"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either." ~ Elizabeth Zimmerman

5/11/18

Golden Mittens

Another finished project for KnitWits. A pair of children's mittens.



Pattern: Basic Pattern For Childrens Mittens by Elizabeth Durand
Size: 4-6 years old

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash Wool
Content: 100% Superwash Wool, worsted weight
Color: Gold

Needles: Circular size 5

Started: February 7, 2018
Finished: May 9, 2018

Comments: I used this free pattern to teach someone how to knit mittens. I thought I ought to try it out to make sure it's a decent pattern so the first mitten got done quickly. This was also one of my take-with-me projects, which I only worked on when out and about-like waiting at the doctors office and stuff like that. That is why it's taken so long to finish the second mitten. The pattern is fine.



This is graduation weekend at the University of Idaho. Our daughter, Ruth, is a senior this year. We're going down there today because Ruth's team has won an award on their Senior Project and we're going to attend the ceremony. I'm excited, and very proud of her. They were working on a device that goes on the arm and keeps track of how much a person does their physical therapy, or something like that. It was a very challenging project.

Unfortunately, daughter Ruth doesn't get to graduate as we'd hoped. Apparently credits expire. So classes she took when she first attended, out of high school, have expired and they're going to make her take those classes again, or at least, that's how I understand the situation. I'm a little pissed off about it. Since when did credits start expiring?

The graduation ceremony is on Saturday and we're going to it even though Ruth isn't graduating because we have 2 nephews who are graduating. We're having a big family party afterwards in celebration. It's going to be a hectic weekend. We'll be making a 2 hour drive down 2 days in a row, and of course 2 hours back home again. Lots of driving. We tried getting a room for the night so we wouldn't have to do all that driving, but they were hard to find. Everyone was booked up very early. The one room we did find wanted an enormous amount of money for it. Price gouging if I've ever seen it. We can buy a lot of gas for what they wanted for that room. So driving it is.

Spring is in it's full glory right now. The flowering plum is blooming and it smells so good. The leaves are coming on the trees, and the turkeys are doing their mating dances. I've dragged the cushions for the deck furniture out of storage and the deck is all set up for knitting and sitting. I love spring. The weather is warmer, and it's supposed to be a beautiful sunny weekend. Yay!

Live long and prosper. \\//


5/10/18

Layette Set #28 And A Story

I have finished Layette Set #28 for KnitWits, also known as the Entrelac set.



My goodness, what a project. It is not for the faint of heart so I'm probably never making another one of these, but it sure turned out cute! Here's the pieces.

The Cardigan




Pattern: Entrelac Baby Set
Size: 0-6 months

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

Yarn: Caron One Pound
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: 508 Sky Blue

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

Needles: Circular size 2 and 6

Started: February 8, 2018
Finished: March 27, 2018

Comments:  There is a lot of detail work that is done in this project. Lots of pieces knit separately and then sewn together. I did use a size 2 instead of the called for size 3 for the welt and cuff ribbing because when I first cast on the welt (this thing is knit from the bottom up) I wasn't home and didn't have a size 3 with me, so I just used the size 2 I did have with me. If I were to do it over, I'd use the 3.

Back

If I were to do this again, I would do the collar different. I would pick up stitches around the neckline, instead of making it a separate piece to sew on cuz sewing on that bugger was not easy.

Here's a detail shot of the stitch pattern.



I decided to go with plain blue buttons because the Entrelac should stand out. I couldn't have found a more perfect blue for them too. That gray band across the bottom of the yoke was constructed in a way I don't run across very often. Lots of hand sewing on that baby.



I'm glad I made it just because I learned a lot doing it, and now I can say I made an Entrelac baby set.



The Hat



PatternEntrelac Baby Set
Size: 0-6 months

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

Yarn: Caron One Pound
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: 508 Sky Blue

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

Needles: Circular size 6

Started: March 28, 2018
Finished: April 24, 2018

Comments:  I understand why the Entrelac cuff band was knit flat, but the main part? Nuh uh. I did it in the round instead. One less seam to sew.

The Booties



PatternCuffed Cutie Booties by Rosemary Drysdale
Size: 0-6 months

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

Yarn: Caron One Pound
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: 508 Sky Blue

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

Needles: Circular size 6

Started: May 3, 2018
Finished: May 8, 2018

Comments:  I am so glad I found this pattern! I didn't want to make plain booties with this set. It was a nice challenge to work on too. 



Just as a reminder, it's in the book Entrelac 2 by Rosemary Drysdale.

The Blanket



Pattern: One rnd of (sc1, ch1) all the way around, join rnd with sl st, ch3, then one rnd of dc in the back loop of each stitch. Join with sl st and weave in the ends.

Size made: 36 by 30 inches.

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

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

Crochet Hook: Size G

Started: May 9, 2018
Finished: May 9, 2018

Comment: I love those elephants.



Now, the story part of this post.

Last night I'm sleeping peacefully. Zoey is snoozing on the end of the bed, and the bedroom windows are open cuz it was overly warm in the room. Around 2 am we were awakened by a lone coyote howling "Aroooooooooooo!" Zoey jumped up and started barking and whining and generally doing a very nice rendition of a freak out. 

The coyote howled again "Arooooooooooooo!" Now Zoey is really freaking out and I'm trying to calm her down.

The coyote howled a 3rd time "AROOOOOOOO!" Geez, it sounded close to the house. All of a sudden, Zoey stopped, turned toward the open window and howled very loudly "AROOOOOOOOO!"

The coyote shut up and didn't make another sound the rest of the night. And I'm sitting there on the bed with my mouth hanging open cuz I had no idea Zoey could howl like that.

I had a very hard time getting back to sleep.

Zoey, Queen of the Coyotes

Live long and prosper. \\//

5/3/18

I Found One

I found an entrelac baby bootie pattern that works for me. It's in here:



The book arrived yesterday from Amazon. I've already started the first one.



It looks a little weird at the moment, but I assure you, it will look like a bootie when I'm done.

While waiting for the book to arrive, I knit a doll skirt for the JID girls.



In real life, the purple is much darker and the sparkles are green. It will go nicely with the lavender mohair sweater I knit last year and still haven't done anything with it.



I also have finished the 17th character in my Mini Star Trek cross stitch project, the Gorn.



He's so darn cute! I made a change in this pattern. I made the gauntlets a little longer and the hands green instead of brown like the gauntlets, and I made the colors of his outfit closer to what they are in real life.

I only have 2 characters left. The next one will be KHAAAAANN! Heh heh.

Sweet hubby had 3 interviews this week, but no offers, yet. It's been almost 8 months now. It gets discouraging, but he keeps applying for jobs. We can't give up.

The flowering plum is loaded with flower buds. We are having a beautiful day today too. The temperature is a perfect 72 with sunshine and partly cloudy skies. I ate my lunch out on the deck and soaked up some much needed vitamin D. All the flowering trees are blooming in Coeur d'Alene already. We're about 2 weeks behind them. Kind of weird. We're only 17 miles away, but our climate is so different.

Well, that's the news for now.

Live long and prosper. \\//