Lady E. here I come!

Let me preface this by saying, I am a wrap girl. My mom probably didn't swaddle me properly at birth, so I am always wrapped in something, preferably cashmere.

When Scarf Style first came out I couldn't resist. One of the main reasons was the Lady Eleanor wrap- loved the colors, the texture, the enveloping size- had to knit one! Then I got home and sat down with the pattern, scratched my head in consternation, sighed and picked another project. Not only was she going to be v. expensive, but what the heck was going on in those directions?

Then along came the Entrelac Felted Bag class at Rosie's last Sunday. Who knew this stuff was actually going to be so easy once you got your mind twisted around the concept? And its like eating peanuts...I cannot stop. My bag is coming along fabulously and Lady E. is speeding back to the top of the cue. Now I just have to pick out yarn that won't eat up the mortgage payment.

I've been so agitated!

Well, I had a small crisis this week with the washing machine. Lots of agitation going on, but very little draining...rinsing ...or spinning. Okay, so no draining , rinsing or spinning. There my whites sat in a big tub of soapy water. My good friend and handyman had been over to hook up the dryer vent to the outside and one of the connections had been left unconnected. Thank god I said something to him before my $65 service call. A few minutes and screws later and the machine was operational again!! That is a huge relief, I was having visions of me hemorrhaging cash into Sears' pockets.

My first act with my resurrected washing machine was felt two bags that were waiting in the wings. The top one is a random wool that I bought from someone's stash on eBay for dirt cheap. It was not by any means a pleasure to knit with, but it felts great. The bottom bag is knit from Noro Kuryeon. I love the self striping and there is always something in the colorway that makes you say "hmmm?" then "yah baby!" when it comes out of the machine. I always love the surprise of felting, what will come out of that machine?

My LYS has started carrying the beautiful yearns of the Great Adirondack Yarn Company. I was seduced by some jewel toned silk in a colorway called Plum Loco. I have cast on for another Clapotis, this one for my mother's birthday. Sadly the photo does not do the yarn justice.

Home from Houston

Home from Houston, where I had a mighty fine time (said with a Texas twang.) I managed to not voice any of my political opinions in front of anyone I would offend or incite to violence. It was a great visit. Patty's house is adorable, with a huge fenced in yard for the dogs.

I spent the weekend spooning with a hot redhead...no, not Patty...Ruby, her red doberman. Friday night she hoped on the bed and started digging at the covers. I thought I was being ejected from the bed. She scooted under the covers and curled up against me. Snuggled down and there she stayed for hours. Most action I've gotten in ages!

Saturday morning dobbie #2, Boobah, ate a tub of plumber's putty left by the bathroom contractors. He was one unhappy pup. There was one whole stretch where he sounded like one of the girls trying to cough up a hair ball. Patty and I did do some significant damage that afternoon at Home Depot...a new toilet, funky shower head with five body jets, and beautiful faucets for the tub and sink. While there, I was seduced by Silstone counters and began plotting what I could do in that kitchen I don't use.

I'll be looking on the internet for more cheap flights to Houston.

Finally a finished object

Artemis takes napping very seriously. Her favorite place to nap is in the midst of whatever project I am currently working on. All my quilts are infused with sweet kitty-dreams and unfortunately a healthy dose of cat hair. I don't know what it is about my quilts that attracts her to them. A psychic once said that Artemis was living her first life as a cat. I think she was a seamstress whose bad karma caused her to slide several levels down the soul chain. Anyway, her latest nest is about to go to its new home in Houston with my friend Patty.

I began making this decorative quilt/bed runner this summer after we had seen a groovy piece of Indian embroidery in a store window. She wanted something like it to go at the foot of her bed and coincidently I had a heap of upholstery samples that would look great in her bedroom. The concept was kind of crazy quiltish and built on a muslin base. Like all my quilts I loved doing the top and was dragging my feet on the finishing. Once again I estimated incorrectly how much fabric I would need for the backing and was short...crap, crap, crap. So I put off the finishing. And then came the Mission Org shoot. The runner was folded up neatly on a slacks hanger with the left over fabric and fringe I got for the short ends and hung up on my "projects in progress rail." And there it hung and hung and then Patty up and moved to Houston.

Of course the thing wasn't finished in time to give it to her as a going away present, so I am taking it to her on Friday as a house warming present. My first trip to TX and I'm a bit leery about being that close to Crawford. Everyone pray for me : )

Amazingly it is done! And I don't even leave until tomorrow. Quick, check to see if hell has frozen over...

Not unsuprisingly the baby quilt is still unfinished. I am determined it will be done before Claudia enters kindergarten...nothing like an achievable goal...yeah baby!