Socks and Steel

I finished another pair of socks! I used self-striping yarn and did pretty good with keeping everything even until the toe. I thought I had all the remaining yarn with me and was making do with what was there. The toe was finished THEN I found more yarn that would've kept the pattern. But I ain't unraveling! Besides. The toes will be in the shoes. I got a hand-me-down patio set. Sam's son John (whose cats have the cat fish bed) had about five sets around the A-frame house he purchased. He was giving them away...so...I don't know how many layers of paint are on the set. With the flaking, I can see cream, white, green, and LAVENDER!! Sam said something about getting me a wire brush attachment for the drill and I could sand the set. I'm thinking...WHAT?! And lose all that character??!!

We have a nice set with a glass table top in the screen room. I want this one outside by the pool.

Flunked Out

I signed up to to the Lion Brand KAL (knit along). Isn't this pretty! One of my knitting goals is to knit an Aran-style sweater. This one 'looked' perfect. I knew that I wouldn't be able to keep up because (1) I am a slow knitter and (2) I do other things...like quilt...cook...and eat. ;o) But OH MY! I had just about decided that this was over my head. Then thought perhaps not. It is just tedious. With the help of different colored stitch markers I was able to section off the different pattern changes. I realized that the worst problem that I had was on the reverse side...you're supposed to knit the knits and purl the purls. Sometimes, because of the slant of the stitch, I couldn't separate the knits from the purls. I unknitted everything I'd done and am going to start all over. The cables were starting to look good, but I found several errors. The ribbing looked real good. ;o) But I had such stupid trouble with the Double Seed Stitch. The top left section on this end which is wrong...should look like the top right section on this end. This is the correct Double Seed Stitch... So. I have unraveled the whole thing (small percentage of the sweater that it as) and am casting on a circular needle and will knit all right side rows in the round. Hopefully that will take care of that wrong side problem. I also decided that a M wouldn't be large enough so will be casting on a few more stitches.

Snow is Gone! ALREADY!!

Yep. It doesn't take long in northeast Texas to go from lotsa snow to no snow. There's very little left. The electricity was off from about 10 a.m. Friday until about 10 a.m. Saturday. Sam waited until about mid-afternoon before hooking up the generator hoping that the electricity would be back on. Wishful thinking. But what to do while we had no electricity?

Remember this? I think I showed it a couple of posts back. I needed to clean out my sewing/quilting room and the floor of this stash closet so that we can get the carpet out and lay new wood flooring. So...before: And after! Of course, I still have lots of stuff in the guest room all over the place and plan on sorting as it goes back into the closet. But just about everything you see on the shelves in the before photo is still on the shelves in the after photo. I threw away very little. Hmmm...just scrolled up...the before photo doesn't show much of the shelves...just what's in the floor. So, trust me. All of the shelves were as jumbled as the partial two bottoms shelves you can see in the before photo. Quilters/sewers/knitters/crafters understand.

I've been extremely, kinda, diligent about not purchasing any more fabric unless it is to complete a project. And I think I've done pretty good. I was surprised at how much my stash has gone down. Before Sam retired, I used 50% off coupons at Joanns in Lake Jackson and purchased fabrics for specific quilts. I folded them together and tied a strip of cloth around each 'quilt kit' and slipped a piece of paper under the tie with the quilt that that specific fabric was supposed to be. I am down to just FOUR uncut quilts. Then I get to start buying all over again!! LOL I do need to make a few scrap quilts to get rid of some of the remnants of fabrics in the top two shelves.

I used my blue scraps to make a sample French Braid before cutting my homespuns. It made a lap-size quilt. I need to do the same with the pinks, then the reds.

Knitters! On the bottom shelf, the whitish/clear container with the green lid...there's one on each side of the red yarn in the zippered linen bag. Those are giant economy size containers for the Cascade gel-packs. The one on the left has green yarn in it and the lid kept popping open, so I turned it upside down. When I get to the yarn in the sacks in the guest room, I'm thinking about putting my leftover sock yarn in the other container.

We went to bed last night without any heat. Got up this morning and the house was about 61 degrees. Not bad considering it was 29 outside and we hadn't had heat on since 9 p.m. last night.

I played in the snow yesterday a little bit. Couldn't get Sam to round me up a piece of cardboard so that I could slide down the hill. We have the neatest hill out front...covered with snow...and no kids to slide down it! I started to call the neighbor kids over so that they would play with me...but when I was outside they weren't.

I had a few comments on some previous posts:
Kar: Wood heater...No thanks! That's how Ron (Jonathan's dad) and I heated our home for several years. I remember in 1983, big and pregnant, loading firewood in the heater. The only gas heater we had was in the bathroom. When we no longer had wood to cut that cost us only our labor and had to start buying firewood, we found that propane was as cheap as...and wasn't as dirty. And you certainly don't bring scorpions, spiders, and snakes in with the gas as we did with the firewood.

Karenfae: Generator...No problem for me! ;o) Sam's the one who had to do the hook-up and keep it fueled. But...I've got to learn how to do it too. Sam said something about showing me how. I told him I wanted a 'procedure manual.' Show me this year, drag it out next year (but in our area more like 5-7 years from now) and expect me to remember. HAH!

FFG: I made a snow angel. You should've seen me floundering around like a beached whale trying to get up outta the snow. Come on and eat my cooking...we'll be twins. ;o)

Warm Feet

Another pair of socks completed! I did these in 'record' time. At least for me!! I cast on the first sock on December 21...closed the toe on the second sock on February 2. Yippee!
I have a confession. I "won" something on eBay. First, please explain to me why you pay for something you "won"!!!! I've been following JessicaSews blog, I'm Sew Happy, for more of her Market Fish. http://jessicasews-imsewhappy.blogspot.com/search/label/Market%20Fish . And I don't even own a cat!

I didn't know until last week that it was a Simplicity pattern (9004). I didn't know until last Saturday that it was a discontinued Simplicity pattern. Off to e-Bay I go, and there it is. AND I "win" it! I'm waiting for it to come in.
I'm going to make one for step-son's girlfriend. Well, I should say for her cats. ;o)

I bet Jonathan's dachshund, Pogo, might like it too. Whaddya think, Jonathan?

If you would like one, but don't sew, go check out Jessica's blog and place an order.

Quilting and Knitting and Searching

I got all five panels of my French Braid quilt sewn together and sashed. I initially was going to sew a 2" strip of homespun plaid between the solid butterscotch sashings. Hmmm...Now I'm thinking maybe solid black (see that short strip between the first two panels?). The top and bottom 3 or 4" borders will be the same...maybe. Either way, I have to make a trip to the fabric store. ;o)

Look at this! My first felted project. I used less that 2 1/2 skeins of a feltable wool and knitted a scarf about 9" x 72".

After binding off and weaving in the ends, I pulled up a 1" - somewhat - bubble of fabric and secured the base with a rubberband. Not all over, just each end for 10" more or less...probably less.

Into the washing machine for a warm water wash. Ta-da! I am very, very pleased with my first intentionally felted project.

ssshhh...We won't mention the sweater I had when I was a teenager that was absolutely gorgeous, until I got antsy and could not wait on Mama to wash it...by hand...in cold water...with Woolite...and laid flat to dry. 'Cause I didn't wash it her way. I also never got to wear it again after washing it my way. ;o(

Here's the pattern: http://www.knittingdaily.com/media/p/27946.aspx

Here's my sister-in-law Carol and her two grand-daughters. (Their dad doesn't want their faces shown on the internet.) We were looking for arrowheads. No luck! We found a few pieces of chipped flint, but nothing that resembled an arrowhead.

Even though it was cold, it was fun. We hope to go back when warmer weather comes...not HOT weather...warmer...and drier.

One Foot Warm and Cozy

The other is freezing! Well. Maybe not freezing...since I do own several full pairs of socks. ;o)

I cast on for the second sock last night while watching Dancing With the Stars. I even knitted all but four rows of the ribbing.

Project Completed...Project Begun

I completed this. I started it last spring. The 'yarn' is ribbon yarn...something I just fell in love with. Had to have. Then didn't know what to do with it. This shell works great over a long sleeve t-shirt. Can't wait for the weather to be cold enough to wear it. Possibly next week...

And I can't sit idle for long. I've started a pair of socks. These are going relatively fast for me. Just one more pattern repeat and I start the heel.

Fair Day

Small town...small event. But, Oh! How much fun! I am so glad that I volunteered to help present baked goods to the judges ... I wound up inside all morning instead of out in the drizzly damp weather. Still battling this cold so that was the best place for me. Weather people missed it all around...we were supposed to have sun and party cloudly. LOL

I presented the baked goods to the judges. Snuck a bite of a delicious looking chocolate cake...could only detect creamy icing and sweet. This dratted cold has affected my senses of smell and taste. NOTHING has any flavor! I can detect sweet, sour, tart, salt, spicy heat...that's it. Upside...I've lost about four pounds. Downside...for Sam anyway...I'm not cooking. I'm not going out to eat. Sam can't understand my logic...why spend money on food I can't taste?! I grab a bite of something here and the hunger is barely satisfied...but since I can't satisfy the taste issue...I'm eating enough.

I entered quilts and socks in the 'county fair.' Everything was judged in it's own category, but then the highest scores from the categories were pooled into the divisions (or vice versa) and ribbons awarded to the top three. For instance in Needlework, I won 1st place with this:

2nd place with this:

3rd place with this:

So you would think the socks would be in their own category...they were. But then the three highest points from Quilts, Knitting, Crochet, Embroidery, etc. were taken from all the categories and ribbons awarded to only the top three.

But hey! I'm not complaining!! ;o)

I saw people I haven't seen in quite awhile. A cousin who now lives in Alaska...hadn't seen him since 2000. A guy headed the other direction saw me and shouted out my name. I threw up a hand and waved at him. I STILL don't have the foggiest idea who he was. LOL With a brother 11 years younger...it could've been one of his friends. Saw high school classmates...and lots of other people.

After the baked goods judging, then a hamburger lunch...which I ate about half. I could taste smoke from the meat...and tart from the dill pickles...sigh...I went to help out in the library's Friends group booth. We sell cold drinks. LOL We should've had coffee and cocoa! But they told me that we'd sold quite a few drinks during the chili tasting ;o) and several cookbooks. We were sitting under someone else's canopy and they were ready to leave so we packed up about 2 or 2:30. I collected my quilts and socks and went home...took some cough syrup...tried to find something that had some flavor. Sigh. Eventually went to bed.

A Pair of...

Okay. I understand a ...

...pair of socks. I mean, after all, there are TWO socks. Two separate generally matching entities.

I don't understand a...

...pair of slacks. I mean, who would wear two 'slacks'? Yep, two legs, but one waist, one back, one front, one butt, etc. Oh, wait...a butt is a pair of cheeks isn't it? ;o) But still, why a 'pair of slacks'?

Oh, well. Not worth losing sleep over.

But this is what made me think about it...I completed another pair of socks. I finished the second toe on the way back from San Antone yesterday and grafted the toe closed with a kitchener stitch.

They are made with Knit Picks Peruvian wool sock yarn. Yep, hand wash...lay flat to dry.

More Yarn and Flowers

Remember the French hollihock from the other day? It's gone. I forgot to show it to Sam. Another one also succumbed to the weedeater. I did see one in with the bluebonnets...so it's safe.

My deitz lily is blooming. Just one pretty little bloom so far. If you look closely, you might see another bud or two. Lest you think that I have a green thumb...this deitz lily is the same age as the first one. They are on either side of a 'walkway' leading up to the front door. The first one is planted under the shade of the redbud...the other gets shade from the house. In that same bed is this... a mountain laurel. It's not only in the wrong bed, but also the wrong soil. In northeast Texas we have acidic soil. The mountain laurel grows fabulously in the Texas Hill country...in 'sweet' soil. Whatever I do to the soil for the mountain laurel is counteracted by what I do for the azaelas which love acidic soil and are in the same bed! Now. I plead complete ignorance. My question is why was a mountain laurel even available to the purchaser in my area of Texas? Never mind. I know the answer to that. Because people like me will buy it! I've been meaning to move it for two years now and set it off by itself so that I can lime the soil...hasn't happened yet though.

On to another lovely subject...yarn. When we were in Lake Jackson, Sam sat out in the 4-Runner enjoying the heavy misty rain while I ran into Hobby Lobby. Y'all go check your HL stores! This one had a yarn sale too. I was better prepared and also knew that Sam wasn't necessarily waiting on me...we were waiting on Jonathan to call so that we could set up a time to meet and eat. So, I shopped. Once again, each skein was $1.99...one of the original prices was $7.99! Great bargains!

And, here's my Knit Picks order. Mostly for sock yarn, but the package of yarn is for a sweater. All of these were on sale too, though not at quite the reduced price as the above yarn. Check out KP at http://www.knitpicks.com/ .

The friend, Laura, who taught me to knit also order enough sock yarn for three pair of socks for herself. I get to teach the teacher how to knit socks! ;o)

This is just too precious not to share.

????

Okay. What am I going to make out of the ribbon yarn?

I found several patterns for tops made out of ribbon yarn. But very few with the same yardage per 50 gram ball. So that has narrowed it down substantially. I found this:

The top is called Badia and is made with a braided cable, not ribbon, but the weight/yardage is very close. The pattern is located on the Berroco website.

So, unless I run across something else between now and the time I finish a pair of socks I've started on...this is it.

Yarn Purchase

I have an order in with Knit Picks for sock yarn and enough yarn to do one short sleeve sweater. I am patiently waiting on that order.

Meanwhile, we went to northTexas Friday to see John's (my stepson) new business location (he sells cars...classics mostly). Of course Sam had to go to the local Harley dealer and found another of the long-sleeve white shirts that he likes. I saw a Hobby Lobby sign and ran through it while he waited in the parking lot. (He is a patient husband-in-waiting, but we needed to get back to the 'shop' before closing time.)

The ribbon "yarn" has always fascinated me. I found thisOriginal price was $6.99. I purchased 10 balls for $1.19 each.

WHAT OH WHAT??? am I going to make out of it? LOL

And this is all that's left...

I get to start all over next time I sit in the living room. I ribbeted it last night while Sam and I watched Hunt for Red October...we have it on DVD.

I've done some quilting today...just about ready to roll the frame to the last row. Yippee!

Rainy Days and Mondays

We desperately need the rain. It's been so dry. Temps aren't bad either...just a bit coolish. So, I'm not complaining about the rain. (to hear Rainy Days and Mondays, you need to go to the bottom first and stop the "juke box.")



I am working on a pair of socks, tackling a more complicated pattern than I've done before. I think I dropped a yarn over (knitters know what I'm talking about). On the next row, I saw a hole. So I started unknitting...got past the hole and noticed it was bigger. Unknitted another row...bigger hole. Unknitted one more row...not only was that hole getting bigger, but I had another hole on another needle. Jerked the needles out and started ribbetting it. Threw the whole she-bang down on the ottoman and walked off.

When I cool down, I'll go cook supper.

A Surprise and a Skull Cap

I saw my mother today. In my mirror. Staring back at me. This surprised me. She was not in my house. It has happened. I have become my mother.

Wait a minute. FINALLY! I FINALLY look like my mother! I have always thought she was a beautful woman. I've never thought that I was beautiful though. Don't go psycho-analyzing me yet. I was overweight as a teenager. Of all the times to be overweight - those dreaded teenage years. I knew that I was not beautiful. BUT I also knew that I was NOT dog ugly. Okay. I'm from northeast Texas and that's a Texism...well, I think the real term is "butt ugly," but I wasn't that either. I also knew that I was not beat with an ugly stick. My mama did not have to tie a bone around my neck when I was a kid so that the dog would play with me.

I just wasn't beautiful. Then I went on a diet. Married. Lost more weight. Tanned to a beautiful bronze. Dark brown straight hair hanging down to my waist. At a horse auction, I was at the concession stand getting a coke - you know, a Dr. Pepper - when I overheard in men's voices... "I think she's pretty." "Yeah. I do too." I never looked around. But on my way back to the building, I didn't see a single woman. Just me. Two men thought I was pretty. Well, three counting my husband but he's supposed to think that. Oh, wait. Four. Daddy.

I'm still not Raquel Welch gorgeous. Or Sophia Loren drop-dead gorgeous. My eyelids are droopy and are getting more so each and every year. My teeth are discolored from fluorosis and are crooked. But I am pretty. My hair is still dark brown and now that it is shorter I find that it is a tiny bit wavy. As long as I stay away from the sunroof in a car, the few gray hairs that I have do not look like a fiber-optic lamp. I am an optimist - my glass is always at least half full - and I almost always smile. I think and hope and pray that I am a nice person.

What led up to this...I knitted my first skull cap and was trying to get a photo of it. If you haven't tried turning the camera on yourself or attempted to take your picture in the mirror. GO TRY IT. It ain't easy! I took a pic...laughed...took another...laughed...took another...oh, there's Mama! I bet I took eight or ten photos. The pattern came from a very talented young lady: http://kodymayknits.blogspot.com/2006/11/bead-my-skull-cap.html

Finally decided to hang the cap on a lamp.

Oh, and here's the lamp. Isn't it a pretty?! The first Christmas after Jonathan's daddy died, that 12-year old boy (he turned 13 two days after Christmas) spent ALL of his Christmas and birthday money on me. I cried.

I collect Fenton Burmese. My mother was a Fenton dealer - hence the reason I could afford it to start with. I fussed at Mama for letting Jonathan spend all of his money. She said that she tried to talk him out of it - but, "He wanted to."

Beautiful Day

We had a gorgeous day today! After freezing temperatures earlier this week and mizzling weather, this was a wonderful reprieve. It will not last long...more freezing weather is in store for us early next week with a possibility of sleet on Monday night. Honestly, I don't mind cold weather. We have so little of it to start with. I just make certain that the pantry is well-stocked, and that I have a book, knitting, and/or quilting close at hand. I'm a happy camper! Oh, mizzling is a term a dear friend of Sam's coined - it is a cross between mist and drizzle. ;o)

We had water on the pool cover. I dipped leaves and started a hose suctioning off the water. FINALLY found a low point for the opposite end of the hose so that it didn't just trickle out. Once I had the hose situated, the water drained off the cover very quickly.

I should've walked in the woods with my pruners today. I haven't been in the decorating mood so we don't have a wreath on our front door yet. Tomorrow...tomorrow is going to be nice too. I'll have to stroll through the field and the woods gathering cedar limbs, pinecones, sweetgum balls, and other natural items for a Christmas wreath. I generally make my wreath in the fall. After Thanksgiving, I then add more items to make it Christmasy.

I guess I have found out that the blahs can last longer than just one year.

I'm working on a second sock. Take a gander at this heel turn. Isn't it just the prettiest thing you've ever seen?! It is the best that I've ever knitted. I am so proud of myself.

Socks on Circular Needles

LOL Does not work for me!

I have all the supplies, the book, beautiful Harmony wood needles from Knit Picks (http://www.knitpicks.com/knitting+needles.html) in sizes 1, 2, 3 and 4 with 40" cables. Sat down with two different color yarns just like the book said and started juggling needles, cable, yarn, tails, and everything else within arm's reach. This is not easy to do. Just look at this tangled mess I pulled out of my tote.

I struggled through and was determined to at least finish the two little socks I had started. First, I found the ladders. Big, wide ladders.



Then, I found THE hole.

Put everything back in my tote bag and went to my stash closet for that pretty variegated purple and red yarn I bought on clearance from Knit Picks last year. Ah, my beloved DPNs. When I first started with them last year I just knew that I would poke an eye out. Now they are like a long lost friend.



I WILL pick up the circular needles try 2 socks at a time again. At a later date. A much...much later date.

Third Place Ribbons!

I won two third place ribbons this year during our local fair! I entered a quilt, a pair of knitted socks, a knitted shrug, and some scuppernong jelly. The shrug and the jelly placed third in their categories. (Note: Scuppernongs are a wild grape native to North America. http://www.answers.com/topic/scuppernong and http://southernfood.about.com/library/weekly/aa091998.htm

Sam and I were in Jefferson for the Boo Benefit (motorcycle rally). A girlfriend entered my items and took care of them for me.

Our Friends of the Library group won several ribbons in the food categories! Pat won Sweepstakes with her cookie recipe. Earlene and her mother placed second and third, but I've forgotten what they entered. Those three recipes are in our cookbook...which is for sale...see the relevant post below... Nancy won first place in jellies with her pomegranate jelly...then I got third. We eat good!

I had a request to post photos of the front of the shrug (this was before makeup and hair was combed) and the other items I entered:

I Did Not Drop It Today!

I am so excited! I did not drop my bike today. It's been a whole month (or more) since I've ridden...due to weather, work, bad cold, excuses, excuses. ;o) In the middle of the afternoon, we set out for not only some back road riding, but I even got on the highway!


I wasn't as nervous leaving the driveway this time...didn't fail to 'feather' the clutch but twice and killed the bike both times. After I got out of the driveway...for those who know this area...we hit FM 130 to FM 161 and all its curves to Naples. Through the Paul Pewitt school zone at the right speed, "Hello, Mr. Officer." I even smiled forgetting that I wear a full face helmet. ;o) We stopped at the Dairy Queen in Omaha, got something to drink, and waited out the school traffic.

South on US Hwy 259 back to town and home again, home again, jiggedy jig. I maneuvered up the driveway this time without a hitch and parked the bike where Sam told me to park it last time. APPLAUSE!!! APPLAUSE!!! If we were the high-fiving type people, I would've high-fived Sam!


I am so excited! I didn't even get nauseous like the last time - rather, the first time. I mean it. I was so nervous the first time I rode my bike that I could've thrown up my lunch...sorry to be so graphic, but it was that bad.


We went to the Longview H.O.G. meeting last night. I showed a photo of my bike to everyone there. The Lady H.O.G.s are planning a ride in three or so weeks. I told them that I didn't think so. I still need a babysitter. The lady sitting beside me said that she'd gone through the very same thing...that's what they are there for. So...every spare chance I get, I'm riding. I want to be ready to go!


On to more sedate matters...I finished a pair of socks! Talk about anti-climatic. LOL They fit great and are so comfy. I want to try to knit two socks at one time. Unfortunately, I didn't have the required needles...circular needles with a 40" cable. So I had to order some. Of course, you can't order just one item...makes the shipping too expensive, so I order sizes 1, 2, 3, and 4 with 40" cables so that I can knit any size yarn!