Crafts are my passion, Cats are my obsession

My crafting adventures, my cats, my dogs, my opinons - I never did keep a diary as a child, but I'm doing it now!

Monday, April 28, 2008

Why it takes me forever

to do things like laundry. I mean, there are only two of us. We don't really generate a lot of laundry. Yet, it is an all day job. As in, I get up at 5:30 am. I usually have the first load well on its way to being washed by 6:30 am. The process of washing takes about forty minutes per load. Wash, rinse, spin, safety lock that keeps one from opening the machine for several minutes after spin stops (boy if I could figure out how to bypass that one....) etc. Even when I was using the laundramat, which didn't even open that early, I was washing then... Anyway - into the dryer...second load in - - - then sorting folding puttingaway.... Should be done by - oh, what, 9? 9:30 at the latest? Easily. I've even managed to do it once or twice. But, the "norm" around here, is that late into the afternoon, I'm still working on the laundry.

Why? Am I that lazy? Do I procrastinate that much? Do I really hate doing the laundry that much? (well, yeah, it ranks among my lesser favourites of the household routines, but not so that I'd put it off and prolong the agony). No, the real problem lies in my two lovely helpers.







I don't have pictures of all their help. Sometimes, they need to inspect the washing machine inside and out before I load clothes. Then, the dryer needs a thorough checking, just in case there are mice inside, I'm guessing.... Of course, piles of clothes in laundry baskets make great napping spots. Folded or unfolded, doesn't much matter - though folded can quickly become unfolded....
Of course, there is also the putting away in drawers. Mica is most annoying when I'm trying to put things away - or when I'm getting dressed. For some reason, she has always been fascinated with the drawers and what is under/behind/in them. I've purposely "trapped" her in drawers, thinking this would be enough to scare her away from trying it again... NOPE. She particular loved that... Seems that she is capable of winding in and out of any drawer, open or closed. The one I'd "trapped" her in - she wasn't in it for long. I had to open each drawer in turn, trying to find her. I was surprised to find her content to start a nap in one of the shallowest ones. How she got in, or managed to stay comfy in it while I was opening and closing - I'll never know.

All I know is, that I have to time the chores very carefully - when she is napping elsewhere, or I have to work quickly (resulting in folded clothes sometimes unfolding and being shoved into a drawer which then gets slammed shut fast) or I have to try to keep the bedroom door closed (hah - that won't stop Mica the wonder cat who can open doors!). Then, of course, there is Ashleigh - who isn't quite the pest that Mica is, though Ash loves closets .... linen closets, clothes closets, cupboards....
*sigh*.
They also like to help me knit....However, I have managed, despite there efforts, to nearly finish the Patagonia Jacket (from Mission Falls Decade).
Sorry about the shadow across the one sleeve.... I sewed in the sleeve shoulder seam... set in sleeves. I wove in all the ends on the jacket, so it would be ready for side seaming. Then, I figured I could work on the ends on the last sleeve after it was set in, so that I wouldn't have to get bored or frustrated at all the endweaving at once....

Discovered.... I haven't yet woven *any* ends on the second sleeve... :(

I need to at least do some of them, so they don't interfere with my seaming.... :(

Oh, well....

So - those bright (well, ok, pastel) coloured things on the sides of the sleeves? Those are clips- I think for hair, though I don't know how to make them work for hair - sort of like spring clothespins, with teeth. I use them to hold together the parts of knitting (or crocheting, if needed) so I can sew them together. Less painful than pins :) And easy to obtain. From dollar stores....

Even though I haven't finished this one, and even though I was planning to make another sweater from Decade as my next start (Yes, I know, Casablanca is the next start, really - but I have multiple projects all the time...need different things for different mood swings, different things that can be worked on despite the helpers, some things have to be kept fur-free, others don't matter so much), I started the Aran Sweater from Debbie Bliss Coastlines book. I mean, I need some lighter cotton sweaters for the summer, right? I mean, at home, if it is cooler, I just wear one of my kitty sweatshirts. Doesn't matter if it is one of the older around the house ones, or one that is a colour that isn't so flattering to me... But now that I work, and need to dress a little more carefully....

Anyway - here's how far I am. This is NOT a mindless TV watching project, nor is it particularly portable...So it will be slow moving.
I've also progressed on the kitty scarf:


So... That is about where I'm at. Need to do some pen-and-paper stuff for Casablanca, as well as a bit of math for the afghan. I also started the socks, but didn't take a picture of them yet. They will be the mindless project for a bit, though they should be kept fur minimum. I don't really have any mindless catable projects.... weaving in ends and seaming can't be done with a cat in the lap - I tried it. Didn't work. Too many flippy yarn tails.... too many claws... too many tender legs.....

Hm. Guess I should start another sweater..... Oh!!! And I need to figure out a pattern to use for a new curtain for my door!!! I know I once shared a picture of the crocheted window cover I did for my front door. I am going to knit a new one, though. I guess, if I can't decide, I could crochet another one.... but I bought new yarn. Why? Well, the current/old one is blue, and our new drapes for our living room are brown.... the new yarn is brown....

Ok, well...enough rambling for now. Need to get on with my day - have some more email/puter stuff to finish off, then get on with shopping day!!!!

Saturday, April 26, 2008

New Pet :)

Just a quick note - Bunny Hero Labs finally came up with a new pet :) Of course, I had to get one :)

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Hello

Just sayin' hello....

I'm almost finished the sleeves on my Patagonia Jacket. The one from the Mission Falls book, Decade. The one that has kitties on it, so I'm safe with it.

Then, I'll be designing a new shawl, for a knitalong. Mystery style...though the theme/title of the shawl is Casablanca, and it is no mystery that the movie will influence the pattern, but that influence is a mystery for now, as is the entire pattern. It will be given out as parts, "clues" if you will... Go on over to Yahoo Groups and search for Casablanca if you are interested in joining up :)

That also doesn't exactly break the pattern diet. In a way, it does, but in a way, it doesn't. One of the things I wanted to accomplish was getting the ideas out of my head and onto needles/hooks/paper. Mind you, this one only appeared in my head this year, so it kind of breaks the pattern diet.

So did my buying a Debbie Bliss book.... When we got the book "Coastlines" in at the store, I looked at it (to familiarize myself so I can let customers know about it!) and immediately fell in love with several tops. I managed, though, to avoid succombing and buying it. I finally managed to convince myself I didn't need it. Until we had an "open house" at the store. Several sample garments arrived at the store for display - some done by our contract knitters, some provided by yarn companies/distributors. Several were from Coastlines. Do I really have to finish this story?

Monday, I came home from work with the book, and the yarn to make four tops from the book. I didn't buy the yarn for the fifth one yet. I'm not exactly sure I want to make it - I love it. I'm just not sure that my old body is the right type for the style of top....

Pictures will be provided as they become available... Let me finish my committments first. No, I didn't say I need to be committed, I said my committments....

1. Pair of socks commissioned by friend - should do them by end May.
2. get pattern written up for other pair of socks, that were made ages ago.
3. afghan for dgd3's bd in July
4. Casablanca prototype knit etc.
5. Finish kitty sweater
6. Finish growing UFO pile
7. Knit way through Kitty Knits book
8. Stop starting new things!!!!! Go back on pattern diet.....

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Insanity....

Doesn't run in our family. I think that I have it all....

Seriously, though ---

First, I forgot!! I was going to take pictures of the sweater I'm working on. The purple one. I'm well on the way to being done the fronts - knitting them both at the same time. I've only had a couple tinking issues - so busy chanting in my head to remember the increase or decrease shaping at the edges, that I sometimes had done too many of them (only needed on the sides, did them in the center...*DOH*) Anyway - I would run do it now, except that today is hair day, laundry day, and I am limited to my time; also today was a day when the 'puter did some automatic update thingies that result in a stoopid message that I need to restart the computer for the updates to take effect "do you want to restart now or later?" thing - I really do NOT want to interrupt what I"m working on to restart the thing now... so, I don't want to be away from it too long, 'cause if I don't hit the later button, it will shut down on me...

So - you'll just have to wait for pics. I'm almost done the fronts - then I will do the sleeves two together, then it will be the finishing stuff. Picking up the collar and button band, sewing seams, etc.

Then, I'm anxious to start another sweater... as well as get some other KAL's caught up, as well as I have been commissioned to knit a pair of socks (hope to be done them by endish of May - should be able to, since it is just a "plain vanilla" pattern), I must crochet a blanket for the littlest grandkid for her July b-d. Then there is the pattern for the socks that I have to write up (and knit the second sock!), as well as I have another sock pattern rattling around in my head that needs to be prototyped up.

Amonst all of that, I still haven't finished putting the house together since doing the livingroom floor (and bought some new appliances, some new kitchen furnishings) not to mention, working part time, and now that it is spring, there are outside things to do, and it will soon be time to start going to the cabin again (going to be hard to do that, it was always Spud's favourite thing to do - "go camping"...)

So, anyway... In the midst of all those things vying for my time, what do I go and do?

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/casablancakal/

I mean, really, not that I can stop the creative processes from happening inside my brain.

And, one thing led to another... I have now got in my head plans for Maltese Falcon, and the beginnings of African Queen. I've also searched out other Bogart movies, and discovered there are a few that have potential....

Oh, if only I had a few extra hands, and unlimited free time... I could easily do Maltese Falcon concurrently with Casablanca, since I've pretty much formed a picture of it in my head already.... Casablanca needs a bit more work to be ready for needles (which is fine, since I need to wait on delivery of yarn for it) but if I had yarn, Falcon would be ready to prototype...

*sigh*....

I guess I just publically announced a series of patterns, didn't I?

Like I said at the start...Insanity doesn't run in the family, it just walks around with me....

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

What I've been up to....

Pictures. Of what I've accomplished of late....










Ok, I know - I started a new mystery lace project (Ok, I've started a few) even though I haven't finished the others...

Mystic Light. Doing it in amber Somoko by Fleece Artist, also carrying along a rainbow glitter yarn, called "Star" from Tahki. Using 5.5 mm needles...

I think it is turning out pretty.

Also working my way through the Kitty Knits book. Did this tote bag:
And am now working on this lace scarf:
Pattern diet, you ask? Well, it is going downhill fast, thank you very much. LOL. I have reached a stage at work, where I am pretty comfortable with knowing where things are, what things are, etc. So, I've been focussing my "learning" on the pattern books and leaflets and such that we carry. So that when a customer comes in and asks if we have patterns for "such-and-such", I can point them in the right direction myself, instead of having to pass them on to one of my co-workers. Of course, this means flipping through various books and leaflets. Discovering little gems here and there. Since cat patterns were not on my list of patterns to avoid.... I have a sock booklet, a sweater booklet, a couple magazines....

I did, though, discover that my tastes run to enjoying several patterns put out by Nashua. So, I've been making a "wish list" of books from them...

Also, I did another sample knit for the store. The pattern book it came out of was called, "Decade", by Mission Falls. I flipped through that one, and found two kitty patterns... Besides, I like the way the patterns are written, and I am discovering that I like the way the yarn works up. It holds up very well to multiple frogging (don't ask) as well as having a nice hand. Soft - superwash wool. Mission Falls also makes a cotton yarn - which I'm finding nice to crochet with... More details in the future on that one....

In the meantime - here's the first of the kitty sweaters from Mission Falls Decade: (in progress, of course)








The back is done, but on a stitch holder for later shoulder joining and neck band knitting. The front left and right sides are being worked together.
And yes - that *is* a Denise needle set I'm using for my knitting. I am still fond of my Boye needles, but have been giving the Denise set a fair trial. I now own two of them, which probably means that I've got too many projects started, or that I really like them despite myself... Yes, they are plastic. Yes, the cable is a bit "sticky" - some of the stitches don't slide very well along the cable. Yes, that can be a good thing with some projects. Yes, the points are rather nice. They still don't come in the smallest sizes, which I am dissappointed about. Yes, in general, I like the Denise set. You can use the needle without the cables attached for i-cord making - I did that with the tote bag handles... I'm guessing that in a pinch, you could use a single needle as a cable needle, too...
I do also still like bamboo needles, though. They are quickly replacing Boyes as my faves for sock knitting, I must confess. I have one lace shawl on a bamboo circ - couldn't quite get it out for picture taking today - that is long overdue. I started out with Dem-Fischer-Sin-Frau (hope I spelled that right) and was keeping on track to get clue one done on time - then something came up, it went on the back burner, and is in danger of UFO status... dang.
Speaking of past Shawl KAL's - I have decided to frog SOTS. AKA, Guinevere or Secret of the Stole (i). I was doing fine with it, but slowed in my progress, and when the rest of the group got up to the crossed swords part - well, I started to lose interest. I was going to finish it anyway - with my own variation of no sword, and repeat the beginning instead. But, truth is, I just don't really like it that much. So, I'm going to rip it all out, and re-use the yarn for SOTS(ii). Now finished, and called Savannah. I like that one much better :)
Well, guess that's all I have to say for now. I did update my photo album, and I'll be heading over to Ravelry shortly to update my progress pictures there. Then I have a lot to do today, so I best get busy!!!

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