a blossom knits

Yes, I am FINALLY updating this blog with some knitting.

Can you believe it??!?!??!?!

:D

I've been working on three projects since my last post. I sat myself down this morning . . as I've been trying to force myself to do for the last two months . . and put Lucy Neatby's Knitting Gems 4 DVD in my portable player to watch the unconventional bind off method for the quadrillionth time. For whatever reason, after I master this bind off and then move on . . it seems to slip my mind until I want to use it again. I'm forcing myself to make sure I memorize this darned thing so I don't have to re-watch it again!!! Not that watching Lucy is a bad thing . .

Here's the finished first side of my Noro Pillow:

And the artistic view everyone seems to like:

I have some more rows on my Hypoteneuse:

Last but not least, I've started the Noni Urban Adventure Bag, using Malabrigo worsted in Dusty Olive:

So, as you can see . . I have been very, very busy. I can't seem to find the little bookmarks I made at my craft day I mentioned in my last post. I have them somewhere around here and when I find them, I'll make sure to take a pic cuz they're super cute!

I've swatched (yet again *sigh*) for the Fletcher Coat - Noro. However, every single time I swatch it seems that it's never the same - radically. The first time I swatched I decided to use US10. The second time I did, we were thinking US8. Now . . Roz is thinking US6!! UGH! I've swatched down to a US5 and the yarn (Noro Kochoran) is just too thick for that diameter needle. It's hard on the hands and not enjoyable to knit. So, I think I may insist on staying at US6. I am assuming that the downward progression in needle size is due to my loosening up quite a bit as I continue gaining knitting experience. The US10 was about a year ago and I was still super tight. What a difference a year makes! Also, another girl at the shop just finished making a coat and Roz was keeping that in mind and how the yarn drapes, etc. So, even though the pattern may call for a larger needle size, the smaller one actually makes a nicer knit fabric. We're just going to have to alter the pattern significantly to account for the change in needle size.

With all of this . . . I think I'm going to sign off and keep knitting. I also think I may get another new Lucy Neatby DVD. :D

OH WAIT!!! Here's some new pictures of Mistie and Max. Max is just getting SO big!!! I want him to stay little. *pout* (He's still pouncing on Mistie often.)

MISTIE
It's hard to believe he's 16. He just had some kidney tests this past week and they all came back that his levels were decreasing . . which means that the Calcitriol that he's been taking and some extra potassium are working!!!

MAX
My little man. Isn't he getting so big?!?!?!