Cheesed Off and some knitting

I’ve neglected blogging. In the past couple of weeks I’ve been a’ swatching. Mostly in the round to get gauge for garments, I want to knit. 

It is frustrating and relaxing at the same time. Frustrating because I’d rather be knitting the garment. Relaxing…well it is knitting after all.

I’ve been a bit cheesed off, lately. I’ve been keeping a tally of the number of emails I receive from Interweaves Knitting Daily, Knitting Traditions. It averages between three to five emails a day. More when there is a sale or special on. Almost all our shilling magazines, patterns, kits, classes or offerings from their “sister” whatever. When Sandi was producing the Knitting Daily emails I actually looked forward to them because at least once a week there was tip or trick that I found helpful and educational. What I really enjoyed was emails where members of the staff all modeled the same sweater sometimes with notes about modifications made. In the past year and half most of these emails just get their boxes ticked and deleted.

What put me over the edge was an email announcing the release of a book of 30 patterns by an author I’d never heard of and can’t find on the web. Worse, the book’s web page only shows four patterns. Four!! I’m used to going to Ravelry to look up all the patterns in an Interweave magazine or book because their previews are so stingy. Unlike Vogue, that not only shows you pictures but for the magazine, you get video of each garment on a live model. So on the strength of four measly photos, Interweave expects that I and thousands of others will plunk down $16.99…not!

I’ve also gotten in touch with the fact that I haven’t nearly knitted down as much stash as I set out to this year. Hence the swatching. I have started knitting the She’s Electric skirt. I used Ysolda’s provisional cast on. I frogged and restarted twice and then went to Mon Tricot knitting patterns book and discovered what I was doing wrong. Third time the charm on size 10 needles. I did a k1p1 instead of the k2p2 ribbing, but I now know how to do a k2p2 with this cast on. It makes a lovely edge for the skirt. Not fears of rolling or curling. I repeated the garter squares chart twice to lengthen the skirt from 16” to 20”. I am using Knit Picks Telemark in the Carnation colorway. I bought 10 skeins when KP discontinued this lovely to knit with yarn.

 

 

Dignity and Serenity....not

Don't be fooled

If there is one area in which I am a bad pet parent, it is in remembering Toupie's age. I remember is birthday, October 27. Just can't ever remember if the year is 2005 or 2006.

In honor of his upcoming date of birth, I purchased some organic catnip (or nip as it is known around here) last night.

What constantly amazes me is that Toupie recognizes shopping bags (totes, plastic or paper) as containing items which he can either try to retrieve or rearrange for a bed. Most amazing is that he immediately recognizes the pet store plastic bag. So last night when I put down the tote containing the bag from the pet store, the usual welcoming trills, purring and leg rubbing came to an immediate halt and his entire attention was given to getting the bag out of the tote. I intervened securing the bag and it's contents. The sample box of pet food (which I use for treats) I put on the floor near his food bowls. A period of total ecstasy followed. He trilled and pawed the box. Then rolled back an forth on the floor his eyes glazed with pleasure. I opened a can of wet food, but there was not response from him to the sound. Nip secured briefly in the fruit stand, I stepped over his prone form to put the bowl down. A few minutes later he went over to check the bowl and its contents. Then he marched into the dining room and began to meow. I was going that way to start my dinner. When I emerged from the kitchen he was sitting by the small three draw plastic cabinet. Then he was on his hind legs. Paws on the cabinet. Next he tried to jump up. That didn't work. Then he tried climbing, but fell before reaching the top. I quickly removed the nip from the fruit stand (which is on a table next to the cabinet). I quickly walked through the living and into the closet leading to the bathroom (closing the closet door behind me) and put the nip in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom.

After dinner I took the plastic jar (used for marinating toys in nip) to the bathroom and put a little nip in, shook the toys and emerged. At my feet, Toupie cavorted, jumped, circumnavigated, rubbed against my ankles alternating vocalizations. Finally I put a nip encrusted white fluffy toy on the crocheted rug. Twenty minutes of heaven ensued. A nap, some dinner and he was back pawing my ankles as I sat at the computer. Two nip marinated toys later, he was finally ready for bed.