Not Bad

I'm ready to start the neckline for my Challenge sweater. I'm very happy.
I changed to a smaller needle for the solid background. So far this is not bad. :)

 I ordered my Jamieson's Spindrift yarn for the Red Queen, just to drive myself nuts. I won't start until I finish my Challenge sweater. The upper left hand skein is Zodiac - a pretty plum, can't tell from my lousy photo.

 I also ordered my Rowan Felted Tweed for Anastasiya. Pretty colors, eh?! So soft too. Can't wait to start this one too.

My second favorite in Rowan 48 is the Alisa Wrap, also by Marie Wallin. It's intarsia. I don't do intarsia. Might just have to learn how to do it. I love the flowy flowers and corkscrew fringe.

We've had a bountiful harvest of tomatoes. They're more tasty than the store bought ones. I wish we could grow them all year long. Wooly came in the house with these in his shirt, all smiles, and so excited. Like a kid. I should have gotten a picture of him.

The other day, Wooly suggested that I clean up my hobby room. I said, "Okay, I'll do that tomorrow."

The next day, Wooly asked me what I was going to do. I said, "Clean up my room!" He was shocked.

After coffee, I went up there and started sorting my stuff. The phone rang, and it was Mom.

Mom "Hey, come play with me today!"
Me  "I can't. I have to clean my room."
Mom  "What?"
Me  "Wooly said I have to clean my room and I can't leave it until it's clean."
Mom  "Michele, come. play. with. me."
Me  "Did you not hear me?! I can't! I have to stay in here until it's clean!"
*Wooly mumbling in the background*
Me  "That's garbage... that's recycle... and that's keepers..."
Mom  "Who you talking to?"
Me  "Wooly. He's helping."
Mom  "What?! *laughing* What's Wooly doing to help?"
Me  "He's running up and down the stairs taking these piles to the garbage & recycle cans."
Mom  "What?! *laughing* How did you get him to do that?!"
Me  "He's well trained!"
Mom  "*dying of laughter* Maybe you two should come over here and clean my room too!"
Me  "No, get Dad to help you. I've got my own room to clean. You didn't know Rottweilers were trainable did you?!  Mom, I've really got to go now. I don't want to spend all day in this room."
Mom  "*still laughing* Okay. Come play with me later. Bye!"

Wooly  "Who has a Rottweiler?"
Me  "I do. You're the Rottweiler."
Wooly  "I thought I was Wooly."

I learned from the best (my mom) and am just lucky that my Rottweiler is trainable. :)

Wooly is not bad.

I found this Montana Cartwheel in my room. I remember I took a paper piecing class a long time ago and we were piecing this pattern with our own fabrics. I was being my quiet self, working away, but turned around to smile at the ladies behind me, who were hilarious. At the end of the day, the teacher gathered everyone's work and put it up on the wall. I was worried, because mine was bright and bold batiks. Everyone else had pretty pastels and flowery prints. Sure enough, she grabbed one of my squares first and I was trying to make myself small (hide.) We ended up with the coolest quilt. We all gasped. She just wanted to drive home that randomness makes it even better. And that everyone brought something to the party.

Another interesting point is that we all liked everyone else's squares better than our own.

Kind of like knitting. Or designing.

Oh, and yes, my room is now clean and organized.
It didn't take long because my Rottweiler helped. Yay!
And I'm glad I found my Montana Cartwheel squares.
Might have to get back to quilting someday. :)

But, for now, I've got to figure out what kind of neckline I want.

Happy Knitting! :)

Why Try

Got the border done for The Queen. I'm knitting inward, all 4 borders in the round.
After I posted this photo in Ravelry, I realized I took a picture of the back. The sprouts should be pointing to the right. Scared myself into thinking I knit it wrong - lol! :) It's garter stitch, so maybe there is no wrong side. *sigh* Why do I try?

I ordered Kauni - EZ teal/turquoise and Evilla - natural - for my Challenge sweater. Added navy & pink Kauni I have laying around for an accent. Decided I hated the pictured picot edge, so I cut it out and just knit a plain edge and sewed it on. Might add something fancy to the bottom after I'm done.

See the giant XOX? Would it pass as Fair Isle? Probably not - lol! :)
And yes, there are gold beads in the center of the lotus' & blossoms.

I'm not seeing much of a transition in color in the background, but I'm okay with it for now.

I thought it was going to be my Christmas sweater, until I got my Rowan 48 Magazine....

Anastasia from the Russian Doll Collection by Marie Wallin. I absolutely love everything about this tunic. Must make. So what if it has rows with 3 colors. Must make. And, my mom collects those Russian nesting dolls...

Then Lorraine posted her Red Queen modeled my her daughter... Now THAT would make a perfect Christmas card sweater! I would wear it with my black boots. What's Wooly wearing? Who cares! lol!  Love those colors and big motifs. I'm into tunics this year.

Why am I wasting my time designing a sweater when I've got Marie & Lorraine to do it for me?! Why try. *sigh*    Isn't that terrific?! Don't worry, I'll finish the Challenge sweater, but not going to make it in VY, I've got Anastasia & Red Queen to knit! Yippee! :D

Meanwhile, we got 3 ripe tomatoes! and more on the way! Yummy!

And the coyote returned. I just finished packing my bag for work, looked out the open back door and there he was, eating cherries again. I grabbed my camera and started snapping pictures. I clicked my tongue and he looked right at me... not scared at all. Then Wooly showed up and he jumped into the neighbor's yard and their dog Isis went crazy. Wooly was hoping the coyote would make mince meat of Isis - his nemesis - but, he wasn't scared at all and jumped back into our yard. I told Wooly I just didn't want him to wander into the house, so I was standing by the door.

Told my mom and she said, "You saw him twice? You need to give him a name, Michele..."

I've been calling him Wylie - so original - heehee. I was going to name him Jozi, so it would be 'Jozi and the Feral Cats' - hahaha, get it?! (Josie and the Pussycats) But, I keep calling him Wylie. So, Wylie it is.

I've seen him several times, so I guess we're on his route.

"Can't catch me!"

My cute nephews and brother at the Bon Odori. Love that they're wearing their kimono jackets.

So, now do you know who my brother is? I swear he knows everyone. It's so funny when he introduces me to his friends and they say, "I didn't know you had a sister..." Guess he doesn't talk about me. Maybe that's a good thing, eh?! LOL! I always want to say, "Do you know our brother?..." and really confuse them. LOL!

If he mentions how I eat pizza - tiny bites, chew 100 times like a bunny... don't believe him!
He's made fun of the way I eat forever. Everyone I know makes fun of the way I eat. Hey, I'm enjoying my food, not inhaling it! No, I don't need help, get away! *sigh*

Okay, I'm going to try and focus on my Challenge sweater before I start Anastasia or Red Queen.
Feel like I should order the yarn for Anastasia though. You know how they discontinue colors so fast...

The Queen is just going to be on time out for a while, just not into lace for now.

Happy Knitting!
Why try? Because I can do it! Yes I can!
Rah rah! :)