Lobstah

Pattern: Knit Lobster by Molly Lincoln
Yarn: Lamb's Pride Worsted
Needles: US6 Addi Turbos
Notes: The finishing on this was a big pain. That's why it took me an entire month to finish this little guy. The pattern is really cute but all those little pieces! Ugh!

Wood Chips are My Life

After we decided to go ahead with sheet mulching the entire back yard we called a few local arborists about getting wood chips. Then one day two weeks ago, with no notice or warning, I came home from work with this waiting in front of my house.



That's about 10 cubic yards of wood chips which, you may notice, is taller than that sedan parked there. Wes and I have devoted a lot of time to hauling wood chips either by hand or by wheel barrow into the back yard. I have also devoted a lot of time to collecting cardboard to cover the entire yard. The people at Trader Joe's have gotten pretty used to me coming into the back and pulling everything out of the cardboard baler. We have maybe 75% of the yard covered at this point.




Quite a difference from two months ago.



Now if I could just get everyone walking by to stop making snarky or obvious comments while out there shoveling chips. The most common ones are, "Got enough chips there?" and it's more obvious variant, "That's a lot of wood chips!"

Yeah, buddy. We know.

George Carlin RIP

I went to YouTube to find some video but there is just too much to choose from. Go have a look around yourself (when there are no children or uptight people around).

Crossover Episode

Jenny Check from Stash and Burn and her husband, Harold, visited Seattle this weekend. I learned about their plans to visit while listening to Stash and Burn #55. I had spaced out a bit for a moment then snapped back when I realized that Jenny and Nicole were discussing Seattle. Then I realized that not only were they talking about Seattle, they were talking about me! Just then older son walked up and started talking. I told him to wait so I could hear what was being said.

"Why?", he asked. "What are they talking about?"
"They're talking about me," I told him.
I got a very dubious look.

Anyway, I picked up Jenny and Harold from their hotel and took them on a late Saturday afternoon yarn crawl. We only made it two shops because we got distracted by cupcakes. It was wonderful to meet them both. When I would turn my head and I could hear Jenny talk it was the oddest feeling. The voice is so familiar but the person is all new.

Any other knitters visiting Seattle? Let me know.

Jenny got to briefly meet my podcasting partner, Erin. I was kicking myself later. I should have recorded at least a minute or two of all three of us together. It could have been like when the cast of Diff'rent Strokes would show up on The Facts Of Life.

Want

Elusive Mr. Squirrel, always out of reach.

Foliage

Pattern: Foliage by Emilee Mooney
Yarn: Sheep Shop 2
Needles: US10.5 Brittany dpns and Addi Turbo, US9 (maybe 10??) Inox circ
Notes: I wanted to try this yarn I recieved as a sample at TNNA. It seemed perfect for Foliage. It knits up beautifully. It's very firm, shiny and soft. The pattern is a lot of fun and may just be the ultimate last minute gift pattern. I cast on in the evening and completed it later in the night while watching a few old episodes of CSI.

And it matches my shirt perfectly!

Too Creepy Not to Share

The Magic Cabin Pony Harness has been discontinued. Perhaps too many "big kids" were using it for their own "playtime?"

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

While I admit I've had a go at Berocco more than a time or two I haven't fugged them in a long time. The quality of their patterns, while not matching my taste, has vastly improved. But the latest group of patterns has some real issues.


This hat vexes me. Is this even a real photo? Has the hat just been added to a photo of a model with photoshop? What does the hat even look like? I can see how it will appear from the top of a ladder but how about a side view?


Knitwear meets bondage. I can see the appeal of having small accessories connected so you won't lose one but why have the scarf-y thing so short you can't actually use it to warm yourself? Why all the arm wrapping? I'm confused.


This one was in the fashion show at TNNA. I should probably recuse myself because I detest anything glittery (it's in a shiny silver yarn). But the way this one moved on the model gave me the willies. The front dewlap, or perhaps udder, just flapped back and forth as the model walked down the runway. Highly unattractive.


This one, in addition to winning the "Most Unruly Edge in a Published Knitting Pattern," also gave the impression that someone was standing behind the model holding her breasts in his hands. It's styled more tastefully here but beware the strips of ribbing that cup the breasts! Beware!


Everyone has been sending me the link to this one. What can I say? I also have a lot of trouble with button placement. Next time try placing a pin to correspond to each buttonhole. Should fix this one right up.

Bacon!

I may really late with this but did you see that the Anti-Craft has an issue devoted to bacon?

Funniest Things the Kids Have Said So Far Today

Younger Son: We are *so* not young.

***

Younger Son: What's Ghost Rider's alter ego?
Older Son: Nicolas Cage

RIP Cyd Charisse

Tiny House Woman

The woman who became somewhat famous for not selling her tiny cottage so that developers could put in a Trader's Joes died today. What will happen to her little house now?