a dillydallyknitter: April 2006

Saturday, April 29, 2006

Siamese Twin-Cats Enjoy Life As One

Local conjoined cats, known as the Ying Yang Twins, give a whole new meaning to "Joined at the Hip."


"Sure, getting around can be a challenge, but since we spend most of our day lounging around, it's not so bad."



Meanwhile, I made a brilliant discovery:
Two socks ARE better than one:



Yay Me! First socks are DONE! I didn't secure the toe very well on the first sock so the toe started to come undone (Hey Wally Lamb, she's come undone!!) and my repair job is a little shoddy but I'm happy with the second sock. It's the learning curve of sock knitting. As you can see in the photo, the striping matches up fairly well as planned until you get to the toe area---because that's the spot that darn cat bit through the yarn on sock one.


The yarn I used is Lana Grossa Meilenweit 100 Magico in colorway 2525. Do you think that sock yarn manufacturers put some kind of skin absorbing crack in the yarn that feeds the addiction?

posted by cpurl17 @ 10:12 PM   8 comments

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Sock On!

Today's weather was so wonderful (upper 70's (25-26c), light breeze) that it lulled me into a hypnotic sense of well being and, as I drove around, running errands, I caught myself singing along with the BeeGee's "Oooooohh...Nobody gets too much heaven no more..It's much harder to come by, I'm waiting in line.." before I snapped out of it and changed the radio channel.

But the highlight of the day was finishing my first sock!! After overcoming the trauma of Mika chewing through my sock yarn 2 inches from the toe last night, and agonizing over my CASP 2 questionnaire this morning, I persevered and have one sock. The other one is 3/4 way through so hopefully I'll have a pair any day now.



I've discovered that photographing a sock is hard to do when you a) don't want scaly dry skin to show b) are alone or c) don't have one of those sock blocker thingies. (Note the large bottle of Excedrin I keep on my desk, next to the computer.)

Lessons learned from knitting this sock:
a) Keep the sock yarn away from kitty
b) What the sock knitting fuss is all about
c) Girlfriend needs a pedicure, STAT

So, you know that giddy feeling when you rushed home from elementary school and you burst through the door, so excited to show your Mom your beautiful art project? That's what it feels like to knit your first sock.

posted by cpurl17 @ 5:37 PM   10 comments

Friday, April 21, 2006

TGI Koigu, baby


Leah Garchik's Public Eavesdropping, San Francisco Chronicle 4.21.06.


I met up with some rockin' knitters and went to the TKGA show last night and came back with-eyes welling with tears- my first ever purchase of Koigu. I plan to join the millions of cool knitters out there and make a Clapotis. Then I too can stroll down the street with my clapotis tossed around my shoulders and a Je suis belle et ça ne demande aucun effort attitude.



Oh, before my coolness gets to my head, let me tell you what happened over Easter weekend. Yes, her coolness fell asleep with a chocolate egg in her pajama pocket. I didn't photograph the melted mess for blog posterity but you can imagine what it looked like....

posted by cpurl17 @ 1:08 PM   7 comments

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Please Mama Can I Keep Her?

My SP is Practically Perfect in Every Way!

I received my third and final package from my SP today!! Even the cats came running over to see what I they got.

Remember Mary Poppins with her magic carpet bag? Once again, I have received the magic envelope stuffed with knitterly goodness! She sent me some lovely hand painted wool & mohair 2-ply yarn from New Zealand, the most beautiful pink & mauve hand dyed sock yarn from Wales. (Must listen to Cast-On while knitting with this yarn!), 2 huge chocolate bars, a Fiber Trends pattern for "Railroad Rib Socks" (my SP is also psychic--I was JUST thinking about what sock pattern I wanted to do next, not too plain, not too lacy, and voila, the PERFECT pattern shows up in my mailbox), a "get knitted" pen and treats for the gatos (which I have to hide in air tight containers in a drawer because a mere cupboard is no obstacle for the uber cat nose of Cary).

Oh, and in another show of amazing psychic command, she sent me some Brittany DPNs!! Last week, in sock class, I was soooooo coveting the short
Brittany needles that all the other students were using but didn't feel I could justify buying any because I had perfectly fine bamboo needles and now I have my own set! And, I must confess, I originally thought Brittany needles came from, well, Britain. They don't. They come from NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. So how cool is it that someone halfway 'round the world introduces me to needles that come from a place located about 3 hours drive away.


Beautiful sock yarn


Lovely lace yarn

Sock pattern



And Cary busting into the kitty treats!

So, just who is this mystery SP 'O mine?

She works in London but lives outside of the City

She raises kids but doesn't have "kids".

And she has a great sense of humour!

I'm going to venture a guess... and say she's the super talented and wonderful person who shares the same first name as my darling sister. Stay tuned to see if I'm right!

posted by cpurl17 @ 3:48 PM   2 comments

P. S....

I woke up this morning to discover that Cary managed to make 25 copies of his derriere last night.


and this message flashing at me:


Aren't we proud of ourselves?

posted by cpurl17 @ 11:55 AM   3 comments

Monday, April 17, 2006

H is for ....Hell Cats Hi-Jinx!

There once was a very bad Kitty
Who thought he was rather pretty
He sat on the glass
And copied his a$$
And now he thinks he's quite witty!

Ok, I didn't start out wanting to post yet ANOTHER cat photo for the ABC along and so I took my camera out this afternoon and drove around to get a nice photo of the green Hills in my area. One nice by-product of all the rain we've been having is being surrounded bylusciouss green hills. In a month or so, it will all be brown so I like to enjoy it while I can. I took this photo from the parking lot of a church located up on one of the surrounding hills but it didn't come out very hill like and there are far better shots nearby so maybe I'll try again this week.


This afternoon, I got some sock yarn from the fabulous Turtlegirl. It was part of a swap we did that was totally above and beyond but very much appreciated.

And yes, I'm still working on the one sock. I've been knitting a charity sweater the past few days and I thought I'd be done by now because it's the easiest pattern in the world but my hands seem to be working in slow motion.

posted by cpurl17 @ 6:57 PM   4 comments

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Happy Easter!

Taking a moment to rest before the big Easter basket delivery, Mama Bunny takes out her knitting.



The sun is out today! I feel warmth on my face and the kitties are soaking up the sun, hooray! I finished a Homespun Baby blanket last night and have 5 squares for the KTC blanket project so I'm putting on my sunglasses and opening the sunroof and driving over to the post office. And it will be a joy to run errands while it's sunny out.

Also, I forgot to say Happy Birthday to my friend Romy yesterday. A true California girl (in the super cool sense) I believe the sun came out today in honor of her.

This afternoon, I want to go outside and sit in the sun cast on for the Noni Bag project.

And also continue working on my ONE sock.



Theme song of the day: "Soak Up the Sun" by Sheryl Crow

posted by cpurl17 @ 11:04 AM   6 comments

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Bootie-licious!



My cousin's wife gave birth to baby boy triplets and I made them some umbilical cord hats (see post below) but the boys are preemies and it will be a long time till their little heads grow into them soooo...I knit some little preemie hats and booties. (The bootie pattern was supposed to be for preemies but they seem a little big.)

These were the first booties I have ever knit so it was fun to learn, and by the 6th one, I was whipping them out pretty fast. My first ever sock, however, is not going quite so fast. I just turned the heel, (the highlight of my otherwise dull week), whoo-hoo, and am working on the gusset right now.

(I feel like I'm the Fisher-Price of Knitting levels: "my first sock," "my first sweater," etc.)

Meanwhile, Chez Gato, we wonder if it will ever stop raining.

posted by cpurl17 @ 7:12 PM   4 comments

Thursday, April 06, 2006

G is for Gato...


...and for another Gratuitous cat photo. But who can resist, after a month of rain, a few hours in the sun and a chance to get your ears cleaned.

Knitting-wise, not much getting done but the trio of Umbilical Cord hats I made for my cousin's new triplet baby boys. Of course, as preemies, they won't grow to fit in these for a long time...so I'm going to whip out (or so she says) some preemie sized caps.


Shh, don't tell any of my fibersnob pals but I knit them out of Red Heart Soft Yarn and I have to admit, I really liked working with it. As much as I love natural fibers, I just couldn't bare to give the mother of triplets something that wasn't machine wash AND tumble dry. If you know of any luxury baby yarn brands that hold up to repeated dryer runs, please let me know!!

posted by cpurl17 @ 12:44 PM   9 comments

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Happy Birthday Mika!

Mika is one year old! Mika means "raccoon" in the Native American Osage and Omaha-Ponca languages. Mika is also a Japanese name and the name of a newscaster on CBS (but not named after her).

She came home in June 2005 from an animal rescue shelter and was the last unclaimed kitten in a litter of 5. Since I know what it's like to be the last one picked, she was destined to be my kitty. She is a very mischievous, funny little kitty who often cuddles next to me when I knit. On occasion she has chewed through my working yarn before I realize what she's done. She knows her yarn and prefers to chew through merino wool and silk and avoids Red Heart.


My Knitty Avatar Star

Portrait of Mika taken by my photographer friend, Romy. My, what green eyes you have!

My champion sleeper.

posted by cpurl17 @ 7:19 AM   5 comments

Saturday, April 01, 2006

One Woman. One Knitter. One Year

Stash 2005: I learned to knit a year ago and bought this little case to hold my Stash (it now holds sock yarn). Oh what a naive little Grasshopper I was...

Stash: April 1, 2006


Meet the Rowans: Summer Tweed, Polar, Handknit Cotton DK, Kidsilk Haze

I love Europe: 9 hanks of Black Water Abbey Wool (Ireland) , Dale of Norway Daletta, Classic Elite Isabella and Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool (from Italy)


I've Got The Blues: Lana Grossa Basics, Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk, Sidar Denim Tweed DK. In the front: Ellen's Halfpint farm, 1 skein of 50/50 merino/silk and 1 skein of silk in the same colourway, 1 skein of silk


Black & White: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Astrakhan, Rowan Cashcotton DK, Schoeller Wonderwool, 1 skein of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky, Lana Gross Kidair, Crystal Palace Party, Hey, how did that cat get in the photo??


Red Hots (and a few others): Artfibers Kyoto (silk/kidmohair), Brooks Farm Duet (blue), Fire Marl red ColourMart cashmere yarn from my lovely (and still unknown) UK SP 6, 2,500 yards of Brooksfarm Primero, some pretty & soft Paton's Zhivago from my purler Holiday SP, Aurora, and in the front, some Annie Blatt yarn to make the strawberry hat (could someone please have a baby??)


My Felted Future: 10 skeins of Noro Kuyeon in 3 colourways (some from the wonderful Zknitter), Lopi and Twillys Freedom wool


On the left: GGH esprit "Knit For Her Cure" afghan kit, Ellens' Halfpint farm silk/wool, Colinette Giotto(from my SP 6) Lana Grossa Veneto


The Great Mission Falls 1824 Wool Close Out Panic Purchase of 2005 (the taupe is my father's Christmas'05 present afghan--I think I'm a bit late getting started, don't you?)

54 skeins of cream yarn.

Baby yarn and a cat leg


From the Heart: Yarn for Charity projects. I'm currently knitting some blanket squares for the Knit the Classics Blanket project and some sweaters for Knit for Kids.

Last minute entry: Today I received a package from my Mystery Swapper from Knit the Classics, Marji and she included some beautiful vintage mohair & silk sapphire blue yarn.


May your yarn basket never be empty.

posted by cpurl17 @ 12:03 AM   28 comments