Sunday, December 26, 2010

what do you get when you avoid the mall at christmas?









Lots of knitting done!



Bee fields in all it's glory. I'm on the third set of charts and doing pretty well, thank you very much. This is QUITE an accomplishment. The pattern is great, but I definitely consider this advanced lace knitting.




Santa was also good to me, having brought me my knitpicks wish list. The yarn for the luminaria scarf (couldn't resist) and some misc goodies, cable needles and the book wrapped in lace.






I also self-santa'd a bit and splurged on the yarn for the moonstruck sweater - Gaea in the color "in the navy", and dreamweaver yarns had a post-christmas sale, so I bought the pattern for ishbel, and some puppy snips. The discount paid for the shipping.

In the end, a good time was had by all. Now, on to new Year's and possibly some resolutions.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Ho! HO! HO! It's a FO

I've finally finished my christmas knitting and, the cabled sweater is finally finished too, except for a few buttons. (I just can't bring myself to stand in line at joann's right now).
This is Paton's Must Have Cardigan (with puppy). I think it turned out pretty well, although I do like a longer sweater. I added some length already, but it could have been a bit more. It's OK, though.












After last week, I couldn't stand it any more. I went and joined the Unique Sheep little mermaid KAL. I'll be doing mine in laceweight, with the carribbean gradience colorway and beads. It's starts some time in march, so I have something to look forward to!

Right now, there are so many temptations out there. Coookie A. has a new sock club, and so does Janel Laidman (she has 2). Janel's offers a patterns only option, and one of the clubs comes with 2 patterns, one for a sock and one for a non-sock. I chose the pattern only option for the Art and Sole club. It's a great way to dig into the stash and have some potential christmas presents for next year. (at least that's what I'm telling myself). I'm still undecided on the cookie A club, but I think I'm going to pass on the loopy ewe this year. It was fun and cool, but I'd like to focus my efforts on individual kits like the one woolgirl puts out, or KAL's like the unique sheep, as opposed to a club where you get both yarn and pattern without choosing. (like, I REALLY NEEED more yarn). I'm also thinking about Madrona in feb. and of course, sock summit this summer.

The mailman was good to me too. The yarn that a little doggie is obsessed with is knitted wit, shades of grey. Loved the colors and it's for the january CSK.
The bags are a christmas gift from my friend Amy. She and her daughter made them, and I think they're great!












This week, I'm back to bee fields, after having ripped it out yet again and re-started. It's NOT going to get the best of me!
(ever tried to knit lace with a boxer puppy wrestling in your lap?)



Speaking of puppies......I think we need a bigger bed.











Ozzie is unimpressed.....

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Last minute christmas knitting

I looked at the calendar last week and just about had a heart attack! There's only 2 weeks to christmas!!
This week brought some easy christmas last-minute knitting. Some kids felted slippers, and a hat for my neighbor. (not the one from the lands end catalog, but i'll have to do!)













Also, a future felted clog for DH. (The other one will probably happen today!) I sent him my knitpicks wish list last week. Might as well get what I need/want.













I'm just about done. I wanted to knit DH some socks, and I may still do that with some thick worsted - he loves thick socks. They'll go pretty fast. I want to use my new mad skills I learned from Cat Bordhi last week and make him a personal footprint.
We might just do that today. It's supposed to rain more today than any time in the last 2 years, so I think it'll be INSIDE activities this afternoon.

Last week, the mailman brought me some goodies. The new Cookie A. book, knit.sock.love (very nice) and some Malabrigo silky in acorn that I ordered a LONG time ago (the price was right) to make my cloudchaser.
I still need to finish the cabled sweater, but it's set aside for the last minute holiday stuff. It only needs some sewing and a button band.


I also hear that the "Mopsy" is in at Blue Moon, so I'll be stalking their website to make the "moonstruck" sweater. I've probably already lined up more projects than I could ever do in 2011, but I'm also looking at the little mermaid shawl KAL from the unique sheep. I'm kind of a sucker for KAL's, gradience yarns, and beads. What more could you ask for???

Ozzie can hardly wait until all the holiday madness is over! At least he doesn't have to spend tomorrow afternoon standing in line at the post office!

Sunday, December 05, 2010

knitting like crazy

the snow and turkey day are finally gone. I feel like I lost a whole week of my life last week. We didn't go anywhere except to pick up our turkey dinner and work out on friday. It felt good to finally get out of the house.
Good news, though. I've got a bunch of christmas knitting done.
Socks for my sister (knit in 3 days during a snowstorm)





They're the mad color weave pattern in STR pepe la plume.





A really cut fox scarf for a little boy I know. It was fun to make.















I also knit a scarf for my neighbor for her birthday. It was THURSDAY ya know. (she reminded me about 100 times) No pics of that. Just pulled some funky noro novelty stuff out of the stash (not even sure how it got there) and did a quick garter stitch scarf. Now she wants a BLUE hat with ties for christmas, so I'm doing a "thorpe" in a nasty acrylic, but it IS going fast.


Yesterday afternoon, I was very excited to take a class with Cat Bordhi at Yorkshire Yarns in Tacoma. The owner of yorkshire is quite a character and she loves to have great classes. She said she "stalked" Cat, and when another LYS closed that cat was scheduled to teach at, she emailed her right away and got her to come to yorkshire.
We did personal footprints and I loved it! Cat is a patient, fun, teacher and I highly recommend taking a class from her if you can. She makes you think entirely differently about your knitting.










The sweater is taking a bit of a break for some last minute christmas knitting. All the parts are done, just need to sew and put on a button band.


On the doggie front, Yogi started obedience yesterday. Good thing you can't flunk out on the first day. There were just SO many intersting people and other doggies, and smells, and stuff.............
He has the attention span of a gnat.






The bed just keeps getting smaller.
Look at that giant foot. It's Yogi's.
Gonna be a BIG boy!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Sunday, November 21, 2010

I've got nothin' for ya

After a flurry of new yarn and goodies, this week was pretty quiet.
The cabled sweater pieces are done and blocked, but resting for a while in favor of some last minute christmas knitting. Nothing big, just a pair of socks or two.
I'm still waiting for the Mopsy to come in at blue moon so I can make the Moonstruck sweater, and now saving my extra yarn $ for Madrona in feb. Although you never know what I might be tempted by.

In home news, we spent yesterday buying a new couch! The old one was ok, but the foam on the cushions had squished down so much that they would slowly slide out from under your butt as you were sitting on them. Got old fast. You KNOW how this goes.... new couch, new pillows, new end table, gotta have a new lamp........
Good thing we got that done, it's supposed to start snowing here.


The doggies were very worried and forced to nap to work off their stress.


Happy Turkey day to everyone,
We'll be hunkered down with snow shovels, soup and knitting!
Good thing I have enough yarn!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

another red-letter week!

More goodies, I MUST stop buying yarn. HA!
Monday brought my unique sheep kneesock kit. This was a fun one. There's 4 skeins of gradience yarn, a cute little bag, a smell-good soap, some stitch markers, cards, and some great smelling tea. The white fluffy yarn is intended to be the top of the sock, not sure if I'll do that one, but it is a nice set.













Then....after an extended vacation in arizona (don't know what THAT was all about), my sock club FINALLY arrived. No pic can do this yarn justice. It's purple, it's blue, it's turquoise, it's AMAZING and it's bugga. What more could you want? I've already scored a second skein from someone who just didn't feel the love. I'm thinking large shawl, really, have I said it's amazing??? I'll definitely take advantage of my second year in the loopy ewe club. I wanted to try it to get some different yarns, and although I haven't made all the socks, I haven't been disappointed.











Making progress on the sweater, fronts and back are blocking right now and I'm on the second sleeve. For some reason, I'm just in a sweater mood, go figure. I'll eventually have to buckle down and finish my christmas knitting, eventually.
I WAS planning on knitting some socks for my sister with some yarn purchased out of a stash on Rav. I have to say, this is the first time I've been ripped off from buying stash yarn. The seller has all kinds of excuses, yarn came back, can't find the tracking number, out of town.....Honestly, I don't think she ever sent it to begin with. Too bad. I guess she needed the $12 worse than me, but it hardly seems worth it. Karma's a bitch....just sayin'.

I've had some requests for more ozzie, so without further ado.....








The red eyes....they're appropriate. He really is a little devil of a kitty.
















And for the dog lovers in the bunch......
The bed just keeps getting smaller, and see that green there? It's the binky. We had to get two of them because cinnamon brown wouldn't let go. Now, you'd think that they each have their own? NO. Which is the BEST binky? The one the other dog has, of course!

Sunday, November 07, 2010

monday was a red-letter day!

In spite of the fact that we set a new record for rainfall in one single day.
The mailman brought some goodies I've been waiting for......







Unique sheep Eos gradience shawl kit in barknknit, the latest vogue, and sanguine gryphon bugga halloween sock kit, which probably won't end up being socks, but I'm a sucker for special kits and bugga.




Later in the week, the cheshire cat came to roost.
This is woolgirl cheshire cat kit. There's all kinds of extras and goodies there. It's a great kit. So great, that I signed up for a victorian writers garden themed kit to arrive in august. Just a little something to look forward to this summer.















the sweater has two fronts, a back and half a sleeve now. I'll probably get pretty close to finishing it this week, since it's supposed to rain endlessly AGAIN!
Next up, some christmas knitting, a couple of pairs of socks and some misc. goodies for friends. I should be getting a couple more goodies this week too..... The final shipment of the loopy ewe sock club (more bugga!), and another gradience kit from the unique sheep. This one is for some holiday knee socks.
















In doggie news, the bed seems to be getting smaller.....hmmmm........
Yogi weighed 8.8 lbs when we got him 5 short weeks ago, on saturday, he weighed 17.5.
Even though he's skinny, I guess we're feeding him well....














I mean, really, how could you resist that face?

Saturday, October 30, 2010

two fronts and a back


well, part of a back.
This is the must have cardigan from patons. A couple of years ago when the yarn harlot made this, I went in search of the pattern. I found it at joanns for 40percent off, and got the yarn at michaels for the same. It went into hibernation until I got frustrated with bee fields and I decided I needed a larger needle project to keep me sane. It's crusing right along now and looking good.






I also blocked a couple of things today.
Hammelies shawl for +++++'s christmas present






Birch for me. My first experience with entrelac. I love it. It's bugga in rainbow scarab, very soft and a great knit.
















I was hoping to show some new yarn, but my mailman is painfully slow. I'm sure I'll have some of it soon, though, but here's what I'm waiting for......
Unique sheep eos gradience shawl kit in bark-n-knit - shipped
sanguine gryphon wicked witch sock kit - purple and black - shipped
woolgirl cheshire cat kit - hopefully shipping today
unique sheep kneehigh christmas kit - green - ship by nov 7
from sandra singh, malabrigio silky merino for cloudchaser ship middle of nov
Loopy ewe nov sock kit - ship middle of nov.
I think I'll stick with the loopy ewe sock club one more year and then move on to something else. I'm looking at the socks are for suckers club from twisted or the year in lace. Something different. We'll see what mood I'm in at the end of next year.

The pupster is doing great and growing like a weed. Check out these feet!
You can hardly tell which is which. He starts obedience classes on dec. 4th. Now if we could only get the whole "no potty in the house" thing.










"I wubs my big sister"

Sunday, October 24, 2010

gimme a........

SWEATER!
Ok, it IS getting colder here, and the weather guy said this week that this is supposed to be the worst winter in 50 years! So, when life gives you crappy weather, what do you do? Make sweaters, of course!
This is the must have cardigan. I've had the yarn and the pattern for some time. After bee fields went to hibernate for a while, I decided I needed to make something big. And, since blue moon hasn't gotten the new yarn for moonstruck yet, I'm going for the cardigan. So far, a pretty easy knit.















I also got a couple of books this week that I had pre-ordered from amazon. Sock yarn one-skein wonders and brave new knits. I've only taken a quick look at them, but I think they're going to be great. I love that the brave new knits also has a little article about each designer.















The critters are all doing great. Puppy's growing like a bad weed.
It's a tough life ya know........
























baby cinnamon brown











baby yogi.
There's just nothing cuter than a boxer baby.....

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Happy halloween

new yarn......














I bought this yarn to make a pooling scarf that will match my new coat. I think it's going to be my next project, since the socks I'm working on just aren't feeling the love.......


the puppies are, though, feeling the love, that is.....













I'm expect a LOT of goodies soon, cheshire cat kit, unique sheep shawl gradience set, unique sheep christmas set and the last installment of the loopy ewe sock club should arrive in a couple of weeks. I'll definitely go for another year with this club.
Hopefully some knitting content next week, for now, you'll just have to be satisfied with cute doggies.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

bee fields is kicking my butt!!!!

how much knitting CAN you do with an 8-week old puppy helping you???
Well, they DO sleep a lot!
I've made some progress with bee fields, and I love the pattern. It's incredibly difficult, though, I would consider it super advanced lace. It has lace stitches on both sides. I've been checking, adding lifelines and checking again, but I'll be knitting along, look down, and CRAPPERS! 20 rows down is a stitch that didn't get caught. ARGH!!!!!! See that errant stitch marker, way over there on the left?
I'm NOT tinking back that far. I'll have to figure out how to fix it another way.
ARGH!!!!!!!! I think it's going to take a bit of a time out.











Also, I have to quit reading my email......I've fallen in love with this christmas kit from the unique sheep, just not the $80 price tag. I'm thinking on it, though, because it's cool..........



I've been working on birch too, it's almost finished. Love the bugga, it's so soft.
I'll have to start finishing up my christmas knitting soon. A few odds and ends for some folks, nothing too complicated.
Now, where did that puppy go??????

Sunday, October 03, 2010

Mini Me

watch out, cuteness overload ahead........











On friday, this little guy joined our zoo...














Say hello to Yogi.
He's been a sweet baby, but there's not much knitting happening, you know......










Ozzie (who deserves his ozzie ozzborne name MORE every day) has made it his personal mission to seek out the puppy and bonk him on the head every chance he can get!


Ok, in knitting news, there's been progress on birch, in spite of finding my yarn unwound all over the rec room one morning, and, I'm also working on bee fields again.
There may be a spot of trouble with this one. Last night, ozzie stole my pattern and removed the markers that noted where I was.
"sigh"

Sunday, September 26, 2010

we DID the puyallup!

So, last night we went to the fair to see Heart. I have to say, even after all these years those gals can still rock it out. What amazing voices. I think I'm getting old, though, my ears are still ringing!












At the fair, we saw some of these.......






there's almost nothing cuter than a baby pygmy goat.


Only one thing I can think of......
















A baby boxer puppy!!!
(these are a bit blurry because they just refuse to hold still - imagine!)





Say hello to Yogi.
He'll be coming home with us next week. Check out the cute little wrinkle of skin right above his butt (the dog, not the guy) PUPPY BREATH!!!!!!!!!














Oh, and there was some yarn too......






Unique sheep gradience colorway ascent for the october CSK, purchased from a rav stash.
Birch is growing, nothing new to show there. Hopefully it'll be finished this week, and then I can move on to other stuff.