"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either." ~ Elizabeth Zimmerman

9/29/12

Caturday 9/29/2012

Mine. AAAAAALL mine!

It's dark out there.


Sweet Cashmere


Playing with a paper bag together.

What is out there?




Love cats? Care to join in the fun? Go here: Tanya's Caturday

Live long and prosper. \\//

9/28/12

Beanie for Tyler #2




Another Beanie for Tyler

Pattern: Beanies For The Brave by Kathy Lang made for my nephew Tyler.

Size: Adult

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash Wool in Blue and Orange
Content: 100% superwash wool, worsted weight

Needles: Addi Turbo Circulars in size 7.

Cast on: September 25, 2012
Bound off: September 27, 2012

Comments: I love this pattern.

 
Close up of stripe pattern

Front view

Close up of ribbed cuff.

Top view.



I have been having computer problems of late. I wanted to back up my laptops hard drive, which I do every so often because I know how it feels to have a hard drive fail and lose everything. For some reason the backup process fails. I spent 2 days wrestling with it trying to figure out what's wrong and got nowhere. Last night Sweet Hubby spent several hours trying to get it to work too. We know my laptop hard drive is healthy (good to know) and is not causing the problem. We know that the portable drive I'm trying to back up onto is fine too. He upgraded all the drivers and the backup software and ran test after test. Still no answer. So, why isn't it working? We haven't a clue. Maybe the cable has gone bad? I will have to see if I can get a new one and test that hypothesis. In the meantime, I hope my laptop doesn't crash and burn.

It's still horribly smokey around here. The rain that we were hoping for on Tuesday never materialized. I'm coughing pretty much all the time and using my inhaler several times a day. Today my throat decided it's gonna be sore until things clear up. I sure would love a few days of rain right now.

Live long and prosper. \\//


9/24/12

A Beanie For Tyler

Weekend knitting:



Beanie for Tyler


Pattern: Beanies For The Brave by Kathy Lang made for my nephew Tyler.

Size: Adult

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash Wool in Blue and Orange
Content: 100% superwash wool, worsted weight

Needles: Addi Turbo Circulars in size 7.

Cast on: September 23, 2012
Bound off: September 23, 2012

Comments: It took me just a few hours to make this. A lot less time than I expected.

I love the star shape you get on the crown via the decreases.



The cuff is just a few rows of 1x1 twisted rib.



Rather than the 2 stripes in the pattern, I did something a little different.



It's a short cap, so it should be able to be worn under Tyler's helmet.



All in all I am quite pleased with this pattern. It was easy to knit and looks great!



I have lots of leftover yarn so I think I'll make him a second one in orange with blue stripes.

Live long and prosper. \\//

9/23/12

Rain Please

This is what the sun looks like today.



It looks cloudy out, and dark, except when you look straight up you can see the sky is blue and, of course, the sun. The smoke is making us miserable. My daughter and I have steady smoke induced migraines, my eyelids feel like sandpaper, I'm carrying my inhaler around with me, and I'm coughing a lot. I feel wretched. We need rain to slow down the wild fires and clean the air. At least we didn't get that 90F degree weather predicted for the weekend. It's been in the low 80's, probably cuz the smoke is blocking out so much sun. I have the air conditioner going since we can't open the windows to get a breeze blowing through the house. I've got it set on 'inside' so it doesn't suck air in from outside. Still, I know the smoke is getting in cuz there are vents in the ceiling and stuff. Sigh.

I ventured out for a few minutes to take pics of my new WIPs. This will be a lace cowl.


It is the first of the Christmas knitting projects. I've also cast on the first of a pair of argyle socks. That's all I've done-cast on. I need to find my bobbins for doing intarsia knitting. They weren't where I thought they'd be.

This is going to be a hat for my nephew, Tyler.



He joined the army earlier this year. Boot camp is done, and he's been deployed somewhere in the world. He can't tell us where, but he said the nights are very cold and he could use a knit beanie. Orange and blue are the colors he wants. Something to do with The Broncos. I'm going to use Cascade 220 Superwash wool. I did a bit of research and found out the army requires wool for this kind of stuff because it is a bit fire resistant and, of course, warmer. Acrylic melts under fire. Not good in combat. I hope we never have to find out how fire resistant the hat will be.

Here's another sleeping kitten pic from last night. I call this maximum usage of space.



Live long and prosper. \\//

9/22/12

Pink Herringbone Sparkles Bracelet

Lets start with this weeks Caturday pic. Kittens sleeping.

Paws in the lower right corner are Cables.
She was guarding them while they slept on her bed.

It seems to be the only thing I'm able to get on camera these days. If they aren't sleeping, then they are moving non-stop running through the house playing with everything they can get their little paws on.

Yesterday I took them in for their second wellness check. They are both 3 lbs now. There are no more ear mites and the eye infections are gone. They are healthy little stinkers.

Who you callin' stinker?

This morning I gave them their first paper bag to play in. Oh my goodness but they had a good time with it! They played until they were exhausted and settled down for another nap.

All this past week I have been working on another Herringbone Sparkles bracelet. I finished it last night.



I got myself out of the blue rut I've been in and did something pink.



I used 4mm White AB firepolish crystals, clear ab size 11 seed beads, silver lined pink delicas, and magenta pink size 15s.



I used an oval shaped lampwork bead for the button clasp.




I added 4 beads to the beginning ladder stitch row to make it wider than the blue one.



Now I just need something to wear it with.



If you want to make this bracelet, the free pattern is here --> Herringbone Sparkles Bracelet



Love cats? Care to join in the fun? Go here: Tanya's Caturday




Live long and prosper. \\//

9/21/12

Pink Fancy Flossy




Pink Fancy Flossy Shrug

Pattern: Fancy Flossy Shrug by me

Size: Ladies, 56 inches from cuff to cuff.

Yarn:  Bobtail by Schoeller+Stahl in shades of Pink (discontinued)
Content:  58% Polyester/42% Acrylic, bulky weight.

Yarn: Caron Kolormatch in White (discontinued)
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight

Yarn: Red Heart Supersaver in Rose Pink (this color is discontinued)
Content: 100%  Acrylic, worsted weight 

Needles: Addi Turbo Circulars in size 10 and 15.

Cast on: September 5, 2012
Bound off: September 16, 2012

Comments: Took less than 100 yards of furry yarn. I carried one strand of Rose Pink throughout, except the cuffs which are one strand of White. Made it just a little longer than usual. Some people have longer arms.



Of course, I made this for Knit Wits.


~~~~~~~~~~

I had the oddest experience this morning. I heard Cable outside barking at something so I went out to see what was going on. Down the hill was a big doe. Cable was a few feet from her barking her head off. The doe didn't seem to be bothered and actually walked toward her, so she jumped back and barked some more. This went on for awhile. Then, Cable charged at the doe. The doe charged back, so Cable turned around and ran straight for me. The doe took chase. So there I am with a dog and a large doe running full blast straight for me. Needless to say, it scared me.  I knew I couldn't outrun her so I dived behind a small tree so there'd be something between us. As soon as I did that the doe suddenly turned and ran off into the woods. It was almost like my movement scared her.

This is not the first time I've seen this doe chase Cable. What I can't figure out is if they are playing together, or if she's just really aggressive (the doe, not Cable)? Are she and Cable friends?

Is this the deer whisperer?

Did she not notice me come out of the house? Is that why she didn't run off right away? Usually the deer are afraid of humans. I hope to get some answers to these questions.

There is never a dull moment on the Parkarosa.

I am keeping myself indoors pretty much. Wednesday the smoke had cleared up quite a bit, so I took advantage of the opportunity to have the doors and windows open and I shampooed the wool Moose area rug and runner in the living room. My vacuum cleaner is a Kirby that converts into a shampooer (among other things). It's the first time I've shampooed since installing the rugs. They look brand new now.

Thursday the smoke moved back into the area. It's worse than ever now. So I'm hunkered down in my house. It's also very warm. In the 80F's today. Tomorrow it's supposed to be in the low 90F's. Hello air conditioner!

Live long and prosper. \\//

9/18/12

Erina Pendant

Over the weekend I finished a beading project I started a couple months ago.



Here's the story behind this piece. (I had intended to take pics and blog about this, but I guess I didn't even take the pics, let alone blog about it, probably because July was so incredibly busy.) In July a Ravelry member who admires my beadwork offered to send me her small bead stash because she wasn't going to be using it. She didn't want any money for it. Not even for the postage. It was just a gift. I was SO surprised. Of course I said yes.



A couple days after receiving the package I started this necklace which  I intend to send to her in thanks. I strolled through her Ravelry notebook and found out her favorite color is blue.



The pendant is mostly herringbone stitch. It's a free pattern called Erina Pendant. It's written in Hungarian, but the drawings are good enough that I didn't even need to translate it.

If you're interested in the pattern, click here -->  Erina Pendant.

I used some Sodalite beads, glass druks, Swarovski bicone crystals, delicas, and size 11 and 15 seed beads-all in shades of blue.



I went with a simple sterling silver lobster clasp.



The necklace is done in tubular herringbone stitch using bugles and size 11 seed beads.



I decided to do a 6-around rather than my usual 4-around, but I could not get the tension tight enough to keep the tube from collapsing. So I put 2 strands of white cotton yarn in the center to give it the body it needed. I had to use 2 strands because 1 was too thin. It was sport weight. I had to look pretty hard to find it too. I have very little cotton yarn in my stash.



I hope to get this in the mail to her on Thursday. I don't know her name because she didn't include it in the return address on the package. So I guess I'll address it to her Ravelry name.

~~~~~~~~~~

We had some visitors this evening. The moose twins born earlier this year came back! I blogged about these guys last July. Haven't seen them since, though I knew they were still around because they were leaving signs in the yard.

Here they are eating the ripe plums that have fallen off the tree into the lawn. Can you believe those funny looking little bony butts? And man have they grown!



They're about 5 feet tall at the shoulders now. Here they are munching on the snowberry patch in the back yard.



Mom was around too, though she didn't stand near them so I could get a pic of all three together.



She seemed to really enjoy my Pussy Willow tree.



Cable was antsy all day barking at the woods and being in a decidedly guarding stance. Now I know why. I will have to be careful when letting her out for a few days. Wouldn't want her to make these guys angry or feel threatened. Cable pancake is not my idea of fun.

Live long and prosper. \\//

9/15/12

Caturday 9/15/2012

I'm joining a new blog meme. Well, new to me anyway. Saturday is Caturday. I know this is general knowledge on the internet, but I want to support another blogger in her Caturday efforts, so here's my first Caturday post.

Merino is establishing his territory, or taking a nap. Probably both.

Tell the dog it's mine now.


The weather has been purrrfect (see what I did there?) but there are so many wild fires south of us, and because the wind is blowing in from the south, the smoke here is dangerously thick. The sun is actually orange today it's so thick. I went outside for about 15 minutes yesterday and had to come back in and spend some personal time with my inhaler. We have an actual Red Flag warning for air quality in Kootenai county. So, no going out on the deck for me. Sigh. I sure hope we don't get a wild fire near us. It's really bad this year. We could use a couple days of good soaking rain.



Love cats? Care to join in the fun? Go here:  Tanya's Caturday

Live long and prosper. \\//

9/13/12

Cockatiels in Glass

The weather was quite pleasant, so I spent yesterday out on the deck beading a birthday present for a friend.



It was her birthday and I suddenly got the urge to bead something for her. Fortunately, I had the necessary delicas in my stash-which surprised me. I don't have that many colors in the stash, but I had enough for these earrings. Not the exact required colors, but good substitutes. They are made with brick stitch, which I used to not like but now I quite enjoy it! Maybe because I know what I'm doing now? Heh heh.

The pattern for these is in the book Forever in Beads by Barbara Elbe.

I gave them to her this morning. She loves them. :-D



Live long and prosper. \\//