Wendy Knits

Tam, of Columbus, IN!

The correct answer was July 11, 2002 and a whole heckuva lot of you got it right. We chose Tam as the winner in a random drawing of all correct answers.

So Tam, the Woolcraft book will be winging its way to you shortly.

Okay you guys. The October contest is going to be really really hard. You just wait and see!

Cute Mousie Photo du Jour

This comes from Ursula in Germany. I think Teddy looks a little nonplussed to be surrounded by all those mousies!

I received mousies from Mari in New York, NY and Cindy in N. Providence, RI. Thank you! Look at the total — we’re over 500!

Friday night was spent in mouse packaging — Ian and Lucy and I got caught up and bagged all the mousies we’ve received so far.

But I did work on Marina, too, over the weekend.

I’m ready to start the front neck shaping, so the body will be done soon.

A big thank you to Veronique in Switzerland who kindly sent me a half a skein of J&S Green Mist that she had left over from her Marina. If you recall, in The Scottish Collection, Green Mist is left off the list of colors needed and all I had was a partial skein left over from Oregon. I was almost out of Green mist, so Veronique’s skein came just at the right time.

A Virtual Baby Shower!

If you stopped by my blog yesterday afternoon, you saw that some of us were attending a virtual baby shower for Jillian who is the proud new mama of the beautiful Henry. Our shower hostess Deb really puts on a great party! Jillian, we wish you and your family every happiness.

Reader Questions

Yesterday Jo asked about substituting Peer Gynt yarn for Heilo. I think it would work — do a gauge swatch first, of course. I’ve subbed Brown Sheep Naturespun sportweight for Heilo, and the Brown Sheep is finer I think. But it worked out just fine.

And Jo, there is a Peer Gynt sweater on my site. But just one. You can see it here. I do have another Peer Gynt pattern book — the one with the anniversary sweater in it. The one with an elf riding a reindeer on the front (or something like that). I think it’s a very cute sweater — just haven’t gotten around to knitting it yet.

There was a question in the comments the other day about what would constitute a good first color project. Another answer (in addition to the suggestions I had in the comments) is the Knitting Beyond the Hebrides BearlyKnits Fair Isle sweater. Check it out here! This would be a perfect project on which to practice your fair isle skills.

Lucy wishes you all a Happy Monday!

That’s me.

I feel like the Queen of the Meeses with all my little subjects bowing to my every whim.

Perhaps the aroma of catnip has gotten to me . . . I seen to be babbling. Of course, some of you might say “How can we tell the difference?”

Ha ha.

I printed out a whole lotta mouse labels and took them to work yesterday along with mouse bags. I stuck labels on during my lunchbreak, so we’re getting caught up a bit on the mouse packaging.

And here, for your viewing pleasure, a photo of Mrs. C’s handsome Maxwell, showing incredible restraint as he poses with some Mouse-a-thon mice.

I think Lucy is quite taken with his beautiful eyes.

Jamieson’s Shetland Knitting Book 3

I got my copy in the mail on Wednesday (The Day of 146 Mice). I was a wee bit disappointed that there weren’t more fair isles — only two. There’s a fair isle cardi that I don’t really care for, but the pullover, Mossbank, is quite lovely. I may have to make that.

The rest of the designs made me go “eh” because they were too simple for my taste. Except for one short pullover that looked intriguing — a combination of cables and lace.

But I think the book was worth getting for me because of the Mossbank fair isle. There were some fun felted bags in it as well, that at some point in my lifetime I might need to make.

Saving the Best Til Last . . . Marina!

Getting close to the point where I’ll start the front neck shaping.

Don’t forget! Contest winner will be picked at random from all the correct responses as 5pm EST today. Winner will be announced in Monday’s blog>

Good discussion on dpns in yesterday’s comments, and the merits of the different types.

Pretty much the only thing I use dpns for is socks. For cuffs and collarbands and everything else in a small circumference, I try my level best to use a small circular. Sometimes a cuff is too small for my 12″ circular, and I have to whip out the dpns, but most of the time I get by without.

So, as I said, my dpns are for socks only. and most of the time I’m knitting socks, I’m using fingering weight yarn, and my needle size of choice is a US 0, or 2.0mm. And that, sadly, narrows the playing field for sock needles, cuz not all needles come that small.

(Isn’t this pitiful? Are the tears welling up yet?)

My “dream” sock needles would be ebony dpns in size 2.0mm, 5.5″ inches long.

(Wait! That reminds of a song lyric:

Extra credit to whoever can identify the song and artist!)

Boy, that brings back memories of my misspent youth.

Sorry — back to the subject.

I suppose there’s a reason that they don’t make 2.0mm needles. Like maybe they’re too fragile? I dunno.

Speaking of Music . . .

I was saddened to hear of Warren Zevon’s death the other day. Last time I saw him in concert was . . . oh . . . maybe ten years ago, at a small club in DC (The Bayou in Georgetown). Warren was always my Number One choice for “Sexiest Male Singing Voice.”

Speaking of Ebony . . .

Ooh! Ooh! Lookie what I got!

This little gem is an ebony fountain pen, beautfully handcrafted by the lovely and talented Caroline Morse — she of Fiber Arts and Furry Critters and A Twist on Wood.

Is it not fabulous?

Yes, I am a pen geek.

Marina

I smoothed Marina out prettily and didn’t compress this photo as much as the last one:

Mousies on Parade!

Mousies received from Lydia, in Charlottesville, VA, Rose in Seattle, WA, and Susan in Wanaka, New Zealand. Susan’s mice came via Rose, who in addition to contributing rodents of her own, is one of the official mouse-stuffers for international mice!

Rose also kindly enclosed some toys for the very pampered very spoiled Lucy.

Some action shots: