All posts by Chris

Contests, Those Cats

In which I receive a prize

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I recently won lost a contest over at Knitting on Trial, but I was so persistent that Christine awarded me a prize anway. The prize arrived Saturday – a cute dachsund card, a lovely skein of Opal, and a very fun skein of Sockatta. Thank you, Christine!

Christine included a present for Chaos without even realizing she’d done so – tissue paper. Chaos loves him some tasty tissue paper.

“Oh, this yellow is simply scrumptious!”
“That’s too bad, all you got was yarn.”
“Tissue paper makes me itchy, but it’s so good!!”
Alongs, Knitting, Those Cats

In which I have some setbacks and an alarming realization

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Jeanne has posted her pictures from Friday night! Head on over and check them out for a slightly different perspective on the evening – or if you’re morbidly curious what I look like when slightly tipsy and being menaced by the Bugman.

First, the minor setbacks of yesterday. I briefly left my Olympic knitting unattended and returned to find it partially off the needles. Hmm. A puzzle. I wonder how that happened. No culprit was in sight.

“Bwah-ha-ha!”

The sweater was easily returned to the needles. However, about 16 rows after changing to a new ball of yarn, I discovered that the extra skeins of yarn I ordered are nowhere near being the same dyelot as my originals. A dark and dramatic line was readily apparent. Argh. So I ripped back to where I’d added the new ball (losing about 2800 stitches in the process) and switched to one of my original skeins.

In the process of removing the sweater from the needles, I learned the source of a mysterious “drag” on the cable of my circular needle – some small nicks, similar to what one would expect from sharp little fangs. Hmm. A bit of work with some buffing emery boards took care of that.

But… Here it is, nearly Day 3 (I’m not even 48 hours into this) and… I’ve reached the armpits of the sweater. I’m about to start knitting the first sleeve. Oh oh. It appears that I’ve radically underestimated the time it would take me to knit this sweater.

Alongs, Festing, Knitting, Those Cats

There was baleful glaring last night…

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But only from the Malevolent Bugman… Jeanne swears it’s something I bring out in him. She also swears that he’s warming up to me. Hmm.

“You will submit to my will, puny human. Go get me some Kitty Kaviar and be quick about it.”

First we got comfy in our sweats and readied our cameras.

“Chris, if you post this picture on your blog, I might have to kill you.”

We loaded up on wine and snacks.

I was settled in with a cat on my lap – truly, all the comforts of home.

“Don’t be honored by my presence – it’s because you’re sitting in my chair.”

We watched about three minutes of the opening ceremonies, found ourselves wondering WTF, and switched to Shrek 2, The Princess Bride, and Pitch Black. We did manage to switch back right in time to see the torch lighting extravaganze.

“Let me know when they’re going to light the torch.”

And at the end of the night (around 2 a.m.), we both had respectable progress to show.

Randonymity, Those Cats

Countdown to the Knitting Olympics…

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“Hmm, there’s something happening up on the table…”

Chaos was right – there was something happening on the table – the pre-Olympic photo shoot:

“Whoa.”

Starting from lower left, we have

  • the corner of my pillow (Celestial Sheep flannel – we’ll talk more about those Celestial Sheep another time)
  • a cat (not part of Olympic preparations)
  • the yummy black Four Play yarn (including swatch on my beloved super speedy Addi Turbos)
  • the pattern in the book
  • some pinot noir
  • some brie (not pictured are several other fun cheeses) and Blue Diamond Nut Thin crackers (go check out the nutritional info on these – you can eat the whole box for less than 500 calories – amazing. Plus they’re gluten-free!)
  • my copy of the pattern (annotated with the many corrections and my own changes)
  • tips on the Hourglass Sweater gleaned from the experience of those who’ve knit it before me

The pinot, brie, and Nut Thins are all anxiously awaiting a trip to Jeanne’s house this evening to watch the opening ceremonies and knit. And, obviously, drink and eat fatty snacks (Jeanne’s providing cable, garlic-stuffed olives, and flourless chocolate cake). The pillow… well, let’s just say it has the potential (what with all that wine and frantic knitting) for being a sleepover knitting event. We could just start out by calling it an Opening Ceremonies Knitting Pajama Party and go with that.

“This is very interesting… I wonder how it tastes with tuna? Maybe while Mom is out tonight, I’ll invite one of those lovely furry ladies over for a midnight snack. Now, how to decide which one… I’d hate to start a catfight!”
Alongs, Those Cats

C is for…

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Chaos! (Like, duh.) Yes, I joined the ABC-A-Long. I’ve enjoyed reading what everyone’s been writing, but I thought it was closed… until a few days ago, when Heather posted that she’d just joined. I’m so there! (Thanks, Heather!)

I’ve missed A and B and I’ll go back to pick them up… after the Knitting Olympics. We’re going basic services for the duration of the Knitting Olympics. You have been warned.

Anyway. C is for Chaos, my utterly chaotic cat, whom I’ve known since his birth (and even before – I felt him kicking inside of Riley!). He became mine at a rough point in my life; having his warm, purring, busy self helped ground me then and now. He is an endless source of companionship, entertainment, and exasperation. What more could I ask?


“Psst… she means to ask all of you for more tuna, please. She just forgot.”
Knitting, Those Cats

Neon Muppet Lovechild Scarf

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I present you with a hitherto unseen project… the Neon Muppet Lovechild Scarf for Mama Tulip.

As modeled by Chaos:

“Thank you, thank you.”
“Wait, what is this stuff?!”
*sniff sniff*
“I don’t like the looks of this – let me arm the Paw of Death…”
“I will save us, Mom!”
“Whew! I need a nap…”

Enjoy, Mama Tulip! And remember, black cat hair is very insulating and definitely complements the lovely neon colors.Edit: For the knitters, the scarf is made from two skeins of Lana Grosso Tiramisu, 16 stitches – altho I’ve already forgotten what needle size I used! I made it with pointy ends because I hate bottom-of-scarf flare.
Randonymity

Mysteries of the Supply Cabinet

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Bad day at work? Didn’t get that raise you wanted? Have no fear, the supply cabinet can help you end it all:

Yes, very puzzling, isn’t it? Why would a small regional telecommunications company have rope on the shelf below the pens and pencils?!! All we can come up with is, well, trimming staff levels through providing alternatives…

“I can’t bear to look… No one’s about to use the rope, are they?”

For any of my coworkers who are considering the rope as a viable alternative to continued employement here, let me offer these wise words from Dorothy Parker (who I just learned yesterday was a knitter!):Résumé

Razors pain you;
Rivers are damp;
Acids stain you;
And drugs cause cramp.
Guns aren’t lawful;
Nooses give;
Gas smells awful;
You might as well live.

Knitting, Those Cats

Some finished objects to report

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I didn’t spend the weekend sitting around watching the cat yawn (can you believe he was already closing his mouth when I snapped that picture?!) – I actually got a lot of things done. In knitting news, I knit a bowtie scarf (shamelessly copying Pink Rocket and Irene; pattern here) for a friend’s birthday:

“I hate to break it to you, Mom, but I don’t think your friend here is… normal. I can’t quite put my paw on the problem…”

I used a stray ball of Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed (black) from my stash for the scarf. My, what a lot of vegetable matter was in that yarn – I felt like I was knitting with Noro! The Silkroad was kind of scratchy while I was knitting with it (unexpected for a yarn that contains silk and cashmere), but softened up considerably after a good soak and blocking. (Why am I not in the picture? Well, I was celebrating International Pajama Day and was not looking particularly photo worthy.)

I finally finished the NSR Anne Jaywalkers:

But wait… something’s missing from that shot… Oh yeah, there’s no blob! Said blob was otherwise occupied with erstwhile blobby behavior:

(presumed not dead)