Just because

Someone was suggesting it was way past time to post again, I am. Not that I have anything interesting to say, or any cool pictures to share.

There's been some knitting, the red/grey/black Dragon Scale Scarf (Rav link) is finished, just needs to be blocked and have the ends woven in. A couple more socks have been finished, but until I find the bag of second skeins, they are doomed to a lonely existence.

Of course there are a number of new projects on the needles, but well, we don't need to discuss that. At least not until I have pictures.


Liza {who promises to find the cable for the camera so she can have pictures for the next post}

Status Update

For those who may be concerned, Vegetable Sister #2 is back home and says she's doing well.

Liza {who thinks tomorrow may be a different story}

Happier Post

Some time ago Knitting Grammy tagged me for a meme. I'm supposed to tell you 6 quirky but boring and unspectacular things about myself. I'm normally not too fond of such things, as I always have difficulty coming up with clever stuff to write. However, I can do boring and unspectacular quite well ;-)


1. I can do the Vulcan salute with both hands.

2. I am the world's most impatient driver and will drive *miles* out of my way, as long as it means I'm still moving. Sitting still in traffic drives me (more) mental.

3. I am very, very fond of movies where I can watch stuff blow up (just *stuff* though, I'm not into gore).

4. I seem to be somewhat addicted to Home and Garden television shows.

5. I'm afraid of heights and bridges in particular. Somehow I always feel like I'm falling or sliding off of bridges as I go over them (living in Saskatoon, The City of Bridges, was a particularly interesting time for me).

6. Inspite of this, I love, love, love carnival rides. As long as they aren't open, like the ferris wheel.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday Season and wish everyone of you all the best in the New Year.


Liza {who hopes that was boring and unspectacular enough}

Not a good year.

For the fur-babies at chez hairball.

We lost Manhattan on Friday. Same deal as Callisto, only worse, so we didn't even try to prolong things.

I think I'm just numb now. I suspect it will hit me at some point, but for now I'm not nearly the basket case I was with Callisto.


RIP Little Miss

Liza

P.S. I'll try to have a happier post up soon.

Moving On

So, it's been a while since I did a progress report. And since it's been so long, I'll just add on to the previous updates.


2) Offspring # 2’s Blue Sky Alpacas’ Hooded Pullover in Dyed Cotton (the one that was supposed to be for Christmas). Sleeves done, just needs sewing up and hood. Hasn't been touched.

3) Jumbo cat blanket (aka an afghan for the living room, but I might as well be honest about it’s eventual fate). Another ball of yarn finished, but now it's stalled as the rest of the yarn is buried under a bunch of stuff left over from the house shaking project (something else that's been stalled). Yarn still buried, need to change that.

4) KP&S’s Weekend Neck Down Jacket in Blue Sky Alpacas’ bulky. First sleeve is finished, but I'm not that happy with the look of the cuff, so I may take that out. Yeah, still debating about taking out that sleeve. Should stop debating about it, it's getting cooler and I could use this soon.

5) All the little kid items (charity knitting) that have been languishing about. I’m counting this as one item even though there are, oh, 2 vests, 3 cardi’s, 2 pullovers and a baby sweater in the bunch . Mostly because they all just need a little bit of finishing work. Nada. The next Charity Knit Nite is this Friday, so I think I need to pull these out for that.

7) The Blue Sky Alpacas’ Eyelet Cardigan in Dyed Cotton (it just needs finishing work). Nothing, still. I did just uncover this (it had fallen to the bottom of the pile, maybe I'll look at it this week.

9) My version of Mr. Greenjeans in Dream in Color’s Cocoakiss. Body finished, cast off first sleeve last night. Just needs the button band and ends woven in.

10) KP&S’s Neckdown Wrap Cardigan in Malabrigo. First sleeve finished. Nothing new.

11) Blue Sky Alpacas’ Scoop Neck Vest in Classic Elite’s Renaissance. Zero progress. Needs to be seamed and the neckline knit. Really don't have an excuse not to seam this up, not after the very excelent class on finishing I took at M1, taught by one talented person.

12) Fleece Artist’s Lady of the Lake in Curlylocks and Fleece Artist Aran Yarn. Needles still missing/unknown. When I stop with this work thing, maybe I'll have time to find them. Yeah, still on the missing list.


So, given so little progress, what have I been doing? Well, aside from working a bit here and there and maybe taking a trip to California, this is what I've been doing:


Knitting Pure and Simple's Neck Down Hooded Tunic:


I'm using Schafer's Marjaana in Mary Breckinridge for this one. This is a really nice yarn, 50% Merino and 50% Tussah silk. Yummy. The yarn has been aging in my stash for quite a while and after several trial runs with different patterns, I decided this yarn needed something fairly plain in order to show it off properly:
I've also been working on a version of the now famous Central Park Hoodie by Heather Lodinsky:

For this one I'm using Dream in Color's Classy in Deep Sea Flower. I lurrve this colour (anyone surprised by that?) and see this sweater being ultra useful. That is if it ever gets done. The left front has already been knit twice (knitter error~the pattern is just fine):

There are other things in the works, but I think I'll leave those for another time.




Liza {who is not going to mention that there may have been new project cast this weekend~nope, not her, she wouldn't have done that!}

Sad News

Inspite of all our and the vet's care and attention, Callisto didn't make it.

He rallied a few times, but after another stay in hospital and the insertion of a feeding tube, he just continued to decline.

So, Monday morning I made what I think was the right decision for him and had him put down.

RIP big guy.

Liza

Negative Ease

In knitting, the right amount of negative ease can be a good thing. Certain sweaters rely on negative ease for proper fitting, for example:


(Yosemite from Knitty Spring '08~this one has 7 inches of negative ease).

Socks are another area where negative ease can be a good thing (better to fit into your shoes, m'dear).

However, negative ease in one's life? Not so good. When you feel the squeeze in your time, energy (mental or physical) or finances, it can be worrisome. And when you feel that squeeze in all areas? Well, something has to give. And in my case it was knitting & computer time, so I guess it's okay that I haven't had time to blog, 'cause there wasn't much knitting to talk about.

Things are starting to ease up though, the parental units are moved, I'm working less, and the cat (Callisto~the big guy) is doing better. Which is a relief. And in a fit of wild exuberance over said relief, I may have done something, umm, foolish? Undoable (for me anyway)? Bit off more than I can chew?

So what is this that I have committed to? Nothing less than starting *and* finishing the Lotus Blossom Tank:

(Interweave Knits Summer 2006)

during the Olympics. Cast on date: August 8~finishing date: August 18. Okay, skip foolish etc. The correct term I believe is, insane. Going to try though.




Liza {who's very used to the precarious position she can find herself in as she jumps into a project with both feet, while flying by the seat of her pants}