Huge Clogs, and Lessons Learned

In a previous entry I said that I was going to get my last pair of Felt Clogs done by last Wednesday.

Well.. that didn't happen. Mainly because of this...

I agreed to alter a machine knit sweater for a customer. I cut off sections and unraveled one stitch at a time and carefully bound off the stitches on size 0 needles. I didn't think that this would be the time consuming monster it turned out to be when I took on this job. I simply thought I could snip some threads at the bottom and unravel. That didn't work out. This sweater was made with literal cotton 3 ply thread that just split, tangled and knotted up like you wouldn't believe. I maybe spent 15 hours or so getting this sweater under control.

Lesson learned: Just say no. It isn't worth it!

Despite the sweater nightmare I did get some things accomplished. I knit the second sleeve of Ava's red coat, I knit an inch or 2 on the tilted duster, seamed and finished two small projects for customers, and made two of these....

Is it a wierd hat?

Is it a completely useless toddler sleeping sack?

No! It's a pair of EVEN more gigantic Felt Clogs!

This is my last pair. These are for Jason who wears a 13-14 shoe. Are these clogs ridiculously huge or what? I'm going to visit my sister-in-law tomorrow and felt the 2 pairs in her washer. I've got a useless front loader. So i'll be posting pictures soon.

I also did a bit of spinning this week. This is the wool/tencel blend I got on my weekend trip recently.

I just love the sheen on it. I think it will knit up into a beautiful scarf. This is so not a priority though. I've got lots and lots of knitting still to do. I just have one more miscellaneous job to do for a customer then I can knit whatever I want to for a while. I've got to get that red coat done soon before Ava grows out of it. Wouldn't that be tragic. Until next time...

2 Socks on 2 Circulars

I taught my first "2 socks on 2 circular needles" class today!

For the most part it was a success. It's a challenging technique to learn, and I felt all of the students hung in there even when things got tricky. I think that the hardest part about this is keeping everything untangled. At first it feels so awkward with the two balls of yarn and 4 needle points. It does get easier though. I told the class that I taught a friend this technique and at first she had trouble. But a week or two later she had 3 pairs of child's socks completed. So just like anything with knitting, if you stick with it, it will get easier and easier.

I recommend this class for anyone who is just plain old sick and tired of knitting that second sock. It's also great for those who want to expand their knitting knowledge and are up for a challenge.

For current class times be sure to check the website.

Peaches my sweet bunny girl died tonight. I can't even believe it. I woke up and it was the first time ever she didn't immediately greet me, waiting for her morning treat of 1/2 tablet of banana acidophilus. She wasn't eating much so I spent the day hand feeding her. My vet was on vacation and so was every other rabbit vet within a 20 mile radius. When DH returned home from work we took her into Albuquerque to an emergency vet where she got fluids and pain meds. When we got back home she was like a limp dishrag and couldn't even walk. Then it got worse but I won't go into it. Suffice it to say she did not go gentle into that good night, Jack the cat was totally freaked out, and DH has said we can never get another rabbit to break our hearts like this again. I swear to God she was perfectly fine yesterday.

She had just turned 5 years old and she only lived with us 3 3/4 years. She adored this house - it was the first house she'd ever lived in and she had pet beds, blankets, and boxes in most every room. I'm pretty sure she had more bunny toys than any other bunny in the world. We adopted her from the Colorado House Rabbit Society which is why I donate money to them from patterns even though I live in NM. The HRS rescuer called her Breezy but DH changed it to Peaches. She was so scared when she moved here that it took her several months to leave the bedroom (the door was always open) and a year before she'd brave the three stairs to come down to the living room.

She really was one of our great joys in life and always made us laugh. Just a few days ago we were giggling because she had wedged her fat self into this tiny box DH used to hold kindling. She loved the woodstove and would spend hours "inspecting" the firewood. Sometimes you'd just see her big ears over the stacks of wood. She had the most beautiful bunny eyelashes and loved to rip apart cardboard boxes loudly in the middle of the night. It is hard to even imagine this house without her.

Now I need to go cry for a few days.