Kitty needs a home: Sep 23, 2013

I used to have a problem with feral cats. I say problem because caring for them became to emotionally heart breaking. I fed them and befriended many of them. This resulted in finding homes for their kittens. One kitten had an injured leg, the human society found a vet who would removed the leg at a discounted price so that the kitten wouldn't have to be put down. I also know that the vet that performed the operation eventually adopted the kitten. But caring for them was also very hard. Most of the cats passed away, disease, malnourishment, and getting hit by a car. The last straw was the day after a major storm. The storm brought with it lots of wind, rain, and a tornado that went through parts of town. Though my house was fine, my yard had become a mud puddle. The morning after the storm, I dug a kitten out of the mud. He seemed fine, just dirty. But within days it's mother had abandoned it.  I called local shelters, trying to find one that wouldn't just put the kitten down.  Before I heard back from anyone, the kitten had died.  I regret not taking it to a shelter or to KSU vet school even if they were just going to put it down.  I assuming that it had internal bleeding which lead to it's passing.  That's when I stopped putting out food.

Fast forward to early September 2013; a white and brown spotted female started hanging out near my porch. She was friendly and affectionate but malnourished with some kind of eye infection. Up until now I could resist, but for some reason, with this cat I couldn't help myself. I had to feed her and give her clean water. Since then she has gained weight and looks much healthier. Her eyes still have some problems but are not as nasty as they were. I've decided that she needs a home before she gets pregnant. Now, I can't afford another cat as a pet, I also can't afford to take a feral cat to the vet. So I'm asking for your help.  

I have a friend who can't take the cat in but is willing to help with vet bills. So I'm posting these pictures, hoping this cat will find it's forever home.  If you personally can't take the cat, please pass this on so others can see it.

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UPDATE: Nov 16, 2013

A cat sanctuary might be able to take her in but will not be able to house her IF she tests positive for feline leukemia.  IF she does, no shelter can take her.  My husband and I have talked it over and decided that we can't expose are current cat to this cat if she is sick, even temporarily.  Being in contact with the sanctuary has given me hope, so I decided to name her Hope.  Hope needs a temporary home until she's all clear to live in a shelter or move into a forever home.  Please share this!

Catchup And Liquor

I know, I know, I've been gone for a LONG time. . 

I won't even try make any promises to be more consistent. Consistency is apparently not apart of my nature.  But that doesn't mean that I haven't been writing posts!  

Here's one I wrote on OCT 20, 2013 :

So I've learned an important lesson. One that my 2013 New Year's Resolution has tought me. Never underestimate the value of your stash. Most of my stash is sock yarn. I am SOOOO bored making socks. I know. . There are thousands and thousands of sock patterns out there. Earlier this year I decided I wanted to make something big. Something not out of sock yarn. I did accomplish a few shawls out of my very small worsted to bulky weight stash. However, I'm now down to sock yarn and one or two hanks of random "other" yarn. Not a whole lot to work with.  But I'm trying to make due.  

Next year's resolution is going to be project based.  I have several projects in my queue on Ravelry that have been there for YEARS.  So I'm going to make a list of things I'd like to make and try my darnedest to finish the projects on the list.  I will allow myself to stray and make something off the list, but the projects that make the cut are top priority.

 The first project of 2014 is the Evenstar shawl by Sunflower Designs. Lace weight yarn and size 3US needles. I will get to make something big, but not out of big yarn. Oh my, this might take a VERY long time.  I'll give myself until Thanksgiving 2014 to complete it.  

In other New Year's Resolution news: The non-purchaseing resolution has been tested a lot during the past month. My job has become very very stressful. They've compinsated me by giving me a small raise. So I'm stressed AND I have extra cash I didn't expect. So I got myself a gift. 

I promise I didn't break my new year's resolution, I just bent the rules a bit, right?  

Both cones are mystery lace weight. The pink is cotton and the lavender is wool.  I got them because I wanted to 1) work with lace before I started on the Evenstar shawl and 2) wanted to make a Christmas present for my (insert family member here). Secrets will not be reviled here, but hopefully by Christmas 2014 I'll have a nice (knitted thing) for my (family member).  Yes, Christmas 2014, It's lace and I'm not a very fast knitter, that's why I'm not shooting for this Christmas.

The biggest temptation has been the recent news that my LYS will be closing in min-december. I will have to drive to the next town over in order to touch, sniff, and buy yarn. Of course I will still have the internet, but going to a yarn store is an experience all in it's self. The owner is closing her doors because she wants to focus on her pattern writing. I am excited for her that she is getting do do more of what she wants to do. Because isn't that what we all want anyway?  

Wildflower's yarn and knitwear, you will be greatly missed. 

My Next Trick

So "My Next Trick" was going to be another attempt at Stephen West's Pogona except with a twist.  I wanted it striped.  However, if you look at the photo close enough you will see some pretty scary laddering on one side.  I knit a few inches testing techniques to fix the laddering problem with the intent to start over once I found a solution.  But I never came across one.  I did decide that these two colors need to go together in a future project, just no Pogona.

So I made this instead: 

 

 

Another Stephen West, Boneyard Shawl.  I've made this one before using DK wt yarn, this go around I used light sock wt.  This yarn was bought in Hutchinson KS for a local artist.  I had over 600 yards so I just knit until I was close to running out.  Hopefully I'll get some finished and blocked photos on here for ya!  Speaking of something finished (has yet to be blocked), I did finish the Daybreak and I LOVE it!!

So what have you been knitting? 

21 hours in St. Louis

This past weekend my Sister-in-law got married.  It was the coolest and weirdest wedding I've ever been to.  

The wedding was held in the circus ring at City Museum.  City Museum is part museum, indoor carnival, and huge climbing gym.  

 

 

Like I said, the wedding took place in a circus ring.  Both bride and groom are performers, various types of entertainment. But no matter what, it seems that juggling tricks are always involved.  So instead of exchanging rings, they exchanged clubs.  I didn't have a picture of this, wish I did, because it was pretty awesome!

 

St. Louis is about 6 hours from my home, so the ride to and from made for some good knitting time.  

I'm almost ready to start the border of my Daybreak Shawl!!

For my next trick: What do you think of these two colors??

A day for Frogging

So it's been a month since my last post and life has been . . complicated . . . I lost my knitting MoJo somewhere. I just haven't been in the mood. I've been spending my time reading, which I could be doing something a lot worse! But I keep plugging along on the Day Break shawl. Today, however, I decided that I should take care of this little problem that I've set aside. I'm going frog my Pogona. It will make me a little sad to do it but, I just don't have enough yarn to make it the size I was hoping for. I started the shawl May of 2012, it's been rough, this relationship between me and my green Pogona. I've made several mistakes and went back and fixed all of them, I went through two, that's 2, pairs of needles in the process of making this shawl. One of which was a very expensive pair of rosewood Lantern Moon circs that snapped in two when I started the final section. Yes it will be sad to let the Pogona go, but now that I'm thinking about it. . I do have a large amount of "Tardis" blue yarn. . . hummm. . . 

Off the needles and onto the swift.

Kinky yarn needs a bath!

WIPs, among other things

David Sedaris.

I went into town, got the oil changed, got a few items needed for the trip to his show, when my mother-in-law called and said the show was canceled. Very sad. So I had the whole day with no plans. So I worked on this:

It's a surprise. And Yes, it's crochet not knitting. 

 

WIP's.

I did promise pictures of some WIPs I had going. . 

Knitting Mojo Dishcloth

Day Break by Stephen West

Running.

It's been almost a week since my last run. Finally the weather warmed up a bit, so today I went running. I'm learning to love how the elements can effect how hard a run is.  It was warmer but I live in Kansas, just so happened to be a windy day.  I did push myself a bit, but not in a way that made the run harder. I focused on moving my legs, gaining distance, instead of "shuffle-jogging". I did improve distance, .08 of a mile further then the previous run, and I don't feel like the run was any harder then the previous one. Good feelings. . I knew that working out and getting into shape would have benefits but I never thought that .08 of a mile would make me feel so good.

And on the topic of running: My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who was affected by the Boston Marathon bombing. All of the runners, family members, volunteers, and spectators. I did know people who where there and Thank God that they are all alright.

Since I have started running, this is the first year that I've even paid attention to when the major races were starting. . The first year that I've enlisted time into understanding the different marathons, the work that goes into qualifying for one, and, above all, how the Boston marathon is different from the rest. For all of those people who were running their first marathon on that day; Chin up, don't look down, keep at it. Don't let something like this keep you from running.

1000+ Pageviews, something must be going on in Russia

Good Day All

So I haven't blogged since late January, but my blog has had a LOT of visitors, mostly from Russia. . Cool!  Hi Russian Knitters!  I've never been to Russia but my Husband has and wants to take me there someday.  Looking forward to it!

So what have you all been up to!?!?!?!  It's been to long!  I have reached my 90 day mark of yarn sobriety.  The last time I bought yarn was in December!  Feels kind of weird, not shopping for yarn.  I did win some yarn from my LYS Wildflower Knits.  And I was gifted some yarn.  BUT I have not bought any yarn.  Phew. . .   But really, not even shopping for yarn kinda makes me feel. . .  like not knitting.  Ugh, I got that out.  I'm just uninspired.  Today was actually the first day in the past four weeks that I've knit.  I started a dishcloth, just to get the juices flowing, and now I've pulled out the project I was working on before my little unintentional knitting break.  Daybreak by Stephen West, one of my favorite designers.  Mine is mostly a cream color with the stripes being a jeweled tone variegated yarn.  LOVE IT.  I don't have my camera with me right now otherwise I'd be posting some WIP pictures for ya.  Don't worry, I have some time in the next couple of days to post some pictures. . get myself caught up on my blogging. 

So what have I been doing instead of knitting?  Reading.  Lost of reading.  I went thought the Harry Potter books and The Song of Fire and Ice books already this year.  After reading those I wanted something simple, non-thought provoking, and just plain entertainment kind of story.  Well, knowing my BFF's would make me watch Breaking Dawn 2, I re-read the Twilight Saga.  If all you want is some entertainment. . .  Twilight has it.  But if you start to think to much into the story, well. . . lets not go there.  After Twilight, The Hunger Games started to call me. . So I re-read those too.  Since I'm on a reading binge, what to read next?  Well, I'm going to meet David Sedaris (yeah, MEET him) on April 19th so I'm reading Naked right now.  But another Stephanie Meyer book is up next, The Host.  I've listened to it on BOCD and loved it.  But I've never actually read it.  OOOH, if you haven't listened to any of Sedaris' books on CD, then I suggest you do so.  He reads them, does voices for various parts, and overall makes for great road trip listening.  

Other then reading and not knitting, I have been working out.  My husband and I have tried the "couch to 5k" thing in the past but all we had to time ourselves was a kitchen timer.   Try running with that, I dare you.  He downloaded the app (now that he's a member of the cool phone club) and that has made a huge difference.  He's being a total sweetheart about it too, running along next me.  With my short legs and even shorter endurance level I'm surprised he hasn't given up on me yet.  He says it's like running in place, he's much taller then me.  But he keeps at it, and every run is easier then the last.   The first one, I thought I was going to choke to death.  I couldn't get enough air no matter how deep I tried to breath.  The next day the muscles around my rib cage were sore, really sore.  But I haven't had that experience since.  The last run, (yesterday) I started to experience pain on the inside of my left calf, but it didn't feel like sore muscle.  Shin Splint.  ugg.  It started shortly after we started jogging, slowed me down quite a bit but I told my husband to keep me going.  I didn't want to turn around and go home.  I figure, some workout is better then giving up, even if I do run slower and walk more then I want to.  So we're taking today off.  I'm headed to Target to check out the work out clothes.  I'm a bit self-conscious of my "back side" so I wear a t-shirt that's long enough to cover things. . but now I'm tired of working out in a circus tint.  So we'll see what I find.  

Hope everyone is doing well and look forward to some pictures on my next entry!

Twenty Days Yarn Free

Hi, My name is Sarah Smith and I have gone 20 days without purchasing any yarn.

I had to skip the Winter Wool Fest and I have not gone into the local yarn store (even though I really need a nice button).  I even passed up going into Hobby Lobby.  *sigh*  

I have been going through the yarn in my stash and finding projects on Ravelry that I could do.  I've been going to the patterns page and then narrowing down the search by yarn weight and yardage that I have on hand.  So far I have three projects in mind.  Each project is a large time consuming project.  Each will take a month or more to finish.  PLUS I have those UFO's to work on still.  

So Right now I'm working on The Springtime Bandit.  Using Knit Picks Wool of the Andes that was given to me by a friend over Christmas.  I have/had 5 skeins of it and hopefully when I finish my Bandit, I'll have one or less :)

As far as my UFO's have gone, I pulled out my Pogona shawl and started tinking.  I want to undo a few rows then I'll knit up the last two rows and will hopefully have enough yarn to bind off.  Keeping my fingers cross.

Well, I hope everyone's new year has been going well.  I promise some pictures next time! 

Knitting in the New Year

Artist: Mansha Friedrich Photo by Julian Stratenschulte of Getty Images

Happy New Year Everyone! 

No better way to bring in the New year then with knitting needles in your hands!  I found this photo at Los Angeles Times Photography.  It is from 2011 but I found it to be the best New Year's photo google had to offer.  The Artist pictured is Mansha Friedrich of Hanover Germany.  I do not know how to read (or speak) German but she appears to be a known Artist who creates large works of art using fiber, called Urban Knitting, very similar to what I call Yarn bombing but on a larger and more artistic scale.  All I can say about that is. . . YOU GO GIRL!  And Mansha, if you get to read this: Hello From Kansas, USA!

Well, we've been in to 2013 for almost 12 hours now. . .and I haven't bought any yarn.  Phew, doing good so far.  I kinda of panicked the other day, what if I NEEDED more dishcloth cotton?  *rolls eyes*  I can do this.  I will do this.  I NEED to do this.

I am writing this from a coffee shop.  They are having a "Hangover Brunch" and asked my husband to provide some live music.  Though I am not hungover (I didn't drink at all last night), drinking coffee and listening to him play is a great way to spend my first day of 2013.  Hope everyone else has  something lovely to enjoy today!