A Fairisle Hat

Last Wednesday we lost our internet connection. I tried everything to get it to connect, but it wouldn't work. I finally called our service provider and they sent out a repairman. Unfortunately, though, he couldn't come out until yesterday. I went almost a whole week having to use my smart phone for internet access and NO Netflix. Not fun. My eyes are suffering some pretty nasty eye strain now from checking my email, Facebook, and Ravelry. The screen of a phone is too tiny for the amount of time I spend on the internet. I need to change some habits. And I don't really spend all that much time on it. Urg.

I got some knitting done. I whipped up a Fairisle hat. It's a model for the Fairisle class I've scheduled to teach. Yes! It's teaching season again. I'm going to be doing two beginning knitting classes per month, on Tuesday mornings, and Saturday mornings, plus a sock class in October and Fairisle in November. I wish I had time to do more.

Pattern: Basic Norwegian Star Hat by Cara Jo Miller
Size: Adult

Yarn: Knitpicks Brava
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Eggplant

Yarn: Knitpicks Brava
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Canary

Needles: Circular size 6

Started: September 14, 2016
Finished: September 18, 2016

Comments: I think this is going to make a good teaching pattern. It's easy to understand the instructions, and the pattern chart is good, except I wish she'd numbered the rows in it, but I can fix that by having the students do it the old fashioned way-with a pencil.

I used Brava from a sample pack I ordered a few months ago during one of Knitpicks sample sales. It's very reasonably priced. It's a very soft yarn and my hands liked that. But it wants to split and fray pretty easily. It's almost too soft. I'm worried it will pill like crazy. A lot of times, when it comes to price, you get what you pay for. We'll see how it stands up to being handled a lot.

The pattern actually calls for 3 colors to be used. It's a good pattern for using up bits of leftover colors. I think I'll make another one doing that, for Knitwits.

Garage update: Insulation installer showed up yesterday. Yay! He got all the walls pinkified. Today he's working on the ceiling.

We had some rain over the weekend. It rained very hard for a few hours. Water started dripping on the floor in the kitchen near the skylight. The kitchen lights are on either side of the skylight. Water got into them and caused the circuit breaker to shut the power off in the kitchen. Sigh. We need to get the roof replaced. Sweet Hubby repairs, and the repair comes undone. We need to get the thing fixed properly once and for all. I see what we'll be doing come spring.

Oh, the photo contest. I got my photo entered. I used my phone to do it. The competition is pretty stiff. It will be a couple weeks before I know if I've won or not. I won't be posting the photo here until then.

Sweet Hubby is flying home today. He had a wonderful time riding with our daughter. I got lots of pictures texted to me. I was a little jealous of their fun while I wrestled with the problems around here. I'm glad they enjoyed it though.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Layette Sets 14 and 15

I have finished two more layette sets for KnitWits. This one is number 14.

We'll start with the cardigan.

Pattern: Super Natural Stripes by Fawn Pea

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic
Color: 360 Cafe

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: Soft White

Yarn: Big Twist Yarn Value
Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: 5016 Medium Teal

Needles:  Circular size 6 and 8

Started:  July 12, 2016
Finished: July 15, 2016

The Hat

Pattern: Chibi Striped Baby Hat by Chiaki Hayashi

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic
Color: 360 Cafe

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: Soft White

Yarn: Big Twist Yarn Value
Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: 5016 Medium Teal

Needles:  Circular size 7

Started:  July 16, 2016
Finished: July 17, 2016

The booties

Pattern: Seamless Garter Tassel Booties by Karen Strauss

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic
Color: 360 Cafe

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: Soft White

Yarn: Big Twist Yarn Value
Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: 5016 Medium Teal

Needles:  Circular size 7

Started:  July 17, 2016
Finished: July 19, 2016

The blanket.

Pattern: Double Crochet edging

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic
Color: 360 Cafe

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: Soft White

Hook: Size G

Started: August 1, 2016
Completed: August 2, 2016

Detail photo of edging.

Layette Set 15

The cardigan.

Pattern: Super Natural Stripes by Fawn Pea

Yarn: Red Heart Baby Econo Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: White

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic
Color: Frosty Green

Yarn: Big Twist Yarn Value

Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: 5016 Medium Teal

Needles:  Circular size 6 and 8

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

The hat

Pattern: Chibi Striped Baby Hat by Chiaki Hayashi

Yarn: Red Heart Baby Econo Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: White

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic
Color: Frosty Green

Yarn: Big Twist Yarn Value

Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: 5016 Medium Teal

Needles:  Circular size 6 and 8

Started:  July 26, 2016
Finished: July 28, 2016

The booties.

Yarn: Red Heart Baby Econo Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: White

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic
Color: Frosty Green

Yarn: Big Twist Yarn Value

Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: 5016 Medium Teal

Needles:  Circular size 6 and 8

Started:  July 28, 2016
Finished: July 29, 2016

The blanket.

Pattern: Scallop edging from Lots of Knots blog

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic
Color: Frosty Green

Yarn: Big Twist Yarn Value

Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: 5016 Medium Teal

Hook:  Size G

Started:  August 3, 2016
Finished: August 4, 2016

Detail of edging.

Layette set 16 is almost done. I've got one bootie and the blanket to do. I entered the cardigan and hat in the fair. I'll find out later today how they did.

Yesterday I took a little break from layette knitting to work on a tiny doll dress for my Amber. I'll be posting more details later.

The garage is coming along very well this week. They built the upstairs floor, framed the upstairs wall, built the stairs complete with railing,

and installed the windows and man doors. Today they have started putting up the metal siding.

I'm working at the fair today. I'll be helping out with the booth for the North Idaho Secular Society. I'm looking forward to it. I hope it doesn't get too hot or smoky. There are several wild fires over in the Spokane, Washington area and the wind likes to blow the smoke this way. It got pretty thick on Tuesday. It cleared out yesterday because the wind shifted. I hope it stays that way. Mostly, I hope they get the fires out. Nothing scares me like wild fires.

Live long and prosper. \\//

It's Fair Time

It's North Idaho Fair time. Yesterday I hauled mine and Knitwits items to the fairgrounds to be entered in the fair. I only had 18 entries this year, 5 of them mine. That's way down from last year's 47 entries.

One of our members is entering her things under her own name, rather than Knitwits, this year because in past years she's entered half her items through Knitwits, and half under her own name. She usually has lots of items to enter each year, but only half of them are needlecraft items. Anyway, when it comes to paying the prize money for all the ribbons she wins, the fair people always get horribly confused and mess everything up, so we decided to let her do all her entries herself to avoid this. Counting hers, we 'technically' probably have closer to 30 entries for Knitwits, but that's still down. We lost two of our more skilled and prolific members this past year who also used to make lots of entries. I miss both of these ladies very much, for they were awesome people to have in my life. But, unfortunately, human lives are limited.

As I mentioned, I entered 5 items this year. Three are knitted, one beaded, and one counted cross stitch.

The first knit project I managed to finish yesterday morning.

Originally I was going to finish a very complicated beaded necklace, but by Saturday I knew there was no way I was going to accomplish that. There was just too much left to do on it, so I looked at what I had in knitting that could be finished in time. This outfit fit the bill perfectly. I entered it as you see here, on the stand. I even made the jewelry to go with it.

My second knit project I entered as a 4 piece infant set.

That would be the cardigan, hat, and two booties. I didn't enter the blanket.

I don't have a pic of the third knitted entry, which was a 2 piece infant set. It is the striped sweater and hat for Layette set 16.

In beading I entered the recently finished Magnesite bracelet.

Last, but not least, is Snowman Row.

It will be interesting to find out how I do. I'm working at the fair for 3 days this year, starting next Wednesday, in the North Idaho Secular Society booth, so I will know then.

The garage did not get much done on it last week. The walls were supposed to be all framed, the garage doors installed, and the electrical done. But all that got done was a little bit of framing on the front. But it started to look like a garage at last.

The building crew got more serious this week and have showed up every day so far. It looks like this now. All the framing is done on the front

And the sides.

There's just a little bit of framing left to do on the back.

I find the guy reactions to this building project very funny. Yesterday the UPS guy showed up with a delivery. I opened the front door and he was standing in front of it staring with his mouth open. Finally he said "What's going on here?" So I told him. "That is a beautiful building!" he said with as much awe as a person can have. He was very very impressed.

The electrical is scheduled to be installed tomorrow. I don't know if that's going to happen.

Live long and prosper. \\//.

Some Bad News, Some Good News

This is a long post because it's been crazy around here the last two weeks. I am going to start with the bad news. I took Mollie back to the shelter where we got her last Monday. We'd had a very bad 2 weeks with her and we realized we could not live with a dog that has the aggression problems that she has.

You see, the builders have been working on the garage/shop and she would not stop barking at them. I could not even put her on a leash and approach them to introduce them to her. She snarled and lunged and pretty much acted like she wanted to take a huge chunk out of them with her very powerful jaws. It's been very frustrating.

Then, there was a big family wedding. My nephew Daniel and his fiance Jordan tied the knot on Saturday the 23rd. Family came from all over the country to attend the wedding including my daughter Sarah and son-in-law Frank. We had family coming and going all weekend and during that time Mollie was frighteningly aggressive. She even attacked my daughter and her husband in the house right in front of me. Fortunately, they know how to react in a situation like that. She didn't bite them, but she definitely pinned them in place with ferocious barking, lunging, growling, and teeth baring. I was so afraid she was going to bite them. She was being a very aggressive guard dog and it was terrifying. We weren't able to introduce her to any of the rest of the family because she just wouldn't let them get near. We had to keep her away from everyone. That is not the kind of dog I want.

We came to realize that the shelter had been lied to about her. They were told she loved people and other dogs. No, she doesn't. They were told she's good around kids. She is definitely not! They were told she rides good in cars. No, she doesn't. She was fine at home with just my husband, me, and daughter Ruth, and was the sweetest most loving thing you could ever meet, but she became dangerous if anyone or anything else came around. Now, initially, I thought I could train her away from this kind of behavior, and even considered hiring a professional trainer to help me, but  I was lying to myself. I can't. I am not physically strong enough to handle her and I can not live with a dog that dangerous. So we made the painful decision to take her back.

The shelter was very understanding and kind about it. They said we did the right thing. They will find her a home that will be much more appropriate for her temperament. Someone strong, who wants a guard dog.

So now we are dogless. I cried for 2 days. I've let Mollie down horribly. I love her very much, but she scares the shit out of me. We will look for another dog with a much gentler personality, but for now, I'm just going to remain dogless for a while.

Now I'm moving on to the good news. They started building the garage. HOORAY. I've got pictures.

On Friday, the 15th, the building crew showed up and started digging holes for the garage poles. They finished them on the 19th.

On the 20th they started installing the poles in the holes.  We have a 4 man crew. They braced each pole in the holes. They couldn't fill the holes with concrete until they'd been inspected.

It was fascinating to watch how they did it. All the poles went up very fast using the little machine they had.

On the morning of the 21st an inspector arrived to look at the holes. He had them dig one just a little deeper, then declared them good. Then three concrete trucks arrived to fill in the holes with concrete.

On Friday, the 22nd, they installed the first roof truss, which is basically a facade on the front of the building. The day ended with it looking like this. They let the concrete cure over the weekend and we had the wedding going on. Lots of family came by the house  to see the progress on our garage. This building is much larger than I was able to picture in my mind. It's pretty impressive to stand in.

On Monday, the 25th they installed about half the roof trusses. It was interesting to watch these 4 guys lift them very high and manipulate them with their two machines and get them installed. I am very impressed with their skills.

They finished installing the trusses the next day. Then they started working on the boards that connect between the trusses. If you click on the pic below to embiggen it, you'll see one young man standing on a truss way up high to nail one end of the boards in. You couldn't pay me to do that.

On Thursday they worked on the sophets and got them installed.

On Friday they installed the roof insulation and metal. I told them to smile for Facebook.

We can stand inside and stay dry now. Or shaded, as the case may be. It was over 90F degrees that day.

I went grocery shopping after they quit for the day and could not resist parking in the garage when I got home.

That's it's status at the moment. Tomorrow the builders will arrive and get busy with the next step. However, I will be missing it. In fact, we'll be away until Friday. It's the annual Park family camping trip up on Priest Lake. I'm kind of sad that I'll be missing the progress and won't be able to take pics of it, but I am so looking forward to camping. We didn't get to go last year and I really felt bad about it.

I should mention the wedding was wonderful. It was fun seeing so much family and the venue was fantastic. It was held at Riverview Mill Ranch in Post Falls. I enjoyed it very much.

Through all of the last two weeks I've been knitting like crazy. I've been feeling so stressed and anxious so I turned to knitting to relax. I've made 2 layette sets (# 14 and 15), except the blankets. I hadn't cut and prepared the fleece fabric for them until today. So I will be taking that along with me to crochet the edgings so the sets will be complete. I've started the cardigan for layette set #16. No pics until after I get back.

My daughter, Ruth, has been home from college and was bitten by the layette bug a couple weeks ago. She is helping me knit them for KnitWits. We're having a blast doing them. She's made 3 sets so far.

We'll be coming home on Friday. My husband is participating in Ride Idaho this year and needs to be home so he can get ready and head south to Ketchum, ID for that. Otherwise, we'd stay until next Sunday. I'm taking my camera, and maybe a couple of my dolls too.

Until then...

Live long and prosper. \\//

A Quick WIP Post

Just a quick WIP post. I've been working on the cardigan for layette set #14.

I love these 3 colors together. The green is actually brighter and greener than the pic shows.

Yesterday was a beautiful day. I got to spend about an hour and a half out on my deck enjoying it while knitting and listening to music. It was a very pleasant time. I had Mollie out with me.

The garage almost got started yesterday. It was supposed to start, but it didn't. The builder showed up around 9:30 in the morning. I was just about to leave. I had  to take my husbands pickup truck into Post Falls to the DMV office to get a State Park sticker (for an upcoming camping trip). I talked to him, then left.

Our builders name is Andy. He introduced himself and told me he was going to start digging holes. The roof trusses are sitting right where he needs to start digging. So he said he'd call and get a forklift brought out to move them. I left after that.

Daughter said that after I left, he talked on the phone quite a bit, and then he left. When I got home they were just delivering a couple pieces of equipment, including a forklift. I didn't see the builder again. He called Doug and told him he'd be here today. This is starting to get annoying.

I'm going to Yarnies this morning whether he's here or not. I need to get away and be with friends for a bit.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Layette Set #13

Yes, another one is done. I am having a fun time making these, which is odd because I don't usually like knitting the same thing over and over again. But I think changing colors with each outfit is somehow making it not boring. Anyway, this is the last of the polka dot fleece. I present set number 13.

The cardigan.

Pattern: Super Natural Stripes by Fawn Pea
Size: 6 months

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: 312 Black

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: 1 White

Yarn: Red Heart Classic
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: Jockey Red

Needle size: Size 6 and 8

Started: June 20, 2016
Finished: July 3, 2016

Comments: Yes, the red is that bright! My camera had some trouble photographing it. Little ones love bright colors. I also did something new with this one. I crocheted the button, and I like it.

The hat.

Pattern: Jacky's Hat by Courtney Kelley
Size: 3-9 months

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: 312 Black

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: 1 White

Yarn: Red Heart Classic
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: Jockey Red

Needle size: Size 8

Started: July 4, 2016
Finished: July 5, 2016

The booties.

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

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: 312 Black

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: 1 White

Yarn: Red Heart Classic
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: Jockey Red

Needle size: Size 8

Started: July 6, 2016
Finished: July 7, 2016

The blanket.

Pattern: Scallop edging from Lots of Knots blog

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: 1 White

Yarn: Red Heart Classic
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: Jockey Red

Hook: Size H

Started: July 5, 2016
Completed: July 6, 2016

Detail photo of edging.

All in all, I'm happy with it.

I am out of fabric pieces cut to size with the holes pierced. So I will be digging some more out of the closet and getting it ready. In the meantime, I've chosen the yarns for the next set and will be casting on the cardigan today. I'm trying to decide if I want to go with the same pattern, or try something new. Decisions, decisions.

Update on the garage: Well, things happened yesterday. Both a step forward, and a step back. I'll start with the bad news first so I can end this blog post on a positive note. We received a letter from the county informing us that there are errors regarding the property description in the paperwork we filed for the lot line adjustment. They enclosed a copy of the page with the errors on it with the errors marked. Well, I have 3 copies of that document stored away so I dug one out. It turns out that the page they sent us does not match the page that was supposed to have been sent to them. The one we signed is correct. We think the surveyor may have made some changes after we gave the document to him to file (after we had it signed and notarized). Needless to say, I am furious! We have to refile, which costs money, not to mention the hassle of getting things straightened out. At least it won't affect our building permit which has been approved.

Now, for the good news. Yesterday this was delivered.

It's a Bobcat with a very large post hole digger. They are going to start building Wednesday. The first thing they are going to do is dig holes for the posts, thus, the above machinery. Then the holes have to be inspected by an official hole inspector. I did not know there was such a thing. I hope that goes well. After that inspection, assuming they pass it, the building will go up. I'm told it will go surprisingly fast. We'll see. Having this show up returned my faith that it will be built.

The weather this past week has been unseasonably cool and wet for July. I'm not complaining. It's been so nice. I even liked the rainy days. But it is rather odd for it to be in the 60's and 70's in July. Normally we bake in relentless heat and praise the fellow who invented air conditioning.

Live long and prosper. \\//