Ketchup . . .

Well, it seems we are long over-due for some ketchup catch-up.  Although I suppose you don’t relish the fact that this post is peppered with lame little puns.

As you mayo may not know, I’ve been buying much more yarn than I’ve been knitting lately.  But at least I have finished one project.

I started these in August so I could complete a quick pair of socks for the Sock a Month knit-along.  The fact that they ended up taking me three months to knit really rubbed salt into my knitting wounds!

Little Pansy Socks (pattern is my own)
Cast On: August 2010
Completed: 14 November 2010
Yarn: Cascade Yarns Fixation Spray Dyed/Effects
Needles: US 4 (3.5 mm) DPNs

Now that this honey of a project is off the needles, I can move on to knitting some of the new yarns I bought at the fall fiber festivals.  But don’t worry, we can ketchup on those in another post. 

Bruised by not Broken . . .

Last week I posted about knitting taking revenge on me.  Apparently, it wasn’t done.

This week has brought cold, rainy weather.  That in turn brought a strong urge to pull out my Hemlock Ring Blanket.  I settled in front of the T.V and consulted the chart.  I noted that the lace repeat included 14 k1, yo repeats.  Then I proceeded to knit 12 k1, yo repeats . . . over and over . . . until I had almost reached the end of the row.  And then I cursed.  A lot.



But then, I tinked.  A lot.  And knit the proper 14 k1, yo repeats . . . over and over.  And I finished that row.  And the four stockinette rows that followed.  And then I knit another lace row.  And some more stockinette.

Take that, Knitting!!  You may have beaten me up quite a bit.  But you haven’t broken me!!

Revenge of the Knitting . . .

I’ve come to realize that T.V. is partially to blame for my missing knitting mojo over the summer.  Or more precisely, lack of T.V. is to blame.  Sure there were a few shows on cable networks like TNT and USA that I enjoyed, but for the most part there isn’t much to watch.  So my attention gets sucked up by my computer and my hands are too busy typing to knit.

Luckily, the new Fall season is off to a start.   I’m watching my favorite returning shows and sampling some of the new ones.  And my hands are once again reaching into the WIP pile.  All is right with my world, right?

Maybe not.  I picked up a baby sweater that is pretty close to being done.  I’m on the easy lace pattern the decorates the bottom half.  I put on an hour  long drama.  And as I got to the end of the first row . . . . .



I had one extra stitch left over.  One.  Extra.  Stitch.

Upon examination, I seemed to have K2 when I should have K3, less than 40 stitches into the row.  I had to rip back almost the entire row to fix it.

My neglected knitting is pissed off over being ignored all summer long . . . . and it’s exacting it’s sweet revenge.

Poor neglected sock . . . .

Doesn’t my sock look sad?  I can’t say that I blame her.  She’s been on the needles since May, but as you can tell, she hasn’t seen much action.  Her heel hasn’t even been turned.

She was mildly excited last weekend when she boarded a train bound to New York City and accompanied me to BlogHer.  The other WIPs languishing on my needles were so jealous because she was the chosen one.  But who is laughing now?  Neglected sock returned home having grown barely an inch.  She spend most of her trip tucked inside my purse, which was locked in the hotel room safe.

I know, I know.  It really isn’t fair for me to tease my projects like this.  They deserve better than to be left feeling unloved and unwanted.  But at least they’ve made it on to the needles.  They are fairing better than the piles and piles of skeins and balls of yarn in the craft room – wondering if they will ever feel the glory of becoming a WIP.

I keep telling myself it isn’t my fault.  That nobody can stand to knit during the blistery weather we’ve been dealing with.  But the yarn isn’t buying it . . . and frankly, neither am I.  We’ve both noticed no lack of projects, progress and FOs on our favorite knitting blogs, despite the tropical temps.

Poor neglected sock . . . I have failed you.

Plotting World Domination - Feline Style

Happy Friday!  While Karen is away at some silly conference, I'm taking advantage of the quiet time to take over the world.  (And also, to nap . . . )  I was going to get my BFF Siah in on the domination ploy, but I think that girl may have taken one too many dips into the cat-nip, if you know what I mean.  I've decided it's much better to team up with a couple of other tuxedo cats, so head on over the Tales of Rachel to see what Perl, Casey and I are cooking up!

>^..^<    ~ K.C.

What IS that???

What on Earth could I possibly be knitting??

Well, I'd love to tell you . . . but I can't. It's a secret. I'd love to hear your guesses though!!  (And the more outlandish, the better.  Who couldn't use a good laugh??)

Hey look . . . .

pretty yarn and a cute cat card!!!  Not that I would try to use them as tactics to distract you from the fact that I haven't blogged since *mumble hmmmrf cough*.  That would be wrong.  But the yarn sure is pretty, isn't it???

I got it for my *mumble hmmmrf cough* birthday which was *mumble hmmmrf cough* ago.  Does it make you forget that aside from not blogging, I also haven't really knit since *mumble hmmmrf cough*.

Because I'd never try to throw you off with ploys of that sort.  Nope, because that would be really really wrong. 

But did you see the cat on my birthday card????  Sooooooo cute, huh?

Message from the Knitting Gods . . . .

How do you know when the Knitting Gods are displeased because you are working on a project you have no business working on until more important WIPs get finished?

They pull your needle right off the damn cords!!!

Okay, okay, I get it.  Putting Hemlock Ring away right now.

Cha Cha Red Pearl

Well, my yarn budget has been drastically reduced for the foreseeable future.  (Thus the importance of having a MASSIVE stash!!)  Last week, we brought home a brand new car in a lovely deep burgundy shade that Honda has dubbed Tango Red Pearl.  However, since Tango is my least favorite of all the ballroom dances we do, I've renamed it Cha Cha Red Pearl.  Ha!!

Click any pic to biggie!!

Ooohh, a moon-roof!!

And just in case the neighbors didn't find it weird enough that I was standing in my driveway taking pictures of the car, I went one step further.  The important task of showing you how well my Tango Cha Cha Red Pearl car coordinates with some of my favorite stash yarn!

Yes, the neighbors may not understand how crucial car / yarn coordination is.  But I know the Knitters do!!

Will you be my Meowentine?

I'm cute and cuddly.

I'll keep you warm at night.  (By sleeping right on top of you - your arm may fall asleep under me, but that's a small price to pay for warmth.)

I'll make sure you get up on time in the morning.  (By laying down on top of your windpipe - trust me, that will wake you up good!)

I'll help you get plenty of exercise.  (Because I'll quickly shove all of my toys way far under the furniture.  You can burn tons of calories moving the couch and get plenty of stretching reaching under the entertainment center!)

I'm all about saving the environment by recycling and re-purposing.   (That's right, pine pellet cat litter also makes a great toy.  I'll toss as many pellets as I can out of my litter box and batt them all around the house!)

I'll make sure you are properly nourished.  (I ALWAYS know when it is meal-time . . . and I make sure you know it too!)

But  most of all, I'll let you know you are loved with my purrs and nuzzles and make your heart sing at the sight of my sweet little face.  And I'll never, ever get into your yarn.

What more could you ask for in a Meowentine??

Poison . . .

Ah, Hemlock, you bitter herb.  You have killed my resolve and made resistance futile.  I struggled against your lure, vowing to finish current endeavors before bending to your will.  But the pull of your magic was too strong for me to fight.  This morning, I took but a taste.  I found you were not bitter at all, but sweet and addictive.  I have cast all others aside, ensconced in the grasp of the Hemlock Ring.

Things that burn . . .

1. Me!!!  It seems all of that NaBloPoMo writing burnt me out but good.  I felt like I needed a bit of an internet break this week, so I took it.  It felt good.  And allowed me focus on other areas of my life, such as . . . 
2. Fat and Calories.  I've been working hard on burning these.  Which also causes burning . . . 
3. Muscles.  Ouch.  Feel the burn.  It's good though.  Right?
4. Money.  As in, the Christmas shopping has begun and I'm burning through my budget!  My credit cards are getting just as hard a work-out as my body is!   But it's been fun.  The favorite gift I've bought so far is for a Yankee Swap at my best friend's Family Christmas.  One lucky guest will enjoy the softly burning light of . . . 
5. A Leg Lamp Night Light!!!!  Please note: Cat not included with gift!!

 

Sick . . . .

A nose that’s stuffed,
A throat that’s sore,
Blood sugars running high.
Chills and shivers
And ears that ache,
Just make me want to cry.

Some stupid germ
Some mean virus
Has nestled in my head
Making me sneeze
And sometimes wheeze
And turning my poor nose red.

Can't clean or blog
Or do laundry
No treadmill for me today.
Will soup and tea
And a nice long nap
Please make this go away?

I'll watch TV
and get some rest
And have plenty of time to knit.
And hope that tomorrow
when I awaken
I no longer feel like like . . . .

'Tis the Season

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, I suppose it's time to look ahead to Christmas and start getting into the spirit.  How do I make that happen?

By indulging in my first Gingerbread Latte of the season.  It certainly won't be my last!  Some how the holiday stresses seem to lighten up when I catch a glimpse of that little gingerbread man dipping his toes into my coffee.

What holiday treats do you look forward to all year long?  Have you indulged in any yet?

In Rehab . . .

So, perhaps you saw my confession of my little addiction a few days ago?  Well, when I tried to have a little hit today, here's what I saw.

Click to enlarge.

Oh hell no. NetFlix has sent me to rehab?  Really, who knew my Weeds was a limited supply.  How could NetFlix leave me hanging until next month.  I didn't think my problem was that bad.

You don't think they'll start to monitor my Fiber Addiction next, do you?  Because I could be in some big trouble.  Being cut off from NetFlix for the rest of the month is bad enough.  The Fiber Police would probably send me to rehab for a whole year!

Hi, My Name is Karen . . .

and I'm addicted . . . to Weeds.  It started out innocently enough.  How was I to know NetFlix was a pusher?  You see, I could watch Season 1 and Season 2 for free, right on my very own computer.  Surely it couldn't hurt to try just a little.  One 27 minute episode couldn't cause much damage.

Before I knew it, it was all I could think about.  I needed an episode with my morning coffee.  I'd squeeze one in before dinner.  One afternoon I sat down to watch just one quick episode - but that led to one more, and one more, and before I knew it I'd lost hours.

And now, I'm buying.  I've ordered the Season 3 DVD from my supplier NetFlix.  I swear, it had better get here soon, because I'm going into withdrawal.

Although I guess I've had a problem long before NetFlix.  After all, remember when I added this primo hemp yarn stuff to my yarn stash?

Yeah, baby, that is some good sh*t!!  I should toke knit it up while I indulge in Season 4 of Weeds!!

Model with attitude . . .

So I'm working on a set of Malabrigo Thingies - hand, head and neck.  And I asked my most favorite model to help me get some pictures for the blog.  But you know how it is with gorgeous models.  They have quite an attitude.

She made it quite clear I was infringing on her beauty sleep.

Ah well, at least she didn't try to eat the yarn!!

That little gray cat . . .

I met my friend Kerri through her diabetes blog.  Actually the whole Diabetes On-line Community knows Kerri through her diabetes blog because, as I've said before, she's the Yarn Harlot of diabetes bloggers.  And everyone who knows Kerri's blog also knows Kerri's cat Siah.  This little kitty has quite a personality and keeps Kerri's blog readers entertained with her many capers.  Heck, she's even stepped in to write a guest post!

When Kerri recently helped me out of a jam, I wanted to do a little something to thank her.  What does a knitter use to say thank you?  Why, a knitted gift, of course.  What kind of knitted gift?  Well, I knew it had to be a knitted likeness of Siah.

Knitted Kitty

Cast On: 1 August 2009

Completed: 2 August 2009

Yarn: Knit Picks Essential & Steinbach Wolle Aktiv Uni held together

Needles: US 3 (3.25 mm)

Is it silly to knit a little cat for a grown women? Why yes, yes it is. But I never said I wasn't silly.  What's even sillier?  Forcing your cat to pose with the little knitted cat!

 

Girlfriends!

Kisses for Siah!

Starting to get annoyed.

"For goodness sake, make her stop putting her knitting on me!!"

Poor K.C. I think she's still trying to recover her dignity.

Need help writing a blog post?

I know I've been in a bit of a blog slump lately. Word on Twitter has it that I'm not the only one.  Luckily, the ever entertaining Harry at 25 Units to Go shared the perfect solution for those times when you are lacking inspiration  bored by your own attempts at writing  just too worn out to get a great blog post done.  Simply click over to the Lazy Bloggers Post Generator!  With just a few simple clicks, you'll have a totally awesome blog post like this one to share!

Holy Snapping Duck Do! I just returned from my daily swim on the beautiful Fijian beach and realized I have not updated this since people stopped clapping and Tinkerbell died.  You would not believe how hard it is being waited on hand and foot and generally lounging around. I hope they bring chocolate!

I am flat out like a lizard drinking with keeping up with my favorite daytime soaps, being distracted by the shiny, just generally being a biatch to the bodyguards of the blogger I am stalking.  My day seems to involve the authorities from the second I am woken by murderous Teletubbies to I run out of alcohol. I am quite the socialite.  Deal with it.

I will try to remember I promised you to send a missive out on the wire, post-haste. No, really! Unless of course the pool with the cocktail bar is heated!

Because everyone needs a Hand-Knit Crab . . .

So, the summer issue of Knitty came out yesterday. I have one word. WINNER!!!

Oh so many things I must knit!!!

The Deadliest Crab!!!  How could you not love this?  The only question is if I should knit it for my BFF's son, or for myself.  (Or one for each of us.)

Miss Honeychurch.  Classic and simple, yet so interesting.  I could see this getting a lot of wear.

The gloves.  And the mitts. They are enough to almost make me ready for winter right now.  (And that's saying a lot, since we haven't even had any summer weather yet.)

Entomology.  Lace.  And beads.  Lace and beads on yarn I have IN MY STASH.  (And yes, I can hear you thinking "who is she kidding, she has almost every yarn in her stash".  Glass houses, people, glass houses.)

And if that wasn't enough to push me over the edge?  There are socks.  Oh are there socks.  Mermaid's Lagoon.  (Hey, I've got some Shibui Sock.  Shut up.)  Treetop.  (Hey, I've got Risata too.  I said, shut up.)  And Outside In.  (I don't have any Panda Superwash.  HA!!!  Well, okay, yes, I'm sure I've got the perfect substitution though.  I know, my stash is huge.  You win.)

So if I happen to go missing, it's safe to assume I've caught Cast-On Fever.  I can most likely be found rummaging through my yarn or printing pattern after pattern or digging out every pair of needles I own so I can start every project immediately.  And Knitty is to blame.