I'm Back

So sorry I've been away so long....my beloved little MeggieDog was very sick and passed away on February 24. She was nearly 16 years old, and I brought her home when she was 5 weeks old. So, you can imagine how lost I've been feeling.

I still miss her terribly, but am improving a bit at a time. In the past few days I've started a couple of very simple knitting projects that don't require a lot of attention just to get my hands (and hopefully my mind) active again.

I'd finished my first "Regular Guy Beanie", so now I've put another one on needles. I'm going to do this one in stripes. I'll try to get some photos up in the next few days. I've also started a simple cabled hot water bottle cover. I've just discovered the joys of sleeping with a hot water bottle at my feet on frosty nights. How the heck does that thing stay warm all night??

More later....have a great weekend, all!

Oh Goodie, Goodie, Goodie!!

Yesterday I received a shipment from KnitPicks that included Wendy D. Johnson's wonderful book Socks from the Toe Up. I can hardly wait to start knitting from it! I need to finish up the simple ribbed socks I'm working on, but I'll probably go ahead and cast on a pair from the book. After all, it's September and I'll need socks soon. (Okay, that's my excuse...*LOL*)

I also ordered some sock yarn....addicted, you know. My excuse here is that they had their Stroll Tweed Sock Yarn ON SALE. And I need some new gray socks to go with a beautiful gray sweater that Mom and Dad gave me. And one of the colors ON SALE was "Ash". So I needed it, right? RIGHT?

I also ordered a couple of balls of their Stroll Multi Sock Yarn in "Turtle"....ON SALE...LAST CHANCE...and I have a new pair of green slacks that they will look just great with. And it was only $2.99 a ball. So I needed it, too. Really. I did.

I also ordered some natural bare marino wool because I want to try something I've never tried before.....KoolAid dyeing!! This will either be a lot of fun or one huge mess. *LOL*

Fun, fun, fun! And as I say often, knitting is cheaper than therapy.

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday afternoon. My appointment was at 1:55, but the doctor was delayed by an emergency surgery. When I arrived, folks who had 11:45 appointments hadn't been seen yet. Did I panic? Nope. I just whipped out my little knitting bag with my Magic Loop socks and entertained myself and various other patients for the next couple of hours. *LOL* I didn't get to see the doctor until about 4:30, but I told myself, "Hey, more knitting time." I was tired when I finally left the doctor's office, but not upset at all. Therapy, I'm tellin' ya.

And now I have the next week off from work. Ahhhhhhhhhh. Nothing special planned, only a few things to take care of. I'm hoping for a couple of cozy afternoons in the recliner with MeggieDog and a lap full of knitting. :-)

What I've Been Up To

So, once again I've fallen behind in my blogging....bad, BAD Cricket!! In my defense, though, I have been pretty busy.

I've been battling tendonitis in my leg which makes it painful to sit at my home computer for more than just a few minutes at a time. I finally realized that I don't HAVE to sit in the chair. I have a wireless mouse and keyboard and can actually use the computer from the bed, where I can prop up all comfy-cozy with pillows, blankies, knitting, and MeggieDog. I'm a bit better now, and hope to be out of pain soon.

A friend asked me to help him with a project for his father (Father's Day gift) which turned into more work than I'd anticipated, but that's coming along nicely. Just time consuming.

On top of that, I'm working four 10-hour days at the office this summer....it's great because I'm off every Friday, but BOY am I bushed when I get home. Between the extra-long workdays and the anti-inflammatory meds I've been taking for my leg, I've been fairly unproductive in the evenings after work. I'm adjusting, though, so hopefully I'll be back on schedule with knitting and blogging soon.

Knitting.....I'm knitting the "Basic Sweater" from Jacqueline Fee's wonderful The Sweater Workshop. It's my very first sweater, and I ADORE the yarn. It's Knit Picks' CotLin in a marvelous color called Pomegranate. I could just sit and cuddle this yarn. I hope it's as comfy after knitting it up! Because of all the stuff listed above, I've only knit about 7 inches or so from the bottom, but it's going well so far. We'll see if I panic as I approach sleeves for the first time. *LOL*

I have a couple of pairs of socks on needles that I've barely touched in the past month. They wait so patiently for me.....

A friend at work is knitting mittens. I hadn't knitted a pair in months and had, in fact, learned to knit on DPNs since knitting my mittens, which were knit on straight needles. I poked around on the internet a bit and found that Kate Atherley, who wrote the wonderful "Socks 101" on knitty.com which is my sock bible, had also written "Mittens 101". JOY!!! The other night during a particularly bad bout with my leg (during which I didn't want to risk messing up my sweater-in-progress at 3:00 am), I knit the "Training Mitt Pattern" in Kate's wonderful instructions. What a joy it was to knit a mitten without sewing a single seam! So now I want to knit more mittens.

Of course, first I should finish my sweater.....and those two pairs of socks I started.....and a Mother Bear or two or three or four because I have the pattern and haven't started a single solitary bear.....and a baby blanket for a friend who's going to be a grandmother soon.....and a couple of birthday gifts....not to mention that I should start my Christmas knitting soon. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!

Okay, Cricket, one step at a time. So right now I'm going to throw a load of laundry in the washer, have a little dinner, take a nice relaxing bath, and crawl into my recliner with MeggieDog, my remote control, a glass of tea, and my knitting....the Basic Sweater, I think. Makes me feel more relaxed just to think of it. *happy contented sigh*

Meggie's Second Sweater

I finished Meggie's second sweater this evening. As you can see, she's quite pleased. :-)

Another Sweater for Meggie

I've started another sweater for Meggie. I wanted her to have at least two ready for camping season so that she can have a dry one to wear if she gets one wet. Actually three would be better; we'll see how quickly this one goes.

I have to admit that I'm really anxious to start another pair of socks. It was such fun learning to knit on double pointed needles that I want to get another pair underway before I forget what I learned!

Meggie's Sweater

My 15-year-old miniature dachshund, Meggie, loves sweaters. Because her fur is fine and she's so close to the ground, she's always enjoyed wearing sweaters outside and t-shirts inside.

Because of her little short legs and her broad chest, it's always been difficult to find sweaters to fit her. And, as the years have progressed and arthritis has taken hold, it's becoming more difficult to pull sweaters over her head and get her little feet through the sleeves.

I went Google-ing for a pattern (a SIMPLE pattern, since I'm a beginner) for a knitted doggie sweater that I wouldn't have to pull over Meggie's head. Lo and behold, I found a perfect sweater for her at this site: http://labpugglechifreepatterns.blogspot.com/2007/10/nursing-button-ribbed-and-mock-ribbed.html

Since I'm still learning to knit, it took me a little while to get it finished, but I'm VERY pleased with the outcome! I have a few other projects to finish up before I can start another sweater, but am anxious to get another one cast onto my needles!

Hat and Mittens

This is the hat and mittens set I knitted for myself from leftover yarn from my very first knitting project, the scarf I started in December 2007 and finished in January 2008. I knitted the hat and mittens in February 2009.

I'm making progress on Meggie's doggie sweater. I can hardly wait to see how it looks on her!