Cupido Scarf

I fell in love with this Cupido cowl by Hiroko Fukatsu, and I will probably make one some day, but this was a Christmas gift, and had to be a scarf.



I can not tell you how difficult it was to get the color to show up remotely right. The camera always saw some olive green, but it's not. It's really a soft grass green.



yarn: I used 3 skeins of The Fiber Company Road to China Light, color Peridot (not my favorite yarn, will not buy more of it; it's too hairy for my taste)
needles: 4.5mm
size: after blocking: 7.5inches x 66inches (cast on was 42stitches)
mods: since it was knit in the round for the cowl, I had to adjust the stitch pattern for knitting back and forth.




Denny really knows how to get comfortable! He dragged the blankets off the sofa, never mind, what the others do for comfort.

Handspun Friday - Spinach Souffle

On today's menu we have Spinach Souffle from FatCatKnits. The fiber base is Merino. This was August 2011 featured stock colorway of the month.


yarn: 401yds, chain plied





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And some Denny photos to hold you over the weekend:

What's the best way to tackle a big bone?


That's the way to do it!


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Have a wonderful weekend!

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Platochek

Between December 31 and January 22, I've been test knitting 4 different designs, from 4 different designers. This one is called Platochek, which means kerchief, designed by Diana Rozenshteyn.



This is an extremely simple design to knit, but the stitch pattern of the main body is charming.



The edge was supposed to be garter stitch, but I wanted something else, and just improvised, and hoped for the best.



The yarn might look like a solid color, but it's really not. It's Wandering Cat Yarns Alley Cat Falkland, in the colorway Cinnamon stick. I love it!



This little shawl practically flew off the needles. I used 3.25mm needles, and after blocking it was 25inches x 60 inches.

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So, what else is going on. The other day, it was raining all day, melting away left over snow, and making our back yard into an ice rink in the evening. After it had stopped raining, I watched the dogs slide around for a while, finally doing their business.

Later on, when they were inside, I had grabbed a flashlight, bag, and pick up tool to go and get the poop, thinking I was safe with my big snow boots on. Well, they are called snow boots for a reason. I did get two out of three, before I found myself in a pickle. I had been moving gingerly forward, slip sliding, but about one meter before my last goal I had nowhere to go. Suddenly I was on a slope, and not a single step was safe to make.

Now what?

First I chided myself for getting into this situation (very helpful). Then I weight my options. I could try to make a step and undoubtedly fall. I could get down on all fours, and try crawling up the slop to a safer ground. But, option # 3 was the easiest.
I took the flashlight and pointed it to the window I knew my son was behind. I didn't exactly flash S.O.S. but he quickly realized that I wanted something from him. University education paying off, YES!

I asked him to throw me a rope (very dramatic), but also giggling by then. Well, who has a rope handy when one needs one? He used to play hockey, so I guess he felt quite comfortable sliding up to me, and pulling me to safety, where I could slip slide on my own out of my predicament.
Jeez, I felt so foolish, and all that thanks to Happy, who chose a spot he never goes to, to do his business.
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And last night! It was after dark, we went outside to let the gang rumble. Shortly after though, I thought I smelled skunk. What? Never had skunk around at this time of year before. Well, Denny smelled him too, and ran up to a spot at the fence, hackles up. He came when I called though, thank goodness. We hurried them inside, not wanting to experience a re-run of being skunked. A little later we saw a big fat skunk out front. What a way to make an entrance, when one can be smelled so far in advance.
I hope he moves on quickly, at least a few houses down the road. We've seen him hanging around for a while now.

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And of course it's not a post without a picture (or two) of the pups. While I've been spinning:


They get quite bored, and sleepy. (It's not often that they use the sofa all together. It's mostly two on, one off.)



Oh and Denny was hilarious, but that's a story for another time....

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The Maggster

Since we don't have actually any snow left, I like to look at pictures from earlier this month.

We were so happy when we discovered fresh snow, when we looked outside one morning.
The pups chased each other, and soon Maggie needed some leaning: leaning is soooo nice.


Helloooooo?!


fresh snow, nom, nom, nom


I wonder


the view is much better up here


I'm the Queen of the world!


See ya!


Oh how we love snow!
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Handspun Friday - Velvet Forest

Some spinner I am! I didn't realize that this fiber was roving until I was done spinning it. This is 4oz Corriedale roving, dyed by FatCatKnits.



I made this 3-ply yarn, 280yds. I LOVE it!





Invitation to play. Denny is very good at this.



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Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

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Mod Mittens

I've test knit these mittens in the middle of December, and now the pattern has been released. The Mod mittens by Kirsten Kapur.

I liked the design as soon as I saw it.


The colors are reversed on the palm side. This was a delightful knit.



I've used Cascade Yarns 220 Sport for these, and I think this is perfect yarn for colorwork. One ball of each color was needed to knit a pair, with a little left over.
The single mitten above will stay single. It was my first try. I cast on for size L, but my gauge was way off. It turned out huge. Like an oven mitt. I love the color combination, and until I need that yarn for something else, I'll just leave it for now.

The green/white ones are size S, and they fit my hands perfectly.

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And a quick picture of the boys. Denny really has no idea of personal space.



Happy does not look so happy here, in fact, he soon after moved off to another place, leaving the dog bed to Denny.

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Frisbee games

There's many ways to enjoy a Frisbee. The first one, as soon as it comes into the house is, to bite a hole in the middle, (thanks, Denny!), so that it gets more handy to deal with.

After that, Maggie is doing some magic trick with it:


and a dance move:


she's pretty proud of it too:


You can also wear the Frisbee, very stylish, like Happy does (or look goofy doing so):

He does not mind prancing around like that, even though others might point, and laugh.



And there's always the way you use it, as it's meant to be: thrown, after it's offered to you so nicely.


Of course, it's no were written, that you can play with the Frisbee just by yourself. Share it! (or not)



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Handspun Friday - Whisper

I still have a few handspun yarns from last year to show. One is this lovely Merino/Bamboo blend, which is incredible soft. It's from Shelby's Etsy store Spinning Awesome Good.




I've spun it with long color runs. I love the fiber shot. The finished yarn is lovely to the touch, soft, and shiny too.



Spinning Awesome Good fiber: merino/bamboo, 4oz
yarn: chain plied, 280yds, colorway Whisper





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I've been busy test knitting. It started December 31, when I was asked if I would test knit another of Stephen West's designs. I can't say NO to him, so yes, I cast on right away. Halfway through that one, I was asked to do another test knit, and I liked the shawl (yes, another one), so I said yes, since I've already gotten Stephen the information he needed, and I could finish the shawl whenever.

Then I saw a lovely shawl on Ravelry, and wouldn't you know it, test knitters were needed. I was delighted to get this one too, even though it's yet another shawl.
Never mind, that I've cast on for Sharktooth shawl, the first of Stephen's shawl club (came out in December), and a cowl (long infinity scarf), which is halfway done.

So now I have 5 WIP's in various states of being cast on, and almost finished. That's at least two WIP's too many for me, to be comfortable. I'm hoping to get one off the needles today.

I've never planned on knitting so many shawls in such a short time! And there are more new designs coming out any day now, from two shawl clubs I'm in from last year, and they are gorgeous, but I'm sure they'll have to wait. At least it's something I can look forward to.

Another thing is, I've been spinning for the Old Forge blanket by Stephen West, from his Book 3. I'm essentially done, but I've decided to use a third color for the edge. This, I still have to spin and dye, and the pattern comes out this week! Looks like I'm going to have to postpone casting on for that one for a while too.



I know this is a bad picture, but I had to zoom in to get it at all. I'm pretty sure it's a Red Tailed Hawk, and he sits on the dead tree out back. Has come by for two weeks now, upsetting the local wild life population. We hear his cry once in a while, and it makes me think of Wild West movies, desert, hot, sand, barren landscape, and a skeleton of some poor creature in the sand. Anyway, it's awesome to see him fly off for the hunt. Unfortunately he's camera shy, and when I try to get closer, he's gone.

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Handspun Friday - Mixed Blessing September 2011

It's January, and we have barely any snow. The temperatures jump from -17C one day, to -1C, the other, and +5C the next. It's simply getting on my nerves.

Since I've not spun anything since the first days of December, I've decided to make January a month, where I spin more, knit less. Well, it's not quite working out that way. December 31, I've been asked to do a test knit, which I could not refuse. I had also cast on for a shawl, and a cowl, so now I have three WIP's with a possible test knit coming up this weekend.

I did however spin 12oz of variegated BFL so far, and I'm going to ply it today. So I feel quite good about it all right now.

Doesn't this sheep look longingly outside, thinking of it's home, back in Australia? I've got this from DD Hannah for Christmas. She found it in an Antique shop in Sydney. It's on my desk now, staring at me with it's beady eyes. No, not creepy, but cute!


Today's handspun yarn has been finished for some time now. It was a club offering from FatCatKnits Mixed Blessings Fiber Club September 2011: 2.5oz each on BFL



yarn: chain plied, blue colorway is 208yds



orange colorway: 190yds

Both are still in my stash, no clue yet, what I'll knit with it.

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The other day, when it was really cold, and I was spinning in the basement, Denny snuggled up to a warm body on the sofa to take a nap. He was a little distracted by Maggie, who was running around, playing with toys, and circling the sofa.


She was also trying to stare me down, into picking up the ball and throw it for her. Of course that didn't happen, since I was spinning, and then holding the camera. She soon moved on and played by herself. She's good at that.


All the while Happy did, what he always does, as soon as I sit down at the wheel. Sleeping. The sunshine didn't give off any warmth that day, but the illusion of it was there. I love this picture, because when you see it close up and enlarged, you can see Happy's beautiful brown eye.



Anyway, I'd get better back to my test knit, so that I can move on with my own knitting soon.

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Reminder Lesson!

Well, hello there! Did you all make it safely to the New Year? We had less fire works than usual, maybe the drizzling rain had something to do with it.

We had a rainy, slushy day today. The visitors are gone, and the house, and it's occupants slowly are getting back to normal. (Hey, Halifax! My daughter's back in town! Treat her right, O.K.!)



The pups are still a little stressed, and grumpy. So, when Happy finally settled down tonight, I wanted him to stay in his bed, but that's not up to him. Usually Denny throws him out, and snuggles in himself. So I said, "Denny, go to your place!" and pointed to the heap of blankets on the floor (artfully arranged by me, especially for him).



No back talk, Mister D!



You bore me! Go away, I'm still the boss.


O.K. - O.K - you be the boss.



Is she still watching me?

You bet, D-man!



Oh well, it's actually quite comfortable here!

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Something note worthy, because out of the ordinary: December 30, in the afternoon. Denny finds a duck in our backyard. Denny chases duck. Duck gives him the wing, and escapes unharmed (barely). Actually, it was a male Mallard. What's HE doing here at this time of year?

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