Don't you just hate it when...

This happens:



Well, or this:


For some reason, Blogger isn't playing very nicely today. So it uploaded the pictures I took, but is only showing them here as HTML code. Sigh. So I don't know which is which! One is a "still life" on the coffee table at Zephyr--they do lovely floral arrangements all over, and Patty had put her unfelted fuzzy clog down next to the bowl of posies. The other picture is Annette, dealing with a huge wad of "yarn barf." She was all set to start a nice project, and lo and behold, her ball of DB Cashmerino Aran exploded!

Don't you just hate when that happens??

Okay, changing the subject slightly, I hope you've all been over to see what Wendy is doing with the Heifer Project. This is a cause that's near and dear to my family, and I've already sent off my donation. Prizes schmizes, I think the real reward is helping people, who have little except determination, get a helping hand. If I was in that situation, I'd love to get a critter to help me feed my kids, educate them, make a better life for them.

Another one of those things...

What kind of knitting needles are you?

You are interchangeable.Fun, free, and into everything, you've got every eventuality covered and every opportunity just has to be taken. Every fiber is wonderful, and every day is a new beginning. You are good at so many things, it's amazing, but you can easily lose your place and forget to show up. They have row counters for people like you!
Take this quiz!








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Outed!

Yes, it's true--my family has found my blog. Welcome aboard, kidlets, and feel free to make as many snarky comments as you'd like!

Now on to the good stuff! Since I've mainly been working on Lady E lately, here's a picture of her at (I think) 24 tiers. Or maybe it's 23. Anyway, she's rapidly approaching the limits of portability, so it may be time to cast on Lady E II. This week alone, she's been worked on in the car on the way to the airport, in the Starbucks at the international terminal, at Zephyr, and during both the Biggest Loser and Survivor. Yeah, I have totally declasse taste in TV shows, but what can I say?? I love watching reality shows, my very own form of train-wreck-watching.
This is Padua doing what he does best. Or at least, what I like him to do best! He has the most raucous meowowow of the whole crew, and when he's not happy, we all know it. But he sleeps nearby when I'm on the computer, and tonight during Survivor he slept on my lap while I knitted.
Thought as long as I had the camera out, I'd take a progress shot of the latest (maybe last?) Ab Fab. This is the Sorbet colourway and I'm liking it, although the blue in the one mohair blend comes across awfully strong. I'm starting on the third repeat of the progression, probably will finish at least 4 repeats and perhaps take it to a 5th. We'll see how the proportions look after the last of the 4th.

Don't look at the messy part of the chair. Please. I throw an afghan over it since the cats like to nap on it, but then they pull the afghan down and get nice and cozy in the wrinkles. Funny how, if I make my bed in the morning, and the quilts are nicely flat, I won't see a cat on it; but if I'm running late, and leave it mussed up, I'll come home to 3 or 4 of the little darlings sleeping in the folds.

Oops. Looks like I'm turning into one of those old ladies who yammer on and on about their cats. Just call me Mrs. Figg. (And here I've been identifying with Mums Weasley!)

Maundering

That's kind of like musing, only more aimless. It's what I feel like these days, loose ends, unravelings. More hours at work = less energy, less time for knitting, less time to plan stuff and take care of "business."
Here you see what happens to my printer when I'm not looking. Yes, it is covered with a poster and there are books propping up its little shelves. I don't think it was designed to hold 15 or so pounds of cat, let alone all that fur. The books are galleys of new releases that I'm reading for work.

But who could move that adorable face?

Then there's this one--he's perched on top of the shredder, which lives next to the computer and printer. Gee, I hope it's heavy-duty enough to withstand cat hair.

Today was trippin' down to LAX with youngest D to pick up her friend, who was arriving from England. Now, Mel lives in Australia, so this was a detour of sorts, but she'd been visiting her grandparents in Sussex. Last time she visited? She arrived from Dubai. The girl is well traveled. She'll be here for a couple of weeks, right in the middle of the Halloween extravaganza. D5's husband loves Halloween and spends hours decorating and planning his presentations for the lucky (?) trick-or-treaters that dare the porch. I'm going to miss it this year--and the grandcarrot's debut as a puppydog--since it's Tuesday, and if it's Tuesday it's quilting night. Students can cut class but Teach needs to be there. (Yes, there are people there who call me Teach. Otherwise very nice people, whom I love dearly.)

So there was knitting on the way to the airport--it was dark on the way home--and in the Starbucks in the international-arrival waiting room. Still working on Lady E, who is rapidly approaching a lack of portability. Wonder if that means I can cast on Lady E II (the Woodland colourway) for traveling??

I have some grandcarrot pics to post, too, but I'll save them for next time. I'm hoping that the Ds will all take plenty of Halloweeny shots, too. Since I'll be quilting and all...

Fiber "fix"

Time to get a quilty sort of fix for today--I did bring the camera to SnB today, but we spent so much time moving from one area to another, that taking pictures just kind of got left behind. It was a real Mad Hatter's Tea Party effect--you know, "Clean cup! Move down!"

So we're going to treat you to some alternative stuff. First, we have Judy's Flower Garden. This is mostly hand pieced and will be all hand quilted. Judy inherited a whole lot of partially-completed projects which she's been finishing up. Thanks to the great variety of 30's reproduction fabrics available now, she can get a finished quilt that looks completely "period." Then there's Louise, who after swearing mightily that she'd never do another one, was caught doing a second Bouillabaise. This is two sets of fabrics from Pincushion Boutique--the green is Margarita with Lime, and I can't remember the pink's name. I think this is going to be one POW!! quilt!
Remember how last week, I showed you the fabrics Anne had picked out?
Well, she added a couple more from her stash, and got busy. Not only is this a fantastic quilt, folks, but this was done in less than a week. I am truly awed and amazed at her skills!

Finally, a little fur for your enjoyment. What's life without cat fur in everything, right? I must say, though, this boy (Hi-Hi) doesn't shed and doesn't tangle--he's got the greatest coat, thick and plush. Here he's curled up on the shelf under my computer--I didn't even know he was there, till he gave me "the paw" to say hello.
Not much knitting to report on today, did most of another tier of Lady E but she's not looking all that different from the last pictures so we'll have to give her a little more time. My next challenge is going to be finding a nice flat surface where I can set up the swift and ball winder--I'm really eager to get busy on those BWA sweaters, in spite of the fact that today is HOT and dry and windy--Santa Anas, doncha know. (Most flat surfaces in this house are covered with stuff--great stuff, but still stuff.) Ah, the joys of packrattism!

A Fond Farewell, and other things

Tonight, there won't be those two crazy Maries out there on the patio at Starbucks. No knitting needles flashing in the lights from the passing cars,* no yarn flying all over the place. The crickets will search in vain for their favorite purple hiding place** and the baristas will just have to go without their nightly laughs.
One Marie is on her way to Seattle--about an hour on the road, as I write this--and the other is blogging sadly. Dear friend, have a safe trip and do warn the Seattle yarn shops that they are going to be invaded by a horde of Pasadena knitters!
*KnitPicks needles are shiny and bright and reflect the light.
**that Jordana Page purple knitting bag/carryall/holdall


Okay, now here (just for you, Madge!) is some of my latest eye candy.

First we have some Skye Tweed, in a pretty light blue, from Webs. No color name, unfortunately, but it's a nice greyish-blue with darker and brighter flecks in it. I think this will make a nice cardi for *moi* n'est-ce-pas?
Okay, now these beauties are from Black Water Abbey yarns. They are a nice heavy-ish weight and each hank has 220 yards. (Hmmm...why does that number sound familiar?) The upper one is called Bluestack and will probably become a Celtic Dreams gansey, while the Ocean will become Marilyn. You can see the patterns and more about the yarn here but I warn you, if you love arans and Celtic designs, stay away! Marilyn (the owner, not the pattern) also included color cards with my order; now I am anxious to get these knit up, so I can order more. And I heard that "someone" might like to make Rogue out of the Mountain color... a really pretty lilac/lavender color. Since that someone originally got some apple-green Lamb's Pride for Rogue, we'll see what happens, no?

I may have shown this lovely woodsy color of Sea Silk before, but I know I didn't show the beads I got to go along with it. Found them here and the little clear-top containers are from Martha's defunct web store. The beads come packed in little plastic baggies and I was able to peel off the label and stick it onto the side of the container, so if I run out I can run right back to the bead store for more. This might become a beaded Diamond Fantasy Shawl, which is a Sivia Harding design and which you probably already saw on Madge's blog.


Lastly, what's a good blog post without a shot of the grandcarrot? (No, Bad Gramma has not yet sewn the buttons on Pea Pod, hush up now!) Mom is at her wit's end with that hair and it may be getting a trim soon.

All together now: Awwwwwww!!

This N' That N' S'm Other Stuff

Some random things for a Friday, to distract you from the fact that I have no new knitting to post--I'm having way way too much fun "bonding" with Lady Eleanor. Talk about a perfect match of pattern, yarn, and needles!

Now, unlike Patty, I am not so fanatic about coffee that I roast my own. Yet. However, we have recently graduated from Ye Olde Standard Coffeemaker, i.e. the Greenie, to the new, deluxe (Mother's Day gift) version--the Red Hot Momma.









Ergo, the Red Hot:







This baby grinds the beans (seen next to her on the countertop) then brews the brew, all done via timer so I don't even need to get my lazy self out of bed to come downstairs to hot fresh coffee. My kidlets love me, even though I can't quite figure out why.

What I don't love? That countertop. It's been the focus of a love/hate relationship ever since we moved into this house. Did I ever mention that this house was built in 1920? True. The countertop is the original. Which means that, while it's "period" and therefore desirable, it's also had 86 or so years of being scrubbed and cleaned, and it no longer shines. Just sits there sullenly. And that grout has been replaced, and bleached. That's as clean-looking as it gets. Coffee stains, probably.

If I stay in this house, I may need to remodel the kitchen. Enough with the Period Ambience!


Okay, now on to something fibery. Remember the blocks I showed you last week, made by the M&Ms? Well, here's another one. Thank you, Nonie!

Now to wait and see what mine will look like. Always a surprise, even to me!


This is Fran's quilt top. Don't be deceived by the difference in scale due to the size of the photo; this is one big quilt-to-be! What I thought was really interesting, and the reason I took the picture, was that there's a very strong pattern that emerges when you look at the quilt from a distance.
Because: it's four-patches, matched with blocks the same size, and I don't think that Fran expected that it would develop that strong diagonal line in the red and white. But it's sure there!
Well, it's nice that people are still working at stuff and getting things done. I'm getting a few things done, but nothing that can be photographed and blogged about.

I mean, you don't care that I got the dishes done, now do you? And you don't want to see my trash cans lined up at the curb, etc etc. Nor can I show you photographs of the nice displays I put together at work, since they were thoroughly picked over within five minutes.

But, some new yarn came today, and it needs to be released from its bags and photographed. And I need to try to capture how pretty my Sea Silk and its beads are together.

I'll leave you with this link to some really amazing pictures--I guess it's true that you can, indeed, hand-feed hummingbirds!

When You Have Nothing New to Say:

You Are Pecan Pie Soda

Sweet, but totally nuts

What Jones Holiday Soda Are You?

Something To Do

You Belong in Fall

Intelligent, introspective, and quite expressive at times... You appreciate the changes in color, climate, and mood that fall brings Whether you're carving wacky pumpkins or taking long drives, autumn is a favorite time of year for you

What Season Are You?

Playing Possum

Here's the Possum from the title of this post:
Cherry Tree Hill's wonderfully soft Possum yarn--and no, it's not those scuzzy American opossums, it's New Zealand possum, a whole different critter. I was able to score some red and some black on sale, and I should have some dark blue on its way from a cyberfriend who's destashing.
What's that you said? I should be destashing too? But of course I am! Why, I have a large box all ready to go out today, and if I can get myself into gear, I'll have another box too--the shawls for St. B's and some extra yarn. I just need to go pick it up, is all.
That's all. Really. Uh huh.

On the quilting front, I want to present the latest additions to my block collection:
And in close-up, so you can see the details and the fine workmanship:

No, I didn't make these. They are part of the M&Ms mini-group swap. I owe these nice people each two blocks. They will get them, and soon (I hope). Okay, I understand that in this area, as in so many other areas of my life, I'm behind in my commitments and obligations. I really am trying to do better. Sigh. I guess it's time to remind myself: there is no "try." There's "do" or "don't do." Time to get my achy self up and "do." I have been "playing possum" for too long now.

I hope that these nice ladies will read this and let me know who made which ones. I think they should get the credit, don't you agree?

Last bit of eye candy for you today, still in the fibery realm although not yarny:

Tuesday night, Anne mentioned that her older son wanted a quilt with "jewel tones" and did I think I could help her pull some? Well! Here we are--emerald, adventurine, turquoise, sapphire, blue lapis, amethyst, tourmaline, garnet, ruby, topaz, carnelian, and yellow diamonds! I got the black to set it off. SHE managed to get all her stars cut out so I am quite hopeful that she will be showing off a completed top shortly. Have I mentioned that she is the current reigning Speed Queen Quilter??

Knitterbugs

Now, here's a sight to warm a grandma's heart! These are my two youngest granddaughters, aka Lizzie and Tori, showing their knitting. They really have made some progress, haven't they? Please do pardon the burst of grandmotherly enthusiasm here!

I forgot to bring my camera on the City of Hope Walk today, which is probably just as well. None of us were looking our best, especially after the first mile or so--sweaty, sticky, sore. But we finished! I was making great progress on a pink (of course!) shawl but then I got hungry. Let's just say, if you are walking and knitting, it works fine; but if you then eat a sticky granola bar, you will wind up with sticky needles and sticky yarn and a royal mess, and you will finish the walk clutching a water bottle and carrying the knitting in its bag. It was a lovely day for a walk, though, and it was a very good feeling to get those 5 kilometers hiked! Plus of course, it's a good cause.

Not to mention, where else can you see big burly men wearing t-shirts that say "Save the ta-tas!"

Some Serious Eye Candy

...since we are being good and avoiding the other kind--family weight loss challenge, you know! First, here's Marie's Celtic Knot. (She doesn't take pictures of her WIPs, but she lets me.) The yarn is Lamb's Pride in a wonderful grassy green, the pattern is from Knitter's Arans & Celtics book. Isn't it pretty? Next up, a sky shot. This was the scene outside of work the other day.
Next we have a couple of shots of my Lady Eleanor, in progress. The yarn is Rowan Tapestry in Rustic.
The color is super deep and saturated and this yarn is soooo soft and warm to work with. I've been mastering the art of knitting back backwards and it's going really well. Truly addictive!
That's it for today! I know, I promised a WIP roll call, but right now I am just loving this one so much, I've abandoned the others for a bit.

Friends Ask Friends for Help...

...for a good cause! This Sunday, October 8, is the City of Hope Walk for Hope. I'll be walking, along with a couple of daughters and some knitter friends (Hi, Melise! Hi, Gail and Rebecca!) and, if you are so minded, I could use a little help in reaching my fund-raising goal. My page is at http://www.cityofhope.org/fundraising/vfs/15199334/4673 . If you'd prefer to send me some moral support, a comment to that effect will be very welcome!
Cancer research is a cause that is very close to me, and I will be walking in honor of my many friends who have had this disease. Some are still with us, thanks to the ongoing research; others, like my "first best friend" Teddy, aren't. I'll be walking with my knitting--a pink scarf or two, depending on how fast I can walk and knit!--and thinking of them.

Knitting content later--can I really get in three posts in one day? One of my friends has suggested a WIP roll call, so I think it's time to round 'em up and take their pictures! (Maybe that will push me into finally blocking and finishing that MOTW, notoriously elderly UFO!)

In Memory...

Andrew Robert Watterlond

October 9, 1963--October 2, 2004

We know that this is not goodbye.

Shower of Good Wishes

Yes, today was the day--Beth's baby shower! It was held at Unraveled, one of our very very favorite yarn porn purveyors--oops, I mean, LYS! Here we mostly all are--the sign Beth is holding says "closed, private party"--there's Jan, and me, and Joan, and Beth, Fay Lynn, Annette, Mary and Jillian . Missing are Madge, Melise, Marie E., and Patty. Jan was wearing her fancy jeans with the gold dust all over them, and sparkly gold shoes.
Beth was really surprised that the basket of goodies was for her. She thought it was just a shop decoration, cause it was so full of knitted goodness. Hats, and sweaters, a Knitted Babe with baby sweater to match, two wonderful big teddy bears, socks--well, I think it's too bad Beth doesn't have a blog to post all the pictures on, but it seems to me that many of the bloggers posted their pictures. Anyway, it was fun, and hopefully Baby Cormac will "feel the love" when he arrives!

I realized that I have posted pictures of three of my cats, but the fourth one is a bit elusive. She's not fond of having her picture taken, but I caught her napping in the sun. This is GiGi, who is 19 years old.

She's also known as Giggles, among other things. She has the prettiest little cat face, and I'll try to capture it for you.

Yes, I know that floor is not the prettiest in the world. It was darn stylin' in 1983 when we put it in, though!

Ten Things You Didn't Know--a Meme

Tag, you're it! Annette got me, so here's my list...
1. I've actually been to the place* in the picture.
2. This designer* is one of my favorites, and I've done a needlepoint piece of one of his designs.
3. It is almost impossible to find yarn in this city* although I certainly tried!
4. My first (and so far only) publication in a national magazine was a crossword puzzle in the Disney mag when I was 14.
5. English is not my first language--it's my second. I had to learn to speak it when I started school, and I hated it! (French is my first, Spanish the third.)
6. I went to bilingual schools for 12 years.
7. I learned to crochet when I was 7. I learned to knit when I was 8.
8. My first sweater was hot pink, cabled. I didn't know cables were "too hard."
9. I learned to sew on an industrial machine--my mother made doll clothes at home for a major manufacturer, back when home work was not regulated. My job was cutting the threads to separate the pieces.
10. I think that's probably why I took to "production" methods for piecing quilts, and it's certainly why I was able to make 4, 5, or more of the same little dresses at a time!

There. That wasn't too painful, was it?? Now let's see yours!


*It's the Willow Tea Rooms in Glasgow, Scotland, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Some pretties...and some bye-byes

First, the pretties: yes, that's Sea Silk, in the Woodland colorway, sitting in a basket on my nice new deck: This is what's under the SS in the previous picture: Cascade 220 in Green Apple, Summer Berry, and Coral, and some Araucania Nature Wool in a jade green vari-shaded and some dark blue ditto. The shading on the blue doesn't show up very well, but it's there--just more subtle.
Now for the not-so-pretties: some bags of things that are going bye-bye.



These two pics are bags of magazines that are being re-homed, hopefully onward to bring some joy and good cheer. It's a pretty eclectic collection, most of the Victoria magazines, some Threads, some AD, VF, Home, Country Living, Country Home, tons of New Yorkers, and so on. The other stack ? Well, that's currently residing in a couple of trash cans at the curb. Yes, even the basket. I have stubbed toes on that sucker way too many times, and as soon as it was freed (it had made itself quite a nest in the carpet pile) out it went!

Did you know that you can only fill a trash can 1/3 full of magazines before it's too heavy to move? Yes, I--me, the lover of the printed word, who never met a book or magazine she didn't instantly bond with--I tossed out several years' worth of old Time, Newsweek, and filled-in puzzle magazines. Not even I could think of a decent use for them.

You'd think that with all this gone, the room would be emptier. Oh, yeah, all this came out of one room--well, one room and its adjacent bathroom. There's a lot more downstairs. I'm keeping some things--how can I part with my Knitters and Interweave Knits, my Australian Patchwork, my Old House Interiors and MS Weddings? And there are a few more stacks left. However, I'm offering up photographic proof that I meant what I said a few dozen posts back about cleaning up my living space.

Projects and Finishing Too!

I know that I refer to stamping and scrapbooking among my interests, and here are some Halloween projects that I did this past weekend. Because they were sitting in a hot car, the adhesive on the card on the upper right came loose--it needs to be reattached, and then it will be nice and straight. That card has a raffia bow and several layers--it's very cute. My favorite, though, is the black on on the bottom--I just love that spooky-tree effect! And of course Witchie-Poo flying away on her broomstick--hmm, wonder if that's one of the Ramtops witches?

Then there is this lovely item. In real life it's a deep navy blue--for some reason, the strong sunlight really washed out the color! Anyway, it's done and ready to go on to its new home, hopefully tomorrow. (I always have big plans for "tomorrow" don't you know.) This was a tryout of the pattern, which will now be done in my lovely Silk Rhapsody--assuming, of course, that I can a) find it and b) find a way to get it wound. Minor details. This is really a nice pattern, and I'm glad I did it in this Wool-Ease version first.

Next up, a rather poor picture of a finished Pea Pod! All he needs now is buttons--I have (somewhere) little green ball buttons that will look just like green peas, and they will be the perfect touch! And yes, that color (at least on my monitor) is pretty accurate--this is one BRIGHT sweater! The yarn is Dale of Norway Falk, in neon green, and the yarn came from Marji's in Granby CT. Pattern is from Interweave Knits and is available as a free pdf download if you don't have that issue of the magazine.

Not only that, but Lady Eleanor is cast on and I'm almost through with the first row of triangles! I think that I will be going ahead with the current version, but if I get ambitious I will try casting on another ball of yarn with slightly smaller needles to see if I like it.