Hope you all had a lovely Easter

Vacation

I don't have a lot of on-topic news to post, though I promise a book review is forthcoming. I've been on vacation this week (and before you ask, no it is not a "staycation" as I refuse to acknowledge that as a word.) My knitting has mostly involved a lot of ripping out and reknitting, as well as a couple of days of standing in Windsor Button staring despondently at my calculator, as I try to understand why dk weight yarns - especially those containing alpaca - are so damn expensive.

But, I have finished and blocked the back of my Marseilles pullover, and started on the front.


After the aforementioned futile quests for dk weight alpaca yarn, I placated myself with some Madelinetosh and started what is sure to be the cutest sock in the world.


I love both the purpley berry yarn and the Leyburn Sock pattern. They were made for each other.

This week I've been eating very healthy meals, such as the Layered Salad from Mark Bittman's Food Matters. (Have I mentioned that I am a little bit in love with Mark Bittman?)


I've also spent way too much time managing interspecies relations.


Poor Clarence. He has never quite understood why we brought home this strange long-eared eggplant-shaped animal. Nor have I, come to think of it.

I have even managed to do a bit of socializing with actual human beings, though I haven't found the time to watch Pride & Prejudice, which was originally the most important part of my vacation plan. It has turned out pretty nice and relaxing for the most part though. I could very happily never go back to work.

Hoppin' Down the Bunny Trail

Considering this for Easter?

First, please consider this:

Futon, destroyed.


Yes, this is a library book.


Lovely black chair from Ikea, apparently tasty.


Magazines, borrowed never to be returned.


At least this part doesn't show when the boot is zipped.


Three consecutive issues of Interweave Knits.


Vintage SciFi book, expensive because of the previously excellent condition.

Not pictured: computer cord chewed through in 2 places, new computer cord already chewed and taped, pee spots on the hardwood floors, and one extremely harrassed cat.

If you're prepared for the destruction and want a rabbit anyhow, good luck and enjoy your bunny! But if your possessions are important to you, think long and hard first. And keeping them caged isn't the answer - would you keep a cat in a cage? (If you answered yes, I hope you don't have pets. Or children for that matter.)

Rabbits aren't for everyone. Animal shelters are full of them. Now you know why.

Knitting progress, or lack thereof

Top-down raglan - ripped and re-started. I finished the body and then started one of the sleeves. I got about 3/4 done and tried it on to find that it looked like a big ol' batwing. In case you are unfamiliar with knitting top down, the general method is that you start at the neck and increase as you go so you get a larger and larger circle. When you put it on and it meets under your armpits, then you are ready to separate the sleeves from the body. However, I was trying to be smart and leave a little bit of ease under the arms so the armpits wouldn't be too tight. Well, mission accomplished, because I could have easily fit both arms into each armpit! So I chalked it up to a learning experience, and spent an entire episode of the L Word frogging my way back to the pre-armpit area and starting over. It's ok. It's my first ever top-down sweater and I didn't expect it to go perfectly. I've found with knitting that I learn my lessons slowly.


What is up with the weird bulging at the sides? you may ask. That would be my inability to plan waist-shaping. I actually forgot about waist-shaping and suddenly thought "Shit! I should be decreasing. I'll just start now..." which clearly did not work out to my advantage. Again, learning lessons.

Despite the setbacks, I still think this pattern-less top down method is really really easy. I'm just remedial when it comes to judging whether or not something fits. I have the same problem with clothing from a store - which is already made, mind you - so there is no surprise that trying to decide whether or not a partially made sweater will fit has proven so difficult for me.

Blythe coat - abandoned, at least for now.


I made one before, for a swap, and although I knew at the time that I was going to eventually make one for myself, I apparently didn't write down the needed modifications. Or, knowing me, I did write them down and put them somewhere that I wouldn't lose them, which is a sure way to never see them again. I didn't even realize it until I had finished both front pieces and attached them to the back. At that point I couldn't even bother ripping out.

So just like last time I started again, modifying so that it would come out the correct length, with the waist shaping in the right place, and again I didn't write down what I did. Now that it is time to make the front panels I don't know where to make the decreases/increases so the panels will match the back. I can probably wing it, but don't feel up to it right now.

In addition to problems with actually knitting the item, my printout of the pattern keeps mysteriously jumping out of my knitting basket and appearing with bite-sized chunks ripped out of it. I can't prove it's the rabbit, but I'm pretty certain that my cat does not eat paper. (In fact, his recent specialty is eating plants and then throwing up in inconvenient places, like on our white upholstered bench from IKEA). I'm led to believe that perhaps the practice of 24/7 free ranging for the rabbit isn't the best idea, but she is the charge of my lovely boyfriend who treats her like a princess and gives her whatever she wants. Far be it from me to come between a man and his bunny-love.