Blog Hiatus

There will be a temporary hiatus here at the Knitting Knot. I am going on vacation to bright, sunny Italy! (Stalkers, be aware that my hubby will be guarding the homestead) There may or may not be sporadic updates. Who knows? I will update you on all the fun when I get back. So, in the meantime, here is a picture or two to keep you occupied!

Ciao!

Da Da Da Dum!

I present to you.....Raspy!

Pattern: Raspy from Rowan's Denim People. Size medium.

Yarn: Rowan Denim in Nashville. (the darkest colour) 12 balls and a bit.

Needles: Denise Interchangeables sizes as described in pattern. (I got gauge!)

I liked this knit and I'm pleased with the result. The sleeves are just a touch long, but it doesn't really bother me. The yarn came out of the wash faded and tweedy looking. If you are curious as to how much the yarn shrunk, here is a (crappy) before pic:

I finished knitting at night and wanted to wash it right away. But if you look at where the sweater finishes in contrast to my left hand, you can see how much it shrunk.

I am now going to wash my Raspy a kabillion times in order to make it fade and wear like denim.

I also realized that I still haven't knit up a camera case for my digital camera. I don't want to go on vacation and just throw it in my purse. I was going to knit a small "sock" for it. No time. Hmmmm, don't I have a partner-less sock upstairs?

Why yes, I do! Excellent. Five minutes of work with scissors, needle and thread gave me this:

However, I can't show you the camera inside it's new home, 'cause the picture would be pretty dark *grin*

I still plan to knit up a case for my camera, but this is ready now for my vacation!

Ciao

Close

I am this close to finishing Raspy. Parts have been knit. Parts have been washed. One sleeve has been attached. But then it got too dark to do the second one. A word to the wise. When seaming up navy blue yarn, make sure you have good lighting! I found myself all hunched over peering at my knitting by the end of sleeve number 1. So I gave up for the day. Today, however, is a new day! So I am cautiously optimistic that I can get this sucker done in time to take it on my trip.

Wish me luck!

Still Knitting...

Still knitting over here. I will NOT show you a picture of progress however. I thought that if I brought Raspy to a knit-friendly workplace, I could get odne faster. Riiiiight. I wound up having to tink all of the work I did at work. That'll larn me! so, not only did I get nothing done at work, I had to spend some of my precious kntting time fixing it! Anyways, I am moving forward, just not as fast as I'd like. So, here's a distraction:


"Hey, what's this thing?"

Ciao

Two Words

I have two words for ya! Yee and Uck!

Another 2 words: Enough Already!

ciao

Knit,Knit,Knit,Knit....

Is what I've been trying to do. I want to finish Raspy before I go away. No idea if I'll manage to get it knit up, washed, seamed and done. But I'm trying.

I'm not quite at the raglan decreases. Another 12 or so rows, I believe. so I'm hoping I can finish before next weekend and then spend the weekend washing and seaming. Which will result in it being right before I go away. When I should also be doing laundry and deciding if I have enough "company" underwear and socks.

My mother instilled this weird idea that even your undies should be non-ratty when visiting people. Not just clean and in good repair. Practically brand new. Now why underwear that are good enough for appearing in front of my esthetician in, would not be good enough for "company" is beyond me. But there you go. Normally, I don't allow myself to obsess on this tendency. Right now though, it's coming to the fore. Weird, I know.

Anyhoo...I'm off to knit some more on Raspy. I'm practically monogamous! Eek!

As you can see, Micha also has a cleaning "thing"!

Ciao

Busy Busy....

Is what I was today! I left the house at 9am and didn't get home till 3:15pm. After about 10 minutes I had to head out again!

What was my day filled with, you ask? Getting ready to go to Italy on my vacation!

I started the day by dropping the car off for an oil change and a brake inspection. The tank has been making occasional clunking noises when I applied the brakes. Not often, but still, the BRAKES are a pretty inportant part of the car, you know. Andf I don't want the hubby to get into an accident while I'm gone.

While that was being done, I went and bought a new memory stick for my digital camera. The current memory was 16MB. Not very much at all. Fine for around the house, but I'm going to be gone for 2 weeks, folks! So I bought a new 2G memory stick. Then I went to bank number 1 to pay the credit card bill. Then bank number 2 to deposit cheques and order Euros for my trip. The nice lady at the bank told me that it would actually be cheaper to go to the foreign exchange business downtown! Turns out the bank charges you the exchange rate AND a $14 fee! Whereas the foreign exchange business downtown just charges the exchange.

Upon picking up the car, I was told that they hadn't inspected the brakes as the doohicky thingie that they needed to take the security hubcaps off was nowhere to be found. I resolved to ask hubby once I got home.

Off to the exchange place. Got my money.
Went to the train station, picked up my tickets to go to Toronto where I will be meeting my sister and then off to the airport.
Bought a converter for the electrical stuff I will be bringing with me.
Got my nails done.
Picked up some goodies for my Knitter's Treat exchange pal.

Went home.

Asked hubby is he knew where the lock thingie for the tires was. He said no. Called the garage to tell them that the last time we saw it was whent THEY put the new tires on a while back. They call a Ford dealership and call me back to say that the dealership has to see the lock-nut to figure out which thingie is needed. I got back into the car, went to the dealership, they looked at the wheel and pronounced that it wasn't a Ford locking thingie and he had no idea what it was or what I could do. Thankyouforyourtimegoodbye.
Nice dealership eh?
I drove back to the garage where much rooting around in the car ensued and the thingie was found! Hallelujah!

Of course now it turns out I need a pair of brake pads and new rotors to the tune of $275, but whatever. I want my car to stop when I tell it to! Picky, I know....

Went home again, had dinner and just .....stopped.

And that was my day off! Tomorrow, back to the salt mines. (yes, I am working Saturday)

Oh wait, here is picture for you, not related to the post or anything, just cute...

Peekaboo!

Ciao

Blog Fodder

I am hurting for blog-fodder. I can only post so many pictures of navy blue stockinette before everyone goes nuts.

My next idea was a discussion as to whether Whitney should have been kicked off America's Next Top Model or Jael. For the record, I dislike Jael. But I don't want to bore you all.

So here's my last idea. And the idea I am going to go with. An email my friend Connie (sadly, blogless) sent me. I have no idea who came up with this, if you know please tell me so I can give credit where it is due....

PET RULES

To be posted VERY LOW on the refrigerator door - nose height.

Dear Dogs and Cats,

The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years -- canine or feline attendance is not required.

The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough!

To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message on our front door:

To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain About Our Pets:

1. They live here. You don't.

2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. (That's why they call it "fur"niture.)

3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.

4. To you, it's an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.

Remember: In many ways, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:

1. Eat less

2. Don't ask for money all the time

3 Are easier to train

4. Normally come when called

5. Never ask to drive the car

6. Don't hang out with drug-using friends

7. Don't smoke or drink

8. Don't have to buy the latest fashions

9. Don't want to wear your clothes

10. Don't need a "gazillion" dollars for college.

And finally,

11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children.

Ciao

Sweaterplay

I continue to chug away ot the sleeves on Raspy. Pagan supervises most closely.

Or does she????

Methinks perhaps the sticks and string are too much temptation for the beast!

Hope everyone had a good Easter/holiday. I did the turkey this year. and it re-affirms my desire to have a kitchen bigger than a shoebox! I had every flat surface covered in pots, pans, dishes, etc. Every dish in the house was dirty. I had to resort to serving the turkey on a pie pan. Not that the family minded, but still.....

Ciao

Fun Fur!

Nope, not the knitting kind. Today WAS a crafty day, but not knitting. It involved a glue gun!

My sister and I whomped up a gag gift for some relatives.

Here is a stand-still like a mannequin shot:

And a shout out to Fluffa! The whack dance shot. Although I think of it as the 007 shot...

Knitter's Treat Questionnaire

Apparently the first post on March 30 is hard to find, so I am re-posting this!

Alrighty then! I joined the Knitter's Treat Swap. This means I shall now post the answers to the questionaire!
1. What's your favourite type of yarn? Something with silk mixed in is always nice! (duh) Bamboo is nice too!
2. What's your least favourite type of yarn? Sisu brand sock yarn
3. What's the first thing you do when you visit a new yarn shop? Head for the bargain bin.
4. What other crafts do you do / would like to do? I can sew. Not well, but there you go.
5. What magazines do you currently subscribe to? None. I buy Interweave Knits and Vogue knitting on a regular basis. Occasionally Harper's Bazaar.
6. Put this type of magazine in order of preference:Knitting / Crochet / Other Craft / Food / Home / Fashion / Celebrity Gossip / GardenHere goes:Knitting/Fashion/Food/Garden/Home/Crochet/Other Craft/Celebrity gossip
7. What items do you like to knit / crochet? Have yet to finish a sweater. Enjoyed blankets, fingerless gloves , shawls and socks
.8. Are you allergic to anything? Nope.
9. What do you like to* smell of?(*This is not a typo. The question is: What do you like to smell of) Vanilla
10. What's your favourite way to relax? Reading science fiction/fantasy or knit, depends on what is stressing me out. And if I have a new book....
11. You're stood in front of a Victorian style sweetshop, an Italian cafe, an old fashioned bakery and a dainty tea room. Where do you go first? Old fashioned bakery.
12. What do you come out with? Still warm freshly baked croissant or bread.
13. Where do you go next? The Italian cafe for gelato. Lemon and chocolate gelato on the same cone. Half and half, to be precise.
14. Any other words of wisdom for your pal? I dislike tea and coffee. I use hand creams like they are going out of style. Chocolate is fab. when I bring knitting to work, it travels in a plastic grocery bag. I have a weird tendency to hum songs when I first get out of bed. Whether I like them or not. It usually takes me an hour or so to even realize I am doing so!

Hope this is easier to find!

It's a Start

I have now officially embarked upon my sleeves for Raspy. There were a couple of false starts. There was a couple of ripping back to the beginning. There was one KUI offence. I finally got it going. Not via Magic Loop like I had thought. That proved to be too challenging for my teeny little knitting brain. That's ok. I love seaming! Okay, not really. But I'll do it. For the love of Raspy.

Ciao