Bichons In Berry Sauce

There has been knitting going on over here.. I am on row 162 of the never-ending sleeve. I'm hoping to finish this sleeve in the next few days so I can start fresh on vacation with sleeve nombre deux. The yarn is light, the sleeve pattern is easy, making it perfect for travel. I can see how people get really into sock knitting.

Here's my progress on the Christmas-tree-skirt, aka, basketweave blanket:

There's three skeins in there, and I have another three to go. It should turn out to be a nice sized rectangle for the crib.

Lastly, the scarf:

Still not crazy about knitting this, but I'm picking at it. Row by tedious row. It's not that the pattern is hard, it's just not that much fun anymore. I do like how it knits up, so I'm plowing through.

Little Abby has been keeping watch at her favorite spot. A few months ago, she discovered windows. (Yes, she's a little slow, but in her defense, most of the windows are a bit high for her. We're on the second floor, and she has to look down to see anything good. It's a bad angle for her.) Anyway, her best view is from the recliner, where she can see the row of mailboxes. She loves mail-time.

Posted by Nancy at 01:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

While Abby was playing in a fenced yard and singing campfire songs at Camp Rick, Cary and I were visiting my family in Arizona. I got a good amount of knitting done on the plane ride over-- I underestimated the amount I would knit, ran out of yarn (the rest was in my checked luggage) and asked Cary if he'd go down and get my other skein for me. He said no, so this is all I got done.

While in AZ, I didn't do much knitting at all. Instead, we went shopping, played with the Arizona bichons, took a day trip to Prescott, and went out to eat a bunch. Here are Molly and Joey, on their way to Prescott to play in the grass and eat spilled snowcones. Mmmmm, watermelon sugar.

This was Cary's first trip to Arizona when it was a bit warm. I think the highest high while we were there was 112, and he did fairly well with it. It's cooler in the mornings and evenings, so we ate outside for breakfast and dinners most of the days. This is a view from near my parent's house in Scottsdale:

On the way back I finished up most of the second skein of Kermit green yarn. The basketweave pattern is turning out really nicely with this yarn. I like how it gives the blanket a textured look.

Up close:

Abby has a thing for wools. Especially Noro, but in a pinch, apparently Sundara's merino will do.

*sniff sniff sniff* Oh, yeah, that's the stuff.

When I got home, I picked up a happy, exhausted, and grass stained bichon. From the looks of her, she had a great time at camp. I had to work crazy shifts for this past week to make up for my vacation, and finally this weekend I got a break. Abby and I spent the whole day saturday cleaning and disinfecting everything, including her toys.

She was a bored little bichon for about an hour. Can anyone guess her favorite toy? Hint: like mother like bichon baby.

I've also been busy checking out party houses and reception halls, because... I'm engaged! He asked me on my birthday at the end of the pier at Charlotte beach, and it was perfect.

Posted by Nancy at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

I got mail!

I've been awaiting the arrival of this after Sundara and I exchanged a few emails in my pursuit for the perfect baby green. This is a bit brighter than most yarns I usually choose, but the more I look at it, the more I like it. It's very evenly dyed, but there are little subtle flecks and variations throughout each skein. And it's sooooooo soft. Nice and buttery.

I started a little swatch on size 8s since I'm a tight knitter (recommended is size 5-7), and I think the fabric is a little too firm. During our thursday nite tv, I'm going to try out the 9s and 10s. It's important that this be figured out before our trip on Saturday- Cary and I are going to see my family in Arizona. It's funny to me that swatching, winding yarn, and photocopying patterns are essential packing steps.

The bichon monster will be vacationing for the week at Camp Rick, a four-star resort complete with a fenced in yard and 24/7 attention from a person who's not keen to her sneakiness or annoyed by barking at every single doorbell on tv. She'll be packing up her kerchief and swinging her stick over her shoulder tomorrow.

Posted by Nancy at 06:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

A few days ago, I planted myself on the couch with my stack of knitting books, looking for the perfect unisex baby sweater pattern. I found a good number of boy baby clothes I'd like to knit. And a good number of girl baby clothes I'd like to knit, but nothing in-between that I was crazy about. Except a few blankets that caught my eye.

I looked back and forth over three blankets, trying to decide. One was an elegant blanket, with a few simple cables running the length of it. It looked quite plush, but didn't seem 'babyish' to me. After making, I mean, politely requesting, my boyfriend to look them over, I decided on the basketweave blanket from Knitting for Baby. But definitely not in chenille. The doubling as a bath towel idea is nice, but I wanted something more blankety.

I've been knitting a lot from my stash lately, one of my goals, but I really didn't have anything for this project. So... I got the perfect excuse to try out some of Sundara's yarn! We've been emailing back and forth, as I try to describe the perfect green that I'm looking for, and she's been extremely accomodating. I can't wait to see it!

For now, I need to finish up Dianne's bag, there's not much left to go, just need to i-cord the strap. I need to save that for work knitting. Tonite, I'm going to be playing with glass:

I'm trying something a bit crafty.. from the new Martha Stewart magazine. Hint: I get to pour paint.

Posted by Nancy at 07:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)