Thinning the Herd

Jan11

Every January, a large number of knitters declare, “I’m going to knit from stash this year! I’m not going to buy so much new yarn!” I’m usually one of those knitters, and this year is no different. I do want to knit from stash; I’ve spent a long time cultivating a healthy collection of beautiful yarns.

I mean, look at all that yarn!! I shouldn’t need to buy more at all for a long time! But I don’t want to stop buying new yarn completely. That’s not realistic or fun, especially since I’ll be going to Knitting in the Heartland this year. No, my goal this year is to simply use more from my stash than I add to it. I’m going by skein count rather than yardage and to increase accountability, I created a page in my knitting journal to keep track of skeins in and out. I’m off to a good start, especially after a week of lots of knitting time: I’ve used five skeins from stash and added none! Last night I wound two more skeins and this morning cast on for a new project, a Malabrigo Rasta hat that I’ve been planning for about a year.

What are your goals for stash this year?

Eeyore is the cutest

Jan10

Yesterday I finished what might possibly be my favorite project ever, a little crochet Eeyore. It’s definitely the cutest thing I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a few cute things before (like a tiny sloth!). But Eeyore is just the best.

He wasn’t hard to make at all, but like any toy, it’s just fiddly to make all the pieces and then sew them all together. I always struggle with placement and sewing them up neatly, but this one worked out pretty well. I had some leftover faux fur yarn which made the best tail and mane ever. And thankfully the eyes were super simple, just two little lines of black yarn.

Adding the button for the tail was the finishing touch. I thought he was adorable without it, but then I sewed on the perfect wood button and heck, I just love him so much. I’ve just been carrying him around with me downstairs as I sit with dogs, and he makes me smile. I think that would make Eeyore feel pretty good. I don’t know that I’ll ever want to make another one, but if you need an Eeyore in your life, I used this free pattern on Ravelry. I used worsted weight yarn and a G hook to get a nice, tight fabric.

We’re bracing for a big storm tonight and tomorrow, with ice and several inches of snow. Should make taking Duncan outside interesting! Brrr… Happy Friday, friends!

Take your meds, kids

Jan9

Pro tip: when you’re dealing with a stressful situation and all your routines are out of whack, it’s best not to forget to take your anti-depressants for several days. OOF yes that was me. I remembered last night, and honestly, I wasn’t doing too bad without it but jumping back in is making today a little rough. Or maybe today just isn’t a great day. I could feel my nerves on edge so I took the time to set up a new gate this morning.

Crate training has been stressful for both me and Duncan; he doesn’t want to go in it, and was starting to avoid going into the dining room because that’s where the crate is. I don’t want to have to fight with him every morning when I have to go back to work, so I’m trying Plan B. We have a small nook in our kitchen, which is where he used to sleep anyway, so I put a bed back there and gated it, and I’m hoping that will be a good crate alternative. When I’m not around, I’ll put the cone back on him and close the other kitchen gates too, as a precaution.

This way I have a safe place to put him when I need a break or want to make lunch. It really is just like having a newborn again, and how sometimes you need to just put the baby in the crib and walk away for a few minutes, knowing they’re safe.

That’s all I got, guys. I’m off to play with yarn and drink tea.

Baa? Bah!

Jan8

One of my work knitting friends makes the cutest animals, some knit, some crochet. She’s done elephants and pigs and I don’t know what else, but I love them. Most recently she made the cutest little sheep and I just had to make one for myself. It’s small and quick enough that I made it all in one night, just a few hours.

So cute! And soft! And fluffy! And so fiddly to make that it’s gonna be one and done for me! Now, I probably got annoyed because I sewed the legs wrong the first time, and had to pull it apart and re-sew them, but still, making tiny animals has never been my favorite thing. So now I have my wee sheep and I can move on…to Eeyore. Sigh. I know, I never learn.

Duncan’s getting better every day, which is good and bad. He’s well behaved until around 3:30 in the afternoon, and then he’s bored and restless and wants to do all the things he’s not allowed to do. Yesterday we got a delivery of new Benebone chew toys, which was a huge help.

Not sure what I’ll do this afternoon when I have no more new toys to give him, though!

Chasing Squirrels

Jan7

I had projects picked out to work on while I’m home with Duncan; I even cast on a new one this morning. But then I decided I wanted to knit a little sheep, and also I want to crochet a little Eeyore. So I pulled out my baskets of yarn leftovers for those, and stumbled across a shawl I made six years ago that had dropped stitches and was a tangled mess. Like a dog distracted by a squirrel, I decided I really needed to frog that shawl and reclaim the yarn. Guys, it took over two hours.

But hey, I have a ball of purple yarn to add back to my stash! Sadly, it’s weird yarn (Feza Yarns Alp Natural) that’s a mixture of different fibers, including one stretch of velvet/chenille stuff that knits up weird. Plus, each stretch of yarn is joined by a knot, and I don’t love that. I don’t know if I’ll try it again any time soon, but it is a good feeling to at least have it available if I want want, rather than a shawl I couldn’t wear.

I was more focused yesterday, which is how I also have a new FO to share. This is another Flor de Maio cowl, which I’ve made four times now, in Plymouth Yarns Baby Alpaca Grande Glow.

fullsizeoutput_2531 I love knitting with alpaca. I love the thread of sparkle in the Grande Glow. Sadly, I can’t wear it next to my neck, so this one is for a friend at work. And now that this is done, and the yarn untangling is done, maybe I’ll get back to the Bandana cowl I cast on this morning!

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.

The 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.

The 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!

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-cbab1b57c5ee Also 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-b2d2a6e55def That 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!

Duncan Pupdate

Jan3

Not much news, but Duncan’s surgery yesterday went great, no complications. The vet said his knee is nice and stable now, and the most important things we need to do are restrict movement and watch for infection. He comes home later today and I’ll be happy to have him home with us! It was weird to just have the two dogs last night and this morning. But Jack was very happy to have all of my attention!

Thanks for all the well wishes for Duncan, and happy Friday!

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_251c This 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_6453-1 Now 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!