“Finally it’s my turn!” -Mayhem
“Very cozy.” -Mayhem
“Really an excellent fit.” -Mayhem
“Does it have a flavor?” -Mayhem
“What do you mean, that was dangerously close to lolspeak?” -Mayhem
“There’s no call for that kinda talk, Mom. I’ll be sulking if you need me.” -Mayhem
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Knitting a tank top from a tweedy black wool-silk blend at four stitches to the inch definitely qualifies as an error in knitting judgment. Tahki Chelsea Silk is a sweater yarn, not a tank top yarn. I even had to rewrite the Knitting Pure & Simple Basic Shell pattern for four stitches/inch instead of five stitches/inch so that I could use this yarn. Plus, if one gets sweaty while wearing this tank top (guaranteed, due to how heavy it is), it develops that odd and unpleasant silk smell.
This was another project from 2002… obviously, 2002 was a banner year for knitting judgment errors…
“Thick and cushy… but what is that smell?!” -Chaos
“Why would Mom knit us a smelly kitty bed?! It must be because you’re stinky, big kitty.” -Mayhem
“Am not!” -Chaos
“Are too!” -Mayhem
*sound of fleeing*
“Ha. Am not. Maybe the smell is hiding underneath…” -Chaos
“Nope… Hmm. Maybe I can cover the smell up?!” -Chaos
“No one’s looking, right?” -Chaos
“Hey, I can see you in there, big kitty!” -Mayhem
“No you can’t, Mayhem. No one can see me.” -Chaos
“I am invisible.” -Chaos
“Wait a minute – what are you looking at?!” -Chaos
“I’m outta here! How embarrassing…” -Chaos
What? You can’t tell what my completed project is from those pictures?! 😉 It’s the Everlasting Bagstopper from Knitty, knit from 1.75 balls of Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton in Salt & Pepper.
Instead of the ribbon handles from the pattern, I knit seven stitch i-cord belt handles. (Using an odd number of stitches and two doublepointed needles, knit half the stitches plus one. With yarn in front, slip the remaining stitches as if to purl. Turn and repeat. It won’t look like anything for the first inch or two, then suddenly you’ll have a column of garter stitch with i-cord on each side of it. That Elizabeth Zimmermann – brilliant!)
“Is it my turn yet, big kitty?” -Mayhem
It took me about two weeks to knit another pair of Crazy Monkey socks. (Have I ever mentioned that I really just knit the same toe-up sock pattern over and over? I use this toe, a slip stitch heel, and substitute in a stitch pattern.)
I dyed the yarn last fall, attempting to emulate the STR Raven Clan series. The base yarn is Gems Merino fingering (from a cone), dyed with Country Classics Raven and Deep Purple, then overdyed with Raven. This is probably my favorite of all the yarn I’ve ever dyed. The yarn felt like sproingy sueded silk as I was knitting. Ahhh…
In honor of this intersection between pattern and colorway, I’ve named these socks my Crazy Crows. Alas, the color is nigh impossible to photograph, either appearing too purple or not purple enough.
I think the picture below actually shows the colorway the best.
*sniff sniff sniff* -Mayhem
“Nope, you are so right, big kitty. These are not real crows. They aren’t birds at all! Talk about false advertising.” -Mayhem
Admit it – every knitter makes ’em, right?? So why not share those knitting judgment errors for the edification amusement of all, eh?
Item: The “Gimme 5” vest, which was the cover pattern for the Fall 2002 edition of Knitters magazine.
When: September 2002. Knitting with big yarn on size 17 needles, it took only five days to complete.
Judgment Errors: Knitting a vest in the first place, since I don’t ever wear vests. Additionally, while I did fall in love with Jacquetta’s fun handspun yarn in the skein, neither the colorway nor the thick’n’thin yarn were really me. Plus – what was I thinking with the whole dropstitch thing?!
Fate: To be dropped off at the thrift store this week, after lurking around unworn for six years.
“What are you doing, big kitty?” -Mayhem
“What does it look like I’m doing, May?” -Chaos
“It looks like you’ve lost your furry little mind, big kitty. Are you ok?” -Mayhem
“I am… luring you in!” *attacks* -Chaos
“Hee hee – you’re such a sucker, May.” -Chaos
“Eeeeep!” -Mayhem
Before everyone starts clamoring for the vest to become a kitty bed, the drop stitches proved too tempting for Mayhem. I did rescue the vest before she gnawed any holes in it.
Now, don’t go expecting this to turn into a “real” knitting blog or anything… 😉 I recently finished a pair of plain old socks, knit from Trekking 144. I was strangely helpless to resist this colorway, even though I’m not a particular fan of jacquards. What is it about Trekking?! (And yes, I am nearly helpless to resist doing the matchy matchy thing with such yarns…)
Feline interest in this project was shockingly low.
“Again, not really stripey socks. Alas.” -Mayhem
“Wait, did you get my permission to include my tail in this picture, Mom?! I don’t think so! Hmph.” -Chaos
At long last, Celestine is complete. Whew! It’s very cute, but dang, was it ever fiddly. And I’m still traumatized from weaving 24 ends into such a small project.
*nom nom nom nom nom* -Mayhem
What the heck?! I swear I didn’t put any nip in the stuffing – this is a gift for a human, not a cat.
“Wheeeeeeeeee!” -Mayhem
“Take that! And that! And that, too!” -Mayhem
“What do you mean, this isn’t for me and I have to give it back now?! No! I won’t let go! Mine!!” -Mayhem
As some of you know, Jeanne is now blogless (hopefully this is a temporary condition), so she gave me permission to post this exceptional picture of her cat Kreature modeling baby booties. Apparently the secret to such successful modeling shots is to sneak up while your cat is asleep… too bad my cats wake up every time I even think of moving. Oh well. Project details are available over on Ravelry.
*zzzzzzzzzzz….* “Wha….?” *zzzzzzzzzz…* -Kreature
On Monday, I knitted a slightly modified java jacket in order to keep frosty glasses of beer and other summer beverages from freezing my fingers and melting all over the place.
I know, you’re so surprised that it’s black, right? 😉 Actually, the black makes sense, as it doesn’t show coffee or chocolate stains, which has been a problem with my white and black java jacket.
“I am so not amused. And you are obviously far too easily amused. Hmph.” -Chaos
Interesting – some pet shelters are using a feline personality test as part of their cat placement efforts. You can see the list of nine “feline-alities” here. I think May’s primarily a Party Animal, with maybe a bit of Personal Assistant thrown in. Chaos seems most like the Executive, but none of the types really address how much he loves me and dislikes almost everyone else – including growling when the phone rings, and hissing and growling at visitors…
Now there’s LOLCAT IRL – I would probably be laughing too hard to walk or take a picture if I saw that mural!
Hmm – you can buy a knitted dissected frog or rat on etsy. If you’re feeling more DIY, you can buy a pattern and knit the frog yourself. Who woulda thunk it?
Wow, it’s obviously been too long since I did a reading update!
Reading Update
Strangers in Death by J.D. Robb. Mmm… Roarke…
Maiden Rock: A Claire Watkins Mystery by Mary Logue. Claire is a deputy sheriff in western Wisconsin, by Lake Pepin. This mystery was primarily about meth and meth addiction.
The Outlaw Demon Wails (Rachel Morgan Book 6) by Kim Harrison. The sixth book in the urban fantasy series about witch Rachel Morgan has some really shocking developments!
Dates from Hell by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong, and Lori Handeland. If you’re a Kim Harrison fan, this is worth reading for the prequel to Dead Witch Walking.
Like a Charm by Candace Havens. The previous books in this series have all focused on the witch Bronwyn. This one tells the story of another Sweet, Texas, resident who isn’t a witch but rather a sort of ultimate librarian.
Ill Wind, Heat Stroke, Chill Factor, Windfall, Firestorm, and Thin Air by Rachel Caine. I read Caine’s Weather Warden series straight through, in about five days – it’s clever, compelling urban fantasy with nary a vampire or werewolf to be found.
A Bone To Pick: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery by Charlaine Harris. The second Aurora Teagarden mystery is another pleasant sort of read. (And completely paranormal free!)
Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips. What if the Greek gods, somewhat dwindled in power, shared a house in modern day London?
Knitting Update
Back in August, I started a pair of plain socks from Trekking 126. I actually finished knitting them ages and ages ago, but just couldn’t bring myself to sew down the picot edge. Finally, I ripped back the picot and knitted some nice simple 2×2 ribbing. Ahhh…
“Oh, look – more socks. Well, I guess they are sort of stripey…” -Mayhem
“…so I shall deign to grace them with my presence.” -Mayhem
*sigh* “I suppose no other socks will ever compare to the wonder of the original stripey socks. How annoying.” -Mayhem
Whew! I wove in the ends and sewed the button on the second bib during my lunchtime pedicure on Friday. I even had enough time to drop the bibs in the mail before heading back to lunch.
I know, kinda boring. Here’s the “artistic” shot:
Lest you think that this lunchtime finish meant the kitties escaped bib free – I did finish the first bib around 11 pm Thursday night.
“Oh oh – I sure don’t like the look of that. I’m outta here!” -Mayhem
“Well, drat.” -Mayhem
“Ok, now I’m really outta here! Run away! Run away! Rampaging bib on the loose! -Mayhem