The Tale of the Super Secret Project

     I have been working on a super secret project, for my future daughter-in-law, to give to her at her bridal shower. It has been quite a journey! I found a pattern that I wanted to make, and found what I thought was the perfect yarn. 


    So I started crocheting. After a while, I realized I should probably check with her about the color of her wedding dress. The yarn I had chosen was WHITE white with silver sparklies, and I didn't know if her dress was WHITE white or one of the many other options that are now available. 


    It's a good thing I checked. Her dress is ivory. Back to shopping for more yarn. With help from a knitting bestie, she found and I ordered an Ivory yarn with much subtler sparklies. Again, I started work. I like it, but it's still not quite what I had in mind. The end result is too heavy, and I want light and airy. I've decided to finish it, it could come in handy as a gift someday. 


    Once again, I am yarn shopping. I was looking at LYS really expensive super shiny, beaded and sparkly yarns. To get the yardage I need would cost more than $150. So it really wasn't an option. Then I came across what turned out to be the perfect yarn. I bought enough for my project, and once again started crocheting. 


    This time the problem I had was with the teeny tiny hook. First of all, I am most comfortable with great big size N hooks. I am currently using a size E hook. That's 10mm versus 3.5mm. The hook I had was a Boye. The heads on those are rounded and I was having trouble keeping the yarn on the hook during the many many chain 5s in the pattern. I decided to try using a hook from Susan Bates, as the heads on those hooks aren't as round, and they have a nice deep notch that should hold the yarn in place during those pesky chain 5s. The only problem is that I don't own one in size E. 


    Off I go on a playdate yesterday with my knitting bestie. Once again she saves my butt. I was able to purchase the hook I was after. Once I got home, I was able to crochet much faster with the new hook! The yarn stayed on the hook. It still came off occasionally, but about 10X less than with the old hook.  


    I am very happy with the results of the newest yarn and new hook. The only problem is that the final yarn is not sparklie at all. I think I can live with that. 


    There are no photos, as after my laptop crashed and was fixed, the photo app doesn't work. We still haven't tried to uninstall and reinstall the software for my camera. Another absolutely lovely and totally fracking frustrating thing, is that since the "fix" after the crash, the stupid cursor jumps around all over the place when I am typing.


     It keeps putting words and parts of sentences in the wrong place, and has even highlighted everything I wrote so that when I hit the space bar, IT"S GONE!!! It just did it while I was writing that it does it! 


    That's one reason I am writing about it here, as there is a really great "go back" button and I can bring back what got erased. Facebook doesn't have that feature. 


    I am also not mentioning what the project is because the bride-to-be reads my blog. I want this gift to be a surprise.  So if you know what I'm making, please keep quiet about it! 

Purple Bag Photos!

    I really can't believe how huge this bag really is! I had to take photos so I wouldn't forget after it's felted.

    So right now it's about 30 inches wide and 27 inches tall. I've got two more rounds until I can bind off. Then I just have to finish the tabs that hold the rings for the handle. I don't have enough yarn. I'll have to buy one more skein. That sucks! There is more yarn in this stupid bag than in most sweaters!!

A quick update

   I've been knitting like a woman possessed, and I've made real progress on the giant purple bag. It's gotten too large for my biggest project bag! I've transferred it to my biggest purse, the Metro Bag from Thirty One. I have it in maroon. That way I only have to carry one bag.

    According to the pattern, I'm about 1/3 of the way up the body of the bag! Yikes! I'm gonna need more yarn.....


    It made me sad, but I only got to use the inside half of that skein my good friend donated for me to use. Unfortunately, I had to throw the rest of it away, with her blessing. Hopefully I will get some more yarn today while I'm out with daughter and grandbaby, visiting my mom!

a bunch of stuff, some of it random

    1. I did the long hot drive down to Fishkill this morning, and hung out with my mom. We were going to do lunch, but she didn't feel up to it. So we hung out and talked and ate ice cream cones. In air conditioning.


    2. On the way home I stopped to visit friends, who showed off their adorable new kitteh. He's a Munchkin, a breed I'd never heard of before. Absolutely adorable. I want one. They are smaller than regular cats, and have little wiener dog legs. How cute is that? I really, really, really want one now. They plan to breed theirs, and maybe we can get one of the kittens. These cats are the cutest thing I have ever seen.


    3. After that visit, I proceeded to drive home, stopping at predetermined points to run errands. I was headed north after the first of these when my brakes started acting funny. It was like the right front brake wouldn't let go completely. After a short think, I stopped at a shopping plaza and called the Hubs. He had warned me it could happen. He couldn't leave work, but advised me to let it sit for a while and cool off. Maybe it would let go enough for me to drive some more. I did that, although how much can it cool off when it's nearly 100 degrees outside and there's nowhere shady to park?


    3.5. I finally got home, three hours after I left mom's. I had to stop three times all together. Not too bad. The last time was pretty close to home, so I didn't have to stay too long at the cigar store.


    4. As soon as I got home, I put on my bathing suit, and headed to the pool. I was dying to get cool. I finally got there! It took a while, but I'm cooled off now.


    Oh yeah, I almost forgot! Before I went to mom's I stopped Michaels for YARN. They didn't have the yarns I wanted either. I was unhappy. And of course there's no one around to ask about it. So I bought substitute yarns. And while I was at mom's I cast on both arm warmers on the same circular needle, and knit a few rows.


   While I was down at the pool, I was thinking about a former LYS we had in Poughkeepise, it was called Yarns Needles and Hooks. Now to me, that "S" on the end of the word YARN is unnecessary. I believe that like the word Deer, Yarn is plural as well as singular. Think about it, and let me know if you agree.

    P.S. I am happy to be knitting again, even if it's not with Jiffy. I got me some Loops and Threads Charisma, a nice bulky weight acrylic yarn. It's knitting up nicely.  I'll get some photos posted soon.

The lost ribbon yarn

    A few years ago, someone gave me a bunch of balls of a ribbon yarn. I put it away in a really good place. Once in a while, I would see it in it's bag, while moving it to get to something else.


    This past week, while not crafting, I've had the urge to find this ribbon yarn and knit it up with big needles. Just so I can say I'm making something. So far, I have been so far unsuccessful in my quest. But after Hubs goes back to work on Tuesday, I will have time once again to actually look.


    I find that I'm getting a bit excited about this possible project. I will take a photo or two once I find it and get going.


    Today it rained, after being hot and very humid. Thank the Goddess that it cooled off. During a lull in the down pouring, I went to the supermarket to pick up a few things. While I was in there, it started raining really hard again. I could hear it on the roof of the store. After I checked out, I joined the crowd of people who didn't want to run to their cars in the really heavy rain.


    After a while it let up, so I made my way to the Jeep. Just as I was a step or two away from the passenger door, it started raining really hard again!  So I got wet. Oh well, it had to happen. I don't mind me getting wet, I just didn't want my groceries to get wet. In fact, earlier in the day, I was swimming in the rain. Of course there was no thunder at that time. It was just plain rain.


    We've had so much rain today that the extra water has filled up our pool to the top of the skimmer. My friend Bonny's pool was threatening to overflow, and they had to pump off quite a bit of water. Maybe tomorrow I'll tell you all about the pool trauma we had this year.

real sweater progress!!

     I am so excited, I can hardly contain my joy. I just tried my sweater on, and it fits! Not only that, it's also long enough! Yesterday, I transferred it to my 60" circular, so I could do this. I was nervous about it. Tonight I finally gave in, and we have excellent results!

    After discussing with my knitting expert yesterday, I shall now begin the anti-roll rows that she recommended. Two rounds of purling should do the trick, according to Miss Kim. Then I just have to do the sleeves and the collar/neckline. I'm looking forward to that.

My yarn's here / A promise kept

   Apparently, my yarn was delivered yesterday. Unfortunately, it was delivered to the house in Fishkill. I swear, I changed the delivery address when I ordered it! Anyway, we had to go down to Fishkill today anyway, so I was able, at long last, to get my yarn in my hands!


    I had a picture, but the computer isn't cooperating tonight. Hopefully, I will be able to add it at a later time. I am so excited to finally get my yarn! So far, I'm keeping to my word about finishing the Gamer Gloves before casting on the sweater. SO FAR.....


    As to the promise I kept, Hubs and I got an awesome Schwinn LowriderTricycle for grandson Mason for Christmas. When we were all leaving my brother's house, his big sister Chloe asked if she could have one too. I told her I would look for one, and if one was to be had, G-pa and I would get it for her.


    Today, as we shopped in Sam's Club, they had some!! This is the first time we'd seen them since before Christmas. So now Chloe has a cute, pink, low rider, and Mason has his red one. I brought it to her this afternoon. She was thrilled! I got to spend a few hours with my grandkids, they are so cute.


   Next time I go visit, I'll bring my camera, so I can get photos to show you. If the laptop decides to cooperate.

crafting update

    I've been working on the Gamer Gloves while waiting for the sweater yarn to come. I know it's been a long time since I crocheted for any length of time, but seriously. I'm only able to get through two, maybe three rows, and my hands start hurting.


    But I persevered, and one glove is now ready for a try on, and I've made decent progress on the other. I'm still hoping to get them both done before I cast on my sweater. I received an email yesterday, letting me know that my yarn had shipped. I'm hoping, even with the New Years holiday, I may get it Wednesday, maybe Thursday.


    I must tell you, I dreamed last night that I was casting on the sweater. How odd is that? Do you think I might be looking forward to it? I really am...

last minute stuff

    Today, Hubs and I went out and did a few last minute things for the holiday. I believe we are ready now, except for wrapping. Hopefully we can do that tomorrow night.


    I have been knitting up a storm in the last two days, so much so that my yarn holding finger is stiff. I used up two skeins of the cream color, and have switched to a denim blue. I like it. I have at least one more skein of the cream, I'm saving it for the collar and tops of the sleeves. They will also have the denim added to them.


    But, the progress is unbelievable on the sweater! I haven't taken any photos today, with the running around, but I hope to tomorrow. After Stitch n Bitch. Maybe.

In Which a Yarn is Chosen

    That's right, I chose a yarn for the fingerless gloves for my cold handed, video gamer son-in-law. That's really progress! I would have started crocheting earlier, but I didn't feel very well today. I even took a nap, something I hardly ever do.


   Here is the yarn I chose:

    It's a nice, masculine, camo yarn. It will go well with all the military type video games he plays. I now have a few rows done on the first one, but it's getting dark now, and harder to see. I will work as long as I can, and then continue tomorrow. I hope his wife approves. I think she will.

Nothing to Report Yet

    Perhaps you noticed that I didn't post yesterday, I tried, I really did. There was just nothing to say. I'm not working on anything right now. My legs hurt and I'm a bit on the cranky side.


   However, there is a light at the end of the crafting blackness. After work today, I will be going to Michaels with my good friend Bonny. I fully intend to look seriously at some yarn. I might even start my son-in-law's long ago promised mitts. Well, if I can walk, that is. I have high hopes for that. who would eve think that I would find standing to be such torture and give me such pain? That's what three years of being unemployed can do if you aren't careful.


    I will say that the wool is already enticing me, it wants to be another bucket bag, this time a variegated one. The muse won't let me be, she tells me the wool wants to be a bigger bag also. I'll look at the wool yarn seriously.

Crafting Update and a Gallivant

    The baby blanket is finally done, and is right now in the washing machine. So I have nothing currently on hook or needles. I never got very far with Wingspan, or the Baby Surprise Jacket either. I frogged them both.


    Right now, I am just sitting here, enjoying my new recliner. Well, new to me, anyway. It sure beats the hell out of the folding lawn chair thing I had been using! It's not over stuffed, there is plenty of room for moving my arms as I knit or crochet, which I was concerned about.


     So now I get to think about what I want to make next. I've actually been thinking about making another crocheted and felted purse. I think I have enough wool in my stash. Actually, I remember that I started one, I crocheted a big circle, then picked up the stitches with a circular needle and knitted in the round. I should go find that one, and work on it some more...


    Earlier, I gallivanted out to the Hudson Valley Marketplace, on the Salt Point Tpk. I know the Awesome Store has a booth there, and with their store being closed on Sunday, that was my only choice. I needed more soup mixes. I used the last one in my pantry yesterday.  So now I'm restocked, and very happy.


     

Feeling Like Crap, and Blanket Progress

   Yesterday, I felt like such crap when I got home from babysitting that I crawled into my bed shortly after. Unfortunately, I was still there when Hubs arrived home from work. Not finding me in the living room, in my customary position in the chair, he panicked a little and came running into the bedroom looking for me.


   He was so sweet, and concerned for me. Today I feel a bit better but Miss Malia is definitely not feeling well. Poor baby was miserable today. Her mom left these nose drops, but I was totally unsuccessful in my attempts to put them in her nose. I think I now have an idea what it feels like to wrestle an alligator.


    But I did get some work done on the new baby blanket today. Malia was fascinated with watching me crochet, and playing with the yarn as it came out of the skein. I stopped when I got the exact middle of the blanket. Here is how it looks:

    Unfortunately, it's wrong way around. The beginning is on the right, and the center is on the left. But I'm very happy with my progress. I just wish I could shake this icky ucky sick feeling.

At Long Last, Photos

    Yesterday, I was able to get the promised photos, while Miss Malia was napping. It turns out that the new blanket is only about 2 inches shorter than the original. But that's OK with me. I do like the new one better.

                     

^ Here they are side by side, new on the left.

 

 

^ The tops to show they are even.

 

 

     And the bottoms to show the new one is shorter. I have one more promise, there will be no more photos of said blanket until it's finished... I am sure you are all heartily sick of hearing about this one project.                                                                            

 

 

In Which I Get Clever

    This morning, at Stitch n Bitch, I made the decision that the cotton baby blanket was too big. So I stopped working on it. But I didn't really want to frog, and wind by hand, six whole skeins of cotton. So I got a clever idea.


    I decided to start the next blanket with a new pink border, like the old one, and then start the body with the other end of the skein I was using. I would use up the skein, until I was frogging the old blanket, as I worked along, to use on the new blanket. With any kind of luck, I would get to the pink border of the old blanket by the time I was ready for it.


    I started shortly after I got to Miss Malia's house this morning, having stopped at my house to pick up the pink. She was naturally very curious about what I was doing, especially since I prefer to count out loud. It's just easier for me, I tend to not lose count that way.


    So far, it's working very well! I have gotten a lot done, all through one skein of the body color, and started the second. It helped (not) that Miss Malia didn't nap until 4 p.m. But she did sleep for a total of three hours. After an hour and a half, she came out from the bedroom, climbed up on the couch, and fell back asleep for another hour and a half. Sweet!


    All in all, it was a very long, nine and a half hour day. Not my usual four hours. But I do get a three day weekend this week, I don't go back until Tuesday.


    I am so tired right now, I can't even take a photo of my progress on the new blanket. I'm looking forward to seeing them side by side, connected by the yarn. I will take one tomorrow, and post it for you see.


   

This Week's Craft Report

    I have made significant progress on the crocheted baby blanket this week. However, I don't have enough yarn to finish. I made the trek all the way down to the craft store to get more, two days later, and they didn't have any. It's too far to keep making the run every few days. Does anyone have any idea how long it should take to restock? Any guess is fine.

     Do you see the fatter lace sections? There are supposed to be seven of those in the finished blanket. I am currently not quite to the sixth one, and I'm on my last skein of yarn. I did think ahead in one way. I haven't yet worked in any ends, so I can still frog the thing and do it over with a smaller hook. It's kind of on the big side. I like it that way, but it has been pointed out to me that some people think baby blankets should be small. Why? They are small for so short a time!

 

 

And if I do decide to frog it, I may not be needing that last skein of the stupid yarn after all... Here is a closer shot of the pattern:

 

 

And now for a surprise. The other day, I got home before Hubs did. When he came in, guess what he brought me?

 

 

He really is the sweetest man. It's hard to believe that in a few short months, we will celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary. The time really does fly.

My Cat Has Lost His Mind

    Ever since Ozzy came to live with us, I have trained him to leave my yarn alone. We had a little talk. I told him that if he wanted to live here, he would have a very easy life, and in return, all I asked was that he not use my yarn as a plaything.

    In all these years, he has pretty much stuck to our agreement. He got a little confused when I started knitting, as opposed to crocheting, but he soon caught on that yarn was yarn, no matter what I did with it.


    This morning, I was sitting here, drinking my coffee, when I looked down at the cat, who had been running around and howling. Now, this is not normal behavior for him. The only times I've seen him act anything close to this, is before a really bad snow or rain storm.


    Anyway, I look down at my cat, and he's got my big center pull ball of animal fiber yarn in his mouth! The ball is hanging out of his mouth! I don't remember which animal it is, it's really soft, so it might be Alpaca. I had been watching him, since I caught him pawing playfully at the knitting attached to that ball, just yesterday.


    After my coffee this morning, I made a run to a craft store for more yarn for the next pastel rainbow baby blanket. When I got back, there on the floor was a ball of Sugar n Cream, which he had obviously used as a plaything while I was gone. It was all messy, I'm sure you can picture it in your mind. It was not a full skein, but less than half of one, that was leftover from the madness of the skull potholders.


    News on the blanket front! I finished the circular pastel rainbow baby blanket last night. Yippee skippee! Now I can take a well deserved break to work on other baby blankets, for the same babies. For your information, the circular blanket is 39 inches across. The star shaped one was 49 inches. I'm thinking I will be sticking to the star shaped one, in the future. Unless Sara likes the circular one better, that is.

Another Blanket, With a Twist

    I know, I know, I normally wouldn't make another blanket out of the same yarn, so soon. But with my daughter having two pregnant girlfriends, I really had no choice. The finished pastel rainbow star made it's way to Sara's house, for her to gift at baby shower next month.


    I will admit to my heart skipping a beat, watching her caress the beautiful softness of the blanket, while asking if she will get one too when she has a baby. Of course she will! In the meantime, pastel rainbow #2 is nearly done. I wanted to do it a little differently than the usual one, so I made this one a circle. It has the exact same color progression, just not in the twelve pointed star.

    This is what the whole thing looks like ^ , and here's the closer view:

    In case you've noticed, I haven't written a whole lot in the last few days. I have not been feeling all that well. My legs hurt, it's hard to stand up and walk, at least at the beginning. Once I get moving, I'm usually OK. But I do feel like I've pulled muscles in the calves of both legs, so I'm like double limping. Strange, I know.


    And, so you know, the circle afghan pattern is from the Lion Brand Yarn website, the free pattern section. It's the same pattern I used as the basis for my Jeep tire cover.

Switching Gears, New Project

    Talking with my daughter the other day, she pointed out to me that she has another friend who is also pregnant, and due before the first friend. So I thought I'd better put away the first blanket for the first friend, and start on the blanket for the second friend! Whew!


   The good news is that the blanket is taking hardly any time at all! I've made it so many times with so many different yarns, I'm having fun with it. I do realize that by the time it's done, I will want to kill myself. It happens every time. But that's OK!


    So here is how far I've gotten since I started last night:

    And here is a close up, just so you can see it.

    This blanket is so pretty, it's a pastel rainbow, blending from white in the middle, to green on the outside. I am currently on the first of two rows of solid pink. I can't wait to see photos of it wrapped around the new arrival!


   And by the way, my bracelet finally arrived today. There was a surprise inside the package, they had sent me two more bracelets for free. I am still pretty upset about the whole shipping thing, and I think an apology would go a long way for me. I don't see that happening. Excuse me while I go unfavorite their facebook page....
   

This Week's Craft Report

    This week, I have been busy crocheting away on the skull potholders for my daughter Sara. The first one is finished, the second one, almost done. I am up to the eyes on second of two pieces. Then I crochet them together, and voila!  it's done.


    I haven't mentioned my knitting project, it was bad, and it's having a long time out. When I feel like working on it again, I'll get it out, and have my good friend Kim take a look at it to see where I screwed it up.


    While I was out with Hubs earlier this week, we were in Walmart, and  I found some more cotton yarn that would go great with some I had already bought. I picked up two balls, and we headed on to the rest of the store. Unfortunately, we decided not to purchase anything else, so all we had was my two little balls of yarn. Of course, every single check out line that was open had at least 10 people waiting. I decided that I didn't want the yarn that  badly, so I put them down in some random place, and we left.


    Now I'm kicking myself, I really want that yarn. But I made the right decision, it totally wasn't worth waiting for so long to spend less than $5.