More Feline Love...

I am feeling better today but am very tired; not sure if it's the antibiotics or the infection itself.

The top right corner of Feline Love is completed. Now, I'm working down the right side of the pattern.

Feline Love

When I purchased the beginner's kit at Michael's I also picked up this kit by Dimensions called "Feline Love." So far, it has required a lot of half stitches which has made this project go somewhat faster than anticipated. I have completed the top right corner but have not taken a picture yet as I am too lazy at the moment. The right side of the window is completed and I just finished the rocks in the upper right corner of the chart. I'm hoping to be able to work on this some more this week but just found out today that I have a bladder infection. Hopefully, the antibiotics will kick in and I will feel better before we leave for Vegas on Saturday.

Hummingbird Update and Finish

I finished my first cross stitch project and really like how it turned out. Here is a pic of the finished cross stitch portion before adding the back stitch detail:


Here it is after adding the detail stitching. It's amazing what a difference the detailing makes on the finished project. Hopefully I'll be able to find a frame for this one this weekend as it will be a Christmas present and I do not want it to get dirty between now and then.

My current WIP is "Feline Love" by Dimensions. I was very happy to find this kit at Michael's because the cats look just like my two cats. I've almost completed one square of the chart and it is hard to see since the stitches are white and silver, but I may try to take a picture of it. I am also currently working on knit Christmas gifts too and just finished one fingerless glove and need to start on the second one. I plan to take some cotton yarn with me on our trip to Las Vegas (3 hour plane ride) to work on more dishcloths for Christmas.

First Cross Stitch

I was determined to make it through my online class before starting anymore projects. Once I finished my final exam, I went to Michael's and picked up two cross stitch kits. I'm currently working on a beginner "Learn a Craft" kit by Dimensions. I'm hoping that it turns out well because I plan to frame it to give to my grandmother for Christmas (she LOVES hummingbirds!).

2009 Book List Continued

It's been a while since I've updated this list but there's not much to add as I've been busy, busy, busy with school!

Bloodline by Maggie Shayne
Some Like it Wicked by Teresa Medeiros
Some Like it Wild by Teresa Medeiros

Next up: So into You by Sandra Hill
Storm of Visions by Christina Dodd
Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon

I'm planning to take Christina Dodd and Sherrilyn Kenyon's books with me to Las Vegas in two weeks (if I can wait that long!!!) so I'll be sure to have a book that I cannot put down on the plane ride.

Knitting Needle Comparisons

I read in a forum somewhere that the Susan Bates Silverado circular knitting needles are very comparable to Addi knitting needles. First off, I love the feel of the Addi needles. They are incredibly smooth and the yarn just glides over them, but they are expensive for someone like myself who is trying to grow their needle collection ($17 each!). So, after researching needles, I decided to try the Susan Bates Silverado needles and see if I liked them as much since they are around $6 a pair. The SBS are much, much better than the Boye needles with a more flexible cable and SBS does not have the coating that Boye needles have that drives me crazy because it rubs off and causes the needle to be rough. In comparison to the Addi's, the SBS have pointier tips (a big plus), nice flexible cables, and are nice to work with. The only negative I have for the SBS is the join where the cable meets the needle. I probably will try HiyaHiya or Knitpicks needles instead of purchasing SBS again, but I like that I can purchase SBS locally. I have two sock circulars by Knitpicks (sizes 1 & 2) and they are awesome with very smooth joins, very flexible cables, nice pointy tips for fingering weight yarn, and are great for Magic Loop Method! Recently I started reading a lot of discussions on Ravelry about the 9" circulars by HiyaHiya. I'd really like to try these for sock knitting after I decide which needle size I prefer.

Booklist 2009

Here is a list of the books I've read in 2009:

• One Silent Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Dark-Hunter Series)
• Thigh High by Christina Dodd
• Danger in a Red Dress by Christina Dodd (currently reading)