Totoro Tuesday

Thanksgiving flew by! We cheated this year and got the turkey dinner from the big box store. The turkey was very good, imo. Dad actually got dressed for the occasion and said he had a good time, so I am grateful for that.

I found a cute, free acorn and leaf pattern for my Totoro. I used size one needles and left over sock yarn.



There was no left over turkey for the bento box.


I have not used my Totoro utensils, either. I like the little chopsticks.

I managed a couple FO's.


Pattern: Monkey Socks, by Cookie A
Yarn: Lorna's Laces, colorway Roadside Gerry
Needles: size 1
Mods: I did 5 repeats instead of 6 for the leg.
When I saw this combination on Rav, I knew it would be the perfect combo. I hope they fit my niece up there in the frigid north. I really enjoyed working with this yarn.



Pattern: Jacques Cousteau Hat, by Minusta
Yarn: Silja Sock Yarn by Gjestal
Needles: Size 3
Mods: none

This hat is nice and stretchy. It is very pointy at rest, but rounds out nicely when worn. The pattern is very easy to follow. I made the larger size. I may make a worsted version in the future.



I had a very productive earring day with the blogless muffy multitasker. My favorite are the "package" earrings. I'll have to go find some little Swarovski cubes to make a couple more.

And last but not least...dum dum dee dum!!!!

My Majacraft Rose. She suffered a little travel damage, so replacements are on the way, but she still spins wonderfully. I just couldn't wait.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Originally uploaded by acornbud

I am so much to be thankful for on this glorious day. Wishing everyone life's bounty!

Thankful for Totoro

Thank you Mr. Hayazaki for creating Totoro! Without you, I would have no Totoro's to count.


In this photo are 2 wallets, 3 totes and one camera bag. I use the camera bag and love that fact that it attaches with a carabiner. They are such cool gadgets, imo. Most of these bags were gifts. I do use them occasionally. So far the wallets have just stayed in stash, but I'm tempted to use the one on the left. I'm thankful for friends and family, who put up with me and enable my Totoro habit!

On the knitting scene:

Invisibility Clapotis continues to languish. I may have to mark it hibernating. The only good thing about Harry Potter #7 being divided into two movies is that I may yet finish this scarf in time for the second installment. Otherwise it's just plain torture to make me wait.

Btw, she who rarely blogs and I went to see it last night. The theater was very uncrowded for the 6:30 pm showing. Chris sported her Griffindor scarf. I won't say much about the movie for fear of spoilers. I enjoyed it and have started re-reading book 7.

Grover Hat was well received. This smile says it all! It gave this crafter great joy!












I rarely repeat a pattern when it comes to garments but Gnome #5 has joined he buddies. I love this Alan Dart pattern, especially the small and medium sizes. I knit them in the round as I dread seaming. This ball of Kureyon 264 had quite a surprising array of colors.





















Stogie Blue Crossed Slouch is my first wearable garment made from my hand spun. The pattern Star Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson from Strands of Me worked well. I used size 9 and 11 needles.

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving plans are going well!

Totoro Tuesday Comes Around Again!

2/3 of these zippered Totoro's have a bag in side. I don't have the heart to use them as they may get dirty. I think the other one is a coin purse or maybe a cell phone bag. The softee just sits on the acorn, looking charming. It was a dark and dreary morning, and the lighting was suboptimal.

Blogless Sandy gave me some black, single ply wool so I made a cat. The model, Kiko, has a habit of stretching out, often on her back when she is relaxing. It's quite unlike any other cat I've met. The real Kiko only has a tiny white spot on her chest has the strangest green/yellow eyes.


















It's been awhile since my boys were toddlers and they never watched sesame street. They were Ninja Turtle kind of guys. A FB friend was talking about her son's love for "Gro Gro" and it became a bit of an obsession. After doing a web search, I discovered that Grover is NOT related to the other blue guy and has pink nose. The hat is modeled by a Care Bear their grandmother made for the boys.


Pattern: Blue Fuzzy Monster Who Likes Baked Goods Hat

Needles: 10.5 circular and dpns, size 3 for eyes and nose
Yarn: Red Heart worsted and Nohea eyelash

Saturday I went to a baby luau for one of my former coworkers. The tradition here is to throw a big feast for the first birthday. Guess back in the day it was cause for a big celebration as infant mortality was high. The food was great, and the music too. Wouldn't you know my camera battery would die before the baby woke up! I did get one shot of Heeia Pond.


My blogless card-making partner has returned from her log cabin building on Camano Island and we had our Thanksgiving card day. I was quite happy with the results! Next up will be Christmas tags.
Tomorrow I'm participating in a succulent wreath class at Wahiawa Botanical Garden. It should be fun!

And finally, the big news. My spinning wheel order is being processed by Majacraft. I decided on the Rose because of it's more classic look. I hope it gets here from New Zealand before Christmas!

FO, Mystery Sock KAL 2010

mystery KAL 2010
Originally uploaded by acornbud

Finally done for Socktoberfest, Kirsten Kapur's (Through the Loops) Mystery sock KAL, 2010. Thanks, Kirsten!
Yarn: Shaeffer Anne

I did two at a time magic loop. My sock mojo is low, and the one 3 stitch twisting row did me in. I missed on twist row on the leg, but decided to knit on. The yarn has a bit of a halo. I love the colorway. I frogged a scarf for this project and have a ton of yarn left. It's just a bit scratchy for a neck, imo.

I love my red socks:)

Maui GF trip and Totoro Tuesday

I spent 4 days on Maui helping to celebrate a friends 50th birthday with 10 other women. The weather did not cooperate for the zipline and hiking, but we had a lot of fun shopping, eating, and talking. The estate we stayed at was nestled on a hill near the ocean and was the perfect place to gather for meals, and catching up.

We went back to Makawao more then once to shop and stock up on yummy pastries from Komodo Bakery. The cream puffs were wonderful and the apple pie out of this world!


The Alii Kula Lavender Farm had harvested the last of it's lavender and it was being stripped from it's stems when we got there. The fragrance was heavenly. The grounds have a spectacular view of West Maui and many other flowers such as the protea and gazania were in bloom. I love visiting this place.























We had several memorable meals out. La Provence Kula is a family run French Bakery and restaurant in Kula. Get there early if you want the best French pastries! I had a lovely crepe for lunch with spinach and mushrooms. Haili'imaili General Store
has a great menu of fusion selections, tasty and plated beautifully! I had the mahi burger with slaw.

On our way back to the airport we had lunch at Flatbread Company in Paia. We shared several salads and pizza's and there were all unique and tasty.

One of my favorite stops was the outside stand of the Upcountry Specialties Farm. The Fuyu Persimmon are in season.












Totoro did not go to Maui with me. Maybe next time.

Tuesday Totoro

I hope everyone had a nice Halloween and has less candy leftover then I do! I spent most of the evening at Ala Moana Center. The kids went store to store for candy until the stores ran out. My favorite costume was the spam musubi. I wish I had a camera, duh! He had Japanese style headband on that said Spam and had little spam cushion strapped to his white top with a black "nori" belt. Somebody's mom (or dad) was very creative!

This is a 2007 decorative Totoro plate made by Noritake. I love the details on it and I even love the box it came in. Mei and her big sister are with Totoro in the center and the cat buses go around the rim. The colors are nice and happy!




(Sorry for the funny picture formatting)

























I knit Thursday at Aloha Yarns and blogless Sandy brought her vegies for a photo shoot. The cucumber is not done yet. The patterns are from Hansi Singh's book, Amigurui Knits. The patterns are very clever. I especially like the way the top of the eggplant is attached in a very lifelike way. Sandy used Cascade 220 for all the vegies.



My two wips, the fingering, scarf version of Clapotis and the Socktober, Through the Loops KAL are struggling. The magic loop is doing me in on the socks. I was only able to finish Carrot Cat. Totoro is not impressed, but of course he is too polite to say anything.



I fared a little bit better on the spinning scene, and finished half my BFL. The other half is in the works. I have decided on The Rose spinning wheel by Majacraft. The dollar is taking a beating overseas and I hope to buy before the prices go up even further! I've enjoyed Opal's (formerly Keohinani's) Lendrum. It is a very pretty wheel, made of maple and has been good to me. I still have a long way to go in making consistent yarn but it's getting easier.




I seem to have fallen off the yarn diet. I got two skeins of Cascade SW for next years Red Scarf Project and this lovely ball of Kureyon for another gnome. After reading zknitter's praises of Malabrigo SW, I ordered some for myself and can't wait for it to get here!

My yard is full of iris. Today it was the purple ones. They only last one day. I haven't been able to capture all of them in a picture that does them justice.