El Bandito

Having a little "photo shoot" with a seven-month-old, overgrown Kitten (with a capital K) in the room can be...um...challenging.

For instance, what do you think I said when this:

Note the head movement...


Turned into this:

El Bandito strikes again!

Well, I don't want to offend anyone, so I'll just let you imagine my "exclamation of surprise."

Don't get me wrong, though. Watching him stalk my knitting and/or yarn, and then snag it and take off running, is kind of funny...The spoiled little brat definitely has a sense of humor!

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In other news, guess what I saw when I looked out my studio window? You have to look close, down by the soil...


See them? BUDS!!! Little green leaves! Holy crap, I think spring is coming! (If you can't see them, just click on the photo to enlarge it.)

Looking out in the other direction, you can see some daffodils getting ready to bloom near the fence and, next to "Mr. Volvo," a smattering of sunshine-yellow forsythia...Yay!


Spring is the season of inspiration for me. I keep hoping to feel as enthusiastic about fall and winter, but even after 20-something years on the East Coast, I must admit that I dislike them pretty intensely. I'll take the San Francisco-Bay Area's eternal spring/summer over frozen, dark, and damp any day!

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And, finally, remember the before photo from my yarn reorganization? Well, here's the after photo I promised:


The result of my work: A nice, clean studio, with every piece of knitting well protected against the yarn-napping prowess of El Bandito.

Have a wonderful weekend's worth of knitting, spinning, crocheting, gardening, or whatever you love to do!

El Bandito

Emerging

Progress on the Groundhog Day Scarf

The daffodils and crocuses (croci?) are poking their little heads up now, which warms my summer-loving heart. I even saw some cute little wild violets along the highway today. A sure sign that this cold winter really won't last forever.

The other day I had to pack up my "loose stash" into some plastic crates, because a certain someone has taken to rooting around in bags, baggies, and even my purse, in search of yarn and/or knitting.

Once he gets his little teeth on it, off he shoots, like a bullet, with yarn or project streaming behind him. Bastardo! I yell, and run after him, so he won't swallow any and mess up his little insides.

Before...

Packing up showed me two things: (1) My stash is bigger than I thought...though with many single skeins, and (2) my studio had become a real disaster over the course of the winter. So it felt good to organize (to the extent that tossing yarn in one bin and fiber in another can be called "organizing").

In the midst of all this, I heard a rustling behind me. Out of habit, I ignored it. But when it continued and began shaking the door, I turned around to see what mayhem He was cooking up. Not behind the door, not under a chair, not in one of the bins, not in the kitchen...Where was he? Then I saw him...Here:

Charley, just hangin' around

To be honest, the little bugger can be really annoying. For example, when he feels he's not getting enough attention, he swipes objects off any and all flat surfaces onto the floor (remote controls, glasses full of water, library books...).

But most of the time he does silly stuff like this, making me laugh out loud (which is good for you, you know). And that's totally worth the occasional -- well, OK, continual -- naughtiness!


PS. Did you notice I studiously avoided any "cat out of the bag" references?

Emerging

Quiche me once, then quiche me twice...

This may well be the most delicious Quiche Lorraine I've ever baked -- or eaten, actually. There was no skimping with this baby. Real Swiss cheese, real bacon, and real (heavy) cream. My eight-inch pie pan made for a deep-dish experience. I folded the crust upward, forming a wall that held the custard in place.

My oven is funny. It runs at least 100-degrees high. At least. Things that should bake in 20 minutes frequently take 10, even when I adjust the dial for the heat difference. But my quiche would not be hurried, so I was forced to turn the oven down, down, down...250, 225, finally 200 degrees, plate-warming temperature. All the while chatting with my mom via Skype.

Toward the end, I removed the aluminum foil protecting the crust's edges, turned the oven off, and just let it sit in there for a while. When I pulled the quiche out, I was rewarded with a clean fork when inserted an inch from the center. And when Chris came home and we sliced into it -- well, it was pure heaven.

The custard was absolutely tender and light. The balance of bacon and cheese was perfect. Even the crust seemed happy . This was no average love-you-and-leave you quiche, oh no! After a slice of this baby, you might feel a lingering desire for more of its savory goodness. But the richness was deceptive, threatening to turn a blissful experience into a slightly-headachey one after just one bite too many.

No average quiche, this.

In the interest of full disclosure: I used a Pillsbury rolled-up, refrigerated pie crust. So, what did I do with the other crust? Apple turnovers...

I finished Froot Loop Sock #1 today, and immediately cast on the second one. These are for ME :-) Happily, I love, love, love this Araucania Ranco Multy sock yarn!!! Wooly and lofty, plump and delightful to work with, the colors are mesmerizing. They actually seem to change with the light. Working on this sock in direct sunlight (last fall) left me besotted.

And when I put this sock on, it hugged my foot with comforting warmth. Great pattern, perfect yarn = relaxing knitting. (FYI: I'm using a US#1.5 KnitPicks Options nickel-plated circular needle)


Talking of colors, take a look at this gorgeous roving! Meghan (host of Stitch It! Podcast), sent it to me as a prize for a contest I won last autumn (here's her Etsy shop). Just look at the saturated hues, the way the peacock blue and plum colors seem as iridescent as the feathers on a Mallard duck's neck.

I also received a lovely basket of gifts from BethanyG (that's her "Ravetar"), who came up with the contest idea and coordinated it. Tasty goodies, spicy cinnamon-scented soap and candle, pumpkin-pie scented lotion and lip balm, and a catnip toy for Katja and Charley...it was literally a cornucopia of autumn goodness for all of us :-)

And, finally, speaking of Katja and Charley, here's the ultimate cuteness: a kitty version of Yin and Yang (in more ways than one!)...

Take advice from the experts: Stay warm and cozy, snuggle with a friend, and enjoy a little time for napping, spinning, knitting, or whatever floats your boat!

Quiche me once, then quiche me twice...

Happy Christmas!

I don't have a lot to say today -- except, of course, to wish you a lovely holiday -- so thought I'd show you a few pictures of my studio...

All of my stash, except for a few random skeins, is contained under the table and in the plastic bins above.

Those are my writing books on the shelves behind the spinning wheel -- all my knitting books live on a "real" bookcase in the studio and on a second one in the bedroom.

By the way, what you see above is what you have to do to protect your spinning wheel when you have one of these cute little destroyers-of-all-things-valuable...

Yeah, my hand shook a little. Must get tripod.

He's learning, though. Hardly ever touches the wheel, and even knows to leave my knitting alone. Sure, now and then Charley's simply overcome by the yarn and loses control of his actions. I understand. I feel the same way.

I finished these last night:

They turned out well. I love these gloves. You can turn the cuff down over your fingers to keep them warm, and fold it back when you want them to be truly fingerless. And they're made of Dale's (sadly discontinued) Sisik yarn -- fluffy wool and mohair. Mmmmm. This is the third pair I've made, by request, which is a nice feeling :-)

Tonight we're going to make pasties (pronounced PASS-tees): Cornish meat pies enclosed in pie crust, with potatoes, onions, and butter. Lots of butter... In fact, I'm getting hungry now...

So, I'll sign off by saying: Take a few minutes to do something for YOU today, something you love and that makes you happy. After all, it's Christmas!

Happy Christmas!

Mittens for Knittin' (Free Pattern!)

About a week ago, I found myself with some knitting time on a Saturday morning. As always, plenty of unfinished projects lurked about the house. But that day, they didn't tempt me much. I wanted to knit mittens.

During the previous week, Afghans for Afghans sent out an e-mail update asking for mittens, ASAP. So I gave myself permission to cast on yet another new project and went stash diving.

When I surfaced, I had in hand a skein of heathery-raspberry Peace Fleece (appropriate, no?) and another of Knit Picks Telemark (in green, which, according to A4A, is "the beloved color of Islam"). I grabbed some DPNs and tuned the radio to hear two of my favorite shows: Car Talk and Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! The sun was shining, the heater was blurbing and glugging (it's an old house), and I was happy.

Off I went, knitting without much thought to the hows and whys of mittens. They're pretty simple, after all...Nothing more than a cuff, a simple gusset, and a toe-like tip. If you've ever knit socks, you can knit up a pair of mittens, no problem!

Once they'd been blocked and had dried through (with a bit of assistance from my air purifier), I packed them up and shipped them off to San Francisco, where Afghans for Afghans was tallying up an impressive mountain of mitts. In about three weeks, they received more than 1,000 pairs!

In my enthusiastic state, however, I'd failed to take a photo of the finished mitts! So, until I make another pair, I've photographed my sketch for you (a reasonable facsimile, I think). Together with the notes I jotted down after finishing the second mitten, I managed to create a pattern I call "Knittin' Mittens!" and I'm posting it here, free, for your knitting pleasure. Happy stitching!

Knittin' Mittens

• Yarn: Two colors (approx. 150 yds main color [MC] and 20 yds contrasting color [CC]) of Peace Fleece or other worsted/heavy worsted-weight yarn (I used Peace Fleece for the MC, and double-stranded KnitPicks Telemark for the CC)
• Needles: Set of five US#6 DPNs (or circular needle, if you prefer)
• Notions: scrap yarn, tapestry needle, scissors, stitch markers
• Size: Child's Medium (but very easily customized by adding length to hand/thumb)
  
• Gauge: 4.5 sts per inch in st st

Cuff
CO 32 sts with MC and join to work in round; place marker (PM) to mark beginning of round.

Work two rnds K2P2 rib.
Join CC and work K2P2 rib for four rnds, carrying MC up side.
Break CC and continue with MC for ten more rnds.

Start Thumb
Rnd 1: K to end.
Rnd 2: K7, PM, M1R, K1, M1L, PM, K to beg of rnd.

Alternate these two rnds until you have 11 thumb sts between markers.
Knit around, placing thumb sts on scrap yarn as you go.

Next rnd: K6, work RT* on two sts immediately above thumb opening, K to end.

K three rnds.
Join CC and K six rnds, carrying MC along inside edge as you work.
Break CC and pick up MC.
K three rnds.

Decrease @ Fingertips
Rnd 1: [K6, K2tog] four times (28 sts).
Rnd 2: K to end.
Rnd 3: [K5, K2tog] four times (24 sts).
Rnd 4: K to end.
Rnd 5: [K4, K2tog] four times (20 sts).
Rnd 6: K to end.
Rnd 7: [K3, K2tog] four times (16 sts).
Rnd 8: [K2, K2tog] four times (12 sts).
Rnd 9: [K1, K2tog] four times (8 sts).

Break yarn leaving at least 8" tail. Thread yarn on tapestry needle and draw through rem 8 sts two times, pulling tightly to close hole. Insert needle into center of hole and draw yarn through to inside. Weave in yarn end on inside of glove.

Here's a little intra-pattern cuteness just for you!

Make Thumbs
Place sts from scrap yarn AND two new sts directly above thumb opening and one new st on either side (between thumb and hand) on 3 DPNs [15 sts].

Divide these sts as follows:
N1: first 5 sts from scrap yarn
N2: next 5 sts from scrap yarn
N3: last st from scrap yarn and the 4 new sts picked up where thumb meets hand.

1) K one rnd.
2) Next rnd, K to N3; on N3, K2 tog, K3, K2tog (by knitting last st on N3 with first st on N1) [13 sts].
3) K one rnd.
4) K2tog, K to N3, K2 tog, K to end [11 sts].

Work even in st st for 11 rnds or desired length.
Next rnd: [K1, K2tog] around.

Break yarn and, using tapestry needle, draw through rem sts twice. Draw hole closed tightly, then thread yarn through to inside of thumb.

Finishing
Turn mitten inside out and weave in ends.

Block by soaking in lukewarm water with a bit of cleanser. Rinse gently unless you used a rinse-free wool wash. Be careful not to agitate the mittens as you wash and rinse them or they'll felt and shrink (unless you used superwash wool).

If yarn color bleeds, soak in lukewarm water with a bit of white vinegar to help set dye. Blot dry with towel, lay flat, pat into shape as desired, and allow to dry thoroughly before wearing.

***

Just one request: If you use this pattern, please consider making a pair for the charity of your choice. And, as always, do let me know if you spot anything that needs clarification.

Enjoy!

* To work RT: Insert tip of right needle into next two sts on left needle and K2tog without letting either st drop off; insert right needle into first st on left needle and K this st again; drop both sts off needle.

Mittens for Knittin' (Free Pattern!)

Cat's Eye

This is my brain...

Well, actually, this is more like my brain...

And this is my brain on kitten...

Remember: When in doubt, play with fiber.

***

For anyone wondering how Katja and Charley get along,
here's some feline body language for you...

Don't be fooled. This is probably less innocent than it appears.

A cat's eyes are windows enabling us to see into another world.

- Irish proverb


Wishing you all a peaceful Tuesday!

Cat's Eye