More mystery

I left my stitching in the scanner last nite so when I took out my stitching for my lunch break, no fabric, just threads and pattern. But all is well because tonite I worked on the mystery lady and she is coming along quite nicely. She needs more on the top and left side. I think she'll look good in one on my departments at work.

Some stitching

Worked on a stitching project today after a happy afternoon just reading. I love having new magazines to look through. Ideas, recipes and information abound and then they all go back to the library.

One sock down

I finished the first of my birthday socks today while sitting in a waiting room. I had just kitchnered up the toe and was contemplating whether to cast on the second with the remaining yarn or wait and start fresh with the new skein. My dilema was decided when it suddenly became my turn. At home I weighed the yarn out. 60 grams in a skein (no label), 34 in a knitted sock, 26 left in the remaining yarn. That leaves enough remaining yarn (after the second sock) to knit another pair, maybe just with a two inch short cuff.

Housework tomorrow, I have some fabric to wash prior to sewing it up. Lots of projects and ideas as well as lots of books to read. I do enjoy a visit to the library.

Crafting hiatus

The last couple of days have seen a downturn in my crafting output. I've been able to knit a little on my birthday yarn sock and today got as far as turning the heel and decreasing for the gusset. I did manage to go to the 'fabric place' and purchase more fabric and notions for some additional knit sacks. The mice are going to have to wait while I finish the bags on the sewing machine, as well a two baby blankets and some burp pads. Babies can't wait.

More circus members

This weekend the gang said to me that they deserved to be finished because they had scheduled a photo session in the back yard, first thing Monday morning. Here's the group posing together looking quite happy that they are done. They join the strongman at my work this afternoon.

The ringmaster looks quite dapper in his top hat and can. His tail coat is flapping in the breeze as he organizes all the members of his troupe.
The plate spinner is having a bit of trouble with the grass and lack of an assistant as the third plate is supposed to be balancing on his nose. I'll have to find some fine wire to give him some help.
The little clown looks great with his custom made pompoms and tiny litle cap. From this view you can see his tail that all of the mice have. I realized late, late last nite that I had forgotten to make and attach tails to the other members of the troupe. They were all quite easy to make and attach through all of the different outfits.

My favorite is the ladybug trainer. She is so lovely and kind looking and her ladybugs adore her. She has a golden ring for them to fly through. Her outfit has a bow on the back so she looks as good from the back as the front.

What a fun day with the circus mice. I looked and if the entire circus is to be knitted there is a few left to go. Two jugglers, two acrobats, magician (escape artist) and a bee trainer complete the set. They all look so adorable but that's 6 more mice to knit. I'm expecting the next issue of 'Simply Knitting' this week that I'm sure has something inticing to knit. So much knitting and so little time to fit it all in. But what fun it all is. The beach bunnies will come home today to make room for the circus. I'm planning on getting some foam to cover with circusy like fabric, some skewers or wires and then the circus can pose better. Right now they need some propping up to show off their full potential.

Snowman in June

Had to take a break from knitting and yarn today. After spending most of the day cleaning the house, washing the floors and doing laundry I brought my project of the day 'chilly the snowman' out to the patio and worked on finishing him up. He needs some snowball or snowflake button to hold in his twiggy arms. He's stitched but will have to wait to get finished into a standing figure until I track down some snowflakes.

Circus is growing slowly

The circus is growing but very slowly. These new additions, the plate spinner on the left and the ringmaster on the right have so many parts and accessories to assemble. The ring masters hat is drying after being soaked with ultra hold hair spray. The plate spinners plates have had the same treatment. They'll dry overnite and then if they hold up stiffly enough then a second coat won't be needed. Needless to say but the ringmaster won't be wearing his hat tonite.

I cast on for a lady 'ladybug trainer' mouse during my break at work today but again a crazy day did not bode well for her. The ringmaster and plate spinner are happy that they are almost ready to join the strongman.

Plate spinner

I knitted three plates and a set of feet today for the plate spinner. Here he is partialy assembled with all the remaining parts. He needs his arms, face, ears, hat and little plates to spin. More to come tomorrow.

Tiny knitting

The last two days have been crazy buzy at work and full of chores at home. I did manage to knit a few more pieces to the mouse circus set. Today was a head, two ears and a hat. Yesterday was a body and overcoat. I need to assemble them before they get swept away by the gang of cats as toys. Tommorrow, tomorrow.

Moo

It was a crazy buzy day at work and then tonite its been thundering and lightning like mad. The cats have been hanging out with me while I've been knitting and then sewing together a black cow. Next week where I work they are having a special 'dairy day'. When I saw it on the schedule a knitted cow just called out of the pattern book and begged 'knit me'. I looked at my yarn and thought white, brown and then yes a black cow would be nice. She looks lovely and was happy to pose on a field of toweling, the outside being drenched in rain.

My next craft purchase is going to be a set of felting needles. I could have used them to add spots and markings to the little cow. Eyes, details and dimension would be easily added on with yarn or roving.

The circus mice are waiting in the wings and the ringmaster wants some attention paid to him. Tomorrow. Yet another crafting day. And yet 'alien day' is coming up. The Doctor Who creature says' sew me next'.

Rainy Sunday

Today was rainy and dreary outside but upstairs in my craft room I was having a blast. I glued, trimmed, fit and finished the first two flip flop ornaments. They came out very nice even if I left off the ribbon and giant button that should have been attached across the design to mimic a real sandal. I didn't have any giant cherry buttons or beach ball buttons so I went without. They look like flip flops from the side too. A nice summery ornament.

This is a paper toy printed on card stock, from the Canon 3-d paper crafts website. You rotate the crank and the seals tip their heads and the ball moves back and forth. Lots of fun to assemble but not for the beginner or feint of heart.
The strongman mouse got a nose attached and now can talk with a tiny pink mouth. He loves his barbells that aren't attached to his hand permanently. I organized all of the patterns for the remainder of the circus mouse and knitted the pieces for the clown. After a day of cleaning, organizing, finishing, and paying the bills I wanted to knit so the ringmaster will wait in the wings for finishing.

Birth of a mouse

I worked tonite on assembling the strongman for the mice circus set. He went together quite well. He needs a nose and mouth and his barbell set. He also needs a better place to pose in. I have all of the pieces for the ringmaster knitted so he's up for finishing next. Then I think a clown or acrobat. There should be some girls in this circus.

The mouse is about 6 inches tall and fits comfortably in your hand ready to play with. The instructions call for gluing the barbell to his hands, put I'm thinking of just making it a separate piece, maybe just stitched in place. He'd get tired holding it above his head all the time.

More mice

Worked on the strongman mouse today and finished knitting all of his various parts. Now it is on to knitting the ring master. I've knitted his body and parts and am know working on his tail coat. It looks like a tangle of yarn again. I envision working assembly this weekend on WKIP day - World Knit in Public Day. What a great way to celebrate a day by knitting.

I did have to go to my local fabric/yarn store this evening. It turned out that I was missing a lot, and I mean a lot of the colors of dk weight yarn to knit the remaining mice circus performers. I didn't have any pale purples and pinks in dk yarn to knit the clown and trapezze artists. A circus wouldn't be complete with out all of the acts so I just had to get that yarn.

New animals

Today I worked on the body parts and clothing for the newest member of the animal family here in my house. He's a wonderful little strongmouse. He needs a belt buckle and barbell knitted and then some assembly needed.
During a meeting today I pulled out my birthday sock yarn project and unknit all the spiral pattern that just wasn't working. I decided to do this sock in k2p2 ribbing to show off all of the striping effect of the yarn. Any pattern just dissappeared in the yarn. I could do all stocking stitch (plain knitting) but I don't like the fit. The yarn is sooo soft and it looks yummy enough to eat.

The Beach Bunnies are getting lots of great comments at work. Every one likes that they have little bunny tails, outfits and toys to play with. You just can't look at them without picking them up and re-posing them. They don't mind and neither do I.

Introducing the Beach Bunnies

This beach bunny babe just couldn't wait until tonite to have her outfit knitted. After a quick breakfast I cast on her bikini. I modified the pattern from the first time I knitted it so both the bottom and top were knitted in one piece. Then all I had to do was weave in the ties for the bottom so now its essentialy a slip on bikini bottom. The top is tied on so she could change her outfit at a future date. I'm really pleased with how well she came together and how quickly she was knitted up.
Here's the entire Beach Bunny gang ready for an outing in the backyard. They have all of their toys and equipment in tow and are ready for a day of fun and frivolity.

More bunny join the gang

I finished the brown bunny's face tonite and he ran outside to pose with his beach towel, beach ball and boogie board. He loves that his pants are removeable. He's quite the surfer dude.
I cast on at my lunch break for the final bunny in the series. Here is the white girl bunny all sewn together. She's had her blush put on but is awaiting her beach costume. She's going for a lime green bikini. They all want to pose together when she's finished.

Bunny on the way

Worked on finishing and assembling the newest member of the bunny family. He's brown, wears yellow swim trunks and has his own towel and toys. Here's a picture of his towel and beach ball. He has to wait for his facial construction to be finalized before going outside to pose in the grass. And as all good 'hitchhikers' know, you never go anywhere without your towel.

A new bunny is born

This afternoon during the unseasonable heat wave I cast on and knitted a new brown bunny. He's got a boogie board and beach ball all ready to assemble. All he needs now is a bathing suit to wear. Back to the yarn stash to pick out a color he likes.

Another pair bites the dust

I worked hard today(while watching an old movie and having a warm cuddly cat in my lap) and finished the second 'trek' sock. It's soft and cuddly and fits like a dream. It was raining outside so no action shots in the grass. I organized my yarn and put it all away so it will be ready for the next project. Then I cast on my 'birthday' yarn and have been experimenting with stitch patterns. The k2,p2 for 2 rows then k 2 rounds bit the dust quickly because you couldn't even see it on the self striping yarn. Now on an even number of stitches I was doing a k3 p1 pattern so it spirals around. I'm not going any further with this as it's pouffy and doesn't do any thing for the socks fit. Next is going to be a trial of k3 p2 around on an uneven number of stitches with a more pronounced ribbing I think. I'll let you know how it works out. The stripy yarn doesn't show the patterns well so sometimes just a plain rib is best in the end.

The knitting bag version 2.0 is working out well. I'll have put the directions in a pdf so others can use it. Another project in the works.

It's a brand new bag

I worked and finished the stitching for the palm tree and ice cream cone ornaments. Cut out the bases of craft foam and glued them together, cut out the mounting base and attached the batting. Now it's time to wait as the foam dries before final shapping.
I made myself a new portable knitting bag from fabric that recently wrapped some new sock yarn. It's a round bag with pockets on the interior and exterior. It has a draw string with a secure toggle and a strap with hook. This is an adaption of a pattern I've made once. It had an elastic top with a loop handle on the top. It was hard to get the yarn in and out of the bag with elastic. The draw string solves this. Also pockets inside and out will keep my supplies organized. The hook allows me to attach it to my purse or belt loop. I put current sock project inside and await it's trial by knitting to see how it will hold up.

Meeting Crafts

I worked on the next cross stitch project which will be an ice cream cone ornament. I had to get one more color of floss for the palm tree as I had run out. You need to stick to the same colors or the project comes out looking 'funny'. I'm enjoying the cone which will be topped off with strawberry.
This morning I had a long meeting to attend so I took along my "trek sock #2". I pulled it out and started while I was waiting for all to arrive and the meeting to start. Other fellow knitters came over and admired sock#1 and told me of their projects on thee needles. They lamented that they had not brought theirs to the meeting. At the start I had about 1/2 inch started and by the end 6 inches. A very productive meeting and to top it off I learned a lot of good stuff too.

Little crafting day

Today I took my lunch outside to the town common, listened to a knitting podcast and worked on my cross stitch project. It was so nice to just relax and craft. Not a great deal done but there is lot's to do. This evening was our prayer shawl knitting group so I finished up the first ball of yarn and started on the next. I'll have to not put this one aside and finish it within the next few weeks. It's needed.

Palm tree

Can you feel the breezes, the palm tree and ocean waves are all stitched. Now comes the sand. From the shape you can see it's looking sandal-like. Nice shading and it should be finished by the end of the week.

Lifeguard bunny never made it to work today, he got left behind, guarding the living room mantle. I'm putting him in my bag tonite to insure his safe transport.

Sunday Crafting

Had lots of fun mending, finishing and starting anew today. The weather was wonderful and the patio called out and said bring your crafting tools outside, so I did. Keanu needed ear surgury and afterwards he was happy to pose in the grass for another picture for all to see. He's a favored stuffed animal and got attention right away.

Next the bunny lifeguard got totally assembled. He went together much faster than his companion "bunny beach babe" but still he had extra problems to solve. His pants can be removed but his tail is sewn on the pants. Next time I'd make a slit in the pants and sew the tail on the bunny. His ears were pulled through a hole in the cap. The pattern called for sewing the ears to the cap, but that seemed silly when you could do it the other way and make the hat removeable. I love his little whistle. He too loved posing in the grass and looks forward to going to my work tomorrow where he will join his other compatriot. Next for him is a knitted surfboard and beach ball so they will have activities to do whilst lounging.

Tiring of knitting I started a new cross stitch project. This will turn into an ornament that's mounted like a little flip-flop. I loved the pattern set and look forward to sharing how it turns out.

I heard from the slipper recipient and they got rave reviews for fit, feel and look. They were put right to use and that in itself is the greatest compliment. I do love guided crafting.
My gang is enjoying all of the fresh air as of late. Every morning after breakfast I open the guest room window and the entire gang came running in today. There was a little push for the best window seat . Note that the bed is covered up with an anti-cat-fur blanet and the pillows are stacked off to the side. This allows the cats to have the best nap vantage point. Little Fern even ran to the bed side and looked up hopefully at me so up she went on the big bed too. She got all set in the special cuddly spot by the pillows but there was a ruckus after about 15 minutes and she gave up the spot to Sailor (the guy in gold) and went to her own bed on the floor. Sailor commanded the bed lounging on it for the rest of the day and into the evening. When I closed the window tonight he looked at me I think lovingly, got his cuddle and closed his eyes again. Kitty comforts at home. I love them all dearly.