Progress

Here is the blanket as it looks right now.   I am working on pistachio.  It is faint in this picture but, it is there.  I have more yarn to add to this thing and it is getting to be huge.  Right now, it is covering up the love seat in my family room.  It will be on the king sized bed when it is completely finished.  I can't wait to see the end of this project so, I can move on to other things. 
 
I fell asleep under this thing this morning when I was working on it.  I am on the shells portion of the pistachio row and then on to another color. 

The cats love to sleep on it already as it sits on the couch waiting for me to work on it.  My right hand is killing me and I took a break from crocheting it to knit on my charity mitts.  I finished the mitts this morning. 

I will be casting on for either a hat or another pair of mitts. 

More Colors!

I am still working on the blanket.  Here is the red that I had added a couple of rounds ago.  I am currently working on a pistachio.  Each color is two rounds.  Fun.  I have more yarn to add to this thing and hopefully, it will be complete and I can really start to work on my charity knitting.  So far, one hat completely finished.  I started on a mitten yesterday and hopefully, I can get those finished by the end of the day. 

My hands are killing me right now. 

I woke up this morning feeling lousy.  It seems that allergy season is here and in full force.  Great. 

On my mittens, I am contemplating my thumb.  I can't decide if I should do an increase thumb or do an after thought thumb.  Decisions, decisions.  Hmm.  I can see how each one would work, I just have to think of the person who will get this pair of mittens, will they like them if they have the increases or not.  It is always a challenge to a knitter to figure out these things. 

Today is knitting day.  I need to relax and get rid of the sore throat.  I hate the things.  I am just dragging.  I hope it doesn't last too long, I have things to do and people to see.  I don't have time to be sick. 

I really do want to see the tail end of this blanket.  I even ordered in more acrylic yarn for another blanket with a different pattern.  I have a new book that has some really cute blanket ideas in it.  It looks like bright colors are back in.  Finally!  If you didn't know this, I love bright colors!  I think my work reflects that. 

The Killer Pool Exercise that Works!

 I have a new pool exercise that is tough to do and it hurts when I am finished doing it but, man, it works!  I was perusing one of my magazines, it was one of those health women's ones and I saw this simple looking exercise that involves a pool noodle, aka cheap foam like noodle that will float.  Since I have three of the things for my guests to float around on, I decided to try this exercise out.  It looked amazingly simple.  So, I grabbed my blue noodle and proceeded to do the exercise.  It starts out where I grab the noodle in the middle and then push it down into the water.  Here comes the fun part, then I push my noodle forward into the water making my body, not my feet go forward, it is supposed to look like a push up but, the noodle holds me up and then the hard part, bringing my body and the noodle back to the upright position without moving my feet.  I started out with 4 repeats of this exercise. 

Now, I am up to 7 of these things a day.  I add one more each time I do this exercise.  What am I noticing?  My middle section is firming up.  It is incredibly hard for a woman past 40 years old to lose her belly.  I know.  I am loving this new exercise, a lot.  Not only do I swim for 30 minutes to an hour a day, I am doing this exercise.  I have noticed my core is strengthening from this exercise, too. 

The most interesting thing about this exercise, the hubby tried it and couldn't get the hang of it.  I think it is one of those exercises that women can do but, men can't seem to work out.  It is like the chair move, where you take a chair, place it against the wall, put your head against the wall and lift the chair straight up.  Men can't do it.  Only women can because our center of balance is very different from theirs. 

I am working on knitting hats right now for my charity knitting project.  I have been working with hand spun yarn and it is looking really cool.  I decided to use my hand spun since I am trying to use up as much of my yarn stash as I can.  The hand spun yarn is stretchy.  I love that.  When I finish the ear flaps, I will post pictures of it.  I love the colors in this yarn.  I can't remember if I dyed it or if I bought the fiber.  Either way, it is unique. 

One of my friends has volunteered her time and yarn to crochet hats, mittens, and scarves for the project so, I am still looking for others to help us out.  I will ask the other ladies in the chapter if they would be so kind if they have the time to help us out. 

I hope everyone has a beautiful weekend, if you need rain, I hope you get it, and if you need sunshine, I hope you get a bountiful amount to dry it all out for you.  Since I am in Texas, we desperately need the rain. 

Updates to my Current Projects

Top photo shows my sock that I just finished.  The second photo is the most current picture of the blanket and my progress of it.  The last picture is the hat I knit for my charity project. 

More rows will be added to the blanket.  I will be knitting more hats for my charity project and this should decrease my yarn stash quite a bit. 

I wore the socks last night since my feet were freezing when I crawled out of my pool.  They are nice and comfy.  :) 

The Keep Them Warm Campaign

I have finally found my charity knitting for the winter months and I am going to try and get other knitters to help me in my endeavor.  I am a DAR, or Daughter of the American Revolution and I am starting a charity knitting event for a particular school in Grant, Alabama.  This is a DAR school and what this means is that DAR funds it.  The ladies in DAR support it and other schools like it where a school was desperately needed.  Most of the kids in the schools come from poor families who are below the poverty line.  So, they are always in need of different items for the kids. 

This particular school is for kids from Kindergarten to 12th grade.  So, they are in need of a few items like coats, hats, mittens, and scarves.  They also accept clothing donations, shoes, etc.  My goal with the keep them warm campaign is to donate as many hats, scarves and mittens as I can knit or get knitters to donate to me for this school for their Christmas presents.  If you would love to participate in this with me, please comment and I will get back to you with my mailing address. 

Thank you to all in advance. 

Crochet Naked

I lost my sd card reader and I would love to find it to show off my lovely pictures of the blanket.  I have only 10 more rows to go according to the hubby.  Lovely, just what I needed to hear. 

I took pictures of the blanket today as I am working on it.  I have noticed the pattern of the thing goes in different waves of color.  There are light colors grouped together, then there are dark colors grouped together.  None of this was planned.  I just added what colors I thought would work with each color I was working on.  I even have men commenting to me about it.  I keep thinking...no, don't ask if I will make you one, it won't happen.  I might make another one of these in a smaller size.  No more king sized blankets for me.  Not for a long time, anyway. 

I have looked for my sd card reader and can't seem to find it in any of my usual spots.  No idea where I put the thing.  sigh! 

I am looking to start another project or two with sock yarn but, I won't be making socks.  I am thinking lace knitting, a shawl or even a scarf is in the works.  I am searching my shawl patterns to see what I can come up with.  I just know I need more of a challenge than the blanket.  I also have to use my yarn stash up.  I have way too much yarn.  There is no way I can use it all in this lifetime.  So, I am going to try and do the bin challenge.  Pick a yarn bin, any yarn bin full of yarn and make as many projects as you can with that one bin of yarn per month or two months depending on the size of the yarn bin and the project.  What to do with the items you make?  Why not donate them to needy individuals who have nothing.  Take them to a veteran's shelter and start handing them out.  I know they will appreciate it.  Find your local DAR group and ask if they would like your items to give to the veterans.  I know they would be more than appreciative for the items.  Women vets would even love the items. 

I think I am going to start making hats after the lace project is done.  I can make beanies for homeless people.  When winter hits, they are going to need items.  Hats are so easy to knit and they use up the yarn stash. 

I know several knitters who knit for charity and I was one of those people but, due to my health going to the toilet, I had to stop and take care of me.  I have been taking care of me for about 2 years and I am healthier but, on a long road to get to perfect.  I have found that I am growing short of patience these days and there are certain things I no longer give a crap about but, I am trying to get where I need to be with my health.  Health is the main project over here.  I am well read and I research my disease and I am dealing with it.  I take time each day for me. 

Running Errands

Today we ran errands and we hit the new farmer's market.  I had been earlier in the week with my sister and loved the prices on their produce.  I managed to get three bags of fresh fruit and veggies plus a chocolate bar for $21.  Today's purchases were only in one bag but, we came home with organic veggies, fresh fruit, and more coconut water and another chocolate bar.  Also, some sunflower kernels and pistachios.  This purchase was $26.  I view them as a cheaper version of W.F. 

We had to stop and get our propane tank refilled, it is cheaper to do that than to actually exchange the tank.  Yesterday,  I went grocery shopping and that was cheaper since I didn't have to buy produce.  I bought the basics. 

Last night, we took the blanket upstairs and measured it on the bed, it needs 10 more rows until it is finished.  I can't wait to finish it.  I am ready for it to be done.  I went ahead and ordered in a new crochet afghan kit.  I had to special order a crochet hook for the new one.  I have never heard of a size 7 crochet hook other than a steel one.  This hook isn't a steel hook, it is 4.5mm hook.  I know, weird size. 

Today I decided to not work on it at all.  I will go ahead and work on it a little bit tonight.  I wanted to take a day away from it and work on something else.  I have the blanket upstairs waiting for me.  I have yarn waiting on me to make something interesting and intriguing with it.  I am thinking smaller shawls. 

I have yarn that I need to paint for the shop, the silk lace weight.  I just haven't found the inspiration I need to do it.  I will probably do that this next week.  I have to take the dog to the vet on Thursday.  He has to go already.  I love putting him in his little harness and leash and he walks to my car.  I put him in the car and he waits patiently on the seat with the a/c on him and then when we get to the vet, he waits for me to open his door and get him out.  He is a good boy.  His brothers, not so much.  Bootsy is constantly needing me to pay attention to him and Napoleon thinks he has to drive the car.  I don't take Napoleon to the vet, the hubby does that job. 

I have to look in my bag of yarn and see what other colors of yarn I am planning in putting into the blanket.  I managed to find 2 more colors that I didn't have in yarn.  I bought those and brought them home to my bag.  If I do finish the blanket and I manage to have partial skeins left then I will make something else with them all.  Probably another blanket.  Nothing too major though.  This one for the bed has been a learning experience on patience for me.  I am not a patient person and that blanket is really making me learn that sometimes patience does have its uses.  I hope to take pictures of the blanket and share with everyone when it is finally finished.  If you are a friend of mine on FB, you can see updates of it all the time.  I take pictures of it on my phone and share with all my friends and family.

The Work Continues

Today I took the time to count the amount of colors and rows in my blanket.  I am still working on it.  I have 20 colors/rows in this thing.  It is getting really heavy and hard to work on.  I must keep going until it will fit nicely over our king sized bed.  I asked the hubby if he wants it to fit on top only or does he want it to drape over the sides like a bed spread.  He said bed spread.  Great! 

I decided to work on the sock today as well.  I put it on the foot and it is almost to the ball of the foot.  I am ready to be finished with this pair of socks so, I can design a new sock pattern for one of my new color ways for Fall.  I started painting the new colors last week and I am slowly working on more colors for the line up.  I did put the yarn that is in my ETSY shop on sale.  It has been marked 25% off to make room for the new yarns that will be coming in. 

I have to dig around in my shop bin to see what yarns I have available to paint for the new collection.  I need my yarn meter to measure out some of the cone yarns and get them into skeins ready for painting. 

I am waiting on a new lace weight yarn to come in and as soon as I paint it, it will be headed to the shop, it has a generous yardage and good news for those of you who are allergic to wool.  It is 100% silk.  Yes, I know several people have let me know that they can't touch wool and cotton tears up fingers unless you happen to use mercerized cotton.  So, for those of you who are woolphobic, silk is coming soon. 

Putting the Miles on the Sky

Lately, I have been going places, my car has wracked up 1000 miles with all the places I have been.  This is a lot for me since for the most part, I just go places around my home and not much travelling.  I think it all started with the road trip to see my sister.  She lives 100 miles away from me.  I had to go deliver figs to her.  I also had to make my annual trek to the cemetery to put flowers on my parents' graves and other family members' graves.  Since my sister lives in the same town where the cemetery is, it was a no brainer. 

Then we went to the water park that I have my season pass to.  It is in the country.  It is cheaper and since it is very family oriented, none of the issues that we would see at other water parks.  Gary took a day off from work and we went to the water park.  Then I went again on Tuesday of this week with my sister, nieces and nephews.  We had fun but, we realized that a whole different atmosphere was happening on that day, it was buy one admission, get one free.  I didn't care since I had my season pass and I get in free.  The people around us were another matter, I don't know if a coupon brings out really sleazy people in other areas but, at this particular place, it was awful.  I had to constantly watch out for people pushing, shoving, being rude, cursing, etc.  This isn't what I normally see at this park.  I was wondering what was going on.  They normally won't tolerate any of this crap and will ask people to leave.  When pretty much the whole place is doing this, I guess they are stuck and can't ask these people to leave. 

We finally managed to wind down our day at the little kids section of the park.  It was nice and peaceful and my 10 year old nephew could scamper about in the water and slide down the smaller slides.  He was happy.  It was nice to just sit and watch him be happy. 

It was so hot out there that we managed to get sunburned even though we reapplied our spf 100 several times throughout the day.  My goal as soon as we changed clothes and headed to our cars was to get the hell out of dodge.  I managed to get back onto the freeway and get myself and one of my nieces home.  We were so happy to be finished with the crap at the park.  Do I want to go back?  Yes, I would love to go back but, I will not be going on a Tuesday for anyone.  No thank you.  Will I get another season pass?  Yep, even the hubby mentioned he would get one as well.  It is so much cheaper to buy one and then go when we can. 

I noticed something interesting right away with my car, it automatically goes to the speed that I have been driving at lately.  Oh my!  I had to look down and slow down since I do not want a hefty speeding ticket.  Just when I think all is well and I am doing the limit again, not so, my car has crawled back to that certain speed. He wants to go fast. 

Am I going any place special today?  No.  I am staying home this weekend and filling the pool with water right now since it is down from our 102.5F temps.  That was what my thermometer said the temp was yesterday in the shade of my back porch.  That is hot! 

I am still working on the blanket and I have added two colors since the orange.  I am also working on my second sock.  The first one went quick but, the second one always goes slow for me.  I am on the foot section right now and looking forward to doing the toe. 

I purchased a microwave on sale for the business.  It is a low wattage but, I don't need 1200 watts of power to paint yarn.  Nah!  It will work although my favorite dye pan won't fit in it.  sigh!  My other pans fit nicely.