An open and shut case

Ayep, my poor attempt at crafting humor. It wasn't until I was sewing the ties on the needle case last night that I realized this is perfect for this month's Project Spectrum (we're all about the neutrals.) The ouside of the case is a chocolate brown Morris print, the inner cover is a cream/lilac mini-print, the needle sleeves are chocolate felt all wrapped up with black bias tape edging. Hopefully, my tapestry and sewing needles will feel safe and secure here and not want to go MIA in the sofa cushions.
This is scarf #1 for the October scarves project. A LYS (Knitters Laine, no apostrophe or website) is providing scarves for a breast cancer retreat to be held in Burlington in October. This is a feather/fan pattern using the pink 'alpaca cone that will not die' from the stash.

The Zone

It must be the lack of vacation, work-related stress, or both - but all I want to do it knit. And not complicated projects. Just the mindless back and forth of stockinette or a wee little pattern. We all know this 'zone' which brings the noise in your brain down to a low roar, eases the tension headache right behind your eyeballs, and gives you the appearance of being busy enough to keep people from demanding other things from you.

I've got zero to show - progress continues on Serengeti and the October Scarves but I will leave you with a pic of Pip doing what he does best.

It's a Par-tay!

Join in the fun! There's plenty of time to plan

(and by plan, I mean 'add to the stash'.)

A sense of accomplishment

I'm indeed very happy to report the burgundy scarf is off the needles. It ended up being about 4 3/4' long (let's not even go there about rounding it off to an even 5', shall we?) There will be a pic when I gather all the accumulated goods to send to CIC (probably at the beginning of next week).

Here's the little Pinki hat for another coworker's new niece. It was a quick weeknight knit on #6 Inox needles using girlygirl pink Berroco Plush. Nothing too fancy - the yarn is the focus.

Pinki is resting on another project I finished this week - a handsewn lining for my blue suede bag. I was not enjoying how the suede's wrong side kept leaving little blue bits on my knitting. So using the lessons I learned from the Citrus Rib Bag, I made up a lining I'm very happy with and that will allow me to use the blue bag more frequently.

I'll save the weekend's show and tell for later. I will tell you it involved a visit to here and here as well as a new knitting project.

Twisted Rib Cardi

This sweet little sweater is for Baby Sam, my friend Snoozie's new baby nephew. Sam was born with perineal anoplasty which will require a series of surgeries over the next few months. However, Snoozie is happy to report he is a whopping 7 lbs and the most beautiful and contented baby she has ever seen.

The Twisted Rib Cardi took a smidge over 2 skeins of Plymouth Wildflowers DK on #3 needles (for the ribbing) and #4 needles for the body. The buttons are little green ceramic dinosaurs purchased from KYarns. The whole sweater is supposed to be knit in pieces and seamed. I chose to knit the fronts and back, seaming the sides, then picking up stitches around the armholes and knitting down the sleeves. I think it worked out well - no futzing with setting in the sleeves and I had the added bonus of knitting the sleeves in the round.

This is definitely a do-again pattern.

The most comfortable seat in the house

When it's 99 degrees and eleventy bazillion % humidity?

Why the CatMan's lap, of course!

June PS FO

Denim Socks out of Schachenmayr Blue Jeans 100% Cotton yarn. Knit on #2 Brittanys in a random rib from my favorite sock pattern (and no, the heel is not wonky, just the photographer!) I used just under 2 skeins.

Knitting for those who need

October 2007 Red Scarf #2

October 2007 Red Scarf #1

Mali Baby Hospital Missions 2007

Dulaan 2007

Red Scarf 2007

Military Helmet Liners

Children in Common Bag of Goodies

October Breast Cancer Retreat Scarves

Hats for MA WIC babies - July 2006

2005 KYarns Charity Knit - December 2005

August PS - The Dangerous Serengeti

Ok, I'll admit it - I've been cheating. You see, I found this loverly Cherry Tree Hill Jumbo Boucle in the 'Serengeti' colorway and I HAD to buy it. And I was going to wait until August's PS Neutrals theme to cast on for a warm winter wrap. But the call of the wild yarn was too strong. Must...knit... So I casted on in June and am through 1 1/2 skeins already.

And why the overwhelming urge to buy this particular colorway? Well, other than the sheer gorgeousness (tawny browns/rich clarets/ some dusky blues and greys), 'Serengeti Cat' is one of our nicknames for Miss Isabelle. She's so full of attitude, we believe she thinks she could actually survive there. So you see, I really had no choice. Really.

Twisted Rib Cardi

Here's a pic of progress so far. I'm using some dove grey/lavender Wildflowers DK (cotton/acrylic) from the stash for this project. I know people have issues with knitting cotton, but I'm finding this yarn easy to use. Of course it helps the scope of the project is for a baby. The pattern was copied from a book YEARS ago - ack! I'm having fun with this one.

Farm Living

People are amused to no end when I tell them I live on a farm. I'm amused when my day starts off encountering my 4-footed neighbors. For instance, today I played horse wrangler. Ayep, as I pulled out to go to work this morning, Miss Diamond (all of 6 days old) was standing in the middle of our parking area. She did not want to be herded back to the lush pasture on the other side of the fence - probably to avoid the equine chewing-out Momma was gonna give her. Luckily, our farmhand extraordinaire showed up just in time to save the horses from their state of distress and me from electrocuting myself as I tried to figure out how to open the pasture fence.

This little adventure made up for the fact it was 90 freakin degrees when I woke up this morning. In our bedroom. With the windows open and the fans going.

But I'm not letting a little heat get in the way of knitting. Nosireebobcattail. I started swatching a sweater for a co-worker's new baby nephew. It's a sweet little cardigan with a fake cable rib.