Been a while

I didn't realize it had been 6 months since I last posted. Well, I did say it would be sporadic, didn't I?

Been busy building a website called catzzzz.com to sell cat products. So far I'm only selling on a "click the link" basis. If you're interested, there's a link to the site on the right (you don't buy anything by just looking). I'd be interested in seeing what you think of the site. My next one will be a fiber site, but it took me 5 months to build this one, so I'm resting. (grin)

As far as my FLAK goes, I'm still starting the back. I've discovered that it can't be done while talking to someone, watching TV, or sitting in a meeting. I've also discovered that cables shouldn't be started from an increase row. Eventually I guess it will work for me and I'll have the saddles joined and the back really started. No pictures this time.

The saddles are done

Here are the completed saddles - and they came out right. I did have a miscrossed cable on one, and was finally able to ladder down to fix it. This is the first time that strategy has worked. I'm definitely in danger of breaking my arm while patting myself on the back (G)

Now that I'm looking at the picture, I've realized my kitty stitch markers are mostly hugging the ditches. Guess they figure they're hidden that way.

I'm in the saddle now

Finally started the saddles!

Wasn't sure I was going to be able to. My circular needle apparently jumped out of my knitting bag when I pulled something else out, and my friend's dog decided it was a good chew toy.

I was afraid I'd have to start swatching all over again to check the gauge, because that was one of the old nylon needles, and the only other needle I had in the same size was bamboo. I lucked out though, same gauge. And since my swatch didn't change gauge when I washed and dried it, I guess I'll be ok.

Whew! wipes forehead. It took me 2 1/2 months to swatch the first time, didn't want to have to do it again!

Sometimes I do other things besides FLAK

Here's a picture of a scarf I made for one of the girls in the office. It's made of Lion Brand Fun Fur.

Kitties in a row and Misty

Since I'm the Kittie's Mom, here are pictures of a couple of the Kitties in a Row afghans I've made. Actually I've made quite a few, but most of my pictures are gone. These are crocheted and one of my favorite afghan patterns. They go fast, are easy, and look very complicated. When I make these for Santa Claus Inc. they always put it up on display until they give it away.

And I found a picture of Miss Misty Feline when she was just a little less than 2 months old, so thought I might as well put that in too. Now you've met one of my furbabies. The reason the picture is a bit blurry. . . well, all right, more than a little. . . is because I couldn't get her to stand still. She'd gotten up on that sink and wanted to see all she could before I got there to take her down. (smile) She's the one who chews the ends of my needles while I'm trying to knit.

Finally Saddling Up

I've finally cast on for the saddles, and have the first 2 rows done. Not enough to bother with a picture yet, but at least I've started. Excitement builds (grin)

Lost Swatch & Notes Found

Well, my bag with the swatch and notes turned out to be lurking under the chair where I keep my purse and big knitting bag. It must have jumped out when I wasn't looking. Here's a picture of it. Wow, I can see all my mistakes as I started. Glad it cooperates more now (grin). It really was that, you know - lack of cooperation on the part of the yarn and stitches. Couldn't have been lack of experience on the part of the knitter, now could it.

When I do my wash this afternoon, I'll dump this in and see how it looks after washing. Finally, I'll be able to cast on for the FLAK! Can't wait to see how it comes out.

Well I did say it's a sporadic blog (grin)

Just realized it's been a while since my last post. Well, the cable swatch is done, looks good after all, if I do say so myself. Somehow, I've managed to lose it along with the measurements I wrote down. Some days I'm just glad my head is screwed on.

As soon as I find it (the swatch) again, I'll post a picture - just love the pats on the back from the FLAK list! Somehow, they make all the swatching, tinking, frogging et. al. all worthwhile.

Ggggrrrrrrr! Just lost a battle with a pair of scissors. We were arguing over whether or not I was going to get the outer cap off a child-proof vitamin bottle and I lost. Of course, I got my tensioning finger. A bandaid really changes the tension of the knitting.

The Cables are Coming!!!

The last picture of cables I posted to my blog had Janet's cables and my possible filler stitch. Well, the original yarn I ordered came in - Plymouth Encore in a pretty blue . It's actually lighter than what the picture shows. Then I started swatching the moss stitch for gauge, and am now swatching the cables.

It really looked as though the cables weren't going to show, but suddenly they popped out. I accidentally made what I call a twisted cable in place of one of the waves, decided I preferred it, and so that's what I'm going to use - serendipity, anyone?

Well, my measurements are taken (and are more than expected) and I'm ready to start the saddles as soon as I finish swatching the cables. I'm just beginning to be able to read the cables so I won't have so many wrong crossings. Rather have them here where I don't have to pick them out.

It's amazing what a butting cat head does to the cables, isn't it. (grin) Also when they try to "help" mama with the actual knitting. Misty chews the ends of my straights and Mouse gets caught in the cable. He (Mouse) is also the one who jumps into my lap at the computer and "helps" me type. hehehe

Still swatching

Well, the Plymouth Encore I ordered from Webs Jan 4 finally came in. It's a pretty light blue and shows the stitches well. So now I'm swatching WoolEase and Encore, and thinking about maybe making 2 sweaters, possibly with different cable patterns. What! Did I say that - am I crazy! Well, guess only time will tell. (grin)

A friend who's on several of the same lists I am will be coming down this way President's Day weekend to help measure me. Once that's done, I should be able to start knitting on the sweater(s) itself. Then I'll find out if I'm crazy enough to try to do two at once.

Harry visits The Kitties' Mom page

Since this blog is named "The Kitties' Mom", it should have a kitty somewhere. Since I haven't dug mine out yet (the pictures not the cats), and haven't been taking any pictures, I spoke to a friend and she's allowing Harry to come visit. He seems to enjoy the basin; is this a kitty thing? My kitties love to sleep in the basin also. You can view more of Harry if you visit Bobbie's blog here Oh, and by the way, Bobbie has some beautiful crocheting on her site, including some original patterns.

Well, back to the drawing board . . .

Measured my swatch and discovered that it took all 30 stitches to make the 4", so will do either the moss stitch or the rice stitch. I've now gotten gauge with both of them. Have started my 100 stitch swa . . . er . . . sw . . . sample, that's it! Will post picture when I have enough done to see.

Trying to find the pictures of the kitties too, so can post some of them. After all, doesn't every mom want to show off pictures of her babies?

2nd swatch with picture of Janet's cables

Well, here's the picture of 2nd swatch & the cables Janet has planned for us. I don't like this stitch as well as the moss stitch. Is this too much verticalness (is there such a word), so that it becomes a little monotonous. Well, definitely back to the needles for swatch #3 for moss stitch. Please wish me luck . . . er, ah . . . success with this one.

2nd Swatch

Well, here's my 2nd swatch. I'm using a pattern called Parallelograms II that I found on the net at about.com. I started it on size 5 needles, getting 23 1/2 stitches/4", so switched to size 6. The knits seem to sort of fade into the background with the 6, so guess I'll go back to the 5. The row count appears to be about 32 rows/4", which is 4 rows too many. If necessary, guess I'll have to ask for help from some of the more experienced - or some of the less mathematically challenged - people on the list. They are great about helping if you get stuck.

I'm going to put this photo together with the photos in Part 2 of the insructions, and see how the stitch will fit with the cables. I did draw them out and they look as though they will blend to look pretty good. I'm also going to try a new swatch with the moss stitch to see if I can keep it from skewing using Janet's technique of moving yarn before removing stitch from left needle. (fingers crossed)

Well, swatch is washed and dried and, as expected, still skewed. However, looks as tho there's something else wrong with it. The top and bottom are also crooked, even worse than the sides. Wonder what I did to it and how to fix it.

FLAK Knitalong by Janet Szabo - First Swatch

This first swatch is made from Lion Brand Wool Ease in Oxford Gray. I started the swatch with double moss stitch, but it didn't show up very well, so I switched to the moss stitch Janet is using. Unfortunately my moss stitch sort of skewed funny, so I'm now searching for a filler stitch I like. Already I'm behind. The story of my life - a day late and a dollar short. (grin)

This is one of the first things I crocheted when I got back into crocheting.