Happy Valentines Day!

I know. It's fun fur. And I really don't like novelty yarns at all; the way they knit up, the way they look, the way they feel... none of this appeals to me. But, this is fun fur for a good cause. Mini, at Minestrone Soup is collecting hats for kids undergoing chemo and radiation at Boston Children's Hospital. Details are here. Basically, you knit hats out of fun fur, and send them to Mini by the end of February.

I have this great picture in my head of little kids running around the unit with muppet heads. They're easy to knit, and fun fur is always on sale somewhere. Last week, Joann's had them 10 for $10! This means that's basically all I'm working on for the rest of the month. I have a feeling I'll never knit with fun fur again. If anyone else wants to join, please do! The information for joining is on Mini's page, and once you email her, she'll send you a file with a bunch of patterns. If you want to get started ASAP, here is the pattern for the No Hair Day Hat.

This is the view out of my bedroom window:

Pretty, huh? But what comes along with these frosty drips of ice is not as pleasant. My toes hurt, every time I go outside, and for at least 30 minutes after I come inside. I am constantly cold. I have to brush snow off my car in a -25 degree windchill, as it whips against my face. And when I count on my day off to do laundry, I come into my laundry room when I hear the buzzer go off to one inch of standing water. Standing freezing water.

Turns out that with these icicles, come freezing pipes. I am from Arizona, and I do not know these things. I explained this to the maintenance man who came by after my downstairs neighbors were wondering why water was coming out of their vent. I guess my drain pipe is partially frozen, and the rush of water as the washer was draining was too much. Anyway, I soaked up all the freezing water, barefoot, while Abby sat in the doorway and watched me.

Yes, they are pretty, but I don't like them.

Pattern: My own, a 3x2 rib, 100 cast-on stitches
Yarn: RYC Cashsoft Aran (57% extra fine merino, 33% microfiber, 10% cashmere) in black, 2 skeins- the ribbing eats a lot of yarn!
Needles: Boye 16" circular, size 8

It turned out well. My brother reports that it's warm enough and more importantly, that it fits. I'm a nice big sister, so I also sent along some oatmeal and dried cherry cookies. My co-worker baked these a while back for a night shift, and I successfully scammed them from her. The cherries taste very yummy, especially after a day or so in a ziploc container.

Abby says hi from her indoor home. When I took her potty last nite, there was no way she could get on the grass. We got 8 inches yesterday and when you add that to the foot or so that's already on the ground, it's like a snow wall to Abs. She made the best of it and peed on the sidewalk, then I decided my Arctic Bichon needed to be thrown in the snow bank. Twice. Once she sunk to the bottom, she shimmied, and then made a few hops to get out. I think she had fun. Or at least she tolerated it. We're still on speaking terms.

C'mon mom, it's not that cold, just a little bit further?

I have a cold weather hat to show you. It's for my dad, who complains that no one ever makes him anything (probably because I would hear about the time wasted while I was doing so). Even so, I decided it was time to make him a nice winter hat. He lives in Arizona, but they take day trips to the Northern elevations like Prescott and Flagstaff frequently so it will get some use. I knew he liked cables,so I asked Jared, who always makes great hats, for some advice. He was quite helpful and one of his suggestions was perfect:

Pattern: Winter Femme by Diana Gates
Yarn: Filatura Di Crosa Wave (75% wool, 25% silk) in color #12, a tweedy chocolaty brown
Needles: Inox circular, size 5 and Bates DPNs, size 5

Dad likes it a lot, even though the hat is a little short. It just covers the ears, but I learned my dad would like the folded brim variety of hat next time. It was a great pattern, very well written, and the cables looked great, even through the decreases to the crown.

Abby liked the wool (as always), but I think she wants her Christmas presents more.

Mom sent me a package with the Christmas gifts that wouldn't fit inside my luggage, and little Abby went nuts when she saw these guys. While I was in AZ, my mom, sis and I went to one of those pottery painting places. I had never been to one before, and it was a lot of fun-- I made Abs a new water bowl, and it came out super cute.

Abby wasn't quite sure about it at first. She just kinda sat in front of it and stared at it.

Mom also put a surprise in my package. She goes to crafty antique stores sometimes, and came across this sheepy item at an after-Christmas clearance. Isn't it cute?

Stay warm!

It seems like we just became engaged, but it's more than half over, and I'm getting married in 5 months. Less than that. Eek! Most of the bigger things have been booked, thank goodness. Most recently, we found and booked a DJ, photographer, and picture site (at the George Eastman House West Garden). Mostly, I just have little things left to do. Like picking favors and invitations. A lot more fun than playing phone tag, getting pricing info, and trying to make sure I'm not getting taken for a ride.

Even during the planning, I have been knitting! We have a new nephew, baby Oliver, who is lucky enough to receive an extra soft knitted teddy.

Pattern: Harry Bear, free on the Berroco website
Yarn: Chinchilla, in Fawn (one skein!)
Needles: Boye circular, size 8

He's knit in two pieces: the back and the front, then seamed together. The pattern is easy to follow, and uses short rows to shape the feet, belly, schnooler, ears, and buns. The yarn is a bit hard to work with at first, but I got used to it a few inches into him. The nose and eyes are embroidered on, making him perfect for new little ones. He's so soft, and doesn't even look knitted (or handmade).

Little Abby's favorite toys are the soft, squishy ones. Especially the ones with squeakers, or some sort of musical button inside. Abby was going nuts while I stuffed Harry, she wanted him very badly. I put him up on the counter for safe keeping, and she stalked him for the evening, trying to figure out her best plan of attack.

I have a couple more finished projects to show from my time away, plus a few new ones. In preparation for making the Lillelam Pullover, I'm going to make a stab at Eunny's Endpaper Mitts. Am I nuts?

A few weeks ago, our families converged on Rochester, NY. Wedding planning, baby showering, and attempts at replicating the fried clams that once came out so well ensued. On one of the days, we travelled to Buffalo (just a few days after the 2 feet of snow!) to a baby shower sans power. It turned out ok, as usual, Mr. Wegman saved the day.

For those of you not familiar, Wegmans is possibly the best grocery chain in the world. Mr. Wegman carries everything. And if you don't have power and the people you ordered a cake from bailed, Mr. Wegman will provide. And if you can't fix your hair for your baby shower because you don't have power, Mr. Wegman will let you use his facilities to prepare. Besides being nice and all, it's just a fantastic grocery store. I'm going to miss it when we move.

Anyway, to the point. I made some freezer paper stencil onesies to give as shower gifts. Inspired by Kathy and her sciency baby attire, I got myself all the necessary supplies, and went at it. They turned out super cute!

Stencils: Stencil Mania, Wild Animals and Frogs & Friends
Paint: Elmer's Painters, medium point paint markers in green, red, orange, yellow, and light blue
Paper: Reynold's, the freezer variety!

My favorites are the lion and giraffe. And the hippo. And the turtle and monkey. I'm tempted to make some after the holidays to keep for my non-existant children. When I told Cary about this, he suggested that I make one with a monkey over the crotch for our little boy. Funny, but no.

Next up: my progress on Cary's Christmas present, a Sharfik.

I haven't posted in a long while! It's been busy with all the wedding plans and work, and both our families came to visit (from Arizona and Maine!) to help with the important wedding preparations. Like cake tasting. And most importantly, gown choosing. We ordered my gown, and it's beautiful. If you want to see an artsy hair teased out dramatic photo (which sadly does not show the buttons down the back and the long silky ties) click here. Except Cary. Stay away.

I've been doing a medium amount of knitting-- mostly on my ribbed jacket, and a couple scarves. Some crafting has been going on as well, mostly in the cross-stitching/waxed paper/scrapbooking forms. I have lots to show you in the next few weeks!

While Cary's mom was here, she and her sewing machine were nice enough to line the Elizabeth bag for me! I would say that I helped, but really all I did was supply the fabric, and maybe do some makeshift ironing with a pharmacology book as my ironing board. My new mom-in-law is a super-sewer, and makes all sorts of things. One day I'd like to learn and invest in a machine, but for now, all I have is the one on QVC for $19.99 that my mom ordered for me to repair hems. It works ok, but anything thicker than shirt cloth, and it jams up. Anyway, here is the finished product, all lined and pretty:

Pattern: Elizabeth Bag by Julie Anderson
Yarn: Noro Kureyon, colorway #124
Needles: Boye circular, size 10.5

I gave the bag to its rightful owner, Dianne, last week. She LOVES it. She's the kind of person you want to make handknits for-- so appreciative, and truely enjoying her new bag. The lining turned out really well too. We lined the strap and sewed the strap lining to the bag lining so that the bag doesn't stretch or pull-- all of the weight pulls on the fabric.

Lots more to come on crafting, knitting, wedding planning, and bridesmaid dresses!

Janet contacted me a few weeks ago with a 'yarn share' thought. We both want to make two Dale of Norway sweaters, the Lillelam and Bondegard, each of which require partial skeins of several different colors. Baby Ull is reasonably priced, but not the cheapest stuff, so I jumped at the idea! We ordered most of the colors from WEBS and got 25% off our order. For now, we ordered yarn for Lillelam; it has fewer colors and seems to be a bit easier. After all was said and done, each sweater is costing around 40 dollars. GREAT DEAL!

Since I received the yarn last week, I wound the skeins we're splitting into two balls. I think I did an ok job splitting them, but my cheapo scale has an accuracy of give or take 5g.

All done!

The Baby Ull will be making its way across the country to Janet this week. Sorry, I cannot say it comes from a pet-free home, but Abby has known since day one in this house that she is not, under any circumstances, to pull yarn down from my shelves or the table. She wants to though. I can see it in her eyes.

This project was a lot of fun, and gave me an excuse to go to the best store in the world often. It did cut into my knitting time quite a bit though-- I have several projects which probably should have been done by now. The book has pictures (in chronological order, down to the time of day, because I'm picky like that) from last summer's Maine vacation. Anyway, here are my first and last pages:

We're leaving for Old Orchard Beach, Maine on Sunday. And little Abby is going to be stabled for the first time. I've packed her an overnight bag, and Cary is donating her a favorite sock of his. I feel bad about stabling her, but it's supposed to be a nice place. They take them out and play with them often, it was clean, and when I checked it out, there were two little bichons there. Abby's also taking one of my pillows, with a case that smells like home.

Bye for a week!

I found shoes for the wedding! Our friends are getting married on Saturday, and I found the cutest and most perfectly matching shoes to go with my dress. Best of all, they were on clearance (at DSW). As was my dress (a cute strapless a-line from the Gap), and my shawl (light green, delicate and lacy with little embroidered flowers around the edge). Outfit total: $75. You taught me well, huh mom. And mom, don't worry about the heel, see those straps that go around the ankle? They keep me nice and secure.

These sleeves are making me feel like I have giant arms.. I am adding some length because I like longer sleeves, but these look like they could fit Cary! I know they will look different when all seamed up. But still. They look huge.

When I came home a few days ago, I found Abby's shampoo bottle all graffitied up:

Cary and I have this thing about some bichons, especially those with big poofy heads, are evil. The way the poofball makes their eyebrows look like their pointing down, you know? Abby is not one of the evil ones, but she also isn't one of the prettiest ones right now. She's 3 weeks post-worst-haircut-ever, and looks much better, but still not her usual fluffy, pretty self.

I'm on the beach, bichonless, but I do have knitting to show. I finished up the right front to my sweater-jacket:

We've spent many hours together, flying on two planes, waiting patiently for a flight in Detroit, watching Shamu jump, and now, she's done. Actually, I didn't do two of the final decrease rows for the top. I put it on scrap yarn instead so if it needs to be longer, it will be easier. I let it block yesterday, and it only grew 1/2 inch vertically, and zero horizontally. So far, so good!

Leaving tomorrow for California-- the same spot my family has gone for the last 15 or so years. I've been saving my "special yarn" for this vacation, and my stash looks bare now without it! It's for the Jacket with ribbed collar from Simple Living. I did a swatch, I washed and dried the swatch, and my gauge is right on with size 6 circs. Hopefully I'll have at least a half a sweater when I return!

Abby is nice and cool now-- she got a haircut. A really bad haircut from PetCo. They cut her like a poodle, ignoring the directions I had written down for them. Her regular groomer was all booked up, and Abby really needed to be shorn before I left. So now she suffers. I'm remembering how she used to be: a little white ball of fluff that was always zooming around the house.