Once upon a time there was a very cute cat named Hunter.

Hunter, looking sweet and innocent.

One day, Monica was visiting from far off land.   She had just completed her Perfect Pie Shawl from Weekend Knitting: 50 Unique Projects and Ideas, and asked her good friend Gail to please, pretty please, block it for her.

Gail, Monica, Barb and Isis at Fringe a few weeks back.  Which was another event Gail failed to blog about.

Gail happily agreed, and carefully carried the lovely shawl home, where she carefully blocked it on towels on the living room floor.  It was lovely.  She happily wandered off, having covered the shawl with towels, thinking it would be safe until dry.  Let’s not go into what “happily wandering off” entailed. 

Hours later, she returned, and was greeted with a god awful sight.   Some EVIL cat (HUNTER) had managed to attack the shawl, rolling around in it, and tearing holes in it.  After gasping, Gail straightened out the shawl.  At first glance, the damage did not seem so severe.

Yes, he was still stalking the shawl.

But on closer examination, it was pretty hopeless.

Yes, we were shocked.

Poor Gail had to rip half the shawl to get past all the holes.  The body of the shawl was knit in Kidsilk Haze, which is next to impossible to rip.

Nice Monica would not let Gail reknit it, and took the ribbed shawl away, where she will work her magic and make it like new.

So, does anyone want a Kidsilk Haze appreciating Evil Hunter Cat?

I have many pictures. Which I took with my camera. Which I keep leaving at home.

So, instead, I’m viciously stealing pictures from other people’s posts to make my own. Because I’m like that.

First off all, Aimee The Sis’s kitten, Lulu may actually be a gay male who is very interested in fashion, and not actually a girl.

Yes, Lulu, we’re all very shocked as well.

In other news, Laurel and I went to Rockford for apple picking. I’ve been making numerous apple desserts since then and foisting them on coworkers. Laurel has a nice recap, so go read it. But, here I steal a picture of this horse. Which bit me. Not very hard, mind you, but still.

Monica is in town, and Saturday I hosted a KNIT BLOCK PARTAY. Where we knitted and blocked, of course. I made potato soup, people showed up with many fabulous treats, and Christine brought Chester, who totally was the life of the party. Here I am blocking Dee’s shawl with Monica and Chester. I stole this picture from Christine.

Why yes, there is cleavage to be seen. I also heard that there were pictures of my “blocking butt”, but they haven’t shown up yet. Note to self - don’t wear low rise jeans with skimpy underwear while blocking.

Speaking of Dee, she’s moved into new digs on my hosting plan. Muahahaha, my world domination of the knitting blog world continues. In honor of her new digs, I’m stealing this picture of the Briar Rose Fibers that she’ll have for tasting at her totally fabulous Heartland Knitting Retreat. Which you all should come to.

In knitting news, I finished the body of my Queen Anne’s Lace sweater, but the picture is on the camera.  At home.   I cut the first sleeve steek, and started on the sleeve.  This sweater is going to be massive.  I’m going to have to get some leggings and pretend like its 1987.

Oh, and to round out the Picture Stealing, here’s a picture of Monica’s propane tank wearing a scarf.

I know, I fell off the face of the earth. I’m sorry - apparently, after weeks of doing Just Fine Thank You Very Much, I sort of fell apart. I’m not sure anyone noticed, but after just having a sobbing fit Monday, I took Tuesday off, and now I’m back to my normal cheery self!

It helps that I have the best friends ever. My knitting group made me this incrediably awesome afghan out of Cascade 220. Dee organized the whole thing, Laurel put it together, and Kat, Kimberly, Julie, Barb, Diana, Monica, Selena, Kathy, Betty and Doree all made squares. I’m not a big crier, but I almost sobbed like a baby when I saw it.

Doesn’t it look great in my living room? I’m tempted to turn the air conditioning down to 60 so I can snuggle under it. I’m sure it’ll be cold enough very soon, though.

In other knitting news, Dee and I took classes with Nicky Epstein, through the Windy City Knitting Guild. We learned all about embellishments. It was a good series of classes. At the end, I had this lovely pillow top.

It’s all knit - the background is Silky Wool. The edging is some left over Araucania Nature Wool.  To get the little scallopy things, you pick up all the way around the square, and then cast on 3 extra stitches, bind off 5, cast on 3, bind off 5 - you get the idea.   The Orange is left over Barlett Yarns - I can’t remember which of their yarn lines its from.  The flower was made by making a spiral, and then looping it to make a flower shape.  I then plopped the ball we made next in the middle as a joke.  But, it grew on me, and now it’s my poisonous flower pillow.   The stem are 3 i-cords braided.  The snake I just made up - I knit back and forth for the head, and then started an i-cord for the body.

Finally, the contest for the ugly scarf is still open through the weekend.   The Judge,  also known as The Judgerino, will not be available until next week.   The orginal Judge, Aimee the Sis, actually knows one of the contestants, I decided to torture someone else with the task.

I had an odd impulse to knit something super easy this weekend.  I had a skein of Fiesta Yarns Flirt thanks to a gift bag Arcadia Knitting gave out at the blogger get together.  Now, I’m not a novelty yarn person.   But, as novelty yarn went, this felt very nice, and heck it was free.

Unfortunately, it knit up a bit ugly.   I made Hunter pose with it.

Once I dropped him in it, he sort of liked it.  He agreed to a sexy back shot.

So, I got to thinking.  I have no one to give this scarf too.  I’m not going to wear it.  So, contest time!

Leave a comment describing someone who “deserves” the scarf of ugliness.   And no currying favor by describing my ex.  :)  I want to hear nasty, evil details of why someone should have this scarf inflicted on them.

Anyways, the winner wins the scarf of ugliness, and something pretty out of my stash.

While Laurel was on vacation, I took care of her cat, Alexei. I didn’t do much - I dropped by every day, gave him food and water, scooped the litter box, and played with him a bit. But, he was highly appreciative, because he gave me some very very special yarn as a thank you gift. He thinks its the best yarn ever. His mommy had never seen any yarn like it.

According to this blog entry, Tuna refers to the town in Sweden where it was made, not its composition. It’s a 100% wool yarn, probably fingering weight. But don’t tell Alexei!

I never did post my Stitches stash. I went very light this year, thanks to moving. Plus, I still have a ton of yarn from last year’s extravangza yarn buying blowout.

That’s a skein of Socks That Rock Lightweight in Cracked Canyon. I also bought their Summer Breeze tank pattern. I found Vogue Knitting on the Go: Vintage Knits on sale for 5 dollars at the Yarn Barn of Kansas. I also bought some more size 0 needles, but that’s because I go through size 0 needles the way other people go through chocolate.