Where is that bitch Hope?

I spent a very wet and cool day at a Dayton voting precint as a poll monitor
I'm very happy to report that everything went well - no problems - lots of voters.

When I finished there I picked up my son Dusty and we headed off to vote.
(C voted this morning on her way to work)

...for a few days of leaf peepin' and R 'n R.

We're cozied up in a cabin with fireplace and hot-tub
somewhere near Hocking HIlls, Ohio.

Photo from Hocking HIlls Photo Gallery.

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BTW: Travelita left 2 fairly detailed comments with info about pilling.
If you're interested - check 'em out...and THANKS Travelita!

...pilling.
(An ugly little word, in my opinion.)

Last Saturday, the weather here in the Ohio Valley seemed more like winter than fall. C and I had lots of errands to run, so I pulled out my Old Shale sweater/coat off the closet shelf, threw it on and took off for the day.

As the day went by I became more and more aware and more and more annoyed, at what seems to me to be a bad case of pilling.

Not pilling in the way acrylic pills...those funky little bumpy lumps that form a frumpy halo about 1/8 of an inch from the knitted surface.

This pilling looks like glumps of fiber shedding from the wool.
I'm disappointed because I think it takes away from the beauty of my sweater.
Makes it look like it's been worn much more than it has.

I knit Old Shale from Jamieson's Soft Shetland - 100% wool. The ply is kindda soft. (Doh. That's why it's named Soft Shetland, Teresa.)
I haven't washed the sweater, so I know the pilling isn't from that. It just is.

So...I wanna know what you all know about knitting with 100% wool and pilling.
?Why does wool pill?
?Do different wools pill differently?
?What wools are most prone to pill?
?Have you knit with Jamison Soft Shetland and had the same experience as me? Different from me?

Share?
Please and Thank you!

Could Dot be my Knitting Lassie?        

     
The scene:

Teresa comes upon Dot and the right front of the Ribby Cardi, which Dot has pulled out of her knitting bag and drug to a prominent place on the living room floor:

"What is it, Dot? Is it my knitting? Is it my gauge? Is it that I've been using a size 6 needle when all the time I forgot to change to the larger size 7 needle after I finished my ribbing? Is that it girl? What girl, What?!?"

But no. I only scolded her and shoved my knitting back into the bag.

What was she to do? The only thing she could to get my attention - chew the needles.

If only I'd paid heed to the amazing little beagle. I wouldn't have had to re-knit the entire right front. I would be happily knitting the Ribby's sleeves, just stitches away from the Ribby finish line.

Knitter's with dogs - don't let this happen to you.
Please! For Gawd Sakes!
The next time your pooch pulls your knitting across the floor or chews your needles -  
Be patient. Be kind.
I've learned my lesson.
I've seen the light ...

...and her name is Dot.

___________________________________

Thanks to everyone who left a comment regarding my recent rant.
Does my heart good to know I'm in SUCH GOOD COMPANY!!
I wish I were better at answering my comments with emails - but I'm not.
But I do truly appreciate the time you take to write.
You all  !!
(make my heart smile!)

It's midnight.
I just spent the last 45 minutes writing a post and when I went to publish it something screwed up and it's gone.
 
I hate when that happens!
:(

So.
I'm off to bed.
I'll try again tomorrow sometime.

~Yawwwwn~

Knitting news this week - well there's not much of it.

I tried to knit another alien face Sunday, whilst C was getting her hair done. I reached the end of the chart, laid it out to view the illuision and discovered, I'd screwed up in the middle of the chart...so I ripped out everything I'd knit. UUrrrr...I hate when I do that!

I also knit on the Ribby Cardi right front and am **this** close to being done.
I pulled it out last night at our Neighborhood Association meeting (which I almost always knit through) - only to find that each end of my size 7 circ's had been chewed into stubbiness.

"DOT!"
"BAD DOG!!"

Ah-hem...sorry...
...I'm still a little angry with her.

She likes to get her nose down in my knitting bag and pull stuff out and run around with it.
I found it on the floor Sunday night; scolded her and stuffed it back in my bag.
Don't know how I missed the damage to the needles.

I've got size 7 straights to use 'til I can replace the circular 7s.
I'm pretty much a circular gal now.

Round, and round and round we go...
Where we stop...

...A Rant
(Watch out. Teresa has an opinion again.)

Ok...this has been bugging me since Monday and I've decided I just can't post without saying something about it. I can't help myself - I'm a double Sag.

I followed a link Monday that lead to a knit blog that I used to read but stopped reading because I couldn't get with the blogger's since of humor - if that's what you want to call it.

The blogger had gone to Stitches East. The post was a gallery of pictures she had taken there, mostly of other unsuspecting Stitches attendees in garments that (we can only assume) were knit by them or someone who cared enough to knit for them. The blogger had titled this section of the post 'Gallery of Ghastlies 2004'. The Gallery is mostly pictures taken WITHOUT the person's consent and/or knowledge and the blogger's commentary as to the Ghastlie-ness of the garment.

Ok guys...
This is down right MEAN.
Mean. Mean. Mean.

To take pictures of people without their knowledge with the intention of posting them on your webpage so you can make fun of them - help me understand...where's the humor in that?

Yes. Lots of people knit lots of stuff that I'd never knit and/or wear. And  I can't say that I've never said to C or someone else with me, "What was she/he thinking?" But to go to an event with the intent to photograph people - again - without their knowledge,  your friend pretend poses for a picture so you can really take a picture of an-innocent-but-offensive-to-most-important-perfect-knitter-you and then post it on your webpage (did I say it was without their knowledge?) to draw attention to the fact that they don't meet YOUR standards...it's just plain mean.

My opinion.

Thanks to everyone who left a comment regarding my last post.
You all are so funny and intelligent!
It does my little heart good to know I'm connected to each of you via our community.

~sigh~

I'm ready for the weekend.
Even though it seems like every minute of the weekend is already planned.
Ok, I'm prone to exaggeration but it's pretty much true.

Saturday's main event: Planting spring bulbs. Last time we were at Lowes, we bought at least 12 bags of different kinds of bulbs. Starting with Crocuses in Early Spring, our humble home should be accented with bulb-beautiful color into Mid Summer when the Tiger Lily's bloom. We'll start planting mid-morning and hopefully be done by mid-afternoon. From then on the rest of Saturday is left to spontaneity-which can be dangerous for us!

Sunday: 10am appointment in Cincinnati with The LocQueen - C's regular appointment. Our monthly trek to Cincinnati usually includes visit to Wild Oats and any number of other shops in a little shopping area called Rookwood Commons. Once home we'll make an appearance at a jazz concert hosted in our neighborhood park from 4 to 8pm. Between the Jazz Concert and Sunday evening's TV line-up (60 Minutes, Law and Order: Criminal Intent and now Boston Legal) I should be able to get in some good knitting time.

I finished the left side of the Ribby Cardi and am 1/2 through the right side. I should be able to reach my goal of having both sides done by Friday.

I didn't get to do my stash inventory. I'm hoping to do that after our little bulb planting par-tay.

I have been having fun putting together a Gallery of my knitting projects - on and off the needles. I've been going through my Blogger archives and my personal photo files to pull it together. It's no where near done - more projects, images and information to add but if you're curious as to what's there so far, go look.
The Gallery link is over there on my side bar, right under the picture of Dot and Sade.

Hope your weekend is everything you need it to be...see you next week!