Chantal's Green

Well, we're at that time of year when time speeds up to an unreasonable pace and I find myself in panic mode trying to get ready for the holidays. Joy joy. I think there might be less panic, though, because I started earlier than usual with the hand made presents. I got the socks done weeks ago, and I have finished the first beaded gift. Here it is.

The beading technique is Peyote With a Twist. I used the pattern Green by Chantal  Martens which is a free pattern available to the members of the Facebook group Peyote With A Twist - Not Crochet. Obviously, I used different colors since mine isn't green. I used colors I know the recipient of this necklace likes.

The necklace is 19 inches long. It was only 15 inches long when I finished the pattern chart, which is four inches shorter than I wanted, so I started the chart over again and did two inches. Then I added beads on the ends before the clasp to make it a full 19 inches long. I did beaded caps for the ends of the rope, and I'm not happy with them.

I think I could do better, but I've reached my limit on this project. I've put enough hours into it.

It's 18 beads around so I put a cotton cord inside the tube so it can't flatten. It lays nicely when around the neck. All in all, I'm pleased with the results. Pictures don't do it justice.

 On the weekend my daughter who lives in Rhode Island called to tell me she's bought us plane tickets to fly out and stay with her and the son-in-law for Christmas. I think that's pretty exciting. I will have to find someone to take care of the fur kids though. I don't want to kennel Zoey because it's so expensive, and at this time of year almost impossible to find a kennel with an opening. You need to make reservations at least 6 months in advance for Christmas time. And then there's our two cats. Someone will at least need to empty the litter box every so often. I decided to try family members first. My sister-in-law has consented to do it. She'll stay at our house while we're gone. That will be perfect.

We've had cold, but clear weather lately. Sunshine, blue skies, and, at night, stars and temps in the teens F. The ground is solidly frozen.

Birds have started visiting the Parkarosa Bird Buffet again. Just a few. It will get more popular when the snow comes.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Layette Set #35

This is the last one I'm making for Knitwits this year. I went with nice bright colors.

The Cardigan

Pattern: Super Natural Stripes by Fawn Pea

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Craftsmart Yarn Value
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Sangria

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Jumbo
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Needles: Circular size 6 and 8

Started: October 7, 2018
Finished: October 18, 2018

Comments: I love this colorway. So nice and bright. Goes great with the bright colored elephants in the blanket. I upped the needles one size and I like it better.

The Hat

Pattern: Chibi Striped Baby Hat by Chiaki Hayashi

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Craftsmart Yarn Value
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Sangria

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Jumbo
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Needles: Circular size 7

Started: October 20, 2018

Finished: October 20, 2018

The Booties

Pattern: My own

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Craftsmart Yarn Value
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Sangria

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Jumbo
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Needles: Circular size 7

Started: October 25, 2018

Finished: October 25, 2018

The Blanket

Pattern: My own.
Size: 36 by 30 inches

Yarn: Craftsmart Yarn Value
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Sangria

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Jumbo
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Crochet Hook: Size G

Started: October 30 , 2018
Finished: October 31, 2018

And that is that.

We had a visitor last week.

It's been a long time since I've been able to get a picture of a moose. There haven't been as many hanging around lately, and if I do see one, it's usually down the hill on the outside of the fence. This one here showed up in the front yard.

She had one thing on her mind. Getting her lips on the Snowberry bush, or rather, the berries on the Snowberry bush.

After she'd carefully pulled them off and ate them, she wandered off. Here she is licking her lips. They must have been good.

I have been beading all this last week. I picked out the pattern I wanted to use and got started on the Peytwist necklace I want to make for my daughter. Sheesh, but it's slow going. I've worked on it every day for at least a couple hours and got about 6 inches done. Takes me about 2 hours to do one inch. I like how it's looking though.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Socks Done

Well, I finished the socks I was knitting. These are to be my son-in-laws Christmas present.

Socks for Frank

Pattern: Bob's Socks by Charlene Abrams from Socks Socks Socks by Knitters Magazine
Size: Mens size Medium

Yarn: Impulse of Delight Summit Sock (No longer available)
Content: 80% Superwash Merino/20% Nylon, fingering weight
Color: River and Rock

Yarn: Heritage by Cascade Yarns
Content: 75% Superwash Merino Wool/25% Nylon, fingering weight
Color: Marine

Needles: Circulars size 1

Started: September 13, 2018
Finished: October 14, 2018

Comments: I made some changes. The heel and toe are knit in vertical stripes in the pattern. I decided not to do that and just made them my standard way in one color. I also just knit the socks in 2 colors rather than several.

This is a close up of the stitch pattern on the leg.

I'm not real happy with my workmanship. I can see where I changed from one needle to the other on both sides. The tension seems to be fine, especially in the floats, so I don't know why it's showing. I guess I need more practice doing stranded knitting on 2 circulars.

I hope Frank likes them. They are very soft and should feel pretty good on his feet.

A Shingles update: I'm doing much better. The rash is almost healed. I still have nerve pain. It comes and goes as each day progresses but overall is fading. I guess it's going to take a few weeks for it to go away completely. At least it's tolerable now.

As predicted, the beautiful weather we were having has ended and we are getting rain for the next few days or so. Most of the trees in my yard have lost all their leaves, so it's looking very winterish.

Sweet Hubby has been working very hard on his school work. He's spent many many hours on it. Way more than I thought he would have to. He is usually either up in his office working on his homework, or at school, so I haven't been seeing him a whole lot. Quite a change from seeing him 24/7 the past year before school started.

I am almost done with my next layette set. I absolutely love the colors I chose for this one. Looking forward to posting the finish pictures when I have them.

Live long and prosper.

Learning A New Beading Technique

Earlier this month I found a group on Facebook called Peyote With a Twist - Not Crochet (Peytwist for short). I was curious, so I joined it and this is how I learned there is a new beading technique. It bears the name of the group. The technique makes peyote stitched tubes that look just like slip stitch bead crochet rope. I love bead crochet rope necklaces. I've made a few, but haven't in several years because the eyes don't want to see the tiny thread I need to crochet with to accomplish the task. So I kind of got excited about this new peyote technique and have set about learning how to do it. It is actually fairly easy once you know how to start it.

The July 2018 issue of Bead and Button featured this technique, which was invented by Gerlinde Lenz. I didn't get that issue. My subscription ran out in June and I decided not to renew it. Anyway, Gerlinda and the other members of the PWAT group were very helpful in directing me to resources that helped me learn it, including this video:

Peyote With a Twist - Not Crochet

So, here is my very first Peytwist rope necklace.

I learned the technique from the above video. I love it. It's fun to do and the finished rope turned out gorgeous. It lays very nicely on a neck.

I used a very simple pattern to start. The beads are size 11 Japanese Miyuki seed beads in a matte light gold and shiny opaque deep purple.

One of the things I learned in the group is how to make beaded end caps to finish the rope. There are instructions in the groups file section for this.

 I love the look. It goes perfect with the rope.

The rope itself is very flexible as peyote stitch goes.

More so than a regular peyote stitched tube, but not quite as flexible as bead crochet rope. I can live with that.

I am so excited about learning Peytwist. I can hardly wait to start my next rope.

Live long and prosper. \\//

WIP Wednesday

I'm working on the cardigan for Layette set 35. I'm loving the bright colors in this variegated yarn.

I'm still working on the second of the socks I'm making for Frank. I'm about 20 rows from finishing the stranded pattern.

I am having a somewhat miserable week. Last Sunday I took myself to my favorite Urgent Care clinic and was diagnosed with Shingles. Shingles is no fun. I've got severe pain that starts in the middle of my spine and radiates around my left side to my abdomen accompanied by a very painful rash that has spread around me. My skin feels like it's on fire. I broke out in the rash Thursday morning. By Saturday evening I was pretty sure I had Shingles. Thus, hauling my ass to the doctor early the next morning. I've been given a prescription for an antivirus medication which is supposed to cut the length I have this torture. Other than that, it's just waiting until it works it's way through to healing.

I'm contagious as long as the blisters of the rash are blisters. I'm staying home this whole week. I can't give someone else Shingles, but I can give them Chicken Pox if they haven't had them before. So, I've been trying to knit and stuff. It's hard, though, cuz the pain distracts and makes it hard to do anything.

When I am well again I will be getting the Vaccine . You can get Shingles over and over again. I don't want this ever again.

It's a beautiful sunshiny day today. I'm hoping the afternoon will be warm enough that I can sit out on the deck for awhile. I could use the fresh air.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Yesterdays WIP Wednesday

I wanted to post this yesterday but I didn't have the time. So I'll do it today.

I have completed the knitting of the first sock and have started the second one.

I am not completely happy with the first sock. As you can see in the photo, I have a problem where the needles join in the corrugated rib cuff. I can't figure out how to make that column of stitches even in size with the rest of the columns. I'm very frustrated because the same thing is happening with the second sock. The body of the sock is fine at the join. It will block nice and flat. The floats are perfect on the inside. So, anyone got any advice on that cuff problem?

I've also been doing a bit of beading. I stumbled across something new in the beading world. It's called Peyote With A Twist Not Crochet, or PWAT for short. It's a way of making peyote tubes that look like bead crochet.

I am learning how to do it. There are lots of cool patterns being created for it too. Tons on Etsy.

This technique came out in the August issue of Bead and Button magazine (though that's not where I came across it. I didn't get that issue). I found it here on the internet while looking for something else. So far, I like it. It's fast becoming popular too. If you're interested, there's a very nice video that teaches how to do it here:

Peyote With A Twist Not Crochet Basics

I am wondering how the gal who invented it did so. What was her thinking that led her to do this? I'm amazed by some peoples thought processes.

I managed to strain my back over the weekend. Ugh. I'm in a lot of pain, but I think it will heal fairly quickly. All I did was sit in an uncomfortable chair for about an hour. Judging by the pain, you'd think I'd tried carrying a 500 pound rock or something. Ice packs and pain killers are my friends right now.

Our weather is getting colder each week. We had a fairly heavy frost on Tuesday night. Killed off my Marigolds for sure. Winter is coming.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Layette Set #34

Another one done. I didn't have to do the blanket this time. A pretty little pink blanket was donated to KnitWits, so I made it into a Layette set.

Cardigan

Pattern: Super Natural Stripes by Fawn Pea

Size: 0-3 months

Yarn: Caron Easy Care Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Off White

Yarn: Caron Jumbo
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Spicy Ombre

Yarn: Red Heart With Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bubble Gum

Needles: Circular size 5 and 8

Started: September 10, 2018
Finished: September 17
I love the pinks in this project. A nice change after all the brown. Back of cardigan.

Nothing fancy about the button. I sewed it on with yarn. I split the plies apart and used just one ply and a small tapestry needle that would fit through the holes in the button.

Hat

Pattern:  Chibi Striped Baby Hat by Chiaki Hayashi

Size: 0-3 months

Yarn: Caron Easy Care Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Off White

Yarn: Caron Jumbo
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Spicy Ombre

Yarn: Red Heart With Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bubble Gum

Needles: Circular size 5 and 7

Started: September 18, 2018
Finished: September 20, 2018

Booties

Pattern:  My own

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Caron Easy Care Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Off White

Yarn: Caron Jumbo
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Spicy Ombre

Yarn: Red Heart With Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bubble Gum

Needles: Circular size 7

Started: September 25, 2018
Finished: September 27, 2018

Back to working on the socks.

Live long and prosper. \\//