Clearer picture and a not dog picture :)

First, I took a few pictures of the afghan after it came out of the dryer at the laundramat. I still managed to jiggle the camera a bit in one of them. But I got two good shots. Why two? Well, one shows up the reverse sc edging I did better than the other picture.











Also, I am sharing a picture of a not dog. What is a not dog, you ask? Well, that is what you get when you have a strange dog, who does things like entertains you with her imitating a snow drift. I haven't gotten a picture of that yet, but I know I will before the winter is over. So, we had a major snowfall just before Hallowe'en, then it pretty much all melted away, then we had a lighter snowfall, that might have melted away....I say it might have, because of this:

Yes, that is the "not dog". Also could be called, a dog outline melted into the snow.... Anyway, the day after I took the picture, we had another major major snowfall - the kind where you need the snowblower, rather than just a shovel. Though DH decided to use a pusher shovel thing instead.... But I would have used the blower. I've done my time on the business end of a shovel, time to enjoy life... lol.

Other than that, the tree skirt is progressing, so is the sock gusset. I'll likely keep working on them, and on some other projects, and resist starting anything new (though there is going to be a dishcloth KAL and the 6 sox KAL starting on Dec. 1....Resistance is FUTILE!!!) until I knock something off the list, or at least get some decent progress going...... So, I'll likely post pics on Monday or Tuesday.

See you then....

IT IS DONE!!!! And, I did it again....lol

So. Last night, I finished the afghan. I only took the one picture (I might try another at the laundramat, under their lights, maybe....) but trust me, it *is* reversible. I do all the colour changes as I crochet, then work in the tails.... scroll down, and you can see those tails in the progress pictures. This makes the afghan completely reversible, so that the same picture shows on both sides. Yes, there still is a right side and a wrong side - it has to do with the placement of the screwdrivers in the tool belt.... Anyway, I like making this kind of afghan, rather than trying to just cross stitch a picture on to a single crochet base. Or cross stitch onto a tunisian crochet base. Not that I don't know how, or that I don't enjoy cross stitch. I do. Just not when I can crochet this way instead. :)

(Yes, I edited the visible clutter out of the back ground!)

So, what did I do again? Well, after I finished the afghan, I didn't really feel much like knitting on any of the ongoing socks that I had handy. Not in the mood for complex like the Iris Garden, knew I'd be at the laundramat today, so I didn't want to go too far on the "easy knit" sections of the basket weave or the nature sock (well, ok, so the basket weave I was turning a heel, which I did do last night. Now I'm up to gusset pick up - YUCK. But something I can do at the LM.) So, I was looking at the pile....(the part I edited out of the picture - I have a coffee table beside my chair, and all my tools are in baskets and plastic pencil boxes etc. piled on the table, and there are some projects and yarn and thread in bags....) and I decided that I would make a Christmas tree skirt. Now, this is a project that I've wanted to do for years. Way back, some years ago, I saw some yarn in the Walmart. It was a seasonal yarn, one that they only trot out in late November through December, and put on clearance in January.... It was various Christmassy colours with silver metallic threads plied in. You know the kind - red, green, white - some of the metallic parts were gold... Well, they had this gorgeous deep blue with silver thread - MY CHRISTMAS COLOUR SCHEME!!!! But, I didn't have the budget the day I saw it, so I figured I'd go back and get it later.... Well, it was sold out within a week. Every year since, I've been watching for it to come back.

So, this year, I saw some budget yarn (will post pictures later, it isn't a name brand) on display again - another of those seasonal things they come out with - and they had a gorgeous deep blue with "lurex" glittery blue plied with it - OK, fine, so it isn't silver, but it glitters!!!! Oh, and it is a sport weight yarn.... So, anyway, I bought three balls.

Last night, I looked at one ball, and I grabbed a hook, and I started crocheting, and scribbling notes. Yes, folks - I'm designing a tree skirt. I'm not going to promise in anyway to get the pattern written out in a way that can be shared before Christmas '06, but for sure it will be there for '07. :)

So, here I go again - starting a project, despite having some hundred others on the go or in UFO status...

Which reminds me - I'm going to commit to getting some quilts done over the next year. Time I got back into doing some quilting...not to mention, finishing off that one I was making for DGS.... only need to put on borders, and quilt it. Then there is my "Stairway to Cat Heaven" that I'm working on the nine patch stair blocks - I've got them all cut out and mapped out, and have sewn some of them. And there is a Christmas applique quilt - I have all the backing for the applique blocks ready. And a penguin quilt - all fabric purchased and pattern printed ready to go. OOOOooo - I didn't list it, but I have a fish quilt that I started for DH - I should get that one worked on, too..... (about that list - I have a clipboard folder notebook thingy, and I've been listing all my projects on looseleaf, and updating it when I finish something, or start something :-O or a month has gone by.... That is how I know the rough number of projects I have going.....) Anyway, I have also wanted to make a quilt that is all triangles in various blues - which just reminded me of one that is also triangles, but in greens - I almost forgot all about that one. Oh, and I've got a sampler quilt that I need to finish, and a house block of the month (some of those I did and pictures are at my photo album site) and then there is a Baltimore Album quilt that I want to do, and I found some cool fabric that reminds me of Beatrice Potter books/stories, so I want to use that fabric for a big block quilt (they are big printed pictures) and - oh, I know there are more... I have seven of them listed on the paper, and while I was typing this post I recalled several more quilt UFO's....

And DH wonders why I own three sewing machines.....

Well, I need to go wash another load of laundry - then they will all be ready to head to the laundramat for drying (and yeah, since the picture above is sorta fuzzy, maybe I'll take the camera with me....)

Just saying Hello :)

I haven't taken a picture - But I did finish the crocheting on the afghan. It is now in the ends weaving stage - I have 39 ends left on one side, and about four million on the other....lol... I know, I shouldn't exaggerate, but sometimes, it feels like that many. I was working on one side yesterday, and after making rather nice noticable progress, I had to stop to do the dogs out thing, and when I picked it up, I was working away, but it seemed that I wasnt' getting very far anymore.... I looked at the section I was working on, and realized I'd turned it over and was doing the other side. So - I know, it all needs to be done - I would have had one side finished by bed time last night if I hadn't flipped it!!!

Anyway, I'm hoping to get it all finished off today/tonight, so that tomorrow I can do the finishing touch backstitches, and then I can take the picture Wednesday morning, post that, wash it, and wrap it up!!

Then I can get back to a more relaxed craft sessions....:)

Oh, and I'm thinking about making a second blog..... Well, two other ones, actually - one is an idea that I got from someone else, who made a blog for their cats. The girls were hanging around the computer that day, and have been bugging me ever since to get a blog of their own. I keep telling them that I write about them here all the time, and that they really don't have enough to say to warrent their own blog.... Anyway, the other one, I just thought of in the last week or so. I don't know much about how to set up my own website - something that I keep sort of looking into, since my ISP apparently includes some sort of personaly website space or something.... I know so little about it. I once tried to do the geocitities thing, but it wasn't very "user friendly" - I started the site up, but when I tried to add anything to it, couldn't figure out how to get into it to do so. Then the About.com network people started offering free webspace - I used that one for a while, then they cancelled that offer. So my site was gone....

Anyway, I see so many other people seem to be able to get more than one blog. I think I'll look into that.

So, that's my tiny little post for today. Will post more later in the week.

Sharing pictures....

Wuhoo.... I can see the end of this afghan!!! I've finished the graph part, have 27 rows of background to do, then I see that it is working up large enough as is, so I can do a simple round of sc for the border, then I plan to do one round of the light blue in dc, then one round of sc, and finish with a round of reverse sc. Then I've got to work in the ends, of course....

So, I celebrated by knitting a few rounds (well, 15, actually, lol) on the basket weave socks. This means that I am now ready to do the heel. Much as I hate picking up stitches, I'm not going to short row these heels. I'll do the flap etc. heel on them.
The other day, I did some rounds on the Best Friend socks.

And, while at the laundramat, I worked on the Nature Socks. I had to take a couple pictures, 'cause they don't show up very good. Not sure if it is the lighting, or the colour.... Anyway, I think it is interesting how the white came up as a definite "striping" feature in the leg, but is more intermittent in the foot.... :)

And, I figured, since I had the camera out this morning, that I should try taking some more pictures - looked around, and saw an afghan that I crocheted years ago, but just never took a picture of before. So, I laid it out on the kitchen floor (more space, better lighting) and of course.....

Now, I also took a close up picture of the afghan, so that the stitches are easier to see. I got the pattern from a free website, but it has been many years - it was from one of the crochet magazine websites, and was a child's afghan (don't recall if it was Crochet World, or Crochet Fantasy, or who it was - it *was* a number of years ago) but I just made it larger, and added a border top and bottom, and made it a lapghan for me.

So, that's my share for this morning. Oh, right after I finished taking pictures, and tried to put the afghan away - the girls decided that I'd put it there for them to use as a wrestling mat.

Silly kitties.....

I'm hoping, sometime today, or maybe not till next week, though I'd rather do it today, to get some more pictures off my computer and into my photo album over at my yahoo album page - link on the right. I'm also hoping to clean up the stuff over there on the right - rearrange some stuff, add some links, add some group buttons.... But, I have company coming this morning for coffee, and need to get the kitchen tidied up before my friend gets here!!! So, I'm going to be busy-busy-busy for the next hour :) Maybe after she's gone, I can come back and do the virtual "housekeeping", since I'll have done the real "housekeeping"!!

Running Out of Catchy Titles....

Or, brain not functioning at full capacity....

I'm sharing only a couple pictures - only one WIP - Deadline is creeping up, and I am really close to being finished it....:) To refresh anyone's memory - DH works for this great small company. Well, Ok, it isn't so small anymore, but it *is* a great company. When one or another of his co-workers would have a baby, I'd make a blanket or something for them. Usually a blanket.... Yet, somehow, I didn't when his supervisor had his children.... Don't have a clue where my brain was!!!

So, this year, I decided to rectify that by making some graph afghans for the two kids' birthdays. The first one, the dancer, was a surprise. The second one, the one I'm working on now, is not a surprise, of course. But, the boy's birthday is coming up near the beginning of December. So, I need to finish the afghan by the last laundry day in November. So I can wash the afghan, to remove any excess pet hair, remove any smoke smell (DH is a smoker), and to ensure that any ends stay woven in. And boy, are there ends!!!! I *have* woven some of them in, but find that it isn't easy to do with so much yarn still attached. So, my plan to make it less a chore by working in some in shorter sessions fell through :( But - the end is in sight!!! I have 23 rows of chart left to do, 30 rows of plain background, border, and end weaving, then it is DONE!!!! Wuhooo.... no rushing, no stressing over a missed deadline - I got lucky with the dancer, since the girl's b-d was later in the month, but I *know* the boy's day is near the beginning of Dec.....

Ok, so here is the picture of what I've got so far:

So, since I've been putting on the push for this project, I don't really have any progress done on any of the others.... Well, I *did* do a round or two on couple of the socks in progress, but not enough to show up on a picture.

What I *did* take pictures of, though, were two other finished projects. Dont' know why I didn't take a picture of the fish dishcloth way back - probably due to things like, dead battery for the camera, poor lighting, misplacing it, priority, lazyness, forgetfulness.... Anyway, this was knit back in summer sometime...I think it was the dishcloth of the month for either July or August....

Also, a few weeks ago (at least five) I finished making a bath mat for our bathroom. Started it forever ago - back in the spring or early summer, when we were doing a bathroom cleaning session, I'd taken the mat thingy we had in there (carpet sample piece) outside to hose it off. Well, I've cleaned it before with the carpet cleaner, I've vacuumed it thoroughly, but I'll tell ya - you don't want to get something wet that has lived in a bathroom for ten years.....

We have it positioned (we have a smallish bathroom) kind of in front of the toilet beside the bathtub next to the litter box..... Anyway, after hosing it down, it got tossed, and I immediately began crocheting a bathmat. A crocheted bathmat could be tossed into the laundry at regular intervals, thus reducing the chance of needing to hose it down and ultimately toss it. (you guys are following me here, right? I don't need to spell it out any more?) Well, it took me what seemed like forever to do.... I was using the same sort of stitch as the back scrubby thingy from the five piece set - http://members.aol.com/lffunt/bathset.htm - and I could have sworn it was nice and big. Well, I finished it.... we used it for two weeks, and I laundered it. We used it again for two weeks, and by then I was positive that it *wasn't* big enough.... So, after last Wednesday's laundry day, I did a border of the same stitch as the washcloth from that bathset until I ran out of yarn. I used a bigger ball of the Bernat Handicrafter Cotton (forget the size, but if you go to www.bernat.com, and check their yarns, they have the small balls that make about a dishcloth each, and the bigger sized balls, too. They are different sizes for solid vs variegated) and used the whole ball up on the mat.

Anyway, I put it back into the bathroom - and when I went to take the picture - well, as I mentioned, DH is a smoker, and I see he spilled some ashes on the mat. They got sort of mushed into the mat - and I tried a few times to edit the colour on the picture, and couldn't seem to do it. Since I didn't feel like waiting until next time I wash it to do the picture sharing, you're just going to have to live with it!! ;) Now, please, the colour of the dirt splotch might not look like greyish black on your monitor, but it is. Trust me.

Oh, and that kind of hook shaped black thing in the top left hand corner? That's Mica's tail. She was contemplating using the litter box while I took the picture.

So, there you have it. My progress pictures.

Now...what else can I tell you about? Not much else exciting going on..... There was over the weekend, but not now....

Ok, I'll tell now.... This past Sunday was a football game. It was our "championship" game. The "Grey Cup". It was played some 8 or 9 blocks away from our house. As in, all the streets around our home were lined with parked cars - we are within walking distance of the stadium. So, all last week, there were parties in the city, celebrations, Saturday they combined three parades into one - I have an opinion about that, but since I didn't go, nor did I plan to, my opinion doesn't matter much. But, we have a Santa Claus parade, a "Festival of Lights" parade (these two serve the same purpose - one being the "politically correct version" of the other.... combining them is fine with me) and this year there was a "Grey Cup" parade. So, that was what it was like last week.

Me? I was quite content to cook up a pot of chili, some home made buns, some hot wings (home made, of course) and watch the game on TV. Nelly Fertado (I doubt I spelled that right) was the half-time show entertainer.... I missed that bit, though :( My sister* came over, and she brought shrimp ring, and chips and dip. Oh, and I made a cheesecake, but we were so stuffed from supper, that it was only me that had cheesecake. It was good.... :)

Oh, and yesterday morning, while driving DH to work, we saw a racoon cross the road!! I'd heard we had racoons in the city, but that's the first one I've seen. Here in the city, not counting the zoo, of course - I've seen racoons in the country.

* - See??? I mention you in my blog!!! Not just an "honourable mention" - part of a post!!! :)

So, that's it for today's post. Will do another picture once I've done 53 rows on the afghan. (the 23 chart, and the 30 background)

So, I did it again....

Despite all my desires to complete several projects before starting a new one, I went ahead and started two new ones..... Though, one of those projects *is* on my list.....I need to catch up some of my "___of the month" projects. I'm in a group, Doily of the Month, and haven't made a doily with them in ages...I like to make doilies. I just have been busy doing other things. So, I figured, I should get caught up. So, I am doing a pineapple doily (which I love) that was the group project for October. And, the other project I started - well, see, my sister gave me some yarn. As a sympathy gift. She gave me some sock weight yarn in colours that match Roxy's coat. And she also gave me some Koigu KPPM yarn in red and purple colourway. These were favourite colours of the Yarnfairy. I am not sure what I will make from the Roxy yarn yet. But while roaming the net one day, I found this sock pattern: http://www.knitanon.com/blog/bff.html It's called, "Best Friends Forever Socks". And it happens to call for Koigu KPPM yarn. Well - if that wasn't a SIGN..... So, I went ahead and started them. It just so happens that the size needle called for are some that I had empty.














So, while one of these projects *is* on my list, so it is OK that I started it, the other was a totally new project. *sigh*. It has been added to the list.

I'm also working on the nature sock, and the Iris Garden sock. I didn't pick up the basket weave sock since it's last picture. But - On the nature sock, I've turned the heel. On the Iris sock, I've got a visible start on the foot chart. I'm seriously thinking, now that I have two sets of dpns freed up, to move the Iris Garden sock off the circular and knit it with the dpns. I don't like knitting on circs for socks. I can do it, I just don't like to do it. I've done two socks on two circs, I've done (and am doing) one sock on one circ. I have done two on one.... I don't like it. I prefer dpns for socks. So, I might just switch this one over.










And, that which has taken most of my crafting time.... The Afghan!! I'm beginning to feel a bit of "crunch time". I'm just about halfway on the graph.... Which means, I still have a lot to do for the main picture, as well as weaving in the ends and adding a border, not to mention, giving it a bath so I can be sure there is no added fibre (aka dog or cat hair) and since DH is a smoker, I want to get that out, too....

So, I'll be working more intensely on the afghan for some time.....

Sorry it appears a little blurred.... I think it is the colours... That, and changing the battery immediately after I took some of these pictures....I didn't take them in the same order as I posted about them ;)

So.... That's were I'm at craft wise. The cats haven't done much exciting lately, though DH mentioned that Ashleigh the clutz fell into the toilet this morning while chasing Mica around the house. The dogs aren't doing much exciting either..... Spud is really showing her age - she's 12 and a half now.... and she injured her hind leg/hip when she was a pup, so it is really giving her trouble now that the colder weather is set in. She has difficulting getting up, and walking up stairs.

The house is slowly getting tidied up and decluttered. I've organized all the hidden places, lol....Ok, so it means basically that it doesn't look like I've been cleaning the house, because it isn't the most visible areas. Closets, cupboards, etc. But, if the "storage" areas are a mess, then the other parts of the house are harder to clean and declutter, because there isn't anywhere to put things away to. So..... By clearing up the hidden stuff, I can hide more. :) LOL....

Ok, so it isn't that I'm "HIDING" it, really - but there is a lot of stuff lying around that doesn't need to be, except that I have no where to put it. So, it gets left lying around. And then there is the reality situation - why I'm saving some of the things, that I know I'd never replace if something happened, that I've never used in all these years, that I'm never likely to use..... Ok, for example: Last week I was going through some books, to pass some on to a friend who would be able to make better use of them immediately. I made basically three piles: Those that I want to pass on to grandkids, those to pass on to the friend, and those that I still want to look at myself before I part with them. Well, I'm sitting there the other day going through the books I have from the library, and I'm thinking, really I can live without looking at the books in the box - two of them are Shakespeare plays - I have a book with the "complete" works of Shakespeare that I used for a course I took - why do I need two books with one play each, when I already have those plays in another book???? So, they are going to get moved back out of that box again, to be passed on to whereever.... There are other similar books - really, I may never get around to reading them, and they are taking up space.

Well, today is laundry day, and hair cut day. And I'm thinking of making pasta for supper. And I have a migraine that started yesterday. So, it's going to be a challenging day.....

AWIP report

Ok, took some pictures this morning.... Oh, I know what today is, and my feelings about it haven't changed since last year, so check the archives if you wish.

Ok, so this week, I had a couple evenings where I didn't get as much done as I wanted to, because of having to attend a potluck dinner (not that it was much of a hardship - I *love* food :D) and I was more tired than normal this week, too.... Not to mention, the girls. For example, last night, I was putting in a double session on the afghan. I was almost finished my "goal" for the session, when Mica decided to curl up on my lap/arm. Ok, so sweet, purring..... can't put away the blanket and yarn without disrupting her to the point of her using her claws for balance and possible ruining the blanket, so..... pet her, of course. Then, Ashleigh showed up - stepped right on top of Mica, who didn't bat an eye - opened it, but didn't bat it. Finally, after washing Mica's head and ears for a while, as well as one of my hands, Ashleigh went to sleep. Now, have any of you gone to www.stuffonmycat.com? Well, if not, you should. Cute site. So, there I am, burried under blanket, cat, and cat, when what should happen? Yeah, of course I was dying to go to the bathroom - that goes without saying. BUT - the dogs had been outside, and wanted in. Thankfully, DH went to let them in. So what is the first thing that Bear does? Comes over to me, grabs a toy on the way, plants the toy on the chair and his head on Ashleigh. So, I had a dog on my cat on my cat on my lap. Oh, and I had been sitting with my leg under me, too..... Didn't get a chance to get DH to snap a picture though :( But by that time, I was laughing hard enough that I got a look from Mica, who pulled herself out from underneath the pile and stalked off. Which shuffled the rest enough that they left, too. I got to go to the bathroom in time, and then finished off my Pretty Petals Socks. :) I worked on the basket weave socks too, last night. But, earlier in the week, I worked on the Iris Garden socks, too. So, now that I've crossed off one more project, I can devote some decent sessions to the Nature socks again.

Pictures now....











So, there's the afghan, and the finished socks. I probably won't wear the socks today, but will tomorrow. Just because I'll be seeing my sister tomorrow, so then she can see the sockies :) Today I'll wear some red socks. Red is, after all, the colour of poppies....












So, on the Iris Garden sock - I've gotten the whole toe done, with the right number of stitches, and am on the foot part now. I am still twisting the yarns together pretty much each stitch, so I don't have long floats. Someone on the six sox list wondered if they would be stretchy enough that way to wear.... so.....

If the toe fits.........
WEAR IT!!!

Pics and Evidence....

Ok, which do you want first, the AWIP update, or the kitty story? :)

Mixed? Why not....

First, I didn't work on the nature socks. I am ready to turn the heel, but need to commit to working the whole thing uninterrupted. So.... it is sitting on the table waiting.... I did, however, finish the gussets on both Petal socks, and started down one foot.... (sorry, the pic is a little blurry)

Ok, now for some kitty story: Mica is a mouser. We know this, because way back when she was a kitten still, she caught and destroyed a mouse out at the cabin. We also know this, because of the time she spends in the basement, crashing around. And by the fact that she takes up position in or around the under-the-sink cupboard. What we needed to know was whether or not Ashleigh was a mouser. She had potential - she *is* a great hunter..... Whenever she came up from the basement, we would check to see whether the thing in her mouth had four legs, six legs, eight legs, or a hundred legs.... usually it was 6 or 100..... Sometimes no legs (aka ball, toy, fake flower, dog food, whatever else fell down the stairs and needed retrieving)

Next - picture of the Six-Sox current project reknit. :)

This picture shows (or at least it did on my computer) how much this yarn glitters....I'm really loving this stuff....) I'm kind of glad I ended up frogging and restarting this one.... I like this colour mix better than the first way I did it.

Now, this Friday night, DH and I were in the kitchen, and Mica was at her usual post in front of the open cupboard door (no point closing it, she just opens it herself). I was standing by the kitchen table, facing our back doorway. I saw a mouse run along the back wall. Told Mica she was in the wrong place, picked her up, and took her to the mouse. Well, I guess she didn't see it, because she rather annoyedly (is that a word?) ran back to the cupboard. The mouse ran behind some shoes and a box where I have my jars of oak, birch, poplar, mystery bush dyes. So, I moved stuff away from the wall, while DH brought Mica back. This time, she saw the mouse!! All I saw was a black blur, heard a squeeeaaaakkk, and saw Mica triumphantly carry a mouse off to the living room. Mica had actually launched herself out of "Daddy's" hands....which is quite a feat, if you consider he was holding her around the middle with her legs dangling down.....

Worked on some more repeats of the basket weave socks I'm going to give to DH. You can really see the texture developing in this picture now... I really do love those greys.... I can hardly wait until I'm able to buy more of this yarn.... I love this colour.... It's going to kill me to part with these socks.....LOL....

So, when Mica got into the living room with this mouse, Ashleigh appeared. Now, Ash and Mica get along wonderfully. They play fight - but you can tell they are playing. Wrestling like any two siblings would. Well, not when there is a mouse involved. Mica actually hissed at and slapped Ashleigh!! But, after a lot of being batter around, pawed at, carried in the mouth, and some several minutes later, the mouse finally changed owners, and Ashleigh killed it. Mica went back to the cupboard. Ashleigh still tossed the mouse around a while, playing with it. Since we lost Bone, though, we are trying to avoid allowing the kitties to eat mice. And, it isn't always a good thing to take them away too soon, since it might discourage the cat from bothering to catch any more, or worse, have them hide the fact they've caught something, and then we have no control on the eating part. Of course, they still might do that when we are out, or during the night, but we can try our best.....

And, this is how far I have gotten on the afghan:

Can you tell what it is yet? :) That is right!!! It is FEET!!!! LOL....

So, I took the mouse from Ashleigh, and I thought I'd shown her that I had it. I took it to the bathroom, and flushed it. I went back to the livingroom, to find Ashleigh frantically sniffing the floor, reaching her paw under the couch and the coffee table.... And then she started meowing at me!! Like she was asking, "Mommy - where did my mouse go? Did you see it? I can't find it anywhere...." Of ccourse, I kept telling her I was sorry, I thought she knew that I took it.... not that she understood a word I said!!

But, the good news is, that both Ashleigh and Mica are excellent mousers!!!

The Active WIPs

Ok. I'm a multicrafter, with a short attention span. And I probably define WIP's, WIM's and UFO's different than anyone else.

WIM to me is Work In Mind - this is a project that I'm designing in my head; have decided I want to make one day (such as a turtle neck sweater, but haven't found the "right" pattern yet); or have printed out or saved the pattern for but don't have/can't afford the materials just yet.

UFO to me is UnFinished Object - these are projects that I've relegated to the craft room and have ultimately been buried by other items relegated to the craft room. I work on a project for a while, then another comes along and entices me, so I start it, fully intending to alternate between projects, which I do, then another comes along that excites me, then something else grabs my attention.... Soon, I have a pile that I can't keep track of, and DH complains about the encroachment of the pile on our living space, so the pile moves to the craft room..... I gotta do something about some of those. I mean, some are actually close to being finished.....

Now we come to the WIPs. Works In Progress. For me, a project becomes a WIP as soon as I commit to it. Which means, it is a WIP if I have the pattern, material, and tools all gathered together ready to start it. And it goes into the pile. Either in a bag, or a basket, or sometimes, if it is compact enough, just on a coffee table or loose on top of the pile.

I have way too many of those - the list is over 70 items long..... And, truthfully, some of the items on the list are in the craftroom, but they are only just in the craft room, so they aren't buried into UFO status yet. Honest. I could get them if I wanted to.

So, I've decided to consider a new category. Active WIP. Or, AWIP. These are the projects such as the afghan, that has a definite deadline. Or the socks, that have a desired deadline. Or some of the _AL's, or knit or crochet alongs that have a sort of deadline. Or, that are close enough to bejing finished, that I have renewed excitement in them and want to complete them and cross them off the list!!

So, here are pictures of my progress on my current AWIP's, that I am actually working on for at least an hour an evening.











The beginnings of the afghan.... Two pictures because I figured I'd move the tails.... And straighten the piece... and one is a little blurry.... and....

Ok, enough of that.... here's the socks I'm working on right now. One was a KAL - Pretty Petals by Jeanie Townsend, from her group, Townsend Socks. Way back in the summer some time, a bunch of us joined a second spin-off list/group, to all knit this pattern together. I don't like using two circs, even though I know how to, so I used two sets of dpns. Of course, I kept getting side tracked by other projects - the doggy sweater, the paw mittens, and the usual distractions. So, I'm finally finished turning the heel, and ready now to pick up the gusset stitches (my least favourite part).

Ok, blogger is acting up again.... Wonder if anyone else is having trouble uploading pictures?

Well, I could pass the time by mentioning - there was another KAL on the Townsend group (well, several, but I'm just going to mention one of them for now) for the Maple Leaf Socks. Now, that one, I want to use a specific sock yarn to make. But, sadly, that yarn is in the craft room. It went in there quite some time ago - and I know I've seen it on occasion while digging, but..... I can't start the socks until I find the yarn. There is a story to go with it. To do with Yarnfairy. She gifted me two skiens of Socks That Rock yarn in the colourway "Farmhouse". I hadn't decided what to do with it, waiting for "just the right project" to come up. Well, it did, with the Maple Leaf socks. See, Laney wanted to be an "honourary Canadian" on one of the lists we were on together (Laughing Lace Knitters), which she of course became. And, since one of our Canadian emblems is the Maple Leaf, of course I figured that these things would go well togehter. The pattern and that yarn. And the KAL started around our July 1st Canada Day celebrations, which was also close to the time that I learned of Laney's final health issues..... So, I now cannot make those socks any other way. At least until I've made the one pair from the STR, anyway.... But I haven't been able to locate the yarn. I gotta get that room organized.

Ok, so, let's see if I can load the pic of the Petals....

Ok, done, and in place. Next, we have a sock that came from yarn from a "grab bag". Ram Wools came up with these sock grab bags - a paper bag with a ball of sock yarn, and a pattern, that you couldn't see of course, but would come in some sort of seasonal theme colour. I think this was supposed to be a summer colour, but I'm not sure.... Anyway, I liked it very much. But, figured I'd better do the socks for DH instead, since I had/have so many on the go for me. And it is in a nice masculine type colour. Quite a serene comforting colour, too.... Anyway, for some reason, this yarn just didn't want to be knit into the pattern it came with. I think that one attempt I got nearly twenty rows in before I had to frog. Five attempts, and I finally put it aside until it told me that a very simple, basic, basketweave would work. Which it is....



Ok.... Next up, is what I'm calling "Nature Socks". Just a simple rib, k2p1. I'm ready to start making the heel on this one - going to do a short row heel. It might seem a little short in the picture, but it really isn't that short, and besides, I need to make sure I get two socks from this one ball of yarn....

Recognize it? I'll give you a hint...think oak leaves and mystery bushes

Ok, so quality of photos and colour and lighting isn't the greatest.... But, if I keep waiting for ideal conditions, you guys will never see any pictures!!

Finally, I did restart those Six Sox Knitalong Iris Garden socks. And got far enough that it doesn't look like a bird's nest of yarn with knitting needles stuck in the middle. It has some shape. I did a close up pic, too. Just for fun.....

So. Those are the projects I'm working on. I really need to press on with the afghan, and I use the socks when my patience for the multiple yarns on the 'ghan wears thin. But, I'm really going to have to start doing two sessions on the 'ghan. I average five hours craft time an evening....and I have five projects on the go.... so, one of them will have to get rotated out each evening....y'know, like, maybe tonight I won't work on the nature socks, and tomorrow I will, but maybe leave the basket weave ones alone... that kind of thing. Of course, I really want to put off the petal socks, since it's at a stage I dislike.... Or, maybe I'll force myself to get that done, then it will be smooth sailing afterwards...

Will take pics and let you know :)

Cat Holiday Over Again

Well, another year, another Cat Holiday over and done with. And another year that I couldn't locate all the decorations. Found two strings of garland, and one string of lights. Of course, there are all the cat decor items that stay up/out year 'round, that I could just move into the porch... :)

Weren't many kids this year - we usually average 150. Don't think we made it much above 50. Probably the snow and extra cold weather. That, or there aren't a lot of kids in the neighbourhood right now.... they do run in cycles - young families, then they grow up, then they move on finally, and new families move in - a cycle of kids, no kids, tiny kids, big kids....

Lots of witch costumes. I'd heard stuff about the "top XX costumes" this year, and expected to see pirates. Didn't see any. One Zorro, but no pirates. Of course, if a certain pirate ever showed up at my door, he wouldn't be turned away.....

About half way through, DH sent Ashleigh into the porch with me. Now, Mica likes to get outside any chance she has - and being such a nice black cat, this can pose problems during those middle of the night dog puddle trips.... Which is also why our cats wear collars, too.... Anyway, Ash doesn't try to escape so much. She will go to the open door, and look out, but doesn't seem interested in leaving. So - it wasn't too bad having her for company. Anyway, I got tons of compliments on my "pumpkat" (or is it a "Cat-O-Lantern?) and even more when Ash was sitting in the window, or peeking her head around the corner for an ear scritch. One youngster commented - You're a WITCH!!! I replied, Yes, I Am. Then he said, "And lookie there, you have the right cat for it, too!" (I wear a witch hat, and usually try to dress up a bit more the part while shelling out - but I have yet to find a decent cauldron, and I don't have a cape and have "retired" the long black coat I used to wear, and somehow I forgot to take my broom into the porch with me last night :( But - I still like to try!)

So.... That was my Hallowe'en.

Knitting: I took some pictures of the start of the sock I'm doing in the Six Sox Knitalong group. (got a button on the side over there if you want more info -----> ) Now, the problem - I had missed a stitch, so I had to frog whatever I'd gotten done. But I was smart. I took a picture before frogging. :)

So, this is what happens when *I* knit a sock or mitten (remember the paw print mitt? I didn't take a pic of the inside) and have to do stranded colours. See, I don't have a problem with floats across the back side or inside or wrong side whateveryouwanttocallit side that are up to four stitches long (three is my usual top, but four if needed). However, I can't help but think that in a mitten or sock, there are too many risks - fingers, toes, fingernails, toenails, rings, coins (c'mon, don't you remember putting loose change inside your mitten?) etc. - of things to snag. So, I wrapped the yarn every stitch. Yes, this meant taking the time to untwist the balls of yarn, but it really doesn't take long, and besides, working in the round you gotta stop to untwist the yarn anyway.



I also did these using magic loop, and when I started the reknit, I reversed the colours. I haven't gotten far enough to warrent a picture yet, but hopefully, I will soon.

Priority now is a crocheted afghan that must be done by Dec. 1. Next - get some of these socks finished to free up needles instead of buying more!!!! And third - take a bunch of progress pictures of my current active WIP's. :)

Well, it took me the better part of the morning.... Blogger kept timing out, or opting out, or something, while I was trying to load the pictures. Error messages about site not being found....

But, I did it :)

Now, remember - these socks in the pictures above no longer exist. I've reversed the colours, even - so, the background is the green variegated, and the little design features are in brown now.