New Scrubbie for the Dishes

No Sunday Inspirations today, just didn't find any. So we have an FO instead!


I loved my Crochet Scrubbie I made back in March of 2009. Let me tell you, I had no idea it would last me a little over 2 years! I was just hoping at the time that it would last me longer than the sponges I purchased at the store, which only lasted a few weeks at best!

I will admit I was disappointed when it started falling apart though, as it was a wonderful tool for washing the dishes. Once it got a little hole though, it didn’t take long for it to become mostly useless. So I knew I had to make another. This time though I wanted to use the remaining ball that I had in a different color and wanted one that was larger. So I took the same principle, I cast on 30 stitches and started crocheting, decreasing always at one end and increasing at the next. This is what I got.




Here you can see the diagonal seam.


This is all I had left over from the ball I had!




I have used it a couple times now and it is working wonderfully! This different colorway did bleed quite a bit on the first use, but now seems fine. I am still so glad I picked up this yarn so many years ago when it was being discontinued, I wish they still sold it!

Lacey Thorns - Finally Finished

Yarn: Rozetti – Always Dreams

Color: 116-04 (Variegated bright pink)

Content: 75% Acrylic / 25% Wool

Care: Machine wash and dry flat

Needles: US 2 / 2.75mm

Gauge: 7sts per inch

Pattern: Taking inspiration from the Mistletoes pattern.


Modifications: I am using the cast on numbers (20) and the starting foot numbers (40), but everything else changes. The top of the foot pattern is a simple lace stitch pattern called Lace Thorns from the Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns. I start the gusset increases when my heel begins. My gusset stitches increase to 68 stitches total, then the heel turn adds another 8. The heel decreases my stitches down to 48. Lace pattern all around for the small bit of leg and then 2x2 ribbing lined up with the pattern for 6 rows.













They were a little warm to put on for these photos as our weather has been rather warm lately and this are thicker and mostly acrylic. I love the way they turned out though. Is there room for improvement? Yes, I should have added a few more stitches to the gusset, you can tell the lace pulls more around my heel. I will be very happy to wear them this Fall though!

Wookie's World

Can we say warm? I mean seriously people, I am from a cooler climate. You know, the summer is the 70s and maybe into the mid 80s. This in the 80s days in a row with around 60% humidity is killing me! The AC is suppose to be installed in the bedroom hopefully this week. I'm not exactly sure what AC is, but Mommy and Daddy assure me that I will feel much cooler. Also Mommy is going to buy clippers this weekend to cut me super short again. Honestly, I am looking forward to the rain the is forecasted for tomorrow, I am getting use to these thunder/lightning storms and they don't bother me much anymore.



Until then I try to distract myself with toys. Who knew knitted toys could be so much fun?!? Mommy needs to put squeakers inside them though.










Any who, onto our training regimen. Mommy has been trying different approaches to training. She says she sure dogs are just like children/people and not all of them learn the same way, so she wants to find what I respond best to. She says at least her college education might help her train me better. So we tried the stuff we talked about before, which did help some, but I resisted to some of the more serious types of training and was acting out. So Mommy went searching for other ways that I might like better. Right now we are trying out "Clicker Training". We are learning from Mary Woodward, Karen Pryor, and Gary Wilkes websites. I guess I am liking this training. I get good treats when the clicker likes what I am doing. We even ordered some books. Mommy says we can review them once we receive them and try to use them.

We'll see if we can get some video of us for next week. Love you guys, but we are going to take a walk to go pick up Mommy and Daddy's Chinese food, so I will see you next week!

Sunday Inspirations

Anyone who’s ever read any of my reviews knows that I am not so much a fan of knitted or crocheted jewelry, I almost always think it looks tacky. However, Laura of Nelkin Designs has a lovely knitted necklace called Butin Collar and it is not tacky, in fact I think it is quite nice.


Recipes I’d like to try:


This Mexican Frittata looks not only good, but interesting! I love the idea of Avocado in there!


I am a huge fan of Tuna, but let’s face it, I only have like 2 things I do with it and they get old. The Pioneer Woman’s Tuna Melts look delicious!


The weather here keeps fluctuating, but when it’s warm, I just want a popsicle . . . isn’t that what everyone wants on a hot day? I recently bought fudge popsicles from the store, ugh, the chocolate flavor is all watered down and to say the least, they were a disappointment. Now these Homemade Fudge Popsicles sound super good . . . plus its chocolate, the good kind!

Blogiversary Contest Winner

Random number generator picked . . . . #1! Congrats Monika!



The weather is super rainy and stormy today so no FO pictures . . . maybe tomorrow. Wookie says cuddle up with a pet and wait out the rain!

Mystery Medallion Shawl

Jen of Knitting Like Crazy held a mystery shawl knit along for the month of May. I casted on the day after the first clue came out, May 7th, and knit away. I was only a couple rows away from finishing clue one, when I realized my stitch count would be off when I completed clue one. So I gave a good look at the shawl to see where I messed up. Can you see it?

Can you see how the top diamond is a bit smaller than the next one?


Yes, people. I missed a lace row and the purl back row after it!



So it was frogged and I cast on again. This was right before I left for Washington State. I knit in the airport some and on the plane. I got a few rows done while visiting. I am finally finished with Clue One . . . again.

A very rough blocking to show the pretty.




As you can see the diamonds are correctly sized now. Also you can see Wookie's little feet in the top left corner. He wants you to know that he must supervise everything!


Wouldn't you hire this face?




I have moved onto the second clue and am quickly making progress. I have given myself permission to cast on for Wendy's Summer Mystery Shawlette when I have completed the Mystery Medallion. P.S. - Clue Four has been released!

Wookie's World

Yet another busy week folks. We’ve been working on behavior and crate training. Mommy says I have to learn that I am not Alpha. I say why? Oh well, Mommy says she already sees small differences in my behavior and that this is a good thing . . . I have her so fooled.

Saturday we went to the park again, only this time we went to the other half that is by the water. It’s not water to swim in . . . it’s kind of icky, but there are lots of paths to walk on. We’ve had so much rain here; I am told around 2 or 3 times what Buffalo normally gets in May. The ground was soggy and muddy; in some places even the paths were flooded. We walked all the way around and I had so much fun in the mud. I even rolled around in some of it, Mommy just laughed at me. I tried to chase some Canadian Geese. I even had a German Shepard try to make friends with me. He was walking with his Daddy and he didn’t even have to wear a leash! I mean the nerve! He just walked up to me like he does it every day or something and sniffed my face. He seemed like a nice chap and I mostly behaved, then he left.

Now I wasn’t going to tell you all about this, I mean, a guy has to have some dignity, but Mommy says it was hilarious. So, since I aim to please, maybe you all will find it funny too. On Saturday we also went to the pet store, before we went to the park. We got some new treats to try . . . I won't even touch them! Any who, Mommy saw a tiny Chihuahua around the corner, in another aisle, of course she immediately said hi to the little guy and he happily ran towards us. Mommy said he was only like a couple of pounds and she could probably fit him in one hand. I personally thought he was scary and had to run and hide behind Mommy! I mean seriously people, what is funny about that?

As you can tell by the lack of photos above, Mommy forgot to bring her camera. See, I still have some more training to do with her.

We came home and had to take a bath! I was unhappy and pouted on Mommy's lap until I fell asleep.





I also wanted to show you my room . . . this is where I like to sleep sometimes. Mommy put this nice cool blanket in there that she made when she was a teenager.






Well, that's all for now folks, I'll be back soon though to talk about my training and what we are learning. I say "we are learning" because this is definitely a learning experience for Mommy too!