7 Deadly Sins Shipment #3

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just in case I didn't start this post low enough for anyone to not be spoiled if they stumble upon this, I'll give you a picture of my animal fitting this month's them quite well:

 

So yes, this shipments' theme was Sloth.  I was quite worried about this shipment given my disappointment in the last one, but I have to say I'm not really disappointed this time.  I'm not as ecstatic as I could be, but at least this shipment had some yarn in it, and the pattern (although I would probably pass it by if searching for something to make) looks like it took a really long time (not to mention a lot of math) to design.  It's not something I would normally like, but I think it could grow on me.  It also looks like it's going to be a heck of a lot more challenging than the last shipment.

The yarn is Unique Sheep Footprints.  50g of Studmuffin (brown) and 70g of Siesta Fiesta (multicolor), as well as 8g of black angora yarn for the inside of the earflaps.  The extras included were a row counter (for those to lazy to keep track), a club button, a note pad with a crazy colorful sloth on it, and some loose tea from Felicitea (green tea, chamomile, peppermint, and catnip), as well as a tea bag to put it in (the glass of Mango Lemonade did not come with the shipment, I was just to lazy to move it.  Just keeping with the theme!)

So while it's not what I expected, I'm happy about the challenge that the project will provide.  However, it's going to wait a little bit because I've started something else.

 

This is the Short 'N Sweet (ravelry link) from the Stitch 'N Bitch Happy Hooker book.  I'm making this with the same yarn that I made Blissful with, which didn't turn out as such for me, but will work great for Maura (once I finish putting the fasteners on it).  Also unlike Blissful, this one seems like it's going to fit me.  So far.  While working on this project, I've been neglecting this one:

This is the sock for Ray that I've been picking up between projects.  I'm not sure what is keeping me away from it, I think I may be a little burnt out on socks, but I really want to finish it them for him.  Yes, this is only the first one.  At this rate he MAY have them for Christmas.  We'll see.

Technical Difficulties

On Sunday I wrote a post on Live Writer about the last shipment of 7DS, full of pictures and everything. Something is wrong with the internet connection in our area and it's not letting me upload it at all. A technician is coming by on Thurs. to take a look at it. Hopefully they can do something about this, because it's affecting all three of our computers and also Ray's Xbox. Our connection is also really slow at times, one page took almost three minutes to load! Ugh! Ray thinks that maybe they're bandwidth shaping, but he did a download test on someone elses router in our building and they were going slow as well. I may just breakdown and take my computer somewhere with free wireless to upload the post. Sorry to keep you in suspense. ;)

Story Time

I wrote a short story for a contest for the yarn club I'm in (7DS, button on the side there).  The story had to be no more than 300 words (which mine is exactly) and had to end with the sentence "...and s/he saw the sloth wrap and dangle the scarf from its neck."  Sloth being the theme of this next shipment.  I found it challenging to keep the story under 300 words (I tend to ramble and over explain things), but did manage to do it.  My inspiration for the story (and it's macabre theme) came from my friend Jason who often writes anecdotal stories about cute insects and animals and their true nature.  So anyway, without further ado.......

Penelope, the praying mantis, and Midge, the sloth, were at their usual game. Penelope would run up to the very top of the tree and pick all the best fruits and nuts and place them on Midge’s belly, this way Midge could just hang around in her favorite spot all day. In return, Penelope got free run of all the insects and bugs in the tree. This made both of them very happy and plump.

One day, as Penelope was crawling around on Midge searching for parasites to eat she got some of Midge’s hair stuck on her legs. As she wound her legs around to try and free herself she noticed that certain movements made the hair fibers “lock” together. Being the curious and creative mantis that she was, she decided to collect some of Midges hair and repeat this motion to see what would happen. She quickly realized that doing this created a long piece of fabric.

Penelope decided to make a present for her friend Midge. She would make a strip of fabric out of Midge’s hair that she could wrap around herself. Penelope would call this strip of fabric a scarf. Midge would love it because Penelope worked so hard on it. And she did work on it. A lot. She soon became obsessed with making this scarf and was no longer bringing food for Midge.

This didn’t make Midge very happy. She was too lazy to get up for food and Penelope was right there, well-fed on insects. Midge reached out and picked up Penelope to put her in her mouth, scarf still in hand. She cried out, but to no avail. She made one last attempt to escape from Midge’s mouth and she saw the sloth wrap and dangle the scarf from her neck.

 

p.s.  I got the shipment today.  I shall take pictures of it and post my thoughts tomorrow. 

A Productive Weekend

 

First off, I'd like to thank everyone that commented on my last post.  It meant a lot to Ray and I to know that so many people were thinking of us and of Zombie too.  The house just isn't the same without her and I think even Sam (reluctant as they were to like each other) misses having her around.  Oh, she was such a sweetheart.

Well like a lot of grieving people, I tried to keep myself busy, so as to keep my mind off things.  Aside from going for several bike rides, breakfasts, dinners, and movies this weekend; I also worked on some knitting projects.

This is an inner tube from Ray's bike tire that went flat this weekend.  I had seen inner tubes made into straps for bags before, but just never had one lying around.  I attached it to the Spork Felted Courier Bag that I knit ages  a while ago and never got around to finishing.  Well, technically it's still not done.  I need to put the buckles on the flaps still, but it's a little closer.  And now I have a motive for finishing it too, this bag is going to be sold at the market.  I have a gajillion bags and I don't really need another one.  Plus the money will help to pay for Zombie's final medical bills.  Not the most cheery of causes, but necessary none the less.

In the there's-no-way-this-going-to-be-anyone-else's category of knitting news:

Ewww, what the hell is that?!!  And why would you want to keep it?!  Well, "that" is just over 100 yds of Malabrigo super bulky thick & thin (color: Rosa viejo) knitted into a scarf that kind of looks like a really pretty tape worm.  That is until you do this:

Ahhhhhh.  Much better.  This is the Alpine Cable Scarf from Andrea Tung's Hats, Mittens, & Scarves Deck.  It knits up really quick (which is good for the crazy person that decides she just has to knit a Malabrigo scarf in the middle of summer), and looks great once it is blocked.  I'm not sure how well it will keep it's shape once I'm wearing it for a while, but I won't have to worry about that for at least 3 more months (fingers crossed).

I've also started working on the second half of my Seven Deadly Ribs Wrist Warmers, and after trying to follow my own pattern realized that I am an idiot.  I totally had to fix the whole pattern, and it's still not quite how I want it.  However, I can live with it because it's pretty much my first real design pattern.  Plus I'm too lazy to go through and figure out how to make that crazy cable cross in the other direction (I have a feeling it would require starting the 1x1 rib with a purl instead of a knit.  Don't ask me why, apparently working on that pattern immediately turns off my brain and I can't even figure out the simplest repeat.)  I'll have pictures of those up when they're done and Maura has had a chance to photograph them properly.

Well, it's now late and my bed is calling.  Off to cuddle a kitty.

R.I.P.

 

Zombie (aka Zombers, Princess, & Zombelina)  1994-2008

 

She was tiny, bright-eyed, and could cuddle longer than any cat I know.  She loved her purple velvet pillow, and sitting in laps.  She purred like a motor boat stuck on high.  And she was oh so tiny.

She passed away peacefully at the vets office in the arms of the two people who cared for her most.

We'll miss you Zombie, you'll always have a special spot on our laps.