Wednesday, August 08, 2007

It's gonna be a bright and sunshiny day

I can see clearly now that some of my previous projects (like the TaTa Tube and the Shortie Jacket) are destined to become yarn again. If you look to the sidebar, you'll notice that I've eradicated them from the progress bars. I don't have enough yarn to do sleeves on the jacket (that I don't really like anyway) and the TaTa Tube was a serious error in knitting judgment. I'm not quite sure what I was thinking with that one but I at least had the foresight not to unleash it on the world. *Wipes brow in relief* I was talking with Christine via ye olde email today and struck upon the idea of turning the Shortie Jacket yarn into a Tough Baby jacket so I suppose I'll add that to the project list and start it up eventually. Now that I have affirmatively decided to frog these projects, I feel much better. Do they count toward the 2007 UFO project, though?
*Please note that I will finish that damned Tulip Shawl because I want to and it needs to be finished because it will be beautiful. Real tulips will turn green with envy when confronted with the finished product.

More Knitting:
  • So I bought this:
    Hand-dyed Artisan Bulky Cashmere a long time ago and I only bought one skein. It is approximately 54 yards of bulky weight cashmere and I have had it sitting on the coffee table for at least a month. I only recently wound it up into that delicious little yarn cake. It used to look like this: Some hand-painted artisan cashmere It's beautiful. It's soft. And there is only 54 yards of it. If anyone can give me a suggestion for it that will actually work, I'll send you something cool and yarn related. Call it a contest. Leave me a comment on something cool to do with it and, if I like it, I'll send you something groovy in return.
  • The Gentleman's Fancy Sock #2 (that I have remanded to my sock drawer's custody) is about a third done. I've been stealing rows throughout the day, in between editing like a machine. I may just have a pair of socks to wear this weekend when we are up in TN.
  • I haven't heard anything negative, yet, about the test knitting project #1 that they should have gotten today. In fact, they asked me to knit up something else for them so test knitting project #2 went up in the progress section. It involves stranded colorwork so that should be fun...and interesting. On a positive note, my finger has almost returned to normal.
Other stuff:
  • Since I am now updating my blog more frequently (or trying to anyway), I have to dig around a little bit more for interesting things to regale you with. Anyway, with that being said, I would like to say something more about the oldest cat at my mama's house. Remember her? Kitty rocks! I definitely didn't do her justice and I felt badly about that because she's really cool. I got her and her sister (who abruptly disappeared) when they were both wee little fluff balls. Her name is Candy but I've always called her Kitty. She's always been my cat and she's really the first cat that I can remember having. She tolerated the rottweiler we had and lived through living with me when I went to university and started collecting cats. She's never complained or sulked or even been mildly disgruntled. She has also never poo'd in a litter box, but opted to do so just beside it instead (much to the dismay of my mother). She now lives at my mother's house, with her five younger cat brothers and she rules with an iron paw. She has developed feline diabetes so she drinks a lot of water and pees a lot but she maintains a good quality of life so we don't see any reason to do anything drastic. She sleeps on my bed and snuggles with me when I go home and my mama claims she comes to life when I am around. She carries around a cat toy filled with catnip that I knitted some time ago and she regularly delivers it to my mama's bedside as a gift of her mighty hunting. She begs for food and will win any staring contest you want to put her in. I love her little furry paws and the way fur comes out of her ears. I love the she tolerates kisses all over her head and will even snuggle up with you afterwards, despite being a cat and hating that sort of thing out of obligation. I could talk about her a lot more but I won't because I'm starting to get a lump in my throat and get all misty-eyed. Anway. Thanks for putting up with me elegy to my cat. I feel better now. Be prepared for more because I'm feeling sentimental lately.
I'll be back with more knitting once I get some more knitting done. I feel like y'all deserve some patterns and stuff like that so I'll see what I can do about that too. I've got some things in mind for that so it should be a pretty fruitful next couple of months on the knitting front. I have a lot of inspiration (and a lot of yarn. An LYS down by my mama's was going out of business and I fortuitously happened upon it before they closed down. I got so much great yarn. I'm up to my eyeballs in Malabrigo and cashmere blends.). Stay cool in this hell-hot weather and I'll be back soon. As usual, thanks for reading.
Transmission Ended

16 comments:

Yarnhog said...

Frogging definitely counts as completing a project. You no longer have a UFO. You do have new yarn. It's a win-win situation. No different than knitting a gift, sending it off, and buying new yarn. Only it doesn't cost you a dime. How much better could it get?

Sharon said...

sorry y'all in the East are sweltering. We've had cool weather here in the Pacific N.W., which is very weird for August but that just means we're due for a scorcher.

I saw something in the Mason-Dixon Knitting book called "Scribble Lace" which alternates bulky yarn with fine yarn on large needles. It's really just garter stitch but looks interesting. I bet you could get a good sized scarf out of your cashmere yarn if you paired it with something like Kidsilk Haze. Just a thought--I can't see the word "contest" on somebody's blog and not enter! ;)

I enjoy reading whatever you have to say, so write about your kitty as much as you want. Pets are people too!

Twitchy Knitter said...

Small amounts of yarn make great little bags for small gifts. Get your Mama something sparkly for Christmas or her birthday and give it to her in hand-knitted pouch made from luxury yarn.
And I like hearing about Kitty. I get all sappy about my kitties, too!

Valerie said...

Your kitty is too adorable. Why did you end up frogging the Ta-Ta tube? You sounded so excited about it the last I had heard.

Olga said...

Hmm, nothing brilliant here to suggest 'cept the ol' little kids hat maybe. Cell phone bag?

Turtle said...

I think it would make a lovely knit and felted basic pillowcase style eyeglass case. Something soft and sized right for your sunglasses in your bag!

Anonymous said...

...Here via "Stumbling Over Chaos"...

Mmm, cashmere! bulky or fine, it's always lovely. I see that my first instinct has already been suggest, so I'll just throw in a second vote for "scribble lace" (a la Debbie New), though if it were mine I'd find some lace-weight silk to pair it.

Sorry to hear about your kitty -- she's ever so cute! Best of thoughts for her fuzzy well-being, and for you who misses her.

Unknown said...

That's some tasty yarn! I'd make a headband/earwarmer thing, like Nakiska from Knitty a few years ago. The pattern calls for 124 yards bulky angora for all sizes, but depending on your gauge/head size you could alter the pattern and still get a nice soft covering for your ears on chilly days. Nakiska is worked in the round so you could just knit until the yarn runs out.

wenat said...

If you're a gadget person at all, then how about a wee cozy for your gadget (ipod, phone, camera)? f.pea just posted a cozy pattern for her new camera at http://fpea.blogspot.com/2007/08/free-pattern-friday-elph-cozy.html

The added bonus is that you then get to carry and fondle the yarn all the time.

Jen C said...

Something as soft as cashmere deserves to be next to the skin. Florida seems a bit warm for neck warmers and such so I was thinking of eye shades/sleep mask like this pattern. http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer04/PATTvelvetoblivion.html
It calls for a different guage, but you may be able to work out the math to match your yarn.

Alternatively you could knit a cashmere sleeve for a storebought lavender eye pillow.

Heide said...

I am so sorry to read about your sweet kitty and her illness and passing. Cats really are the best of companions and I've been priviledged to share time with many amazing kitties throughout my life.

The herringbone scarf from this talented blogger
http://misocrafty.blogspot.com/2004/12/pattern-for-herringbone-scarf.html
looks wonderful in bulky weight yarns, such as Malabrigo and the width and length can be easily altered to accommodate less yarn.

Unknown said...

I am so sorry about the loss of your beautiful kitty!

On the yarn, which is lovely, how about a small bag? I felted a small shoulder bag for my 5 year old son to carry some games, and I think it only took a bit more than 54 yards, including shoulder strap and flap to close the bag...and that was felted! You could make an adorable, soft, fuzzy bag with your ball!

Alternatively, you could make a little soft plush kitty in memory of Candy Kitty...there is a pattern here (language warning, though) http://geobabe.livejournal.com/227621.html

Turtle said...

I think i have your kitty's stray kitty twin. We call her stalker and she is slowly working her way into the house..wlthough we are all allergic to her! (worried about her when winter comes) They're cute..yes?

5elementknitr said...

How bout a lovely felted bowl or box?

You could keep it next to your knitting and use it for your tape measure, stitch markers, etc.

I think the scribble lace scarf is a good idea too! I made one and I love it!

Anonymous said...

Or knit a really skinny scarf. Very trendy. :)

swansong said...

Do you have a neice or friend with a little girl? I see legwarmers, but I'm on a legwarmer kick. Or!! Or make a bonnet, I know Ravelry would have something...