictures of my laundry.

Here's the completed Sock-It-To-Me set. I opted to do baby socks instead of the hat. As of now, baby Micah has still not made an appearance. Whew, I just made that deadline!

Project specs: Plymouth Sockotta in color #6673 on #1 and #2 needles ; sweater pattern is from here.

Here is the Mali newborn hospital knitting. I ended up with 11 hats and 4 sets of booties. I'm also glad to have used up bits and pieces hanging around.

In kitchen news, most of the main painting is finished and the trim is primed. I have a few touchups and the final trim painting to finish. I decided to reprime in white and went down a few tones in the main color. I am very very happy with the results (and will post a before and after pic when I'm done!)

And now for intermission

(And no this doesn't mean anything - I just really like the lyrics and the video. )

Opinions needed

This morning I've been thinking. I could either -

A) Suck it up and put 2 more coats of Mango on the walls, with no guarantee that it will work

OR

B) Paint over the current fiasco with a white primer and start over.

Thoughts?

When in doubt, drink a beer

Today that's my motto and I'm sticking to it.

I'm very very distressed about the kitchen painting. Coat #2 is not covering the grey primer completely. I'm almost in tears over the thought it may take 4 coats to finish this project (thanks, hormones and paint store lady who I really really hope is not there tomorrow when I take back the second can of primer!)



Sock-It-To-Me is done. The green buttons I bought? Way too big. The white buttons I found in my sewing box? Perfect size. The white thread to sew on said buttons? Disappeared. So I used green thread which made the "X" in the 4 holes of the button decorative. Right? I SAID RIGHT??



Alrighty then, the CatMan should be back in a minute with the Corona and I'm going to limit myself to just rolling up some stash skeins into balls. I think it's safer than my needles.

Spring on the farm

Some Project Spectrum daffodils -

The girls out for a morning stroll -

Meet Elvis, the newest member of the farm (and Punkin, his mom).

Unfortunately, I haven't finished Sock-It-To-Me - I still have the button band and a bootie. But Baby Micah hasn't made his appearance, so I'm not officially late.

Today was spent priming and first-coating Tropical Mango in the kitchen. I'm a little upset the 'light gray' primer recommended by the woman at the paint store wasn't light. At all. Unless you consider the color of the USS Nimitz 'light'. So I'll be returning the unopened container for what I wanted in the first place.

Feeling tropical in Project Spectrum way

I have a vision in my head -

- and this is part of it. I'm wrapping up the Sock-It-To-Me cardi set this weekend and then onward to a tote for my beach trip this summer.

The thing about serious, indepth cleaning is finding those items you thought you 1.) lost, 2.) got rid of eons ago, or 3.) now have a use for. I'm an organized soul, so there haven't been too many "oh my dog how did THAT get HERE" moments, however there has been purging - mainly accumulated documents and some yarn remnants which really are too small for any useful purpose. What can I say, I'm a remnant stasher.

Cocktails and yummy Italian foodstuffs were consumed on Saturday, and the hotel was showing one of the CatMan's favorite movies The Bourne Identity. I started on the Sock It To Me cardi set and seemed to be having issues on the counting front (which became apparent when I tried to match up the left front panel to 3-needle bind off with the back panel). All is remedied now and I'm cruising through the right front panel.

Here's a pic of the Pink Piggie socks artfully arranged against the new kitchen drywall.

Project Specs: Plymouth Encore Colorspun, color #7990 (think pink ragg wool) knit up on #8 Brittany DPNs. I didn't mean to use the #8s, but grabbed them by mistake on my way out the door to teach my friend sock knitting. These anklets are destined to be next winter's bed socks. But given the Vermit weather of the past few days, I'll be getting some use out of them now!

A little break

The messy parts of the renovations are supposed to be done today. So the Catman and I are going to treat ourselves to an overnight vacation tomorrow. There will be some of this -

and a little of this -

and definitely some of this!

This old house

Note to self - it's very hard to knit when there is drywall dust floating around. Ayep, the CattyAbode is getting a not-so-extreme makeover. The CatMan and I have lived in this apartment for 10 years and we are finally getting some new flooring. Woot! And drywall in the kitchen and upstairs! Rootie toot woot! I've picked out my paint colors: Serengeti Plain for the upstairs and Tropical Mango for the kitchen. (Pics forthcoming once I feel safe in uncovering the computer.)

Maybe I've had a little too much Vermit winter, eh?

On the knitting front , I'm almost done with Pink Piggie sock #2; my coworker is just about to start the heel flap on #1. The baby knitting is flying along - I've got 8 hats, 2 pairs of baby socks, and a serious dent in the baby yarn stash.

Not just rain showers!

It's time!

However, April has other plans for me. Besides the fact I haven't finished Ed or Eyre, I've got some charity knitting due this month. The Women for Missions at my church are throwing a baby shower for a newborn hospital in Mali and have asked if I can organize some knitting projects. Hmmmm...let me think about that....use up stash yarn...small, instant gratification projects....enjoy pretty spring colors? Oh yeah, baby! (pun intended)

I do have some other little projects on the April May PS docket: a pair of pink bedsocks for me and this cardi set for a friend who is due at the end of the month.

If you are local to the Burlington area, come on down for the baby knitting - April 17 from 6:30 - 8PM at the Essex Community Center. You can email me at themusemedusa AT yahoo DOT com for patterns, info, and directions.

Signs of spring

Here in Vermit there are several signs of spring:

1. Mud season (caused by melting snow and ground)

2. Taking down the snow fences

3. Sap buckets on maple trees

4. The annual ice thaw at Joe's Pond

For me a sure sign of spring is the return of the ospreys to the Sandbar (the strip of land that connects 'mainland' Vermit with the Islands). Today was the day. There was much Catty rejoicing when I drove past the nest stands and saw an osprey perched on one of them.

Spring is here - time to get Edward finished!

Bringin' em into the fold

Image from www.interestingideas.com saved to my server.

So a co-worker/friend wants to learn how to make socks. As I posted earlier this month, I'm finding this pattern a quick and easy knit. It shows the basics of sock-knitting - using DPNS, creating heel flaps, turning, picking up stitches, and grafting the toe - using bigger needles, thicker yarn, and fewer stitches. After the very necessary trip to pick up yarn and her first set of DPNs, we spent a lunch hour casting on (I showed her the 'cheater' method of using a straight needle and then knitting onto the DPNs) and manuevering around the DPN setup. I sent her home with the mission to knit a 6" cuff.

My evil plan to increase our knitting numbers continues...

This post brought to you by the letter A

This would be my latest addiction. I don't want to share with you the quantity of boxes consumed this week (less than 5, but more than 1). If you live in the northwestern corner of Vermit, do not buy these. They're icky and distasteful. Really. I'm not just saying that so there will be more for me.

Here's a little closeup of the Edward's side detail; I'm starting the third waist shaping section. Last night, I pulled him off the needles to verify I'm on track with the sizing. He looks a little big, but shrinkage is always an option with the cotton yarn.

I'm motivated to finish Ed and Eyre, because in two weeks its...

and I've got skeins at the ready!

Reality check

This week has been a frigid one in Vermit - my neighbor measured -59 degrees (including wind chill) on Tuesday. My car agreed with that forecast and decided it was too cold to go anywhere. So I took the opportunity to stay at home with a pot of tea, the cats, and knit on some Dulaan projects.

This week's weather was a reality check on just what kind of conditions the people in Mongolia deal with on a daily basis. And it's just wrong to sit on lovely wool without creating something that will make another person a little more comfortable. I've been on a hat kick, but I'm definitely going to work up some more of the socks. This pattern is perfect for heavier yarn plus it's written for 3 different sizes. I did the pair of kids' socks in less than 2 hours.

If you have access to rent "Long Way Round" with Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, do it! When you see the smiling, genuinely kind faces of the people of Mongolia and understand there are children living in the sewers of the cities, you'll want to do more than knit.

Click the Dulaan button on the sidebar for more information and this year's deadlines.

Make up your mind already

Yeah I'm talking to you, Vermont weather! Blizzardy conditions Friday (Ice! Snow!), almost 45 degrees yesterday, and today windy and cold. Evidently the whole March Lion/Lamb image is taking itself seriously. In the same weekend.

Luckily, Eyre remains constant and steady.

I was going to show you a picture of Edward but the progress is so sad, I'm going to wait a bit.

And here's what is motivating me to finish Edward and move onto the next project. I love this book! There are so many good basic designs with enough options to keep me happy for a looong time. Thank you Ms. Harding.