Dallas and Emma? It has come to my attention that you’re not quite the svelte dogs that you used to be. I know that shaggy is the look for dog models these days, but that’s a bit more than a winter coat you’re both growing. Dog modeling is a human eat human business, and you can’t keep up if you’re rolling around like little lard balls. It’s either lose the weight, or get replaced by some newer, hotter dog models, like that vixen of a Chihuahua down the street. It might seem rough, but it’s business baby. There are plenty of dogs who would kill for a spot on this blog, and just because you were on Cute Overload doesn’t mean you can sit around all day stuffing your faces. I can’t have my lovely knits being shown off by anything but the hottest dogs.
And hey, don’t you stick that tongue out at me! I will break you, you hear? You’ll never work on this blog again! Sheesh.
Yeah, so the dogs are a bit chunky these days. And stupid me, I didn’t even notice; it took my Mom (who hadn’t seem them in a few weeks) to point out that they had grown a bit in the lateral direction. So I guess it’s more walks and no more wet food. I’ll have to be strong, especially when Emma gives me that pitiful look when I serve her dry food only. Sorry sweet cheeks, it’s dog model fat camp for you.
In less superficial news, I recently gave my shelf in my home office a yarn upgrade, and it makes me quite happy. Up to this point, all my yarn was stored in bins on the ground, and well it was about high time the stash had a more central place in the office. So I reorganized my shelf and banished a bunch of engineering books to the bottom, since yarn is way more fun than reading engineering books.
Two shelves of yarn might seem a bit pitiful, but it’s a beta lambda* for me, the man who used to only buy exact yardages for a project, without ever buying “unnecessary yarn”.
*(a beta lambda is the official nerd unit of measure for a “butt load” of anything. it’s metric, so you can have a kilo beta lambda, which would be an obscene amount of yarn)
You may also have noticed that there are 2 big cones of the much coveted Valley Yarns English Tweed on the bottom shelf. I sat on that page for days, watching the available pounds go down, until it was too dangerous to not buy, so I picked up a cone of Light Sage and a cone of Lichen. At least one will be a Cobblestone, and I’m not sure about the other one.
In addition to giving my stash a central location for fondling, I also finished a sock this week, right after the Socktoberfest cutoff. I’m still counting it though, since technically it was done on the 31st, I just didn’t like the toe, so I replaced it with a different one a day later. That brings my grand total of Socktoberfest socks to 2, and non-matching even. Not the most prolific sock knitting month, but then again, it was a prolific yarn dyeing month.
This one is a single sock for a swap, wherein I’ll send the sock and remaining yarn to my pal, who will knit the second sock for herself. It’s a fun idea, and a great way to knit a complicated sock and ensure that you will end up with a pair.
The yarn is Yarn Nerd 900 MHz Merino, in the lovely Pumpkin shade I’ve been posting all over the blog these days. (I love me some Pumpkin), and the pattern is Cookie A’s Thelonious. It’s a nice combination of lace and ribbing that isn’t too hard to knit and looks really nice with a semi-solid yarn.
Oh, and I almost forgot, it was my 2 year knitting anniversary a few days ago! It seems like it’s been way longer, but the calendar doesn’t lie. Maybe someday I’ll be celebrating my 60 year knitting anniversary :)
So, leave some encouraging comments for my fattycake models, and I’ll pick 3 winners to be the recipient of some hand-dyed Yarn Nerd goodness. I have some tasty BFL coming in soon, and I’ll be happy to dye it up any color you like.
That’s it for me peeps, have a great Sunday!
Don’t listen to what he says, Dallas and Emma! With winter coming on, what better way to ensure warmth than by adding some extra padding? Humans, hmph.
I think the dog models look great, even with some extra belly. =) I don’t know if you’d want to do this, but Riley loves it when I mix cottage cheese with his dry dog food. You could get a low or no fat kind, and that might make the dry stuff a little tastier for Emma.
Hi! I just found your blog through ravelry, and it’s quite enjoyable (anything with yarn and dogs wins in my book). My dog does the pitiful thing too - I’ve lost 10 lbs walking her, but she’s still on the chubby side. Go figure.
Awww, poor Dallas and Emma! Every couple lets themselves go eventually, okay? My hubby and I have both, um, softened a bit since the wedding. As for the pups - well, even with platonic cohabitation, it’s easy to slip a little….I guess maybe we should join them and give up wet food and take more walks, too!
Your Thelonious sock looks great!
Give some scratchings and love to the puppies from me!
Aw, but the pudgier they are the slower they move and the longer you can enjoy their sweetness. =) But a little diet won’t hurt.
And happy knitting anniversary!
Well haven’t you heard? Stick thin models are out, models with some curves are in. Thats all y’all got are lovely curves. Ah well, you have got to do what Daddy says!
Happy two year knitting anniversary! Has it really been that long? Time sure does fly.
ooh poor doggies.
they “work it” for you and now you’re bad blogging them–
chin(s) up doggies–i think you look great!!
Happy knitting anniversary! And I wish you many more - with pups appropriately svelte and healthy for all that modelling you’ll be needing.
Hey, D&E! Just look at your dad! See how much happier and healthier he is after becoming a bike commuter? Yeah, being on only dry food for a while sucks, but just think how great you’ll feel when you’re extra-cute buff doggy models again! :) And once you get the weight off? Maybe you can have the good stuff as a special treat every so often!
Loving that pumpkin sock! It looks so soft and cushy! Plump puppies are cuddly puppies!
How about starting The Biggest Loser for dogs? LOL!
LOVE the sock….mmmm, pumpkin.
Instead of wet food, try some canned green beans. Most dogs love them to death - think they’re the best thing since bacon. And, they’re filling (so if you decide to cut back on some of the dry as well, they won’t be hungry) and low in calories.
I have been asked to pass along the following message to Dallas & Emma from the feline inhabitants of my house: “Emma & Dallas, we strongly urge you to ignore the inane ramblings of your human. He knows not of what he speaks. “Fluffy” is a great fashion statement and knits are not shown to better advantage on some skinny little creature with no soul. Be strong and continue your present course of action. The “pitiful” ploy will not fail you in the long run, humans cannot resist it… Of course, if you were cats instead of mere dogs this issue would not have come up- we cats do not stoop to modeling on a blog…”
Dallas and Emma - what Adam says? Nonsense. It’s winter, and it’s time for an extra layer or two…besides, there’s just more of you for us readers to love! Also, tell your dad he should be using it as a brilliant opportunity to model you for larger sizes.
Awwww, poor puppies. Just think of all the walking, though! Every dog loves a walk.
I can’t believe you’ve only been knitting for two years! Happy anniversary to you, indeed. Your sock came out beautifully and I have to knit myself a pair, now. Too bad the Loopy Ewe seems to be out of your lovely yarn?
the dogs look fine. but if you think they need to shed a few pounds, here’s a tip i used when i was helping my dog loose a few (upon the vet’s advice): mix in some veggies with the dry stuff! i know this sounds ridiculous, but i found out my dog loves raw zucchini. try steamed green beans and raw carrots as well. i think that pumpkin is supposed to be great for this too - you can buy canned pumpkin and mix it in (my dog obedience trainer mentioned this one).
enough dog stuff - your sock looks great.
I have a fat cat, so I understand the problem with chunky pets! I hope yours are able to slim down– I’d love to see them modeling again :)
It looks like you’re starting to build up a very nice stash! I love the tweed.
The sock is gorgeous! I love that color, and the window shots are really nice.
Did dog obedience school teach you a way to get them to stop making pitiful faces when you deprive them of their yummy food? I think you might need some reinforcements for yourself here…
And if that’s a beta lambda of yarn, what would you call at least 4x that much?
But regardless…happy knitting anniversary and the sock looks awesome!
Poor babies! You walk your butts off and maybe you can sweet talk daddy into giving you some treats. :)
Beta lambda….I like that! Nice stash shelf. The sock looks great….it really is a drool worthy color.
Happy Knittiversary! As to your, um, fluffier dog models, please tell them that real dogs have curves and that there is no reason for them to be holding themselves to the Hollywood dog model standards but..if they feel they need to drop a couple of pounds, they should do it because they want to be healthier and look better naked.
Regarding the beta lambda, I am fairly certain I have a kilo beta lambda of yarn. I heart the metric system.
ok, as much as I hate our anorexic society I must say that Dallas and Emma need to shed a few pounds…they are fatty cakes!!! But I love them just the same!! I need to shed a few pounds too…maybe they can come over and run on the treadmill with me, as I need some motivation!
Happy anniversary, I still remember the day I taught you how to knit…so glad you have taken to the craft with such finesse…we all benefit from your blog, your beautiful yarn, your wonderful knitted products, and your great knit wit!!!
love ya
You should invent some doggie bikes so they can join you! Good luck with the weight loss. I’ll sneak you some treats if Adam starts to starve you.
Happy Knittiversary! Love the pumpkin colorway and sock! Hoping the doggies don’t give you too much grief on the exercise and not having their favorite foods :)
Happy knittiversary! I just had mine too - we must be on the same wavelength. That single sock is gorgeous - your pal will love it. Poor Dallas and Emma - they will always be cute in my book! Oh, and I covet that kilo beta lamda amount of yarn!
I’m still so in love with the pumpkin yarn- I love all things pumpkin, as well!
Dallas and Emma, I send you both the best wishes at Dog Model Fat Camp- it may be rough at first, but just think of how hawt you two will be in the end!
Happy knitiversary, Adam!
Emma came over last night for a visit, and Adam and I spent the evening grooming her. After cutting off at least 2 whole dogs worth of hair, I must say she is not as fatty cakes as I thought! A few good walks and she will be back to her old sassy self in no time. She looks beautiful, and she is now ready to resume her modeling career. Maybe she could model my shawl when you finish it~
I wonder if belly fat on dogs is as dangerous as belly fat on humans? ;)
We fed our dog (Oscar) some wet food once for a “special treat” and then he went on a hunger strike for two days afterward because, obviously, feeding him dry food is puppy abuse. I think that was the only time he’s ever had the wet food, I felt guilty for days and days after that.
LOL, just read your Mom’s last comment - glad that Emma was mostly in need of a trim :) And happy knitiversary!
Hey, love your blog. The dogs are adorable, with or without the extra stuffing. And I know all about those sad puppy eyes when the dry food appears in their bowls. Alas I am powerless to resist and usually cave. But of course my doggie was never much of a model(very camera shy).
The puppies are still cute, even if they’re a little pudgy around the middle. More to cuddle! However, I’m sure they’ll both feel a bit better after instituting a new exercise regime ;-)
The key is to work it and suck in the pudges so they don’t show! I am considering feeding my dog a little extra so she has a “soft” layer for the cold of winter. But then I really looked at her and decided she already has some lady-like softness.
I don’t suppose you could slowly ride your bike around the block while the dog runs next to you?
Oh, chubby puppies, life is not so bad! Dry food means better breath, so to give better doggy kisses, and slimmer means more energy to chase balls and wrestle and play!
Dallas and Emma you can do it. I have total faith in you. I need to lose a few before the holidays too. Good Luck!!!!
Now Adam, that is some wonderful sock yarn I see on its way to Sheri. I wish I could buy them all but my children need to eat and I want a spinning wheel. Way to go. I love to see your yarn. Beautiful sock too.
Max and Bruin say, “Don’t feed Dallas and Emma any light dog food, just give them less of their regular food and make them run some extra laps around the neighborhood or chase more balls. The light dog food makes us so hungry, we’ll eat anything, including Mom’s favorite shoes, and Mom was NOT happy. Mom was a lot happier when we just ate less of the regular stuff!”
kilo… beta… lambda… I think that pretty much sums up my yarn stash…
love your doggies… and love the inspiration of reorganizing… it’s a fun thing to do… it keeps me from knitting, but I still like moving my yarn around!
:)
seriously ? only 2 years?! wow … i never would had guessed ……. SERIOUSLY !!!
Dallas and Emma darlings…
Remind dear old ‘dad’ that the camera adds ten pounds and that you both seriously need a hair cut.
On the flip side, wet food is a really bad idea for any dog or cat that is older than 6 months and young enough to still have it’s teeth.
Unless you two darlings have major gastrointestinal problems, suck it up and be good doggies and eat what ‘dad’ gives you, as long as it’s dry dog food.
PS the Chihuahua down the street will NEVER be hotter than you two darlings. Mutts and Schnauzers rule!
Tiny Tyrant - proud doggie mom of 3 - all of questionable heritage and none of whom are overweight ;-) and kitty mom of 4 - same story. With that many four legged things running around, I don’t want them all to outweigh me.
PSS - De lurking here - LOVE your yarn. Now to figure out how to get some of it in my house. Hey my sis lives in Albuquerque. I’ll have to send her your way.
Fat puppies are happy puppies. Congrats on the 2 year anniversary!
Holy cow! You’ve only been knitting for TWO years?? Way to go and congratulations! I wish I had some of your restraint regarding the stash! It’s just so hard for me to pass up inexpensive good yarn. Love the tweedy colors you have on the cones, and of course your colors are great. Poor puppies! We had to put our old dog on a diet-she was gaining weight. And 10 extra pounds on a dog that weighed 38-40 in her youthful prime was a very bad thing. We got her back down to 44. I mean, if you weigh 150 on an average day, it’d be like adding 37 or so extra pound! There are ’senior’ foods and foods that provide bulk without calories (but they ARE all dry foods!).
Happy knitting anniversary bro!
you might consider a raw food diet for your dogs. we switched frogger over after he got cancer and he has never been healthier. bowie went right onto the diet when we adopted him and all of his health problems from being a neglected stray cleared up right away. it’s also almost impossible for your dog to get too fat when they eat raw food. um, he’ll kill me for telling you this, but frogger used to weigh 85 pounds. he was a mr. fatty cakes. now he weighs around 60 pounds and there is a picture of him up at the vet’s office so she can show everyone what their dog should look like.
I can’t believe you found a way to use “vixen” and “Chihuahua” in the same sentence! One of my dogs was super obese (and 8 yrs old) when I adopted her. She lost 33% of her body weight on Science Diet weight loss (I think that’s R/D) with some regular walks. She was a real lardass too. I think she spent her first 8 years living off of table scraps and bacon. It was clear she had no idea what to do with dog food. If you have a beta lambda amount of yarn to knit up, I have a giga beta lambda. sigh
Love the dogs!! Really Love the yarn!! Just checked out the new stuff at the Loopy Ewe. I have little tiny dogs and they run their little legs off and never seem to get fat. I wish that I had that kind of metabolism and energy. Hope your pups take well to their new regimen. Don’t make doggie boot camp too miserable.
Pumpkin sock is gorgeous, by the way.
I had a mini schnauzer, Abby. Great dogs, very loving and yes they can get very shaggy, most people dont realize it because of the cut they get every month :P. I’m down to a ferret now, who I love with all my heart :). I lived in Albuquerque for about 10 years. Originally from the Roswell/Ruidoso/Alamogordo area :P. If you dont spin already, that is something you should think about. It’s just the next step in your knitting journey :).
Hi!
Regardless, I love what I’m seeing and I can’t wait to see it in person!
I scored a couple of skeins of Yarn Nerd on the Loopy Ewe today! I got Mustard Wine and Autumnal Equinox - they look beautiful, and I’m excited to get them! Quick question - is the yummy pumpkin colorway in this blog entry the same colorway as Autumnal Equinox? From the Loopy Ewe photos it looks like A.E. has more variation of color than Pumpkin…but with monitor and photography differences what they are, it’s hard to tell.
OK, dawgs, listen up: You are BEAUTIFUL. It’s true, bony/scrawny/stick-like/undernourished - that look is SO last year (and you know how many that is in dog years!) No, knitwear looks much better on the healthy frame, rather than on hangers. And - please tell your Da that, if those perfecto socks are from the needles of a two-year knitter, he is AWESOME! Wondrous! Furthermore, magnificent kudos to your Mom-Who-Taught-You-To-Knit on account of, she’s been able to impart much more than just the how-to; the knitting you’ve shown us is fairly sparkling with heart. There’s a discernible difference between technical skill - and technical skill imbued with tenderness. Just sayin’. (Now I have a standard to try for.)
wow, that is one BETA lambda stack of yarn nerd!
Congrat’s on your knitting anniversary or knitersary?? I just snagged some more of your sock yarn from the Loopy Ewe and I must really like Denim Blues & Jewel of the Nile because my first order was for those (and Love, Peace or else) and today I got denim & jewel (again??)! You sure dye up some pretty yarns.
Have fun with the walks and it will make it easier for both you and your cute pups.
Happy knitting anniversary! I just scored some yarn nerd from the Loopy Ewe and can’t wait until it comes! You should do an entire literature series, maybe Bronte Geek with blacks, blues and greens for Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. Yup, I’m a literature nerd.
Their bodies are temples glowing with inner beauty. They can’t be bothered with such earthly concepts. :-)
Good luck with the doggy diet. Our lab had to lose 30!!! pounds, and we did it. And it was hard as she was queen of the “I’m starving to death” look. However, she has so much more energy that it was worth the pain (at least I think so, she may argue the fact).
I love your dogs! I found your blog while searching flikr for Standard Schnauzer pictures and blogs. And, lo and behold a knitting schnauzer lover! My husband and I are visiting some schnauzer puppies this weekend in the hopes of one of them wanting to come home with us. We had a beautiful miniature schnauzer who passed away recently :-( And the time has come for us to add on to our family again. Yeah for schnauzer excersise and healthy food! They can do it!
That sock is gorgeous! I’m going to have to try that pattern. Of course your doggy models are gorgeous too!!
Happy ‘blog’ anniversary! A note to your pups: ‘You’re not fat … you’re just a little fluffy!’
Sheesh, I feel like I’m always behind with bloglines… Happy knitting aniversary! I concur with those that say that you knit like you were born with needles in your hands!!!
I think the socks look great and also that your dogs look great (though I bet, they won’t mind the extra walks… more time to sniff around).
I wish I had as beautiful a yarn-space in my office, but I daresay, that my husband might not be understanding.
So, to see my favorite canine model, check out http://whisksandneedles.blogspot.com/2007/10/thankful-thursdays_25.html. I think she would love to play with Dallas and Emma and could probably run them around enough to work off some of their lateral growth!
Anyway…great job on Kristy’s sock! It’s perfect for her!
Sara