pre-trip show and tell

Mr. Mongrel and I are leaving tomorrow for California, and while I should have dreams of the Pacific and twiggly little women dancing about in my head I’m instead overwhelmed by a pile of unfolded white socks. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I think it’s high time we started knitting socks that match every other sock. Sure variety is the spice of life, but hunting-through-pile-of-clean-socks-to-find-this-one’s-mate is surely life’s poison. Add to that the fact that J has approximately seven hundred pairs of socks, and you can see my dilemma.

So I’m procrastinating. Go me.

I’ve got lots to share with you, and I’m bringing the trusty Mac with me so I’ll be able to blog on the trip. We’ll be spending several days in LA with my sister and his dad, and then we’ll be headed to San Diego to do the first round of house hunting and checking out the city. I’m getting more excited about the idea, especially since the weather is perfect. I’ll take copious pictures for y’all, I promise.

First, a finished object.

“Hey, Mongrel - what’s that strange lump of fur on the red chair?”

Why, it’s a hedgehog of course!

Everyone, meet Dimplehog (aka Albert of Longrihan). He is now in the very capable hands of my friend Lindsay who, as it were, has an actual hedgehog already. The real one’s name is Gloria. And now she has a friend.

Dimplehog, as it turns out, is a ham. He made me take many photos. So now you’re stuck with a hedgehog montage - which he was kind enough to subtitle.

I wonder what life is like outside Mongreltopia...

I do rather like this Schroeder fellow

Maybe if I hide behind this plant she won’t see me

My headshot - Hollywood here I come!

the pattern: Fiber Trends Huggable Hedgehog

the yarn: Whatever came in the kit - I honestly don’t remember

the modifications: None, really - I felted it a little less than I think was required, so he’s got a huge ass. It’s adorable.

thoughts: First, the eyes and nose are needle-felted. I happened to have some roving and needles from my short-lived desire to make tiny toys (a desire that was quickly squelched when I discovered I suck at it and had many many holes in my fingers). Luckily, the needle-felting was perfect for this purpose, and I think it came out well. I adore this pattern and I want to make more - it was a very quick knit, it’s a great way to use up any dark-colored Fun Fur in your stash, and it’s totally squishable. I bought polyester batting from JoAnn fabrics that is designed specifically for toys, so no matter how much you squish it the toy will retain its shape. Awesome.

There has been other knitting - the second that this beautiful yarn arrived I had to cast on and see what it became (this is for you yarnographers):

I bought this Plymouth Cervinia Softer (in color 3331 Lavender) to make the Airy Wrap.jpg from Fitted Knits. So far I’ve got the body done and I’m working on the first sleeve - I was 3/4 of the way down the sleeve when I realized it was too big so I ripped it back. I’ll give you more pictures when there’s more progress, but for now here are the lace raglan decreases which I think are beautiful:

Finally I’m about ten minutes from finishing the Sizzle tank top. And I mean FINISHED - ends woven in, seed-stitch border around neck and armholes completed, we’re talkin’ DONE baby. I used KnitPick’s Shine Worsted in Bachelor Button, and I’ve got some things to say about this yarn. I’ll try to get some pictures while I’m in CA so you can see it.

Finally, since you all seemed to love the last pictures of Schroeder so much, I’ll leave you with one more.

Wish us luck in San Diego - lots of cheap, huge houses with free landscaping and built-in butlers. Right?