Krafty1

On the road

Creatures of habit...that's what we are.  Each year since moving here, we have made the migration back to Madison, WI for Rhythm & Booms, the Midwest's largest fireworks display set to music. As usual, we took along our supplies and our shopping lists.

The weather was perfect.  Not too hot and not rainy.  We left on Friday so that Saturday morning we could visit Farmers' Market.

Thirteen summers we spent our Saturday mornings strolling the capital perimeter shopping for our weekly meals and people watching. It felt good to stroll down memory lane and was especially comforting to find many of the same vendors in the same locations they'd been in eight years ago when we left!

As we did many of the old familiar activities, Panda recounted tales of days gone by. "Hey, I remember going to dance class and getting a big cookie afterwards!"  (Part of her weekly routine from ages 4-6.)  Unfortunately, Special K, who was 3 when we moved, is a "visitor" when we visit the city she and her sister were born in. For me, Madison holds SO many precious memories of their early childhood.

However, geocaching in a beloved city levels the field and we all discover new places together.

Of course, there were also knit shop stops.  There are new additions for the stash AND my library.  Stay tuned.

BTW Did you happen to notice how lonely Shaun looks (above) in my windshield?  His traveling buddy, Luke, is currently on his worldwide tour.  First he was in Tokyo and now he's safely landed in another foreign country...actually, he's visiting someone a little closer to Shaun's original home.

Another Duck

Well, actually a mouse. 

Preparing Luke for travel on his own has been one "duck" that has taken a bit of time to get "in a row". 

First, there was the passport to obtain.  Then he needed a bit of magnetism to help him hang on, in case he gets into a sticky situation.  Finally, his steamer trunk needed to be packed with a blanket (for a nap during the long flight), a photo of his family (in case he gets homesick), a favorite book, and a snack or two for the long trip (or share with his host family). 

Of course, it wouldn't be a proper steamer trunk without a sticker/label from the places he's been.  North Sails Worldwide.  Seems a fitting sticker for send off as he sets sail on his worldwide adventure.

First destination: Tokyo, Japan.  Follow along at his blog. He has invitations for Japan, Ireland, Germany, UK, and various US locations.  It's going to be quite the adventure! (And if you'd like to help a mouse fulfill a worldwide dream tour, there's still time to get added to the itinerary.)

A bit of surgery

It was suggested that Luke should put on a little "weight" before hitting the road.

Beans, Luke needed to have a few beans like many of his stuffed counterparts.  TWO pounds!!! Poor guy won't be able to eat all of those!

But then, how to "feed" a mouse "beans"?  Tools at the ready, it was time to perform a bit of minor non-invasive surgery.

With the aid of a chopstick, a muslin "implant" was stuffed into an opening in the neck.  No cutting was necessary since there was a small gap from a decrease/increase in the neckline.

Then the funnel was placed in the opening of the muslin pouch and the beans were "fed" into our dear little mouse.  Once finished, the pouch was sewn shut and the neck opening washed with hot water to re-felt the opening shut.

And, VOILA!!! Our little buddy is ready to join Shaun up front to head out for a bit of a ride.

Then again, this mouse LOVES to travel!  His journey will once again be blogged over here (beginning Saturday night).

Note: Luke has appreciated all of the offers that have already come in for his "Year of the Rat World Tour".  He will make his first international flight on April 1.   

Wednesday...of trees and mice

It's amazing what having a blog does to your daily conversations.  For instance, Upon entering my parents' house, my father asks, "Did you read about those knitters in the paper?" Huh?  What knitters?  It's 8AM...what paper has he read already? (My Dad reads a lot of stuff!)

He tells me a bit about the story and which paper had the article.  I mistakingly think I know which knitters he's talking about.  Head out the door and start my workday.  Boy, was I wrong.

By now, most of you have heard/read about the KnitKnot tree in Ohio. (Eva's linked to an article and she's in Luxembourg!)  Finally, after a bit of digging, I've found the tree's "official site" with a cool slide show as pieces were added to the tree.

However, when my Dad described the story, there was an entirely different project going through my head...something akin to "knitting graffiti" that has been around a LOT longer than the KnitKnot Tree. 

Knitta, Please

In addition to that link, you can also check out their myspace or their flickr.  They've been around a long time (2005 according to this article)...a lot longer than the Ohio pear tree.  Sorry.  The Ohio story just means that knitting graffiti has become more mainstream and acceptable...kinda like tattoos. ;-)

That got me thinking...April Fools is coming up.  That gives each of us two plus weeks to knit something that can be "art" in our communities.  My mind is already selecting locations for my April Fools Knitting Graffiti.  Who's in?  We could be "Fooling Around with Knitting". If interested, let me know. 

While my mind is racing with creative mischief...

Luke has returned to the snows of WI.  Not for long, he'll head south to New Orleans for Easter but then what?  This is the Year of the Rat and it got me thinking that maybe Luke should go on a world tour.  A box could be fashioned into his "travel pod" along with a "family" photo and a "passport". 

He could travel to meet any of you (bloggers and non-bloggers alike), not as a swap but as a means to travel, visit for a bit and brighten your day. In exchange, you'd agree to sign the passport with the arrival and departure dates along with a local "stamp" then post Luke to the next person. If you're interested in hosting a mouse (much like the Flat Stanley Project) let me know.

And since this is Web Wednesday, how about a reversal of sorts.  Luke is headed from Chicago to New Orleans along I-55 or 57.  What shops should he stop at along the way?  Any ideas? 

The Return of...

Web Wednesday...

• Tired of the cold weather?  Luke is on the road and reporting his travels on his very own blog: Luke's Life.  It's a kid friendly blog that details Luke's adventures as he travels the southeastern states of the US.  Grandpa Golf and Grandma Mouse are his drivers for this winter's adventure to the Florida Keys and north again.
• In case you haven't seen it yet...Magic Slippers is Sock Pixie's answer to the question of what to do with leftover sock yarn.  I love her term for those small leftover balls- "walnuts".  There is an entire case of "walnuts" in my craft room.  If only there were a magic squirrel to knit up the walnuts.
• On the topic of socks...Are you ready to rumble!?!  Registration begins on Feb 14th for the next round of Sock Wars. (A link will be added when they open the new site on the 14th...for now you can read about it here.) I've sat out the previous Wars because of my schedule, but not this time! There will be a $2 entry fee.  That doesn't bother me in the least and it won't bother those who are serious about competing. Which of you is ready to rumble also?
• For something a bit less cut throat, there is a new group on Ravelry with an Olympic themed sock competition...Sock Knitters Pentathalon...should be fun.
• And finally, did you see the odd bit of new about the hay bale castle?  Imagine that no one complained about the 40 foot tall hay bales for four years?  It wasn't till the bales were removed to reveal the castle that people got upset!

It's a Mouse!

You guys are so smart...of course, it's a mouse.  The pattern is Felted Thora Lee by CiD Hanscom Designs.  Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a link to the pattern or the designer. 

While we were in the Twin Cities, the pattern jumped into my shopping bag at Coldwater Collaborative.  (It was Thanksgiving and they had Rudolph, an Elf, and an Angel on display by the same designer.)

Oh, but he's supposed to be felted.  Into the soup pot.  Brings new meaning to Rat-tatouile!! 

Unfortunately, the soup pot couldn't provide the proper amount of "aggitation".  But a few spins in the washer with a couple pairs of old jeans...just right!

This mouse has been one of those covert knitting operations.  This mouse has a mission.  This mouse is heading out into the world.

Check him out!  A quick swing by the office to say good-bye and a photo shoot with the granola bar box (for size comparison shots) and this little guy was ready to hit the road.

As of tonight, he's in Baton Rouge, LA.  AND, he has a name...Luke. He's named for the grandson who is changed into a mouse by the High Witch in Roald Dahl's The Witches.  Luke's adventures have begun.  Stay tuned...he's been advised to send photos home from time to time.

Any guesses?

Bueller?

Bueller?

Maybe it's obvious.

Definitely on the "Things I never thought I'd knit" list.

JANUARY Recap

Much success in the stash reduction department.  3 pairs of socks, 2 hats, 1 scarf, and 1 pair of fingerless mitts.  1735 yards of stash...just shy of a mile (1760 yds)!!  Four of the items knit are stashed away for next Christmas.

A new bucket is set up.  Its contents include materials for 3 pair of socks, 1 shawl, 1 scarf, and a flower washcloth.  No, I do not intend to knit all of that in February!  In fact, I'm itching to knit a sweater...preferably one that doesn't require the purchase of yarn!