Finished Objects trickling down

 crochet cat / kitty toy  

(Available: mariemeyer.etsy.com )

'whale shark' woven sketchbook and pens pouch

I was working on keeping my mind off other things, so I started finding things that needed some work on them.

on the finishing table : crochet orange / yellow / gray striped rug (just have to tie up ends)

in progress : pink cat and grey sheep small knit toys (might be a bit on those)

Dreams, Patterns and Scraps

I know it's weird, and the last thing I should be thinking of right now - with Bazooka coming in a month - but sometimes I still feel like I failed Salamander and Willowpede. Sometimes I still dream that they are 'talking' to me in their way, just slight moments that actually stir me from sleep... and I know that sounds weird... Usually I just think it's one of our girls here, Mouse or Pogo, transferring into older memories.

I dreamt last night that I found Sally huddled in a very cold cupboard, she jumped out and was purring and happy to see me. She was lemurish, with her bright eyes and curling tail. As I was sitting with her, Willow came up (with her very distinctive thick furry neck) and also got into my lap. I looked at them both and rubbed them between their ears and down their necks and the dream slipped away. It was two a.m. when I woke up - and both Mouse and Pogo were outside hunting - so it wasn't them messing with my dreams. I know Sally and Willow are okay because a search that came into my site 'Sally says life is so hard' linked up with another picture's text on Flickr - not mine - which showed them in April, safe and sound. :( Dreams are just dreams :(

In the Workshop
I'm working on making my toy patterns more suitable for the sewing machine. A few months ago I was contacted for a book inclusion and even though that lady hasn't talked to me since then it is still a very good idea. We might even see about just making our own little 'booklet' with the local printing place - of about 8 to 10 patterns with instructions.

a bit of writing I was thinking up the other day...

Scraps

---

My mom used to collect scraps of everything she thought was useful. There was the bag of fabric scraps, for quilts that never got made (until I started sewing). There was the bag of 'left socks' that never got matched up. There was the box of paper and ribbon scraps, for making cards. There was a huge box of pennies, that got cashed in once a year. There were meat and grease scraps for making weekly stew and gravies.. (which did get used). Leftovers from the fridge were thrown together into hotdishes every couple of days. I was always taught to keep the scraps just in case they make up to something.

My mom said it was the 'Dutch in us' (not sure where she got that from) - the kind of attitude where you lick the bowl and spoon after mixing a cake. Often her scrap-saving ways would pay off, but just as often there would be mass-cleaning days, which were very stressful, where Mom wanted to 'get rid of everything.' I get some of that from her too - and it's a good explanation of why I clean when I'm stressed.

I haven't been doing as much of that since I've been with Mark, cleaning while stressed that is - I do clean, just not in that hurried 'I'm worried about everything - everything must be clean to make it better' sort of way. I always hated that habit, even AS I was doing it. For a while there, knitting was that kind of habit as well. I would churn out a dishcloth every day - or more, and it was a way of defocusing on what was upsetting me and making the stress into something productive. I don't knit as much as I used to either - but I do sew. Sewing isn't quite the same - it is like drawing, productive and ever-changing, keeping my focus on the project - not letting my hands go over the same repetitions over and over while my mind goes blank.

Not to say I'm giving up knitting - but yes, it has taken a back seat to my sewing simply because of this natural tendency.

Yesterday I took a good hard look at my fabric scraps. I'm always moving so quickly from project to project - it's hard to realize how fast they accumulate. They pile up in corners, and in bags - and soon you're wondering 'What in the world am I going to do with this?' I've made a few of the bassinet quilts out of scraps from the stuffed animals - and started throwing all the smallest pieces away. I guess I'm not so very frugal as my mom - but my workspace looks a lot cleaner!

Video - Pogo's first bath

Kitten pictures galore!

Remember when we posted the picture of Pogo getting her bath? We finally were able to pull video from the camera (with a lot of work on Mark's part and some Linux Kino magic).

So, here goes - our first attempt at a Youtube video!


And for those of you who can't view video, more Pogo pictures from the weekend.




I have the mask nearly complete, just a bit more work on the disks that go on the side and then it will be ready for more pictures.

An artist card I painted of Pogo and sold on Ebay.

Pogo says: Get em' Daddy!

Click to Enlarge
I nearly fell over laughing after getting this series of pictures. Pogo jumped up into Mark's lap while he was playing Grand Theft Auto and, as a chase ensued, seemed to be saying 'Get em' Daddy!'


I finally got to the point where the circular needle fits!
There were twelve double-pointed needles before switching over.

Oh, and yes, I did go with the red stripe ;o) thanks Susan!

Mark's mother's rose bush bloomed

Pogo Helps Out in the Office

Need help packing?

Or finding the right modem or printer cord?
Pogo's 'on the job' - helping us sort out cords, connectors and pack computer parts for shipping. At least, she thinks she's helping ;o) She also surprised me by learning how to climb up on the counter (via boxes and chairs) where Mouse's food dish is... all by herself now. We've had a busy week, and now there is a long rainy and cold weekend coming up.

I ordered two knitting books, Mason-Dixon Knitting and Stitch n' Bitch vol.1 They came in the mail the other day. I usually don't buy lots of knitting books, but there are patterns in these that I will use again and again. The yarn I ordered for the knee-high socks should be in next week, probably.


Kelba is quite embarrassed we caught her humoring the kitten the other night. Her eyes seem to say 'Please - don't tell anyone you saw this!'

Have a good Weekend!

Even more Knit Rabbits...

If you haven't guessed already, I have a 'thing' for rabbits ;o) These little knit ones are very addictive - and the pair has already sold in my Etsy shop! I made the smaller one (only 5 inches tall) out of some of the wool Palette I had sitting on the shelf. It was made with the 14 stitch pattern, but is much tinier than the acrylic 12 and 16 stitch rabbits!

It looks I'm going to get a lot of practice making these little guys!

Please also take a look at my buyable PDF pattern for sewing rag rabbit softie dolls!

Knit a Rabbit

Made on size 3 DPNS, each in two pieces. Knit each piece on 2 needles, using a third for working stitches.
You'll need that fourth DPN needle when working ears and legs!

Head: Start out with (12,14,16) stitches - increase for (2,3,4) rounds, stitch round for (6,8,8) rounds, decrease for several rounds (to an even number), separate for ears, work first ear to end, decreasing to four stitches and drawing yarn through all loops and tying off. Break yarn. Reattach yarn and work second ear as first. Set finished head aside.

Body: Start out with (12,14,16) stitches - increase for (2,3,4) rounds, stitch back and forth on one side for several rows. Break yarn (leave several inches for weaving in), reattach to other side and stitch an equal number of rows for pieces to meet up again. Continue knitting from other needle in round fashion (this will leave two holes on either side of the body for arms to be cast on later... like a mitten thumb. Knit in the round until the body has reached the desired length. Seperate into two equal halves for legs. Work as for ears.

Arms: Cast back on 6-10 stitches on each armhole and work arms as ears.

Finishing: Stuff head and body with yarn clippings. Work in all yarn tails or tie them inside in such a way they will not come loose. Sew head to body with a piece of the project yarn. Use embroidery thread to make happy rabbit faces.

A sweet shot of Puck (the puppy) and Yeller (the outside male cat) playing on the front porch.

Mouse and her Puppy

Mouse has a puppy... her name is Puck. Since she is so much smaller than the other dogs here, Mouse seems to have adopted her. They go in and out the front door together, play in the woods and attack each other in 'chase' all over the house. Of course, Mouse only plays chase with the puppy when she thinks she isn't being observed.. cat dignity and all...



Way back in September, Mouse already watched over this strange, large and unmannered kitten she has acquired. You can see it on her face here -- "Hrmph. What a task this is!"



We're done playing in the yard, time to come in now!


Puck got smacked back soon after this sequence...

What's going on around these parts: A lot of camera work! That is all part of more sewing for the shop, and listing things on Ebay, and fixing of computer equipment. I am working on my mom's birthday present (which includes knit dishcloths), and sent something out in the mail for my nephew's belated birthday.

The weather has been up and down - very warm one day and bright sunlight with cold wind the next. I'm also learning to drive the stick-shift truck - very different, but so far the transmission is still in one piece! So the days are full and varied, with lots of little pieces getting done on things here and there. My dream bag has five rows left to do before I start to plan what the back will look like.. or maybe I shouldn't plan it at all?


Daffodils in the garden here


Sunset at the lake

Starring Blaze

Blaze is a half Great Dane, half Collie.
She is eighteen months old, and probably weighs close to 120 lbs.

Of the three Dane/Collie crosses we have here, Blaze looks the most like her mother, Abby, who passed away in December.


Seeing as she is not the star at the moment, Mouse is not amused.


KnitOwl in Progress

I'm working on some crafty stuff. Usually I put up my finished projects immediately. This time, I'm waiting until I put the polish on some patterns, instructions and tutorials to go with the F/O pictures.

Starring Mouse and some Nameless Smoking Bones

Starring Mouse, the diluted tortoiseshell Manx
Willowpede and Sallymander's older sister

An outside-inside cat has very dirty paws...
dirty, but still cute.

Nose and Whiskers



This skeleton hangs near the doorway of the house here -- he's plastic, don't worry ;o) However, he doesn't have a name -- nothing has 'stuck' yet, as he has very little personality. He has gained a coat and pipe recently though, so maybe he's planning to make a break for it?

In other news : Still working on the weaving, although yesterday wasn't very productive for it. I had a headache most of the day - got quite bad about 9 pm, then let up at 3 this morning. Feeling better now, much better. Working on putting some auctions up on Ebay and have a small Python program that should be worked on later.