Archives

Sock It To Me Monday

Jan6

With much of my weekend spent lounging on a mattress with Duncan, I have a finished sock to share today! This is my Yarn Geek sock, with accents from leftovers.

img_6519The next one will have the accents reversed, just for fun! And to spice things up, I switched the rib pattern to 7×1. Wild, right?? This yarn isn’t silky soft, but it feels thick and durable, and I’m guessing they’ll wear really well. I cast on the second sock last night and I’m looking forward to having a new pair of socks…partly because all my handknit socks are dirty and I haven’t had a chance to wash them! I might have to make an exception and put them in the washer this time.

Yesterday I got a break from dog-sitting and took the boy to Half Price Books, where I found Amy Herzog’s Ultimate Sweater Book. It says it’s a guide for “adventurous knitters”, and I don’t think I’m there yet but I aspire to be! And after that, the husband was still happy to chill with Duncan, so I got time to wash and block my lastest FOs.

img_6520The break was lovely because now I’m back on the mattress. The husband and the girl are at work and the boy is hoping to go visit the girlfriend, so it’s all me today. Don’t worry, I’ll make the boy give me a break before he leaves! And I did manage to get Duncan in the crate this morning while I had breakfast, just to get him used to it. He looked sad and pathetic but was very calm and resigned. He didn’t whine or paw at the door or bark. So I’m cautiously optimistic, and my next step will be to put him in there and then go upstairs for a while and see how he does without a person around. Overall, managing his recovery has gone more smoothly than I was expecting. Here’s hoping it stays that way even after I have to go back to work!

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Knitting with a Dog

Jan5

Today is Duncan’s second full day at home after his knee surgery, and he’s doing really well. He’s touching the leg to the ground at times, even putting some weight on it, which is better than I expected. The hardest part is going to be keeping him calm while everything heals. I think the first couple of weeks will be the most critical, and after that we can start slowly building in a little more activity. Actually, the hardest part are the nights. He hates the cone, not surprisingly, so we’ve been sitting with him 24/7 and keeping him on a leash to restrict movement and prevent him from licking the incision. The husband and I took turns sleeping downstairs with him the last two nights, and it’s not very restful, but at least Duncan gets some sleep that way. We can manage this for a couple of weeks, right?

ee16171f-a91d-467f-9e8d-cbab1b57c5eeAlso not surprisingly, I’ve had some knitting time while sitting with Duncan, and I’ve finished two projects! The first is the Botta Stole, which I don’t think I’ve mentioned before. It’s basically a scarf, and I chose it for a special skein of Aspen, a blend of merino/silk/cashmere from Baah Yarns. Unfortunately, I didn’t pay attention to yardage and I didn’t have as much as the pattern called for, so mine will be a bit short. I’m hoping it will block out long enough to wear with a shawl pin or ring.

 

db945b6d-a29d-49dc-a58c-b2d2a6e55defThat is a terrible photo and I do apologize, but my opportunities to take photos in good light are a bit limited right now. I promise I’ll get a better one after it’s done blocking! My other finished item is a sock, so I’ll save that for tomorrow’s post. And two finished items means I get to cast on two new items, so that’s what I’ll be doing while Duncan and I watch the Golden Globes tonight!

New Year, New FO

Jan1

This is a nice way to start off a new year, with a completed project that used two skeins of stash yarn from a year ago! I actually finished it on December 27th, so it’s not really the first FO of the year, but it’s the first one I’m sharing, so it’s pretty much the same.

fullsizeoutput_251cThis is Twindom, which used two skeins of Malabrigo Rasta. I did modify it by using size 17 needles instead of 19. The 19s made it too loose. Using the smaller needles, I got a tighter fabric but I did run out of yarn a few rows early, and it’s not as big as I expected, but it also hasn’t been blocked yet, and I’m pretty sure that will relax the stitches quite a bit. I’ll be sure to share an update after blocking. This color is Baya Electrica and I love it! It was a Christmas gift from the husband last year, so it was nice to finally find the right project for it.

I hope you all had a lovely New Year’s Eve! We spent the evening our usual way, with board games, an obscene amount of junk food, and much laughter. It’s such a treat to have all of us together these days. And I got to sleep until 10 this morning!! I know that won’t happen again for a very long time.

Duncan’s surgery is tomorrow. We’ve got a mattress downstairs so we can lay with him to help keep him calm, and one of us will sleep there overnight for at least the first week or so. We borrowed a crate from the brother, for when we’re not able to supervise him and the other dogs. He’s never been crated before so we’re trying to get him used to it by putting in one of his dog beds and blankets, and we put a few treats in there last night. Each dog took turns napping in there while we were playing games. It was pretty funny.

Now I just need to pick out a couple of easy knitting projects that I can work on while I’m sitting with a dog. I’m planning on another Bandana Cowl, and maybe a hat too. What’s your favorite mindless comfort knitting?

Happy New Year, friends!

Sock It To Me Monday

Dec30

As I’m sure you are aware, Christmas is over. And this year at least, I’m one of those “okay it’s done let’s put away all the Christmas stuff!” people. That doesn’t bode well for Christmas socks that are still on the needles! I used what little self-discipline I had to at least finish the one in progress yesterday while binge-watching ER.

img_6453-1Now I can put them in hibernation until late next year with a clean conscience, and I’ve freed up a set of sock needles, because you never know when you’ll need to cast on a new pair of socks!

Duncan is doing relatively well with his new restrictions. We have had to block off the couches and the stairs because he’s stubborn and thinks he’s fine, but he’s got a couple of comfy dog beds and has learned to lay down when we tell him to…sometimes. He still gets bored and restless every so often and decides it’s a fun time to wrestle with the other dogs or zoom around the dining room, so I’m hoping he’s easier to keep calm once he’s doped up after the surgery. Now we just need to get him used to pooping somewhere other than the backyard — it’s like potty-training a toddler again.

Happy Monday, friends!

 

Just Try It: A FO

Dec29

Let’s get back to a bit of knitting, shall we? Over my Christmas break I pulled a skein of Magpie Fibers Swanky DK out of my stash and it became a neck tube! I wanted something snug enough that I could feel the cashmere softness against my skin and long enough to snuggle down into when it’s cold. I haven’t gotten to wear it yet but I think it will be wonderfully cozy.

The pattern is Just Try It and I did the slimmest version, which I think they call the “guy version”. It’s so simple and knitting ribbing with a cashmere blend was so much my jam that I wanted to knit until the yarn was gone. Instead, I stopped when the cowl was about 10″ tall and decided to make fingerless mitts with the rest of the skein.

I scoured Ravelry to find a good ribbed pattern for sport weight yarn, since I wanted the mitts to match the neck tube, and I couldn’t find one that looked like I what I wanted. So I decided to improvise my own pattern! I took my favorite fingerless mitt pattern, the 75 Yard Malabrigo Mitts, and cast on fewer stitches with smaller needles and did the same ribbing pattern as in the cowl. The thumb I did the same as the original mitts since I couldn’t figure out how to make it ribbed, and I love how it turned out, growing out of one of the stockinette sections. I made them snug and short, perfect for wearing while I’m doing things like typing or knitting, and they’re officially my favorite new mitts.

These took 95 yards and I had enough left over that I could have made the cuff a bit longer, but I’m pleased with them. You can see the pattern notes here if you’re interested.

Not great news

Dec28

Duncan had his x-rays and it turns out he’s torn a ligament in his knee, the cranial cruciate ligament. He will have to have surgery next week and then there will be a minimum 8-week recovery period with limited movement. Starting immediately, he’s not supposed to go up or down stairs, jump on anything, or roughhouse with the other dogs. This is not going to be fun.

Since the backyard is down a long flight of steep stairs, we bought a ramp for the front stairs, and he has to go out on a leash to do his business. It took him a few tries to get used to the ramp, but he’s still not used to not being able to go outside whenever he wants.

He was pretty needy last night, probably thanks to some soreness after the exam, and pushed down the kitchen gate to come upstairs at 4:30 in the morning. I came down, let him out a couple of times, dozed a little, gave him some breakfast and another potty break, and when my back was turned cleaning up the poo I’d tracked in, he hopped up on the couch. And now he’s feeling a little better and is bored and restless and we’re struggling to keep him calm.

A friend who’s been through this said they put a mattress downstairs so they could lie down with the dog and sleep there overnight during the first week after surgery, so we’re going to try that. And I’m guessing I’ll need to take a few days off work for that first week or so.

The silver lining is that it’s not hip dysplasia or something long-term and debilitating that we can’t fix. But it’s going to be a long two or three months, and there’s a good chance he’ll end up rupturing the other knee at some point. Basically, I’m overwhelmed and tired. I have knitting to share but that’ll be another day. Hope your weekend is going better than mine!

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Nope, no stress here!

Dec27

My husband grinds his teeth, has for years. He has a bite guard and it helps protect his teeth, but doesn’t stop the grinding. I do not grind my teeth, never have. Over the holidays, a well-intentioned family member said it was the difference between his high-stress job and my quiet, non-demanding job. Right. Because that right there means I have no stress.

No, I don’t stress about whether I’m in a job that I’m passionate about, or that I’m afraid won’t grow into something more meaningful and rewarding.

Nope, no stress about the house that’s falling down and needs a huge, expensive renovation.

What, me stress about paying for another two and half years of college for the girl, plus then college for the boy?

I have no worries about the sweet large dog who’s going in for x-rays today because he’s having problems with one of his hind legs. He’s a large breed, 100 pounds, and I have no worries that he’s going to have debilitating joint issues for the rest of his life.

Yeah. It pissed me off. I know she didn’t mean it to be patronizing but it sure came out that way. No, I don’t grind my teeth. My stress and anxieties manifest in different ways, like comfort eating. Drinking wine. Obsessive knitting. Snapping at people. Stomach aches. Biting my nails.

I guess it all comes back to that saying, something like “Be kind, for everyone is facing a battle you know nothing about.”

And send good thoughts to Duncan today. He needs them.

Back to real life

Dec26

Almost. I don’t have to go back to work until Monday but all the holiday stuff is over and now it’s time to just relax for a few days. Which is good because I got A LOT of yarn that I want to play with! The husband had a good time picking out yarn and he chose VERY well. img_6394.jpgBut I restrained myself to winding just two skeins and casting on two new projects, a shawl and a new pair of socks. The sock yarn is Yarn Geek and the shawl is Blissful Knits, both sellers on Etsy.

There is a teeny tiny part of me that is a bit overwhelmed by my yarn stash at the moment, feeling like I have reached SABLE (stash acquired beyond life expectancy) and it makes me want to cast on all the things, so I might cast on a new hat today too.

In other gifting news, I gifted two pairs of socks and one hat, and all three were well-received! And I think they might even all fit, how about that? Hope your handmade items were equally loved!

Nope I’m done

Dec22

I really thought I was going to make more wine sweaters. I mean, I did make two more, and they’re cute and they’re going to a good friend who asked for them a while back. And then I thought about making more for the mother and the SIL and … just nope. They were going to be extras just for fun, so they won’t even know what they’re missing. And I get to move on to more fun knitting!

Last night I had the itch to cast on something new for myself, something with squishy garter stitch, something that’s bigger than fingering weight. I had a skein of yarn in mind but could find a good pattern for it. I went up to my stash to pull it out anyway so I could wind it, and in doing so, I touched a different skein. Friends, that skein had cashmere in it, and it said “HEY! KNIT ME! I’M SOFT AND SQUISHY AND DECADENT!” Well! Who am I to ignore the demands of my yarn?

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This is Magpie Fibers Swanky DK, which is 80% merino, 10% cashmere, and 10% nylon and SO silky soft. I wanted to be able to feel it against my skin, which is why I chose the close-fitting cowl called Just Try It. It’s making me happy to knit and it’ll make me happy to wear!

In other fun knitting news, I have a table in my craft room now. The husband recently finished a huge dining room table so we got to move the old one upstairs. Once I don’t need it as a wrapping station, it will become a winding station!

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Happiness is having a room of one’s own, I think. Happy Sunday, friends!

Color Me Happy!

Dec21

This project has been done for over two weeks, blocked and everything, and it wasn’t until yesterday that I was able to get some good photos. First it was too late in the evening and there wasn’t enough light, then there was so much cold and snow. But we’re in a warm stretch at the moment so I snuck out to the back yard after work yesterday with my new Color Me Happy Cowl.

fullsizeoutput_250cI didn’t measure it after blocking but before blocking it was at least 30″ long. This is a beast of a cowl, and I have to admit, it was a trudge to knit. So much stockinette in the round! I’d rather do that much ribbing any day. But wow, how I love the way the colors go together! And it’s easier to wear than I thought it would be, since it’s so long. It just all mushes up together around your neck.

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There was one section with a bit of lace to break up all the stockinette, and that helped with the monotony. A little.

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The green yarn is Ella Rae Lace Merino, the purple is Holiday Yarns FlockSock Sock, and the variegated is Supernatural Yarns Pixie Sock. And not only did I pull all these from my stash, but I have enough of the purple and variegated to make some gorgeous socks. And now, because it’s so pretty and the light was good, here are the rest of the photos because I couldn’t pick which ones to use!

Now I must go finish my holiday chores before I can get back to knitting!