The strawberry hate I made for Olivia is actually done in Karabella yarn. It has a cool sheen, it is mercurized cotton.
So, I spent my memorial day weekend knitting in the round, which is a first for me. I started the strawberry hat at m Stitch and Bitch, but then I had to unravel it when I realized it had taken an amorphous shape. On Saturday, I finished the strawberry hat which is great because I can give to Olivia. After I learned how to complete the hat with the double pointed needles, I then thought that I should attempt Wendy's Kitty Bed which is the opposite, you start with the double pointed needles and end with a circular needle.
The yarn I ordered from Knit Happens and Ben actually picked the color. We picked some fun fur from Lion Brands for the trim. I have to work at the second job this week, probably all week, so I have no idea how much knitting I will get done.
I was supposed to do the work this weekend but that didn't happen. I was supposed to post photos on the website but I didn't. I was supposed to be at my folks place but I wasn't. Ah, the long lists of "I didn't"s.
Ben and I did have a good meal at On the Border, we did have a good time at our friend's barbecue (thanks Wendy!) where our friend's husband only slightly scared us with two hours of "I am Team America!" (but we still want to see the movie). We did hit the mall and pick up some little goodies. We did order my ipod case (yeah!). We did pay our vehicle registration. Unfortunately, we ran out of movies to watch in our dvd collection, so we did pull out the Freddy vs Jason (someone lent us), and watching....
Well, I have finally picked up the cat blanket again. I decided to be all creative, and somehow when that statement involves yarn everything goes pear shaped (English phrase). So, now I just need to finish so I can start knitting a few more blankets, or a shawl. I want to knit something, I know! Basketweave scarf, I like, I just need to buy the actual yarn for the project instead of the yarn that satisfies my color palette.
This Friday, we should be getting a new desk (hooray!) but the company doesn't want to deliver the desk on the weekend they have proposed the middle of a weekday, and which point I need to explain that in order for us to afford the desk we work like most people (not all people) during the weekday. My knit 4 paws t-shirt has arrived, and after a few tweaks the store will be up and running. We should also receive our foot stool/Monica's stash holder tomorrow, which I am super excited to see and rest my feet on. Yeah, we haven't done any major fix up jobs around the place just acquiring furniture that fits our lifestyle. The cats are overjoyed, well at least Izzy is as he sits on everything new that enters the home.
On a primo score, I picked up some Illumination candles at $12 for large candles which is a great price, usually the lowest is $15. I picked up a full stock which should last us four-six months.
My sheep tape measure, ok this one isn't mine it is the prize for the knit-a-thon but I am getting one...
Not really, but it just sounded like a title in my head. Ben and I just got back from the cat socializing group and wah! I want to take more kitties home, but I can't. I adore my cats, but even now I need to spend more time with my kitties. Today was an interesting day. I am sleepy.
Well, after breakfast at Raymond's and running into Kristina, Ben and I then did a few tasks at home. I updated the knit 4 paws website and then we went to the Senior Care Center. I met Anastacia, Mary, Rose, Marian, Julia, and Simone, who all have been knitting cat blankets for the shelter. Sadly, our dogs our too big for blankets and we are nervous the blankets won't last. So, we though we could raise funds by selling a few of the blankets and buy Kuranda dog beds. The dog beds are virtually indestructible and it would be better than them sleeping on the concrete floor. Wendy has posted the announcement of the knit-a-thon on her page, so yeah! We have received a few emails of people donating yarn. Oh, I digress... I then went to the hospital to visit my grandfather. He is 92 and not doing so well, mentally he is quick, and still has a good sense of humor, but anyways, I now sad, so I will change the subject, then we went to Verona Park to take pictures of where the knit out will be, and then we went home so I can have a work related call, and then we went to PAWS for cat social group.
Yup, a lot of activity. AND!
BEST OF ALL! Ok, well not best, but pretty exciting, I got my organizer from the Organized Knitter, and I love it! It is perfect, and I seriously love it, AND I got my sheep tape measure from Knit Happens. I was reading on Kristine's blog that they ship their items in really cool bags that are perfect to store stash and she is right. I feel like I should order the bamboo yarn to justify getting more knit happens stash bags. Hmmm...ok look at pictures from my busy day....
Today was the Raymond's fundraiser "PAWS for a bite" by which the restaurant donated a portion of the proceed's to PAWS. Anytime you plan an event there is a nervous energy, will anyone come, will too many people come, will it be a failure, will it be a mess? Ironically, yesterday in the New York Times published a wonderful write-up of Raymond's, so luck was on our side, so.... it was great! I have no idea yet what the total amount came to be, but it was packed. I brought some handouts for the shelter, for the knit-a-thon, and our adoptable cat and dog books designed by Carol (picture below). So, my friends Anna and Ulli came down for the dinner, and we were walking over to Raymond's (running casually late), when I get a call from Kristina telling me there is a line outside the restaurant. Raymond's I have confirmed seats 100 people, and there were lined up waiting for tables. There was a line until 7:45/8:00 pm, which is great! Well, I am sorry people had to wait, but at the same time it was great weather outside and that works well for us. I have posted photos below, so enjoy....hopefully tomorrow I will have more details on the amount raised (in the back of my mind it doesn't matter we had a lot of people supporting the shelter and we had great exposure).
What a great picture, you can see Anna (my friend) and a Raymond's menu (held by her husband Ulli).
Not the greatest picture and it is askew but it was the thank you cards inserted into the credit card slips.
So, I can't sleep. I haven't been able to sleep for days. It started when Churchill started limping and then just became what is became. One night I became super excited about SNB, the other night I was researching yarn stores and came across YarnWare. They will be donating some prizes for the knit 4 paws, which I am super excited. They are opening their store in June and I am excited about that because they will carry a lot of the stuff they have online. Then I can't sleep tonight, worried about my grandfather, nervous about tomorrow, and way too many things to do. Oh! But, I should post the flyer for the knit 4 paws?
So, I just got back from SNB and posted some photos, one in the Parlor, one of my new shawl, one of Ella (yeah Ella gets a photo on the blog, you probably thought there were only two cats-ha! If you only knew...) and one photo of my current WIP, a blue heron shawl (see below).
I had a blast! There were six of us and we had a lovely time. The conversation was flowing, the food was yummy (cheese, olives, chips and dips and cookies) and there was a lot of sharing of info. I learned a lot from Eva (Eva is wearing the the yellow shirt and green/yellow scarf) who taught Wendy (our host and owner of Parlor, wearing black and seated in the chair) and Tracie (wearing black top and head tilted). Ed (Eva's husband) had (I think) three projects he was working on all at the same time, including a blanket and something green which I forgot to ask about. Alexis (in the picture looks like a brown cardigan and holding the purple yarn) has just recently been engaged and is studying for the bar exam. Everyone was really cool and we will probably meet in another two weeks. I do hope that more people join us for more SNB's. One of the topics was clean edges, bamboo yarn, which online stores we have shopped at, the most amount of money ever spent on yarn, and I will leave you to guess who spent the most (ahem and that wasn't an implication of guilt because it wasn't actually me!).
Yeah! I loved knitting tonight.
My new shawl using the blue heron yarn and some new bamboo needles. Izzy is checking out the stitches.
So, tonight is the first Stitch and Bitch I will be attending. I don't think it is the first one in Montclair, but it is one being organized by Wendy, the owner of Parlor, on Glenridge Ave. I am bringing my blue heron shawl and I am wearing a poncho I bought from Stitches East. I learned about the sale from Major Knitter. I will post the picture after tonight, it only cost $15. I am very excited about my poncho purchase, yeah! The yarn probably cost more than I paid for it, well definitely cost more than I paid for the shawl. Sadly, none of the sweaters would fit me, they seemed short in the torso.
I am waiting for my knitting organizer from the Organized Knitter. I am more than excited about this and Meghan had emailed me that it would be mailed the latest May 11, 2005. So, that means this thing is on its way.
Also, I have been checking out Knit Happens for accessories. I love the sheep tape measure. I am seriously considering buying one for myself and one for the Knit 4 PAWS Knit-a-thon. Also, I am thinking of picking up the knitting balm either as prizes for the knit-outs in the park or for the Senior Care Center. They have volunteers who are knitting blankets for PAWS. Hopefully, I should have photos of some of the items they have made. Anyways, now I am late for the SNB.
So, I think I had a moment of mental sanity, but it was long overdue and necessary. I bought a tote bag for my knitting and I bought a needle organizer from the Organized Knitter. My hubby is buying a basket to put my stash in and other than that I just need to sit and knit. I finally picked up the yarn that I bought from the Yarn Connection (I had no pattern in my head for the yarn it just felt so nice) and now I feel like the only thing I can make with it is a scarf. Sadly, after starting a stockinette stitch, it is curling so I will most likely take apart and start again but something else.
I picked up this pattern at Seaport Yarns last week for a shawl, a very complicated shawl. Now, I picked up blue heron yarn to knit the shawl, but when I got it home and took out of the sleeve it came in -I realized the pattern is three pages long and that just overwhelmed me. I have to look up a few items listed, and practice before I start.
I stopped by Purl on Wednesday to meet a friend. I liked the store, but I am not at the knitting sweater stage, and I am so drowning in yarn that I may have to save buying yarn for another trip. I just wanted to see the store and see what yarns were inside.
I have begun reviewing the NY Yarn Store list Katie has on her blog, and I am slowly making it through the list. Ah, tomorrow I will attempt the shawl or....pedicure? Hmmmm....
Yes, it is finally up, registered, designed and all sorts of things. Please check out:
www.knit4paws.org
It took me two days of designing, so I hope everything is okay (I never checked the browser compatibility). The tickets still need to be created and now we are working on flyers to promote the event.
Please check out the site and please help our event!