Monday, March 9, 2009

Welcome to the House of Doom!

by Caroline


cue ominous music

I kill plants. It's not like I run down the street with pruning shears, laughing maniacally as I slice plants to bits. And it's not like I buy plants with the intent to kill them. But, I kill plants. I was given some kind of low maintainance plant as a house warming gift. You know the kind: medium sun, water when soil is dry, and ignore. It made it, maybe, a month. I kill plants.

Ericka gave me a clipping the other day, from a plant she swears is indestructible. Her claim is that this is from a plant that revived time and again from the icy grip of death. It is a Swedish Ivy (and yes, that is a badly done, fake, faux-Swedish accent I hear in my head). I will call her Ivy (say it with the above accent, but only in your head). The most ironic part of this plant is that Ericka put it in a big happy face mug (as in, facing death with a . . .). Now I'll just feel guilty as I kill it. Also, because the mug has a face and not the plant, I find myself talking more to the mug.

OK, the plan is not to kill the plant. Therefore, I will give weekly updates on Ivy's health. Of course, since I am working up in Vermont, Ivy must come with me. Now I have to confess that, distracted by the weather this morning, I left Ivy behind. Not off to a good start. Maureen will do her best to keep Ivy going till I return Friday. Say hello to Ivy (remember the accent).




On the knitting front, I've been busy. I had finished several projects some time back that needed blocking before gifting. I took care of that this weekend and 2 scarves and a pair of socks will be out of the house by next weekend. Yay!











I joined my first sock club. From The Unique Sheep comes The Lord of the Strings! The first kit arrived; pattern, Hobbiton by LoBug Designs and yarn, Footprints by The Unique Sheep. They are awesome, both pattern and yarn! The first pair goes to Lora and here she is modeling the first one:



I will be making this sock for myself later. I really enjoyed the pattern.

The Lisha Lace Scarf from Sleepy Eyes Knitting continues to grow, but slowly. I do a repeat or two and take a break. This is another pattern I am enjoying, but it takes concentration.

I took a class this weekend at Yarn & Fiber. Double Knitting, taught by Alasdair Post-Quinn. Sorry, I have no link for you. It's too bad because this guy's work is amazing! Here is my unfinished swatch (I had issues, but I'm not giving up):



Well, that's about it. I've got some children's socks lined up but I haven't started them yet. I've frogged the Sleepwalker socks I had started. There wasn't enough yarn for this pattern. I'll probably make fingerless mitts with the yarn.

Click to make big the small pictures.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'll be impressed if you kill that plant. My Mum had one. My brother pulled it up numerous times when he was small. She left it outside in the frost. She ignored it in favour of her three kids (all under the age of five at one point). The chinchillas chewed on it. I'm not sure what happened to it in the end, but I think she maybe gave it away out of sheer desperation. Have fun!

Toni said...

Oh, I hate it when plants are "hard to kill." It's just sooooooo much more embarrassing when I do kill them! Good luck!!!

Anonymous said...

Your plant is kind of like that assignment in school where you have to carry the egg around like your baby and not destroy it. So hopefully Maureen is a good babysitter. I would offer my plant sitting service but my touch also seems to be the kiss of death to plants! Oh yeah my egg only lasted 2 days.....but I have managed to get my kids to 11yrs and 4yrs....so far

Anonymous said...

ivy has the same as the cats. no getting sick then /or kicking the bucket unless you are home.and they have been told that.

Anonymous said...

mothilleft out a word.they all have the same rule. brain was faster then the typing. maureen

Lora said...

http://www.fallingblox.com/ Here is Alasdair's blog.

Anonymous said...

Oh.that plant looks so brave and trusting. Poor thing! It's too bad you got the ankles and the black thumb.

Gina House said...

Holy crap, you're just whipping out new things, aren't you? Everything looks awesome -esp the LL Scarf!- and I love those new socks!

We miss you here and hope I'll see you tomorrow night.

BTW, I'm a bit of a brown thumb and can barely keep houseplants alive, but I keep at it and I've got a few that are almost 10 years old. Keep talking to that ivy and giving it what it needs (not too much water, I think?) and you'll do great. Love that planter it's in!

Unknown said...

Just stopping in to say, "Hello Ivy", in a Swedish accent of course!

Anonymous said...

Got a good laugh from your description of your plant growing abilities - I can completely relate!

And... you mean you're not supposed to use that fake swedish accent where other people can hear you???
Oh...

Lovely knitting, BTW :-)