Sooo behind!

 I had such good intentions of posting more often.  I will try to do better.

Currently I have been knitting and unknitting a shawl.  I started it, decided it wasn't going to use up enough yarn, unknit a bit, started making it bigger and got close to finishing before I decided I had made it too big, so I had to go back and make it closer to the proper size.  Ah well.  It's the Livie shawl.  Here's a piece of it from the first knitting.

Other things... I finished the scarf for Jeff's brother and a cowl for brother's wife, those were Christmas presents.  They were well received.  I did finish the cowl for other brother's wife, but we didn't see her at Xmas, so I don't know if she liked it or not.  I don't know if I have a picture of it either.  Hmmm.  

The I Want You shawl lays nicely after blocking and I wore it a lot while it was cold here.  We had a small cold snap in Texas this February.  You might have heard about it.

I finished leg warmers for Smallest.  She happily wore them to her ballet competition this past weekend.  That reminds me that I need to put some elastic in them before the ballet competition this coming weekend!  No picture of those.

Oh!  I made Smallest's ballet costume.  She gets lots of compliments on it.  I am pleased.  I didn't make the actual tutu, but I made the part that goes on top.

I forgot that I made two sweaters also!  Another Flax Light for my friend's son.  Apparently the son really loves the colors in the sweater and it's big enough that it should last at least through the fall.  He is growing fast!  I also made Middle a sweater.  This one is the Homebody.  It's just a plain sweater.  It turned out well.  I would make it again.  Middle claims to like it.  I have no idea if it's actually being worn or not.  Same thing with the other two I made.  

Last are some socks.  I finished the Speckled Space Socks, and they have been claimed by Smallest.  I like them, and would make another pair.  I also had the fun of participating in a test knit!  I had to knit a sock in a week.  It wasn't too hard, but I was nervous about making it look good.  I started in a blue yarn, but it was hard to see the pattern, so I switched to a purple.  I'll undo the purple because I have other plans for that purple, but I will finish the blue because it was such a nice squishy sock!  It was the Dots and Lines from this set of three.

Lots more than I thought I did!  I have a couple more shawls to work on once I finally finish the reknitting of the current one.  I think this time will be the last time.  I'm going to mostly follow the directions.

I think that's it.  We're about to spend a week out of town for Jeff to learn how to make Prarie style stained glass, so I should have plenty of knitting time while he's playing.  I will also be working remotely, but there will still be knitting time.

Margie

Catching up on pictures

 I took some pictures the other day of the things I'm working on.

I finished the fourth Xmas sock and have proceeded to start on a Honey cowl for my S-I-L.  I had shown her the waffle cowl that I made for Middle, but she wants Packers' colors, and I just didn't think that would be a good combination, so I've opted for a Honey cowl instead.  I'm maybe 2/3 through the first skein after casting on at some point Tuesday (I think Tuesday?).  I also got yarn to make one for my other S-I-L, but I think I might make a Riverbank instead, or maybe something with a lace stitch.  Hmmm... things to think about.

That's the only active project.  The Hue shift blanket is waiting until all these projects are done.  There's a growing list of post-xmas projects, so that will be fun!

On to the pictures!

These are the socks for Sarah and her fiancée.  He has pretty long feet.  It was tricky not being able to try them on him during the process, but I got The Boy and Jeff to test them out for me instead.

This is the pre-blocked I want you.  The edge is pretty curled up and it's not laying flat very nicely.  I think a bath will help it a bunch.  I've been wearing it some, so I haven't blocked it yet, but perhaps this weekend I can get that done.

This is the beginning of the Green Bay Packers Honey cowl.  I've decided to make the first half green and the second half yellow.  I was thinking initially of having the yellow in between green, but I think the other way will be better.

That's all I've got for now.  We're heading out in a bit to pick up stuff from Jeff's parents.  We're moving his mom to a memory care place tomorrow, so we're sneaking in to get some of her stuff.  She tells him all the time that she wants to leave and live somewhere else, that she doesn't feel safe in the house, but we're still not sure that she's going to be excited about the change.  Her memory has really declined in the last month, and it's no longer safe for her to be at home, so this is where we are.

Happy Election Week!

Margie

Impending Doom

 Well, tomorrow is election day.  This is only the ninth presidential election that I've been able to vote in, and I think I missed my first one, in 1988, because I was away at school and hadn't figured that out.  I don't remember any of the other elections feeling so stressful.  Things are a mess right now!

So, what better to do than vote and knit.  (and work too) I voted early about two weeks ago, so that's great.  I made sure my son voted, and my other eligible child has voted absentee.  

Knitting... I am finishing the toe on the last Xmas sock for stepdaughter and fiancée, so it's on to other projects now.  I'm going to make Honey Cowls for both sisters-in-law, one in a pretty blue, and one in Green Bay Packers colors.  They are who they are.  I still need to finish the scarf I started last year.  I'm over halfway, and I am hopeful that I can get it done in time.  I still have six weeks, right?

After that, I have a second Carbeth to make for Smallest, who really likes mine.  A yarn store near San Antonio advertised a sale on Shibui Drift (35% off!) so I had Smallest pick out a color she likes and I'll get that done soon.  I'll also get the other sweater done for Middle.  I finished Glenmore before they headed off for school, and now Homebody is waiting to be completed.  I think that one might be able to wait until Xmas break, but we'll see how Xmas projects progress.  

I did actually pick up a pair of reading glasses a while ago, but haven't sat down to work on the bug.  Something else to do soon too.  I had my eyes checked recently and did pick up glasses for the computer.  They have a blue-light coating, and a little magnification which is nice for all the time I spend on the computer now.  

It occurs to me that I should also go back to the original blog list of projects and see what I need to complete from that list.  I know there's the Xmas tree skirt, and I think a labyrinth cross stitch?  Ah yes, I'm looking at it now.  Catherine has graciously told me not to make her a quilt.  The other projects are still lurking in the downstairs closet.  I bet I can knock out the quilt and the pillow quickly.  The top for the quilt is pieced, I just need to sandwich it and quilt it.  The pillow is also pieced and needs quilting and pillow-i-fying, which also shouldn't take long.  

I did finish the I Want You shawl.  It's not as large as I was hoping, but it's cosy around my neck.  It needs a before picture and a bath for blocking, but I'll wait and put it in with all the socks once they're done.

I did finish the first Fen dress.  It is cute, and I want to make some modifications to the pattern for the second one.

I'll try to get some pictures of some/all these things for the next post!

Margie

I Don't Feel Tardy

Well, I was trying to post more often and look where that got me!

A tip of the hat to Eddie Van Halen who died last week.  Most of the more important social happenings of my high school days had VH music as the soundtrack, so I was sad to hear the news.  

Anyhow, on to projects.

I unraveled the Metronome shawl.  I think I mentioned that earlier?  I'll get around to that at some point.  I do have some Shelter in off-white that was going to be a sweater for Jeff, but he runs hot, so there would be about two days a year he could wear a wool sweater in Houston.  I'm testing three different cotton yarns as contenders for his sweater.

My older stepdaughter is engaged and has asked for Christmas socks for her and her fiancee.  Yay!  I have almost finished the first (smaller) pair.  This is a picture I was using for reference for the heel flap, but you can see the colorway.

I forgot!  I finished the Carbeth cardigan!  Here it is.  I love it.  I put the buttons on this past week.  I think it fits Smallest better than me, but we can share.  If I lose my Covid 15, it will fit me better too!

I've been working on a scarf for Jeff's brother when we go to watch online church with his parents.  I'm halfway now, which isn't great, but there is hope for the end.  It just takes time!  His wife would like something in Green Bay Packers colors, so I need to get on with that too!

I did start on the I Want You shawl.  I thought I had enough yarn (400 yds) for the large size, but I ran out right before getting to the lace edging.  Initially, I thought about using another color to finish, and did get some other yarn, but I don't like it, so I've ripped back to the row for the small size and we'll see how far I can get.  It's a little over halfway through the available yarn, so fingers crossed!

I have been doing more sewing.  I'm making a ballet costume for Smallest for her YAGP performance.  We are also ordering a tutu from Japan, and then we'll decorate it once it gets here.  It has been fun to work on.  I've also made a nightgown from Dress No. 1 from 100 Acts of Sewing, and I've just today finished a Fen dress from Fancy Tiger Crafts.  I have patterns to make a shirt from 100 Acts, and fabric to make another Fen.  The fabric has owls on it, which is always cool for Rice grads.  I mis-read the pattern instructions, so I got less fabric than I was supposed to, but it was enough to make the first dress and I got a little more for the owl dress, so all should be well.  I'll post some pictures later.

One last picture - I've been working on a Mitered Square blanket (kit from Knit Picks) for a while now and have passed the halfway point on that too.  It's my TV project.  Here's a peek at it.  It's large enough now that I can spread it on my lap for the cat to sleep on while I work.  She approves.

That's it for now.  I'll try to get pictures of the works in process.  I did pick up some reading glasses at the drugstore, so I should really finish the bug x-stitch!

Margie

Schwetah. It is done.

It took me longer than expected to finish the sleeves of the sweater, but I finally did.  I knit the first one and then had Middle try it on to check the length before adding the cuff.  It was good that we did, because the sleeve was too narrow.  I had seen that in comments from other people on Ravelry, but didn't think too much about it because Middle has skinny arms.  Alas.  I undid the sleeve and remade it with only the initial increase (because I didn't undo it that far...) and then through a series of knitting and trying on, decided to put three decreases at the end of the sleeve before the cuff.  I went down two needle sizes for the beginning of the cuff and another two sizes for the end of the cuff.  Middle likes it, so that's the best part.  Here are pictures!  This is Glenmore, by Ysolda Teague.

You can also see all the crumbs on my counter too!  I am thinking it might need a little more length? It hasn't had a bath yet, so perhaps it will get a little longer?  Middle will try it on tonight and we'll see what they think.  I think it looks less like chain mail with the sleeves.

Now that this beast is off the needles, I'm thinking about several smaller projects.  I have had some yarn and a plan to make I Want You for several years now, so that's on the list, and I sorted yarn yesterday and realized that I need to get moving on socks if I want to get through the yarn that I have, so some Stitch Together Scummy Koi Pond (doesn't seem to be listed right now) is going to become some Speckled Space Socks (free pattern!).  The yarn is so pretty!  I'm also wanting to make another Flax Light for my friend's son.  That should be a pretty quick knit too.  I need yarn for the sleeves though.  I bet I can get some in Boulder!

I still haven't picked up some reading glasses, but I think about it a lot.  Perhaps I'll pop over today and get some.  We will be taking my younger step-daughter to school in Boulder next weekend and Jeff really likes to drive, so that's a lot of car time for me!  Woo-hoo!

Other notable events - Smallest passed her driving test on the 2nd.  Dave's house finally was ready for moving in, so the kids moved in last week.  They have a pretty bad contractor.  He's super behind and not very attentive to detail.  I think that Dave and his wife might change their minds from time to time also, so that doesn't help.  At any rate, Jeff and I are enjoying some quiet time at home, and buying fewer groceries.  The Boy will stay there when school starts, Middle will be back up in Chicago, and Smallest has agreed to try alternating weeks at different parents.  We'll see how that goes.  School will be online initially, so it won't matter too much.

I think that's about it.  I'll post some pictures of the various new projects soon.

Margie

Me Old Eyes!

Smallest Child is a dancer, and often gets sore after a long day of dancing.  When she does, or when she creaks and pops a lot, she will comment, "Oh, me old bones!" which I find amusing, as she is just shy of 16.  She knows little of old bones!

At any rate, it has become more and more clear to me as I work on the bug, that I have old eyes.  I am having to hold the hoop closer and then farther and then perhaps a little farther away from me as I try to focus on those tiny holes.  I knew I was due for an updated prescription, but this has really made it clear to me.  Ah well.   

Here's an update on bug status:

I've finished most of the backstitching.  What's left to be done is with good old #310.  I'll do the backstitching on the bee, and then put in the name of the bee, and then there's a single line of gold and a row of black stitches that goes around the whole thing.  I suspect the backstitching may take as long as the frame.  

I haven't worked on any other cross stitching because of the eyesight issue.  I'm thinking about getting a pair of cheap reading glasses at the drugstore for this purpose.  

After finishing the cowl, I did do more squares on the Hue Shift, and then I undid them because I grabbed the wrong color.  Oops.  Hard to see in the gloom of TV watching sometimes.  I've finished the omitted color, and am now halfway through the first of the frogged squares.  

I did some swatching also for the two sweaters mentioned previously for Middle, and was pleasantly surprised to get gauge for Glenmore quickly.  Middle opted for a tan color, and I cast on last Sunday.  I had a Zoom conference to attend this week, which provided lots of knitting time, as I am peripheral to the meeting and didn't need to take notes or talk.  So the first picture is of my starting point at the beginning of the meeting, and then the second is where I ended the morning session today (Friday).  I have started on the sleeves and I am hoping to be done within a couple of days.  We all think it looks like chain mail, but that seems to be a feature, not a bug, for Middle (fond of D&D).

At the top, I had just joined the shoulders across the front of the neck, so all the tricky bits were complete. At the bottom, I have completed the body of the sweater.  It helps that it is bulky yarn on 10.5 needles.  Middle decided that she didn't want ribbing on the bottom, so I did three knit rows with size 9 needles to give it a rolled edge.  She is pleased.

Still no word from Catherine, but I have hope that she will return to triumphantly post the completion of the second bug.  She finished the one our mother had started.

I think after I finish this sweater, I need a little break before working on the other one, which will be all stockinette on size 7 needles.  Perhaps more socks, or a summer top for me?  It sounds like I get to keep working from home for a while, so that bumps up my knitting time a fair bit, which will be fun.

Margie

Where Does the Time Go?

Well, now it's July.  What happened to June?

When I got back from Boulder, I did block All the Things that came home with me.  I still haven't put buttons on the Carbeth cardigan.  Perhaps a goal for this week.  I haven't needed to wear it as much, with Houston being a little warmer than Boulder.

The pucker in the Metronome shawl, that I thought might block out, firmly refused to budge.  I am chalking it up in part to the cream colored yarn being so dense, so I've undone the whole thing and will re-do it some time in the future.  It might also be needle size.  The top band of stitches was super tight.  I have a sweater-sized quantity of yarn the same kind as the brown, but in a white color, so I think since the sweater may not materialize, it may get used for the Metronome re-do.  Here are post blocking pictures of Metronome and Dangling Conversation.

Since I've been home, I remade the Thermal Cowl (Purl Soho).  Turns out it wasn't just my fault it turned out so small, there was an error in the pattern!  The original cast on was too short, so this time I cast on 224 stitches.  It turned out to be the right size this time.  Yay!  Here it is pre-blocking.  Many of us have tried it on to confirm that it can actually go twice around the neck.  It's nice and cosy, and I still have some yarn left over.  Maybe a hat to go with.

I made another pair of socks with some old Knit One, Crochet Two yarn.  I only did 64 stitches around this time, and the fit seems preferred.  I think for the next pair, I might go down a needle size as well.  I'm using small 2s now, and I'm curious about how a 1 would work.

Other than that, I've finished two more squares on the Hue Shift blanket, and am planning on some warm sweaters for Middle. Because Chicago.  We're looking at Glenmore and Homebody.  I'm swatching now to see what the yarn likes.

And... there's a return to cross stitch!  We still need to complete the set of bugs for our brother, and Catherine took home the one our mom was making, so we're getting close!  I just need to do some fuzzy stuff and a ton of backstitching, and then I'll be done, so I'm going to work on that.  When I went on the hunt to find the bug, I turned up a bunch of unfinished things, so that's all out and in the mix now.

Perhaps the Bug Escapades and other things that Catherine has found to do will precipitate a return to the Blog!  We shall see...

Margie