Squirelly

We have this crazy squirrel that hangs out in our yard.  I can always pick it out because its just so freakin weird.  Also, its tail is never puffy like the others, its very sleek.  It also walks a lot - where the other squirrels all hop to get around.  When I first noticed it, I thought it was ill, except then I started noticing that all the things it does are very energetic and it looks very healthy.  

It randomly decides to wrestle around on the ground and do somersaults ... ALL BY ITSELF - like its wrestling a phantom squirrel.  I'm not sure the other squirrels like to associate with it.  I've seen it eating leaves and flowers (I am wondering if it was mimicking the groundhogs).  And one day when a skunk was below the bird feeder munching on seeds, all the other birds, squirrels and chipmunks were nowhere to be seen ... this guy was about 2 feet from the skunk checking it out.  All squirrels use their hands to pick up food and things, but this one uses its hands more like a raccoon or a monkey.  While it does odd things and I sometimes think its mentally disabled, I think it might actually be an idiot savant (mostly because its still alive and hasn't been picked off by a hawk).  

Today I saw it eating a mushroom (which may explain a lot) then commando crawling across the ground ... it is an oddball for sure!

FO: Take it All Shawl

Pattern: Take it All by Lisa Hannes

Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Bare (dyed by me)

Cast On: 7/27/16

Finished: 8/24/16

This is a great pattern.  Its super simple, but never boring.  Its knit sideways starting with a few stitches that continually increases to 200+ at the end.  There are two options for the last section, I liked this one with the picot bind off.

The pattern called for one MC and 8 CC.  It suggested solid or tonal yarn (not striping or variegated).  Since most of my sock yarn stash is striping or wildly variegated, I decided to dye up some yarn!

I used Wilton's Color Performance System - a liquid food coloring.  This gives a much wider range of colors (while staying non toxic for the kitchen sink).

Just for curiosity sake I kept track of how long this shawl took to knit.  Ever have those non-knitters or crafters 1) ask you how long something took to make and 2) tell you that you should sell these things (to make money).  Well I now have an answer to them - I had a snarky ballpark comment I usually give - "Do you want to pay $350 for these socks?!?!" Now I know I wasn't that far off:

30 HOURS

It took 30 hours to knit this, that doesn't include weaving in the ends ...

Or blocking ...

Now you know ;)

Micala Shawl Pattern & Summer Sale!

Micala is a heart shaped shawl knit from the top down beginning with a garter tab. The body is worked in garter stitch and lace with a lace spine.

Comfy garter stitch flows into open and airy lace making this a perfect accessory in early Spring and late Fall. Delicate enough for evening wear and intrepid enough to spice up jeans and a t-shirt.

Delusional Knitter Designs Patterns

20% off any patterns in my Ravelry shop Delusional Knitter Designs with coupon code DOGDAYS now thru 8/31!!

FO: Moab Shawl

Pattern: Moab Shawl by verybusymonkey

Cast On: 2/8/16

Finished: 7/17/16

Yarn: Handspun Loop Bump Sugar Plum

There was some yarn chicken involved in this one ... above was all that was left after bind off.  I excluded a few rows at the end.

It was fun to knit something up with handspun and this shawl was specifically made for that and could easily be adjusted for different yardages.  This was one of my first handpun skeins and also a first for chain plying.