Christmas and Cats

An interesting combination. Especially when the cats are young and haven't grown up with an older cat to teach them their Ps & Qs. Thai Shan would have kept the boys in line, just as Sud Ying taught him (yes, all Siamese. of course).

Than Chai. Of course. As bright as Fa Sing is, he's smart enough to not get caught when he does something naughty. Brawn-sans-brains always gets caught.

On Sunday he knocked down the tree. An artificial tree, so no water or heavy stand, and just lights, no ornaments yet, as we've been trying to ease them into the idea of something pretty that is not a cat toy.

Still, this means the tree will be moved up to the guest room (there's still space, we need to get more furniture). DH didn't want to do this, but I insisted. We had no tree at all last year, as the boys were tiny and into everything...and I love my pretty ornaments. Most of them are blown glass or crystal, of course. And Than Than still hasn't come down from killing his first mouse. (With my luck, the next one will run straight up the tree...if word hasn't gone out on the mouse grapevine.)

So much for cats and Christmas; we'll see how things go with the tree. Maybe we'll get the ornaments on this weekend.

Knitting isn't going fast, either. If I'm lucky I manage about eight rows a week on the Hope sweater. Which means that I'm on row 53 now. At least it's past half-way!

As for the Interminable Stole, ugh. I've decided it has to be "done" (whatever that means) this week so I can block it and send it off to TX in time for Christmas. The boys will be sorry to see it go. They snuggle under while I'm working on it.

Fudging

The Hope sweater is coming along. I've taken to bringing it as my travel knitting. That way I can get one or two rows in at lunch or in the car. (The stole is my Mindless Knitting. I work on that at home, the cats burrowed underneath as I knit.)

I've just finished row 37 on the front of the sweater. Some fudging, as the pattern is a pixilization of a poster. Arty, definately. Not precise as Fair Isle would be.

Normally I don't fudge colorwork or pattern stitches; it makes me crazy. But (apologies to the designer) it isn't as necessary here to be strict. The overall effect is the thing, and it's still good.

S-L-O-W Going

I hate intarsia.

Have I mentioned this?

(It bears repeating: I. Hate. Intarsia.)

But I want the damn sweater, so I will Persist. Urk. There's already been a short frogging session, but things are going a bit better.

I have an odd problem with it. Most people knit too tightly when doing color work. I overcompensate, and end up with spots a semi could get through. Yes, blocking it will definitely improve matters, but it's not a miracle worker.

At this point I am on row...27 or 28, I think. Out of over 100 or so on the chart, not counting the ribbing and the last of the neck shaping.

Rather than whipping through, the way I do with one color, I'm using rather more deliberation that I need with a new lace pattern. Why is it that good lace technique sticks with me, while I almost have to re-learn color work every time I tackle a new project?

It's to keep me humble, no doubt. It's working.

Maybe I should make my deadline January 19th!

Flying off the needles

Knitting mojo is BACK. And about time.

The Obama Hope sweater is racing along. The back is done, and I will finish the sleeves today. Perhaps I'll even be able to cast on for the front (see, I tricked myself...when the front is finished, the sleeves will be all set).

I should take the time to make my ornaments for the exchange in Michigan, though. I will be making non-edible "gingerbread cookies". I want to use my reindeer cookie cutter, and fabric paint, with red beads for the nose, black for the eye, and tiny bells for the harness strap.

The organizer sent a link to some of the works in progress, and they're wonderful. No kitschy uglies in this exchange!

Yes, we did!

And to celebrate President-Elect Obama's election and elegant, heartfelt and dignified speech, I will be knitting this:


http://nocturnalknits.blogspot.com/2008/10/obama-rama-free-pattern.html

It's from a book about to come out [Picture Perfect Knits], but I am using the free pattern. I am not usually an intarsia fan, but this, I think, is worth the struggle.

I'll even be spending...for this sweater I need yarn that's not in the stash. I won't use the acrylic, though. Ugh. Lion Brand has wool—REAL wool—yarn now, though, and I will, I hope, be using that.

Yes, we can.