Stash enhancement?

I was expecting my knitpicks and elann orders, but I came home to 3 packages.

I forgot... I won a contest over at Shanti's blog. I opened up the package to this beautiful bag! I've been using a big bag that I made myself to cart my knitting to work and this one is the perfect size. I've already moved my socks over. The camera really doesn't capture the colors.

What was inside? Some gorgeous, gorgeous, and have I mentioned gorgeous? Hip Knits Aran Silk in the Peace colorway. Its a subtly variegated purple. I love it! Now what project do I make? ACK!!! I've already stacked my books to look through.

My elann stash. Some Linus (linen) to maybe make a handtowel from MDK and some Den-m-nit in each color. I've been wanting to try this yarn for a while. It's supposed to fade like your favorite pair of jeans.

From knitpicks, some Shadow in Grape Jelly for the Mystery Stole Along and some Sock Memories in Pansy. Definitely not the colors I saw online. Knitpicks never does really match. Missing from the picture? The Denise's I ordered when they were 50% off. Yeah, they ran out. Couldn't they have sent an email or something to let me know so I wasn't disappointed?
Finally, a better picture of the kitten stash enhancement. Five, yes five kittens for her first litter. The "owner" who didn't get the cat fixed and then was just going to toss her out on the street suddenly wants one of them. Uhhh... not just no... but fuck no. Have some responsibility with your animals people. I've already made the appointment to get the momma fixed. Oh and yes I'm keeping her. But she needs a better name than Darlene.

There are 3 black and white ones, 1 white and 1 grey and white. I don't know the sexes yet La, it usually takes a week before I can tell the difference. I'll take some better individual pictures this weekend. I can't wait to see if the white one is albino or has normal eyes.

First look

Hey La... here's the first look at the new babies. Better pictures when

1. I'm more awake
2. I'm more caffinated
3. There is more light
4. The new momma isn't so freaked by hands coming at her! (remember, she's new to my home)

1. 
   
   
   
   
   

Since you asked...and a finish

Here is a close up of the hibiscus and shells on the chest of drawers. No, I did not draw them myself. However, I did do the layout. The shells were from one book and the hibiscus from another. A little playing with paintshop and viola! I'm not so good at drawing, but I give good layout.


I'm almost embarrassed to show this F.O. Ahhhh...what the heck! Hopefully my mistakes will help someone else. It's supposed to be Absorba from MDK.
I haven't done the finishing on it yet. I believe I bound off too tightlysince it kind of pulls and puckers. You might also notice the 3 or so holes. KNIT LOOSELY. Really. It was hard to pick up the stitches and I missed some.
It was fun and quick and there is nothing wrong with the pattern. I'll see what happens when I wash it and stretch it out a bit. I'm not going to sew in the ends until I do so.

Pattern: Absorba, The Great Bathmat
Found in: Mason Dixon Knitting
Needles: Denise, size 15
Yarn: Peaches and Cream
Colors: Light Blue - 2 strands and White - 1 strand (center)
Light Blue - 1 strand and White - 2 strands (top)
White - 3 strands (left)
Daisy Ombre - 1 strand and White - 2 strands (bottom)
Faded Denim - 1 strand and White - 2 strands (right)
Started: 25 June 06
Finished: 27 June 06

Oh, and I sent a RAOK out this week.

Non-knitting F.O.

Full frontal:









Here's the money shot:

Latest Painting Project

Still not sure what is going to happen with the drawer fronts
hibiscus and shells in progress

Dye-o-rama

My wonderful Dye-O-Rama pal was Enjay. Look at the beautiful yarn! Why yes, that is some roving she threw in too. How awesome is that?

Here is a close up of the yarn she dyed. Beautiful purples and blues and pinks. Her son helped with the process and she says he started pouring black into every color. I think it's wonderful!

But, she was worried, so she went out and bought some hand dyed to compensate. (really, she didn't have to!)

I love the rainbow! Such a dye-o-rama themed package! Look! I have my very own dye-o-rama stitch marker! Enjay also made a few wonderful beaded stitch markers - which are perfect. I really don't like to use metal ones with socks and lace.

Thank you Enjay!

One Word

I tried to resist. Really I did. But that damn La! Since the knotty one doesn't do meme's often, I had to oblige.

Please leave a one-word comment that you think best describes me — it can only be one word long. Then copy and paste this into your blog so that I may leave a word about you.

Not just knitting

I finished painting my bookcase yesterday. I used Mary Englebreit patterns for the flowers and put tiny life-sized ladybugs on the shelves.



It's painted about 20 different colors, but I wanted something to really brighten up my room. The shelving I have already is a pale color and my walls are pale wood paneling. Even my bedding is pretty boring.
I know the direction that I want to go with for the decorating. I'm working on a set of drawers that a coworker gave to me.

I made a headboard last weekend with an old bedspread I had. It's blue tone-on-tone and toile looking. I used 2 inch padding, but I think I need to get some 4 inch.


Another F.O. (and a couple of rips)
Pattern: DW Washcloth
Yarn: Peaches and Cream "Sea Mist"
Needles: #7 Straight
Started: 11 June 06 1030
Finished: 11 June 06 1430

Started and ripped a sock and the Moss Grid Handtowel from Mason Dixon. The sock just wasn't working with the yarn I used. Maybe if I go up another needle size. With the hand towel, I ended up with 2 extra stitches somewhere between the 3rd and 6th row. I figured that it would be easier to rip and start over rather than tinking back. It's only a couple of rows.

WWYK

What would you knit?

I purchased some great malabrigo a few months ago. 2 geranio (dark pink) and 2 polygala (purple). Each is about 216 yards. What would you make with it?

Important facts:

I live in the desert. The Mojave Desert. It's hot about 3/4 of the year. Right now, it is 7 p.m. and 91 degrees.

However, I usually end up putting a sweatshirt on when it hits 65-70. Yes, that is considered cold. Especially when you put it in this perspective: the difference between 120 F and 70 F is 50 degrees. Think of the difference between 50 F and 0F. COLD.

Here's my weird thinking: This yarn is special and deserves a special project and it has been sitting for that "special" project. It will sadly sit on the shelf and get dusty and musty until it is either "not special" anymore or that project comes along.

I do this a lot. I have a lot of sad yarn waiting for that "perfect" pattern. It is wrong. I know.

A friend once said to me (about a $150 bottle of wine) that this wine should not sit and be saved for a special occasion - just opening it was the special occasion.

I want to use my yarn.

So...

What would you knit?

I've got a pair

Pattern:The "Not Pedestrian" Ped
Yarn: Knitpicks Sock Garden in Star Gazer Lily
Needles: Clover Bamboo Size 2
Started: 30 May 2006
Finished: 4 June 06

My first pair of socks! Yes, I have knit socks before. However, I have never completed a pair. I needed a quick fix.

Gratuitous kitten shot:

It's a mental health kind of day.

I know, I know, it was a three day weekend. I did actually go to work on Tuesday. And I have to go tomorrow, or I'll need a Dr's note. I just needed a little break. I've been feeling so wiped the past few days and just didn't want to get out of bed.

In the immortal words of Jen: "The first person to mention that one sock does not qualify as an FO dies." And yes, my foot does have a black furry ear and tail.

For La:
The poor unwanted kids. It's hard to get an action picture when it's 103. They just lay around all afternoon.

And here is a picture of Mouche's smootch.