The status is still quo

Still jobless. Still pain in the hands. However . . .


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Argosy guarded by Horus and inspected by Bear

I haven't worked much on the Argosy scarf from knitty.com. I've been tracking time and I've only spent 4.25 hours total on it. I have almost eleven repeats of Section 2.

I tried to take indoor update photos, but, as always, Horus had to sit guard over the item and this time Bear had to come inspect it as well. Horus is very firmly sitting in place, but you can just barely make out Bear sneaking up on the ball of yarn just in case it is EVIL and willing to attack an unsuspecting cat.



I took an "unposed" snap of the scarf being held in front of my bedroom door as I was taking it back to safety. This one doesn't have any cats in it but it does show up the color mix.



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Now playing: Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars
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Yeowda

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Now playing: André Previn & London Symphony Orchestra - Symphony No. 5, Op. 47: IV. Allegro non troppo
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Here there be kittens!

If you click over to my other blog, you'll find lots of kitty pictures. There are some of the older cats and a post about the new kittens being two weeks old.

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Now playing: Hedningarna - Räven (Fox Woman)
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New arrivals

They were born this morning. There are four - three orange and one dark. These belong to Meli.

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Now playing: M.C. Hammer - U Can't Touch This
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More kitten cuteness

All in a bunch and each one being held by the Prodigal Son.

Early Christmas present

Take a look!

Goblin has died

The Prodigal and I were with her as she drew her last few breaths. I've taken her to the vet to be cremated.

Yarn, with occasional kitten

M&M KAL from LSSK

I have mentioned before joining the LSSK group on Yahoo! and this was a mystery cloth we did last week. It was designed by a list member. This is my first time working with cotton yarn and my tension leaves a lot to be desired. Even knowing what the pattern is, it's really hard to tell. Part is my wonky tension and part is the color, I think. But it was fun to do. The only thing I'd change is the garter stitch edge on each side. Since garter stitch works up at a different tension than stockinette stitch (which is basically what the rest of the cloth is), you tend to wind up with a sort of hourglass effect. I've pretty much switched to using seed stitch as my edging because it works up at the same tension as stockinette and is usually as effective as a garter stitch edge.

As you can see, I still have to work in the ends so it's not completely done yet. (I hate doing in ends and I let that sit until I absolutely have to get it done.)


This time Horus was protecting the poor wash cloth from the nasty camera. I think that shade of blue suits him, don't you?

At long last socks

Sort of. One is done and one is still on the needles, but I'm knitting the first pair, for the Prodigal Son of course, using the superwash merino. This is just a boring, standard sock pattern knit in stockinette stitch but the color is scrumptious, a very nice blend of reds, purples, and just a hint of blues. As you can see, Horus was supervising this photography session as well.

New yarn

OK, so it's not exactly new. I've had it since the 3rd, but with one thing or another, I just haven't had the time or inclination to photograph it till today. The two in back are superwash merino in glow in the dark green and a wonderful purple, and the two in front are lace weight merino in purple and green and blue, pink and purple.


And as a special treat, here's Horus overseeing me taking pictures of the yarn. We all know that nothing happens in this house without the god emperor of the universe being in on it.


As almost always, this yarn comes from kbrece at Kindred Spirits Yarn.

I have been working on it!

See . . . Five iterations of the lace pattern done.



And as a special treat . . . Horus pointedly ignoring me 'cause I won't let him play with my yarn or my needles.

What do I need . . .

. . . to turn these things into one of these?

Anyone . . . Bueller . . .

I did manage to change the skein on the right



into this ball


all by my lonesome without benefit of handy tools or, well, just another pair of hands. It took a very long time and turned into the Herculean task of unraveling the Gordian Knot (which, unlike Alexander, I did not cleave in twain.)

So I ask, what tools do I need to turn an annoying skein into a much friendlier and more tractable center pull ball?

Ever vigilant

Heru sitting guard over the four additions to my yarn stash that arrived today. As always, the picture doesn't do the yarn justice.


The yarn on the far left is varied and brilliant shades of teal blue and turquoise. The yarn next to it is a lovely pastel mix of blues and lavenders. The next is very lovely soft purples. And the last looks very much like camouflage. Couldn't tell, could you?

Nap time again

The Prodigal Son snapped this picture of Izzy sleeping the day away. He used his cell phone and I had him email me the shot. I swear. Izzy seems to do nothing but nap . . . and snuggle. She's become quite the little snuggle kitty.

Second pair of socks

I finished the second pair of socks at work today. I couldn't talk the Prodigal into posing in them since he is busy cooking us supper, but I did take the usual boring table top snaps.




Heru felt the need to guard the socks, but I caught him with the flash. His Royal Highness was not amused.

I may try and talk the Prodigal Son into modeling the socks later after he's put food into his belly, but I make no promises about his compliance. He can be a stubborn cuss sometimes.

Second pair of socks

I started a second pair of socks for the Prodigal Son while I was visiting my folks for Thanksgiving. I opted to modify the simple stockinette pattern I used the first time into a chevron pattern. I have one sock finished and the other just barely started.


You can't really see the chevron pattern because of the yarn.


The pattern is just a bit more visible.


Heru, ever vigilant, is guarding the one completed sock from any potential sock thieves who might wander into his domain.

The sock is the same dimensions as the first pair I made using the Starter Stockinette pattern in Knit Socks! by Betsy Lee McCarthy. For me, that worked out being 14 stitches on each of four double pointed needles. The chevron pattern I used works out as follows:

Row 1: k6, p2, k6
Row 2: k5, p4, k5
Row 3: k4, p6, k4
Row 4: k3, p8, k3
Row 5: k2, p10, k2
Row 6: k1, p12, k1
Row 7: p14
Row 8: p6, k2, p6
Row 9: p5, k4, p5
Row 10: p4, k6, p4
Row 11: p3, k8, p3
Row 12: p2, k10, p2
Row 13: p1, k12, p1
Row 14: k14

Since I used four needles, each set of stitches is knit one time on each needle to complete the row.

It's a pair!

The socks are done. I officially have my first pair. Woohoo!


And, of course, Heru has to protect my sock book from any unscrupulous knitters who might sneak into my house and try to use it while I'm busy snapping pics of my socks.


The socks are from the first pattern, Starter Stockinette, in Knit Socks! by Betsy Lee McCarthy.

End of month progress report

Since this is the last day of August, I thought I'd do a quick update on the scarf . . .


(Pattern)

. . . and the butterfly fairy . . .

. . . from last update . . .


. . . and what's been done through today.


Of course Mouse had to help while I was trying to photograph the scarf. She is turning into such a little camera hog.