so, Kashka & I moved into our new apartment yesterday. and Kashka is obsessed with climbing into the lower kitchen cabinets, closing the door, and then hopping into the next one through a small gap at the top of the cabinet wall. she’s driving me absolutely nutty with this (and it’s been less than 24 hours).

anything I can get to put on the (old beat up wood) cupboard doors to get her to ignore them? especially considering that I had been planning on putting cleaning products in the center ones (under the sink). I don’t want it to keep her out of the kitchen entirely though, since that’s where her food & water are (on the opposite wall).

Finished size: woman’s large
Yarn: Paton’s Classic Merino in Palais, Taupe, Wedgewood & Faded Denim
Needles: Size 13 (Denise set)
Pattern: Fiber Trend’s Felted Clogs
mods: none

Started: 10 October 2007 …
Finished: 20 October 2007
made for: myself

I love them! I almost overfelted them, but managed to save them in the nick of time. They fit perfectly (though they’re still a bit damp after drying overnight. yeah, I love them that much, I can’t not wear them right now.) The pattern confused me a bit at first, but like many things in knitting, once you just accept and follow the pattern, it works out as it should. These knit up pretty quick - I can see why people find them addictive and make them for everyone they know. (I’m contemplating making them for next year’s holiday gift theme. will have to see if my sister thinks they’d wear them…) I’m also wondering how they’d work for ghillie-covers at feiseanna - probably would need non-slip soles added to prevent killing myself.

Here’s more pics:

Finished size: kids medium/large
Yarn: Pingouin Pingofrance II (from SP9)
Needles: Size 3
Pattern: basic mittens from Ann Budd’s Handy Book of Patterns
mods: none

Started: 1 October 2007 …
Finished: 19 October 2007
made for: Yarn Cafe’s Knittin’ Mittens project to benefit Sharing and Caring Hands

I bought this at the Nicollet Mall farmer’s market on the way home from work Tuesday. I think she likes it. If we’re lucky, I won’t fry it to death in the heat we’ve had lately.

In other news, I am a sheep. I joined Mystery Stole 3 Friday afternoon. after a bit of a stash dive, I chose some pink 2-ply wool laceweight that I got in the box of coned yarn at the thrift shop last year.

I ended the swatch early after missing a YO and not being in the mood to fix it. (which was probably not the best of ideas in retrospect - would have been good practice for the actual stole).

I then set out on a bead-hunt. I had to pick up some library books, so Maple Grove was the destination. I stopped at the The Bead Bag in Elk River, since it was on my way, and I ended up choosing some beads there. I have no idea what color to call them, they’re iridescent, kind of a blue with a pink reflection. Funny story - when I asked where I’d find the size 8 beads, after being pointed to that section, I was asked what I was planning to make. When I said a knit stole, she found that interesting because another person had been in earlier looking for the same size beads to knit a stole. Makes me wonder if I have a knitting neighbor working on MS3 as well, or if she’s working on something else. (If that might be you, please say Hi)

so then it was on to Maple Grove (after a stop at the Rogers Library). I stopped in JoAnns to grab the needed uber-tiny crochet hook (a size 12/1mm. egads, is that tiny!) and was then going to pop into The Amber Bead to check out their selection. Turns out they are no longer at that location. Rather annoying, since I was on their website before I left to check their hours and it didn’t mention that the Maple Grove location was closed. No notices on the building either, which makes me think it’s been closed for a while.

in other news, some yarn arrived today. I saw a pic of a FO on someone’s blog once upon a time (clapotis, maybe) and they had knit it up in Lorna’s Laces color Aslan. I liked the way the colors knit up, and being unable to resist most lion-themed things, decided I had to have it. and now I have some - in the Shepherd Sport weight.

in other knitting news, I’ve started another K-chan bag and a third one is in the queue. this time I’m using Bernat Felting Wool (think it’s new - it’s not on their website yet) and size 11 dpns. It’s bugging my wrists though - I think it’s from using 5 dpns and so I’m holding things awkwardly. or something. so it won’t be a marathon like the first one. but I’m about halfway done (not counting the i-cord straps)

somebody (we won’t name names here) left the door to the garage open this morning. wouldn’t be a problem, except the garage door was also open (since we leave close to the same time, it’s easier to just leave it open and the 2nd person closes it). so I’m gathing things and heading out, and notice that the door is open. not just unlatched, but open. which can only mean one thing.

so I go into the kitchen and attempt to summon Kashka by meowing. (it usually works.) no luck. so I head outside, walking slowly around the deck, all the while scanning the yard, hoping that she didn’t squished by the neighbor’s horses or a car. thankfully she wasn’t. she was crouching (the scared crouch, not the gonna pounce version) around the far side of the deck. she was rather cooperative and I was able to follow her to get her to run into the house. we have a little chat, I go to grab something, and realize that a) I didn’t close the door, and b) she was headed back in that direction (I thought I saw a blur head in that direction). so I throw my stuff in the car and head back outside to the same spot. this time she’s sitting on one of the decorative rocks (I’m not sure if she was thinking of jumping up onto the deck or just being cute). we go in and have a little chat and then I head to work.

I’m thinking I need to either dig out her harnass and leash (yes, I have taken her outside before. I think that’s why she was close to the house) or else find her one of those outdoor cat playground things (like this maybe?)