Mail Time!

Do you ever have one of those days where you come home from work only to find a package on your doorstep but you have no clue what it contains or where it came from? Today was one of those days. I came home from a crazy day at work to find not one, but TWO packages on my doorstep. And they weren't lackluster packages full of things as mundane as school books or the such, but they were knitting related, and one was full of bright yarny goodness. Oh yes, this was a great surprise.



Over a week ago I ordered some Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock mediumweight in "sherbet." Its intended use was for a EZ Baby Surprise Jacket for a friend's daughter who is due in August. (More on that later). I also ordered a back issue of Interweave's Knitscene, the Fall '06 issue specifically. Why you might ask...for this:



The Central Park Hoodie. See this whole Ravelry thing is throwing me for a loop. I am seeing SO many incredible sweaters there that I.must.knit.NOW!! The problem: it's like 95 freaking degrees outside! Virginia heat + swamp-like humidity = wrong season to knit a wool sweater. The list of sweaters that are on my brain right now is seemingly endless. Rouge. Central Park Hoodie. Licorice Whip. Salina. Button Me Up Pullover. I can go on like this all day. I've knit 1 7/8 sweaters (notice I didn't say 2 whole sweaters, I'm cheating on Wicked even though it is pretty much done) and I have a feeling I just won't be able to stop. I'm addicted to knitting sweaters...in the summer...in Virginia heat. I've lost my mind.

In other knitting news, this has been occupying my time lately:



It's Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Surprise Jacket from "The Opinionated Knitter." There has been a recent wave of these popping up all over the interwebs and I (the follower that I am) have hopped on the bandwagon. Originally I had planned on knitting this up in the STR I had purchase specifically for this project (see above) but after reading more about it and figuring out that it would result in a newborn sized sweater I wimped out. I mean newborns in Virginia do NOT need sweaters in the summer (see above). So instead I went to my LYS which equals Michael's craft store since I don't have a LYS (another gripe about living in rural Virginia) and purchased some Bernat Cottontots. It's a worsted weight 100% washable baby-friendly cotton. It might be baby-friendly and washable, but it looks like crap already and it isn't even done yet. The yarn is pilling uncontrollably and I am having huge problems getting all the stitches to look nice and even. I'm hoping a nice soak in the sink and an appointment with the sweater shaver will ease my worries.

In non-knitting related news, my favorite singer/songwriter Josh Ritter has announced his new album due at the end of August with this great sneak peak clip:



I am super psyched. If you get a chance to see him play live, go. It is well worth it.

And lest you think I forgot my Feline Photo Friday (like I did last week) here is Maggie wishing you a happy weekend.

Feline Photo Fridays - 100 degree Edition

So it's nearly 100 degrees outside and the AC is broken inside. I'm dying. The kittles still enjoy the sun though.



Felix soakin' it up.

Off to Pittsburgh (Plus Feline Photo Friday)

Well, I'm off to Pittsburgh for our engagement party plus my brother's high school graduation party. I imagine this is what our kittles will be doing all weekend:



When we aren't home they lounge on the bed all. day. long. I'm sure they are excited, I know I would be if I was a kittle and had an entire weekend to sleep!

Have a great weekend everyone! Next week brings the promise of a new FO!

Feline Photo Fridays A Little Lulu

This is LuLu, aka Delaney when she was little and liked to hid behind the microwave. Thank god she doesn't do that now!

Feline Photo Fridays (A Little Late)

Here's the Fefers all streched out soaking up the sun.

Feline Photo Fridays

I really like the idea of Eye Candy Fridays in the blog world, but I've decided to put a little spin on that. Since I am apparently a crazy cat lady, I have decided that Friday will henceforth be known as Feline Photo Fridays. Today I have Magnus.



He was my first ever kittle. Four years ago a stray cat had a litter of kittens in Justin's (the fiance) mom's woodpile. Not wanting 10 cats roaming around her backyard she set out to place the kittens in adoptive homes. At the time I was totally against taking in a kitten. 1) I'm allergic to cats, 2) J's apartment didn't allow them, 3) Did I mention I'm allergic to cats? But this little fella stole my heart and in August we adopted him. He was full of fleas and tiny for his age (4 months) but he was so furry and cute. I named him Magnus after a character in a Jimmy Buffett song, Chanson Pour Las Petits Infants (I was obsessed with J.B. that summer). Two months after that we adopted his littermate Delaney. Magnus is still tiny, and very furry but we like him that way, and the rest is history!