Happy Feet.. And in this weather WARM feet

The following are 2 Christmas presents that I made for my Niece and my SIL. They are the Fiber Trends felted clogs (made from wool then "felted" in the washing machine).

It always cracks me up when you make these as prior to felting they look like Bozo shoes (how many of you remember Bozo Circus)? They're HUGE and then you felt them (like putting a wool sweater in the washing machine and it comes out like a baby sweater - LOL)... They're pretty cool... SO KEWL (as Bree would say) that I made a pair for myself, but have to refelt them as they're not quite shrunk enough...

But, here is my Niece's pair (her favorite color is blue). They are made from the Lamb's Pride swirly and the Lamb's Pride has a touch of mohair in it which makes them have a little "fuzz" to them!


And these are my SIL's which are the same yarn in Purple. I'm not sure that purple was her favorite color, but, well, the purple was pretty cool... Thanks to my Niece for modeling. (My SIL is recovering from surgery)

It's cold today down where they live so I hope they're enjoying them. I have pics somewhere of a "shrug" - kind of a short cardigan style thingie that I originally had started making for myself - but didn't like the fit, but my Niece loved it so it is now hers..... I need to find where I put those...

And if Paige would EVER measure her head, (I don't think she wants a cool firefly hat) we'd have some neat modeling pictures of her as well....

Pictures... At least some of them...

Well, My dear Mom has complied and sent me some pictures of knitted things -

First is her "Sheep Tote" - basically the pattern calls for you to needlefelt a "sheep" on the side - thus the name - it is simply a nice square tote - which for some reason my dear Mom continues to call a purse. This "purse" is big enough to store 4 purses... Doesn't make sense to me - but, if she likes calling it a purse - it's hers - so be it.

It's made holding 2 strands together of Lamb's Pride (Wool/Mohair - thus the "fuzzy" look) one is a "swirly" (I think they call it varigated - but I like calling it swirly) and the other is a solid blue. It's cute, I have one, they are so so so so functional - this is the "bigger" version of the one I did for Paige back in October.


The next is another pencil vase like I knit for Bree's Teachers - but, I made this one to teach Mom how to felt. I like the colors - I have enough yarn left over to make one for me - which I just might - once I finish all these silly things I have on needles as we speak (way too many for my usual way of conducting knitting business). It's made with 2 strands of Galway - one multi color and one solid. It's from the Plymouth Felted Vase pattern - just made a scoish shorter so pencils don't disappear (that happens enough in my house at least without losing them in a holder).


Then while in TN at Christmas, I taught Mom to make the vase and here's her rendition - it is also in a Galway pink mulit color and one strand of a solid. I don't think she's felted it enough (can see stitches as well as it's HUGE compared to the Turqouise one) - But, it's cute! I like the colors in this one as well. In her vase, is also a flower she knit and felted from a kit she purchased when she was here in April - cute isn't it?

Speaking of on the needles... I made a vase like the above for Peggy's as a shop sample and am making a "jewelry box" one -also a Plymouth Pattern, but have to get more yarn - Am making it out of Malabrigo worsted (yum - still I think my all time favorite multi use - good for anything yarn). So, have to finish that.

I finished my felted clogs last night - have to felt them, THEN, I'll take pics of my "happy feet". I am alos 57 rows of stockinette on size 1 needles away from finishing Bree's KNEE socks - someone please - anyone - remind me NEVER EVER to make KNEE socks again - they take more than a LIFETIME. I also have figured out what I'm going to do (or in this case REDO) on my Brother's Alpaca Hunting socks - so, when I'm finished with the never-ending knee socks - then I'll turn my efforts to those.

I'm also working on an American Girl Doll Bathrobe, and I'm using the most disgusting to use yarn (I'm not a yarn snob, but this stuff is just gawd awful to work with - and yes, it is CHEAP yarn) - But, I couldn't find anything suitable and Bree liked it -Why did I even dream up the idea of letting her pick??? I'm not sure. I keep finding excuses to finish "other" things instead of just biting the bullet and knocking this out - afterall, the back is done, one front is done, and I'm on the 2nd front panel and that leaves the sleeves and collar - How difficult could it be to just "git er done"??? Afterall, it's just for an 18" doll - not like a human - ummm.. apparently VERY difficult. I was even trying to bribe my Wednesday night knitting group to each do a few rows on it and pass it around so that it gets done.. No one has taken me up on that offer - if that gives ANY indication as to how yucky this yarn is!

Well, speaking of which - I see Bree's never ending knee socks giving me the evil eye saying "knit me, knit me" (said in my best - which isn't very good) - Ron White "pick me" puppy voice...

So, I think I will listen to that voice - since it will save me from the gawd awful robe yarn....

Vehicle updates...

Well, the mirror will not be fixed/replaced on the Tahoe - $590 is just silly. But, we have "shimmied" it to stop it from vibrating. The mechanic assured us it will NOT fall off. Hmmmm...

The Big Rig is also fixed - there allegedly is something LIKE an universal joint in the steering column that was broke. According to my Svc Mgr - happens all the time on the GM "trucks" - at first they weren't breaking they were "something" and GM just had the dealers "oiling-lubing" them - but that lasted about a week - LOL! So, I guess they now have them "fix" it and replace them.. Silly question, but if you FREAKING KNOW it is a design flaw then why don't you either A) change the design or B) issue a recall? I would imagine that a broken steering shaft would be umm.. DANGEROUS?????

Anyway, it has been replaced. So, all is good.

Son of a Beehive....

Ok, my DEAR HUSBAND, being the sweetheart that he is, decided just over a week ago to take my Tahoe for a bath (since the weather warmed up) to get off all the nasty salt from our winter weather.

Well, when he folded the Driver Side Mirror in to send it through, it must have been frozen, corroded (or just old) as the "hinge" that holds it in place and springs back and forth when you fold it in, broke. It's not hanging off broke and the power to adjust the mirror, etc.. still works - it's loose and vibrates when driving at normal highway speed and is irritating.

So, I made an appointment at the dealership to have it fixed and dropped it off last night. They called bright and early at 8:30am this morning. Um, can't fix it - have to replace it - the PART ALONE is $460 plus labor puts it at $560 plus tax would make it a $590 fix. JIMINIY CHRISTMAS - WHAT THE HECK....

Hubby said NO WAY is he paying $600 for a mirror on a 2001 Tahoe with 123,000 miles on it. I told him, FINE. BUT, I'm NOT driving the thing without a driver side mirror - so if it falls off, he can do whatever he wants with the Tahoe - that I will go buy a NEW one which is just a tad more than $500. Just a scoiosh.

I also told him since HE broke it, it is HIS fault and HE should fix it. I'm sending him on his email at work at list of numerous "used part" links so he can go get a used one CHEAPER. (I'm sure this will NOT happen and it will take the mirror falling OFF - even though HE says that the service guy said it will NOT fall off - uh huh - sure)....

Now, I have to go get the Tahoe and drop off the Big Rig (my diesel crew cab truck) as we have a steering/turning/maybe bearing issue on it BIG TIME that I've been telling him about. Thank goodness this one is under warranty. When it rains, it pours.

WAHOO... She's SOUND as a DOLLAR

Anyway, my Barn Owner had his track vet out last night to look at another horse and while he was there he had him take a peek at my Filly, Jessie and this whole damn on again, off again foot issue.

They lunged her for 15 minutes then the Barn Owner rode her and pronounced her "Sound as I've ever seen any horse"- They did take an xray of her foot and thru poking and prodding and whatnot saw a itty, bitty, little hole in the bottom of her from (more of a "slice" than "hole") where he think the abcess probably released and she's now fine and dandy. Good news! Yay. Now, naturally, our weather is not cooperating (supposed to be in the low 30's and snowy this weekend) so, don't see riding her until it warms up a hair... But, that's good news.

On our farrier, the update is that he spent 10 days at Loyola Medical Hospital in Maywood and has been released and is home. As my Barn Owner said, he'll live and that's what's important.

A New Year A New Post..

And I promise to do better, Paige - (does that sound like deja vu)? I think I've said that before...

I had been knitting my fingers off before Christmas in between being sick to get "stuff" done and I'll be damned if I didn't take pics of 5 of the things... So, those will have to wait as I am at the mercy of the recipients to take photos...

But, here are the 2 "pencil vases" I made (slightly adjusted) from the Fiber Trends Vase pattern.. They're cute and Bree wanted them for her 2 favorite teachers. I made a 3rd one which I took down to Mom and Dad's to show Mom how to "felt". And again, I didn't take a picture - so, waiting for that one too! I also at the same time taught her how to make one, which she did while I was there to help. She'll send me a picture (someday) of that one too!

So, here are the 2 cuties:



The blue one is made with 2 strands of Lamb's Pride (one swirly color and one solid) and the red one is 2 strands of a mono-varigated Malabrigo (I love Malabrigo!!!!)....

I snapped this photo of my Brother being a goofball (thus the picture being publicized) of the hat I made using Jen's (Knitting Like Crazy - see link to the right) hand dyed superwash wool in Camouflage that I purchased from Peggy's (www.strandsofheaven.com). This yarn is one of the softest I've ever worked with, it was like my hands were getting lotion added to them as I knit the hat. Just a simple hunting hat which he infact is utilizing as we speak out hunting in Kansas - my SIL said she'd take a better picture of it when he returned.




I also completed this AG Tunic (knit for a future class at Peggy's). It's out of a Encore worsted yarn - fun to knit, fast and Bree loves it. I ended up making her one without the sleeves because it looks just like a tank top - I haven't taken a picture of that one as she has run off with it on her doll.




I still have all the inside Christmas decorations to take down.. which I dread because then it makes you realize that the "long" part of winter is still ahead.

My filly, Jessie, has been "lame" since the week before Christmas with an abcess (so we think/thought) but it has never reared its head yet and somedays she's as sound as a dollar (odd thing to say in this economy - but you know what I mean) and other days she is as lame as a 3 legged table (as my Barn Owner describes it). I'm thinking it was more of an ice bruise - as yesterday she was getting around much, much, much better on it - I was even tempted to ride her - but didn't. I wanted to wait for our farrier to come out to reset her but he was in a very bad accident. We don't know all the details yet, but the words, trampeled, crushed face and lost eye were in the description. How sad. Am thinking of you, Noel and your family.

My sinus' have/are going nuts as these weather swings are miserable. Just when you start getting over a headache, another front comes thru and whacks you again.

I'm working on an American Girl Doll Robe with some very icky yarn - cheap stuff - I hate it - but it is "robe-like" - bleck. Bree says she likes it so there you go.

I'm also working on a pair of Alpaca Boot Socks for my Brother (a Christmas present I started when we were in TN - had to measure him to get it right) and still have Bree's knee socks to finish. I'm to the point on her socks that I'm bored to death. The leg is SO long - all I think of when I work on them is "The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round" - sing along and don't be mad at me that the song gets stuck in your head. Join the club.