14 posts tagged “maddy”
So, it turns out that I have two feijoa trees at the end of the yarn (you can just make one out, left, in the picture above). Now, I'm still unsure how I did not notice this fact last year, but it hardly matters as I've capitalised on it this year.
Since first spotting random green things on the ground beneath them a few weeks ago, I've made two lots of Feijoa & Vodka Jam (not exactly following that recipe, but pretty close).
The verdict? Delicious! It's a little tart, a little sweet, and perfect on crumpets!
Jam making isn't all that I've been up to, either. Since my last update, I've purchased a new spinning wheel, done a little dyeing, some knitting, and been rather busy! I'm sure I'll get around to providing details for those not yet in the know about those activities, eventually. ;-)
What did you do in your lunch break? I sculpted Santa. Four Santas, in fact. I bought some polymer clay the other day to make a couple of little goodies to go in an exchange pack, and it was so much fun (shades of play dough and plastercine at kindergarten), I decided I could make other stuff for Christmas and, well, whatever.
So, now I have four Santa heads. Maybe they'll be magnets, or maybe I'll poke a hole in the hats (they're not baked yet) and make them into tree decorations. I can tell you they will not be earrings. Why people persist with the festive ear decoration I do not understand.
Check out the photo though. Somehow I ended up with three relatively happy looking men with facial hair, and one that seems oddly startled or scared. Maybe he's concerned at the lack of ears and noses? I figure after years of heading down chimneys a little missing flesh is only to be expected!
It's almost October, and stores will be sticking up Christmas decorations and peddling their festive wares soon. I'm very glad I do not have to be involved in that! I am learning from last year though, and getting more of a head start on my crafting. The table is covered with felt and embroidery cottons, and other ideas for gifts. There hasn't been much action there, but I'm ready to go.
There has been progress on the knitting front, a tea cosy completed, a start on Fair Isle wristwarmers, rows of my Somewhat Cowl, and assorted plotting and purchasing), but nothing that really makes for an interesting photograph yet! Check me out on Ravelry if you're intersted in the details!
I don't think Maddy's too concerned about the lack of knitting, he has plenty of scarves upon which to make his bed. He did have to sniff the polymer clay though, to make sure it wasn't something he should be eating (I was using a dinner plate as my work surface). Now he's frolicking amongst the daisies littering the yard - best to enjoy the sun while it's here!
I am upset that TVNZ have again taken Martha from our screens, but do take comfort in the good things in my own life. These, of course, include Maddy, and my newly finished scarf.
When life (or the lack of it) gets to me, I do what I suspect many women do to; I eat. Or, in these days of weight watching, I more likely don't eat, and wish that I could get away with doing so.
I shop, I read, and I knit. And think about eating. I busy myself with minutia, while trying to tackle the issues that are stressing me out, because nobody loves the sucker who keeps making the same mistakes or falling into the same traps.
And perhaps most importantly, I am greatful for a gorgeous kitty cat who always knows when I need a cuddle (even if it is sometimes induced with a cuddly blanket and the occasional cat treat). I'd hate to think he absorbs my negativity, but he certainly helps keep it in check.
People do many different things to cope with stress, loss, and "bumps in the road". How do you handle stress and hard times?
Submitted by RedlyGal.
Well, my cat now has his very own jumper. I'm not certain it's a keeper, but he wore it, and didn't freak out too much. It wasn't even a hassle to put it on! It certainly didn't bother him enough to stop him eating, usually a good sign.
I adapted the "Feral Fair Isle" pattern by Amy Swenson from the book I mentioned earlier. Obviously, there is was no fiddling with Fair Isle for Maddy, as I opted instead to use one of the Ashord Tekapo melanges, called Storm along with the Dark Natural shade (it's a dark brown). I love my cat, but I don't have the patience to do colour work for me, let alone him.
As an aside, though the Tekapo is nice to knit with, and very economical, I wouldn't recommend knitting it while wearing white - I ended up with blue/grey finger tips very quickly, so there is obviously a lot of residual dye to wash out.
I made the smallest size included in the pattern, to fit a "dog" with a chest size of 16 inches around, which was about right for Maddy's measurements, and I shortened it a little from the given measurements so he can still lick his podgy little tummy and haunches (it's not that cold). I did use 5mm needles all over rather than doing the neck ribbing on smaller needles, seeing no way I could have got any smaller/tighter neck to fit over his head and sit against his body comfortably.
Another modification I made was to do away with the rows of ribbing around the armholes, and simply did a row of double crochet in the brown to finish them off. That was a good idea, because as it was the armholes aren't quite right, perhaps too small. It's really the arms/shoulders that make me think a style with a band/strap that goes under the tummy might be a better fit.
Now I've got a live garment to work with and compare, I think I'll have a better shot at creating something that is just right - perhaps a blend of what I have and this style.
Not that I'm in a hurry to add new projects to my list (despite my Ravelry invitation arriving today)! I've made hardly any progress of other things this week: not a single row on my blanket, or my red vest/jersey. I started the first of some wristwarmers in Sublime Extra Fine Merino in Dusted Grey, and then unravelled it after acknowledging I should have done a tension square first to check my needle size. I have wide hands, but not that wide! Also unravelled was a washcloth in 4 ply cotton for my sister, after I discovered a very small, but very noticeable error very early on in the piece. So, not a terribly productive knitting week for me, but at least I don't have to feel guilty about neglecting my kitty cat!
No, I don't have a dog (and no I'm not knitting for Ben and Mena's cute little pet). I do, however, have a manly (not so) little cat that seems to like snuggling under blankets, and works in progress as I knit. He's not getting any younger, and I swear he looks at me like he's waiting for his when I knit.
I am not certain that he'll take to wearing a coat or jersey, but I do have enough wool that I can give it a shot. If he doesn't take to it, I'll have a garment to donate to the SPCA. The effort isn't costing me anything (I borrowed this book from the library) but time, and I have plenty of that.
There will be no sequins or sparkles - Maddy is confused for a girl often enough without me adding to the confusion! I'm leaning towards a coat rather than a jersey, as I've had enough experience with his harness to know that that's enough of a struggle to get him into that I don't really want to be messing with pulling a turtle-neck over his cute little head!
Thinking of getting a treadmill?
I've hired one, and it's been great. The convenience of a gym in your home, and a great resting place for the kitty cat. What more do you need?
Maddy has adorable little paws. Well, they're actualy relatively large (as is he), but one tends to associate cute with little, and his little pink and black pads are certainly cute.
Show us something pink.
The only sore point there is that he's very anti me clipping his claws. Get him to the vet and it's done in 10 seconds. Me, I have to do them one at a time, sneaking up on him when he's sleeping.
More often than not, he then reminds me he doesn't appreciate my efforts by making use of the others.
This is a test post, more than anything.
I called Vodafone the other day to cancel the data plan I'd stopped using, to shift to the casual data rate. Turns out they did only half of that.
After spending a while wondering what setting I'd messed up on my phone to stop it working (and not able to narrow it down just to the plan change, since I've changed ISPs for the mail accounts I was checking recently), I gave them a call. They were quick to realise that they'd stuffed up. And quick to fix it. So, I give them that.
I also gave them back the money I'd taken away by cancelling my plan. With this renewed blogging, I might just used it after all. And while I did that, Maddy sat on my desk, looking out at the world.
My Groups
-
Knitting Updated: Yesterday
-
Craftistas Updated: Yesterday
-
Sock Knitting (host) Updated: 4 days ago
Neighborhood
Explore friends, family, friends & family, or entire neighborhood.
