Knit This Knit That & 2 Kitty Cats

Sheep Obsessed

Ok, I have gone over to the dark side...I learned how to spin and bought a wheel.  I know, I know, I have a large stash and what I am doing spinning MORE yarn?  It all started with my little quilting accident and not being able to knit (see the posts below).  So, I am blaming the rotary cutter for slicing my hand and forcing me to take up other hobbies.  That's right...I am blaming a rotary cutter...

Have to admit that I love spinning and now I want to adopt a sheep for a year.  Sent a few email to some local farms that do adoption programs and you get their fleece at the end of the year.  Awesome!

Here is a link to a sheep cam to get you all sheep obsessed too.

Sheep Cam from Museum of Animal Perspectives on Vimeo.

A Little Pet Heaven

   

When I visited Yam in Hong Kong, she had this really cute mouse mat on the floor.  I just assumed she found the treasure somewhere in China.  They have everything there.  Nope, she made it with some jute she found at a hardware store.  It was sooo cute and I had to make it also.  Well, nothing can compare to the kitty quilt they received a few weeks ago so I had to pay it forward so to speak.  A friend of mine, Paula, has this black cat named Rochester.  He is not that friendly with most people...actually he attacks people when Paula isn't around...heck, in front of her too.  For some reason I get the purrs. 

Once when I was in London standing on a corner and felt this rub against the leg...it was a cat.  Ok, that was funny but the strange thing is that it happened three times on that one trip.  Tim, the friend I was with, started to call me the cat whisperer.  Perhaps I have that with Rodchester, who knows?  Well, maybe now after the mouse mat with catnip in the ears. 

Watch out everyone else...Rochester is hopped up on catnip!!

 

Richer in so many ways!

Today I went with Corry to the Do your Da*n Self show...it was like a huge craft garage sale.  Corry had a table which I happily shared.  This forced me to go through my yarn stash and let go of certain projects that I know I am never going to complete.  So I am a little richer this evening.

On that note...I received the most wonderful present today!  Corry made me a quilt!  Not just a quilt but a quilt for the pets.  If you look closely at the quilting...it is kitties!  I love it!!  Corry has made a few quilts for her dog and Piccolo loves her's...but I don't know if it is as much as Bert and Felix.

  Can't get Felix off of it tonight.  :)!  Thank you, thank you, thank you Corry!!

Pardon Me I Didn't Knit That For You...

Any song that quotes Elizabeth Zimmermann.....need I say more...we have all been there...damn, country songs make me cry!

Things That Make Me Laugh

One of my favorite sites is My Cat Hates You.  Some of you might ask...why do I love a site that makes fun of evil cats?  Humm...not all cats are so loving, fluffy, cute, balls of fun like mine.  Some are just mean.  Remember last year when I submitted Chili (my sister's evil cat) trying to harm a doll I gave to my neice?  Chili made it as March 22nd in the calendar.     

Evil.

One of my favorite photos from the site is this one....thought we all could use a little laugh...

              

"Despite his best efforts, Ash just can't seem to keep his owner down."

Crap-tastic...opps....Craftastic...

I think this is my new theme song...LOL...

"You can make a raft out of a pencil and foam...do you want paste together something we can we can use for ever, I am thinking key chain."

Let's do a dance cause you are craftastic....

There is one thing that bothers me...the lead singer kind of looks like me...

Buy a @%&*%^ Monkey!

Anyone who knows me personally...well...I have a few obsessions.  One of them being sock monkeys.  Always loved them.  A couple of years ago I recieved a hat, scarf, mittens and slippers as presents...from different people.  I think that EVERYONE is on to me now.    

This weekend Rockford, Illinois is celebrating the sock monkey at the 5th Annual Sock Monkey Madness .  Oh, ya, they are having a festival.  I am going you ask?  How can't I?  I will be with my own kind. 

Rockford has been known for their socks for some time:

"Nelson Knitting Mills in Rockford Illinois made the first original Rockford red heel® socks in 1880. The socks were intended to be work socks, but in the early 1900's mothers started crafting these socks into sock monkeys for their children. In 1920 Nelson Knitting Mills began including directions with their socks on how to make sock monkeys."

 

Here are instructions for making your own ....Sock Monkey Instructions  You can make them out of most kinds of socks or even knit your own sock monkey.

 

_{P.S.  The title of this post comes from when David Letterman hosted the Oscars way back when.}

 

No Need For Flowers on Valentine's Day

  Valentine's Day is coming and this has been shipped to my Uncle Mike.  Totally his humor.  When I first saw the pattern for a poop I cracked up.  If you are on Ravelry (and if you aren't...why not?) there is a free download of the amigurumi poop.  The TP holder was easy...a simple circle on the top and then picked up on the side and single crocheted down.

Oh, ya, I am using Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran. It was leftover from a sweater I made for my brother last year.  The one where he asked me to re-do the sleeves in one color.  I think I am still miffed.  Well, I have alot of the yarn leftover. I think I have enough to make one for him too. I don’t think he will be offended that it is the same yarn as his sweater.  Oh wait, maybe.  

 "Here is something I made for you with the crap colored leftover yarn from your sweater."  That might not go over well. 

Thrummed Mittens

Isn't it funny, you chat with other knitters, go onto Ravelry, and then all of these ideas go through your head.

Chatting with Lucky Penny last night about the weather, knitting, etc. she mentioned thrummed mittens.  Now it has been soooo cold here in Chicago.  I have had it...had it with all of it...the cold, the layers, oh ya and the cold.  Yesterday the wind chill (in the morning) was -15!!  Now, don't get me wrong, I am a cold weather gal but I have hit the limit.  I'm done.

With the hand injury (see the posts below), I haven't been able to wear gloves and I have one pair of mittens that fit and don't cause pain.  Thrummed mittens would do the trick...and be nice and toasty.  Here is a great pattern I found on the internet....Thrummed Mittens.  Not only is it a great idea but I have the yarn in my stash.  Last year at knitting camp I bought a couple of buns of the Unspun Icelandic Yarn.  Love the stuff. 

The hand is healing and I think I can get back to knitting a bit...this will be my first project back.  Oh, I have been able to crochet.  Will post what I made tomorrow.  LOL.  Had a good time making it too.

     

           

Cat Fight...