Projects Are My Life

I have the strangest anxiety.  I get anxious that I will never be able to knit/crochet all of the yarn I have in my stash.  The tiny little part of me that is an optimist, well, she's sure that we can use up all of the bits and pieces with a stash-busting project.  However, in the interim, I want to start some real projects - as in sweaters - and you know, that means MORE yarn.  The additional yarn is 100% mandatory because you cannot use big box retail store yarn (i.e. acrylic) for your first sweater.  Nope.  It must be soft, luscious and a natural fiber (maybe wool and cotton?  something appropriate for Florida).  I have to temper my anxiety of my ever-increasing stash with my desire to push my knitting into new projects.

On the weeknights, I've been knitting dishcloths to use up my cotton yarn stash; I had a former co-worker text me and ask me to send her a few.  I hope to have at least four of them to her by the end of the week.

I'm so very close to finishing my latest shawl.  I really love the pattern, but unsure if the yarn really works with it.  The yarn looks so fun in the skein but knitted into the pattern, I feel like it loses some spark.  Plus, it's an acrylic yarn so I don't know if I will be able to block it.

I've got two other WIPs ongoing (my gay pride party bunting and my short row scarf).  However, after the gray metallic shawl is complete, I must start a new shawl that I saw at a local yarn store.  I bought super gorgeous yarn for the shawl. The cake on the right is the official colorway from the 2016 Orange Blossom Yarn Crawl.

Lovely posing by two of my four feline roommates means you get to admire their beauty.  Monkey is our gorgeous tabby cat who turned 3 years old in February.  Monkey loves to be petted and rubbed and she's a good pal to Flower, our newest cat.    Macy is our tortie and we adopted her in 2010.  She's the solitary cat and normally you can find her in her cat bed, which is under the computer desk in the craft room.  She hangs out with Mr. Grumpbump while he watches tv in the craft room.

Macy

Monkey

My completed projects (mostly hats) are overflowing from my dresser floor.  I am going to use this blog to start giving away some of the completed projects and some of my old/extra pattern books.  Maybe help increase the traffic to the website and/or clean out my collection.  

Not happy to be losing an hour today (Daylight Savings starts) but I will put up with it because now the days will start to get really long.  It will no longer be pitch black when I get home from work.  

Projects

It's 61°F in Florida.  I am trying to wear my hand knits, but now I'm burning up.  But my hat is so cute.

I'm currently obsessed with knitting hats.  Crochet is okay, too.  But I found that my gauge in crochet is so way off and I have a better feel for my knitting gauge.  Ha!  I love how I type that as if I really know what my gauge is.  The only thing I know for sure is that I knit loosely and I typically have to go down several needle sizes.

I am also working on a scarf, a Missoni blanket, and finishing my cruise shawl.  My next project is to make party bunting for gay pride.  That's a commissioned work for which I will receive no pay.

Flower Power

My latest project is a crochet ripple (wave) pattern from Jan Eaton's book, 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns.  The book lists this as one of the easiest of the crochet patterns, so it's perfect for after work or at knitting group.  My projects all come down to the level of ease for me.

About halfway complete

I think it's very pretty.  While I did not choose the colors, and I am using a random stripe generator for the colorway, I am really pleased about how it is progressing.

Since we adopted the new kitten, Flower, I have been super vigilant about keeping my projects out of her reach.  She chews, and possibly eats, anything she finds on the floor.  I've never had that problem with the other three cats.  They are disinterested in my yarn, which causes me to question if they are really cats.  Flower, or La Fleur as Mr. Grumpbump has started calling her, is all kitten, all the time.  She is constantly baiting the Monkey Cat to play with her.  She can entertain herself for hours with the cat toys scattered throughout the house.  And I have been awoken by a kitten biting me, first without the teeth and, when I don't respond, with teeth.

Calm before the storm

Flower will be spayed in October.  The vet discovered that she has a umbilical hernia so that will be repaired at the same time as the spay.  Flower is still so thin, even though she eats like a horse, and I hoping that she will start to bulk up after the spay.

My washer is broken. I am super pissed off about it. Repair guy will be here on Monday and I just know it will cost too much.  All because I washed a bathroom rug.  The rug was not super shaggy but all the discards and threads clogged up the machine and I think it broke the drain pump.  I really hate this washer and I am pissed that I have to pay to fix it.

I am also pissed off about my life.  Very few good things about it right now.  Holding onto those good things like a crazy woman because I feel myself thisclose to going nuts.

Outnumbered Two to One

Two weeks ago, we welcomed cat number four to our house.  For whoever is keeping score, that's felines 4, humans 2.  And Mr. Grumpbump did not have a choice, or a chance.

Number Four is a black and white tuxedo female kitten, approximately 2 months old. That makes Mr. Grumpbump outnumbered Five to One in the females vs. males demographic.

Mr. Grumpbump was fairly annoyed with me, and he essentially did not want to deal with the kitten. But this story has a good ending.

First, let's see how adorable this kitten is:

Her name is Flower, after the skunk from Bambi.

Also because the white tips of her front paws remind me of petals on flowers.

After two weeks, she's got the hang of our schedule and she is allowed to roam the house with the other cats.  Delilah and Macy stay away from her because they are either too old or too shy to deal with scampy kitten.

Monkey, who is only two years old, was at first so mean to Flower.  She hissed and growled when Flower tried to play or get anywhere near her.  I was super bummed about that because I was sure that Flower and Monkey would be great playmates.  I should have just relaxed because within a week, Monkey had a breakthrough and these two chase each other around the house, although it is usually really really late at night.  They are destined to be great friends.

As for Mr. Grumpbump, he has been bitten by the love bug.  I know he likes her because he's given her a nickname, La Fleur.

Virtual Cat Collecting

There's  an app for the iPad, it's a Japanese game called Neko Atsume.  And the goal is to collect cats by feeding them and buying them treats, toys and furniture.  Oh, and the whole game is in Japanese.  So you have to rely on the pictures to figure out what to do.  

Mindless, but so cute.  Yes even Japanese internet cats make me happy.

It's Next Time!

Whew!  That was a very looooooong break.  I'll just say "I'm sorry" and move on to the latest and greatest.

Most importantly, let's catch up on the cats!  My trio of gatos: Delilah, Monkey (a/k/a Pepper), and Macy.

Delilah - still grouchy, much more lazy and possibly going deaf.  Still the head of household

Monkey is a fierce hunter at night and a lovebug in the morning.  She's a real talker too.

Macy is just too sweet for words.  Also begs to be let "out" into our garage.

I've not totally abandoned my crafting.  During the holidays, I knitted a bunch of hats, based on a super easy (and free!) but oh so cute knit pattern (Slouched Tuva Hat).   Easily one of my all time favorite patterns and definitely a go-to for gift giving.

I also started focusing on crochet.  I made a granny square project bag, which I use to cart around my current crochet project (African flower blanket - more later).  I love the completed bag so much, even with all of its flaws (my lining/sewing skills are less than average).  I started a second bag, but it's been abandoned for now.

Granny Square Project Bag

I have moved onto the African flower motif (to be sewn together as a blanket).  Why do I choose colors that I think are fabulous in the store, only to start working on them and find that they are pedestrian and retro (not in the good way) together.  The project is coming together nicely and I should be able to finish it within the next month.

African flowers

The only thing in my way of needlecrafting is my job.  My life is consumed by work.  I am miserable.  I am doing the worst thing possible, catching myself saying things like "if I can just make it through this month" and "if I can just get through this next deal, then..."  I am always putting off living my life.  I'm not doing anything proactive to change things. I'm a negotiator and a procrastinator, so in my mind, I'm working on the solution, while still getting through my day.  However, when I really examine what my life is and how things actually are, you know, in the real world, then I cannot' really argue with that truth.

This rationalization is the way I convince myself that things are fine; I compare it to looking in the mirror.  I look in the mirror every day, while I brush my teeth, put on makeup, do my hair.  I see myself but I am never looking that closely or with a critical eye.  So I can tell you superfluous items about how I look (maybe I'm wearing lip gloss, maybe I'm wearing my tortoiseshell glasses, etc.) but I will not tell you or admit to you that my clothes are fitting too tight or my makeup line is visible.  That's too much information; too much to process or control or fix in whatever time I have.  I just ignore and persevere.  This is a stupid way to live.  I think I'm fooling myself.  But I'm really heading for a crash.

Until Next Time

Summertime is in full effect here, and I would like to go swimming but I have to wait out the afternoon thunderstorm that is headed our way.  I managed not be a total lazy bum this weekend - I got up and went to the grocery store, did the laundry and cleaned out the cat litter boxes.  

We're are still a family of five, two cat guardians (me and Mr. Grump) and the three feline overlords, Delilah, Macy Gray, and The Monkey.

Macy likes to lounge with us in the living room

Yes, I posed them but Monkey and Delilah lay like this for a while

The most gorgeous face in the cat world

Delilah has some health issues that we are mostly attributing to get up in years (she's maybe 11 or 12?) - her weight dropped off dramatically and we had to start her on medicine to regulate her thyroid.  She put the weight back on and we are trying to monitor her more closely.  She's not as active as she used to be, more lethargic but not in a scary way.  Just an overall lazier way.  She takes after me, or I take after her.  It's hard to get a picture of her sitting upright, she does a lot of laying down.

Macy is a robust cat, who rarely has any issues, and The Monkey, well, she's still a kitten so she's all over the place, not to mention a really effective huntress.  

I'm working on a ripple (baby) blanket right now, as well crochet place mats.  I don't have any big projects ongoing.  I have a Missoni-style blanket on the needles, but it's been sitting untouched for a while.  It's hard to knit a blanket when it's ridiculously humid outside.

Stash-buster baby blanket

place mat made from t-shirt yarn (fun project; I've made two; have two left to finish)

My sister-in-law visited the UK this month and promised to send me some yarn from Ireland.  I have to wait and see if I actually get it.  I found the most beautiful cowl pattern and I hope I can use that yarn for this project. 

Not my project - this is from the pattern page - it is simply beautiful
I will find the right yarn and the knit the hell out of this

Chaos Postponed for the Weekend

It's a Saturday evening.  I am outside on the porch, listening to music, drinking some wine and crocheting.  Delilah is fast asleep in the chair next to me, while Monkey is running around hunting geckos.  

It's deceptively relaxing.  I have a huge week at work coming up that I am not prepared for and that I forecast may be partially disastrous.  If I could just calm myself by realizing that it is not the end of the world, that (any) failure is just that..and not the end of the world.  I have never been able to self-manage myself, and I am not sure why I think I could start now.  Is it just the lies that I tell myself to get through the day without melting down, so I can struggle internally to stay in control of my emotions?   Yes.  Yes it is.

I finished my basic ripple socks.  They are cute and I think I did a good job with knitting them to a good size (instead of my normal baggy oversized socks).  The only issue I had (and had nothing to do with me) is that the two skeins didn't match!  They were The same dye lot and I started each sock from the middle pull.  On one sock, they tied the yarn together, so there must have been a break but they didn't match up the color way.  It's not that bad because it was at the end of the sock (I knit cuff down so the color mismatch is near the toes).

I think I will be digging through my closet to locate an old project...a ripple scarf or shawl.  I put it aside early last year to work on my various ripple afghans.  It's time to get that thing off the needles.  

There will never be enough time to get to all the projects I want to do.  Stupid work for interfering with the important stuff.

Perfecting My Technique

Very grateful for the slow transition from Florida winter to mild and overcast Florida spring because I'm having a hard time with my budget lately.  Any additional expenses, like having to run the air conditioner, would max out my already-strained budget.  I'm clinging to breakeven mode every paycheck but only by a sliver; I feel like the good guy in the movies, who is hanging on to the side of the building by just enough to keep him from falling to the ground below.

It helps to keep my mind off it.  I'm very good at running away from things that bother me.  I was working on another chevron afghan, but only made it about one-third of the way before I got really bored.  I picked up my smallest needles and starting knitting socks again.  

I tried to hide the fact that the left sock is smaller (but it fits better) than the right one

I'm trying out a new heel with these zig zag lace socks

I've got my sock mojo working for me right now.  They are not perfect, but I love finishing a project in a few weeks.  

So all my sock yarn has been getting a second look these days.  I'm really trying to perfect my technique.

Pretty soon, we should be coming up on the end of Monkey cat's first year with us.  I'll work on getting a picture retrospective because she has grown so much in the last year and she's just a perfect (or so) fit.

Delilah

Macy

No Lunch For Me; Don't Want To Spoil Dinner

Sunday mornings are the best part of the week.  I feel like I have the whole world in front of me.  It inspires me (sometimes).  Today was a good Sunday; I was inspired to cook.

Well, cook might be a strong word.  I was motivated enough to go to the grocery store, Publix, because I wanted to make a pot roast.  Let me just stop right here and tell you that Publix is the best grocery store around.  I know they are more expensive than everyone else and I just don't care.  As long as I get twice-a-month paychecks, I'm shopping at Publix.  And also, as an aside, my main focus for going to the grocery was to buy eggs.  Yes, I should have walked out of Publix with a carton of eggs and a penny in change for my $2.00 splurge.  But that's not what happened.  This is Publix we are talking about.  It's just so darn clean and organized and all the displays are practically begging me to buy a week's worth of groceries. And the Buy One, Get One display?  I cannot avoid it.

So before I get the eggs, I had to go look at the roasts in the meat section, and then down to the produce section, where I pick up red potatoes, celery, carrots and onions.  While I'm there, I figure I'll get a few tomatoes and lettuce for a quick salad.  Then I remember we may need coffee creamer and, look, I'm at the yogurt section, where I toss in a few to treat as my dessert later.  I finally grab eggs, and then head over to the deli meats, where I grab some bacon for breakfast, said bacon being BOGO.  And orange juice, I must have it with breakfast.

Yep, I left Publix with seven bags of groceries, $62.00 lighter, and I didn't forget the eggs.

I finished my potato chip scarf.  It is better described as a ruffle scarf.  The name potato chip is because you can't make just one (and this is my second one).  The first time I used a cotton yarn in a nice mild red color, but I felt like the scarf was too flat.  This one was done in an acrylic sparkle yarn I got at Hobby Lobby.  Much better suited for the project.

I'm also working on a baby blanket - the shower is next weekend, but I am very confident that I can finish this in time.  I've made this baby blanket twice before.  This time I'm using a 50/50 cotton and acrylic yarn, held in double, and the blanket feels dense.  I love the feel of this yarn.  It's another Hobby Lobby yarn, Baby Bee Hushabye.  It's a gradient blanket so one color feeds into the next.

So, this Sunday, I've actually accomplished enough to make me feel like a productive member of society.  The slow cooker is on and my pot roast is cooking with all those wonderful vegetables.  The house smells great - dinner will be very good tonight.

It All Comes Out the Same in the End

I had put off posting anything new because I was finishing the best knit work I have done to this point.  My Missoni inspired lap blanket.

It only took me a few months of evening and weekend knitting to finish.  I gifted it to my brother and sister-in-law because it reminded me of their style.  It's hard to tell firm this photo but the blanket is a pretty decent size.  I forgot to measure before I shipped it.  

I am  working on a baby blanket now.  It's got to be finished by next weekend so I am under a bit of pressure to finish in time.

Our holidays were very busy.  Mr. Grump's family was here with us over several weeks in November and December.  We were ready for them and decided a few weeks before (in September) to purchase new furniture for the living and dining room space.  Our house is an open floor plan and the living/dining/kitchen space all spill into one big space.  And since Mr. Grump sold the pool table, we knew we needed an actual dining table.

We bought a faux leather sectional, a dinning room table with six chairs (that was very uncharacteristically optimistic of me), a recliner for Mr. G., an entertainment center, and a chest of drawers for the bedroom.

We had a garage sale to get rid of our old micro-fiber couch and loveseat and the kitchen table.  I couldn't find a cute bistro set for the kitchen nook area so I went with a couple of chairs and a end table.  The chairs were purchased on Wayfair.com and they can serve as additional seating in the living area (which they did when we had all of our company).  Mr. G. spray painted the end table black and now it looks brand new.

We are holding steady with our three cats, Delilah, Macy and the Monk.  Everyone seems to be getting along as the house and back patio area are big enough for everyone to enjoy their own space without bothering the others.  Monkey does have her kitten moments when she is in everyone's face and the two older ladies just have to deal with her.

Macy

Delilah

Monkey, a/k/a The Monk, a/k/a The Monkatron

Speaking of the feline goddess, I have to go serve my masters by cleaning out the litter boxes.  If I told you how much time I spend researching kitty litter, you would want to slap me.  My favorite brand of litter changed their formula so I'm testing out some new stuff.  My biggest issue is the Monkey cat, who refuses to cover her poop and that sends me scrambling all the time to clean up because, no offense, but shit stinks.