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a cat’s work is never complete

13 May 2008

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I got new “inner” curtains hung up yesterday - it’s about the time of the year when you want windows open, but also want privacy against all those people who come and hang out in the grassy area in front of the windows. Not as gauche as miniblinds, not as covering as full curtains, and admits air! And also allows catchenal units to be happy.

Matisse thinks he is satisfied with the arrangement.

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kitty kitty joy joy

8 May 2008

Because my life is incredibly busy, I spend a fair amount of time on the chair, working on Alice or knitting or both.

I am visited very often by the boys. Here’s Picasso, helping me read blogs.

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I am not fat. I am cute. And also I like to hug her arm. A lot.

And here’s Matisse, attempting KSL.

mama I poke your nose

This is KSL for “mama, I poke your nose”.

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finished but for the finishing

7 May 2008

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There’s a reason why they call it binding off and not finishing off.

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Six balls of Regia Silk 6 ply mostly all used up, with 15 repeats of the flower baskets. Pretty pretty!

What do you mean, I have to get the ends woven in and the shawl itself soaked and pinned and blocked?

Oh well. It’ll be worth it. On to the next lace piece! I never learn.

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where is the catstaff?

6 May 2008

is 4pm now plz?

Iz 4pm. Feed me now.

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memento

28 April 2008

What’d you do this weekend? Among other things, I did this:

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That’s the famous gramma and me, of course! The photo session was first thing in the morning Saturday - needless to say it was a heavy on the caffeine day.

I’m gearing up for another dyeing run this week, after having shipped out yet another box to the Loopy Ewe on Saturday, plus a pile of boxes. Next mailing date, this Saturday! Exciting.

What am I knitting? Today, the edging chart on the flower basket shawl! Imagine that, finishing things….

So what’s going on with you?

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329

23 April 2008

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Fully blocked! And while it’s lacking the final crochet around treatment to just neaten up the edges, I love it. Love love love love love love it. It only took 329 pins to block out what turned out to be 7 feet long and 20 inches wide.

And of course, the catchen, who hate water, by choice sat on the sopping wet stole for two days. WHY? WHY?

Full FO shots… later. 18 feet of crochet, twice, first. So, you know. That’ll take a while.

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the process of resurrection

22 April 2008

There are some things that you just set aside, for a day, a week, a month at a time. Or longer. Maybe it needed a timeout. Or you found new shiny things to play with. Or you felt frustrated with it. Or it clashed with your knitting needs at the time. Or maybe, like me, you were learning how to crochet at the time, and couldn’t find the rhythm to keep going. The two clashed, and thus it was put away.

And so it was with my second flower basket shawl. Until this weekend, that is.

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I’ve looked and I’ve got 11 repeats of the lower lace chart so far, and I’m still going - I’m “only” on ball five of the six balls of Regia silk 6 ply,
so I figure I’ll keep going for now. What I want is a large practical shawl that’s simple but lovely, and eventually I’ll get there.

I’d like for the ripping back and tinking to not happen so often, though. It would be more practical I suppose to only knit it when I’m not watching TV, but…. heh. Too easy. And no, no lifelines. Tried it, don’t want it. It works fine without one.

Someday is good enough. It’s a lovely pattern and a good sturdy yarn. And that’s good enough for me.

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what I did this weekend

21 April 2008

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Ate fruit with actual flavor. That’s thick vanilla yogurt atop, in case you were wondering.

no one feeds me

Got stared at by the Matisse.

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Got poked many many many many times by the Picasso. Be not fooled by his death-defying cuteness. I know better. You should too.

What did you do this weekend?

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just in time for…. spring?

18 April 2008

rebecca and the stole

The stole that I thought I would finish in February? I finished it this week. Not because I was lazy, or because I abandoned it, although both are true. But because when I reached the prescribed 60″ and 49,280 stitches, I had this crazy notion that you know, I had a lot lot lot of yarn left, so why not knit some more? Especially since 60 inches seemed so small when I wrapped it around me.

I must have been delusional, or something.

The thing already had nearly 4 wavy scarves worth in it…. And apparently? That wasn’t good enough for me.

It’s now a good solid 72 inches long give or take and 14 inches wide and 59,136 stitches big.

I wonder how huge it’s going to end up being when I block it…. that should be interesting. And then I’ll crochet around the edges, just to neaten it all up. I’d originally thought I’d use the yarn itself for the edging, but now I’m not sure I’d have enough, I do have some left, but not even a baseball’s worth of either yarn. I have a coordinating Sundara sock yarn though, so maybe that one. And maybe a strand of white mohair/silk yarn, to coordinate. Or not. Opinions? You can see a better closeup of it on my project page.

All in all though, I know this for sure: I LOVE IT. I do. And I don’t regret my delusional decision to enbiggen it. At all.

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the good works of others

17 April 2008

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Did you see this? Dude. I can’t believe what she came up with! And that was with my yarn. Can you believe that? It looks like a whole another colorway entirely doesn’t it? Too cool.

I need to make my own pair… right now. Well, maybe not right this minute. Too much to knit, not enough time. You know how it is.

But I’m saying this only because Tiphanie threatened me with harm otherwise: I have kits available! There, Tiphanie? Happy now?

PS: Why is it that spring is much longed for, and then the minute that it gets warmer, my head explodes and it becomes seriously puffy sinus and headaches and facial muscle cramping season? That’s cruel. It’s all pretty outside and I wouldn’t know it, I’m too busy trying to remain conscious. I would be grateful I’m not deathly ill with sinus infections or you know, infected metal, I really would be, except I have so much to do and I’ve been glued to my chair for three days in a foggy haze of feelinglikeassitis. Really, people. I’ve had enough of it. It’s Thursday, right? Except that in my world, I’m still trying to catch up from last week Tuesday.