I hear Peepers!

Last weekend Zoe and I went to the cottage. (Nice photo of Zoe, who was not very cooperative in taking my photo at the cottage. Darn dog.) It was a weekend of just me, the dog, knitting and sewing supplies. (I promised Mo that I would make 9 cummerbunds for her school play.) We left after our Friday night family night of pizza and a DVD. When we arrived in the dark I was greeted by the sound of spring peepers and seagulls. The next day we took a walk around the lake in the snow/rain. It didn't bother me. It was spring and I had heard the peepers! Spring had to be here, what was a little snow?

I took more than enough yarn to finish my star stitch sweater if I got to that point. I didn't. Making cummerbunds without a pattern and from memory took most all of the weekend. The last time I saw a cummerbund up close was for my wedding 20 years ago, and then it was to just pick out a color. But I got it done! My main goal was NOT to be struggling with fulfilling a promise the night before it was due. I got done a week before they were needed.

Lucky for me that I didn't have all the extra time to finish my sweater.
Yarn? - check.
Elizabeth Zimmermann's book, 'Knitting Around' (in case I needed guidance beyond the pattern)? - check.
Extra knitting needles? - check.
The rest of the pieces of the sweater previously knitted? - oops. Forgot the completed body. That was sitting at home next to the couch.

Guess I was in a rush to get out and spend a nice weekend alone. It was much needed and not long enough.

Zoe has been restless at the house. She has been sleeping at the front door and wandering up and down the stairs looking for various family members. Our kids are getting older. One child has moved, another is going to college, another is gone most of the day because of commitments. We didn't see this situation changing, so we thought maybe a companion - something to divert her attention.

Let me introduce you to our newest member of the family, Jazz. She is a 10 month old full Black Lab. She acts like a puppy and doesn't realize how big she is! She is slightly larger than Zoe, and hasn't filled out yet. She is very sweet. She is the best walker we have ever had. Jazz is Ram-niss' dog.

Ram-niss' dog (I mean puppy.) likes to lick and mouth feet (eww), chew, and chew and chew. So far she has chewed the blinds in the bathroom, my blackberry, a set of circular needles, a bag, and Ram-niss' CPAP mask.

Repeat as often as necessary: "She is a puppy. She is a puppy... " Brings back the days of childproofing the house when the baby learns to crawl. ... and Jazz is really a sweetheart... really...

A girl with colitis goes by

Starting a nice knock-around-in sweater. It is a Star Stitch Cardigan from House on a Hill Knits. The diamond pattern reminds me of a dumb song that has been stuck in my head for a few weeks. It got to a point where I knew the line in the song just couldn't be 'A girl with colitis goes by'. I went online and looked up the lyrics to "Lucy in the sky with diamonds". Ah, so it is, "A girl with kaleidoscope eyes." When I read the rest of the lyrics, I think my version just made as much sense as some of the other lines in the song. ... Where rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies...



Done! Finally! My Creme Savers Sweater is finally completed. Again the holdup was just sewing in the zipper. I had the zipper, just was hesitant in sewing it in.

I used Elizabeth Zimmermann's Seamless Raglan Sweater pattern. Her percentage system hasn't failed me yet. Ram-niss loves his version of this sweater too. I just fits so well.


Also completed is Absorba, The big ugly bathmat. I was trying to reduce my stash. Although I do like a few washcloths, I grew tired of seeing the larger skeins of yarn. I always wanted to try this pattern. It was easy and knitted pretty quickly.
I think I just may spring for yarn colors that I like for this next time. :-)

... meanwhile 'Theres a bathroom on the right'

... apology to Creedence Clearwater Revival. It took me many years to learn, 'Theres a bad moon on the rise.'