I swear this isn't a pet blog

But I couldn't help myself.

Just in case you've ever wanted to know how a 6.6 lb cat can hog an entire loveseat, here's a lesson:


And people wonder why I'm so upset to leave Barley when I start work next month:


How can I leave this face every morning? That's the exact face he gives me when he realizes I'm leaving. I'm not thinking about it...I'll cry. And yes, that is a laundry basket he's curled up in. He stood next to it and looked from the basket to me until I took enough laundry out for him to fit inside. Good Grief, Charlie Brown.

Juicy

I promised both of you that I would post pictures of SP yarn swatches about a million years ago. I even used solemn promise words and stuff. Well, life happens, and I knit real slow-like. I have moved on way past the swatch stage, and am about to begin bust increases and strategic placement of short rows (for front cuppage, ya know what Ah'm sayin'? ). Here's some proof:



Here we see some super juicy day-glo orange Cotton-Ease working it's way into a vitamin rich tank, with extra pulp (cables and mini-cables) and antioxidants (true to me waist shaping, and both increases and short rows at the bust). There'll be a v-neck, just low enough to let the sun in, and wide set shoulder straps. It'll be HOT. Most of the shaping is done in the mini-cable panels, with the large cables running straight down from tip to toe and the short rows making up the difference inside the big cables. The idea, the hope, the desperate yearning that this all works out, being that this will be a custom fit, non-bunchy, non-droopy, super-slimming feat of needlework. Pray for me.

This is my first design, and I have to boast that it's totally busted through the mojo rut. There's mojo for days, people. No wonder most people don't stop at just one custom design. There was a moment when it nearly came crashing down - the math part - but after that was worked out, it's been so fun. I'm excited to see what happens next, so I work on it EVERYWHERE. I may or may not bust out a few stitches at red lights. And maybe some in between red lights. But only the stockinette part! I swear! I know I'm not the only one.

One strange thing has happened, though:


Does anyone else do this? I'm knitting with the 7 and purling with the 8. All the st st in my swatch was striped. Interesting tonal stripes that you could feel. Neat. Maybe a design feature later on. No bueno on this project. After some head-scratching and face scrunching, I realized I purl tighter than I knit. HELLO! No wonder my garter stitch has such a high wonk-factor. This explains the lop-sided log-cabining. I've never noticed this with animal fibers but cotton, we all know, is a different creature. So far, the stitches are smooth and as even as I get 'em.

Just because I can, here's a pic of the Barley man. Do you see the level of cuteness that I must resist everyday?! It's nearly impossible, I tell you. He LOVES his crate. Please notice the door is wide open. Also know that his bed is about 6 feet from the crate. What a ham.

To Kolohe

Here's a toast to Kolohe. She loved her mama for 18 years and her mama loves her still. She was a faithful companion through all the transformations that come from going from girl to woman.

Her name means "troublemaker" in Hawaiian, but she's an angel now. By definition a scrappy girl, she had a stroke and shook it off, she stared down diabetes and told it to screw itself for 4 years. Boxer of ears, eater of Fancy Feast, intent watcher of birds, she fought one helluva fight. She never gave up, but your body will only take you so far before you have to leave it behind.

She left us knowing she was loved. I know, because I told her. We'll miss you, Kosti. We love you, Kristy.

Where's my MoJo?

The knitting mojo: où est-ce? What's my deal? I have lots of fab new yarn, some ideas with a lot of potential, but I turn my nose up whenever I look at my needles. Then again, these days that means looking at Orangina, with her tiny hand-hurting cotton and her miles and miles of to-be-completed 3x3 rib.

Should I inter the evil slag - I mean - Orangina in la chambre de morfondre*? Go ahead and cast on for those other progects? WWSRD? Well, Skinny Rabbit is having a mojo decrease, and she's casting on! I'll show pics of some swatches TOMORROW. I like, vow and other solemn promise words.

In lieu of knitting content, I bring pics of wild furry beasts. Our neighbors are in the States on vacay and we're watching their little shih-tzu Pittzy. Pittzy is one duplicitous little dog, by friends. Take a gander:
She appears all cute and fluffy, as if she were saying "come pet me, I'm so sweet..."

What she really means by "come pet me, I'm so sweet..." is "Fingers = Vienna Sausages. Do not look at me, do not touch me, do not try to untangle the leash from my legs, do not eyeball my food, do not pass within 4 feet of my bed/lair/pit of despair**, in short: do NOT piss me off." Need proof? Here's a pic of her next to her Star Wars toy. Notice the matching eerie glowing eyes. This is without the flash...just kidding.


How does Barley feel about having another pooch in the house?

Poor guy!

*I want to take a french class this fall, so I'm getting ready Eloise style, baby.

**I was going for the Princess Bride reference here. Do NOT google that term. 'Nuff said?