Jewel's Purls

F! FK!*

*Finally!  Finished Knitting!

To accompany my voting socks, I got around to knitting up my Democrat Hat.  I got the pattern and yarn from Jimmy Beans Wool.  It's knit from Berroco Merino.  I have to say that the yarn is very very nice and knits beautifully.  I'm going to wash and wear this hat this November and if it doesn't pill, the yarn may be on my stash-worthy list.  It's definitely next to the skin wool.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Kim and The Woolen Rabbit yarn.  I had plans of making socks in the color of Mia The Cat.  That would mean they would need to be black and chartreuse.  The chartreuse was easily taken care of by using left over Jacob's Ladder from the Mahona shawl.   I asked Kim if she would dye some black Harmony sock yarn, which she gladly did.   Now, if any of you have seen a black cat or own one, you'll know that there are times when the gray/white skin shows through the black fur.  I'm glad I was sitting down when I unwrapped the skein of black yarn from Kim because without even saying a word, she captured this very thing!  See?

She calls this color "Raven" and I hope she puts this color up for sale on her website.

So...without further ado, here are my Meemalicious socks!

"I have sniffed them, groomed them, and schmutzed them, and give them my lick of approval. They're quite tasty!" --Mia

P.S.  Just to let you know - I lost the rest of my left over Jacob's Ladder by the time I got to the heel of the second sock.  Despite an immense inconvenience to Kim (she was on vacation), she went out of her way by dying me another skein of Jacob's Ladder sock yarn so I could finish these socks.  Thank you Kim!   Of course, that means I now have enough left over for a pair of socks out of this color.  Isn't that a pity?   Despite grueling interrogation, none of the cats chez Miller has confessed to any wrongdoing in the disappearance of the left over yarn.  The yarn is still missing and its whereabouts remain a mystery.

On Second Thought

Since my last post I have received e-mails from my dear readers expressing their disappointment that my blog would no longer be up to post Mia pictures.  Well, I certainly hadn't thought of it that way and my dear sweet Mia gave me a talkin to.  First there was the cold shoulder but when she preferred hanging around other family members over me, I just couldn't take the silent treatment any longer.   She told me she was really upset that her photos would no longer be out there on the innernets.  The talent scouts would be unable to find her and then how could she become the new Cover Girl for Friskees??!!  I had no idea.

It appears my blog will be staying and there is peace once again chez Purls.

Movin On

Okay, with the hot weather last week I just couldn't bring myself to assemble Kilkenny.  So, I started something a lot lighter.  I am knitting the Mohana Shawl out of The Woolen Rabbit's sock yarn in the Jacob's Ladder Colorway.  The yarn is wonderful and the colorway is spectacular.  The photo only shows a blob but you can see the colors in the yarn.  It's genius. 

Here is Meems from earlier this week trying to stay cool.  She was so miserable. 

I've also been busy going through my stash.  I mentioned it was a goal of mine earlier in the year.  Yes, I know the year is almost half through but I gave myself a year for a reason!   From other blogs I read, I have picked up the mentality of "sock yarn doesn't count".  Also I threw in there that "lace yarn doesn't count" too.  Um.  Yeah.  It counts, especially when room is running out. 

So, here's my Jamieson and Jamieson and Smith stash that has been inventoried and neatly stored away.

That's about it for now!   Laundry and Mohana are calling.

Kitty Schmutz

Out of the three cats we have, Mia is the only one who schmutzes.   She schmutzes on the edges of doors, chair legs, human legs, boxes - you name it.

I recently got together a belated birthday box for Lorraine and she schmutzed it before I could get it out of the house.  You can't see it but I bet Chow Chops will find it...

P.S.  I later re-read this post and need to edit it to say:  I recently got together a belated birthday box for Lorraine and Meems schmutzed it before I could get it out of the house.  I certainly don't want people to think that Lorraine goes around schmutzing.  At least I don't think she does.

Golden Oak Socks - Finished!

I got these socks finished and thought I'd do a quick fly-by posting before heading out to the Yarn Tasting Party at Yarndogs.   These photos will show you that the camera on my phone is crappy and that the colors aren't really oranges and blacks, but rather oranges, browns, and rust browns.  It's gorgeous colors and a wonderful yarn.  I got it from Brooke at her Etsy shop.

Mia graciously modeled with the socks.  She insisted that she needed to be the backdrop to show you that she is the only black in this photo.

Here is a closeup of the knitted socks to show off the gorgeousness of the coloring.  Brooke does such a great job, doesn't she?  I like how the colors never really pooled.

I'm off for the evening with Celia.  I'm bringing my camera and I hope to get my blog updated tomorrow. Mia is not amused that I will not be here this evening to watch TV with her.

"I can't believe you're leaving me here with the cats and the Y-chromosome humans." - Mia

Happy New Year

It's 5 days into 2008 and I'm just getting around to making my first post of the year.   I'll try and get caught up with this post and photos.

In November we were blessed by the visit of The Flu.  Apparently The Flu liked staying here and refused to leave.   We battled pneumonia, sinus infections, ear infections, and with the help of antibiotics and perserverence we finally got rid of the horrible thing.   Needless to say, our holidays weren't as exciting as I had hoped and a lot of the photos I took disappeared.   I think all the wine we were drinking had something to do with that.

For Christmas the cats Chez Purls got a new scratching post.   Santa laced it with catnip before wrapping it.   I did manage to find a photo of Poppy sniffing his way to the catnip:

Here he is apres catnip, dilated pupils and all.  Apparently he doesn't mind the eye booger, so I hope you won't either.

I had taken photos of the kitties being their jolly selves wearing their festive red and white velvet collars (with bells of course), and kitty-sized antlers and Santa hats.  Poof.  Those are gone.  Again, I blame it on the wine.   

I have been knitting through all the sickness and holiday wine drinking.   I've been working on Alan's Dale of Norway (St. Anton) and I have the body done.  I'm using Knitpicks Telemark instead of Dale of Norway Heilo.  I couldn't find just the right shade of red for Alan so I thought I'd give this yarn a try.   I am pleasantly surprised.  We'll see how it wears, though.  You just can't beat Heilo; it wears like iron.

I started the sleeves today.  My goal is to get this puppy finished by Alan's birthday on January 22.  Here is Meems modeling Alan's sleeve her new hat.   It would seem that 80 stitches on 3.0 mm needles fits her head perfectly.

  "I know where you sleep, Mom." - Mia

I wish you all a very Happy New Year.  May you all be blessed with health, happiness, and many FOs.

Where I’ve Been

I've been busy, that's what!  I don't even know where to begin, so I'll start with Saturday night.  I hadn't seen one of my work friends for the longest time and since it was his birthday, it was time to go to dinner!   We took F and B out for dinner to the Mt. Hamilton Grandview.  We dined on Prime Rib, Filet Mignon, and Lamb.

   No, you're more than two.  Sorry.         Nice hat!

 There is a reason it was called the "Grandview".   Here is the sunset:

   

I've also been busy securing my grandmother's china and crystal in the new china cabinet.   Hubby bracketed the china cabinet to the wall and I secured the delicates using this clear gel stuff.  Can you see it at all?  I sure can't!  If there's going to be a big earthquake, there's not much anyone can do, but for the medium ones I'm hoping my grandmother's beautiful dishes will be safe.  Do you see that the china's pattern is pink?!!?  I had nothing to do with being honored with this china.  Pink was destined to be my color of choice a long time ago.

 

Some time ago I mentioned that one of the doctors I work with was expecting his first baby.  This little guy was truly a miracle.   Baby H was born on September 7, weighed 6 pounds and was 19 inches.   I am almost finished with his little sweater.  I knit this out of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino.  I need to rework the v-neck a little and sew up a few seams and loose ends and it's finished!!

I know everyone says they're going to cut back on their stash enhancement, but I really need to use up quite a bit of what I have.   I purchased this pattern hoping to use up a lot of the superwash wool I have for afghans for my two older kids.   Not this Christmas but maybe next...?

And since I ordered this, I thought it only made sense to order Janet's new book - you know, to save on packging.

Since we're on the subject of books.  Have you had a chance to see Veronik Avery's new book?  Oh my gosh!! 

Here are only two of my favorites:

   

By popular demand, a cheesecake shot of Mia:

Well, that's about it folks.  For now. 

A Photo Op

I've received several e-mails asking about Mia.  Here she is, fully healed and ready to pounce.  She just needs to grow some fur. 

"Mom - you're NOT going to post this.  Right?"