On Vacation

I am on this ship today. See ya when I get back.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Rest in Peace

Chenille Park

2002 - 2017

I will miss you, my little girl.

Layette Set #24 for KnitWits

I finished this set just a few days ago. You could call it my July project. The cardigan is my design and I have been writing up the instructions for it. My bff Phyllis is knitting it as I write it. She's learning how to knit in Intarsia, which is what technique is required to make it, and she's test knitting it. I think that's pretty cool.

The cardigan

Pattern: Sporty Raglan Baby Cardigan by me.

Size: 0-6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: 5004 Medium Gray

Yarn: Lion Brand Pound of Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Light Green

Needles: Circular size 7

Started: July 25, 2017
Finished: August 20, 2016

Detail pic of the cool buttons.

And here's the ribbing. I went with 1x1 ribbing this time instead of the 2x2 I did on the first prototype. I like it much better.

The hat

Pattern: Chibi Striped Baby Hat by Chiaki Hayashi

Size made: 6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: 5004 Medium Gray

Yarn: Lion Brand Pound of Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Light Green

Needles: U.S. size 7 circulars

Started: August 24, 2017
Finished: August 27, 2017

Comment: Instead of the garter stitch cuff, I did a 1x1 rib one.

The booties

Pattern: Baby Chucks by Laura Helton

Size made: 6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: 5004 Medium Gray

Yarn: Lion Brand Pound of Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Light Green

Needles: U.S. size 7 circulars

Started: August 22, 2017
Finished: August 24, 2017

Comment: This pattern is somewhat fiddly to knit, and a bear to block, but it was worth the effort. They turned out so cute!

The blanket

Pattern: Two rnds of (sc1, ch1) all the way around, join rnd with sl st, then one rnd of dc in each stitch and ch1 space, join rnd with sl st.

Size made: 36 by 30 inches

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: 5004 Medium Gray

Yarn: Lion Brand Pound of Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Light Green

Hook: U.S. size H

Started: August 31, 2017
Finished: September 1, 2017

Comment: I thought I found another piece of the green and grey/blue zigzag fabric. After I got the cardigan, etc, done, I found out I was wrong. So I hot footed it down to Joann's Fabric and Craft and got a yard of light gray fleece so I could finish the set with a blanket. I really like it!

Detail shot of edging.

I have half a yard of the fabric left. However, I am sick of the colors so I'm gonna put it away for another time.

I've started set #25. I'm using bright red, yellow, and green. My eyes are so happy they're dancing a jig.

I think Chenille's appetite is definitely coming back. I've been feeding her 1/3 of a can of cat food each day as well as the unending supply of dry food. She ate almost the whole 1/3 last night. I mean, she was really chowing down. That's the most I've seen her eat in weeks! I am so relieved to see her really eat. Hopefully she will keep improving and we'll get some meat back on her bones. She pretty much slept the whole day and night last night. I hope her body is healing some. I sure wish we knew exactly what her ailment is. I'd feel a lot better knowing.

It is still disgustingly hot and smoky out. I have stopped using the hot tub and hardly go outside now. If I do go out, it sets of my asthma. Ugh! We had a small fire nearby in the Twin Lakes area. Fortunately, the fire department knocked it out quickly. I hate fire season. I wish it would rain for a couple days. Looking forward to the cruise-being on the ship and breathing in fresh salty sea air.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Layette Set #23 Finally Done

I got the knitting for this done weeks ago, but didn't get around to doing the blanket until last week.

Cardigan

Pattern: Super Natural Stripes by Fawn Pea

Size: 0-6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Buttercup

Yarn: Red Heart Classic Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Gray

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Needles: Circular size 7

Started: July 5, 2017
Finished: July 16, 2016

Detail shot of the shoulder.

I found this button at the Knit-n-Crochet shop in Coeur d'Alene

The hat.

Pattern: Chibi Striped Baby Hat by Chiaki Hayashi

Size made: 6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Buttercup

Yarn: Red Heart Classic Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Gray

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Needles: U.S. size 7 circulars

Started: July16, 2017
Finished: July20, 2017

The booties.

Pattern: Seamless Garter Tassel Booties by Karen Strauss
Size made: 6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Buttercup

Yarn: Red Heart Classic Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Gray

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Needles: U.S. size 7 circulars

Started: July 20, 2017
Finished: July 24, 2017

Blanket

Pattern: One rnd of (sc1, ch1) all the way around, join rnd with sl st, then one rnd of (2 dc, 1 trc, 2dc) in each ch sp all the way around, join with sl st.

Size made: 36 by 30 inches

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Buttercup

Yarn: Red Heart Classic Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Gray

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Hook: U.S. size G

Started: August 30, 2017
Finished: August 31, 2017

Detail shot of edging.

I entered the cardigan, hat, and booties in the North Idaho State Fair and won a second place red ribbon. All in all, I'm happy with how it turned out. I am now out of that fabric too.

The weather is still unseasonably hot and dry and we are well socked in with smoke from wild fires in outlying areas. Nothing close to us that we have to worry about so far. We're keeping our fingers crossed. The 90F degree temperatures are predicted for at least another whole week. We are about 20 degrees above normal. The woods are super dry and crunchy. The nights, though, are being their normal cold, in the forties, and even 30's, though we haven't gone below freezing yet. So, a typical day is 93 degrees, and the night gets down to 40, though we did have one get down to 33 last week. That is a HUGE temperature difference in a 24 hour period.

As I mentioned in my last post, my husband was laid off his job. He worked for them for 17 years, and we were not expecting it. It's been quite a shock to us. He's been applying for jobs now, but so far has not heard back from anyone. This is a bit scary. We have some savings, but there's a limit to how long it's going to last.

I'm so glad the cruise is all paid for. We have less than a week before we leave.

Chenille is doing good on the medication. She's been eating a little bit more, I think. It's hard to tell. She certainly scarfs down any treats I give her. She likes the medicine too. A couple times I accidentally squirt it on to my hand instead of in her mouth and she licked it all up. She's sleeping a lot these days and wants to be in my lap whenever I sit down. Zoey doesn't like that at all.

I will post another finished layette set tomorrow.

Live long and prosper. \\//

The Simple Woman's Daybook for August 29, 2017

How about a Daybook post.

Outside my window...
The sun is shining, but the air is thick with smoke. Most of the smoke is coming from wild fires in Oregon.

I am thinking...
that it's been a very stressful month. My husband lost his job when we returned from our camping trip earlier this month. He's now looking for a new job, which is going to be difficult because of his age. He's home 24/7 now, which I am not used to. He's putting a cramp in my life style.

Added to that is the fact that my cat, Chenille, is seriously ill. I took her to the vet 2 weeks ago because she's lost an enormous amount of weight-for her, that is. She usually weighs around 10 pounds but she's only 6 pounds and looks so thin. She hasn't been eating hardly anything.The vet wasn't able to determine exactly what is wrong. Maybe cancer, or kidney problems? The blood tests don't say exactly. Just that something is seriously wrong, so we're kind of winging it as far as treatment goes. I now have to give her medicine every morning. She's on a steroid. I think it's working because she has started eating a little more. Sure wish we knew exactly what's wrong. She's 15 years old now.

I am thankful for...
the fair being over. It's a lot of work dealing with the KnitWits entries. We had 38 entries this year. Lots of ribbons were won.

From the kitchen...
the dishwasher is on. Other than that, nothing going on. I don't know what I'm making for dinner yet.

I am wearing...my black nightgown and leopard print furry robe. Haven't taken my shower and dressed yet.

I am creating...
doll clothes and baby layettes. Yesterday  I knit a sleeveless top with a lace collar for my JID dolls. This is the third one. The first two didn't fit right, so I frogged them and started over. Got it right this time. It fits Sierra perfectly. Yay!

I also have finished the knitting of the 24th layette set. Still need to do the blanket yet. That's two sets waiting for blankets.

I am going...
on another cruise in 2 weeks. We're cruising, via Princess Cruise's ship The Ruby, to Alaska for 7 days. I know. 2 cruises in one year! Life has been grand. We're going with Dan and Sue this time. I paid for the cruise before Doug became unemployed, thankfully. So we're going. We need to get away for a bit anyway.

I am reading...a rather fun series by Monique Martin. I'm on book 6, Sands of Time. A husband and wife team travel in time to 'fix' things. I've enjoyed it very much. In book 6 they find themselves in Cairo, Egypt during the 1920's. It's pure entertainment reading.

I am hearing...
train noises. They are putting in a second track and there's been the constant sound of heavy equipment as they bring in load after load of trucks filled with gravel and machines to flatten out those piles of gravel. Every train that goes by slows down and toots it's horn every 30 seconds as it goes by. It's been very noisy.

Around the house...
are bits of fluff and plastic. I got Zoey a new toy that has 9 squeekers in it. So far she's pulled 3 squeekers out. 6 more to go. She's a real mess maker. I use my new vacuum cleaner almost every day. If she isn't pulling apart a dog toy, then she's brought sticks or pine cones in to chew apart and spread all over the house.

One of my favorite things...Air conditioners. Thank you to the inventor. The weather has been hot and dry for weeks now. It's supposed to get up to 93 today. I could not stand it if we didn't have the air conditioner.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
I've got Rathdrum Knitalong today. Yarnies on Thursday. I plan to get those 2 blankets done, and a new layette started.

Here is a picture for thought I am sharing...
My Chenille. I think soon we will have to say goodbye to her.

If you want to join the Simple Woman's Daybook, click here.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Results for 2017 North Idaho Fair

We went to the North Idaho Fair yesterday and I found out if I won any ribbons. I did. I won 3 blue first place ribbons, and 4 second place ribbons.

Blue ribbons first:

The doll dress. Asa was the model. I put a short hair wig on her so it would be easier for the judges.

 I actually debated entering the little fairisle mittens because I didn't think the workmanship was all that good. I guess I'm too hard on myself because they won a blue.

My one and only beading project I got done this year won a blue too.

Penn's Star Trek sweater won a Red ribbon.

So did my stranded knit hat,

The yellow baby set (cardigan, hat, and booties),

and the denim blue baby booties.

The denim blue jacket and hat set did not win a ribbon. I kind of expected that.

So, that is this years results.

Live long and prosper. \\//

It's Fair Time

This summer has been absolutely insane. I have been so busy. Life has just not let down for a minute and the summer is flying by. I can't believe it's already the middle of August and fair time! Yesterday I took all the items I've gathered from KnitWits and my own projects and hauled them to the fair for entry. KnitWits had more entries this year than last. I'm quite pleased about that. I am also surprised by how many entries I was able to come up with that I've made this past year. Here's what I've entered:

Beaded Twisted Triangle Necklace

It's the only beaded item I've managed to finish.

I entered 2 knitted doll items. Asa's pink dress

and Captain Penn's uniform sweater.

I've entered a stranded knit hat.

Also the fairisle children's mittens.

All of the pieces of this layette set, except the blanket, are entered.

I've entered the jacket and hat together as a set. I entered the booties as a separate item. I've also entered three pieces as a set that I have not taken pics of yet, except this one.

The jacket, hat, and booties from the yellow/black/grey set I was working on. They're finished, but I haven't done the blanket yet. I meant to take pics but forgot.

That's it. Just 11 items from me this year. I'll know if I've earned any ribbons in a couple of weeks.

Live long and prosper. \\//