Racing agaisnt the clock

I've cast on for a pair of mitts to match my new hat

They are most likely going to be fingerless mitts because I'm pretty sure that's all I have yarn for. Ideally, I'd like to include the pattern for them with the pattern for the hat, as a set. But I still really want to release the hat pattern this weekend. as promised.

So that means I better get a move on with these...

The sickness

Yep... I've caught it - January has hit and brought with it a severe case of startitis. Despite already having six FOs on the go, I cast on for the baby blanket, Dave's socks.. and I designed a handspun hat. I also dyed up the yarn for my Colour Affection (thankfully it has to dry before I can start...) The hat - at least - knit up quite quickly.

 By Sunday night it was blocking

 Apparently my largest mixing bowl is the perfect size for blocking tams.

I'll do a proper FO and pattern release post this weekend when I put the pattern up on Ravelry. In the mean time, this hat will be put to good use - because, baby - it's cold outside!!!

(Now to see if I have enough yarn left over for some mitts...)

New kittens in the litter

We've added a couple new sport-weight  bases to our line up. Mom likes to make baby sets and socks for the kids in sport weight and I like it for slightly heavier socks.

We've got House Cat Sport (3-ply SW Merino at 325 yards), and Barn Cat Sport (3 ply 80/20 SW Merino/Nylon at 325 yards).

You can find them in the shop now along with some other beauties we've dyed up over the holidays

 

A year for Mr. Tripod

Can you believe it's been a year since Tux had his surgery? 2014 was definitely an eventful one for us, and it flew by very quickly.

That's what he looked like when he came home from the vet's office. I wasn't sure how things were going to go. A front leg amputation is much harder on a cat than a rear leg, but he surprised us all and bounced back very quickly.

He was walking (albeit unsteadily) within days. His large incision healed with minimal complications (only because he likes the taste of Polysporin too much).

And by spring his fur had grown in and he was back to being the lazy, lovable cat he's always been.

 He can still beat on his brother.

He's still full of catitude.

He can still get a move on when he wants to (which is not often)

But sadly, he is losing weight.

It's hard to see in most of my pictures, but his spine has become much more prominent, and he's lost a fair bit of meat in his back end.

We didn't have the lump tested after removal, but we're pretty sure it was hemangiosarcoma. The vet said if it was, it would likely show up again - most likely on his organs. He's got a few suspicious lumps and tender spots on his underside, so strongly suspect it has. And he definitely has days where he's not feeling too well.

Even if I could afford more surgery, because of the diabetes, he likely wouldn't survive a procedure on his organs.  So we're going to keep him as comfortable and happy as we can for as long as we can.

And no matter how long he has left, I'm forever grateful to all of you who helped me get him this far.

First FO of 2015: Blackrose

Well, I might not have finsihed up the Blackrose socks before the new year, but when I got home from the cottage, I certainly plunked myself on the couch to get them off the needles.  A Sherlock marathon later... and they were done!

I don't normally knit a pattern more than once (except for Loch Ness monsters) but my original Blackrose socks got a hole in them and this colourway was perfect for it.

It was an over-dye of a truly disgusting creation, and I only wish I could replicate it now because I love this one. In low light, it looks almost black, but outside in the sunlight, its this deep, dark, rich red.

The base is Twisted House Cat and I went down to a 2.25 mm needle, so they are nice and snug (I hate floppy socks)

So.... that's one WIP off the needles... but of course I put one right back on...

I go back to the office on Monday, so I needed a pair of socks to work on over lunch.

Here's a close up without that gorgeous feline to distract you.

The yarn is White Birch Fiber Arts 80/20 merino/nylon in 'Diamond Back'. It's just a simple garter rib sock for Dave. It's been a year since I've made him a new pair of socks. (Don't worry - he's not sock deprived - Mom's cranked him a few).

New Year's on the Point

Every New Year's, we have a standing invitation to enjoy the evening at Dave's uncle's house. And while it's a lovely way to ring in the new year, after all the hustle and the bustle of Christmas, we usually prefer to spend it alone at home. This year, I told Dave to stay at the cottage, and I would join him in the afternoon.

The cottage is on Long Point, a sandy strip of land that juts into Lake Erie. The majority of it is a wildlife preserve that's mostly innacessable, but a small portion has been set aside for cottages and a camp ground.

It's about an hour and a half from our house, and it's a lovely drive, that gets prettier with every kilometre.

When I got into Port Rowan, the last little town before the Point, it was cold - a good chunk of Long Point Bay was frozen over, but the open water was fairly placid.

 My favourite part of the drive is the Causeway, a long thin strip of road that's the only way in or out of the Point. It's surrounded on either side by thick marshlands. It's a great place for bird-watching. One year, I sat outside for an hour watching flock after flock of Tundra Swans migrating south.

Dave said they had a lane closed down when he came through - they were building safe turtle crossing tunnels under the road to help the turtle populations. So cool!

At the end of the Causeway, you come upon Lake Erie - and unlike the bay, it was anything but calm

It's hard to tell - but those waves were several feet high. Lake Erie is a very mercurial lake - it's shallow so it can seem so safe and inviting. But those winds whip up fast, and when they do, the lake turns treacherous

 It seems so desolate, but beautiful in this picture. But if I'd turned the camera a few degrees to the left, you'd see all the houses that line the beach.

It was too cold to say out there for long, even with my warm woolies on. So back in the car I went and headed to the cottage a few streets over.

Dave had the fire going nice and strong, and the cottage was cozy. I'd brought steak and lobster tails with me to cook for us, but Dave had his heart set on Chinese.

I left the lobster and steak for him to cook later... he'd already gone through all the food I'd cooked up and frozen for him.

After dinner, we settled in for a long battle

Surprisingly, I won.....

And then a toast at midnight to welcome the new year! And not a stitch knit... but I'm not complaining.

When I got home the next day, I got in lots of knitting time in, while I made up for deserting a certain someone...

Happy New Year: A Year of Colour!

Yep, it's a start of another new year! And, as I alluded to several weeks back, this year is going to be all about colour for me. I've chosen six colour-centric projects that I want to complete this year (as opposed to a crazy 12 like last year!!!)

And they are:

1) Colour Affection

Come hell or high water - I'm knitting one of these!!! I've left it for far too long!!!

2) East meets West

Another hold-over from last years goals. I really love this bag. I need it. (not to mention, my purse is toast.)

3) Sherlock Lives

I love Sherlock, and I love yoked cardigans. I need this. NEED it. Because I am (totally) Sherlocked!

4) Fox Paws

When this came up on Ravelry a few months ago, I totally fell in love. But it was the start of the Christmas knitting season.... there was no way I could start it... but stayed tuned... there's been talk of a KAL in the WCY group...

5) Ice House

This is an interesting chart with an interesting contest (click the linky for details) I don't know if I'll make the contest deadline, but I need to make something with this.

6) Katzenjammer

Because... seriously... how cute is that????

Extra credit: Flowers of Scotland

So, so pretty....

Okay... the countdown is on - 364 days - let's get 'er done! What are your goals for 2015?