Way back in May

I set a goal of knitting 10 pairs of socks between then and the end of September. Meanwhile, I promptly abandoned all sock knitting and went on to sweater knitting. I think this is an incredibly graphic reminder to myself that I like to set goals and promptly sabotage them. All by myself. Weird.

Once again, it just underscores how knitting teaches you more than how to make things from skinny little wound up fibers and a couple of sticks. Or not. I’m already thinking of ways to redefine that goal to make sure I “meet” it. For example, is there an equivalency relationship between a sweater and pairs of socks. Could I count the sweater as 3 pairs? Maybe 4 or even 5?

But really now. Isn’t this all moot? I set a goal. As soon as I set it, I abandoned it and went on to something new. I didn’t seem to learn anything from this process except that I’m weird and perhaps, (note to self here) that I shouldn’t set goals for my hobbies. Food for thought.

Meanwhile, contest update: Vicki has agreed that the person who wins the prize she donated in the contest (scroll down a few posts to read “It’s a Contest Now” and to enter) can choose either two cat toy patterns or a lace pattern. She’s on Ravelry as SimpleKnits. Great patterns by the way!

Late Breaking News!

I got this message on Ravelry from SimpleKnits:
Be Kind to Animals Contest
Sent at 1:58 PM August 15, 2008

I’d be happy to donate a few of my original knitting patterns to the contest. One of my lace patterns or a couple of cat toy patterns.

If whoever wins is on Ravelry, I can send them a link to pick up a free pdf through Ravelry (or email it to them if they aren’t).

Take a peek at my patterns here.
http://www.ravelry.com/stores/simple-knits

Let me know which you would like.

Vicki

Sorry I’m so slow to check my Ravelry mail!! Thanks Vicki. I’ve emailed Vicki to see if it’s OK for the contest winner to just pick a pattern. I looked at Vicki’s patterns. Very lovely work. Tell all your friends to enter!!

Refined Finish

I haven’t been posting. I have been knitting! Among other things. More about that later. Meanwhile, here is a shot of the Refined Raglan in all its glory:

And a detail of the neck:

It was a fun sweater to knit. It went very quick and some side shaping held my interest on the long stretch of stockinette on the body. The pattern is from Interweave Knits Winter 2006 (page 68). I like the way the funnel neck fits. It feels a bit like a cross between a boat neck and a mock turtle. Comfortable to wear, not that I have been able to actually wear it. It is summer after all, and this baby is WARM!!

The alpaca yarn has a surprising weight to it, yet the sweater is not thick or bulky and feels light on.

Meanwhile, other news of interest. Little Miss Opal spied a porcupine in the cottonwood in the back yard. She would not stop barking at it; although, Mr. Porcupine did not seem disturbed by the 10.5 pound frantically leaping monster at the base of the tree. See:

She still has a red scar from the spaying. Poor little dear:

You can see the redness on her bare little belly.

She’s always up for some type of game. Here she’s thinking about pouncing on Jakob who happens to be relaxing on the floor next to their sofa.

Only one week left in the be kind to animals contest. I think there about 20 posts, so the odds are pretty good for the ones who have entered. There are two prizes–a daily planner/journal and the lovely sweater pattern donated by Yarn2Dye4 plus some sock yarn donated by me.

Encourage others to do something good for our furry, or not so furry as the case may be friends, and post to be eligible to win the cool loot.

Later this week, I’ll fill you in on more exciting aspects of our lives.

Just one row

I’m just one row away from the row that joins the body and sleeves and starts the work on the yoke of the refined raglan sweater. Very cool. I’ll post a picture after it is all in one piece–next week some time. I’m up to my eyeballs in work this week.

Meanwhile, I’ve been cleaning in my office and I have one additional prize to add to the “Be Kind to Animals” Contest. Some great entries, by the way. If you haven’t read them or you haven’t entered, be sure to check the post prior to this one.

This prize is totally non-knitting related. It’s a daily planner book. View it here:
Daily Planner Book

The planner book is still in it’s shrink wrap. If you are a planner type of person, this may be just the prize for you. I bought two, tried one and this definitely was not my thing! But, hey, it probably would be a great tool for somebody . . .

It’s a Contest Now!

Today is the official start of the “Be Kind to Animals” contest. First order of business:

Prize:
There will be one prize unless somebody out there wants to offer a second prize >>insert smiley face here<<. This prize will include a copy of the CableDown Pullover pattern donated by Sheila of Yarn2Dye4 through a tiny mishap. Yeah Sheila! The winner will have their choice of one of four different sock yarns to go with the sweater pattern. I know, sweater pattern goes with sweater yarn and sock pattern goes with sock yarn. Not in this case however. So, deal with it.

The first pattern/yarn combo choice is an undyed SuriBlue fingering weight that you can view on Sheila’s site. I will send you 100 gr off the cone I bought. It will be wound in a cake. It will be undyed. It will be absolutely gorgeous.

The second choice is for the pattern plus a skein of Panda Toes from Crazy Monkey Creations. This yarn is a blend of 65% superwash Merino with 35% Rayon of Bamboo (490 yds/100 g).

The third choice is for the pattern plus a skein of Zen Yarn Garden. This is an 85% superwash Merino/20% nylon blend in the Infusion semi-solid colorway 420 yds/4 oz).

The fourth choice is for the pattern plus two skeins of Regia Silk in color number 0180. It’s 55% Merino, 20% silk and 25% Polamid (200 m/50 g each skein).

What you have to do:
Do something kind for animals. At first, I was planning to limit the contest to having people contribute at least the cost of the pattern (about $5) to their favorite animal charity. But then, through an unfortunate series of events, I came to realize that there are many other ways to be kind to animals.

So, do good out there. The sky is the limit. Tell us about your efforts to improve the lives of at least one member of the planet’s Animalia Kingdom here, in comments to this post. You have to comment on this post or I get confused.

When and how we’ll decide who the winner is:
Entries will be accepted for the month of August. The winner will be selected during the first week of September. How they are selected will be determined by the number of entries.
Less than 20 entries: Random drawing
Between 20 and 50 entries: I’ll pick my top three favorite entries, and then you, dear readers will vote on your favorites via comments on the blog’s Sept. 5 post.
More than 50 entries: As above, but I’ll pick my top five favorite entries to let you’all vote on.
You may enter more than once.

Remember, I am not an official contest diva. This is just a bunch of friends getting together and playing with yarn. I don’t know if there should be more rules, disclaimers, legal mumbo jumbo or what. But, I promise, I will not play favorites, I will not let Opal enter, I will not enter myself (even though I really did do a cool thing several days ago), and I will send you the prize you select out of the four mentioned above if you are the big winner–even if you don’t live in the evil empire land of warmongers USA. What else can I say?

Until then, treat your furred, scaled, feathered or otherwise-clad friends with respect and care.

P.S. Did you know that sheep have tails?

Do they normally bob them when they are two days old like someone did to our little Miss Opal? I had no idea!