The doggie snuggler for the shelter is up

I posted it to my blog this afternoon. I want to confess that I did buy yarn, one was planned before the sockrafice. One was a spur of the moment thing, neither is sock yarn. I confess that I am going to go to hell for this, or not, since I'm not a catholic, but a quaker. Well, maybe even quakers will, too. If I die before any of you do, I will try to get a message back to you, filling you in.

Lenten Cheating

So I am trying to recover from my period of slackness. But I am having an "issue" caused by poor project planning- the project resources have fallen drastically short- I am out of raw materials. That is to say, no more yarn. I have only enough for two or three more rows. Perhaps my hairless friend would like a soft and toasty headband? Didn't think so. I am off to my LYS for "lunchtime knitters" today in order to buy more yarn (sorry lenten sacrafice, but I need it to get my lenten project done!) and maybe have a bowl of Pho (yummmm!) is the deal too. Things could be worse... (like my yarn store could not have any more of that color...)

And so you have somethiong to do at the office today besides all of that pesky work that they keep giving you, here are some photos and rough specs on the chappeau. It is knit from On Line Linnie II "Alpha" in deep purple. Although the yarn is a pain in the butt (splits-ville) the colors are delish, so it is worth it. This one, although you can't tell from my less than mad photo skillz, is a lovely jewel tone eggplanty color, and it is mercerized, so it is a bit shiny. I am knitting on size 3 Brittany Birch needles, which aren't really long enough, and I am knitting it flat because Barbara Walker did not have the good grace to translate the stitch pattern that I am using to be knit in the round, and I am waaay to lazy to do that.


The stitch pattern, incedentally, is (as I said above) from Barbara Walker book 1 (the blue one) and is called "The Candle Tree." The candle tree itself is turning out to be a bit taller than anticipated, but I can deal. Tune in later to see if the yarn store had more yarn, or if I am finishing the top off in orange!

I do not have the clap.

I have been slacking on my Lenten Knitting due to a burning desire to get the Clap done with (get it? get it? clap? burning desire? gosh I'm witty)- but now, it is done so I have no excuse. To prove that I actually finished the Clapotis (rather than just hiding it on the bottom of my knitting basket and using the word finished in a looser more open to interpretation sense, which I was tempted to do), here is a picture of my cat wearing it.




But I digress... back to lenten knitting. I have loads of one-skeiners, which I am going to knit up into fantastic hats for the chemically deprived of hair- that's right, folks, I'm makin chemo caps. But mine will be called Chem-O! caps, just for the fun of it, because chemo, sucky though it is, is a good thing. So anyway, I'm making chemo caps for a family friend who is undergoing chemotherapy and has no hair at all, thus creating a need for something warm, soft, and knit with love. So there ya go!

Send me your poor, your yarn hungry, your downtrodden....

Ah, ye of little faith, this is where I get to say something profound.

I just wish I knew what it was.....can someone cue me my next line please?!

I have not broken down and purchased the BeadNik yarn, although I am hoping it will still be there on the Monday after Easter. Instead I spun some fiber and then plied it with beaded woolly nylon. So now I have some beaded yarn without breaking the fast with Beadnik.

Janet, put the sweater and sock away for now and knit something fun with some yarn that is laying around....a baby hat, a pretty scarf, whatever. You could even knit some stirrup covers for your gynecologists. Imagine your male co-workers faces when you tell them that is what you are knitting!

AuntyNin, Tell the co-worker that he should choose some yarn to gift you with on Easter....because friends don't let friends break yarn fasts.....!

And then consider yourselves lucky that you have not got the Clap on your needles like Left Coast Knitter.

Clapotis that is, what were you thinking?

And I think now is a good time to remind you of the escape clause that I put in....it's okay to have one little splurge on yarn if it helps you get through Lent! Just make it worthwhile, and no impulse purcahses ladies!

Slumps R Us

Slumping here as well, alas. For the past few days none of the projects currently on the needles has looked interesting, but starting something new feels too much like work. I'd much rather just go outside and play in the sunshine (something we don't see very much around here). Perhaps it's time to invoke the "two row rule" - make myself knit just two rows on each project every day, to see if that gets me back into the swing of things.

As if slumping weren't bad enough, one of my best buddies is trying to sabotage my yarn fast by telling me all about the gorgeous laceweight he just found on sale. It's a very good thing there's not a yarn store within walking distance of my office!

A Dropout Confession

I've fasted from yarn but I have also fasted from knitting. I haven't picked up the needles in at least 2 weeks, maybe longer. I got so frustrated with the sock thing I put it aside until I can get to Knit Night and sit at Mistress Kelley's feet and beg for enlightenment. For the past few weeks work has been so crazy I've been trashed when I get home so I've not made it to Borders at all.

I'm so sick of looking at the green jacket I don't think it will ever get done. Maybe I should go on a knitting binge, grit my teeth, and plow through it.

What do you other knitters do when you're in a knitting slump?

Crisis of fast

Is Lent really only 40 days.....it feels like so much longer!

Fun Fur never went a dollar a skein, which is just as well since I don't need any.

HOWEVER, the new Joann's down the street has MODA DEA BeadNik, which is a pretty summery yarn with beads on it for 5.99.....for about 100 yds. Way cool, I want it, they have turquiose, which I like, it would be PERFECT for a summer top. Why oh Why did I do this?

If I ask my husband to buy it for me, is it out of line?

Not to say that I ain't knitting up the projects! I am planning to have a photo session soon to post pics of the recent completed projects on my own blog.

How is everyone else doing!?