I love my cats, but . . .

This



is what happens when you let the cat use your yarn bag as a kitty bed.

And it leads to lots of this:

The Visiter

Halloween came early this year. The Kits were on high alert,



peeping around corners to make sure the coast was clear.



The reason for all this watchfulness and caution? We had a visiter.

Gloomy Now

Outside it is. All of a sudden it's the harsh reality of fall. Moody and gloomy, chilly and dreary. At least there's not supposed to be any rain for a while. I feel a little cheated. What about the halcyon days of fall, where it's sunny and in the 60s? I actually had to turn the fireplace on last night. I'm hoping to hold out against turning the heat on for a while. Proof it's getting colder outside, here come the hand knit wool socks!



The kits seem to be enjoying the new temperatures. They have been dashing all over the house, cross rooms, on furniture (knocking down unsecured items in their haste), up and down stairs. Leia enjoys jumping into the car when I get home.



Luke has taken to flopping down in dangerous places, like my kitchen rug.



There's really not much room in my kitchen for a rolling cat. This is if he's not attacking the fridge magnets.

Sock of the Day



Twisted Shiney in Filanon. I'm using the Traveling Vine stitch pattern from More Sensational Knitted Socks. Siamese stitch markers from WeeOnes.

Ah, Fall

Today finally feels like fall again! Actually, it took until the afternoon for the sun to shine. I was a little worried there for a couple of days. It's not unusual to have a bout of warm temperatures in autumn, but I wasn't used to the muggy (I kept expecting a plague of locusts). Or the rain. I ended up driving through a mini lake on the way to work Friday. In my defense, it was dark. I offer proof of fall in Minnesota:



This is a tree on my way to work. I love how it looks like it was dipped in paint. For whatever reasons, this year I haven't seen as many brilliant turning of the leaves.

Sock of the Day



Finishing my Zen Yarn Garden theme, I present my bamboo/merino/nylon blend in Sunny Orchid. I'm using the Undulating Rib pattern, which, sadly, tends to drive me a little batty. I really like the way it looks, but I wish I had played with it a little more. Maybe on the foot. Someday, I will get to the foot.

Socks in the Cities KAL

I finished 2 pairs of socks this weekend. (Total for the week is 3 pairs.)



First up Fearless Fibers Superwash Sport Merino Wool in October. Started these 5 July and finished 6 October. These socks . . . well, I didn't expect them to stripe, for some reason. And some moments I love the colors, and others I don't know what I was thinking.



Next up: Simply Stockinette socks (pattern from Knit Socks) in Cascade 220 #9411 Olympic Rainforest Heather and #9445 Autum Heather for the heels and toes. Started 26 December 2005 and finished 7 October 2007. Well, at least it didn't take two years. The second sock gave me fits. I had to rip back in two different places because I didn't take decent notes on the first sock. Made the toes a little wider than the pattern called for due to forgetting to decrease when I should have and being too lazy to rip back. (Easy to make those sort of decisions on the first sock.)



No post is complete without a picture of my cats.

And the Week Goes On

Sock of the Day:



Zen Yarn Garden sportweight in Blueberry Swirl colorway. I'm using a stitch patten called Mist Drops. I found in the Barbara Walker guides (vol. 2, I think.) This pattern will take some tweaking on the foot. The current patten makes a bobble on the wrong side, which I think I can live with on the leg of a sock, but not on the foot.

Socks in the Cities KAL:



I finished the Fiesta Yarns Boomerang Rainforest socks. I am pleased.

The kits came and snuggled on my while I was knitting and watching TV last night.

Lunchtime Posting

Progress on the 1st sock of the Socks in the Cities KAL isn't a heck of a lot. I finished the heel flap (after having to rip out 12 rows because I forgot I was doing a garter stitch border), turned the heel, and I'm now starting the gusset decreases.



As I have so many socks started, and I probably won't finish most of them during the month, I'm starting a Sock of the Day feature. (Just so I can amuse myself really. If you want to be amused, you can count how many socks I post during the month, and then have me committed.)



I present to you Interesting Path, in Zen Yarn Garden's Toreador colorway from the Art Walk Sock Yarn Club. The yarn in a merion/bamboo/nylon blend. I love it. I'm quite proud of myself for tweaking an estabilshed stitch pattern (Winding Trail) and having it turn out really well.

Luke ended up on top of the fridge this morning.



I got tired of him attacking the magnets on the lower reaches of the fridge. He managed to amuse himself with a bit of ribbon from Woolgirl. (She wraps all your yarn in tissue paper and a slim ribbon. The cats love both.)
Leia was amused.

Catch Up (Again)

First up, Movie Socks:



Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Heavy Weight in Harlotty. Knitted from the cuff on down at Death at a Funeral. (Which was hysterical.)



Twisted Kabam in Ankh. Knitted from the gusset at 3:10 to Yuma. A great, tense cowboy movie. And both these movies had Alan Tudyk. I am such a fangirl!

Next up, a finished sock:



That's my Knittery 8-ply merino in Moonlight. I love the way the reversed linen stitch heel flap turned out. I love the colors.

Odds 'n' Ends:

I made my seventh order at Woolgirl, and as a result, I got swag:



I was not expecting so much stuff! This is one of the reasons why Woolgirl is one of my all time favorite virtual yarn stores.

I've also joined the Socks in the Cities Knit-Along. I'm hoping to finish a few more socks this month. First in line:



Fiesta Yarns Boomerang in Rainforest. The second sock is ready for its heel flap. With a little luck, this pair will be finished by the end of the week.

And finally, because they are just so cute, Luke and Leia:





Told ya they were cute.

Summertime

I keep meaning to blog, but I don't. So now it's catch up time.

What I've been doing on my (non-)summer vacation.

Well, there's been some knitting, obviously.


My basic socks in CiderMoon Glacier in Silver Pine.


More basic socks, this time in Mountain Colors Mountain Goat in Painted Rocks.


I finished my charity knitting for The Loopy Ewe's Second Quarter Loopy Challenge.

I actually took a knitting class at The Yarney for Cookie A's Knitty lace sock patterns. I missed the first lesson, but I really enjoyed the other two. Shelly was the teacher and you can see my Baudelaire as a baby. (Over on the right, bluish-grey with the witch stitch markers from ZenKnit.)

I did take a mini summer vacation over the Fourth of July. The house was loaded with pets.



Luke and Leia, obviously.


Marble has also been visiting while my parents are out of town.


Even Osiris paid a visit over the holiday weekend. He's catching up with his friend Little Red Poppet.


Osiris even had the pleasure of posing with a fishy-themed small projects bag from Piddleloop.

I've also been going to the movies. I've discovered the joy of movie knitting. Now, if I'd only stop starting a new sock for each movie.

Live Free or Die Hard in Twisted Kabam! in Ankh.


Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (or whatever that third one was). Yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Supersock DK in African Grey.


Transformers with Vesper Sock Yarn in Evergreen (bag by Piddleloop).

Finally, my Poppets just wanted to make an appearance.

Part 2

I did not get all my presents knit in time. Why? 1) I plan big. 2) I have poor time management skills. I feel particularly horrible about these two.


Pattern: Fiber Trends Felted Clogs
Yarn: Cascade 220 #7601 Sage Tweed and Araucania Nature Wool #42
Needles: 13 and 11 24" circs
Size: Woman's small
Knit for: My very patient grandmother


Pattern: Hello Yarn Besotted Scarf
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted Applewood
Needles: 8 straights
Notes: It's around 50 inches long
Knit for: My grandfather. I wanted him wrapped in hugs and kisses.

Here's a detail of the cabling.

I thought it came out pretty well.

I'm still going on the knitting. My mother's felted clogs still loom over my head like a big fuzzy umbrella, but in the meantime, here are gratutous kitty shots.




And, because she's back for another visit. . . .

What I've Been Up To

I've been knitting like mad for Christmas presents.


First, there were these.
Pattern: Miriam's Baby Hats
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted Indigo & Azul Profundo
Needles: 10 16" circs
Size: 1 year and Newborn
Knit for: Two of my friends' sons


Next up.
Pattern: Star Brocade Stocking from Knit Christmas Stockings
Yarn: Cascade 220 #9410 Celtic Green and #4010 Straw Heather
Needles: 6 16" circs
Knit for: My friend's daughter. Finished in plenty of time for Christmas, too.

Wanna see a close-up?



This one cut it close. I finished it while at coffee with the recipiant. Actually, I finished it while she shopped for yarn at The Bead Alley.
Pattern: Hand/Wrist Warmers from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Fiesta Yarns La Luz Bluebonnet
Needles: 6 DPN
Size: One
Notes: I add length and width. I also cast off with a larger needle.
Knit for: My good friend whose come home to me after being far away for years. (Come to think of it, she's still far away. Cross the Cities feels that way, anyway.)

Now, it was almost Christmas, and I was starting to panic. There was family to meet on Christmas Eve.

Pattern: Hand/Wrist Warmers from LMKG
Yarn: Art Yarns Supermerino #126 & #120 and Atacama #506
Size: one
Needles and Notes: See above
Knit for: My two aunts and my uncle


This got knit because my mother wears hats and the felted clogs I'd been promising her for years were not going to get done. I'd given her the yarn for those as a present last year, so I couldn't do that again. I finished this on Christmas Eve day. I love Last Minute Knitted Gifts. And I love my stash.
Pattern: Kim's Hats from LMKG
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted Cuarzo and Nore Transitions #7
Needles: 9 20" circs and 10 1/2 24"circs
Size: Largest
Notes: I probably should have decreased to a woman's size once I went to bigger needles, but it seems to work.
Knit for: My mother

Back soon with part 2