Love my cats...again

I usually  love my cats... until I sit down to knit, put my feet up, and one or more land in my lap.  They know I'm less likely to move, and it will be comfy for them for a length of time.  And they let me know how happy they are by extending their claws into my thighs, and making me jump, and swat at them, and leaving me little reminders of their love.  

This is one of them....

And my other "skinny jeans" all tell the same tale.  The elastic that makes them skinny catches on them, and, well, I curse those cats every time it happens.

Today, I thought I must be resourceful enough to make this less of a reminder every time I wear them.

I must say, it turned out to be easy, but not before I attempted to use a tiny needle, which led to using a needle threader, (after 10 minutes I managed to do the deed).  On my second "pull" I found I needed 4 hands to hold a needle threader, needle, crochet hook and push the "pull" through.   But WAIT!

With only the tiny (size 11) crochet hook, the process was sped up, and in no time I had fixed 4 pairs of jeans of numerous pulls.  Once I had fixed a few, more and more became evident... which I gladly fixed (by pulling to the wrong side) and I decided I can live with my cats....again.

I wish I had taken photos of my deep blue jeans.  They were quite the wreck and little white pulls in the deep blue made me quite ANGRY!  

All is well!  I'm so lucky to have JUST THE RIGHT TOOL!

Not the right tools

Unflattering thigh view but you get the idea

Edging, Miles!

It seems like miles and may look like miles, but shortly after starting my 3rd skein, I decided to stretch it out and see what it looks like, and just like a gift, it appears to be enough! (210")  I'm trying not to get my hopes up... and until I pin it to the blanket, I really shouldn't celebrate.

See the rounded end (unblocked) nearest the camera?  More on that later.  I just couldn't figure out a better way without adding an annex to the kitchen.

While waiting to dry, I discovered step 4 in my directions which I skipped... I needed to crochet completely around the outer edge before attaching this edging.  sigh... and it's SO stressful.  It is the least successful (read worst-looking) part of the project.  I don't have the knack for even crochet stitches when I have uneven weft.  I'm going to take a vote tomorrow night at Knit Nite to see if others think it's gift-worthy, or it should remain on my sofa.  Either way, I like it!!  Sisterdale, here I come!

Another step

Horrors!  Crochet!  My least used skill, and therefore the most untrusted.  I have to look up every stitch, and then I'm always pleasantly surprised that I can actually do it--without pain and suffering.  Usually crochet takes me by surprise because I haven't read ahead through the pattern to warn myself, but this time, I knew it was coming.  It's going to be just fine!

Here's the pile of woven blanket.  Pictures in reverse order...

Neighborly Surprise

Informal lunch the other day, with neighbor who surprised me by bringing her crochet project...

My, or my!  Crochet, and gorgeous tank top, in beautiful stitches, with rosette, and the COLOR!

I had no idea that she was up to this.  And with crochet "thread"...the super fine kind. Amazing...

Optimism Every Two Weeks

Last Thursday, we met.  Every two weeks we meet.  Sometimes it's three, and sometimes only one week... to feed our knitting urges for support, lively conversation, and a row or two.
Usually, I get my camera out and go around the room while everyone proudly displays their progress.  I don't know what happened last Thursday, maybe the jet lag, let's say that's it... I sat chatting wildly about the past month, and then moments of near coma would overtake me.
Next to me was something that was truly unique.  Even though the hostess put a sign on the door "NO crocheters allowed", Lee managed to slip by.  Oh, wait!  The sign was posted AFTER Lee arrived!  LOL
So that's how it happened:  Lee, who proudly knits with and without antique sock machine, was creating a HAT, out of PAPER, and CROCHETING!  What a rebel...
Gorgeous.  In MY color, too... ahem...

Yes, using raffia.  A sinister grin, too... Rebel!
And then, instead of continuing around the room to admire

1. The unfinished baby sweater turned hat,
2. Someone who appeared to NOT knit a stitch,
3. Perpetual two-at-a-time socks, which are definitely different from 2 weeks ago, and will be other socks in two weeks,
4. A huge, almost finished shawl/wrap, too complicated to be knitted in public, and
5. A scarf with holes (for ribbon, silly), that I know I saw in January or before,

I put the camera away.  Jet lag, I tell you.  That's why I can't sleep past 4 AM.

Then, almost everyone was gone, and Bee pulls out her never-ending scarf project, photographed numerous times before... from last September, we've seen it at every 2 week interval... and her please help me eyes.

It's finished!!  Isn't it, Bee?  At the time of this picture, 2 days ago, all but the finishing little triangle was finished... and a little bit of Plan A yarn attached.  I'm waiting eagerly to hear if a Plan B was needed. LOL

It's a beauty!