From Rain to Hope

That’s what my t-shirt says right now and that’s what my house will be like if I have my way and knit up about 10 million of these squirrel cushions.

Cuddle Squirrel with little Lambie

Pattern:  Nathaniel by Ysolda

Yarn: Bernat Alpaca Natural Blends

Needles:  US 9

More details… here (ravelry link)

My love for this squirrel cannot be measured.  I think it may be extra special to me because it reminds me of a quilt my grandma made that had applique squirrel silhouettes all over it.  I seriously will be making more of them, just not out of the yarn I used.  That Bernat Alpaca is just a bit too hairy for my tastes.

I know this will be hard to believe, but the squirrel isn’t the only thing I’ve completed.

Christmas Korknisse Set

Pattern:  Korknisse by Manne (English translation)

Yarn: Knit Picks Shamrock

Needles:  US 4

More details… here (ravelry link)

I made these ornaments for my knitting group and had a few left over for myself.  They are super cute and were fun and easy to make.  For anyone who hasn’t already seen the special one I made for Loops:

Arrrgghh!

Loops, of course, loves him and refuses to have him as an ornament because he wants to look at him year round.  He sort of reminds me of Bob.

Crazy-eyed Bob

Little projects means I complete more things.  Not that I have.  It’s just a theory at this point.  I might get more done if I didn’t have to pack everything away so the house would look tidy for showings.   I just can’t bear for people to know how messy I am.  I know it doesn’t matter.  It’s not like I’m the owner.  In fact, I’m sure people don’t expect much when viewing a house with renters in it, but I have my own standards so I tidy up.  There have been two showings in the last 24 hours.   How do I feel about this?

Grumpy!

I could be happier.  I’m trying to get over it though.  Oh, above is one of my Christmas ornaments, by the way.  He’s not finished.  He needs tiny bells on his hat and a ribbon to hang from.  He’s one of about 8 that are mostly done.  All the others are happier, but I though I should mix it up and have a grumpy ornament or two as well.  They’re so cute that I want to keep them all, but most are being given away.  Loops has demanded a pirate one.  I was working on it, but couldn’t get a cool looking pirate hat so his pirate is just going to have a hat like all the others.  He’s cool with it though.  As long as there’s an eye patch and a scowl, he said he’d be happy.

I’m also making a cute elephant.  He’s mostly in pieces right now and quite sad looking.

Sad and limbless.

Hopefully he’ll be much cuter when complete.

Everyone who really knows me is aware that Halloween is, by far, my least favorite holiday.  Something about dressing up and knocking on doors to get candy never really did it for me, not even when I was little.  Needless to say, I’m happy it is over.  The only thing I’m sad about now is the fact that I wanted to get my cute little bat toys completed before the holiday and didn’t.  I was delayed by the inability to find the correct eyes.  I had to order them and they didn’t get here until Thursday.  Last night at about 10pm I finally got one put all together, but it was too late to take any decent pictures so I decided to wait until this morning to post a blog about it.

Meet Boo!

Boo, just hangin'

I know.  That’s the cutest bat you’ve ever seen, right?  Well, it gets cuter:

Boo, wrapped up

Pattern:  Boo the Bat by Anna Hrachovec

Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted

Needles:  US 6

More details… here (ravelry link)

Boo's got back

Now to make more since Loops claimed this little Boo.

No I haven’t stooped to knitting little socks for the kitties (yet).  I just find the title much more fun without the commas so I left them out.  I know.  I’m easily amused.   Long time, no blog, huh?  I have no excuse.  I’m just lazy and until last week, there wasn’t much going on to blog about.

I was going to start the blog with a cute cat picture, but they all had different plans.  I bent down to get a nice shot of Dottie in the sun and as I get ready to click the shutter Moxie decides Dottie needs a bath.  That might’ve made a cute picture, but, at the same time, Bob started trying to climb up on me and this is the results:

Dottie's photo-op disrupted

What’s worse (and darker) than this horrible picture?  Loops’ ankle.  Good segue, wasn’t it?  He had a tumble down our stairs on Wednesday.  We had him checked out and it was an ankle sprain and should be better soon.  He’s still limping around, but is back in work so maybe with my days free from nurse duty I’ll get some knitting done.

The only thing I’ve really been working on is my socks.  You know, the ones I let everyone vote for the yarn to make them.  I’m about half through with the first sock and they’re turning out well.  See:

My new colorful socks started!

The pattern is fun and they work up pretty quickly so I should have a completed pair in no time.  Maybe I’ll finish them while I’m back in Alabama.  I’ll be flying direct from Charlotte to Birmingham on Oct. 3rd and be with the family for two fun filled weeks.  Hopefully Loops and the kitties can live that long without me.

Through a stern will and extreme determination, I have kept myself from catching the dreaded second sock syndrome.  For those who don’t know, second sock syndrome is a very common thing among knitters who knit socks.  Basically, you see a pair of socks you want to knit so you get your pattern and your yarn all together and joyfully start knitting.  Once the first is complete you get to stare at it, pet it, and show it around to everyone you know so they can marvel at your knitting prowess.  Here’s where the problems start.  See, you’ve completed the pattern and have a complete knitted item, but because feet insist on coming in pairs, you have to do the whole pattern you just did all over again.  For some reason, the second time you knit something is  not nearly as interesting as the first.  You already know what’s going to happen.  It’s like watching a rerun you just saw last week.  You’d much rather watch a new episode or a completely different show, right?  Sadly, unless you are happy knitting things that will never be used or you know someone who is happy to wear mismatched socks, you have to knit the second one.  So I did:

First pair of socks... COMPLETE!

Pattern:  7 Stitches per Inch Socks by Ann Budd

Yarn:  Plymouth Yarn Happy Feet

Needles:  US 3

More details… here (ravelry link)

They are ok for a first attempt, but I’m hoping to improve a lot on my next pair, which brings me to the interactive portion of the blog.  My next pair of socks will be for me and I’ve already picked the pattern I plan to use, Sunday Swing Socks.  Now I just need to pick the yarn to use.  I give you 4 choices to pick from:

You make the call!

That’s right.  I’m on the couch.  With possibly the cutest little laptop ever created.

The Toshiba NB205

It is great and tiny.  It’s just over 10″ wide.  It works really well and should be nice to take with me wherever I go.  Loops laughs at me, but I just LOVE the way it looks.  Check out the outside.

Yummy texture in frost white!

Ok.  Enough about my little netbook.  On to the knitting updates.

I actually haven’t been getting much done with the knitting the past week or so.  I’ve been in a bit of a funk, I suppose.  I’m trying to get out of it though.

Uhura is pretty much at a standstill.  I did get to the bottom of the back half and did the hem.  I now want to hem everything I do.  I think it’s great.

Not so great picture, but a great hem!

I have also started another Ishbel shawl.  It’s going to be more summery since I’m using a cotton/silk blend.

Ishbel in my favorite color, grey.

Last on the list of projects I’ve actually been working on, the sock.  This sock has been in progress since last year.  I just couldn’t get into it, but recently decided I wanted to get on with it so I dug out the few inches of leg I had done and started knitting.

Sort of like a rainbow got sick, huh?

Sadly, it seems too big.  Last year, I wasn’t nearly as careful about getting the correct gauge as I am now.  I’m happy that I can actually make a sock though.  Turning a heel just seems very impressive to me, even after doing it and finding out it’s actually pretty easy.  Now I just have to get to the toes.

Back in November, I wrote a blog and introduced Moxie.  Here’s what I had to say:

Sure we didn’t need another cat, but we’ve been wanting a third.  We’ll try to stop at that number though.  I have a feeling between her and Dottie we’ll have our hands too full for any others.

I guess I was wrong because the past month we’d really been talking about getting a fourth cat.  We went back and forth with the whole need and want debate and changed our minds about 20 times.  In the end, the desire to have another cat won out so we went down to Pet Helpers.  It’s a great shelter.  They have most of the adult cats in 4 different rooms with all kinds of things for them to climb and sleep on.  You can just walk right in and meet them.  Between the two days I went there to pick out a cat, I must have spent 5 hours total just going back and forth from room to room meeting all the cats.  It’s sad how many cats were there and some have been there for years.

As a little introduction to who our new cat is, I’ve copied his description from the Pet Helpers website

Ok I don’t want to seem conceded but I may be the coolest cat to have ever entered the pearly gates of Pet Helpers. Ask any staff member you pass who the most awesome cat in the shelter is and they will invariably say me. I will be the first to great you when you walk in the room and try to ride out on your shoulders. It is a crime to think I have been here for almost a year, don’t make me wait a minute longer. I scored nearly perfect on my felinality test but you don’t need a test to see I’m over qualified to be your cat.

They were not exaggerating about him riding out on your shoulders either.  He will jump right on if you let him.  Anyway,  I know y’all are all wanting to actually see him.  Meet Bob.

Mr. Bobertons

He seems to be settling right in around here and is not bothered by all these crazy girls hissing at him all the time.  Hopefully they’ll become more friendly soon and Bob will get over his “I must explore the kitchen countertops” phase and we’ll be able to let him roam the house freely at night.

Ready to attack!

Bob request that any “welcome to the family” gifts you may feel like sending be little tinsel balls like the one above.  He LOVES them and doesn’t understand why the girls would like furry mice more.

Today was vet day for Luna and Bob.  They were very good kitties and were only fussy during shots and anything involving their butts.  I don’t blame them.  Do you?  Bob’s got an antibiotic shot because he’s running a bit of a fever.  Hopefully, he’ll be better soon.  Otherwise, both cats were in good health and are now being lazy at home.

Lazy kitties

I never thought I would make a shawl.  I mean, when am I gonna wear one?   They always seemed so dressy and fussy, but after seeing so many Ishbels made by others I couldn’t resist.  I figured if I made the small version, it would almost be like a scarf so I went on and bought yarn and cast on for one.   It ended up a little bigger than I expected, but it’s so pretty.

Ishbel, all blocked and ready to wear!

Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolda Teague

Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine

Needles: US 8

More details… here (ravelry link)

Ishbel, up close

I loved making this.  In fact, I can’t get over how much fun I had.  I want to make 50 more.  I probably won’t go that crazy, but I really am considering at least one more.  We’ll see.

Lambie modeling Ishbel

You know who you are (mom).

I finished my shawl on Sunday night.  Right now it’s blocking and I will post a full post about it once it’s dry.  Here’s a sneak peek.

Ishbel Unblocked

I have yet to finish my other main project, the Uhura tank top.  I’m still working on the back, but here’s the latest:

Uhura's latest progress

Well, that’s probably the shortest post ever.  Sorry Mom.

It’s a sad fact, at least for Loops, but when we go shoe shopping for him, I am the one who ends up with new shoes.  I got two pairs this time while he didn’t get a single pair.  Mine are great, especially my sneakers.  Here’s the view I’ve been staring at all day.

My colorful new shoes!

I can’t stop looking down at them.  They’re so fun.

I also started my Ishbel shawl that I wrote about in the previous journal.  It is FLYING off the needles.  Just this weekend I’ve done almost all of the first section, which is all stockinette stitch.

Ishbel Started

Once I do the last few rows of this section, I will start the lace charts.  It will probably slow me down a bit, but I still feel like I’ll be finishing this project in record time.