This was fun

You Are Japanese Food

Strange yet delicious. Contrary to popular belief, you're not always eaten raw.

What Kind of Food Are You?

Cats in Skirts

One of my favorite blogs ever is having a contest and I HAVE to enter. This requires a Plan of Action to be outlined, then executed.

PLAN
1. Find sweater/skirt
2. Find cat1, cat2 & cat3
3. Put skirt on cats
4. Run fast taking pictures
5. Maniacal laughter (step 5 can be out of order)
6. Enter contest
7. Blog about it here

OK that is the plan, now onto execution.
I found the "sweater" and a couple of cats, then went all fancy and actually wove in the ends of the "sweater."
Cat 1 and Cat 2 were easy to find and the first photo shoot was accomplished with a minimum of whining and more an attitude of inevitability and a hope that I would get it over with quickly and leave them alone to poop and sleep.
4 minutes elapsed time

Cat 3 is hiding, not because of his upcoming modeling career, but because he stunk up the front closet and I believe is ashamed of himself. I must remember to light a candle after the photo shoot is completed.
20 minutes elapsed-still can't find cat 3
25 minutes- found cat 3, he is 2 feet above my head on a shelf. I must now contemplate alternative extraction methods because my first idea is unworkable (tall husband at work for another hour).




Extraction:
First idea: shake food jug- nope
Second idea: move canned cat food around- nope
Third idea: open can of cat food- yup roasted salmon with wild rice worked like a charm

30 minutes
Now I must isolate Cat 3 and remove him from the food area
31 minutes
Fashion photography completed, with only mild clawing and major whining of the third model. There was also some running and chasing by both the photographer and the model.

Results:

Azriel is resigned yet ornery.




Lucretia is starting to make the unhappy noise.



Lucretia believes that the fit and colors do not flatter her, she request something pink or blue to go with her eyes.



Kelvin is running, yowling, tripping, falling and trying to get to the salmon all at the same time.


This was even more fun than I expected.

Why do I keep doing this?

Even with all this help,
I keep starting things.

Everlasting Bagstopper (1)
Something Red
Frost Flowers & Leaves
Sock Club Socks
Everlasting Bagstopper (2)




Pattern: Everlasting Bagstopper from Knitty
Yarn: leftover cotton washrag yarn, lion brand, peaches & creme, sugar & creme
Needles: denise 6s 11s and 8s as well as double point 8s
I really like using one 11 and one 8 to make the openwork portion of the bag, it doesn't hurt the hands as much.

I braided 3 I-cords to make the handle, it is too short but a cool idea that I'm going to use on the second one. The handle doesn't stretch that much and is really sturdy as well as neat looking.






Pattern: Something Red by Wendy of knitandtonic
Yarn: Blue Sky Cotton
Needles: denise 7s
This is the softest cotton, but it is still cotton and gets to be hard on my hands after a while. I've made another pattern of Wendy's and loved the construction and total lack of seaming. The color is the exact one used in the original pattern.





Pattern: Frost Flowers and Leaves from A Gathering of Lace
Yarn: Jagger cone 2/8
Needles: Addi lace turbo 4s, Knitpicks 4s I had to get the knitpicks needles because I ran out of space on the addi's. This pattern is incredible. I'm on the second repeat of the second chart and each round is taking around an hour but I am still loving it. It is all consuming and the only thing I want to be knitting right now. This is going to be huge.






Pattern: Summer of Love Socks, August Sock Club pattern from Blue Moon
Yarn: Blue Moon lightweight in Flower Power
Needles: 1s
I've made one cuff, blocked it and then have done nothing at all with these. The yarn is awesome, the pattern is interesting and different, but I want to finish a pair of socks that I started in March before I get back to working on these.

Back from Brimley

We've been back for almost a month and I don't know what's in the air, if it is the heat and humidity or a long summer or if Mars in the cusp of Venus, but whatever it is everything and almost everyone is in an odd mood lately or had horrible tragedy or something and its driving me batty.

People are freaking out about weird things too. The whole muggles and ravelry, us vs them strikes me as absolutely ridiculous. The knitbloggers will know what this means, and funnily enough saying just that furthers the whole problem don't ya think?

I'm done with dwelling on it. Onto fun nice things that make me happy and don't make me want to sit on the bed and listen to The Cure and The Smiths and mope. (I'll just listen to them anyway and not mope, I've had enough of it)

First the knitting:
I finished the Central Park Hoodie and love it. I found buttons yesterday at surprisingly JoAnn Fabrics in Pontiac that look both the exact same purple color as well have a tint of brown and a little iridescent scroll image on them. I had thought that I would want either toggle or leather buttons and would have to go online to find ones I liked enough. Also if anyone has found any good online button retailers please share them with me and I'll post any suggestions.
I will post a modeled picture after the sun comes out which I believe will be in 2 or 3 days.


Calling all internets: should it take 5 minutes for blogger to upload a photo?

Back to knitting content.
Coachella was a bust, literally. I got to the part where you can try it on and see if its working and the cowl drooped all the way to my navel. So it is frogged and already rewound into yarn cakes and back in its plastic baggie waiting for me to come up with a better use for it.

Insert wonderful phone call from mom here. Which went:

Mom: Hey Nia I'm at the fabric and yarn store in Paradise and they have this yarn with fur for 75% off do you want any?
Me: What do you mean fur?
Mom: It says merino and possum.
Me: What is it called?
- 5 minutes in which I talk to mom and the store lady who tells me the brand name and fiber content and yardage and verifies that it is not fun fur and then a couple of minutes of searching on ravelry and google and now I'm the proud owner of at least a sweaters worth of Purple Possum Yarn and some others that she liked. Woo Hoo.
Also anyone who reads this and knows my mother also knows that she will call back at least once in less than 10 minutes with something else she found in the store.
First Call:
Mom: Do you know that they have knitting needles that light up?
Me: Yes mom, but I don't want any.

I'm still waiting here with all search windows open for the next phone call.

Second call:
Mom: Hey, Nia I'm in the woods.... dropped

Third call:
Mom: Hey, Nia I got the yarn and am heading home. I'll give it to you at Ava's birthday.
Me: Ok, don't let Jim see it.

Onto Vacation:
I had a really good time if I block out the unhappy return Bridge ride. Here are some of my favorite pictures.

Back from Vacation

Well I've been back from vacation for over a week and managed to finish the lace for Lorrie's wedding in time for the Girl's Weekend Wine Tasting and have wonderful pictures of both in the camera. Unfortunately I have no clue how this cord attaches to the computer. I'm sitting here glaring at the pile of wires on the desk next to me, they are taunting me... "you can do it" "you won't break the computers" "no the cats have not been chewing on us" I'm pretty sure that last one is an outright lie. I shall give it a try and if it doesn't work that I'll nag Jim until he does it.

Waiting Impatiently

Jim should be home from work any minute now. As soon as he is here we are loading up and driving up north for a week at my parents. I've been packed for 3 hours and I believe I have enough knitting with me to survive for several months.

Here's what I've got:


1. Central Park Hoodie that is about 65% done. I've got the back and fronts done and the sleeves started. All that is left is the rest of the sleeves and the hood. I should be easily able to finish this, especially since I want to wear it up there where it is occasionally cold.

2. Yarn for Cochella.

3. Lots of sock yarn.

4. Lots of cotton to make up my own pattern for a shopping bag that will have no seaming. All of the online patterns I've seen have some kind of seaming and with an openwork cotton bag that is too much of a pain in my ass.

5. Yarn for Calorimetry. I want to do this in a Noro cotton that I can't remember the name of right now. I've seen one done in this and loved it. I read all the entries on Ravelry about it and am thinking I will definitely cast on fewer stitches.

I totally had to stop myself from taking the yarn for this and this. I know I won't find the time amidst all the relaxing to even likely finish my CPH.

I'm getting antsy so I think I'll go and wind yarn to occupy myself.

I spent less than I expected!

Yesterday I went to a knitters meet up at Threadbear in Lansing. I bought some Karabella Aurora 8 to make Cochella from Knitty as well as some lilac purple lace weight to make something lacy to be decided later. I still haven't decided what yarn to make the Mystery Stole 3 in. They had some Malabrigo lace weight but not in any colors that seemed appropriate based on the clue.Sarahlou and Kelli
Erin and Karen

I had a great time knitting and hanging out with Kelli, Saralou, Karen, Erin, Sarah and Renee. They are all making some very beautiful things. Later on, Kelli and I went to Old Town to join Erin to again knit, just this time with Annie her dog. (I so thought I took a picture of Annie.. darn.)


The picture of the waterfall is taken from atop a fish ladder. I don't think I'd been near a fish ladder in at least 20 years. I remember some trip to Grand Rapids with Grandpa to look at flooding and I think furniture or grandfather clocks. Anyway, there also was a nice river walk in Old Town Lansing, going under a bridge which we got to from a terrifying metal spiral staircase. I'm definitely dragging Jim back there. Not only is there a lot of cool shops in that area, but there is also a huge pet store which Jim will likely love. For Cochella based on Saralou's recommendation or it can be considered copying of a cool idea.


Next time: Progress shots of the Central Park Hoodie