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  • Knitting Under the Influence.

    I started knitting Birch, (Ravelry link)the garter stitch version. One piece of advice, do not try this pattern while drinking screwdrivers.

    Birch had been in my queue since it was first published in Rowan 34 (2003) and it's one of those patterns that I really wanted to make but kept procrastinating. It starts out with casting on 299 stitches and then gradually decreases to 3 stitches.  I love the concept and the finished projects are beautiful.  It's not particularly difficult but it does require paying attention. I'm not using stitch markers or a lifeline and I messed up half of a row.  In order to fix the mistake, I would have to undo two rows of knitting.

    I'm not totally in love with the yarn that I'm using (Patons Lace) but my budget doesn't have enough wiggle room for 3 skeins of Rowan Kidsilk Haze @ approx: $14.95 each.

    Meanwhile, I tried painters tape (masking tape) art. I'm disappointed that some of the paint bled beneath the taped lines.  I believe the quality of the masking tape makes the difference.

     

  • Oscar Sunday

    Primrose Square, block#31, page 49 from Jan Eaton's book: 200 Crochet Blocks.

    I single crocheted eight blocks together and inserted an 18"x18" pillowform.

    I suppose I could have tried to match the colors better but what's the fun in that?  I don't plan these projects, I just go with my gut.  If it turns out looking like barf then there it is.

    I have four random blocks leftover and I'm deciding what to do with them next.

  • Pillow - Felted Cardigan

    Totally forgot to take a "before" photo but this used to be a 100% wool raglan cardigan.  I decided that it would make a fun pillow cover so I felted it and sewed the sides.

    The pillow form is 18" x 18" and I tried to square off the top of the cardigan but was unable to get rid of the raglan slant completely, so the pillow sort of has "cat ears".

  • Jekyll & Hyde

    Saw Jekyll & Hyde last night. A dark and disturbing musical with insanity and murder. 

    Earlier in the morning I attended a funeral for my sister-in-law's father. 

    It was not my average Thursday but on a brighter note, today is Friday!

  • A Mis-Matched Project in the Making.

    Currently
    Masterpiece Classic: Downton Abbey Season 3 DVD (Original U.K. Version)
    By Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Shirley Maclaine, Elizabeth McGovern
    see related

    I'm starting a scrap project made up of crocheted blocks. The scrap yarn basket is overflowing and it's time to clear it out so my project of choice is a scrap project.  I am not going to even try to match colors in a pleasing manner.  I'm randomly grabbing yarns and crocheting blocks from Jan Eaton's book 200 Crochet Blocks.  The book does not contain 200 or more unique blocks, many of the designs are color changes.  There have been negative reviews about this issue with the way it's presented.

    So begins the adventure of a mis-matched project.

  • Shawl That Jazz

    Currently
    "K" is for Killer (Kinsey Millhone Mysteries)
    By Sue Grafton
    see related

    Shawl That Jazz a free pattern.  All garter stitch and a no-wrap short row edging.  Size 9 needles, Lion Brand, Pound of Love - White.

    I completely messed up the edging. This was one project that I'm glad to see finished even though I made it 50 stitches less wide.  I may have to try an even smaller version just to prove to myself that I can do the edging properly.  

  • Gadzooks...What a Weekend!

    Currently
    Masterpiece Classic: Downton Abbey Season 3 DVD (Original U.K. Version)
    By Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Shirley Maclaine, Elizabeth McGovern
    see related

    I need a weekend to recover from this past 3 day weekend. 

    Right from the get-go there were minor issues brewing.  Nothing earth shattering to me but just enough of a bother to keep me alert.  For several weeks leading up to the weekend my home phone would ring once and then stop.  I never even paid attention to it until my brother called my cell phone and told me that he couldn't get through on the home phone line.  And that's when the issue became a problem.

    Long story, short...squirrels ate through the telephone cable from the pole shorting out my line.  I could call out and still had internet, etc. just no incoming calls.  I'm secretly smiling at all of those  telephone solicitors that were probably trying to call me the past several weeks and all they would get would be a busy signal.  (Ha, ha)

    Anyway, my weekend was spent troubleshooting the problem.  I don't know about your phone jacks but the phone jacks in my house are behind heavy furniture.  I spent most of the weekend moving furniture and unplugging the phones and testing each phone jack.

    I have to admit that the phone company customer service was very good.  Even though it was a holiday weekend, the technician came out right away and spent almost four hours replacing the phone cable outside.  No work was needed inside, thank goodness.  Everything outside is free, anything inside would have cost me money.

    Everything is fine now and I didn't discover any cache of money, stocks, bonds or gold behind the furniture.

    As a sidenote, I filed my 2012 taxes.  No identity theft discovered.  I'm still poor.

    My orchids are blooming!  These are so amazingly beautiful.

    My Christmas Pointsettia is alive.  The lower leaves are turning yellow and I will need to repot it soon.

  • 3 Day Weekend - Presidents' Day!

    Currently
    The Case for Christ
    By Lee Strobel
    see related

    Yay! I love the three day weekends!

    For many years, this was our vacation home and long weekends were the perfect excuse to get-away and relax. 

    My daughter and many of her friends are taking advantage of the wonderful weather, ski conditions and three/four day weekend to party/vacation.  Love the instant cell phone photos, it's almost like being right there.

    I'm not loving this shawl. I guess I'm a bit dense when it comes to "simple" instructions.  I just don't understand how to do this edging.  It's not supposed to have those holes and when I bind-0ff I'm going to take a length of yarn and tapestry/yarn needle and individually close each hole. This was supposed to be a no wrap short row design and apparently many others were able to understand the technique so I assume that means it's my misinterpretation.

    Anyway, I have three days to get this off the needles and be done with it once and for all.

    One of my goals for 2013 is to try to make all the patterns that I purchased.  I have regretted some impulse pattern purchases and I don't want to keep repeating the same habit in the future.  I have also felt cheated by some pattern purchases when they were later offered for FREE by the designers, magazines, online or yarn companies.  There are no refunds for pattern purchases.

  • More Garter Stitch

    Yesterday's photo was upside down.  This is the the current progress of the knitting.

    All garter stitch, one stitch shorter each row forms the shape of the shawl.

    I switched from English knitting (throwing) to Continental knitting (picking) for garter stitch.  I cannot purl Continental style.

  • Glutton for Garter Stitch

    I purchased the Shawl That Jazz pattern around May 2009 after reading a blog entry by the Yarn Harlot  when she knit the shawl. Since then, I have started making it about 4 times with different yarns but always ripped it out. I'm now making attempt number 5 and hopefully, I'll have enough stamina to get through all of the garter stitch.  It just appears to be endless.  I keep knitting and knitting and the shawl doesn't seem to be growing.

    This pattern is also said to be mindless and easy but for some reason, I was having a hard time keeping track.  I've added a bunch of stitch markers to help me keep the count.  I guess my main concern is that garter stitch looks the same on both sides and I'm not that good at seeing if both ends have the same number of stitches.