Where did the time go?

Wow. It's nearly October, and I am not at all ready for it. October is generally my busiest month of the year, and this year is no exception.

First, we have Pearl and the Beard! They'll be at the Beachland Tavern on Wednesday, October 3, and they're lots of fun. Example:

And bonus yarn!

I am really looking forward to the show, and hope lots of my fellow Clevelanders can make it!

After that, there's the North Coast Tour de Stitch, so my mom and I will wander across northeast Ohio visiting cross stitch tours. Oh, and there is coincidentally a production of Xanadu that weekend, so we'll have to catch a performance. I doubt we'll get to sit on the stage this time, though.

The next weekend will be spent in University Circle, at a Kirtlandia meeting and at the art museum for a knit-out.

Then it's off to Rhinebeck for a week at the Fred Compound! It will be great to see so many good friends again. We'll probably trek into NYC at some point and explore another bit of the city.

What else? I don't think I have anything planned for the last weekend in October, but you never know.

As usual, I am a slacker about posting. I have added 10 pages to my flickr photostream since my last post. Wow, that's a lot of knitting. And lots of Zuzu pictures. Finished the cowl to match the mitts, but still haven't sewn on the buttons. I have the buttons, so that's a good start, right?

Finished the fifth cowl in the Great Cowl KAL, and decided that I really disliked the yarn. Thankfully my coworker liked the finished object, and I was very happy that the cowl found a new home.

In April, went to Gretchen's wedding in NYC! Congrats, guys! My husband agreed that NYC is not as terrible of a place that he thought it would be, and perhaps we can go back someday, because we only touched on a fraction of what the city has to offer.

I wanted to wear a blue dress to the wedding, and knit a botanical garden shawl to match. Unfortunately, I ended up wearing something else, and the shawl is now on loan to Ewes d'Bleu as a shop sample for Lace Lux yarn.

While in NYC, I needed a walk-around-and-knit project, so I made a black hat my husband, as he can always use more hats.

Oh, yes. When we got back from NYC, Zuzu was diagnosed with diabetes. We started giving her shots twice a day. I got rather good at it, and if she was sleeping she might not even notice the injection. After a while, her kitty torture was reduced to once a day, and more recently she was declared normal enough to go without shots (just after I bought a box of syringes, of course!) Apparently diabetes in cats sometimes resolves on its own. I wouldn't be surprised if we have to go back to once-a-day shots eventually, but we'll see. Anyway, knit Lancet, and since I am most familiar with the word "lancet" as what is used to draw blood for glucose testing, I referred to my project as "my junkie cat."

Gratuitous cute kitty picture!

Also knit a Wingspan, because it was perfect for kauni. Wore it to a class with the Yarn Harlot, and while it is a bit bright for her taste, she ended up knitting one, too. (She also called me and Mary weird, but hey, we never claimed to be normal. And apparently the weird had more to do with our butterfly headbands than anything else.)

What else? Went to Maryland Sheep and Wool for a day in May. Also had to visit the Great Lakes Fiber Show since it's so close to home. Made the Like Honey cowl. From the end of May to the beginning of June, knit Thao, Undine, finished a slightly modified test-knit of Stepped Laceline Shawl, and Vlad.

They've all found good homes, although I am a huge slacker and still need to mail Thao to her permanent residence.

Apparently I've been knitting a lot of Liz Abinante designs. She designed the cowls, and Lancet, and I also did Vouissour and Squinch.

Oh yes, in June I walked in a Color Run. And of course my hands could not be idle, so I have a hat. Also walked in a Color Me Rad with my sister in August, so she has a hat, too.

Did a very quick test knit of Dash Mitts, and may need to make more as Christmas gifts.

Still playing along in KALs, and did Nefarious Web, the TTL KAL, the Summer Solstice KAL. Did Madame Phelps (quietest KAL ever!), although still haven't blocked it, and am still slightly peeved that my "500-yard" skein of merino-tencel was more like 360 yards. The designer used 440 yards for her project, so I thought that 500 yards should be plenty. Nope. Needed to rip back the endless short rows, and didn't really add a ruffle at the bottom.

I love how this turned out!

I really disliked blocking the edging. Sent to a friend and she is welcome to re-block at will.

Given to a coworker who retired.

Finally finished my Ka'ana. (Love it! So soft and squishy, and the colors are gorgeous.) Needed some relatively instant gratification so started (and finished) Red Sumac. Got sucked into the endless garter stitch that is Color Affection. Finally finished my travel socks Finally made a Jayne hat.

Can't forget Zuzu's mane.

My kitty is so tolerant! On the needles now I have yet another KAL, Malice in Wonderland. I am slightly disappointed in this one, as the ads implied something a bit more complicated. Yes, it will be huge, and I will probably keep going, but I'm not sure if this one will live with me or if it will find a new home. Working on Spring Thaw in some amazing yarn. Silk and cashmere. Incredibly dreamy stuff. Talk to Rain and get yourself some. I would really like to finish that today, but of course it depends on how much longer I stare at the computer! Current meeting knitting is Afternoon Tea. We'll see how much longer that lasts.

Waiting room picture, not my magazine.

Anyway, I should get back to knitting and laundry. Funny how laundry never ends. One last thing: I looked at my project page to do this post, and sensed a theme. Can you see it?

That's all, folks! Catch you on the flip side!

Laundry Interlude

Taking a break from laundry. It is March 3, and that means spring cleaning, right? Time to wash all of the linens! Also, someone remind me to clean behind the big chair more often than once every few years, please.

Apparently no one wants a chocolate covered twinkie. Maybe I will send it to Tallahassee to be saved for the zombie apocalypse.

What have I been up to since the last post? Let's see...

Took an intro stained glass class. I want to learn more!


Finished the Linaria bipartita socks.



Finished the third cowl in the Great Cowl KAL.



And the fourth!



Waiting for the fifth. Also had a bit of an incident with the third, in that when it came out of the water after its bath part of the edging came undone. Need sunlight to fix it, and haven't had sunshine on a day that I have had the time to fix it. I'm confident that I can do the repair, but I just need lots of light for it.

Finished a pair of fingerless mitts, and got a good start on the matching cowl. Need to take a picture of the cowl-in-progress. I think I have 24 rows to go, maybe? Then to pay someone to sew on buttons...



Worked a bit more on the numma numma KAL, but am still way behind on clues. Too many other things to do, and this doesn't really have a deadline.



Picked up my Sugared Violets again, as I didn't read the pattern well enough and had rotated it out of meeting knitting. Turns out it could have stayed meeting knitting for another twenty or so rows. Oh well.



Latest meeting knitting has been the Trout Club scarf, Wavy Baktus. I'm about halfway done.



Well, I think the dryer has stopped, so it's time to deal with more laundry. Have fun!

Another contest!

Happy Half-Price Chocolate Day to everyone!

Stopped by Malley's to celebrate, and picked up a box of chocolate covered twinkies along with the discounted chocolates. I think I will offer one chocolate covered twinkie as a prize in a contest. Leave a comment to tell me why you deserve a chocolate covered twinkie and maybe you will win! They look very interesting, but I won't be eating them due to the whole beef fat in the filling thing.

Let's see, what have I been knitting lately? Finished the Knitterati mystery shawl.



Started the Hazel/Hunter KAL, and am nearly done with the first sock. (Picture is outdated.)



Finished the second cowl in the Great Cowl KAL with more kool-aid dyed yarn.



Started the numma nuuma shawl KAL as well. Will work on it a bit more tonight.



Finally got the last part of the summer shawl KAL, so I can finish. I'm not sure about how the leaves are all dangly, though. I like the idea of leaves dangling somewhat, but I think I'd rather have them halfway dangling (as shown in the sketch) rather than dangling by the "stem." May need to swatch and experiment before finishing this one. No real deadline, though, so it can wait a bit.

In Zuzu news, she has recently discovered that she likes seaweed. She also had an encounter with Kitty Foe the other day.



I made a no-sew fleece pillow, and Zuzu adopted it before it was finished. She started climbing on it when I was tying the fringe, and is sleeping on it right now.

Anyway, should get back to the needles. Must finish projects!

Let's KAL, shall we?

I am finding myself being drawn in to KALs this year. Signed up for a Fronkenshteek KAL last year, and because I am a slacker, am just finishing that now.

Signed up for Janel Laidman's Knitterati club, and have been working on the mystery shawl from that. Thinking about casting on for the socks, too.



*Really* looking forward to casting on for the Hazel Knits/Hunter Hammersen KAL. Need to finish Fronkenshteek first.

Also got sucked into the Great Cowl KAL.



Have also been knitting some non-KAL items, such as a hat for the Trout Club auction. (Check out my Borrowed Buddha!)



Also knit a lovely slouchy hat for me.



Went on a scarf kick for a while and made a Hitchhiker and a Spectra.





That may be it, so far. January was a good month for staying in and knitting. Today was a lovely day for sitting outside in the sunshine, which is very unusual for February. New possible goal: knit a mile a month. We'll see how long that lasts.

A Year in One Post

Well, it was an interesting year. Mom had a kidney transplant in February, and I got the flu. Work had a month of complete insanity, where I worked for three weeks without a day off, working for more than 8 hours for most of those days. Good for the wallet, bad for the knitting goals. Went to several fiber festivals, including a few that were new to me: Maryland Sheep and Wool, Crooked River Fiber Fling, Michigan Fiber Festival. Also hit up the Great Lakes Fiber Show, and went to Rhinebeck again. Already have reservations for this year, woo-hoo! Ended the year with some hospital time - my dad had knee surgery on Dec 28, and on Dec 29 I drove my mom to be admitted with pneumonia. The enforced knitting time allowed me to meet my goal of 52 pairs, though. Yay for felted clogs!

I did not meet all of my goals, but did get a lot accomplished.

First, let's record the the annual book list so I can clear out that widget.

Books Read in 2011

001. The Luck Runs Out, Charlotte MacLeod
002. Wrack and Rune, Charlotte MacLeod
003. Stuffed Animals and Pickled Heads: The Culture and Evolution of Natural History Museums, Stephen Asma
004. Hillbilly Gothic: A Memoir of Madness and Motherhood, Adrienne Martini
005. Sweater Quest: My Year of Knitting Dangerously, Adrienne Martini
006. Ash, Malinda Lo
007. Breakfast at Tiffany's and Three Stories, Truman Capote
008. Labyrinth, Kate Mosse
009. Welcome to the Jungle (graphic novel), Jim Butcher
010. Old Filth, Jane Gardam
011. Zeitoun, Dave Eggers
012. The Gospel of Judas, Simon Mawer
013. Sepulchre, Kate Mosse
014. The Whistleblower: Sex Trafficking, Military Contractors, and One Woman's Fight for Justice, Kathryn Bolkovac with Cari Lynn
015. The Dragon Seekers: How an Extraordinary Circle of Fossilists Discovered the Dinosaurs and Paved the Way for Darwin, Christopher McGowan
016. Bee Season, Myla Goldberg
017. The Winter Ghosts, Kate Mosse
018. Case Histories, Kate Atkinson
019. The Owl Killers, Karen Maitland
020. Barnum Brown: The Man Who Discovered Tyrannosaurus Rex, Lowell Dingus and Mark A. Norell
021. The Man in the Wooden Hat, Jane Gardam
022. Emotionally Weird, Kate Atkinson
023. The Memory Keeper's Daughter, Kim Edwards
024. The Perfect Man, Naeem Murr
025. Behind the Scenes at the Museum, Kate Atkinson
026. When Will There Be Good News? Kate Atkinson
027. One Good Turn, Kate Atkinson
028. Zombie, Ohio: A Tale of the Undead, Scott Kenemore
029. The Thirteenth Tale, Diane Setterfield
030, Started Early, Took My Dog, Kate Atkinson
031. Agnes and the Hitman, Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer
032. The Postmistress, Sarah Blake
033. Gentleman and Players, Joanne Harris
034. An Unquiet Mind, Kay Redfield Jamison
035. Company of Liars, Karen Maitland
036. Lover Mine, J.R. Ward
037. The Silent Miaow: A Manual for Kittens, Strays, and Homeless Cats, Paul Gallico
038. Return to Sullivans Island, Dorothea Benton Frank
039. Lowcountry Summer, Dorothea Benton Frank
040. Lucy's Legacy: The Quest for Human Origins, Donald C. Johansen and Kate Wong
041. You Might Be a Zombie and Other Bad News: Shocking but Utterly True Facts, Cracked.com
042. Kraken: The Curious, Exciting,m and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid, Wendy Williams
043. The Carpet People, Terry Pratchett
044. The Wild Things, Dave Eggers
045. Last Call, Tim Powers
046. The Unlikely Ones, Mary Brown
047. Swallows and Amazons, Arthur Ransome
048. Magic Bites, Ilona Andrews
049. Magic Burns, Ilona Andrews
050. Magic Strikes, Ilona Andrews
051. A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend, Emily Horner
052. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, Catherynne M. Valente
053. Magic Bleeds, Ilona Andrews
054. Stranger Things Happen, Kelly Link
055. Heartless, Gail Carriger
056. The Red Tent, Anita Diamant
057. Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things, Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee
058. Unearthing the Dragon: The Great Feathered Dinosaur Discovery, Mark Norell
059. The Cellist of Sarajevo, Steven Galloway
060. Nerd Do Well: A Small Boy's Journey to Becoming a Big Kid, Simon Pegg
061. Howl's Moving Castle, Diana Wynne Jones
062. Bright's Passage, Josh Ritter
063. How to Bake a Perfect Life, Barbara O'Neal
064. Flamingo Fatale, Jimmie Ruth Evans
065. The Egypt Game, Zilpha Keatley Snyder
066. Ghost Story, Jim Butcher
067. The People on Privilege Hill, Jane Gardam
068. There Will Be Dragons, John Ringo
069. Emerald Sea, John Ringo
070. Against the Tide, John Ringo
071. East of the Sun, West of the Moon, John Ringo
072. God on the Rocks, Jane Gardam
073. Hounded, Kevin Hearne
074. Feed, Mira Grant
075. Deadline, Mira Grant
076. Hexed, Kevin Hearne
077. All Wound Up, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
078. Hammered, Kevin Hearne
079. Snuff, Terry Pratchett
080. Tall, Dark, & Dead, Tate Hallaway
081. The Princess & the Penis, RJ Silver
082. Bedtime Stories for Children You Hate, Antoinette Bergin
083. The Tale of St. Picklas, Nicholas Pfeifer
084. A Walk in the Snark, Rachel Thompson
085. I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution, Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum
086. The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams Bianco
087. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
088. Down and Out in Paris and London, George Orwell

As far as 2011 goals, well, I made 52 pairs and a few random things. I didn't knit any sweaters, and I didn't even finish those that I started in 2010. Argh. Add them to the list for 2012...

I didn't make my goal of 100 books, either, and didn't even touch anything cross-stitch related. I'm not sure if I knit more yarn than I acquired. Maybe.

Goals for 2012:

Knit my Blanket of Insanity. 5000 yards of bulky weight yarn, size 13 needle, and oodles and oodles of cables. Printed the pattern today.

Participating in a 12 FOs in 2012 KAL. I can finish 12 things, right?

Get back to sweater knitting. Possibly knit the Autumn Rose Pullover since the world is going to end.

Knit more socks. I don't have enough. Would like to make a pair a month, but we'll see if that really happens.

KNIT ALL OF THE THINGS!!!1!!1!! Maybe a goal will be to play the lottery more often so I actually have a chance at winning, so I can be independently wealthy and stay home and knit all day.

Finish things. I really have a lot of WIPs and UFOs, and I need to finish or frog many of them. Finishing would be preferred, but sometimes frogging is a better option.

Wear pajamas as often as possible. (Yes, I want to succeed at *something*, why do you ask?)

That's all I can think of now. May post later if I have any more brilliant ideas. Part 4 of my summer shawl KAL was released today, and I'd like to work on that tonight.



Actually, maybe I will share some pictures first. You like pictures, right?

First FO of 2012. Hat made from Claudia Handpainted Single Ply yarn won from the Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival. Yarn stained my hands blue, and the hat needed four rinses before the rinse water was anything resembling clear, but the colors make me happy every time I see it, so it's a win.



Thrummed bunny slippers for my mom, made while she was in the hospital.



Scarf for my MIL. Really like the colors, and the yarn is not bad at all for acrylic.



Zuzu, because she still loves her alpaca blanket.



Clogs make good kitty capes.



And kitty cushions.



We also bought Zuzu new chairs this year.



Beaded shawls make good blankets.



Oh! Should also talk about Huxley. The fox in the cowl (at least the brown/grey parts) is knit from fox fur, plyed with cashmere. Many thanks go to the Wildlife Resources staff at CMNH for sharing Huxley's fur with me.



My friend Rebecca spun the yarn for that shawl. I love it!



My birthday project. Love the colors, just wish it was a tad bigger.



My friend Nicole spun the yarn for this scarf. I am so lucky to have such talented and generous friends!



First FO of 2011



I have been lax in sharing silly Zuzu pictures. She got a snuggie for Christmas last year.



She also got to attack an opossum. She would have killed it, too, if it hadn't been for that meddling glass door!



I also put things on her head.





I occasionally make her wear her snuggie.



Anyway, I should get knitting. To close, FORK YOU!!



Happy 2012!

Happy New Year!

So. I think my goal has been met. 32 pairs of clogs saved me. In no particular order, here are the other pairs:
33. Thrummed bunny slippers
34. Hat and scarf for my MIL
35. Mittens for one niece
36. Mittens for the other niece
37. Socks for Mom's on-behalf-of kidney donor
38. Xanadu socks for Mom
39. Vanilla socks for me
40. Green socks for me
41. Weekend shawl and Traveling Woman
42. Blue and green cowls
43. Pair of black cowls
44. Pair of blue sparkly scarves
45. Two cable crush cowls
46. Two crofter's cowls
47. Two felted purses
48. Two fish hats
49. Hat and cowl set
50. Merope and Maia
51. Huxley cowl and Mickey cowl
52. Saroyan and Holden

Random FOs: A garter stitch scarf made with squeaky Big Lots yarn, a white elephant for a gift exchange, a beaded necklace.

Current UFOs: Summer shawl KAL (up to date with the parts that have been released), a Celaeno, Maia mitts, socks for my sister, strawberry mojito socks that just need heels.

There are a few old UFOs that I wanted to finish and did not, because I am lazy.

And now I am exhausted. Will attempt to blog more in 2012. Happy New Year!

Random blatherings and a contest

I procrastinate way too much. Let's not talk about my goals for the year. Let's just say that I got distracted.

Have mostly stopped using facebook, because it annoys me. Thinking of posting "status updates" here instead. So...

Yesterday, my faith in humanity was restored just a little bit. I had to be at the library when it opened, and there was a line to get in.

Then it was shot to hell again when I went to the grocery store without a reusable bag, so I bought a cheap one (and cute, too!), and the checker promptly put it into a plastic bag. ::*headdesk*::

Finally, for reasons that I won't get into here, I bought a unicorn lollipop mold. Someday, in the near future, I will have chocolate unicorn lollipops. Maybe even tonight, as I have more energy than I should. I think that I will have a contest, rules to be determined when I think about it, but comments will be required for entry, so leave a comment if you want a unicorn lollipop. Comments may or may not be judged on entertainment value, so entertain me!

Edit: There will also be a moustache lollipop awarded. So comment away!