-- untitled (again) --

welcome back...
i've been expecting you ;) i've been on a much needed break since my last challenge. i have been keeping busy in hobby land but all that spinning had a sister wiped out.

[[weekly wrap-up/finished object(s) current projects]]
on the needles
now that tour de fleece is wrapped up, i am continuing to plug away, albeit slowly, on my portland hat. here is your refresher:

i have about... i'd say 2 or 3 repeats left on it, and then i can start decreasing. i've made a ton of mistakes - talking and/or listening to conversation while knitting is not my thing), but they are well-loved mistakes that i will leave alone, because they don't effect the overall look of the hat. and it is a hat after all ;)

i'm itching to get started on a new project, and here is the kicker - i'm looking at shawls. i mentioned this on the last blog, so ignore this part if you read it already, but shawls always looked and seemed so matronly to me. as of recent i've seen knitted shawls being worn in a different, more current, more "hip" way - as a kerchief. i already wear kerchiefs as accessories, so knitting one with lovely yarn is a natural progression. this i can swing. the hard part is stash diving and finding the "right" yarn, for the "right" shawl. right is in parenthesis because that is relative and really will depend on the mood i am in on the day i am picking yarn and patterns ;) i could always use handspun...

on/off the spinning wheel
today i finished plying my last tour de fleece yarn - 5.4 oz of polwarth. it's a 3-ply yarn of which i managed to spin a whopping 368 yds out of. my new yardage record! i haven't checked the wpi, but it feels like it's fingering to light fingering weight. this yarn is currently drying, but i took a few glamour shots of it before i gave it the spa treatment.

now that my wheel is currently unoccupied, i cleaned it up/dusted it off and now it's ready to finish spinning the other 2 plies for the husbears 3-ply socks. if you remember (you probably don't) i spun 1.3 or so ounces of "panda" blend (merino/bamboo/nylon) from fatcatknits at the end of tour de fleece to hit my goal of spinning 1 pound of fiber. well... i almost hit the goal. in fact i spun 15.7 ounces! :O say what?! i know... crazy. the even crazier thing is my total yardage in singles was a touch over 1 mile. that is re-damn-diculous! anywho... here is that bobbin i spun on the last day of the tour, and next to it is a before shot of the fiber.

this was my first time spinning panda blend, and i wasn't sure if it was going to do me wrong, and just leave me all kinds of frustrated. surprisingly it didn't. this blend is super soft and silky, practically drafted itself (come to think of it, i just had a bit of a deja vu moment... so maybe i wrote these exact phrases on my last post? oh well... i'm keeping it!), and all together this blend was really enjoyable to spin. it gave me no problems at all (it spun like other slick fibers i love to spin) other than it shedding all over the place. i had a pile of fluff left on my legs and shirt. this stuff shed like a mofo! and if you only knew how much i can't stand hair being all over the place... just take my word for it. the dogs are lucky they are cute and a non-shedding breed because they would've gotten the boot a long time ago if they weren't ;)

and last in the spinning section, here is my little collection of usable handspun. usable meaning decent yardage - over 150 yds - and not chunky, lumpy and funky. this is the only yarn i keep outside of a plastic bag or plastic storage bin, because it's lovely and i am very proud of it, so of course, i must keep it on display so i can look at it and appreciate the work it took me to get to the point of usable yarn, and also to possibly inspire me to knit with it :)

there are 5 nice skeins here. basket is overflowing, so it is time to knit!

[[odds & ends]]
what i love this week
a clean crafting room.
something about decluttering that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

so, i spent a few hours out of the weekend doing some much needed summer cleaning and organizing (i tend to do this each season) because my workspace gets cluttered fast. as i mentioned many months ago, i store most of my fiber stuff in see-through plastic storage bins and shelving systems. it's easy for me to keep things organized and tidy, but it still allows me to see my "stuff" rather than hide it. there is no shame in my game, so there is no need to hide a thing. i also like the see-through bins because i am able to add splashes of color to my craft room, without actually having to have the "stuff" sitting out on the table. anywho... so yeah, my table top gets cleaned regularly because as my husband likes to remind me, i am a stacker. if there is an empty, flat surface, i will stack my "stuff" right on top of it :D in organized piles of course, but nonetheless stacked.

to make this post longer than it really needs to be, through all the sorting, tossing things into the trash (i purge hard when i clean), stuffing donation boxes with items i no longer use, and removing visual clutter, i stumbled upon my first attempt at a sweater, carefully wrapped in its own box.

this sweater, even though you can't see the entire thing, was the makings of a seed stitch, v-neck, slouchy debbie bliss sweater with a chunky cable down the center front, in a very heavy, chunky weight yarn.

get a load of those lovely rosewood needles. probably size us 13. 

i haven't touched this sweater since the time i started knitting it - which i'm sure was fall 2008 - and the yarn is really quite lovely - a deep mossy green - and was pricey at the time for the amount of yardage/weight on the skein. so i am doing what any crafter who hates to waste the good stuff would do. i am frogging this bad boy! perfect knit night project.

i managed to keep my ufo/wip's (unfinished objects/works in progress, that is) consolidated to one single market basket as of my last hard purging session. it is still under control, as much as i've been having the urge to start new projects. i'm trying to discipline myself, and be a predominantly monogamous knitter. i work best like this anyway, as i really don't find multitasking with my hobbies efficient for me. the rule with the ufo/wip basket is, i can only work on what can fit in the basket. this usually ends up being about 5 projects. so far there is a hat for the husbear, a couple of swatches for a sweater, a half-started shawl for my mom which i more than likely won't even bother with right now and an almost finished cotton baby sweater. other items i am currently working on are in my knitting basket which i carry with me from room-to-room and outside for quick access. only 2 items and spinning fiber in there ;)

ufo/wip basket - this is one of the baskets from black sheep gathering. perfect use for this!

what other photos do i have to unload...
oh, here are some dog shots (you know you love them). a couple of weeks ago it was blazing in the house, so i cranked the fan up on high because i was trying to hold out on turning on the a/c... of course the dogs quickly got up from being puddles on the floor and allowed me to take photos of their silliness. enjoy!

and my favorite from this batch:

mr. tinsley is so silly :D

Still going strong...

took a much needed break from the craft lab to do absolutely nothing.

then became bored of that and decided to do some good old fashioned manual labor in the yard. hello spring! and here is the flat of cheerful plants that inspired it all. hearty ice plant!

weekly wrap-up/finished object(s) current projects:

on/off the needles

after gathering my materials to start a new sock... i ended up staring at it for about a week after the initial cast-on, and then on friday, i finally did the ribbing. i am just now starting the pattern. 

and for the details: these socks are from the knitting vintage socks book by nancy bush. the pattern is the "child's first sock" which has a beautiful, textured shell pattern over the entire sock (a 10 row pattern), a french heel, and a flat toe. don't ask me what those last two are... you know i'll explain them when i get there! the yarn i am using is madelinetosh sock in the colorway "maple leaf" and they are working up nicely (despite me not checking gauge *gasp*) on kollage square dpn's, US 1 [2.25 mm] needles.

if you are wondering how i'm liking these lovely coppery aluminum needles... hmm... i'm still on the fence with them. i purchased these to help alleviate some of the discomfort i was starting to feel after marathon knitting sessions on toys. my hands were achy even after taking many breaks and doing lots of stretching. the square shape on these needles is believed to be more ergonomic making them more comfortable on your hands and creating less stress. don't ask me how, but this is what i've read on many forums and on the kollage website.

these needles have been slowing me down quite a bit (sharper tips end up puncturing and splitting my yarn, so i'm knitting much more carefully/slowly) and i feel like it's mostly due to their shape. i can't seem to position them steady in my hands and this make them feel a little uncomfortable and awkward. can't explain it other than they feel hard and are irritating on my skin. when they are laying right in my hands, they are a little better, but i think it will just take a little getting used to. i'm used to the hiya hiya stainless dpn's which are my standard, and you know how it can be when you try something new.

one thing i'd like to note in the above photo, is the new cast-on that i tried. can you see it? the edge looks braided. it's cute, right? anyway... i was searching high and low for a more stretchy and maybe even more decorative cast-on. as mentioned in the past, i'm attempting to try new techniques with each project. after scouring many threads on ravelry, there was a suggestion to try the "estonian" cast-on which was made popular by nancy bush. let me just say, thank goodness this cast-on is simple! it was very easy for me to memorize (unlike tubular). some other suggestions i came across were to hold your yarn double as you are casting on, and this also helps to make it stretchier. time will tell on that. bush also mentioned this in her tutorial. my cast-on is modified to suit the 2x1 ribbing for the pattern. don't worry, links are below for both. the latter kind of being a no brainer ;)

on/off the spinning wheel
notice how "on" and "off" are both bold. so clever, right? lol!

 fo: this is going to be a 3-ply, using navajo plying

so the bfl/silk fiber from the february sweetgeorgia fiber club is all spun up! i really like how the bobbin on the right looks. it shows off the colors really well. i'm not at that point where i can say my spinning is a "true" anything other than usable one it is completed. i attempted to spin this worsted, where you spin from fibers that are lined up parallel to each other, but occasionally my fiber management was lacking and other colors got caught in the mix! also, spinning worsted is more than just fiber management. it's also proper fiber preparation. it's all good. it will be yarn which will be turned into well-loved socks and that's all that matters to me. 

anywho, my next step is to ply, and i'm going to try navajo plying to preserve the colors and to make a striped sock yarn. at least that is the plan. per usual, i'm a little nervous (navajo looks awkward!), but i've already got a few youtube tutorials at the ready to assist me, and hopefully, i will have plied yarn to share by the end of the week. that is of course, if i'm not gardening!

 fiber from fatcatknits. falkland in "abigail"

now i'm ready to start spinning something else! the falkland is tempting. i still find it strange that there is not much information out there about this breed. and here's the thing, from what i've been reading/researching, many don't believe it to even be a breed, but more of sheep associated with the region. some believe falkland is actually corriedale. some believe it is polwarth. others believe it may be a mix of both. at any rate, those who have spun it seem to have nothing but good words to say about it (some have even listed it in their top 5 favorite  fibers to spin with), many even suggesting it as a great beginner spinning fiber due to its longer staple length and it's "tooth" (or crimp) which makes the fiber less slippery. i've read that falkland is not necessarily "next-to-skin" soft like merino (if you want merino, then spin merino, right?), but if it is spun relatively loose then it will retain soft enough qualities and a bit of luster. spun too tight and it might be rough. all of this is so subjective. what's soft to one, may not be soft to another, right? *sigh* last, it's also been suggested as a great fiber for handspun tough socks, again as long as you spin loose, and ply not so tight. so anyway... i'll report back and let you know how it works out.

odds & ends
what i love this week: yard work

the explanation for not so much going on in the hobby world is that i was outside doing backyard rehab. my husband and i have worked out who is responsible for which household duties. the problem here is that he likes to play mr. oblivious and i'm ms. impatient so i usually end up gearing up and handling most of the duties. including the outdoor ones! *side eye* no worries. i love it. in moderation, of course! ;)

so as i've mentioned before, the weather has been chilly (for southern california) and unpredictable, and overall, it has not been indicative of much productivity happening outdoors. remember, i'm solar-powered! but this week... cool enough (early-mid 60's) and sunny! the perfect blend. i was able to pull up "weeds" (there is no such thing as a weed by the way... it's just a plant that is out of place and often a pain in the arse to eradicate!), organize a zillion few pots, and plant some much needed splashes of color outside on the patio area. i intend to spend many, many, many hours on the patio accompanied by lots of fiber and spinning, yarn and knitting, books, daydreaming, birdwatching, pointing and laughing at the dogs because they are not allowed in my private space, and empty bottles of wine once the weather decides it wants to be more consistent (and warm).

 new fence with a gate, and to the left a cleared out planter!

when the hubster saw how much progress i made, i guess it inspired him to get off his ass chip in, and on saturday he managed to remove an eye sore of a plant for me (it was in that now vacant space in the planter), and installed a fence around the patio area to keep the dogs out of my planting! quick side bar - to the majority of you that don't know, when i am working (absolute emphasis on when), i claim to be am a landscape designer, so try to keep the gag reflex at a minimum when i refer to some plants as "eye sores." i'm just a strong believer in "right plant, right place" which essentially means selecting the right specimen for the location that you intend to plant it in. that's all.


below is the summary of "before" and "after" shots:

planter before (after a couple hours of cleaning)

the patio is enclosed (and private) from the natural hillside that is located behind our house thanks to a massive, lush wall of Waxleaf Privet - Ligustrum japonicum texanum that is in the right location ;) this hedge wall makes me happy as it stays green and dense all year, and shows up before spring to show off tiny white flowers which entice all the birds, bees and hummingbirds one's heart could desire. on the flipside, if you have the space to let it do what it wants to do (read that as grow to its full potential) then you will reap the benefits of the blooms. if you like a hedge that is more controlled/manicured, you can do that to it too. it just grows relatively fast, so more than likely, you will be out there monthly trying to control it.

anyway... in the soil there was a lot of gunk left behind by previous occupants - bottles, plastic wrappers, old plant containers... everything but the kitchen sink. it took a while to clean it, but i got it as under control as my achy, tired body could manage.

planter after (a couple hours of planting)

[note: does not include the "in pain" achy muscle photos which followed the next day ;) ha!]

after all the work, instead of taking a break, i continued and started planting my flat of ice plant. these groundcovers grow quickly, are hearty, relatively drought-tolerant once established, low maintenance and spread nicely, so it's usually suggested to space them around 15"-18" on center. but i had way more plants than i needed, so i planted them a bit closer (around 12" o.c.) width-wise, closer length-wise. i still have 1/3 of the flat remaining, so more than likely i'll pass these off to my dad who will happily fill in his planters.

the plant that i called an eye sore in this case, the Japanese Aralia - Fatsia japonica. not a bad plant in and of itself (and in the right context), actually quite attractive if it is maintained properly, but this particular plant was not maintained well and it was butchered (spindly and top-heavy) throughout the years and starting to decline. in addition to its failing health, it was placed directly alongside the walkway. not a good idea considering it drops small fruit like it's nobody's business. the walkway always looks like it is under attack by a paintball gun filled with blueberries! *splat* eugh. and of course... with many plants, if a dog decides they want it for a snack, all bets are off! interesting enough, this plant's fruits were not riley's preference. she prefers the seeds that drop off the neighbor's California Fan Palm - Washingtonia robusta. so annoying. yet another reason for the dog fence! yup... she was one-upped. she's a smart little bugger, and i know, as the fence was being installed, she was watching how we were latching it. i'll give her a week until she figures out how to get back to her seed eating ways.

 the satisfaction of getting the last "one-up"

yeah, i know, it seems a little mean to find total satisfaction in the fact that i have banned the dogs from a portion of the backyard that they have had free reign of for the past 4 yrs, but... yeah, so what! part of it is safety, and the other part is because dammit, i want some plants back here! the dogs also have the tendency to hang out at the fence harassing the neighbor's dogs making a lot of ruckus (because they want to play) and that is really irritating. so the gate will solve many problems that we've been having. probably going to be the best $150 spent.

the finished project

there is still a bit more that i'd like to work on in the yard, but for now, i'm happy with all the progress that has happened. i do have 2 tomatoes that need to go into their pots a.s.a.p. and i plan on doing that this week as well, but the rest of the yard work will be a cake walk compared to what has already been done.


helpful links youtube
estonian cast-on
"modified" estonian cast-on (for 2x1 ribbing)


until next time!

production/process/pre-process

so i was pondering the meaning of life over breakfast with the hubster this morning. breakfast was awesome, by the way - broccoli/tomato/gruyere+swiss cheese scramblers = ridiculously yummy. anyway... don't know how this conversation came up - which is nothing new, we usually cover about 10 topics in less than an hour of conversation over coffee - we were at some point talking about inspiration and knitting. two of my favorite topics, of course. anyway, out of nowhere the hubster says something to the effect of "you seem to have issues with finishing projects" to which i responded with a slight wince and this face : |

that face explained it all. a flat face always does, right? it's essentially the equivalent of hearing *crickets*. the more interesting thing is that i had this exact thought the other day while i picked up that 2nd sock (which only had an inch left to go on it, by the way) to finally finish it. it's been at 95% complete for over a week. what the, what the?! frankly, i'm sick of looking at it, and i'm itching to start a new project already. what are my issues with completing projects? if i have a list of chores, no problem, i will knock them out in record time. if i have an assignment or a project due, i can work quickly under the pressure of a deadline. when it comes to completing say, knitting or sewing projects, it seems to take an eternity to get something completed. usually, i blow through the beginning of the project, and then i'm left dangling on the last bit. which leads to the subject line "production/process/pre-process" and where any of us fit in regards to getting things done.

hubster thinks i'm a "middle" person, meaning i like the middle parts of everything. occasionally, he's a pretty sharp guy, he's definitely on to something here. i will go out of my way to cut the centers out of most foods - pizza, cinnamon rolls, a loaf of french bread, the middle of a container of ice cream... now that that's in writing, i'm a little weirded out! hahahaaaa! interesting. but yeah... apparently i am a tunneler. don't ask me why i do anything. my response will always be "because i can." digressing per usual.

production folks, are the folks that always seem to be the most... well, productive. these folks work fast (sometimes too fast) blowing the rest of us out of the water. they are always working on something (or better yet, finishing something!), banging things out left and right, starting projects as quickly as they are finishing others, but dammit if they don't make the rest of us feel a little inadequate because they come off (occasionally) as overachievers. production people occasionally come off as antsy and impatient, and i've noticed that if they make a mistake, they sometimes are reluctant to fix it. doesn't matter, they will for the most part continue through as planned and then complain about the mistake after the project is done. this is the hubster. and yes i am calling him out on this! my response to his mishaps is usually, "well... measure twice, cut once" and his response is usually a side eye. lol!!! no one likes a smart arse! oh, and his favorite response from me is usually, "good luck is a result of good planning." one of my favorite quotes from a fortune cookie. those fortune cookies i tell you, just filled with useful nuggets ;)

at any rate, production people do tend to annoy me a little, i'll admit it. i know, the list of nouns that annoy me seems endless, but seriously production folks annoy me. not because i'm mad or envious that they are productive. not in a mean, i can't stand you way either. it's really more of a "stop magnifying that sinking feeling that i'm not using my free time wisely!" ugh. no one likes to be called out on their issues with free time management, right? but... production people are the ones who most people seem to hold in highest regard because they get things done, and they are also one of my biggest sources of inspiration. annoyance is my best motivator. if you look at the blogs i have in my google reader (i know, you can't at the moment, just play along with me here), you will see how production folks dominate the very long list of blogs i follow. they are a great kick in the rump for me. when i finish drooling over all the lovely finished objects this group has produced, and after i have picked my jaw up from off the floor, i actually get stuff done. go figure. so thanks for the motivation production people! the kick in the head is greatly appreciated.

and to the next group: the process folks.
process folks... ah... these folks are funny. every group is funny to me though. these individuals just like the process. isn't this easy? the name explains it all. process people typically like the stages of working on something - maybe they like researching materials, researching construction techniques, swatching/making samples/mock-ups, they like the sounds/smells associated with the activity, how they feel while they are doing said activity, the act of "doing", they love seeing it all come together. it's not about how quickly something gets done/the destination, it's all about the journey. process folks do finish projects, but it seems that the finished product isn't as enjoyable as the steps it took to get there, and occasionally, they will take their time getting there. process people also have a tendency to go back and fix mistakes, because after all, there is an important lesson to be learned in a mistake! maybe you are reading this as being a perfectionist. don't know if that's the right diagnosis. i just think this group is really concerned with the details, and the stages of their project, and they really enjoy each step of product development. oh, and these folks love talking about and sharing there process. many like to keep a journal of each step (usual by photograph, blogs, notes, etc). 

and last, but certainly not least: pre-process people.
pre-process... well, good luck with this group of people. these folks crack me up, and occasionally a "would you just shut up and DO something already" or an "actions speak louder than words, sucka" or a "yeah, yeah, yeah" slips past my lips. lol! my bad, i apologize in advance. all with love of course. i'm not mean-spirited. but for real, shut up and produce, damn! put that money where your mouth is! this group here, lawd have mercy... they plan like it's going to be the last project on earth! they seem to really get a kick out of many of the same things the process folks enjoy - researching, planning, swatching/sample-making, etc - but damn if they don't take this ish to a whole other level. and who doesn't know these folks, right? they are commonly the ones always talking about what the are going to do, what their future plans are, what they need to do in order to get started on something, how they are going to execute each step, yet we never see them actually finishing anything! what the?! and when confronted, there seem to be so many excuses reasons as to why they haven't actually finished something. *sigh* bless their souls. pre-process people seem to spend way too much time a lot of time on the set-up, and more than likely they eagerly share endless amounts of free advice on how you should approach a project, but they can very seldom show you their own personal examples of something they have completed. now, this group really gets the side eye from my impatient (read that as judgmental) self ;) with love, of course. and another apology in advance, as i tend to take this group with a grain of salt. yeah... i know. i'm working on this, because honestly, there is wisdom here amongst this group, but i'm a person of action - i don't want to "hear" about it. i want to "see" it.

lots of folks out in the blog world have already written ad naseum on this topic already. that was just my random take on it. you can thank the hubster for this. this particular post by flying pig knits was rather funny. question #3, had me laughing. particularly answer e. hahahaaaaa yeah. i know these folks. they are the ones mentioned above ;) i do love you pre-processors to pieces, you know!

anyway... aren't many of us a combination of a couple (or all of these) when we need to be?
i do find that when i'm in production-mode, i'm not enjoying "the work" (because that's what it feels like) as much. my last production product was the saroyan shawl which was a christmas gift. the process was fun, but it flew by so quickly, that i really felt like i didn't have enough time to enjoy it as much as i normally would have. deadlines occasionally kill fun. on the flip-side, i get impatient when i'm in process mode... i can hear myself now, "can this be done already, i'm just not enjoying it anymore" and pre-process... this stage basically is where all my dreams come to die. this stage makes me extremely impatient and it makes projects feel daunting because in this stage, i have to time to overthink everything to death. most projects being created in this stage, die a fast death. they very seldom come to fruition. a big problem with overthinking, right? so yeah... where do i fit? as stated above, i'm really a combination of them all, depending on my mood that day.

last week, i was all production.
continued in pt 2, because damn this is long! your eyes will thank me later!

Either I'm planning on being busy for the next century, or I have a serious problem...

I'm going with the latter. Is there a support group for this?

Here's a "little" stash enhancement that jumped into several of my bags on the latest trip to the Bay area; a very dangerous place for a crafter and someone trying to walk on the path to financial freedom!

I have lots of goodies to report back on, mostly for my other blog - the groundwork blog - because it is more "work" related. Anyway... stay posted for little tidbits from the trip. In typical me fashion, you know there are a ton of pictures that I have to edit, research and label. A feat I'm not looking forward to, but is necessary! Do it right, or don't do it at all, is what I say!

I'm also going to try to tweak my format and not fill so much space with text. The art of succinctness has never been a strong point, so bear with me and try to be patient as I detox.

And it begins...

It's been a little over a month since my last visit. So here we go.

Have I shared how much I dislike clothing shopping nowadays?
I don't know exactly when this happened. I'm sure, those of you who know me personally, probably don't know either. I just kind of "fell off." It's a total contrast to the fashionista I was/or thought I was in high school and in the earlier parts of college. Maybe it's an understatement to say that I'm probably just a little bit jaded. Or I grew up? Nah. Things got too predictable for me. And once things become predictable, I get bored, and move on to something else.

So, as if I haven't tortured myself enough, I'm going to be making my own clothing because I'm finally fed up! Argh!!! I'm not just going to Joann's, picking up a pattern and making it work. I'm going to make these damn patterns from scratch. My own personal patterns, with my dimensions, fitting my lumps and bumps and everything in between, from scratch! Sometimes frustration can be the best form of motivation.

So why now? Well, I have all the tools I need right here to get it going, so why the hell not? I also love a good challenge. I love the feeling I get from having worked hard for something, rather than something just being dropped into my lap with little to no effort. And most of all, I'm tired of complaining (and sick of hearing myself complain) about not having any clothing that is my style! Not having clothing that is well-constructed! Not having clothing that is age appropriate! And not having clothing that fits right! Poo!

I understand the challenges I'm up against, and I'll share them, whether you want to read them or not :P This blog (hopefully) will be my motivation; a way to keep me in check by tracking my progress. I may not post weekly, but at least I will be documenting the journey. That's what it's all about anyway, right? (Is that a total cop-out?) :D

Ok, blah, blah, blah. I could ramble on and on, but I'm trying hard to self-edit. [Note: I actually deleted 4 paragraphs here... rants, of course ;)]

So on to patternmaking. Step One - Taking measurements.
[Check out my Flickr page to see my notes on what is in the photo]



My advice here is to make sure you have someone who can help you with the back measurements! The back, although you might think it won't be a big deal, WILL be a big deal. I took all the measurements myself, but had the d.h. double check a few areas. The key to successful patterns is accuracy!

Less... pt. 2

Apparently that last post included LESS BLOGGING.
There is a draft for "More..." but yeah... I'll have to revisit that at a later date!

So, uh... what to fill you in on. Not much I really care to share.
I really don't know what the intention of this whole blogging thing is. For me at least. I guess it really is just an outlet to share some of my home life with my buds. Maybe it will inspire you... maybe you will smile at some of the stuff I post... who knows. Actually, I take back the "inspire" comment. It's hard to inspire others, when you are not inspired yourself [or regularly posting]!

This year got off to a very uninspired start. Craft-wise, that is :P I'm highly inspired in other areas of life [thank god!)].
I was completely lacking motivation in the knitting/sewing/crafting, hell, ALL departments! So there was no activity going on for a couple months. A lot of "damn... I should knit something", but this thought always got trumped by more 'ctrl+t' on the internet browser and a lot more meaningless, completely useless? strings of online research [Black holes? Extinct animals? Plant physiology? Expressing a dogs anal glands? Citrus rootstock? Yeah... this is how my brain works]. So I decided to kick myself in the arse, hard, and get something going. Something for me [finally], that I could wear and [hopefully] be proud of. Something that is challenging and different from the instant gratification projects that I normally lean towards [hats, baby stuff, swatches, scarves] because I'm pretty impatient. Ok... that is a severe understatement. Whatever.

So this leads to my current project.
One which is getting 70% of my attention. I'm almost working solely on this project when I have free time, which is a total contrast to the norm - working on a handful of small things that will NEVER be completed. The other 30% goes to reading, sitting outside in the sun on the patio staring off, watching and recording [for future laughs] the dogs fight/wrestle, random Google research, and editing/organizing my external hard drives.

This will be my FIRST official sweater.
I'm working on the rib pattern at the bottom *sigh* yes, I have a LONG way to go!!! Keep on chugging... one row at a time, on the TINIEST YARN with the TINIEST NEEDLES I have ever used! Glutton for punishment? Absolutely!



Here is my ittie bittie swatch. I blocked it and all that good stuff... yeah... I don't know what the blocking was supposed to prove other than wool (with little to no agitation) can be hand-washed. Got it. I'm not THAT experienced yet to know what to look for, other than, my stitches per inch. I've never blocked before, but it's good to know that... uh, my ittie bittie swatch was nice looking after washing - no fading, etc. I will probably still be reluctant to block the actual sweater once it's done *yikes* What if it shrinks! hahahaaa After all this work! *sigh*



This is where I'm at. This sad, small piece of sweater that looks like a headband straight out of the 80's *sigh* The good news is that the front AND back of the sweater are the same, so I am able to work on them BOTH at the same time :D Oh, and the color of the yarn I'm using is closer to the swatch picture...



So there you have it, in a nutshell.
I'll try to finish up that other blog, as I suspect it was full of snark, and therefore has to be shared ;) Nah, I'll post it (after I edit)...

Carry on...

obligatory dog blog...

Eh. It's been a long time coming.

You all know I have 2 dogs.
Two rambunctious, nosey as hell, spunky, disobedient, firecracker, comedians who turned out to be the best companions I could ever have. These terrors are not for the faint at heart, let me tell you that. And if the pet you own is supposed to be a reflection of the owner's personality, well... wow is all I have to say about that. Point well taken. How does anyone handle dealing with me?! Hypothetical.

Along with this playful personality comes intelligence. I'm not talking about the intelligence that most people say their kids have [yes, that was a dig], I'm talking about intelligence outside of human context. As in, I'm not going to lay around waiting for you to keep me entertained... I'm going to FIND something to keep myself entertained with [searching for photos of when Riley decided she wanted to "read" the Sunday paper].

Miniature Schnauzers are #12 on the intelligence list. There is a difference between "Mini", "Standard" and "Giant" Schnauzer... in a way, the bigger the dog, the dumber the dog, so to speak [Is this true for people as well? hahaaa]. Number 12 puts them into the category of "working" dogs, which if given a new command, the dog will typically have it mastered within 5-15 repetitions. The dog will also respond to a command about 85% of the time on the first try. Will elaborate below...

From all the training I've put the dogs through [whether in a class, or stuff I've taught them on my own], this figure is incredibly accurate. There was a major difference between the girl [Riley] and the boy [Tinsley] however. Of course there was. The whole Mars/Venus thing clearly doesn't just apply to people ;)

Oh, sorry...
Riley (Female, Cropped Ears)



Tinsley (Male, Natural Ears)



Ok, where were we? Oh yes... Riley was very quick to pick up on all her commands [somewhere around 5 repetitions] but she has major food drive [again, very much like some people], so if she knows there is a treat at the end of it, you can get her to do just about anything [ask if I can get her to crawl into a storm drain. Kidding?]. Tinsley on the other hand could give a crap about the food aspect. He's all about the praise... the "that's a good boy!" and the rubs. It's much harder to get him to do [much of anything] tricks cause he just doesn't give a $hit hahahaaa And this is how you know he's my husbands dog ;) Typical man. He does have great ball drive though.

In terms of obedience, that whole thing about the dogs obeying a command on the first try about 85% of the time, agreed. I'm only annoyed 15% of the time when they don't listen. Only? Tinsley is a lot more obedient than Riley though, I will give him that. He's definitely more of a come on the first command kind of guy. Riley is pretty headstrong and independent. And that's how you can tell she's my dog ;)

The dogs also have a bit of an "enhanced" vocabulary. I'm totally not the crazy dog lady so re, but I do talk to them in a "non-traditional" way. Kind of how I talk casually to most people [if I like you enough to let my guard down... which is RARE]. I have my professional speak, and I have my more casual/relaxed speak. Don't act like you don't code-switch. You know what I'm talking about... wiki that if you need too ;)

Common phrases: "sit", "stay", "wait", "drop it", "shake", "roll over", "down"

A few of my "enhanced" phrases: "get/go away", "leave me alone", "boo!", "stop staring at me", "get back", "move/scoot over", "foot of the bed", "get off the bed", "don't even think about laying on my pillow", "leave it alone", "play nice", "go get her/him", "bring it back", "hurry up", "would you wait!", "get in here", "outside NOW", "high five", "cookie time"... and the list goes on, because for some reason, it's like they understand English and body language. The cool thing about these phrases is that they work well on the husband as well ;)

Toys
This is for anyone who has dogs/has a new dog/is thinking about getting a dog, and is curious about the durability of commonly seen toys at Petsmart or Petco [or any pet retail store for that matter]. I seriously feel like I've tried them all. Petsmarts profits went up for the first year we got Riley. She was tearing through toys faster than I could pick the stuffing and stuffed toy limbs off the floor! I'm much better with the toy buying now though. Riley is just as content with an empty milk carton, and that's basically FREE!

Riley is a "heavy" chewer, Tinsley is not. [See above section referencing him not giving a $hit]. If you leave Riley to her own devices, she can and will open the seam [seamlessly] on a stuffed animal with no problem, carefully remove the stuffing and take the squeaker out of it. And then she'll eat the squeaker and the stuffing, leaving no evidence behind hahahaaaa [You might want to review the section above on food drive!] Tinsley will sit back, and be the look out. He won't, however, warn her that I'm on my way back into the room with a squirt bottle :D The look on her face when that cold spray of water thumps her on her rump = priceless.

So yeah, this is their toy bin. Yes... just toys.



They also have a crate for rawhides which is on top of the bin (a must for a chewer) and another for their grooming tools. Oh, there is also a drawer in the bin for their sweaters that they NEVER wear, because, oh yeah, they HAVE FUR! A built-in sweater. What a concept.



Boy, how I digress.
So yeah... all this dog stuff is super cute.
But here's the stuff that will last. It washes and wears very well. It has survived Riley and has a story to tell and the scars to prove it.

So this is the ball drawer:



And here is the stuffed animal drawer:



Now, from all the toys (and there is much more that I didn't feel like collecting from the backyard)... these are the best in terms of use, durability, washability, etc.

For the heavy chewer... these are indestructible:

Kong Balls of all persuasions. The 'jack' shaped one is really fun :D
Oh... and I love how they have little bite-sized balls for small dogs! The ones with the squeakers are the BEST!



Anything rubber, that squeaks... are you seeing a theme here?



And an honorable mention for this section. Again, Kong seems to dominate. The problem with these balls is that the squeaker is really hard to press on, and because these toys are supposed to be "indestructible" they are hard as hell. When a dog gets bopped upside the head with this... trust me, they will be very reluctant to play fetch with this nonsense again.



For the intelligent creature, who likes to have their mind stimulated, these are fun



Very cool, because these toys, made by Plush Puppies (purchased at a local feed store), have an elastic pouch on them that allows you to place squeaker toys inside. They come with about 3 balls. You can also purchase extra bags which can be used for fetch if the pouch thing gets old :D The balls are surprisingly durable and wash well.



But again... if your dog is destructive *cough* Riley *cough* do NOT leave the trouble maker alone to their own devices.

R.I.P. Mr. Platypus and Ms. Porcupine...



Oh... and an honorable mention from this company...
This toy has a built-in rattle AND a squeaker! It's also easy for the dog to grip.



For the lazy sap... this stuff makes a great pillow.

Lamby's are the BESTest! Adorable. Washable. Squeaky :D
The little ittie bittie pink and blue one is Riley's first toy. Ok... well, not exactly this one, but one that looked exactly like this. She ate the first one.

R.I.P. mini lamby #1. Damn you dog!!!



Coleman, also makes pretty durable, stuffed toys that are fun as well. The racoon (in the photo of the stuffed animal bin) is also a Coleman toy. It is Riley's absolute FAVORITE. Probably because it looks just like her :D





For the small dog with an endless appetite, these are pretty cool:
[If people had to chase their food... can you imagine this obesity problem] hahahaaa
Sorry... just finished listening to some stuff on the obesity crisis on NPR.

The toys on top you can just drop dog food inside. The bottom two, you load small treats into the sides/middle. I usually use mini dog biscuits or liver treats (gotta make them work for it!).



And the last honorable mentions...
I'm not opposed to these... I'm opposed to purchasing them! I can just make this mess myself! It's just fleece cut up into strips and tied together. Fool me once!

The ball is much better than the tug-of-war toy... the 'tug' basically untwisted after a few plays, and didn't hold it's shape at all. 'E' for effort though ;)



So all in all, the massive picture load is why it took me so long to get back to this blog. But this turned out to not be too bad :D



Sorry if there is any weird formatting drama or typos, etc. I really can't be bothered! hahahaaa :D I did my best, I swear.

On to the next blog!

Prattle...

Nothing really interesting to report back on.

This after Thanksgiving blog is not going to be injected with things that I'm grateful for. I know what I'm grateful for... you readers don't care. I will say that my list of grateful's finally annihilates my list of pet peeves, and for that I am truly thankful.

Ok, so... because my attention pulls me in many directions, I don't blog when I should. When I do blog, it's usually too late, and the moment has passed me. But here are a few things from the past couple of months, that I had the chance to enjoy/and indulge in.

The first was the Vintage Fashion Expo that takes place 4x a year. I wanted so desperately to find some article(s) of clothing to come home with me, but nothing really floored me. There were a couple of items that were museum quality that were stunners (mainly heavily beaded 1920's gowns and hats), but I wasn't willing to drop $2k on any of them.

My approach to shopping...
If the item doesn't knock the wind out of me on first glance, I keep it moving.

Needless to say, I got the spit knocked out of me when I tried this on - 1940's felted wool, military pill box hat w/ mink trim in chocolate brown. SOLD!



Very strange, as I was "just looking" and on my way out. I was trying on hats, because they were so cute and loudly calling my name, and the next thing I know, this little number jumped into my bag, and you know... I couldn't tell it no...

I was so inspired by the clothing I saw, and all the drool-worthy hats that I HAD to sketch when I got back to the car, and I HAD to find a millinery supply shop STAT to start replicating/creating some of the gorgeous hats I'd seen.

So that led me to California Millinery Supply, Co. *gasp* A mess of a store (in a good way), dripping with goodies from floor to ceiling. The kind of shop where you think you're pulling one item off the shelf and one-hundred things (and a pile of dust) end up falling on you. This little gem has been around for decades, and one of the dopest things about this shop is that there are still TONS of vintage supplies stocked for costumers and/or hobbyists to replicate period accurate pieces. LOTS of feathers (which we LOVE!!!)...

Including bird wings -
Which as distasteful as they might seem, I could not walk away without them...

 

They affect me the same way glitter, mirror balls, trim, sequins or sparkly confetti does where I CAN'T stop starting at them. I can't stop touching them!!! Sometimes it's too much for me to handle in one glimpse, but I can't get enough of it. Kind of like the huge car accident on the side of the freeway - you want to drive past it, but you can't help but look. And look. And STARE until you almost cause another accident.

But come on, we've all seen stranger things then bird wings. Get over it.

A few more feathers I loved...
You can never go wrong with ostrich ;)
Unfortunately, no peacock. Booooooo!!!

 

I bought several hat forms and feather pads as well ;)

Oh, and then file this under 'found items'...
After about 2 years of wondering where my wannabe "Almost Famous" rock star, furry hippie jacket was, it appeared out of nowhere as I was looking for stuffing to put in my dogs pillow. Still in great condition, and it FITS!!!

 

I can't believe it's almost Christmas! #@%%!!!!!
Wanted to knit gifts... but realized I don't like you all enough to make you things this year. You wouldn't appreciate it anyway ;) So I'm going to be a scrooge about that type of thing.

I always think of projects to make for others, but I know I'll never get the reaction/response from them that I want (as in... holy $hit, that's genius, YOU are a genius, or the person wearing the item until it falls apart, the person washing the item properly or dry cleaning it! And one or two, or ten others that I feel are totally inappropriate to post!), so I equate that with a project not being worth my time. Next year I will be devoting my energy to completely selfish projects. But for now, I guess I'll finish the gifts that I've started cause I'm nice like that *sucker* :\ Yeah... I'm too nice, but that is seasonal as well.

Right now I'm working on fingerless gloves for me and the hubby.
I make him stuff, cause I know I can smother him in his sleep encourage him nicely if he doesn't wear it or appreciate it the way I think he should ;)

If this didn't bore you enough, peep the knitting projects on the left side of the page and flickr photos! Or hell, leave a comment! What a concept!? I won't hold my breath waiting.