The life and times of three magnificent cats...

Finally an entry!

2007-07-13T00:10:00.000-04:00

Talk about being a bad blogger. It has been months since I wrote anything, time flies when you are having fun. I have yet to upload the pictures from the camera of my socks and my trip to Lockport, NY. That will be a project for the weekend. I am knitting a sweater for my grandson and started the second sock. The socks that rock club hank is sitting on the end table staring at me waiting, waiting, patiently I hope. I am going to knit them in the Fawkes pattern from Socktopia it is so cool.

Happy Easter

2007-04-08T10:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter! Happy Spring! Into the leg of the second sock and have to tear out a few rows, miscounted the rows between the cables. Will update further tomorrow. So much to do today and not enough time.

YEAH!! One sock!!

2007-04-01T17:53:00.000-04:00

After multiple times frogging it is finally finished, the first sock from STR club. The pattern is fairly easy once I got the needle size corret so it would fit over my instep. I ended up using size 3 dpn's as you can see the striping ended up in a varigation of colors. I do like it. I wore it around the house last night and it was comfortable. The foot was knit on oo but the next one I have gone up to size 1 dpn so the striping is not as evident. We shall see the difference, then I can write on the pattern the needles I used. That way I can make them again without all the fuss.

I tried to take the picture with a natural light but ended up with some shadowing.

I have not gotten very far on the second sock as I had to renew my nursing license. It is necessary to have 20 continueing education units to renew and I realized I was a tad bit short. So I spent all afternoon reading and taking on line tests so I could get the CEU's. Well they are completed and will probably have more than necessary but that is OK. I will have to be more diligent throughout the year to get CEU's. However I am a long time procrastinator.

Here is a close up of the cables:

Once I started using the 3 dpn's the cables went fast and were easy. When I get the second sock finished I will take pictures of one inside out and the other right side out. Not that there is a right or worng side to this pattern which is the fun part of it.

One cable down

2007-03-25T21:19:00.000-04:00

The heel is finished, it wasn't bad at all. I thought I had a hole at the point where the top of the sock began but as I continued to knit it isn't as large as first thought. The first time I did the cables on the STR pattern I ended up frogging it twice. I thought of a life line but too late. So this morning I went to Michael's to get a cable needle. I have wooden cable needles from Brittany needles but the smallest was too big. You don't want me to go to Michael's for one item as I can always find more. I purchased a pale blue pail for Patrick for Easter then had to buy the grass, crayons, pad of paper, and foam stickers to decorate the pail with. I digress here.

I did come home and finish up a presentation for work then was able to knit. I have finished the first round of cables on the socks. YEAH!!! You don't see the cables in the picture but I was able to get my foot into the sock even with the needles still on. It would have been easier without the needles though. The toe and heel were knitted on size 0 needles, the foot 00 and I decided to go to size 2 needles immediately finishing the heel. Onto the rest of the sock...

I Have Returned

2007-03-20T20:24:00.000-04:00

I had to go up North for the weekend so my post was delayed. I have been knitting on my STR pattern and finally getting the rhythm of the pattern. I actually did get a lot done on the foot of the sock. To make gauge I had to go down to a 00 needle, it was a fluke I even had that size needle. I bought the set while in Savannah, GA visiting my son and his family. I thought you never know when you may need them.

My mom loves her socks I made her. She was the lucky one who received the blue/green socks from the previous posting. They fit her perfectly and keep her feet warm. I do have enough yarn to make another pair for myself. It appears all the socks I have made are going elsewhere, my STR sock are mine all mine I say.

Sunday Afternoon

2007-03-11T14:12:00.000-04:00

I did remember to turn my clock ahead for this very early beginning to Daylight Savings Time. At least I had no where to go first thing this morning.

I have finished a pair of socks from Briar Rose 4th of July yarn and I think I have enough for another pair. It is my first pair of 100% wool socks and they are comfortable. I wear them for a short time in the evening. Then my feet get to hot and I take them off, that is the way it is in sunny Florida. The yarn was a joy to knit with it is a heavy sock yarn knit up on size 4 DPN's. The pattern is from the book Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. To the left is a better picture to see the details. This is a quick and easy pattern to do.

I have another project I must concentrate on. Of course I will continue woth socks but not as the only project. I will be winding my yarn from the Rockin Sock Club so I can attempt a toe up sock. They sound challenging from what I have read on the blog. But I am up to the challenge.

What would a day be without a picture of Remington? You would think he is the only cat in the house when indeed there are three, but he is the one who is into the most trouble and has to be in any picture when I am attempting to take pictures of the finished socks. Here he is again...

Happy Dance!!!

2007-03-06T18:47:00.000-05:00

I am so excited I received my package from the Rockin' Sock Club and a package from my surrogate Socktine Swap Pal. How can anyone be so lucky!!!!

The color way is Monsoon, on the inside of the band is written Footloose and fancy free. Being a newbie to the club I understand this will mean something as the months go on. So it appears I will have to keep track of the posted inner band labels. That will be fun.

This was my other surprise today. When the postman left a note in the mailbox saying I had two packages at the psot office I could not imagine what the other package was. Well, it was a total surprise when I opened the package and there was a wonderful, soft, great pair of socks and other goodies from my surrogate Socktine Swap Pal. I feel so blessed that Sara Jayne took the time to pinch knit for Mulene. I hope Mulene gets well soon. The socks fit so well. They are very warm also. The candles smell so good, cranberry apple and a holder to burn them in. The chocolate, my all time favorite flavor and the sock bag. I have been looking at them and just kept looking now I have one. YEAH!!!! Sara Jayne you are great.

I finished the second pair of socks for John. The yarn is from the Yarn Pirate, colorway is String Theory. I had to get the colorway as John reads or watches all things on String Theory. He would have received them today so we shall see if he really likes them. Of course if he does not they do fit me. The colors are blues, purples, black, white and the shades in between.

I am now beginning to wonder what to do with the left over yarn from the socks. I have heard on the Lime N' Violet podcast about a log cabin quilt which sounds interesting. When I was in Savannah I made it to a yarn store of course and the knitter (owner?) behind the counter had suggested "washcloth" quilt. Using the patterns for washcloths so the squares are the same size, alternating black squares so you can use any color you want on the alternate squares. Both sound great to me. Of course at the moment I don't have that much left over yarn.

Happy New Year!!

2007-01-07T09:59:00.000-05:00

It has been so long since I last posted. Time flies when you are working 10 - 12 hours a day or more. Then of course you have the Christmas knitting which I must say did get finished and sent out in time for Christmas. My socks however were finished on New Years day. Oh well they will be great for next year.

I have been purchasing yarn, of course adding to my stash. My sister was an enabler of this as she gave me a gift certificate from Loopy Ewe and knitting needles from Lantern Moon. What a wonderful gift. Over Christmas my boyfriend decided he would like handmade socks as I don't knit for him. So he says. So I purchased sock yarn that I thought he would like, shades of brown, he tells me it is ok he will wear them but they are boring. So I had him look at Lisa Souza's site and pick out yarn he would like. Needless to say his attention span was very short. This is the yarn for his socks...
I had purchased the heavier Socks That Rock yarn from Blue Moon but he said he would like the lighter weight yarn so the Lisa Souza Pacific colorway which he chose. Who knew it would be so difficult to pick out colors. He is in cold, snowy weather for awhile so I thought the heavier yarn would keep his feet warmer. Silly me!

My Lisa Souza Violet's Pink Ribbon yarn came. Yeah!!!!! It is so beautiful. I thought it would be great for a lacy pattern, now to find one. I had hoped to use Nancy Bush's pattern Fancy Silk Sock but couldn't get the cuff to work out. When I tried it I was using a dark colorway so maybe using a light color will help. I need to decide what pattern to use as I have joined the knit along using the yarn.

I also joined the Sockintine Sock Swap. I can't wait to see what my sock pal knit. While reading the message board I found out she is from the United Kingdom how cool is that. For my pal I am using Lisa Souza Yarn colorway South Pacific. It is beautiful and the pattern I am using is also Lisa Souza called Petal Lace Socks. I have all ready turned the heel on the first sock. The person I am knitting for is in Iowa and so the wool socks will work out great. The pattern knit up reminds me of the Pacific Ocean waves hitting the shore in Santa Barbara, California and the colors of the scenery driving Ventura Highway between Ventura and Santa Barbara. The mountains on one side and the ocean on the other, the fragrance of the ocean coming in through the open window. Oh I digress sorry.

Christmas was wonderful! We traveled to Savannah, GA to visit my son and his family. It was wonderful to spend the weekend with them. Patrick has grown so much. They are such good parents and Patrick is happy. He did get so much for Christmas in the end he didn't want to open anymore gifts. They had their house decorated for Christmas and it was nice to see all the decorations and festivities. The outside was also well decorated. They gave me a beautiful necklace, a circle of love with sapphires, which is Patrick's birthstone.

2006-12-17T08:14:00.000-05:00

Good Morning! I have been so busy with knitting Christmas gifts. I still have one to do but it will have to wait until after Christmas. I want a pair of Christmas socks so at the moment I am being selfish. I have started the pattern Christmas Stocking socks by Wildhorse Farm Designs. I am on the Fair Isle portion and thought I knew what I was doing...NOT! I had to frog the row and begin again. At least it was only one row. Where the Christmas trees are I am going to add beads so it looks like ornaments or lights.

I don't recall taking pictures of all the gifts I made but after Christmas I will post what I did take pictures of . And of course post pictures of the socks.

My First Socks!!

2006-11-11T09:58:00.000-05:00

Yeah I did it!!!! I frogged these socks several times but they made it off the needles and they fit. That is the true test. It is still to warm in Florida to wear them all day but I will wear them around the house and in the evening. I can't wait to start another pair. I do have enough stash to make more of course. I must stay off the Lime and Violet message board as I am buying way to much sock yarn. I must say the hand dyed color ways are beautiful though. I must say thank you to those on the message board who gave encouragement and help with making the socks larger. The next pair I am going to try without increasing stitches as they are slightly large but not bad. The pattern I used was great for a first sock as it had enough lace to keep it interesting but easy enough for a first sock.

I have wound in a ball the Lisa Souza Berry Poppins sock yarn so I will use that next. I am waiting for my swift and ball winder to come that I ordered earlier during the week. My stash of skeins is growing, I swear they multiple in the closet when the door is closed. It will be nice not to use the back of the chair or my knees (which is greatly uncomfortable) to hold the skein of yarn to wind in a ball. That is not including Remington who wants to steal the yarn while you are tring to wind thus making a terrible mess.

More yarn was found in my mailbox (go figure, don't know how that happened) and it was from the Loopy Ewe in the Daffodil colorway, very pretty. Yesterday I found a skein of Pink is the New Yarn from Yarntini, love the color. I find that I like the fingering weight yarn, my socks were knit on size 1 dpn's. I did order some medium weight from Briar Rose and will make them but the weight is too heavy for Florida. Someone in the family up north may get a pair of socks when I knit those. I am still looking for patterns for the heavier weight yarn. That is a question for the message board...

Good Morning!

2006-11-11T09:06:00.000-05:00

Alot has transpired since my last posting. My sister Terri's wedding was wonderful. The most important people in her life were there to celebrate with her and her husband Donny. Even though this was not a large affair they had the entire wedding ceremony including lighting of the candles and communion. It had been raining every day since I arrived in Lockport, NY but half an hour before the ceremony it stopped and didn't begin again until an hour after. It was so special, Terri looked so beautiful. The minister was great, she had a special way about her that made you comfortable. She knew what to do to help Terri and Donny relax during the ceremony. Terri had me do a reading, I was fine until the last sentence then couldn't help it I was choked up and almost started crying. I wish the best for them, they are so special to me.

I had such a good time while I was home in Lockport. I was able to spend time with those I love including close friends. The leaves were still on the trees in their beautiful fall colors. There was a lot of visible damage from the freak snow storm the week before though. Saturday was spent with my son Chris and his wife Beth. We went on a wine tour and of course I had to purchase a few bottles. I could have bought more but I needed to get it to Florida. Needless to say they put a "heavy" sticker on my suitcase at the airport. On Sunday Terri and I made pizzel cookies for mom and dad for Christmas. Oh yes, Christmas cookies all ready. We stood out in the garage with a pizzel iron over a flame. It was not real cold but it was raining and damp out so we did get chilled. We finished with at least 50+ cookies. I was able to bring a small tin of them home, hopefully they will last until the holidays. I have put the tin away, out of sight out of mind?

When I got home I made this years Halloween costume for my grandson Patrick who is three years old. He and his parents live in Savanah, GA so I don't get to see them like I would want to. I had promised Craig I would make Patrick's costume, this is the third year of Grandma's costume. He was one of the Three Musketeers. I found a black hat and added two fluffy long white feathers, Craig said the hat was too big and he didn't like wearing it but kept it on long enough to take pictures. Of course I am still waiting for the pictures but they will come I am sure. Last year he was a frog prince and the first year a pumpkin. Michele, my daughter-in-law, told me to stop outdoing myself every year. Can't help it, I like making halloween costumes.

Finally

2006-10-26T06:55:00.000-04:00

Finally after ripping it out three times I figured out the heel. Didn't quite understand the short rows and the purpose of them. Now I do and it is so cool. Of course I do realize I did the heel wrong on my training socks. Now onto finishing the sock.

I will post pictures and talk about my time in Lockport at my sister's wedding.

Just me

2006-10-15T15:40:00.000-04:00

I have the most difficult time coming up with screen names so I had been searching the web and doing some reading. I enjoy the Harry Potter series, the books as well as the movies. I watched my first Harry Potter movie with my godchild Katelyn who is no longer a child but a beautiful teenager. During the movie she told me I reminded her of Hermione Granger, "you know everything Aunt Jackie". Of course it may have seemed that way to a 10 year old but I must admit I do have a lot of the same qualities and I was the one at school with her hand up willing to answer questions and ask questions. So I naturally went to the official Harry Potter web site and read all there was on the subject. While on the site there was information about how J.K. Rowling decided on what kind of wand certain characters should have. She used the Celtic tree chart based on the time of year you were born. This chart assigned me the willow tree, thus pointy willow sticks. This can be found on the site under "extra stuff" then miscellaneous.

Frogging

2006-10-12T19:03:00.000-04:00

I was 25+ rows into the lime and violet colorway sock and decided I didn't like it. So I frogged it. I had changed the cuff because it wasn't working for me then realized I needed to have the stitches divisible by 3. So tomorrow evening I will cast on again. Nothing better to do on a Friday evening. I thought this was a cute picture and appropriate as I frogged my sock.

I figured out how to make the buttons work on the sidebar. YEAH!!!! It took awhile but I did it. So I will try to add more soon.

Training Sock

2006-10-07T08:54:00.000-04:00

Well, I finally did it. I completed the training sock in knitty.com. I ended up doing two of them and the second one actually looked better. I was more comfortable working on the heel the second time around. I didn't want an entire skein of worsted yarn so I purchased Lily's Sugar 'n Cream yarn. This was inexpensive and I figured the rest of the yarn can be used for dishcloths. The directions in the article are great, easy to understand. Now onto the real thing! A little scary actually using sock yarn and size one needles. I did do a swatch as that is the way I am.

I have decided to use the pattern Apple Harvest by Northern Sunshine Designs this looks like a nice pattern to begin with as the lace area is small. I casted on the cuff three times, I thought I was going to scream. I would knit two to three rounds and find I had a hole from a dropped stitch or it didn't look right. The cuff is a k1, p2 pattern I know it is not a difficult repeat and have done this in the past but I got all discombobulated doing it on four needles. I tried twice and decided the heck with it, the third time I casted all the stitches onto one needle then divided them onto three needles figuring I could divide onto the fourth needle later. Then went to the easy k1, p1 pattern. Had to get use to the smaller needles, I don't mind the other needles hanging out. I am using the dpn's from Knit Picks they are great, I do have to watch that I don't split the yarn. I have gotten 6 rounds completed of the cuff by using k1, p1 so that is what I am going with for this first pair of socks. I do have to keep Remington away from the yarn though. The ball of yarn was sitting next to me, I turned my head and next thing I know he has the ball in his mouth going across the living room floor. It will be a challenge not only the socks but keeping the yarn intact and away from Remington.

My yarn!

2006-09-30T22:51:00.000-04:00

Remington decided that my Lisa Souza Lime & Violet yarn was his toy. I had just finished winding the yarn, by hand of course, put it in the basket and he stole it. I saw him running across the livingroom with this big ball of yarn in his mouth. It was funny even though all I could say was "MY YARN! DROP IT!" for those of you living with cats know a request like this goes unheeded. He continued to play with the yarn and made quite a mess of it. I did have to get the camera though. It took me an hour to get the yarn untangled today, kind of like untangling necklaces. He was quite proud of his endeavor.

I have been working on a lace scarf, don't know who will be the lucky receipent for Christmas. Living in Florida I don't need a mohair scarf. But I had bought the yarn to add to a scarf I made for mom but didn't like the two yarns together so the mohair was the loser. Seeing I now had this lavender kid mohair I had to do something with it. The lace pattern doesn't show as well with mohair but I do not like to do just garter stitch or stockinette stitch. I am sure it will show up better once it is blocked. It takes three skeins of yarn and I have finished 1.5 skeins so far. So we shall see how much longer it takes, I really want to work on socks.

This is the best picture I can get of my embroidery piece, of course Remington had to get in the way. I had it put under glass and I am getting the mirror effect. So the next piece I do I will block it take a picture then have it framed. Max and Cleo were sleeping somewhere in the house. I can't wait to see my sister's face when she opens the gift. She is having a very small wedding, just family, and is wearing a beautiful purple suit and her fiance is wearing a gray suit with a lavender shirt. So the purple mat will be a nice reminder of her wedding colors.

Introductions!

2006-09-25T20:47:00.000-04:00

I would like to finish introducing you to my magnificent cats!
This is Cleo she is a seal point himalayan who is haughty. She loves her treats and attention when she wants it. Cleo has traveled with me all over New York State, to California and now to Florida. She really does not like to travel but humors me.

Max has decided he is going to go anywhere I am. He is an an exotic and is the quiet strong one. He will sit there quietly and patiently waiting for you to notice him and pay attention to him. When I am knitting Max is on the arm of the couch, Cleo is beside me and Remington is on my lap playing with the yarn.

I did it! I finished the Wedding sampler for my sister, in time for the wedding. It is counted cross stitch 5 inches wide and 21 iches long with hardanger at the bottom. I have not worked on hardanger for a couple of years, prefering to knit but I do have another project to finish now that I am in the groove. Once I get the piece framed I will post a picture. Onto the scarf I am working on and have to remove the last row for the third time. I supposse one must concentrate on lace.

My first try!

2006-09-24T12:06:00.000-04:00

OMG!! I cannot believe I am doing this. I have been reading lots of blogs especially about knitting and here I am. My three magnificent cats are Cleopatra, Maximillion and Remington. They are wonderful company and their antics keep me amused. Remington likes to sit on top of the bird cage and tease Sam, he is an Amazon Parrot. He is old enough to be on his own but does not want to leave the nest. Sam doesn't talk but certainly makes his needs known by squawking very loudly, especially when I am on the phone.

Remington with his favorite toy, it is attached to a stick he drags around the house and into bed at night. He was found under a porch after hurricane Wilma. We think he was only two weeks old when he was found. He loves "helping" me knit or embroider he is such a great assistant (must keep track of tapestry needles).