Gonna make it, gonna make it

I'm on the last repeat of those blasted gloves - maybe I'll finish them before the week is over.  I just want this albatross off my neck!

I cobbled together a pair of crocheted fingerless gloves for my brother, but the yarn is a bit too scratchy.  I may use them myself, or as an over-pair.  I haven't decided.  I worked out the pattern for yet another pair, but now I have to knit them!  I've been having trouble getting the correct needle size for the yarn I'm working with, but I will persevere.

I started the KSH gloves for my mom, and almost immediately pushed them into a bag and stuffed it deep into the ottoman.  KSH is glorious when knit up, but a bear to actually knit.  I'll have to wait a bit for a less stressful time to work on them.

Once a month

Set the bar low, and maybe I'll trip over it!

I'm still working on the gloves for dneph...for some reason, I have not had the time I'd like to work on them. I have so many other things I want to do, but these are my current albatross.

I wanted to make a little sweater for my niece, but that too is not happening :)

I have my present list, and I need to get started on it.  I think I need a day of organizing projects, with yarn and needles, and then just busting through them.  

I saw the new posters for The Hobbit today, and several of the dwarves have knitted fingerless gloves!  Even Gandalf looks to have a stockinette pair.  The others seem to be in seed stitch, and one looks like it's actually crocheted, or possibly sideways garter stitch.  If I could get my yarn together, I think I could recreate them.  One pair looks like my pair of "this and that" mitts, so I should probably write that up asap.

That's pretty much my life right now.  I work, come home, wash dishes, go to sleep, go back to work.  I'm really only getting knitting done on the bus, which is just an hour a day.  Ack!

Lady Grey is doing well.  She's 13 months old now, and getting so big!  She's also growing her winter coat, so I have to be vigilant about matts.  She has two that I haven't been able to cut out because they're right under her front legs and I just can't get to them.  I still take her out for her walks, and she's progressed to walking in the front yard now too.  She loves chasing rabbits and squirrels (though I don't let her catch them), but she also just likes to sit outside, with her tail wrapped around her legs, and look at everything.  She's such a wonderful kitty.

I have become a cat lady

The cat that we've been waiting for for so many months is finally here!  We haven't figured out her name yet - trying to see what fits the best.

She's a Siberian, so I'm much less allergic to her than to other cats.  DP and I just love her...she might end up being the true lady of the manor.  She really seems to enjoy wool socks - that is, she enjoys attacking them :)

I'm a bit stuck on what to knit right now.  I'm swatching for a lace cardigan, even though I didn't finish the other cardigan on the needles.  I also really want to make myself some mittens, because the weather, while warm now, means that mittens are going to be necessary.  Gloves just don't cut it for really keeping your hands warm.  I also have some yarn coming from the loopy ewe for the first quarter challenge of knitting with silk.  I'm trying two yarns new to me - Enchanted Knoll Enchantments, and some Shibui silk blend in a fingering weight.  I'm thinking of making some more fingerless gloves, either for DP, or for the gift pile.  I say it every year, but having a pile of ready made gifts is a lifesaver.

So, hopefully I'll be able to get some stuff done even with a kitten who wants to play with everything in sight!

Delicious leftovers

We made pot pies with leftovers again - 3 pies, and I still have filling for one more!  My brothers and DP really enjoyed them, and I froze one for my sister.

It's actually somewhat warm today (34), so I'm only wearing one layer of clothes.  You have a lot more flexibility when you're not bulked up.

The presents went over well; everyone seemed happy, and my brother wore his cowl from the moment he got it until he went to be on Tuesday night. 

If I can ever pry the camera from DP's clutches, I'll put some pics up.  If I look at my project page on Ravelry, there are hardly any pictures for the last few months.  The downside of having a husband interested in photography :)  Of course, the upside is that we have beautiful pictures around the house!

World enough and time

Two weeks since my last post?  Time flies.

I finished the cowl for my brother and need to block it.  I like it, even though it is a bit tall.

I have one more glove to do for my other brother.

I ordered an apron for my other other brother, since I wouldn't have been able to finish the embroidery in time.

Now to print and frame some pictures, and hope for the best.

I also am drinking caffeinated coffee today.  I haven't had any non-decaf in months, and the effects are crazy.  Shaking hands, sweating profusely, cold appendages...I know caffeinated coffee still has caffeine, but obviously it has less!  Outrageous.

I have to do some laundry now, and try to felt those mittens again.  Eek!

Sotto voce

Or notta voce?  I basically can't talk because of my chest cold.  Saves me the bother of answering the phone!

The mini cupcake bath bombs seem to have turned out, but I'll have to test one of them to be sure.  The mini lotion bars are great.  I'm wondering if I should do a bath tea bag, and just call it spa in a bag for Christmas...

I made a few more lip balms because I'm on my last one, and with the dryness I really need it.  At least testing all these unguents is moisturizing my hands.

I started the owl cowl for my brother, so we'll see how that goes.  It may end up being too big, but he is very tall.  Positive thoughts!  The tosh vintage is great stuff to work with - I'd love to get more.

I made bread yesterday, but the crust came out too thick.  I think that's due to a too-cold second rise, or maybe not enough moisture in the oven.  It tasted okay, but it was too crusty.  It would have made great bruschetta or toasts with cheese.  Hmmm...that sounds delish...maybe some cheese toasts are in my future!

I have an idea for DP for Christmas - since we're not giving each other real presents, I can be creative.  I have a little photo album, and I think I'm going to try to concoct a mini wedding album.  Our pictures didn't really turn out, but I think there are enough good ones to make something.  I also have pics from our honeymoon, which will be nice.  When he goes off to his meeting tonight, I think I'll tackle it.

I've been trying to work on being more thoughtful toward him and put more effort into things.  I want to make sure he knows he's loved!

Warped and ready

We warped the loom last night - as I was having DP hold the warp ends, he said ,"Oh wait, I remember this!"  It's been a long time since I've had him help me with a warp :)  I started weaving with some sock yarn, but I might have to switch it up...it feels a bit too feeble.

I also bought this little number to make a cowl or mittens with for my brother.  The item will depend on how much time I have, and if I have a skein of white worsted lying around somewhere.  I'm thinking of fingerless gloves for my other brother, and I have no idea what to do for my brother in Texas.  What do you get a mathematics professor in a land of hot weather?

I wanted to make socks for DP, but that takes a month at least, and I just don't have the time to finish.  With being sick, I'm not on my A-game, and I haven't been actively crafting much.  Our electric snowblower is our corporate gift this year.  DP's wrist and ankle injuries and my back mean that we're no longer able to shovel with impunity.  Sigh.

Maybe I'll start those socks so I can show him I'm giving it the old college try...

I also need to sew up a few stockings for my sister and niece to decorate for the twins.  DP's handwriting is so beautiful that I have him write the names in pencil and embroider over them.  My handwriting shows I should have been a doctor :)

Last day

I can't believe it's the last day of November!  It went by really fast.

With house guests, illness and babysitting, I didn't get as much done as I would have liked, and the beginning of December means the beginning of holiday crafting.  As I said, I'd like to weave a few scarves - I have a lot of yarn that would work, and weaving would give it a good home.  I've also worked up a slipper pattern that's quick (I finished a pair in two days) and simple (a toe up sock with the instep bound off), so I could always make up a few pairs of those for gift giving.

Unfortunately, I am still sick, and I seem to be getting worse.  A day or two of rest should mend things, but I'm not sure when I'll get that :)

I'd love to be at home with some hot cocoa or tea and a warm blanket...

What do I have?

Some kind of something - super sore throat every morning.  Who knows!

My mil loved the owl cowl, so I feel good about that.  She also gave me the warping pegs and other heddle block for the loom, so now I have two sets of heddle blocks and the ability to wind a warp without running it around chairs :)  I really want to try a few scarves, really I do!

I also am almost done with a pair of slippers I made using Noro Silk Garden that I've had in stash forever.  Scratchy on the hands, but okay on the feet, and I hope the mohair will make it wear well.

Back to football!

Tale of two yarns

I have some Tosh Vintage that I'm trying to figure out what to do with - a cowl for my brother?

I also have another miscellaneous worsted that's a little thicker than the Tosh, but it's a bit scratchier, so I'm not sure I could make a cowl or scarf out of it.

Finished!

I finished the cowl!  My seaming is a little crummy, but it's done, and that's the chief thing.

Almost there!

I'm at 23 inches into the cowl!  I need to finish it by Friday, so I think this is good progress.  I picked out the buttons for eyes, and DP weighed in on his favorites, but I'm putting off sewing them on until I finish the knitting.  It will give me something to look forward to :)

Inching along

I'm 14 inches into the cowl, which needs to be about 25 to 27 inches.  I take frequent breaks because seed is so boring for me.

As a reward, I might make something fun next...maybe a pair of slippers, or another pair of socks, or one of those cowls from the Knitspot club.  I have some Tosh Vintage that I want to use, so maybe if I make the smallest version in a bigger yarn it will be okay. 

The first pattern is buttoned, but I may try to engineer it to be seamed.  I'm always afraid of buttons by my hair.

I also would like to get my cowl pattern up, but I don't know where I put the picture of the cowl that I took!  I've been using it every day at the bus stop, and it actually works.  Unfortunately, I'm allergic to the yarn, but right now I don't have anything else to go in its place.  I love the color, so maybe that's why I'm still wearing it :)

My mom is coming over today to stay with us through Friday - it will be easier than trying to transport a bunch of food to our house on Wednesday.  However, this means that the whole week will be a houseguest week, and next week we'll have DP's family over, so that will be another houseguest week as well.  Eek!

Fun fact

Knitting with 4 strands of splitty dk is somewhat problematic on Denise needles :)

It didn't work

I decided to spin thin and triple ply, but the yarn is really only a heavy worsted, or maybe a bulky. Certainly not super bulky.

Soooo...I'm going to try to knit with 4 strands held together and see what happens. It means I'll be making this cowl in beige instead of cappuccino, but beggars can't be choosers!

Spinning

The eternal question - is it better to spin a thinner singles and triple ply for thickness, or to try to spin a bulky weight that ends up thick and thin?

And another thing

DP called me to tell me that his mom needs me to knit a cowl for her to give to someone :) The only problem is that it calls for super bulky and I don't have anything that big. Sooo...I need to spin the yarn,wash and dry it, then knit it into a seed stitch cowl. Eep!

Holiday knitting

Christmas is coming quickly, and while I can't stand the fact that stores have Christmas stuff out already, it does remind me to get stuff made up sooner rather than later. It's too bad that scarves take so much time, because I know several people who'd love them this year.

I may end up crocheting a few things too, since I crochet much faster than I knit. I also need to spin up those yarns I keep talking about, and warp the loom.

Hooray for cold weather!