I've knitted a hat

I have fallen completely in love with Grumperina's Odessa hat. It was such a lovely, easy and fun pattern. And a nearly all too fast knit.
And right now it's actually a bit wet and drying after an incident with spilled tea and a quick wash.
Cheapish but surprisingly soft and pleasant superwash wool/acrylic yarn from the yarn store near work (where I quite often go to fondle yarn on my lunch breaks).
I have decided to attempt a slightly more mannish version for lovely colleague, who has been asking me to knit him something, anything - even a nose cone.
I do knit at work. In a strange way it keeps me calm and happy all through the day, or evening.
The hat is for Katrine.
As an extra little package for the calendar, which I can finally give her tomorrow. I'm not sure if the bed socks will be able to wait in their wrapping until the 24th. That's a lot of warm softness going unused while it's cold outside.
This very evening I have cast on for the beautiful Simple Knitted Bodice, using Elsebeth Lavold's Silky Tweed in black. And I'm terribly excited about it!
Sadly, Vigdis has been put on the backburner for a while, as I had to return the book to the library and cannot find the copy I made of the cable chart. And I do not dare try it out from memory. So untill the book returns to me or the chart shows up - no finished Vigdis. Unless I decide to test my memory or whatever skills may be needed.
I have also prepared for tomorrow's lecture - after a full day at work.
And cleaned the bathroom. And done the dishes. And played tag with the bad cats.
This weekend should bring more cleaning, more knitting, more reading, a bit of work, and hopefully also a bit of Christmas decorating, just for once.
And more playing with the cats.

Bed socks and a bit of Christmas spirit

Today i finished the bed socks I've been knitting for my lovely friend Katrine.

Using the incredibly delicious Regia silk which makes them ultra soft and .... a bit hard to part with.
They are to be part of the Christmas calendar I've put together for her.

As we are both orphans December can be a bit tough to get through, and I hope a small present a day will cheer her up.
Small things, and not so small things.
Portion-packed facial masks, as she rides her bike in all sorts of weather, which is rather rough on her skin in winter time.
A few DVDs, as she just recently got a DVD-player - America's Sweethearts, L'Amant, Amélie, the Pillow Book.
Small hurricane lanterns for her balcony.
Glass ornaments. Christmassy CDs. A beaded key chain. Chocolates. Goofy poems.
The grand finale being the bed socks.
I cannot wait to give it to her Friday.

Nice and warm

Why don't you just get your own radiatorbed...

And a very young Laurenz in same bed. It does stretch.

Come here, Spidey, Spidey

Vincent is a great hunter.

If he can get to his prey....

"Come here, spidey, spidey"

"Stupid spider"

Gmail freaks me out - and cracks me up

I love gmail. It's easy and friendly, and, well, easy.
However, I generally find myself confused and a little baffled by the ads, the super-targeted ads, which are generated by certain words in the emails I receive. I try to ignore them, especially as they do give me an eery feeling that someone is reading my mail - even if it's just a program.
And sometimes, although rarely, it is very amusing.
As today.
Headline "Dick Cheney totally hates you" (very gifted SF Chronicle columnist Mark Morford)
And the carefully chosen ads:
"ONE Disposable Underwear"
"CMI Erosion Solutions"
"Girl Underwear"
"The Proven CFIDS Cure"
"Environmental News"
"Under Pressure"
Because, naturally, when you think of Dick Cheney, your next thought is .... disposable underwear!
.... but "Girl underwear"?!
Well, maybe you have to know Cheney to know.
And gmail probably reads his mail too.

My brain needs its beauty sleep

I've slept like sh*t these past few nights, and I have no clue why.
And after class today I had a job interview with big pharma co, which came as a bit of a surprise. A bit too much of a surprise.
So I was wearing knee-high turqoise suede boots and unruly hair and funny shirt dress to job interview with very big pharma co Sales and Marketing Manager, who was very correct and white-shirted.
And I was of course underslept and unprepared, as the job-mediator had forgotten to give me the correct date and time, and called me the very last moment, and I had not expected to go to any job interviews anywhere today - or even this week.
I remember talking about rarely taking the train, and labelling the Metro as a non-train.
And then I talked a bit about knitting too.
And cats, probably, well, most likely.
And... Oh, yes, I did make sure to mention I got a fine on the Metro this morning.
Which is of course important for a future, potential employer to know.
I'm an underslept fool.
Or my brain just needs its beauty sleep.
I would have liked that nice assistant's job, though, but they probably test on animals, anyway.

Vincent knits

I decided to knit a mouse. Of course.
I had some leftover yarn from the kitty pi (which has been sadly ignored since the heat was turned on and was replaced as favourite spot by the radiator bed).
Vincent was as always most helpful.

However Laurenz has decided the mouse is his, all his. And he leaves it out of reach or sight only when sleeping or eating. Any attempts by Vincent to sniff it or give it a little playtime is met with low growls leaving no room for doubt as to who is the rightful mousemaster.
I will have to knit another one.

Sleeping beauty

Well, hello again, Vigdis!

I have been so absorbed by sock-knitting and general going-ons that I have ignored the poor Vigdis.
However, as the wintry cold quite suddenly arrived without warning, I realized that I really, really need this sweater.
And, voila, I've finished the front. Not quite as "voila" as that, but I'm a bit surprised by it, nonetheless.
I had expected to knit for ages, and ages, and ages, before reaching this point.
But it seems I may very well be much more efficient than I think.
"She" will not be nearly as big as the original Vigdis, as I'm really not tall enough to carry something that wide, but the length I do like.
And since this was the first thing I started knitting, before I was sure if it was a thing for me to do, I chose a cheapish (but still wonderfully soft and nice) wool, with a higher gauge, but stuck somewhat to the original pattern (in spite of a surprising lack of pattern-following skills), with a small, intended, variation in the ribbing.
Cat-less photos are hard to come by in this house.
Hence the stretching taking place.

Warmed and delighted by Rae's care-package

Yesterday I finally made it to the postoffice to pick up my package from Rae, who has spoiled me as part of the Hot Socks Swap extravaganza.
(Damn work and courses and having to pick it up at strange postoffice I've never been to before and had to look up on map before finding. Otherwise I could have brought home these delights much sooner.)
The cats were of course very helpful during the opening ceremony. The lovely yarn made Vincent, his usual graceful self, snort loudly in appreciation. I already have plans for them! The lovely lilac Lang Jawoll will become a pair of Fancy Silk Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks, while the wonderful white Louet Gems will become Aran Sandal Socks from Socks, Socks, Socks.
I love the Numi tea, and not just the tea itself, but also the clever, amusing packaging.
I had the Simply Mint last night before going to bed, and couldn't bring myself to dispose of the wrapping which I sniff every time I pass the kitchen counter, while smiling at the direction "While humming, bring fresh water to boil (....) Let the soothing taste warm and delight you".
It's heaven!
Only problem is, now I cannot decide if the next cup should be "Bushman's Brew" ("Unlike teas, Honeybush will not grow bitter, nor shall you"), or "Red Mellow Bush" ("Sip and dissolve your worries away"), or "Chinese Breakfast" ("Like you this tea is well-balanced"), or .....
Can you fall in love with teabags?
And then I have not even mentioned the lovely Chai spice tea!
Or the most beautiful post-it notes ever made.
And there are scented candles in my favourite scents - lilac and vanilla, how could Rae possibly know?

One part aristocat, one part yarn-snorting guard-cat

When we have company, Vincent does his best to appear elegant and aristocratic, just as a fine Oriental is supposed to be. However, when we are alone he snorts loudly in appreciation of 100% merino sock yarn.
(And he barks at the gardener.)

Oh, no, it's just pizza

Lunchroom at work, early evening.
I read the paper having finished my pasta salad.
A young colleague walks by, carrying a pizza box.
I don't remember his name.
He opens the door to the courtyard, nods in way of greeting.
Me: "So you're dining al fresco?"
Him: "Oh, no, it's just pizza"
It's pretty chilly outside, though.

Oh, a bed sock

I have finished the first Bed sock.
And I love it.
It is soft, and cosy, and comfortable and pretty - and quite quickly knit.
I love the pattern, in particular the triangle formed by the gusset decreases.
And as the first storm this autumn is approaching, nice warm socks are very much needed up here under the roof. Thanks to much yoga, this photo wasn't that hard to take.

From evening stockings to bed socks

I love Knitting Vintage Socks, and I love the local library for letting me borrow it.
Having finished the Evening Stockings I have moved with the clock and started on the Bed Socks.
Soft, soft, black alpaca.
I love them already
And Laurenz looooves alpaca.
Mmmmm, alpaca.

A square for Grandmother Purl

I too have knitted a square for Grandmother Purl, and I loved knitting this. And for a short while it felt like I had my own grandmother to knit for.
Of course the center-motif is .... off-center.
But that's how it is.
Gives it the right hand-made touch, I think.
And I have to admit, I didn't love knitting it enough to frog and knit again.
Modelled by the ever-present Vincent, who thinks it's a bit small for a blanket, but nice and warm anyway.

White socks

I have knitted my very first pair of socks.
Lovely, white, light, woolly socks.
And even if I did knit them myself I'm still baffled by the fact that it is possible to knit a sock, a fine, finely shaped sock from just one long string of yarn - using wooden sticks.
The wonders of this world, we live in. (Among which I probably should not count my socks, but still....)
Modelled by the lovely Vincent:

The old fur project

I once inherited an old fur.
I do not quite remember when, where, or who. Could be my evil stepsister's husbond's stepmother.
Black astrakhan. Strangely cut, with narrow shoulders, narrow, illfitting sleeves, and too much bulk everywhere else.
I've never worn it. And while I would not buy a fur coat, I've never wanted to get rid of it either. The fur was first worn by a warm, breathing, living animal and as such should not be discarded because of bad tailoring.
So I've always thought that someday I would turn it into something else, someting fitting me a little better.
And now that it is growing increasingly chilly outside, now is the time. Especially as this week I have two full days off.
Which is such a rarity.
And should be put to good use - some of that good use will involve friends and fresh air, but also the old fur project.
I am in the process of taking it apart. Making it possible to see how much I have to work with.
I'm planning a short, fitted jacket. But how I'll cut depends on the result of the cutting apart.

My week in the shape of a pie

Having a full time job while studying full time is not ideal.
Far from it.
The white slice represents the time left for knitting, the cat-cuddling, .... drinking coffee, shopping, cooking, eating, bathing, doing laundry, going to the post-office, to the bank, or to the library, the time for cleaning, sewing, pleasure-reading, keeping plants alive, dancing (far too little), making the bed, drawing, seeing lovely people, exhibitions, concerts and movies. And all the other "little" things, not scheduled.
Which is probably why I'm not as elaborate, or witty or ... clever as I would like to be on this page. It's not as important, not as necessary, as other things are.

New white socks

So far just one in progress. The wonderful library got me Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks, and I've started on the Evening Stockings for a Young Lady.
The cats have only played with it a little, giving me hope that this I might actually get to finish.

Laurenz loves Vigdis

Vigdis in progress is perfect for snuggling