Vacation

I am on vacation in Las Vegas and California update later

Woeful Wednesday

Okay so now I know why they call Wednesday Hump day...It was really hard to work tonite. I missed knitting and it was darn busy on the phones too at work.

Yesterday Angela and I went to NYC.



We stopped at Purl in SoHo and checked out the new Purl Patchwork store just down two doors. Stopped at the Sullivan St Bakery and then Zabars before coming home.

Today before work, I went to Jim and Willies Two Guys Flowers on Stinson in NE Minneapolis to buy flowers. They had a new puppy Rose so I asked where is the cat? (they have a cat that roams and lives in the store) They said Jims cat has had kittens do you want to see them? Well of course I said yes and guess what? There was one that is all black just like Alice. Actually he has 3 all black kitties and 4 grey tabbies, just 4 weeks old and so cute...When I got home and put the flowers on the entertainment center as usual I had help....



Mom I am just arranging them better really

I am thinking Jeanne maybe right that Boo needs a playmate. So maybe in a few weeks I will go back and check those kitties out.




What is exactly do you mean check them out, Mom?

Updates

Hello I have been limiting my knitting to less than the Dr requested and my shoulder does feel better.(darn I hate when Dr are right). So instead of knitting I have been in a crocheting frenzy...of potholders pictures to come later.

The gran cats were here at my house again. Baby no longer cries like one now she just growls. She is so cute she growls when she eats when you walk by when Boo comes by she growls at anything and everything.

ducky taking a bath







But now Ducky and Baby are moved into the new apartment and loving it. It is in an old (1920'S or earlier era building) by the Parkview Cafe on Raymond and it is a big 3 room studio, no doors on any of the rooms inside the apartment. But it has great hardwood floors just perfect for two little kitties to run and slide to catch toys on.

Boo is glad to be a bachelor again the little ones just wore him out




Just leave me alone I am so exhausted from the kittens and helping mom clean the fridge

NO KNITTING and Trashy neighbors

I went to the orthopedic specialist today and she said I have arthiritis and tennis elbow in my right arm. She then said the best treatment would be a cortisone shot and no knitting for 6 weeks. I balked and so we compromised. An hour of knitting a day and physical therapy and Glucosamine chondrotin msm, for 4 weeks then we reevaluate the elbow. She also looked at my left knee, which in 2000 I had arthroscopic surgery and told me I have a knee cap that doesn't fit like it should, it leans to the right and very little if any cartilage left. So I get to get orthotics for my shoes and some exercises for my knee and in 15yrs a new knee. As I told someone it isn't easy getting old.


This is the view from my kitchen window after the city of St Paul sent someone out about a month ago to clean this guys yard. It was clean too and then some people moved in with him and they started some kind of scrap metal business out of his garage and the mess is back. We again have called the city so we will see what happens.


I don't think I am any tanner than I was before the sunlamp so maybe I will just sleep today

Baby Sweater KAL

Ok so I haven't posted in a long while....so here is catch up on everything!

The sweater I made for the baby sweater KAL at K3tog is done!!!!!!!!!!

Modeled by Gunny but it is for my great nephew Nathaniel.


Next up this little cutie for a girl finally !! My friend Lisa from work got notice that they have been approved for a baby girl from Guatemala. I am using some stash yarn Sirdar Baby Care a cotton and acrylic blend. The color is called Tangerine.

The pattern is free online at http://www.knittingpureandsimple.com/babycardi.html and looks really easy.


Remember to plan on August for my Red Sock KAL.....


I will make a button up but for now here is the reminder picture

Of course no blog entry is complete without a picture of Boo....

This is the Boo SunLamp Special....

Raining Cats and Dogs

Tonite when I came home from work it was raining so hard I had to sit in my car for about 10 minutes until it let up. You could say it was raining cats and dogs,






what do you mean raining cats and dogs I don't see any cats around here but me



or as my grandma would have said "the angels are bowling and they got a strike" about the thunder and lightning and "the nuns are going to chapel" about all the bubble in the puddles on the street. We have needed a good soaking so I am glad it came.

As far as knitting goes, I am working on another felted bowl and need one sleeve on the baby hoodie. I am almost ready for the heels on my cotton socks and then I am starting the socks from the six socks knit along, they are called color blocked socks and written to use up left over yarn bits.

Let me Bowl you over

I have been working on a felted bowl for Cliff's (Megan's boyfriend)Birthday. The colors match their dishes. The first bowl I tried came out too tall.

Here is a picture of the too tall felted bowl:




Here is a picture of the next size not yet felted a different shape too...














Here is the felted finshed product....






For the second bowl I did a provisional cast on and less rows before the mitred squares, then when I did the I cord bind off it made the top have a scalloped edge.

This morning at Latvian Knitting one of the ladies had made a felted mobeius bowl from Cat Bordhi's Second Treasury. I really liked the shape and decided that instead of a mobeius on top I would do a latvian twist. So more felted bowls to come.

I have almost finished my baby sweater for the Baby Sweater Knit along at www.k3tog.typepad.com. Pictures to come soon.

The screens are on and Boo has a new vocation he follows outside animals from window to window.

The Cat is out of the Bag

Mom in case you can't tell this is a laundry hamper not a bag


Ok so I let out the news today that I am planning a knit along to start in August...

The Red Sock Knit Along

Details to follow....

I have been busy this week helping Megan and Cliff look at apartments and jobs and etc... the good news is Cliff got a job in his field (graphic Arts) at a screen printing place. Megan is still looking for part time as she is going to school in the fall.

I have been knitting felted bowls and trying to come up with a pattern that is the right size, so far I have one too big and one on the needles that might be too small, pictures to follow soon.... Also I am still working on my cotton socks and tried a short row heel, did not like it and ripped it out! So now I am back to my original plan of a spiral replacement one. And finally I ripped out the baby sweater hood and am redesigning it...More to follow on all of the above.

Boo The Helper

So we all know that Boo likes to help but did we all realize just how much? The other nite I babysat my friends little one and Boo was certainly intrigued.

I am just checking on Gunnie, Mom he might need help with that toy






Then Later I found Boo doing this

I was not trying to get at his formula, I was searching for wet wipes for you mom, Gunnie smells funny





Finally on to knitting content, I am currently working on some beautiful red sockotta socks and came home to find this the other day




I think my helper was involved again.
Anyway back to knitting I am working on a baby sweater for Chell and Ana's knitalong and have decided that the designer's baby had a really small head because the hood is too small for any baby's head I know.

I also have some plans to make C3 from Knitty, Annie Modesitt was wearing it at Yarnover and it looks much better in person, than the knitty picture.

Tea Swap Time

Today I received a post card from my swap pal, she wanted to know some information about me. Well here goes I like any kind of yarn and prefer it to have some red in it. I am not crazy about green or purple for colors, but that would be okay too. I really like wool blends, cotton and wool blends or all wool, my motto is any kind works for socks. Actually, that is what I tell my students when I teach socks that you can use any kind of yarn you like for socks.

As for tea, I realized when I took my picture of my stash it is mostly herbal. That kind of surprised me, because I drink all kinds of tea. The only kind I am not too fond of is Green Tea but I am trying to learn to like it because it is so good for you.

Boo liked the post card too...

Let me see if I can figure out who this is from for mom....Hmmh a US flag and a pickup truck, I don't recognize either one so maybe I will just sleep on it...

Boo is Alone

Ok so the excitement is over and the kitties are back with Megan's friend Lisa. Boo is all alone again. I think he likes being alone, he gets undivided attention and has a prime position for blog editing on the back of my chair. He especially likes to spin around.






I am participating in the Knitters Tea Swap and am looking forward to receiving a mystery package. I drink mostly herbal teas, and like any kind of yarn. Also I am putting a package together for my partner, I went to Mrs Kelly's Teas at the farmers market yesterday and picked up some tea now to just get the rest organized.

I have signed up at Michelle's Blog (K3tog.typepad.com) for the baby sweater knit along. It should be fun to see everyone's baby sweaters.

The Gran Cats are here

Well the little ones have arrived seems they are both girls and both prima donnas. Baby (the lighter faced one aka Cornflake) has taken to growling at everyone and everything, Ducky just licks ears and hisses at Boo. Boo seems somewhat unpreturbed and just hangs outside the door to the room they are in because maybe they will come out. I though maybe we could keep them until at our house until next week when Megan moves home permanently...but I think poor Baby who is scared to death of Boo would have heart failure.


Hi I'm Baby aka Cornflake and I am scared of Uncle Boo, and when I get scared I scream just like a real baby







Hi I am Ducky and since I was kidnapped oops I mean kitten napped in Indiana I like to stay close to a real person who will protect me from kitten nappers





So yesterday I went to Indiana to take empty suitcases to Megan, and bring Megan home with full ones. I got there and she wasn't all the way packed yet so I told her I want to go to the Yarn Shop while you pack. Ft Wayne only has one and it is in a refurbished train depot.

this is the outside facing the river, the two humans in the picture are Megan and Cliff





This is the main room










this is the hallway to the second room where the classes are held and more yarn



It was a nice shop and the owner did not mind me hanging out for a couple of hours. She had the usual yarns and then some I wasn't familiar with, she is a Rowan stockist and has lots of Jamison. I found some Rowan CashCotton in a light blue for socks.

I am currently waiting for Megan to get home so she can take care of her cats

The Gran Cats are coming

Megan and the grancats are coming this weekend. I am excited, but Uncle Boo seems uncconcerned.




Why should I worry I am the king of the house




Here are my newest socks, from Meilenweit Cotton Fantasy, featuring a spiral toe and the pattern is Springy Socks from Knoxknits designer Judy Sumner. As usual I changed the toe and probably will do a spiral replacement heel to match the toe.









Finally the rain stopped so I need to go outside at some point today and work in my garden. I am cleaning out some excess perennials in the front Bee Balm, Jacobs Ladder, Orange Day Lillies and Columbine. I need to go look at some new perennials to add to the garden then decide what to do with the window boxes and the back yard.

Rain Rain Go Away

I am so ready to be rid of this rain.
I need to get to my garden and want to have a fire in the pit. However this is good knitting weather, so I should not complain right?

Currently I am working on some Meilenweit Cotton socks and yesterday at Borealis found some red cotton sock yarn, I have wanted some plain red cotton socks for awhile.

When I was reading Yarn Harlot today it reminded me that we all have special people
that have passed on and here is mine.

This is my mom

My mom was a knitter too and I remember the first socks she made me for skating. The air was blue as she was turning the heel and I don't think she enjoyed sock knitting. She told me once that the reason I knit socks was because they were small and went fast. She did knit some beautiful mittens though, I remember once when I was about 10, we had an oil burning stove in our house, that had doors that opened and when we came in from outside in the winter we would drape our wet mittens over the door to dry. My Mom had just made me some red and black Norwegian mittens with a boy and girl holding hands and one day I lost one. We looked all over for about a week and couldn't find the mitten. So she made me another one and then one night at supper my dad said what is burning and then we all smelled it coming from the oil burning stove and I went to look and there sitting inside stove was my mitten smoldering. I must have hung it to dry and it fell in...No more hanging mittens after that.

So here is the moral of the story don't hang your mittens on the stove door cause they might fall in.

The days leading up to Yarn Over

April 26
I picked up my booklets for yarn over today. They turned out great!


I have so many things in my booklet, and I am wondering if the class will have time to do them all, but here is what I would like to cover.

I would like to cover, some things about ribbing, replacement heels, garter stitch heels, turkish cast on for toe up socks, Latvian Twist sock topper and I cord bind off that also makes a nice sock topper.

April 27
Today I babysat for my girlfriend's 4 month old. He is a real cute little guy.

Gunny and I had a lot of fun. He is a cat napper, sleeps in short bursts and often.

April 28
Friday before YarnOver and my packets for class are all put together, I am ahead of myself from previous years. I am only working 3 hours today and then picking up my friend Lucy at the airport she is teaching at Yarn Over and also Amazing Threads here before heading out on a long teaching trip. Sometimes I am really envious of her but then sometimes I think I would miss my family too much.






April 29
So the day started with picking up Lucy and Joan Schrouder at the hotel to take them to Yarn Over, while waiting for Lucy to check out I met Annie Modesitt and Melissa Leapman. We got to Yarn Over and set up our rooms, headed for breakfast and then Lucy gave a speech on designing and becoming a designer, she made you think you could just go out and do it! Then class I had a wonderful class only 4 people, they were great students and I think the day went well. I was good too did not buy any yarn, I did pick up a free skein to knit a baby hat from Yarn Garage for Bundles of Love. It is kind of light blue grey color, so I think an over dye is going to happen this week, they surely don't want all blue grey hats. The day ended with dinner at Champs with all the teachers and committee members, we had a great day!

April 30
I did not realize how tired I was yesterday after all the activities, I slept from around 10p to 830a this morning and then it was raining which makes me more tired so I took a nap before work. It was slow at work so I even snuck in a little knitting. April is now officially over and May is here, I am starting my 3 or 4 months off of teaching!!!!!!!! I plan to clean my house, get my teaching resume in order and get some patterns ready to publish, I hope to sell them to local stores and through The Knitting Vault. Watch for them...
but right now I need to go to bed Boo is patiently waiting for me.

Haircuts

We are in search of a groomer, but so far Petsmart is the least expensive at $45 for a butt only cut and around $60 for a lion. The vet charges $120 for the lion cut but also puts the cat to sleep for it.

Yesterday I ended up giving Boo a butt cut, so maybe no groomer after all.


here is the perfect hiding place mom will never find me here



Oh no she found me, but mom I don't want a haircut

Boo is doing okay without Alice, he did not eat for about 3 days, and has become very needy. The needy/cuddly thing is okay if you don't mind being covered in Boo fur...

I am finished with my booklet for Yarnover just need to get it to Kinko's...good thing I save all my files and just need to pull them out and put them together.

Yarn Over

I am currently working on my workshop for Yarn Over. What is Yarn Over you ask? It is the annual meeting for the Minnesota Knitters Guild. They have a keynote speaker, lunch and you can take half or whole day classes. I am teaching a class called "Lets Talk Socks" about different toes heels ribbings and sock toppers. I really enjoy yarn over and getting to meet the other teachers. So if posts are a little slow this week that is why.

If mom thinks I am getting a haircut she is in for a surprise!!!!!

Soon you will see a new Boo gracing these pages. Boo is going to the groomer sometime in the next two weeks. He will get a bath, and Perhaps a lion cut more to come... Keep watching for the new look of Boo

New Great Nephew

Ok so the doctor was wrong and my niece's baby showed up just about when she thought it should. She thought the end of April, but the Dr said no Middle of May and Nathaniel came last nite at 8:10pm. Here is a picture of Nathaniel and Dad Lyle. The whole family is doing well.



I personally have just one problem with his arrival, I did not start his sweater yet! I have been very indecisive about this because I wanted to make a sweater that Zips up the back like my mom used to make for gifts but was unable to find her pattern so here I have the yarn and no sweater!


I am thinking about a baby surprise jacket or maybe just a garter stitch sweater with some stripes the middle skein is varigated with the colors of the other two.

So lets talk about Boo, we have the old fashioned windows that you change each year. It has been nice, so we just open the ones to the porch to get some fresh air. Well Boo has decided that is how he should be going in and out all the time so he sits and mews until we open the windows, boy is he in for a surprise when the screens go on next week.

Alice's sweaters

I thought maybe I should post a pattern for Alice's Sweaters.
I used Cascade Fixation and size 4 needles. One ball makes 1 and 1/2 sweaters.
Cast on 64 stitches join into a round and knit for about 1 to 1 1/2 inches.
K8 inc 1 repeat to end of round, total now is 72 stitches.
Knit 4 rounds, then increase again 8 times for a total of 81.
Now you need to make two thumb gussets, so I knit 8 placed a marker k4 placed a marker knit 16 placed a marker knit 4 placed a marker then knit to end of round. Then in the next round I increased after the 1st and 3rd marker and before the 2nd and 4th markers every other round for 4 rounds on the non increase round I just knit(8 rounds, 4 inc and 4 knit).
Then on the next round I increased in between the markers by knitting 5 increase one knit 6 increase one knit 5. Then I knit 7 rounds increasing between the markers every other round until I had 24 stitches in between the markers ending with a knit round.
on the next round knit to the first marker and bind off all the stitches between the two markers and knit to the next one and bind off in between and then knit to the end of the row.
next round I knit to the bound off stitches and cast on 20 stitches on both gussets, knit to the end of the round. Then I knit about 2 or 3 inches (it depends on your cat, Alice's sweaters started out big and then the last one I made was a little smaller and shorter due to the weight loss) then I did about 1/2 inch or maybe a little more of ribbing. then bind off.

So there it is as a rough draft.

We are handling the loss well, but last Weds when I came home from work around 11pm there was this big fluffy yellow cat on the front step. my first thought was Boo got out and so I started to chase it, then I realized the back yard was not well lit and went to get a flashlite and there was boo in the porch. My first thought was Bob let him in...Bob said no and I looked out and there was his twin again, next nite I came home from teaching at Borealis and there was a Big Black cat, then the next nite it was luna (neighbor's cat), everynite since there has been a cat at my doorstep......My husband says they are coming to pay their respects.

So most people have pictures of the grand kids to show off not me just Grand Cats. my daughter adopted two adorable kittens Ducky and Cornflake...



They are living with her but when they do get to come visit every now and then....

The Rainbow Bridge

It is with great sadness that I am posting tonite. Today Alice the inspiration for Alicat Knitting Designs crossed the rainbow bridge to a better place. Her tumor was getting worse and was affecting the muscles in her back legs so she was having problems walking and doing stairs. We will all miss her.



Alice Cooper
Born 1986 to April 12, 2006