Three shirts

In my dog fabric shopping I found little dogs and palm trees. What better fabric for a Hawai'i trip? The plan to include it with the Anniversary Shirts didn't happen, but it's done now.







Last weekend, we were shopping in at Holly Hill Quilt Shoppe in Willamette Falls, at their Batik fabric sale (ends today, btw), and Tom spied a fabric that he really liked. So that was added to the fabrics I'd picked out and Tom has another shirt for the trip, to take along with the fish, sushi and shirt shirts from the Anniversary batch.



I have a new "swim" suit, but needed a cover up. At first I thought I'd make just that, but then decided it would be better to just pull on a pair of shorts and a shirt, which could do double duty from a trip perspective. I chose Vogue 8258 and settled on a very pretty red rayon batik, figuring being the shirt-making whiz that I am it would go pretty fast. HA! I love to wear rayon, but soft slippery rayon is a bit fiddly. And in the end the blouse became a light jacket because the lapel just wanted to be longer...or maybe I just liked the look of it better. I also opted for improvised 3/4 length sleeves since I didn't want the cuffs and the short sleeve length in the pattern view doesn't suit me.

A challenge

In the Knitting in Japan list and on the Knitting Elegance KAL blog, Sylvia put out the challenge to figure out how the stitches in a chart from a Japanese "Let's Knit" book.

So I decided to take the challenge and I think I've met it. I don't have the book and can't see the sweater, so I can't say for sure. Here's what I came up with.


Row 1: p3, k1tbl, p1
Row 2: k1, p1tbl, p3
Row 3: p2, (sl next st to cn and hold in back; k1; k1 from cn), p1
Row 4: k2, p1tbl, p1tbl, k2
Row 5: p2, make 5 sts in next st (in the same stitch, k1, k1tbl, k1, k1tbl, k1), k1tbl, p1
Row 6: k1, p1tbl, p5, k2
Row 7: p1, right cross next 6 st (sl next st on cn and hold in back; k5, p1 from cn), k1tbl, p1
Row 8: k1, p1tbl, k1 p5, k1
Row 9: p1, k1, dec 2 sts in next 4 st (k2tog; pass k2tog back to left needle; pass next st over k2tog; move k2tog back to right needle, but leave passed stitch on left needle; k next stitch together with passed st), k1tbl, p1
Row 10: k1, p1b1, k1, p3, k1
Row 11: p1, k3tog, p1, k2bl, p1
Row 12: k1, p1b1, k1, p1, k1
Row 13: (sl first st to cn and hold in back; k1; p1 from cn), p1, k1tbl, p1
Row 14: k1, p1tbl, p3

The discussion starts on Monday, so we'll see if my interpretation comes close to others.

Well, I was mislead by the line in the fourth stitch of row 9 and didn't quite get it right. The correct Row 9:
P1, centered decrease on next three stitches, P1, K1tbl, P1.

I tried.

Dog Days of September

It's been a month-plus now since Jake adopted us and all is well. He's a happy fella, and now that Mandy has figured out that he isn't just here for a visit, she's even initiated a few play sessions.

More we've learned about Jake:
• His nose gets cold, so he has to find a place to keep it warm.


• He likes to cuddle; he really likes to cuddle with Tom.


• He's murder on stuffed toys. Poor blue elephant-baby has had three ear surgeries.


• He's not too proud to take over anyone's part of the bed.


• In pinch my lap will do.


And in the process, I got a really good picture of Mandy. It's hard to get a good picture of a black dog when the flash always gives her devil eyes, but not this time.


There's more Jake living the life he deserves, including a movie here.

Some things finished

September shirt
I cheated a little here, since it really was a shirt started for the anniversary project, but it's a shirt and it's September, so it's Tom's September shirt.







I Do
It's not that it was difficult, even though I did effectively knit three sleeves (but have only two to show for it), I'm just so easily sidetracked with other things, but here it is. Frogging the first sleeve was a good idea, since it would have been much too long. And I did like working with the Rowan Calmer yarn—very soft.




"Swim" suit
I was quite pleased with how quickly this came together and it fits. You'll have to take my word for that now. When I have occasion to actually wear it (in about 14 days!), maybe there will be other pictures. In the meantime, it is done!

Talented friends

In a fit of organization, I decided to clean out my e-mail InBox. Much of what I'd saved were emails with pictures. Some of the pictures have been posted to Fiberly Friends' blogs or photo sites, but others had not, so I thought I'd share some of the very lovely fiberly endeavors of some very talented women.

I've explained about the Fiberly Friends in a previous post, but they deserve another mention. You can read about Carolyn's and Barbara's sewing, and Liana's and Mardel's sewing and knitting on their blogs. You can see pictures of Kathryn's, Peggy's, Diane's and Pam's wonderful fiberly work on their photo sites. Though Patti doesn't take pictures, Joanna and Linda do. And we can't wait to see what newest Fiberlies Mary and Sheila have made.

      

There's more here.

Turnabout is fairplay

I was perusing the stats for my blog and came across a visitor from an unfamiliar URL, so I checked it out. Turns out a reporter from The News and Observer in Raleigh-Durham, NC is working on a Capecho and linked back to my version, as well as some others.

So turnabout is fairplay and here's a link to her articles.

I should point out, though I knit the thing, it was Dianne who came up with how to wear it, that got the article recognition.

And I am inspired to try something different on the Mom Capecho...I just don't quite know what, at the moment.

Doin' stuff...except taking pictures

I just thought I'd pop in to say that I have been keeping busy...but I just haven't taken any pictures to show for it.

On needles (and not quite languishing as UFOs):
Seville - Fronts and backs are blocking. Sleeves are on the needles (will I have enough yarn for two long sleeves or will it become a 3/4 sleeve cardi/shrug?)

Capecho - Yes, another. My mom saw the one I gave to Dianne and liked it, so what's a daughter to do? Because she lives in Arizona, wool is out, so I found some nice cotton on Elann.

I Do - I just found the first sleeve, so now I need to find where I messed up on the second sleeve and finish it up.

Mondnacht - This project takes a lot of concentration, so it's waiting till I have some time to just sit.

At the sewing machine
Shirts - Tom's September shirt is almost done. Just have to get those buttons on

Swimsuit - Big Island, here we come. In my case, the use of "swim" is just a suggestion and not an indication of how it will be used.

iPod touch cozies - Tom decided he wanted a Touch and asked me I wanted one. No...that was until we stopped by the Apple store and I looked at the iPhone (since the Touch won't be out till the end of the month) and I got sucked in. But there aren't any cases available and there's the trip next month...

What is a Rat Terrier?

At the dog park we were asked the difference between a Fox Terrier and a Rat Terrier. Good question. So I looked up both breeds on Wikipedia. While they didn't compare the Rat Terrier to a Fox Terrier there was a personality description that describes Jake to a "T."

Temperament

Although often mistaken for a Jack Russell Terrier, the Rat Terrier has a different profile and a very different temperament. Rat Terriers are finer of bone and have a more refined head. They always have a short single coat—never wire coated. Rat Terriers tend to be less aggressive than Jack Russells; while they have a definite terrier personality they also have an "off switch" and love lounging on the sofa in a lap as much as tearing about the yard. Rat Terriers are normally cheerful dogs but they tend to be more sensitive than Jack Russells to changes in their environment, owner's moods, or to unexpected noises, people, and activities.

Free FileMaker magazines to a good home

There is no dog or fiber content in this post.

I love magazines, but there is this problem of what to do with them when they're "done." Some I save—I have all issues of Threads and Interweave Knits, lots of VK and most Knitters (which are staying here). Others just get recycled like Popular Science and Entertainment Weekly, because it's unlikely we'll want reference them.

So what to do with five years of FileMaker Advisor magazines? When I had a real job, I could justify the subscription, but now that I'm mostly retired and don't even have the latest version of FileMaker, I've let the subscription lapsed. And having finally found located all 130+ issues of Threads (two years later), that I need to make room for, the FileMaker Advisor mags have to go...hopefully to a good home.

The subscriptions were spendy and much of the content is still valid, so I just hate the idea of having to recycle the paper, so here's the deal:

If you are interested, the FileMaker Advisor magazines—2001-Mar 2006—are FREE to you, but you will have to cover the cost of shipping/mailing (from Portland, OR) - by whatever carrier you choose.

Send me a comment if you want any or all of the 46 FileMaker magazines.

Can you stand it? More dogs...

And there are so many pictures I miss because the camera is not where I am...

Here is the latest installment of Jake pictures with some good pictures of Mandy thrown in.
  

A little knitting progress

Drop Stitch Skirt
The skirt went by much more quickly after the second start and it's done. I had a hard time knitting the wraps at first because the flat ribbon tightened on the cable of the circular needle and I had to fiddle with each stitch to get it on the needle to knit. But on the second go-round I figured out that if I didn't pull the stitch on the needle, it stayed loose, so three days of knitting in Phoenix amounted to two days in West Linn and my mom has a skirt (or will when I get it in the mail to her).






Seville
It's not going as fast as I'd like, but I have made progress:

The back when I got home from Phoenix on Saturday


The back on Tuesday


There are just too many things I want to knit (and sew...and crochet (which first I have to learn...))

Home again, home again

As much as I do like spending time with my Mom, truth be told I'd rather spend it here than there—there being Arizona—Sun City West, to be exact. There was a time when I could tolerate the heat, but I don't think it was 110°-114°F. All in all, though, the entire Mom-visit, both here and there was nice. And I think we're making progress on convincing her that she should move away from the desert heat.

We brought her back from Tacoma on day four of Jake's new life with us. With the addition of Tootsie, the week was all about the dogs.

There's Tootsie
  

...and Mandy
  

..and, of course, Jake
  

As for knitting, I took the "I Do" shrug with me with the intention of finishing it, but neglected to bring the first sleeve.

My mom and her friend, Vicki, took me to Hobby Lobby. It's like a Michael's on steroids, but much better merchandised. I found some Lion Brand Incredible yarn in "blue shades" on sale and there was just enough to knit the drop stitch skirt from "Skirts!" by Darla Sims. I started it for me, but my mom hinted that she'd like it, so it's now for her. I started it with the intention of finishing it there, but after taking it off the needles to fix a mistake, I realized I really should have paid more attention to the gauge, so had to restart. So mucn for my intentions...

I also took Seville a lace shrug and Seasilk in Sangria (ooh...a Spanish theme and I didn't even plan it.) I think I've had it for a while but found it in my "put away" tray. (I'm so organized - or not.)
 

Like I said, it was a nice visit, but it's always good to be home again.
 

Pretty flowers

When in Scotland a few years back, we saw LOTS of hydrangeas in so many different colors. At the time we still lived in San Jose, where I had seen them only in a pale blue shade. I regretted not taking pictures. But now we live in Oregon where I now love around the splendor of the different colors. From my neighborhood (and yard, here are some pictures of pretty flowers.