That felting feeling

I've pushed the mini-sweater knitting aside for the moment to crochet some flowers for felting.

My confidence was renewed after having such good luck with this one--the one that resisted felting until it took a spin in my new washing machine.

The flower at the top (before felting) is from this book:

It was easy to crochet with a Size J hook and 100% wool worsted weight yarn. The 100% wool part is the most important requirement for felting. Any yarn with an acrylic content just won't felt. And sometimes even 100% wool won't felt if it doesn't have a good rapport with the washing machine.

I'm thinking these crocheted flowers might be a good project for a long airplane ride. I have one of those coming up. I mentioned in a previous post that we'd be heading out to the Calcondo on Saturday, but that plan has changed. There's a snowstorm looming so we'll go on Sunday instead. There's no sign of snow yet, but the Weather Channel is hardly ever wrong. And the reason the WC is hardly ever wrong is because those folks rarely commit. Maybe they're tired of being sued for wrong forecasts.

So Mr. Gadget was a little put off by my sharing the story about my stealthy pre-travel garbage drop-off drive-by's. So just pretend you didn't read that, ok? I hate to embarrass him, and I try very hard not to. But if he's going to put me in charge of working down the fridge then I have to do what I have to do. I did visit the grocery store yesterday--what with the snowstorm looming and our delayed departure and all--and there was a very handy garbage can out front--where I may, or may not, have deposited a very teeny, tiny bag.

Also yesterday, Tech Guy and I (did I mention TG is going out to the Calcondo with us for a while?) took his tortoise down to our old neighborhood where a very kindly former neighbor had agreed to tortoise-sit while we're gone.

TG briefly considered taking the tortoise along, but we didn't know whether our airline would allow him to board. Their guidelines are fairly clear for pet travel. Only dogs and cats are eligible to accompany their owners. This is the same tortoise that rode shotgun with TG on his car trip around the country a couple of summers ago, so he's a savvy traveler. As you can imagine, he's pretty torn up about having to stay home in the cold. Just look at that face. It's the same face I have when Mr. Gadget asks me if I want to go outside for a brisk, bone-chilling walk in the snow.