Kiss My Knits!

Well, we’re moving toward Christmas at a good pace. I’ve knitted one and a half of the three pairs of FuzzyFeet I need to make. It’s a close thing as to whether I’ll make it by my deadline, Monday. This morning, Em was ready to go out the door a half hour early, bag of jammies, pillow, and doll in hand, for Read and Relax Day. I saw some teachers in jammies when I dropped her off. I’ve got a few more things to mail, and some errands to run, but I’m feeling surprisingly good considering my lack of sleep last night.

There’s no school next week, so anything I don’t get done today will have to get done next week with Em by my side. Em would always rather stay home, so trips have to go in short bursts so she doesn’t get overtired.

However, I’ve got that Christmas spirit. There are a great many presents under our tiny dry Christmas tree, and I’m keenly aware of how fortunate we are.

Before I go knit and run errands, I leave you with this anagram generator. “Tvini” doesn’t make anything, but my full name does. Possibilities include “A Halal Merger Thither” “A Thermal Hare Lighter” and “A Meagre Hat Her Thrill.” My hats are not meager, believe me.

What does your name make?

An aunt asks about buying Emily a fishbowl. Specifically, this fishbowl. Fish not included.

I know next to nothing about fish and taking care of them, but Emily has occasionally expressed an interest in having a small pet frog or fish. We have a family-owned pet store specializing in fish just up the road from us, Frank and Peg’s. Their website is awful, but the store itself has been around for more than 40 years and seems to be well-run. They’ve always been patient with Em and I wandering in to look at the animals and occasionally buy something. I’m sure we could get some fishy support there.

I reckon I can ask them, and of course I’ll do some research, but I want to ask you guys too: does anyone know anything about fish? Would a bowl 6.6 x 8 x 10.1 inches be suitable for a fish, and if so, does anyone have a recommendation?

There are some children Santa is very sure not to tick off.
I think mine may be one.

According to Em, the words that others in her class use to describe her are “bossy, smart, playful, silly, and strange.” That sounds about right. It led to a good conversation on what “bossy” means.

The words Em used to describe me are “actful(?), respectful, nice, and beautiful.” I think they really should have put “sweet” in Em’s list.

Em’s class is having a holiday party today. She volunteered to bring cupcakes. She ALWAYS volunteers to bring cupcakes. She loves them. So this morning she walked into her classroom with a big container of red, green, and white frosted cupcakes. Says my husband, “Who’s Bossy and Strange now? Huh??!!”

Tomorrow is “read and relax” day, where they’ll all wear pajamas to school. Emily is quite ready for school to be out, and it sounds like the teachers are too.

Take two on the yellow/green yarn. This is another skein of the Dale Falk. I took advantage of the half off room at a local yarn store to pick up some of these small skeins for cheap, and I think this is the last little one I’ve got. The repeats are shorter and the color is less saturated. I diluted the dye more than the previous batch and also added some emerald to the kelly green to tone it down a little.

Here’s how it compares to the original. The new one is the smaller ball on the right in both pictures. The larger is going to Rachel. She’s a member of our Wednesday night knit group and has a niece who likes these colors.

I’m pleased with how the new skein turned out. We’ll see how it knits up – probably in February. I’m a little tied up at the moment.

Look at what my sharp-eyed husband noticed on the back of the washing machine last night. I’m making a trip to the hardware store today. This could have been a LOT worse. Good eye, hon.

We tied a rope to the Dwarf and threw him in the water. He got out okay. Then we wandered around lost for a while. Then we got ambushed.
Then, to round out the experience, I got set on fire. Just another day at the office.

The longer version.

Ten-HUT!

At ease.

Base: Dale Falk machine washable wool, recommended needle size 3.
116 yards per skein
Acid dyed in crockpot
Jacquard brand kelly green, emerald, sun yellow, brilliant blue, rust, burnt orange
More BDU than ACU. Toss some black in and it’s almost MARPAT.
I’m pleased with this result and wish I’d dyed more of it.

What awful ladders along the side! I’m much better with two circular needless than using just one in the magic loop method. Unfortunately, I’ve only got one size 1 needle, so magic loop it is, even if it is only a 24″ needle and thus a bit short for that purpose. We do with what we have.

These fit me perfectly. Unfortunately, they’re for my father, whose feet are a half inch larger than mine. D’oh! I’ll have to swing by later and see if they work. I don’t think they will, but it can’t hurt to check.

At least I left that big blue lifeline in there, so it won’t be too hard to rip back and redo.

These will eventually have a Charlie Brown stripe around the ankle. Before I can finish these, though, I owe slippers to several people before Christmas. Busy busy!

Em: Maybe after Christmas we can buy an M&M plush.
Me: Maybe, if we can find one, sure.
Em: Maybe you can make one.
Me: Sssssure. I can do that.

It’s just a stuffed circle, how hard can that be?

Then Em draws a picture. This, ladies and gentlemen, is Plaid. Apparently Plaid is an imaginary new M&M character (she loves the M&M characters, although not eating the actual candy).

Em: You can make her. She should have these lines. Her gloves and shoes can be white. Her arms and legs can be the same color as all the other M&Ms.

I have to make a plush plaid M&M. That’s going to take some thought. That’s the problem with being crafty. People – especially little people – think you can make anything.