Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Pluie Soap Holder

This was a Berocco freebie. Was a quick knit and will be a b-day gift for a co-worker. I plan to make a few more for a few more co-workers. It's good to use up an extra skein or two in the stash.

I went to CT Sheep and Wool on Saturday. For the first time, I brought along my mother. Both of my parents have been going to Rhinebeck with me. They like the cooking demonstrations there. In CT, my mother and I spent a little over an hour there and then went to a yarn shop on the way home. At the fair, I bought a skein of Ball and Skein lace yarn and a Knitspot pattern. I also bought 4 bars of soap, a skein of Foxhill Farm and a fair t-shirt. I thought I bought another skein but that may have been at the yarn shop.

I have been working on my languishing projects. My plan is to have a few projects only going and one in each category. My categorys so far are Adult Sweater, Lace (triangular or rectangular shawls), baby/child (sweaters or blankets) and small item (mostly work projects which can include hats, mittens, scarfs, etc.). I am hoping that may be it but I may add one more category but I am not sure what it will be, gift is one option to try to fit in extra gifts. I'm hoping this will let me work in one of the many sweaters in my queue for me.

Right now, I have on the needles a baby sweater (the one out of the acrylic for the co-worker), a Fiddlesticks aran weight shawl, a lace shawl (work project till it gets too large), a lace scarf (future work project), another shawl/wrap (from a November class I took) and some catnip mice that are done but I need to find them and stuff them. Once as the baby sweater is done, I am mailing it off with another one I finished and then I am taking a break till at least the end of July.

It feels good to be finishing up the old projects, some were never entered on Ravelry and it is good to have them done or getting closer to being done.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Tucson Wrap

This is Tucson from Manos Wool Clasica 9 book The yarn is Malabrigo Worsted in Apple Green. It took 2 skeins (I don't think there was more than a yard or so left). I had 3 and was happy not to have to even touch the 3rd. It is knit like a smaller narrow shawl and then there is the button added. It was a fun knit for Malabrigo March.

I also finished another Calorimetry but probably won't post that. I now have 2 of them done for Xmas gifts for next year. I am happy to have some knitting done ahead.
I am now making a quick soap holder for my boss's birthday in early May. A quick use of a skein of stash yarn. I plan about 2 or 3 more of these and will put a few away for gifts and the rest to my mothers church fair. I want to try a few stitch patterns with some of them.
I also have a top down cardigan on the needles for my friend who sent me all the acrylic. I think I am about done with what I want to do with the white acrylic. The plan is to put aside 2 skeins for another baby blanket and some leftovers to make a striped sweater. I am going to ask her is she wants the rest back or if I can donate it where I donate all my leftover yarn. So far, it has made a baby blanket, a short sleeved sweater, then the sweater on the needles and then what I what to do with the other skeins. I think I will still have about 4 skeins left and I just can't knit with white anymore. I am tense when knitting it as I am so afraid of getting it dirty. I have had smudges of something on the yarn twice where I have ripped out what I was knitting to get rid of it.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Easter Flowers

The yellow tulips on the left are from my ex BIL to my mother. The ones on the right my mother bought at church. My ex BIL came for Easter dinner yesterday and also bought yellow tulips for my sister (his ex wife). He brought his daughter a bouquet of tulips (orange) and I got a bouquet of Roses.

Today I was off from work and I took my father shopping, he bought steaks at Omaha Steaks and I did a little shoe shopping at LL Bean. Then I stopped and bought cat litter and cat food.

I do have a few finished projects to post, just haven't gotten to it yet. It seems very strange without the dog around but my sister took a flash drive I had loaded with all the picutres I had on my computer of the dog and had them printed out for me. I will have to do a scrapbook of Tessa. I still haven't done the one of Olivia the cat who passed over the summer. I have all the pictures ready, just need to spend a bit of time figuring out the scrapbooking thing. I bought a few all in one kits so that shouldn't be that bad.

Monday, April 06, 2009

Tessa - RIP

Tessa - @ 10 years old. She passed away last night at home. She had been sick for a few months. Not sure what exactly as she had been going to the vet monthly and then weekly at the end. Blood tests, xrays, ultra sounds. Vet thought Hepatitis, then not. She had thyroid problems, mange a few years ago. There were some sort of kidney or liver issues. We were planning to have her put to sleep in March but it was the week of my birthday and I veto'd that idea as I wanted my niece to have the chance to say goodbye. My father took her to her weekly Monday visit (the one that was planned to put her to sleep) and the vet wanted to try one more thing. Some sort of steroid, she perked right back up, was back to her old self. Back to doing everything she liked to do. She took a turn for the worse on Friday and we made the decision to have her put down today at her weekly visit but she passed instead last night at home.

I got her when she was a few years old and she was a very happy dog. Loved cookies and being wherever in the house I was. If I wasn't home, she followed my father around and became his shadow. I know he will miss her just as much as I will.