FO - Hooded Baby Blanket

Mark's friend's wife is reproducing and so I made this baby blanket for her. It's the Hooded Baby Blanket from Lionbrand Yarns. I used Baby Bee DK yarns in the green camo colorway. Yes, they make baby yarns in camo colors. It's done on 10.5 size needles, so I doubled the yarn to make it chunkier. It took about 1000 yards of yarn and 2 weeks of non consecutive knitting.

Some Pictures of England

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday this year I once again went to England to see Sarah. It was a blast. I got to stay in her new apartment in Saltaire (it's beautiful). We went to Haworth and the Bronte Parsonage. It's a remarkable story about sanitation and howling moors (yeah, I didn't see that one coming either). The Vicar Bronte was concerned because the town had no sanitation and a much lower average life span than the rest of England. So he petitioned the government to put in proper sewage systems and privies. It's really a remarkable story.

Then we spent a day in London in Fiona and Michael's aparmtent in Westminster near the Parliament. Sarah and I spent the day walking along the Themes, hitting a few yarn shops and I watched the closing arguments of a murder trial in the Old Bailey. It was two brothers who were accused of murchering a woman with a knife. It was so cool - they wear wigs and robes and have posies in the courtroom.

Then Michael suggested I go to the Liberty shop in Oxford Circle. He claimed it was "a cross between Diagon Alley and Hogwarts". I was not disappointed. There was a Rowan shop in the store and I picked up some yarn that is hard to get in the United States - brilliant!

Overall, it was a great trip and I had a blast. I can't wait to go back next year!

Cats for gold

www.catsforgold.com
Yeah, it's my dream...

PS. Sorry the link didn't work

Limmerick to Henley Perfected

This is from Lykkefanten's blog, a Danish designer who has the best sense of humor...

I once had a pullover dream
it was to be creme-del-la-cream
an artwork of skill
of hours and will
with perfection in every seam

The pattern was searched and selected
it was to be a Henley perfected
the yarn was then found
the yarn cakes were sound
And the hour of cast on elected

In fevor the cast on was started
My first try though soon was twarted
The sleeves far to wide
Were put to the side
To the body my attention then darted

The knitting went happy and free
I thought “gauges are just not for me”
Alas what a fool
to neglect such a tool
And be forced to attempt number three

I sit now with hours of knitting
that never in life will be fitting
the body to wide
can fit two at a side
the thruth of the moment is hitting

… I must frogg

Finished Handspun

It's been a week without Titan, and its definitely not been the same without him. But every day gets a little bit easier. I just remember that he was in a lot of pain, and it would have been unfair of me to keep him alive and in pain to make me feel better.

In the meantime, I've been spinning a little. It's not nearly as much fun without him trying to get inside the spinning wheel. But I've been working on it.

This is from Louet roving. It's 100% merino and it's called Juniper. I'm still spinning super bulky yarn, so I only got about 87 yards. I think I'll make a hat from it. The EVFAC has more if I run out.

Titan 2006-2009

Well, Titan passed away yesterday afternoon unexpectedly. I noticed that he was sick the last few days and I brought him to the vet. He was so blocked up that his colon took up almost all of his insides. He was going to have a lot of surgery and be in pain for a long time. So the vet said that putting him down was not an unwarrently option.

I don't know how I'm going to get through the next few days. I'm already so sad because he would have had a blast with all the yarn getting ready for the craft fair. I miss him purring next to me and on my chest all night. I miss him putting his head on my cheek like a pillow at night. I miss him talking to me all the time, and I miss him sitting next to me every time I sit down. It's so empty without him.

FO- Hearts and Flowers Socks

Here is the Hearts and Flowers Socks from Socks from the Toe Up by Wendy Johnson. I lost the label, so I don't know what yarn this is, but it was really great. I didn't think it was going to be striped, but I think the large stripes work well with the pattern after all. They are going to one of my housekeepers, and hear she loves them.