treeskin

I finished an afghan before breakfast today. Granted, we were moving slow today, and breakfast was a little late, and I didn't have much left to knit. And I still need to weave in all the ends (bleh), but it's done.

I've been telling everyone who asked that I was making this blanket for me, because every blanket I've made for our household for the past 4 years has been commandeered by The Miss. In the winter, she sleeps under all of them, a nest of blankets and teddy bears 3' high, with a giggling little girl underneath it all.

So naturally, as soon as I shake out *my* finished blanket, she's all over it. The conversation has gone something like this:

The Miss, petting blanket almost possessively, "oooo, pretty blanket"
Me, "thank you sweetie. This is mommy's blanket"
The Miss, cuddling blanket with both arms and most of her face, "I like this blanket"
Insert two attempts to carry said blanket off to her nest, and several repitions of "this is mommy's blanket". That's the summary of my morning.

Guess I need to gather another pile of leftover yarn and start another one real quick, that I can tell her will be hers.

No work crew today, and no rain, so I go the monsters outside for a couple hours this morning. They're much more manageable now.

Made my Obligatory Weekly Family Calls already--Grandma, Mom, and Sis. Mom and Sis are in Salina at a kickball tournament. Well, Mom is watching, Sis is playing. It's a fundraiser for a cancer research charity; I couldn't hear past the background noise well enough to get the name of the group. But it sounds like they're having fun.

Sis and I are trying to be stealthy and stall Mom's upcoming purchase of a new sewing machine, so we can do it for her for Xmas. She's managed to wear out that little Brother machine we'd given her, some 17 years ago. I *think* that a trip in for cleaning and adjustment would do wonders for it, but there are things she wants to do that it's not so good at, so Sis and I are plotting. Mom's not easy to plot around, so wish us luck.

By's folks are getting ready to start upgrading/repairing/updating the house at Wanakena. They called last night, wanting input and suggestions. There's a lot to be done, to make the house what the family will use in the future. Including excavating the attic (which makes me quiver...too much stuff that'll need sorting).

The Sock Report: restarted that sock for The Miss, got the arch fixed, and she still hates it. Rather than keep trying, I frogged the whole business and pulled out a nice textured pattern for me. I'll grab something bright and striping for a pair for her.

Non-Sock Knitting: I let myself get sucked into a KAL on Ravelry (requires registration). The designer, in Finland, is doing a dirty trick--she's not releasing the next part of the pattern until a certain number of people have finished the first part, and posted pictures to prove it. Which isn't too bad right now. There were enough people who did the first clue the minute it went up that she released the second one today. But now I have to wait AGAIN. **sigh** Which means I should go sew on dolls some more. That project is taking up more space than I'm happy with.

Knitted peeps!!!!!

(Well, ok, that's not what they're officially called, but it's sure what they look like, so...)


ETA: Ok, so they're actually crocheted, and the "nest" is knitted and felted. Still damn cute.

We need to knit this one!

* A warm, filling lunch of split pea and sausage soup, with garlic bread and tea.

* Got a 2' wide chunk of the pantry counter cleaned off. (That's a bigger accomplishment than you realize, if you haven't seen it.)

* By finished loading the dishwasher, and hand-washed a few things, so the kitchen's mostly clean, too.

* Several loads of laundry done, and are folded on the sofa (will put the stuff away later this evening). It's not everthing that needed doing, but it's a damn good start.

* One of T's kilt hose is COMPLETELY DONE!!!!!! I still have 9" or so to knit on the second one, but the end is finally in sight.

* I started a pair of colorwork socks for myself this weekend, although I'm still planning out most of the design. But I had to figure out the gauge, and try out the colors together. I'd taking the 'Blueberry Hill' colorway of the Cherry Tree hill merino sock yarn, and cream Kroy sokc yarn, and adapting a blanket pattern I found years ago into socks. It's a graph of the word for peace, in 15 or so different languages. I may chart a basic peace sign and put that on the heel, too, just for giggles. That's will in the pondering stages, and at 9 sts to the inch, this won't be a fast project.

* A few inches on the Eleanor stole (from Scarf Styles), as a reward for finishing one of T's giant socks. I think I've figured out how I'm going to adapt the design, to keep my texture and color stripes symmetrical. I've only got about a foot left on that piece, to reach a comfortable wearing length for me.

Oh, and not progress, but needs passing on lest I forget: Tristan, you left your Spiderman 2 disc in our dvd player this morning. I think you've got the case. We'll babysit it for you until next weekend.

Got one square done last night, nothing fancy. So, I'm up to 70-odd plus one. And, Cammie, I'm still working on a pattern for a square done in that yarn you liked on Sunday. I'll get back to you when I figure something out.

Am 2/3 done with the second dragonscale gauntlet. Probably could have finished it had I knitted another hour last night, but knitting is trumped by quality time with the husband. Brought it with me, in hopes of getting in a round or two during my lunch break.

Off to work. Not sure what we're doing today, besides putting away supplies that were delivered early in the week. Already helpd Jo set up for her hort sci lab....hundreds of tomato plants in the greenhouse in autumn, joy.

By's schedule is somewhat sketchy still. He didn't have to go in and tend the dog this morning, so he can go in a bit later, in time for the rental co to deliver stuff. He's not sure how late he'll be tonight--the wedding rehearsal is at 6pm, they claim they'll only be an hour, but he's expecting them to be there until 7:30 or 8:00, at least. And tomorrow's still fuzzy, too. He may have to go in early and tend the dog, he may have to go in and babysit the wedding, depends on what time Robyn gets back tomorrow (if she does), and how tired she is when she gets there.

By brought home a new movie along with the groceries last night, so we ate dinner and watched Ocean's Twelve (not nearly as good as the first, and Julia Roberts got way too much screen time) and did crafty things. By worked on sanding one of the walking sticks in progress by his chair, I did string (big surprise). Got T's second sock ripped down below the incorrect increases (5" of cabled knitting, gone in 10 minutes, very sad), got the proper start of increases marked on the first sock (the one that fits right), and about an inch reknit on that second sock.

I'm telling myself sternly to finish projects before starting anything else, even though I've got a couple of patterns and a lovely new bookbinding book all calling my name. *sigh*

Knitting, this time.

Am two skeins/12" (or thereabouts) into the peacock plumes vest for myself. Am very pleased with the progress.

Tried the kilt hose on T again, found that my current increase scheme is working, so I can progress on those again. Must rip the second sock out 3" and redo all that, but it'll work better if I do.

Must spend this weekend finishing baby stuff. They're both due the second week of Nov.

Ran the heater the whole way in to work this morning--first time this season. The rain's making me cold and creaky, enough that I hold it stays most of the work daya, so I can stay in and knit.

Not much to update, otherwise. I think I'm coming down with something--I was sneezing a lot last night, and woke up stuffy and tired. Hopefully the "sounds like a frog" stage of this head cold/whatever holds off until after Monday.

Got some knitting done last night. Finished the first pattern repeat on the Lily of the Valley shawl, and it's about 3" deep (slightly stretched). Not bad for 2 hr's knitting, at that gauge. I've got T's kilt hose in the car, in hopes of a rainy day. I need to frog a bunch out of those, and re-knit.

classics_cat, you might show this to Ranj. I bet he'd appreciate a Linux penguin scarf.