Knitting Resolutions

I had a number of knitting-related resolutions that I was going to commit to in January but I actually completed most of them in December. To be fair I was probably high on cold and flu medication for most of the Christmas period so my knitting was rather frenzied. Anyway, thing to tick off my knitters list:

• Socks - I've now knitted two pairs (one each for J and M) - rather pleasing and I've now got a book on how to knit two socks on the same circular needle.
• Felting - I've made a somewhat deformed felted bag out of very cheap wool - not sure how I feel about it though but I think it will grow on me.

So stuff I still want to try in 2009:

• knitting two socks on the same needle
• intarsia / fairisle (ie two or more colour knitting)
• lace-weight knitting
• spinning

By the way, this post is by way of distracting me whist I wait for my new (pink!) laptop to arrive.

Finished Item

I've had a bumper knitting weekend - partly because Jojo was poorly, so we just sat around and watched alot of DVDs. I've also finished my first own design - Mike's 'Knit One, Pray One' Hat.

Gloves Off

I've knitted mittens (with and without thumbs) for the girls, but decided I'd try some grown up gloves with fingers and everything. I've made a pair of fingerless gloves in left over wool from Jojo's ballet leg warmers and I'm one glove in to a pair of a fully fingered gloves.

I fear this could become a bit of an addiction - even though I currently don't wear gloves all that often. I think it's partly they knit up quickly, you can see their shape as you go and they don't take up vast quantities of yarn.

Pattern adaptation:

• c/o 34 stitches & reduced to 30 at beginning of cable row.
• after first cable repeat reduced cable pattern to 9 rows
• total of 3 cable repeats

Edging: c/o 6 stitches - pattern repeated 6 times

1. K2, P2, K2
2. P2, K2, P2
3. K2, P2, K2
4. P2, K2, P2
5. K2, YF, P2TOG, K2
6. P2, K2, P2

Edging sewed to cast on edge of gloves - and thumb seams stiched be measuring.

While the Cat is Away (the kittens aren't allowed out

Technically the lovely Zucco and Danny should be allowed to go out into the big wide world. However Mike is away for 2 whole weeks so I've been a wuss and decided not to let them out until he gets back.

Highlight of my week so far is the arrival of our wheelie bins - yes that is how exciting my life is. I've been mainly knitting and watching our West Wing archive back to back.

Knitting news: mike jumper is finished (apart from weaving in, underarm seems and blocking) - so relieved to get that finished. Really, really hope it fits this time. I've been using the wool from Mike's first (not fitting) Christmas jumper to knit a hat/scarf combo for Dad's birthday. I then have a comprehensive winter knit list to get through:
1) hat, scarf, mittens for Miriam
2) hat, scarf, gloves for Jojo
3) beret for me
4) thick, chunky warm thing to stop me freezing
5) chocolate and raspberry cardigan for me

Things I'd forgotten about kittens

It's been around 12 years since we last had a kitten (the dear departed Megan). Yesterday we adopted two nearly 10 week old kittens from the RSPCA. With a little bit of encouragement Jojo agreed to call them Danny and Zucco (rather than Pinky and Dinky - her preferred choice). Jojo was disappointed that we can't rename them everyday (the rspca had called them Hancock and Ryder) but she decided that as we've been listening/watching Grease almost constantly (in honour of Mel's forthcoming wedding) that taking the leading man's name was good enough. We've been amazed at how quickly Jojo and Danny have bonded. Zucco is a bit of a scaredy-cat but is coming round. By the way, Danny is all black and Zucco is black/white.

Anyway - things I'd forgotten:

1. kittens can jump side ways
2. kittens are very skittish
3. kittens have a special kitten smell
4. kittens can't resist chasing bits of fluff
5. kittens love climbing up the back of your legs/back/shoulders. Ow
6. kittens are remarkably tolerant of toddlers - even when they get licked by them
7. kittens will rarely sleep in the special basket you prepare but will find somewhere random instead

We've never had two kittens at the same time before and they love getting snuggled up together and washing each too.

Bye Bye Buster

Our crazy but muched loved Buster died suddenly on Sunday morning (we think of a massive heart attack bought on by an infection of some kind) - he was only 3 1/2 and we'd had him for just 16 months. Despite his cat-chasing tendancies and his drool, oafishness and sometimes plain naughtiness he was much loved - especially by Miri who still waves out of the window expecting to see him in the garden.

Buster was our second Newfoundland - our first Suzy also died of a heart condition so we've said no to any more dogs for the time being but I seriously need a kitten in my life.

13 years

Shockingly Mike and I have now been married for 13 years. I've been married to a priest for around 10 days now, a mother for 3 1/2 years and a knitter for about 9 months.

Not enough time to write anything profound so here are some lists:
Knitting Projects:

• mike's 2nd christmas sweater
• Miri's noah's ark (with the lovely Kirsty)
• a queue on Ravelry of about a million things

Objects/Topics of Desire

• ballet / dance related stuff for Jojo
• gender and organisations (no, really it's fascinating)
• buying yarn with no clear project in mind
  

Rants

• the church of england and women bishops (have they any idea how ridiculous they sound)
• people trying to get 4 year olds expelled from pre-school