Christmas Knitting

Before we got the transfer, Mindy (my sister in law, owner of the original Hanami stole) mentioned that she would like a cardi for Christmas. She gave me a couple of colors to choose from (so she'd be surprised) and picked out a pattern. Of course, right after we started sorting this out, our family got the transfer to Dallas, so the whole thing was shelved until I got that reasonably under control. (Please note here that an acceptable amount of "under control" for a moving/house selling/house hunting type of situation is considered completely out of control in virtually any other situation except perhaps the first few weeks after giving birth - don't want you to think I'm superwoman here - let's keep it in context.)

Now that things are at the reasonably under control stage, I was able to begin Mindy's gift. I've tweaked the color on the picture (obviously) to keep Mindy in the dark as to what color her gift is, but I can tell you she chose the Lily Cardigan and I'm using Cascade 220 for the yarn. This is a top down, raglan cardi with a V neck that ties at the base of the V and is left to fly away below the single tie. I think it would work equally well with a single great button, and someone on Ravelry used I cord for the ties instead of the directions for the ties that are in the pattern. This is the type of style that would look great on any figure, no matter what you've got going on in the "issues" department. It could dress up over a button down shirt with a collar and nice slacks, but could easily top a T or cami and jeans for a more casual approach. I plan to knit myself one of these at some point as well - the design is cute enough to knit two of them.

Ooooooh, this is fun!

Looking to waste some time? Check out the Behr paint website. If you go to the Color Smart section, you can play with paint colors on their rooms, or for about $5.00 a year, you can upload pictures of your own home and play with paint colors in your own rooms. I'm sure other paint brands have similar things, but we love Behr paints, and honestly, this is pretty serious fun. After we move, I'm totally going to upload our rooms and play around with them. We love color in a house and when we moved up here we left our rooms vanilla creme colored because it's harder to sell a house in this area with colored walls. SO. Bored. With. Vanilla. Creme. Now go play! I'll have knitting tomorrow - promise!

Air - Elements Sock Collection IV

Introducing Air - Elements Sock Collection IV! This is the fourth in the series of sock patterns based on the classical elements. Once again, there are two designs included in the single pattern purchase: a simple, portable design and a more complex but highly rewarding sock design. Both designs are worked from the top down.

Chinook Winds is the first design in the pattern and it is an easy design to memorize and work. Chinook Winds are the winds that blow down a mountain side, warming up in temperature as they lose altitude and melting the snow that stands in their path. Large snow accumulations can easily be melted in a day by these warm winds and this sock design pays tribute to them. This design works in both solid and multicolored yarns without losing it's impact. Shown in Claudia's Handpaint's Stormy Day and worked on US 0's (2.0 mm) at 9 stitches to the inch in stockinette.

Updraft is the second design in the pattern, and while it is a more complex design than Chinook Winds, you will find that you get into a rhythm with it and it knits up very quickly. Updrafts are the main cause of the air turbulence we feel in an airplane and while this can be dangerous on occasion, it usually just results in a bit of a roller coaster feeling and relief when it's over. These powerful air currents are depicted in the stitch pattern of twists alternating with open lacy areas. This design will work best in a solid or handdyed solid type of yarn to show the stitch work. Shown in Louet Gems Fingering weight in Cloud Grey and worked on US 0's (2.0 mm) at 9 stitches to the inch in stockinette.

Both of these designs are packaged together in a single pattern purchase.

$6.00

Click to purchase

Please be sure to check out the other four patterns in this series:

Earth - Elements Sock Collection I

Fire - Elements Sock Collection II

Water - Elements Sock Collection III

Aether - Elements Sock Collection V

Wow! Thanks for the information!

I appreciate all your personal experiences.

Ramius is not declawed and I stand firmly against it. We do trim his nails, but it's not something he likes to have done and he won't let us do it while Finn is watching. Unfortunately, Finn thinks claw clipping is one of the most fascinating things he's ever seen so we have to be sneaky.

As for the trauma of moving, Ramius is actually a pro at moving - this will be his fifth move, not counting the move from his kitty momma to our house when he was a baby. He also likes to go on road trips and thinks they are fun. Finn is less experienced at riding in the car, but we're working with him on that.

I will take all your comments into consideration and talk to Mickael and we'll figure it out. I was already leaning towards a distressed/aged type of finish on the leather, but it's good to know the difference between full grain and top grain. I knew you guys would be able to help us figure this out - thanks!

I'm still here

I know the silence has been deafening but I'm still here. The house is on the market, things are rolling along in the whole grand scheme of moving and once I get the house re-cleaned every morning I can actually knit or read or do other things that don't make messes. The bad news is, the knitting I've been doing is on the Air socks so I can't show you, but the good news is that I'm hoping to have the pattern released later this week. This is the last pattern in the Elements Collection and I'll be glad to get it finished before the end of the year.

I have an un-knitting related question: If you have a cat (with claws) and leather furniture, does your cat sit directly on the leather? I've asked one person before and her cats only sat on people who were sitting on the leather or if a blanket/throw type thing got left on the leather, the cats would sit on that, but not directly on the leather. I ask because Mickael wants a leather recliner but is afraid Ramius would ruin it. Comments? Personal anecdotes? Random unrelated bits of information?