cats and cardigan

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any excuse not to make the bed

Cats and knitting don’t really go hand-in-hand . . . but I took a few cat and cardigan related photos and thought I’d group them for a blog post. First up, Abby – awwwww – enjoying a lovely long lie-in and really not wanting to get up and let me make the bed.

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zoom in on odd shapes

I’m enjoying the current puzzle, which is a cat-themed one and proving quite tricky. It has lots of irregular shaped pieces so normal “puzzle piece recognition” doesn’t seem to apply to this one. Still, the result is looking gorgeous.

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and I’m halfway done.

As for cardigans . . . a cardigan is my current knitting project. To be more specific, this one.

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I’m knitting it for my daughter.  Was a bit unsure about the shaping on the top of those raglan sleeves though. Is it the model, the photo, or does it look a tad snug around upper arms to you?  Anyway, I’ve done a few changes along the way. I’ve altered the raglan decreasing (following the shaping from a different pattern). Was supposed to include lace panels on the back, but I’ve knitted the back in plain stocking stitch.  However, I have added a band of “lace” all the way down both sleeves.

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raglan seaming

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Cardigan is almost finished. Just need to sew up sleeve seams, tidy up my loose ends, and find 7 buttons. It’s very difficult to photograph the soft green colour correctly . . . that second photo isn’t far off. It’s a sort of soft, sage green.

colourful – yarns and “blooming cat”

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I haven’t been very chatty on my blog of late, mainly because I’ve been busy with other things. Still sorting and  trying to organise in the house.  Getting rid of lots of books and other stuff, which means I’m making space on bookshelves and in cupboards. Which, in turn, means I can have a bit of a move-around and get rid of some bits of furniture.  With Spring on the way, I’m also thinking ahead to when I’ll want to be sitting in the veranda . . . and treated myself to a new sofa cover.

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Original colour of the sofa is the plain green of the cushions and around the base . . . but the original cover is grotty and from what I can make out from the label, it can be neither dry cleaned nor machine washed . . . so it’s now hidden from sight.

I also, very naughtily added to my yarn stash again.  I had nabbed a bargain on @m@zon recently, with these yarns, which I showed you last month

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being sold as 5 x 100g packs for approx 16€, which is less than half RRP.  Tension gauge on labels had me a bit worried as to whether I could use as DK weight so I knitted a quick swatch.

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And I am reassured. It can, indeed, be knitted to DK tension. That opens up a whole world of possibilities for summer tops.  And, even though I’m currently working on a mid-season cardigan, I went ahead and bought in yet more colours.

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2.5kg of loveliness

above is the entire haul, including the 2 packs from previous photo).

I’ve also been enjoying some very colourful puzzling.  My daughter sent me this 1000 piece for my birthday last month.

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I have begun.

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And I’m seriously thinking about gluing this one together when it’s finished, because I think it would look rather nice on the wall.

some teen reading – “I am number four”

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I enjoy all sorts of fiction, and am currently reading some teen fantasy fiction.

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Title of the first one in the series: “I am number four” and book two is “The power of six”.  The author – Pittacus Lore is actually a pseudo and I seem to remember having read somewhere that there are two authors hiding behind the pseudo, making the series of books a joint project.

Anyway, I bought the first in the series (secondhand) after having seen a film on TV recently. The first volume was made into a film, which, in my opinion, was excellent viewing, but the producers didn’t deem it successful enough to bother making films from any of the follow up books.

Book one focuses on the character of John Smith, a seemingly average teenager, who has just moved to Paradise, Ohio with his guardian, Henri.  We soon learn that (and here, I quote) official summary

“Nine Loric children were sent to Earth to live in hiding until they grew up and developed their Legacies, powers that would help them fight back – and help them save us. Three of them are now dead. John is Number Four, and he knows he’s next . . . ”

I’ve read the first two . . . and thoroughly enjoyed them. About to start the third.

 

SAL “girl with lion” #6

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Photo 3 weeks ago was this.

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Since then I’ve managed a few sessions of xstitch and my fabric now looks like this.

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Linking with a group of xstitchers all kept in order by Avis.  We come together once every 3 weeks to share our updates and cheer each other along.

Avis, Claire, Kathy, Margaret,  

Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, Cathie, 

Linda, MaryMargaret, Cindy, Helen

I had a birthday

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It happens to all of us. Every year, we have a birthday, and notch up one more year . . . I’m a February baby, and this month I turned 62. Not something I made a song or dance about, but I did receive a few surprises through the post, and I also treated myself to a few things.

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I received a couple of birthday cards.  The “bananas” from the Tattoo family, and the cross stitched Husky dog (a design by Hélène & Mahélia) from Claudine.  Plus 4 very cute (and fake) succulent plants from my daughter, Lindashee.

Lindashee also sent me a puzzle.

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I’m looking forward to doing that, it has such gorgeous colours.

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treats to myself

Treats to myself were . . . the (fake) bamboo plant in the wicker basket because I am really enjoying my fake greenery around the living room, and (yes, even aged 62) I treated myself to a cuddly teddy bear for no reason other than that I’d seen him in the shop since way before xmas, and on a recent shopping spree he begged to come home with me. I’ve named him Hubert, a fairly old-fashioned, French name, but which is pronounced U-bear lol.

And, last but not least . . . some gorgeous colour for the yarn stash.

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couldn’t resist

That’s two packs of 5 x 100g of cotton, taking advantage of special 50% off price on-line. When I ordered, I was convinced it was DK but label has it at more “sports/baby” weight, so it’s not going to be easy finding knitting patterns to make something. I don’t want to make scarves. My plan is to knit a couple of pretty summer tops.

SAL “Girl with Lion” #5

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Slowly but surely on this design. Not because I’m not enjoying it, but because I’m still concentrating on knitting most evenings.

Three weeks ago, I was here.

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Since then, the cross stitch on the girl/woman is complete.

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before backstitch

There will be some backstitch detail to add, notably to give her glasses and add the details for the leash she’s holding in her left hand. But for next time, I’ll be moving across and beginning work on the lion.

For info, the design I’m stitching is by Hanna, a Ukrainian designer who runs a shop on etsy: MyBraveStitch.

Linking with other members of the SAL.

Avis, Claire, Kathy, Margaret,

Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, Cathie,

Linda, MaryMargaret, Cindy, Helen

 

Maisie sweater (#3) happy dancing

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Pattern “Maisie” by Rico Design is free to download.  And this is the third time I’ve used it.

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After the version with lilac for the cuffs and yoke, which I knit in age 10 years for Miss Viking, I’ve just finished the version in purple for cuffs & yoke, size 4-5 years, for Miss Tattoo.

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The striping part was knit alternating an off white and a colour-changing yarn (Meg Multico).

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which gives for nice random colours in the stripes.

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For the purple version, I used 175g of yarn.

Maisie sweater (#2) happy dancing

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On 6th January, I posted this photo

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and the start of a new Maisie jumper – knitting in age 10 years for Miss Viking. Using 3 different brands of yarn. DMC Knitty4 in lilac for the ribbing and tops of sweater; and a Celia’s in “off white” combined with a Multi-Meg for the striping part. They’re all DK and tension appears to be the same.

I’m already having a happy dance with this knit.

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collar done

That was the ribbing of collar knitted, and sweater still needing sewing up at the sides.

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and one finished sweater. It took 260g of yarn to make. I hope Miss Viking finds it colourful enough.

I had two of the 50g balls of Meg Multico left and plenty of the off white, so I cast on again . . .

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using a purple for the contrast, and knitting age 4 years, with slightly longer body & arms, for Miss Tattoo.

SAL “Girl with Lion” #4

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I’m having a hard time getting back to cross stitch.  Not that I don’t enjoy stitching anymore, but I seem to have become more of a knitter recently. Anyway, thank goodness the SAL reminders from Avis keep coming, and giving me a nudge to put a few stitches in.

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last time

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this time

For those of you waiting impatiently for the lion . . . you’ll have to wait a bit longer I’m afraid. The plan is to finish stitching the young lady before moving on to the lion.

If you have have a few minutes to spare, why don’t you join me in a blog-hop . . . links below to other SAL members.

Avis, Claire, Kathy, Margaret,  

Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, Cathie, 

Linda, MaryMargaret, Cindy, Helen

Maisie sweater progress and more greenery

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I treated myself to a little something the other day.

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mini bamboo

If I tell you it’s fake . . . did it fool you? I think it looks ever so realistic and it adds a little splash of green to the living room without me having to worry about watering plants.  It’s even got one leaf that’s yellowing slightly on the tip, which I think is a lovely touch of realism.

More colour to share with you today, as the “Maisie” pattern, I’m knitting for Miss Viking, grows.

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pattern and choice of yarns

Above is the photo I shared with you previously. I did knit this pattern last year, in the smallest size, for Little Miss Tattoo (the Tattoo family live in France, only a few miles down the road), and I used practically the same colours as the pattern.  Which resulted in this, for those of you who don’t remember.

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That was the smallest size, on a very slender 2 year old (hence the sleeves being way too long). Now that Miss Tattoo is almost 3, the sweater is a much better fit.  Anyway, Miss Viking, who’s 7 years old,(the Vikings live in England) asked for “rainbow” colours and for her sweater to be “oversized”. Hence the colour changing yarn I’ve chosen to use for the stripes, and the fact I’m following pattern instructions for a size 10 years.

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front & back

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first sleeve

This is how things look for now. I’m not attempting to colour match the stripes on different body parts. The yarn changes colour more slowly on the sleeves (being narrower than the body) and I like the randomness. Colours look a lot prettier in real life, and I think it’ll look much nicer once it’s sewn together and finished.