I’ve been making Christmas presents but, of course, I can’t blog about them just in case certain people look at the blog.

In a non-Christmas related project, I’ve been trying my hand at knitted openwork (AKA lace) and am quite enjoying it. Naturally, for my first attempt at it, I’ve been using a heavier-than-laceweight yarn and am knitting a scarf.

Ta-da!

I am a world-class procrastinator but I think I’ve come up with a productive method of procrastinating…I put off doing one task by doing another!

My task for today is to make bias tape from some fat quarters I’d bought which means that I’ve made myself some stitch markers:

The beads were scavenged from under the cutting counters when we closed the old store (I saved them from being vacuumed up). I didn’t go crazy and make markers from all the glass beads I rescued, just in case they don’t work out (who knows…they might snag).

I guess this means I have to go work on my bias tape now.

Monday morning seemed like as good a time as any to check my progress on the goals I’d set for October. Back on the 7th, I’d set these goals for myself:

• Finish Polly/Aviatrix hat for Emily
  Well, this one hit a snag. I finished the main part of the cap and that was when I realised that my tension was off and there was no way this would fit a human baby. Since I don’t know any bonobo babies looking for a cap, I scratched this task off my list as “screwed up”.
• Finish Streaka’s Old Lady Whippet Sweater
  Done!
• Work on my grey cardigan.
  Have not done anything on this project. However, while knitting up a pair of slippers for Wayde, I did realise that knitting in pattern was requiring less and less attention from me and I thought “Hey, maybe now is the time to pick up that grey cardigan again!”
• Sew some more aprons.
  If one counts as “some”, then I can say this goal was reached. If not, then I’ve got at least one more apron to go.
• Sew a circular needle case from fat quarters.
  Not done, although I have the supplies.
• Make bread at least once.
  Also not done.

Geez, it looks like I haven’t been busy at all, doesn’t it?

However, along with my pre-set goals, I’ve also managed to come up with a good pattern for a fleece sweater for any Tighe-sized whippets and I knitted Wayde a pair of slippers:

I really need a pair of slippers myself and Wayde has requested a second pair of felted slippers so those tasks have been added to the queue.

How many more days until the end of the month?

I think he actually likes modelling things…

Thanks to a link on Apartment Therapy SF, I found an awesome blog this morning: Resurrection Fern. Among many other great entries, blogger Margaret Oomen’s post on making a felted bracelet really inspired me.

I’m almost done the first one and will felt it when I have enough to justify running the washing machine.

I’m also going to try a version made out of cotton yarn to use as a casual collar for the dogs. Cotton won’t felt but it will be washable!

So thanks, Margaret Oomen, for inspiring me!

After another day spent working on the prototype for the fleece dog sweater, I’ve finally had some success! I now have a working pattern for the back and chest pieces.

I’m still torn on the closure style and also whether to add a collar or not.

As far as the closure is concerned, maybe velcro on the waistband would be suitable.

It might look more “finished” with a collar but adding that piece would definitely make it harder to get over a dog collar. That alone is a BIG strike against it in my book.

I’ll sleep on it…

Yippee! I can cross one item off my list of October goals…Streaka’s “Old Lady Whippet Sweater” is finished.

I’ll probably end up having to move the buttons; once I’d sewed them on and then let her try on the sweater again, I could see that they were in the wrong place.

Here’s the pattern for the sweater:

Notes

Happy Thanksgiving!

I’m off to work this morning but am considering putting together a poultry-based dinner for tonight. (It can be a little tough to get in the TG mood when everyone around you is focussed on Hallowe’en…

And yes, those guys like to hang out in my front yard.

Well, maybe not art but it looks better than having it all over the den…

Of course, now I need to get rid of the old bags that used to hold the yarn and possibly clean up my desk.