Saturday Stash

I have had an interesting learning experience this week.  And all because I met a cat on Facebook. 

My niece was cat-sitting last weekend.  His name is Wesley and he's a Hairless cat.  Most of the comments were of the 'eew' variety and I confess I didn't warm up to him at first, either.  But, then, my knitter's fingers saw an opportunity.  He lives in a city with cold winters.  He needs woollies.  I researched Hairless cats and know way more now than I ever thought I needed to know.  I also found a couple of patterns for cat sweaters. 

This is Wesley's Hoodie.  It isn't meant for a cat like him but rather one with its own fur coat.  But I think he could wear over a thinner pullover.  Like when he goes out to play in the snow.  Do you think he needs legwarmers and boots, too?  Here is the pattern if you want to dress your cat in something other than doll clothes. 

I call this Wesley's Star Trek shirt because I can so see the young William Shatner on the Enterprise in this pullover.  It's very soft...I'm sure he'll love to wear it around the house.  Wesley has proven to be an able stash buster. I'm sorry that I don't have a cat to model these things.  They do look weird when they aren't on a body.

Not forgetting the people fashions, I started a pair of socks.  I'm using this pattern  by Sarah Wolf but I'm not wholly convinced that I'm using the right yarn for this pattern.  Maybe just a plain sock would be best.  Decisions, decisions.

And, last, a really easy scarf.  This is a variation on the Seafoam pattern.  You can find the pattern by  Kate Heister right here. 

I hope to have some photos of Wesley, man cat about town.  Just as soon as he gets his package in the mail. 

Fifty Fridays #7

This is the first time I've had for blogging this week.  That means a whole lot of visiting coming up.  Keep the tea kettle boiling, folks, I'm headin' over.

But first things first.  It's time for the Friday photo.  And this one makes me smile.  It is Easter Sunday and many years ago - as you can see.  That's my Mom and me before or after church.  I think we're standing in the back yard of our house.  I remember that back part stretched on and on into the woods. Dad would have taken the picture using my mother's lovely old bellows camera with the cool viewfinder that looked like a cube-shaped eye on top of the camera.  . 

My mother made all my clothes.  I thought all mothers did this.  And, of course, Easter meant a new dress.  My mother was very fashionable and enjoyed making clothes.  So, when she asked me what I wanted to have for my Easter dress,  I immediately said a mauve dress and a light gray coat.  Poor Mom.  She was so distressed.  I can remember how hard she tried to talk me out of that choice.  They were 'old lady' colors.  They were the colors that she remembered widows wearing when they came out of their deep mourning colors of blacks, then  into the less deep purples and dark grays until they got to these lighter shades.  Certainly not suitable for a 7-year old. 

But she relented and found a pretty mauve nylon seersucker.  I'll never forget how that fabric felt:  all pebbly when I ran my hand over it.  White ribbon ties and a light gray duster coat to go with it.  Oh, I was stylin' for sure.  I'm not wearing my hat but I remember it was a white straw with little white flowers.  You had to have a hat.

In this photo, I feel as grown up as I possibly could.  Check out my Mom's gorgeous dress.  And she has the de riguer white shoes.  It was Easter, after all.  Time to get out the white shoes, white gloves and store away all the winter stuff.  Me? I had black patent Mary Janes.  Oh, happy day! 

The bag Mom is holding was also a fascination for me.  It was hard-sided and made of gray - sort of silvery - snakeskin.  I loved that purse. 

Easter was always a big fashion day when I was a girl.  Is it still?  I don't think so as we can get new clothes whenever now.  And there don't seem to be the same fashion rules. 

Sunday wonders - J

J is for Jewels.

I don't have anything that I would consider jewels. I'm a very plain person, I think.  Or lazy.  Accessorizing is hard to remember to do and usually I don't bother.  Since I love to look  at jewels,  I'm very glad that Mother Nature always remembers to put on her shiny stuff each day.

I can walk out to the garden in any season and find something  beautiful.  Like these beautyberries. 

Or a blueberry leaf dressed for fall.

Diamonds are almost always on offer.

Maybe a cluster of black pearls is to your liking?

Right now the garden is getting ready to set out the winter wardrobe.  That means holly berries.

Who needs to buy jewelry when it's all around?  

Saturday Stash

Another week flying by...

Another small crop of knitting produced and harvested for the donation shelves.  I did get out the sewing needle and put the puzzle sweater together for some little girl.  I like how it turned out and would make it again.  Think it would be better in wool with its fuzziness to help blend the shaping stitches. 

I finished the Wild & Woolly boot socks.  I really like them but they, too, are for the donation shelf. 

And since, I still had yarn left, I started another pair.  I'm hoping that by using both the green and the brown, I will have enough for a shorter, smaller pair of similar socks.  Believe it or not, the same green yarn is in both.  Funny what the camera does with available light.  The second sock is on the needles and now it's just a case of knitting fast enough to make sure the yarn doesn't run out.  That's how it works for me, anyway.  I can't wait to cross this bag of yarn off the inventory list. 

Today, I'm off to sit at a booth and explain our programs to interested seniors.  The sun is shining and I'll be knitting that second sock.