In case anyone else was curious, I did a little intardweb research to try and determine what that chrysalis/cocoon is/was. From what I can tell, it seems to actually be a pupa of a cabbage moth, which makes sense also because you find them burrowed in the ground, and I found it after digging around in the garden. Neat.

I love Spring. Really I do. But I could do without the days when I'm driving the Pollenmobile.



Makes a pretty pattern, though, lol. Recent events have also proven that everyday, recreational activities can be a bit risky.



I've been happily at work knitting with the Twinkle Soft Chunky, despite the fact that the weather is getting too warm to wear the finished product. I finished all the separate pieces on the 7th and started looking into buttons. Couldn't find any that worked and were the right size at the store or locally, so I checked out the web. I found a great price on a dozen of ones I really liked...except that I needed to buy a minimum of $25 worth to make any order. I only need 6 freaking buttons. So, I tried eBay...and YAY there's a seller offering the exact buttons I liked in lots of 3! Sold!

With that decided, I thought about the seaming. With such bulky yarn, I knew I'd want to use a skinnier yarn for the seams and I do have some fairly matching GGH Bel Air that'd work. Then, I had an idea.



You got it. I took a good length of the Soft Chunky and split it into thinner lengths - very easy to do since Soft Chunky is practically roving! Then I spun it on my wheel and made some 2-ply yarn from it.



I seamed the shoulders and worked on the collar, which took a few re-dos because I was on my last skein and with the pattern's directions, I was going to run out. Also, because I was not using the Big Wool Tuft, I wanted the collar to match the sleeve edges. Interestingly, the collar directions are written so that the pattern stitch is inside out - maybe it's because is doesn't matter with the Tuft stuff. So, I improvised. Made the total length of the collar shorter, and so that the pattern stitch shows on the outside of the collar to match the sleeves and I'm really happy with the results (and that extra length was definitely not needed!). Then I seamed 'er all up!



Now that I see that it fits PERFECTLY (YAY!), I just have to weave in all my ends and wait on those buttons! So far, I love it. It's so cozy!!!

Just like Zoe was while I worked on it...how cute is this aerial snoozin' shot?



Everyone? All together now... "Awwwww........" ;-)
- posted by Deenz @ 2:47 PM |

 
Firstly, a heads-up. Sometime this spring/summer, I'll be "moving" my blog. I've bought the domain name, I'm just trying to decide whether to stick with Blogger or move to Wordpress. The only downside to Wordpress is I can't mess with the CSS as much as I'd like to without costing myself extra money, but I like so many of the other features. I have to look into what Blogger still has to offer and then I'll make the decision. In the meantime, I'm putting an automatic redirect on my new domain name, if you'd like to make a note of it, but I'm not sure it'll work with Bloglines that way: www.eklectikaknits.com (I didn't link it, 'cause, well, it'll just redirect you here right now!).

So, hee. I made a funny discovery the other day. She'd enjoyed a lick before, but I wanted to see if she *really* liked it...so when I was finished with my half-cantaloupe...



Yeah. She was at this for almost a half and hour, happily. She'd be the second cat I've ever known who liked cantaloupe - I had a cat when I was little that would eat whole chunks of it.

I've had some time off from my test knitting, and instead of working on Dark Scarlett, I had an urge to find the right project for my Twinkle Soft Chunky. After realizing that it could be used for any Big Wool or Ribbon Twist projects, and looking through those available books and patterns, I settled on Willow from The Ribbon Twist Collection. I'm passing on the use of the Tuft yarn, thanxkbye.



This photo is already out of date as I've finished both fronts and I'm nearly done with the first sleeve. If I hadn't been traipsing around all weekend, I'd be done, this is such a quick knit! Tomorrow I'm going to check out the store's button selection since if I stick to it, I'll be done by the end of the week. Maybe I'll get a cool evening to show it off before it gets too warm out, lol.

I've worked on my garden a little, adding a bunch of lily of the valleys that I got from my parents' house. They have a gazillion of them - I actually meant to get some last year, but never got around to it. While I was planting them, I found this beautiful chrysallis in my creeping phlox...



Sadly, it'd been bitten or crushed - there was a little goo that appeared to come from a crack in it. Still, on the way-off chance that the little guy was still viable, I hid it back in the phlox after I took my pictures.

And, before I get back to Willow for the afternoon...more garden photos from the past few days...






- posted by Deenz @ 5:14 PM |

 
My test knitting continues...so far so good! When I finish some billing work, I'll be back on that for the rest of the day, I think.

Both my billing and knitting have been threatened by a new arrival...a Louet Fine Roving Carder!!! EEEEEEE!

Yep. OMG. The restraint I am having from taking this baby out of the box and carding all day. I'm not even going to take pictures to tempt myself, but be assured, pictures will come!

BUT I must finish other things first. Yeah, SERIOUS restraint, people.

----------------------

So, I'm rollin' around eBay recently in the spinning stuff. About a week ago, there was a listing that I had to click. Ok, now, I've spun my cat's fur for gits and shiggles, but this listing was not brushed off fur. This one, was titled, Cat Hair !! Fresh from my vacum !! Free Shipping !!.

EEEEWWWWWW!!! Seriously? Yeah - here's the listing description:

"This auction is for about a handfull of cat hair I just pulled out of my bagless vacum. It comes from two tabby cats. There is also some carpet fibers, people hairs, and carpet freshener mixed in, but it is almost all cat hair. I vacum every other day and get about this much so if you want much more than this I can supply it !!"

Um, dirty cat hair, with carpet fibers, carpet freshner and bonus people hair? I'll pass, thanxkbye.

And now? They've got a listing up again - with a description of "Today I shaved my beautiful tabby cat, Timber."

*blink* So, first, they want me to buy the contents of their vacuum cleaner - and now they're SHAVING THE CAT to sell the fur? I mean, I'm glad it's at least supposedly CLEAN fur this time. Hopefully, they were shaving the cat for some other reason, lol...either way, their cat must be PISSED, lol...

EDIT: I am further disturbed by just noticing a Q & A on the first listing. And I quote:

"Q: about your cat hair, I was wondering if you might be interested in a trade. I have a chacolate lab that also produces hair.

A: Thank you for the king offer mr. jaybaydog. But I already have 16 mason jars full of chocolate lab hair."

Um, what now? So, um...I guess ya'll can look forward to some listings for chocolate lab hair? *blinkblink*

----------------------

In other eBay amusement, I found this listing, for very nice yarn, actually, but the title cracked me up: 7 balls ass rowan yarn

*snicker*

----------------------

And now, more Spring!












- posted by Deenz @ 4:49 PM |

 
It's coming...



Oh, wait it's here! Happy Earth Day!

In honor of it, I planted:



Although, truthfully, I planted all but the morning glories. I'm thinking of getting a trellis for them, so I didn't want to plant them until I decide where they are going!

Popping up for their closeups today...my bleeding heart bloomed...



...the creeping phlox is bursting forth...



...and the magnolia by the mailboxes is gorgeous!



Also back are the cute, but HUGE bumblebees. There's always one that hangs out by the mailboxes, like a little buzzy guard. I attempted to get a shot of him/her, but even with 1/4000 of a second, these are the best I managed to get!



Guess he/she is shy. :-)

In knitting, I started a pair of Knucks from Noro Cashmere Island. It's perfect since I really wanted the turquoise to be on the fingers and the fingers to cuff construction is perfect for it. Plus I'm going two at once since I'm thinking of doing some cables on it as I go along.



I've also worked on Dark Scarlett's sleeves.



However, I will have to put both of these aside as I've taken on some test knitting that needs to be done in about three weeks. Since it's not my pattern or nothin', all I can tease you with is the yarn...



I'll still blog in though...all these pretty things popping up to photograph, ya know!

Now go plant something!
- posted by Deenz @ 8:01 PM |

 
FO Alert! I finished my Lizard Ridge!



Um, Zoe? Couldja move for a sec? Ok...let's try that again...LIZARD RIDGE!



You might notice the lack of shells. So, after doing about 10 of the shell edging, I noticed two things. One, it made the blanket sort of fold in on the seam between the blanket and the edge. Two, I really wasn't diggin' the shells at all.

So, I ripped them out and since I already had two rows of single crochet, I went for a third row with some double crochet. That left me with not enough for another round of anything, but, I liked it. And there it is! :-)

Hey Remy, what do you think?



Hmph. Zoe?


- posted by Deenz @ 1:19 PM |