You make me feel like dancin'

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No yodeling on premises.

The Frankensox, the ones I cut the tops off of and reknit the heels and feet. Not exactly what I had planned, but still nice and certainly wearable. That is the new cat, Sluggo. She is a stray that we fed all last summer, outside, until one bitterly cold night in December, when she insisted on being an inside cat.

I made four drop spindles, each a little different as I was trying out techniques. The whorls are Fimo, 3" across mounted on 1/4" dowel rods. I used an earring hook on one, twisted wire on another, and largish jump rings on the other two. I took each for a test drive and they spin well, and although they're not perfectly balanced, they are purty darn close. 

Otherwise, I have been indulging in preparing and spinning mohair, then dyeing and knitting. Pictures of that later.

Yes, it's only a paper moon

Bandersnatch

9 a.m.

Noon

Out of State

¡Hola, Conchitas! I now have my own hipster hat, courtesy of the selfsame Leslie who is the subject of my art quilt, Leslie.

I spent today picking out and restitching Leslie. It's like ripping out and reknitting, only quicker. My machine is a Bernina, and I just figured out that the markings on the throat plate are in millimeters, not inches, and so some of my seams are incorrect. Not all of them, but enough. I blame having surgery and sickness. I mean, I am a professional stitcher, right? I could not have possibly been wrong. 

This 'little' matter has been niggling at the back of my brain for awhile, and because of that, work had slowed down. Like a little mistake in knitting, I could have made it work, fiddled and fudged, but I would have known that it wasn't my best, and so it had to be fixed, and fixed right. Another session tomorrow should get me back up to speed, because the sewing isn't what takes so much time, it's the choosing the best square of fabric for each particular spot of the quilt. 

Multipurpose!

Between cat/dog/bunny tending, I have been knitting. Finished the socks with the Strong Heel, seen here at  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/basic-strong-heel-socks.

They fit me really well, and were a cinch to knit. No picking up of stitches and no yarn overs to hide a gap in the short rows. Princess thinks they smell great, after being worn a day.

In fact, I like them so much that I am using the technique to replace the heels on three pair that have been waiting patiently for mending. I thought I saw how to do this on  http://techknitting.blogspot.com/, but after looking, I don't see it there. Maybe Fleegle? Anyway, I whacked each sock in two, right above where the heel flap began. Once the heel is reknit, I will, with luck, kitchener it to the sock foot, after cutting off the gusset and holey heel. It's a bit fiddly, but quicker than knitting a whole nuther sock. I am not worried about matching the yarn; this will be a way to use up those leftover bits I have squirreled away. And I didn't want to throw the socks away; in fact, one pair is almost ten years old, but I wore through the heel the first day. The yarn was mostly pure wool, with no nylon. I don't use that for socks anymore. The ones I have with nylon wear like iron.

I've also done a bit more work on 'Leslie,' shown here in b&w. The hair and background I am not worried about, but I want the nose and mouth area to be perfect - or as near to perfect as I can make it.

Do you need a vacation?

Boo Boo is in time out. Behind bars even!

Sunday, Sweetie and I herded all of the electrical wires to safety, and allowed Bunny Boo free run of the office. Until she discovered an old plug and wire last night. Not knowing if it was hot or not, I put a box in front of it, but she nudged the box out of the way. I ran her off numerous times, but she waited until I went to the kitchen, moved the box and began gnawing. She did it two more times and received time out two more times - until I put Tabasco Sauce on the wire and adjacent floor. (Should have done that first thing. Le sigh.) 

Then she found the old plumbing tube for an ice making refrigerator, behind our non-ice making fridge. Tug tug tug, chew chew chew. Time out for the rest of the night.

Today, she discovered the mystery of the cat door, which goes to the garage. Sweetie got her back inside and into her cage; she bit him twice she was so mad!

That wrascally wrabbit  is smart and fearless.