Not Fit for Public Comsumption

That's how I feel lately. A bit bleak - nothing really going on. I knit because it's what I do with my hands. Sewing - not so much. There's lots of reasons, but none really fit for the blog. So, I'm quiet and hoping for more moments of flowers and sunshine to get back to being me. Hope you'll stick around. g

DOT Rant

This is our Lucy, she's the sweetest dog alive. Granted we are prejudiced, but still. She's sweet, she's gentle and other than playing with spiders, she's never even growled at another dog.

So, last Saturday, JB and I were walking Lucy and Beau. At the beginning of our walk, a neighbor's dog slipped it's collar, ran right into the street and started snarling at Lucy. Well, snarling is an understatement. This dog was trying to eat her. Teeth were joined, blood was shed (at least by Lucy) and she ended up with a puncture in her jowls. She's fine and I'm not even really upset with the dog's owner. It was scary, but he was out with the dog, he was right there to get his dog, and he was genuinely concerned that Lucy was hurt. Offered many times to pay our vet bills, asked to look and see if she was okay. He was upset and concerned and his feelings came across as being real.

I'm sad that it happened. But I know that these neighbors won't let their dogs in their front yard again for a long while.

What really upsets me is the next day, Sunday, we were walking the dogs again. Another neighbor has a dalmatian. Both him and her dog were on the street side of their fence. I knew something wasn't right by the dogs posture so I took Beau and crossed the street and told JB to be careful. The Dal came right up to Lucy, sniffing her. Lucy turned her head to sniff back and the dal snarled and snapped. Her owner finally looked up and laughed at us! That really p*sses me off! I mean come on. If you know that your dog isn't friendly - don't let them around other dogs without being on a lead.

There is another man in our neighborhood who walks his dog off leash. Once several years ago, he yelled at me to keep my dog away when my dog was on a leash. Seriously? Then he said, my dog's not friendly? Seriously? Then why isn't your dog on a lead? Why is your dog walking loose in my neighborhood free to attack my dogs who are minding their own business and walking on leashes?

This makes me so incredibly mad. I can't even form coherent words. But can anyone explain to me why? Why if you know your dogs doesn't like other dogs do you let them walk without being on a leash or roam freely in the street?

I can't be the only responsible dog owner. Beau takes defending me very seriously when he's on a leash. For that reason, he's not allowed to greet other dogs. I know I'm doing him a dis-service by not socializing him, but I can't run the risk of him attacking another dog. He does play very nicely when he's off-leash at the dog park. But on a leash - no way! Rant over - what does your Thursday bring?

Boring

I'm very boring lately. Have been working out, knitting, and walking dogs. But not any sewing. I still haven't finished the dresses from retreat. I don't even have any finished knitting to show off. But I'm starting to get my head back around to crafting. Anyway - I thought I would share a photo of the flowering cherry in our yard. It's lovely. But it's raining today so it will most likely be neeked when I get home. How silly is it that we have a cherry tree that doesn't produce fruit - in Washington?

This is What's Kept Me

from the sewing machine. Well this and impending home improvement projects. And now that this is done I'm tired of waiting on the home improvements! I'll get back to the sewing machine this week - seriously. But this - this is a finished stole! Seriously - I finished all the knitting on Sunday. I have pretty much worked on this every weekend moment for the past several weeks. I finished Hints 6 & 7 on Easter weekend and then finished Hint 8 on Saturday night. Leaving me with the 60 rows of Hint 9 to do yesterday. Well, as usual when I have plans - JB had other plans. After taking the big hounds for a long walk, when then headed out to the garden center. It was after 3:30 when I got to sit down with this stole. At this point it was taking about 45 minutes to knit 10 rows. UGH! As it started to get narrower, it also got quicker. Taking a break to cook and eat dinner - I cast off around 9! Next stop - my LYS for blocking. I have put so much time and energy into this that I want it finished right.

We Have a Winner!

I had three people interested in reading the book I offered up a few posts back. Channon, Cynical Knit Gal, and Nicole. Well - Fudge had offered to pick a winner for me and since my pack is pretty pathetic at this - I took him up on his offer. You may not know (and don't tell Beau) but Fudge would be my heard dog if Beau wasn't. I just love him :)

So, I emailed Sue and asked her to take care of it :) She sat down with Fudge and Samba maybe? She has three pieces of paper in her hands with names written on them. She then asked Fudge to pick one.

You can see Fudge with a slip of paper in his mouth. He was probably quite disappointed it wasn't a cookie :) But he picked Cynical Knit Gal who I have emailed and am waiting for an address. Contact me - I'll get the book right out to you.

For anyone who cares: Please update your address books. JB got a wild hair and cancelled our comcast account. So my email is going away. So I don't have to do this again - I've set up a gmail account and my email is now: gmariesews at gmail dot com. Of course you need to change the "at" and "dot" to the proper symbols.

Dogs?

Abby's Princess Pose

Dudley Watching his world from the landing Beau & Lucy waiting to get out of Jail (this was thanksgiving when there was a hole in my house). Don't forget to check out the Dogs on Thursday

I'd Like to Introduce You

to my newest project. These are the Grape Leyburn socks (all the details can be found on Ravelry - and all the cool kids know how to get there). The yarn is malibrigo sock and it's soft and lovely. I think it might be too soft for socks, but I love it and I will finish them. The pattern is lovely. While I'm not following the pattern directly (I'm really not that sort of girl), I am using the stitch pattern. It's easy to memorize. Easy to see where you are in the pattern. And, most importantly, easy to execute.

These are going quite quickly - I started them for real on April 7th and I'm just about ready to start working on adding the gusset stitches. I'm going to do the toe-up gusset and traditional heel flap.

Also - for anyone who likes to win neat stuff - go check out Ally B - she's having a contest and giving away a super cute notions wallet and a ball of tofutsies. Tell her I sent you :)

Passing Along the Good

Finally! I've finished this book. I got this book from Sue (scroll down on this post), who got it from Golden Tracks who got it from Monica who started passing this book along back in January. Betsy Greer (who authored this book) gives insight into the personal and social benefits of knitting as well as the emotional reasons for why we knit. There are a few patterns included in the book, but this is far more about why we knit and why we should knit. Here are the rules for the Book Pass Along: 1. When you receive the book, please go to Monica's blog and add yourself to the world map she's installed, so those interested can see where the book is. Please add your Name, location and your blog address, so we can visit, and for those who want the book, to leave a comment on your blog. 2. Read the book, enjoy it, let it inspire you, then do a draw, so you can pass it on. Best to copy the rules to your blog post with a link to Monica's blog, (so others who know nothing about her can know what's going on.) She glued a page into the book with the rules. It would be nice if the book did not lie around too long at any one point Well I kinda blew the not lie around too long part. I'm not sure how long I've had the book - but I read it and I'm ready to pass it along. Leave a comment if you're interest. I'll get it out this week. I have finished the book and am ready to send it to the next reader. If you would like to share in the Book Pass Along, leave a comment on this post. I will have Fudge select from the comments (he'll be fair, he can't read) and I will notify you that you have been selected. Once you have been selected, you can contact me with your address and I will send the book on to you.There is a list inside the book for each person to sign when you receive it. Where will it go next???

Lazy Easter Sunday

It was a very, very lazy kind of weekend. We had the Anderson Renewal people in to give an estimate on the new windows. Absolutely beautiful product - outrageously expensive! I'm not sure we can afford it. Saturday I had ASG - fabulous meeting. We got to look at some couture clothing made by a highly respected teacher at Seattle Central. She's retired now, but still sewing. She brought in wonderful garments she had made through the years using tailoring and couture techniques. We also took the big dogs (Beau & Lucy) down to the bathe them yourself spa. We didn't take any photos, but it was easier than bathing them in the house. JB brushed another dog out of Beau and he's still shedding. We promised to take them to the dog park on Sunday so they could show off how beautiful it was - but it rained all day. Just dumping down rain - I didn't leave the house all day. JB baked cookies for the dogs - these were from a mix that JD2 bought me a couple of years ago. Finally got around to getting them made. They had to bake for 2 hours! They are very crunchy cookies. There were also snickerdoodles for the humans. All in all a very low key weekend. How about yours?

This Has Got to be My Favorite

A couple of years ago I had a vision. I wanted a black and white skirt with handmade lace peeking out from the hem. I had originally thought that I would crochet the lace so I made a lining from white muslin, starched the heck out of it and hemmed it with a wing needle which created little holes so I could crochet lace directly to the lining.

I knew the skirt would be from my favorite Kwik Sew skirt pattern (I think I've made 12 skirts from this pattern over the last 2 years). I tried several different crocheted lace samples on a sample of the lining. Nothing looked right. So I set it aside and made other things. Then I found the Spring/Summer 2009 issue of the Debbie Bliss magazine. There was a pattern for knit lace shown on the edge of a shelf. That was it! I knew it instantly.

I spent a couple of evenings knitting the lace, then I washed it in hot water - twice. Drying it in the dryer.

I have worn this skirt twice and I love it. It is fun and flirty. Wednesday I work it to knitting group and everyone had to lift my skirt and look at the lace. Today it was ASG - again several people had to lift my skirt to look at the lace. Then when I was in the grocery store, some man walking past me said "You look great in that skirt!"

It's a winner!

It's Another

6::12 pair of socks. This 6th official pair finished this year. Technically - I have finished 8 pairs this year, but 6 were also started this year! My friend Channon wanted a cute, short pair of summer socks. So she searched the pattern database at Ravelry (really what are you waiting for?) and came up with a pattern. But it was weird and she didn't love it.

So, she did what any normal knitter would do - she re-wrote the pattern, with her own changed and modifications and then she shipped it out to a few people to knit up. I knit my test pair following her directions exactly in her size - I hope. I knit to the correct length before putting in the waste yarn, not for afterthought heels but this time for an afterthought ankle. They turned out a bit short in length so I hope they have enough give. I put these in the mail on Tuesday and she should have them by the weekend (if not today) to give us a report on whether they fit. And I have enough of the Heart and Sole left to make another pair. Win-Win!

Do You Think They Know?

A week or so ago, I rearranged the furniture in the living room. JB was wanting to do it himself a week after his surgery. Right! Anyway - I put the couch in front of Abby favorite window to look out. When I came downstairs after getting ready for work, I saw Dudley and Abby on the couch. This is what happened when they saw me:

Do you think they know they aren't suppose to be up there?

Hmmm - what did I make now?

What in the world? There is no way into these little funny shaped tubes. What are they? Small scrubbers for the showers awaiting their handles? Or maybe eye patches for the dogs - you know so the light doesn't bother them while they are sleeping? Oh well - guess you'll just have to wait and see.

Remember This?

This is my secret of the stole stole. The link takes you back to all the posts on this. I had some trouble and then got behind.

Having just finished another sock, and having nothing else to work on - I drug it out again. I finished up Hint 5 over the weekend. Since there are 9 hints, I figure that makes me halfway done. Because after 9 hints there is still blocking to be done.

I'm hoping to get busy on Hint 6 this week.

Another One Bites the Dust

5::12 These are the Dublin Bay socks made for a Christmas 2009 gift for Miss L. See, I can say that here because I don't believe she reads the blog, but even if she does Christmas 2009 is far enough way that she will have forgotten when they are gifted. I'm a bit sneaky like that. The yarn is Tofutsies which I know she loves. The pattern is Dublin Bay which can be found on Ravelry (but I'm feeling too lazy to link right now). These socks felt like they too forever, but my Rav projects page says I started them on March 20th and finished them on April 3. So it's wasn't really that long. The nice thing about tofutsies is that there is quite a bit left, enough to make a pair of short socks for one of my small footed friends.

More Gifts

I swear with JB off work recovering - he keeps thinking I'm spending all his L&I money (which isn't much) shopping! But I haven't been. I just have lots of friends. Friends who decided when I had to give up most of my yarn budget to fix Abby that they would make sure I didn't go without yarn. The second box this week came from Cami. She had offered to send some of this yarn, but some was bonuses. I was quite pleased to received the lovely little knitting bag. They looked much bigger when she showed them on her blog. A customer of Clementines is making the bags with wrapped clothes-line bases and fabric tops and they are being sold through Clementines. If you want one - give her a call. Bonus yarn in the box - Opal sock yarn in the color way "Good Morning City." This will make a lovely pair of socks for The Musical One - I think. She has to have superwash wool because she "forgets" and throws her socks in the washer and dryer. But she loves the bright colors and funky patterns. Too bad I've already finished a pair of socks to give her for Christmas this year :) Finally - two balls of Crystal Palace Mini Mochi in color 103 which resembles wisteria (at least to me). It's all raspberry and purple with lots of greens. I'm thinking a pair of socks for me with a simple mock cable pattern. I might even start them soon as I just finished another pair of socks on Friday!

This One's for Sue

Earlier this week, Sue and I were chatting. She mentioned that she wanted her significant other to build some sort of arbor to house her wind chimes. I mentioned that we have a beautiful arbor that JB built. It goes from the front yard to the upper back yard, where the ponds are. He has a subscription to The Family Handyman and this arbor was the cover project a couple of years ago. The magazine had the schematic and all the instructions. He built the arbor in a weekend. We have added the metal sculpture to the arch. There is a kiwi plant that grows over the arbor and in the summer the top is green! I'm not sure if you can see it, but there are benches on either side of the arbor. Unfortunately, we rarely just sit there and enjoy the view of the yard - this year. Sue - I wasn't able to find a link for the old issue (and I don't remember which issue it was) nor could I find a link to this arbor on the website, but it's a start :)