Sunday, January 06, 2008

Rainy day pleasures

It's cold, grey and lightly raining, which seems halcyon compared to the past few days. We did one vacation-rental window cleaning job in Carmel, which now is probably the only house in Carmel with clean windows, and I cleaned and raked and swept the driveway, decks, front porch and street off our driveway. The several inches of wet pine needles, cones, branches, twigs and eucalyptus smelled wonderful, but certainly were hazardous to visitors. The recycling bin is so heavy I could barely roll it to the curb for pick-up.
The cats have been kept entertained with fresh catnip rubbed onto their felted toy mice. Zoe Godzilla is as much entertained by Brutus' antics as by the catnip itself. He is usually so dignified (in his mind, at least) but he will deign to play intensely for about 38 seconds, usually upside down and with his tongue hanging out), so it's rare to catch photographic evidence.


















Brigid received some therapy on her dueling scars; I massaged the area with vitamin E and worked off all the old dry itchy scabs while she purred and drooled, so I guess she appreciated it.

I finished knitting the Noro Big Kureyon Clogs 104-4 from Garnstudio. They are currently being abused (felted); Sean and I take turns furiously rubbing them on the washboard in hot and then cold water, as well as rounds in the washer with tennis shoes. They are a very weird shape, not sure they are going to be very good, probably will require some stitching and tailoring to better shape and size. I may wish I had just bought the famous Fibertrends Clog pattern. In any case, when they are dry, I'll post a picture.

I've also made good progress on Sean's Petrol Vest; I'm going to thread it onto a lifeline and make him try it on. He insists he wants it roomy, but I don't want it to be ridiculously large. I am loving the Malabrigo, and the color, Tortuga is gorgeous. The phone camera doesn't do it justice.



I'm not so much loving the Jojoland yarn for the BFF socks. Splitty, thin, comes unraveled if you just look at it, knots. I love the color, but the yarn...not so much. This may end up being my only single sock, I can't imagine suffering through two, when I have a basket of known fabulous socks yarns siren-calling me every day.

4 comments:

Marianne said...

Those moggies, so wacky, that must've been hysterical watching Brutus! Smooch isn't into the nip at all, not fresh, nor dried...sigh. I chortled just a bit about Brigid drooling...

I've wondered about that Jojoland, I've not seen it up close and personal but I thank you for the information, and yeah, why bother when there's such a bountiful feast of good sock yarns out there.

I have a pair of the Fiber Trends felted clogs, they were gifted to me and I wear them all.the.time. I actually have the pattern just haven't gotten round to knitting any... (?!?) and I hear they're so very easy! On my list....
I can just imagine how wonderful the 'fall out' must have smelled :^)

Pam the Yarn Goddess said...

So you live in Carmel, huh? Monterey, Carmel, Pacific Grove... that must be just horrible living next to the ocean. ;)

I bought some Jojoland before I knew any better. I hate it. You're absolutely right - it's thin, splits, is knotty, and is generally cheap, horrible yarn. I threw away all the skeins I had purchased, since I would never sell such a thing to a fellow knitter and subject them to an inferior product.

It just goes to prove that you indeed get what you pay for.

scarletprincess said...

The hat is so beautiful! If I were you I'd frog the sock now... so not worth the pain of a lonely sock!

Phyl said...

I just finished a pair of socks with that yarn in the exact color, washed them in the machine and ONE sock shrunk and felted. The other one was a bit stretched OUT. I just wanted to warn you. I have 2 more balls in a different color that will NOT become socks, I assure you.