Charity Knit Mitts

I have been enlisted to do a charty knit for a friend.  She wants to start a non-profit charity knitting business for dialysis patients.  She asked me to knit a pair of manly mitts for one of the patients who will be receiving the mitts.  So, I am looking at my stash of yarns and thinking...hmm, what can I help her out with?  I have loads of yarn around my home.  I have been collecting yarn since the first day I started knitting.  Each yarn was chosen with precision and care.  Now...my stash is out of control.  So, I am knitting for this charity. 

If you want to join in, she needs mitts for both men and women.  Just e-mail me and I will give you her direction. 

What you put into life...is what you get out of it.  I know knitters are some of the best people on earth because we all love to share our talent. 

Finishing up Old Projects

I know this hat looks strange but, let me explain.  I have long hair and I hate to wear a hat since I can't wear my hair up in one.  I wear a ponytail everyday.  So, I decided to make Cupid, Draw back your bow a ponytail hat.  This one will not fit me, I am thinking it should sell pretty well since most younger girls wear ponytails as well.  I chose to use Cupid, my hand painted merino and I dyed the pink to go with this other yarn.  I love how well it came out since it is a truly unique article of clothing. 

I even cast on for a new hat.  This one will have ear flaps.  I am on the brim of it right now.  Yay! 

I was feeding my dogs when I moved in a direction I shouldn't have and I felt my knee tear.  Oh, the pain was horrendous.  Gary was lickety split with the ice pack and I am hoping the swelling won't be as bad as it is normally.  Here I was healing quite nicely and then this.  Grr!  I am so upset with myself over this knee.  I am so tired of wearing the brace. 

Working for a Living

I am back to knitting hats for my October festival.  I actually got an e-mail today from someone asking me if I was going to participate in a local craft fair in April.  Uh, no.  I don't have the stock for it.  I am not ready for anything that early.  It is going to take me a while to get what I need done and packed up with price tags, and washing instructions. 

Currently, I am working on the pink shawl and a hat.  The hat I am using a hand painted yarn and a custom dyed yarn.  I do custom colors if anyone is interested.  I did the custom color for myself for this hat.  :)  The hat is called Cupid, Draw back your bow.  I thought it appropriate considering the painted variegated yarn is called Cupid.  I am using the solid color for the crown of this hat.  It is being knit for a youth.  I find that kids will drag their parents into my booth and will try the hat on and love it.  Kids sell a lot of my stuff for me.  They can't help themselves...the bright colors attract them.  Just what I count on! 

The shawl is coming along slowly.  I worked on 4 rows of it today and put it down.  I picked up the hat and started working on it, again.  The hat comes first since it is part of my job. 

What I Have Learned Today

I have learned a few things today just by watching people.  We went to Lowe's to get some items for the yard and sure enough I started to see things that indicate that people are taking the time to grow their own veggies and fruits.  I noticed this on Sunday as well.  The lady with the cart in front of mine had many veggies and herbs. 

We bought a package of seed, some black Krim tomatoes.  So, I have to plant them soon.  I also have to plant my green beans, my eggplant, and my sweet corn.  We have broccoli in the ground right now and it has the cutest little florets on it.  :)  I am eating home grown lettuce on my sandwiches every day and I love it.  I had missed this little treat ever since my Dad had passed away.  Now, I am growing my own food.  It is a great sense of accomplishment to be able to say, I grew that. 

I am also very excited about my Mr. Stripey tomatoes coming up in my Aerogarden.  I am using that little device to start my plants this year.  I have peat pots coming in soon and I can take the little tomatoes and put them in the peat pots and hopefully, this will lessen the transplant shock when the time comes for them to go into the ground. 

Gary read on line that tomatoes are going to be super pricey this year.  Along with eggplants, green beans, and bell peppers.  I have all of these items going into my garden as soon as it is last quarter.  Plant on a last quarter and it will grow big and beautiful.  Never plant on a full moon since it is a barren moon. 

Gary did take out the old hibiscus since it was dead, the frost murdered it.  So, he bought an Apache black berry and put that into the spot where the hisbiscus used to live.  I dusted the plants with Sevin dust 5%.  We had bugs.  I am not worried about the poison since we won't have any fruit this year. 

Gary added water to my pool today.  I will add more tomorrow.  We haven't had rain in ages.  I hope it will come soon.  My garden sure needs that rain water and all of the nutrients it gives the plants. 

Busy Day

Today is going to be very busy for me.  I have to wait until Gary gets home from Washington state and then it is going to pick up.  We have to go and pick up our patio chair cushions...if you need some, consider Wal-Mart, they are cheapest, I have looked.  There are some hideous ones out there...purely cheap and totally hideous.  I found some I could live with that weren't too expensive...$28 a cushion is what I consider reasonable.  The pattern is tasteful.  I would have picked them up yesterday but, unfortuantely my car wouldn't work out for the cushions...try fitting 6 chair cushions into a 2 seater roadster with no trunk to speak of.  It wouldn't have been pretty. 

I guess I could have seat belted them in with the top down. 

I have a C.A.R. meeting to attend today as well.  I am going so, I can give the chapter Chaplain donation items for the state conference which she is attending.  They need as many items as they can get to raise funds for the society. 

Then I am coming home to spend some much needed time with my hubby.  I have missed him so much.  It gets lonesome without him. 

I am also working on the drowning in brown hat.  I didn't get to work on that much at all last night.  I worked with polymer clay and I have come to the realization...I suck at polymer clay.  Seriously.  I also found my toyo glass cutter and I have plans to cut glass today for the two patio tables that need new glass.  I have to dig around in my stained glass supplies to find my circle cutter.  I pulled out two sheets of glass to add to the table top.  One is a beautiful cathedral and the other is a waterglass.  I can't wait to play with them since I haven't done anything with glass in ages.  That is going to change. 

At some point in time I will have to find my soldering iron for this project.  It is in the garage in my glass working cabinet.  I have my own work bench out there...ooh awesome.  :)  I have several projects that I would love to do.  One is a torchierre lamp to match the one in the family room.  I bought the first one and since I can't afford to purchase another one, I have plans to make one...possibly.  It depends on how much time it will take up since I am short on that these days. 

Drowing in Brown Goes Another Round

I had started this hat last year sometime and didn't pick it up until now.  I chose to use this luscious chocolate brown Peruvian Highland wool from Elann for the trim.  As I was working on the ribbing I decided the hat needed some oomph so, I did a stash dig and found my hand painted Shetland, Drowning in Brown.  I painted this yarn around 2008 and I have used it several times for different items but, never for a hat. 

I am using size US 8 dpns for this hat and the Shetland for this project is soft, not harsh like some of it.  I have some Shetland wool that is extremely harsh.  I really don't like to use it.  One of these days, I will take the time to use it.  Just not now. 

The hat is being made in a youth size.  I haven't decided what to do with it as of yet.  I guess when I figure it out, I will do whatever with it. 

I was looking at designing a shawl pattern but, I am still hunting for the perfect lace to go on the shawl.  I am picky and I have another book to look into and then I think I will have what I am looking for. 

Catch Up Day

Today I am taking the initiative to get my work done.  I haven't been doing my house work like I should have.  I have had so many issues with my health and well, I am so tired of it all piling up on me.  So, today I am finally taking the time to do some of the things I have been putting off for about a year.  Today's chore...washing sheets that have been sitting on a chair in the hall.  I had washed them but, instead of folding them and putting them away, I piled them up on this chair. 

I am re-washing them and tonight Gary said he would help me fold them. 

I also want to get the boxes from Christmas into the attic today.  I am sick of looking at them.  It is time to do some serious Spring cleaning.  Tomorrow is the living room  and Wednesday will be the dining room.  I want to see a seriously clean house.  This means storing my loom elsewhere, like in my office.  I need to put my bicycle into the guest bedroom.  It needs to be out of the way.  We have no storage in this house at all.  My next home is going to have plenty of closet space.  I want one like my sister had in her house.  It was an awesome upstairs closet, we could all pile into it and play easily.  There were 6 of us who played in that closet comfortably.  It had shelves and it was amazing. 

I am also planning on cleaning up my yarn stash.  I have things to make for people and then I can take care of getting my things made for Rice Harvest Festival.  I have several plans for that.  :) 

Size 3 Toddler Sock

Here is one of the little socks I finished tonight.  I cast on for the second one in the car as I was waiting for Gary to get out of the bookstore.  The yarn is Victorian Christmas and it is a merino/silk.  I love this yarn, it is so vivid.  I know Eli is going to stare at his feet for a long time with this sock.  I am using US 2 needles and my gauge is 6 sts and 10.5 rows = 1 inch. 

I have a 1 inch cuff with a 3.5 inch leg.  The heel is eye of partridge for texture and the heel is a round one.  The toe is a regular one with a grafted toe.  I like to do simple socks if the mood strikes.  I just love how well this one turned out and it looks like a big person's sock but, in miniature.  I even jokingly told Gary that I could make a bunch of these up and hang them all over my Christmas tree.  Wouldn't that just be the cutest thing? 

Ethan's Solace Socks

I finished them today!  I sat outside in the sun under the patio umbrella and knitted away until I finished them.  I am happy to be done with this pair.  I already started the third pair of socks for my great nephew, Eli.  They are extremely bright.  I hope the little guy will love the colors. 

Charity Knitting

I was asked tonight by another knitter if I would do some charity knitting for her.  I accepted and said I would do one pair of fingerless mitts for her.  She is starting a non profit group that will be knitting mitts for dialysis patients.  It is for a good cause so, my needles will be flying once I get finished with the socks I am diligently working on. 

I am on the foot portion of the second sock for Ethan and I already have the new yarn picked out for Eli's socks.  It is bright and one of my favorite yarns that I have ever painted.  I am hoping it will work out for the little guy. 

I found out recently that Eli will have to have eye surgery.  He is a downs syndrome baby but, he is the cutest guy under the sun.  I love his smile.  He has a beautiful smile.  It lights up his whole face.  He loves his feet and bright colors so, the yarn I chose is perfect for him.  It is Victorian Christmas and yes, it is one of my own.  I had started another pair of socks for him but, didn't like the outcome so, I frogged it and I will start another pair for him with the merino/silk sock yarn.  My favorite. 

Another Cold Spell

It is freezing here, literally.  I don't like this type of weather at all.  I looked outside and there is ice hanging off of my patio chairs.  Great! 

Today was listen to some polka music and dance around the family room.  I had fun.  My dogs thought I was crazy and the hubby was annoyed, he isn't a fan of polka music and he likes Weird Al, if you can figure that one out, tell me because I would like to know. 

I am supposed to be working on a sock...am I?  I don't want to.  I have knit 4 of the things in the past couple of days and I am burning out, quickly.  sigh!  I need to finish this last one so, it can go to it's recipient. 

I am going downstairs to see what I can find on the boob tube. 

Ethan's Sock

I started Ethan's socks last night and today I sat outside and worked on the little things.  I am currently working on the gusset.  I am ready for the foot section of these babies.  As you can see this yarn is really cool looking.  Gary was right in asking me to use this yarn.  I think it will be looking good on Ethan's foot. 

I am using US 2 Addi Turbos on this project with my merino/silk sock yarn in Solace.  I had painted this yarn last year.  I love it.  My gauge for this sock is:  6 stitches and 10.5 rows equals 1 inch.  Not a bad gauge. 

I am really tired tonight.  I slept late since I went to bed late.  Gary and I hit the local Chinese restaurant for lunch because you can't beat their prices.  We get a soup, an egg roll or crab rangoon, fried rice, and the main course for a mere pittance.  Our whole bill today was $13.95 and Gary had an iced tea.  I had my usual water with lemon.  They serve it from 11 am to 3 pm, Monday thru Sunday.  We try not to miss the cut off time.  It is tasty.  I had the garlic chicken today.  It was good. 

Tomorrow night we are having sausage with mashed potatoes and green beans.  It is simple but, that is okay, I am a fan of sausage but, it has to be a certain kind.  I like the coarse ground, with black pepper, garlic, pork and beef mixed.  If it is pecan smoked, even better. 

Gary also went grocery shopping during the Super Bowl, we aren't football fans around here.  For the most part, we don't watch sports.  I used to go to baseball games with the girls in the family back in college but, now...nope we never go. 

I am going to work on this sock and then go read my Kindle before bed. 

Creative People and Their Desks

My desk is a bona fide disaster zone.  I can find all sorts of things on it.  Today I did some minor cleaning of it...now I can't find my damn camera and this is really pissing me off.  I finished the Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream socks and would love to take a picture of them if I could find the camera.  I wanted to take pics of the Multnomah shawl I finished the other day and need to block. 

I just found my camera.  Woohoo!  It was buried under some yarn.  Yarn that needs to be used to make beautiful socks.  Tonight, I cast on for a pair of Ethan socks and sure enough, I noticed that something was off...the cuff was massive.  There is no way that a little boy's leg is the size of mine unless he has some issues. 

So I went ahead and re-checked my gauge and sure enough...the gauge was off majorly.  I now have a gauge of 6 sts and 10.5 rows = 1 inch on US 2 needles.  My cast on went from 52 stitches down to 42 stitches.  I lost 10 stitches.  Which will make a huge difference with these little socks. 

As you can see the cherry vanilla ice cream socks are complete.  A quick knit.  I used my hand painted merino/silk sock yarn in cherry vanilla ice cream and this is the result.  Don't they look absolutely yummy? 

Little Socks, Big Socks, I Knit Them All

I am currently working on a pair of toddler socks in size 6.  They are for my great niece, Ainsley.  I think she is going to like them because the girl loves pink.  :)  I chose to use my merino/silk sock yarn Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream hand paint.  It knits up like a dream.  It is very fast on the needles.

I am knitting this pair on US 2 Addi turbos, my go to needles for pretty much every thing.  If you can't afford a pair of Addi Turbos...there is an alternative...Susan Bates, Silvalume.  They are half the price and they work just as good.  I have two pairs in my needle stash.  I have so many pairs of needles around this house but, I use every single pair.  Some pairs have things sitting on them.  I find myself ripping out stuff I had forgotten about.  I am trying to concentrate on one item at a time these days although I do still have a chart test knit sitting around that I need to work on. 

This pair is plain stockinette since the yarn is showing off, I don't need a pattern for it.  Plus with little kids socks, they go through them so fast, there is no point in putting a design on them.  I did use the eye of partridge heel flap for some added interest.  My heel turn is a round heel, so simple and it allows me to zone out. 

More pics will follow when the sock is completely finished. 

Ratsicle

I don't know if you have heard or not but, it is damn cold down here.  My pool filter is a block of ice.  I went out this morning to crank it up to get the water flowing through the thing.  Sadly, I don't think it worked.  Sigh! 

I have three sock yarns sitting on my desk waiting for me to wind them into balls so, I can knit socks while I veg in front of the tv.  I am not going anywhere and tonight we are having grilled lemon pepper chicken with saffron rice and green beans.  I thought that sounded good.  I have been eating left over chicken and egg batter soup for lunch these past two days.  I don't mind since it is hot.  Gary finished off the homemade chili for lunch.  I even made peach cobbler last night.  I had to pass the family recipe on to my sister over the phone and to my niece, Sabrina, via Facebook.  It is a good one.  I had to give Melinda my chili recipe yesterday over the phone.  She made some of it last night and told me it was a damn good chili recipe. It is easy.  I had thought it was my Dad's recipe but, she said no, it wasn't like his at all.  Hmm. I thought it was his and I added a few things to make it better. 

I was thinking of making the cinnamon and sugar rice...it is divine.  Another one of Mom and Daddy's recipes that all of us kids love.  Even the nieces and nephews love it.  Someone had asked me for it recently.  It is stored away in my long term memory.  Sadly my short term memory is the one that is damaged courtesy of that damn tour bus hitting our car way back in June 9, 1989. 

Now back to my sock knitting.  We didn't get snow last night, we got ice.  No fun!  Ya'll be safe and warm wherever you are. 

It's 19F Here!

I looked and it is 19F right now.  I am not used to cold like this.  I don't like it.  The power was out for a good hour this morning.  I had called Melinda and left a voice mail with her.  She never receive it since her power was out at the time. 

I am going to head downstairs to get a pot of chicken soup on for the day.  We need something warm in our tummies while this cold spell is happening. 

Ody is sleeping beside my chair right now.  He wants to go outside since he has a double coat but, he needs to understand...I don't want to open the back door for that blast of cold air to hit.  NOPE!  I have to add to Napoleon's coat.  I did a quick crochet one last night to get something on his body and now, I am going to add to it where it needs it.  He has been giving me the look of woe...I promised to make him a coat so, he wouldn't be a hound dog popsicle but, have I had the time?  NO! 

I might even get the wool blanket out of the closet and go catch a nice nap on the couch.  Love the wool blanket.  Warmth! 

When the Wind is Screaming

You know you have issues when the wind is screaming outside your window and then the power decides now is a great time to go out.  Then it pops back on, only to go out again and again.  Three times was the charm this morning.  Enough to screw with the a/c.  Yes, I have my a/c on here because it is so freaking hot.  It won't be for long from what I am hearing from the weather people.  It is supposed to be cold enough to freeze a rat!  Great, just what we don't need. 

I woke up to hear the rain pelting the house and the wind screaming...it made me feel like I was in the middle of a hurricane.  If you know what that is, I can say, you live on or near a coast.  For those of you who are land locked...it isn't a pleasant feeling.  I have to say that I am thankful for those super hot summers, the ones that made my roof all nice and sticky!  With those 100 degree temps, I am happy that the roof is all held together now.  :)  Woo hoo! 

I am washing clothes for a second day since I fell asleep on the couch yesterday and spent most of the day snoozing away.  I am washing towels and then it will be actual clothes. 

I picked up my Multnomah shawl and I have reached repeat 7 of the lace.  Come on 10, I want this thing off of my needles.  I have other things I want to do, and this shawl isn't it. 

Yesterday, my polymer clay came in along with my polymer clay conditioning machine.  If you happen to buy a clay conditioning machine aka pasta machine let me tell you the difference...nothing but the price.  If you happen to read pasta machine in front of it...big bucks!  I nearly fell over.  If you read clay conditioning machine...cheap.  I researched my clay conditioning machine and found one that had 5 stars and everyone was happy.  So, that is the one for me. 

I read up on making clay canes and well, that has to be the most interesting thing out there.  I can't wait to play.  It will have to wait until this evening or later because I must finish this dang shawl before I can start making my canes. 

SIGH!!!