The persian update

Working on a casual hat for me. I love the colors of this yarn. I bought it at my last trip to Webs for $2.99 a skein. I'm thinking of mittens to match but I'll have to think about it.

If you haven't guessed already I tend to get obsessed with some types of knitting. I'll be lace knitting and working on 3 different lace things. Get into hat making and I'll make 4 or 5. We won't even speak about socks because that's waaaaay past an obsession. So when a woman on Ravelry said that they were trying to collect 850 mini stockings by November 30th for the troops I had to give it a try.

Cute? I have no idea when this yarn was bought or how exactly it ended up in my stash. I honestly don't remember buying it much less buying 6 skeins of it.

Anyways I can get 17 stockings out of this skein of super saver. Finished one skein and since I'm still obsessed with the project I'm working on a second skein.

My foster baby Jefferson was adopted yesterday. The poor baby was so upset about getting put in the car carrier. The last time he was in one he ended up at the vet, flea dipped, groomed, shots, neutered, and generally manhandled. Quite a change from living in a mattress box spring. The woman who adopted him was lovely and I'm sure he'll be very happy in his new house.

Rosie and Jasper are doing much better without Jefferson here. They seem to be coming out a little more and eating well. Jefferson use to run to the food and eat like he'd never eat again; a clear sign that food was in short supply before he came here.

I was grooming Rosie last night and she knocked the brush right out of my hand, hissed, and glared at me like "What the hell do you think you are doing!?!?!" I laughed. Last week when she came to my house for the first time she wouldn't even look at me. Now she thinks she's the boss.

Jasper has come a long way. He will actually let me sit him on my lap and pet him. He's lighter than Rosie in coloring and weight. Jasper is actually very thin under all that fur so hopefully he'll start to fatten up a little now that food is always there for him. He has a sweet personality and will make a wonderful friend for someone. He seems to like to be brushed and doesn't mind me too much after all.

It's heartbreaking to think of these cats being so neglected but I have to say they have all turned around to be very trusting and loving. I thought it would take weeks even months for them to trust again but these Persians seem to settle in fast. I know they'll do well no matter where they end up.

This and that

Foster kitten Coal is having a grand time now that he's the only kitten around. His favorite thing to do every evening is to watch the fire in the fireplace. He's so cute.

I'm involved in a ravelry group traveling scarf thing and this is my part for my scarf. I kind of remember buying the yarn but don't remember what I was going to use it for. How did I decide on knitpick eggplant? I reached into a box of yarn and pulled it out without looking.
Coal says: Your cell phone? I thought it was my cell phone. Don't you know that everything in the house is mine? When you're a kitten everything is a kitten toy.
And while I know I should probably be actually finishing some of the projects I've got going on I find myself starting other stuff anyways. Like this feather and fan scarf I started on Sunday using Ray's wonderful lace yarn. The colorways is graffiti which I thought might be a little busy for feather and fan but as Rachel Zoe would say, It's bananas.
I've got at least 5 hrs on this 5 hr baby sweater and as you can see all I'm missing is sleeves. What a wild color. Not traditional baby stuff but I love how babies look in vivid colors.
Gotta go see what Coal is knocking over now.

Thanks

Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers you've all sent my way. I've been grieving for my father as he slipped from the man I knew into God's hands for a while so his death was a relief. He is no longer in terrible pain and doesn't have to think about everything he use to do but couldn't any longer. My grandchildren attending the service which I'm sure made my Dad smile. He was so family oriented that he would have been upset if they hadn't attended. One of my Mom's friends thought they were a little distracting but we all loved having them with us.

Anyways, life has a way of moving forward even when you don't want it to happen so Monday I received this package. UPS express box. Must be important stuff. Dusty and Ashley were all excited.

Dusty says: I don't see any kitten toys anywhere.

Now mind you that I work on a computer and never write down a single thing due to patient privacy so I have no need to paper, pencils, markers, files, note cards, etc. The only thing I'll be using out of this entire package is that 2009 calendar.

I have a coworkers who has been under treatment for breast cancer. She's been having a difficult time due to infections. I decided to knit her a shawl and was just hiding the last ends when my father passed away. It gave me a lot of comfort knitting this and I hope it gives Pat a lot of comfort using it.
I should be working on this stuff ............
but instead I casted on a 5 hr baby sweater for another coworker out of this red heart yarn. The colorways is lipstick and it's really pretty. Rose is going to be a grandmother for the first time so I thought hey you can't go wrong with a 5 hr baby sweater .... not that I can actually do one in 5 hrs but that's another story for another posting.
Yesterday afternoon a woman and her 3 sons came over to look at my foster kittens and ended up adopting Dusty and Ashley (my package assistants). The only one left right now is Coal and he's a little lonely. He'll have a new family soon enough.

Hope everyone has a good week. Fall is in the air in New England and it's my favorite time of year.

Finally off my lazy butt ...

to do a little update. Moe was adopted by a wonderful young woman and is happy in his new home. She's a non knitter so it's a perfect pair. It was a good thing because I already had taken in these guys and they were all sick so Moe couldn't play with them. These two are Coal and Dusty. They are both males and extremely friendly.

This is Ashley. She was so scared when I first picked her up but now she's the first one to come running and sit in my lap to be pet.


There's been some knitting going on. I bought some yarn off ebay a while back. It was cheap because it was poorly koolaid dyed. So I ended up using both balls working two rows from each ball in order to get it to blend better. So far so good.

Working on a green hat in the same design just in the round.

And finished a pink hat from the same pattern.

Worked on some dishcloths for my neice who just bought her first home with her hubby.

And I'm using the left overs to do a blanket for the kittens to snuggle in. I wanted something totally washable.

Finished another pair of socks for W

Just a little more to go on Missy A's jumper

And plugging along on a shawl for a work friend who is out recovering from breast cancer. Usually I'd use a nice wool but since she's by herself I decided to use Herrschners 2 ply afghan yarn because it's washable.

And since one can never have enought sock yarn I bought these from Ray. I couldn't decide on a color so I ordered 3 skeins with the instructions of do anything you want as long as the colors include blues and greens. I think he did a wonderful job and I was so please when I opened the package. These will all be socks for me, me, me.


All the kids are back in college. D2 started a 2 yr radiology program at Naugatuck Valley Community College. S1 is there too finishing his 2 yr engineering degree. D3 is at Eastern Connecticut State University working on her 4 yr degree in social work.

W started kindergarden and is having a wonderful time. N started preschool and he's having a blast. A is home with mommy asking where everyone is when they are at school.

My dad was getting small dosages of chemo trying to shrink the tumers in his liver to give him some comfort. Unfortunately the chemo was doing more harm than good so last Tuesday they decided to stop all treatment. He signed the paperwork needed to go into the hospice program on Wednesday. Mom's freaking out, dad's resigned to the fact that it'll all be over sooner rather than later, and as usual I'm not dealing with anything other than supporting both of them and pitching in as much as I can. Since stopping the chemo he's been eatting better and has more strength so it's in God's hands now.

I {{{heart}}} yarn

Part of the fun of picking out a project is picking out yarn for the project. I wanted to make a couple things for my granddaughter for her 2nd birthday. After clicking around Ravelry I found this cute little dress . So cute but I knew my daughter would prefer something not a solid color. I found these colorways on knitpicks and decided they would make great looking dresses and socks.

Larry says: I'd like yarn a lot better if mommy let me bite it to pieces. Of course my brothers and I just wait until she goes to sleep and then we have our way with her knitting.
I found this on ebay. Looked interesting and really can one ever have too much sock yarn?
And this was interesting too.
I've finished knitting 2 pair of socks and will be casting on a couple more things. Since I've designated August the month to put the finishing touches on things I find myself knitting more to gets more things put aside for August.

My little white and tiger guy Curley is getting adopted tomorrow. I'm happy to see him go to a nice home. Hopefully Moe, Larry, and Grey will find homes soon. I love how I can come downstairs in the morning call out, "Babies" and have everyone come running for a little petting. I'll miss that once they are gone. The ladies who run the feral cat program do an awesome job at keeping track of every cat and kitten. I think I'll be a foster home for a long time to come.

It's been a while ......

but I'm still alive and kicking. In kind of a knitting funk with is odd for me. Gotta set some goals and get back in the knitting project saddle again.

In the meantime ........ cute picture distractions and new yarn will have to replace finished project.

D3's guy with N at the Memorial day picnic. I love the 'tude N is giving his auntie.
Miss A: Who has time for a 'tude when there's yummy food to eat while sitting on daddy's lap? More watermelon please.
The foster kittens are growing right up. Hard to get a picture of them since they are in constant motion.
Grey: Excuse me but you damn photographers just need to back off. I've got to go chase my sister's tail. Please leave now.

Well, if I don't seem to have it in me to knit at least I haven't lost my ability to purchase new exciting yarn. I LOVE THIS COLORWAYS from Ray. I saw it and had to buy it. Of course it would have been lonely in the mail by itself so ................
And there have been ebay purchases like this teapot. D1 will be getting it for christmas. What an artistic piece. And some mindless knitting but nothing finished.
Today is D3 and S1's 20th birthday. Hard to believe they are 20 yrs old. Time sure flies when you are busy raising kids.

Did you know ....

that Joann's has sales of specific colors of yarn? Well I was in Waterbury with a little time to kill and I ended up at Joann's looking for acrylic for some charity knitting. I usually don't poke around the store but since I was in no hurry I spent some time walking up and down the aisles. I noticed that they have bins of yarn but only one or two colors was on sale while the rest was full price. Interesting ............

Bernat denimstyle in white, shades of blue and shades of green for $1.97 a skein.
Patons astra at $1.97 a skein. Lion wool grey for $2.97 a skein.
Sensations rainbow boucle for $5.00 a skein. All for a total of $49.43 minus a 10% discount. Should keep me knitting along for a while.
I've been working on this irish cable scarf which is coming out great ... that is when I'm not playing with my kittens. They are getting so big. I played with them for about an hour this morning .... and they fell asleep in my lap.
Oscar says: I hate those kittens. Well, not that I've seen them but I hate them anyways. And I hate you for spending all that money on yarn instead of cat treats for me.

A case of knitting in denial

is never a good thing. Why is it that you continue to knit something that you just know isn't going to be to your liking. Take this sweater for my granddaughter. Really nice yarn that will meet my daughter's qualifications .... into the washer/dryer and back on the kids without shrinking. Shades of blue with 'girlie' buttons .... flowers .... ice cream cones .... maybe lady bugs.

But by the time I got the gauge correct it turned from a little lacey sweater to something that would stop bullets and make the child unable to bend her arm at the elbows.

Yet still I knit on.

24 rows of craptastic knitting.

Until Friday night when I had to admit that I was making a terrible mistake and would be the worst gram ever if I gave the sweater to the child.

Back to the stash where I found 2 skeins of this yarn (same dye lot) that I had picked up at walmart 2 yrs ago for 50 cents a skein.

Soft. Drapes well. Child will be able to bend arms at elbow.

Light and lacey.

When I own a book or magazine I photocopy the pattern so I can have a working copy of it. That way I can jot notes on my specific item without ruining the magazine. Once my project is completed I put my working copy in the magazine so that if I pass the magazine onto someone else I am not breaking copy write by having an additional copy of a pattern. I'll have to do a little digging to find the magazine the patterns came from.

A crime against yarn ...

was committed last night as I slept safely in my bed. A ball of beige yarn was brutally attacked.

With no regard to the fact that it was really nice soft wool.
Taken all over the room and left for unrolled.
I rounded up the usual suspects but no one is talking other than an occasional meow. Charlie has been cleared on all charges due to the fact that he got himself trapped overnight in the garage. That leaves me with these two who have formed a pact of silence.

Maybe promises of tuna will get someone to spill the beans.