The Wind

So here I sit, waiting for the power to out again. This time, I have extra water, to drink and flush with. All devices are charged to the max. I have a flashlight and a battery operated lantern nearby. Younger Son got someone else to take him to work. I am hoping he gets far enough ahead so he can catch a ride home with one of the second shift workers.

And, being Monday, in spite of the horrid weather, Hubby went to the livestock auction. I can only hope he makes it back home in one piece.

I didn't share any pictures of Christmas I guess, only the knitting. In the non-knitting realm, Little Farmer enjoyed his mega blocks, if only to take them out of the wagon, one by one.

Luckily, when you pull the wagon over the blocks, it rakes them into the wagon. He did the taking out and let Daddy do the raking up.

But what he really was impatient for was a ride in the skidsteer with his daddy.

After the boot got pulled back on though. Then they were off.

At home, gifts were opened and enjoyed as well as a wonderful ham. Younger Son had wanted an old school Nintendo with a Super Mario game. He took it to his friends to play with and has hardly stopped playing all weekend.

As for me, I worked mightily on my Navy Tweed Vest, and am caught up with the Scoreboard Cowl as well. Only one game left to add to that and then I will be joining top to bottom. I think I will pick up the stitches from the provisional cast on and then do a 3-needle bind off. The ridge from that will be a nice way to help define the season beginning and end. I am almost afraid to see just how long this is going to be when done. I haven't seen it stretched out since I tucked it into the plastic bag several weeks ago.

But this look down into the bag was from before I finished last week's game, so at least a game and a half more now, plus this coming weekend's game to add to it. There looks like several folds stacked up in there. I will definitely be able to wrap it around once or twice.

And it is barely possible that I cast on for a Hitchhiker shawl/scarf.

Hey, I think the wind shifted. It isn't hitting our east windows quite so hard now. Yea!

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Stealthy No More the End

The last of my Christmas knitting did appear in a Fre preliminary pictures. But the pictures in no way resembled the final gift.

There was one picture similar to this:

And later it looked like this:

Yes, that is grafting being done there. I do it with a knitting method, instead of sewing method.

A few more items were needed.

And, after adding a peaked beak, it is nearly recognizable.

You got it. An owl , the big Beige Owl for Lil Farm Gal. The pattern is Big Snowy Owl on Ravelry and was made with Encore Mega, with scraps from the previously shown Mary Janes and Owly Hat.

Rather regal I think.

Originally I had planned other knitting, but in the name of sleep and sanity, I pared the list down. All in all though, not too bad a batch of knitting.

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Stealthy No More #2

Another one of my gift knitting items also made a couple sneak appearances on this blog.

These slippers were from the pattern named Leethal Mary Janes and were made for my daughter-in-law. I made them to more or less fit my feet, but a bit longer. I think they should fit fine since the garter stitch which makes up most of the foot is very stretchy.

They were knit with one strand of Plymouth Encore Mega in a black/gray and two strands of Encore worsted in the same silver that has been appearing in the Scoreboard Cowl.

The strap isn't buttoned, but sewn down with a button merely for decoration. These buttons looked perfect on the card. But next to the yarn they looked more brown so were replaced with plain black buttons.

Notice the large button canister in background. The plastic box on top holds the buttons and other fasteners. You can see I do have a good stash of random buttons to choose from.

Another present that I do want to mention, even though I think I already showed them here are the boot toppers I made for a teenager at church.

More stealth knitting with the last present tomorrow.

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Stealthy No More #1

After a great Christmas today, I can reveal all. Gifts have been given and received so it is time for some knitterly pictures.

Some may remember this picture I posted before Thanksgiving, with what I later noticed were miscrossed cables. I used the pattern The Wise Old Old Hat, Adult version, and the magic loop method. The yarn is Cascade 128 Superwash and it took just under one skein. And inspite of the miscrossed cable, it was an easy, fun knit.

I discovered my mistake before going any further and was able to correct it by just dropping down the stitches involved and correcting the twist.

After shaping and finishing, complete with eyes, my I present the Teal Owly Hat, made for Lil Farm gal.

And it fits and everything.

More on other gift knitting in another post.

 

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Power!

A rather gusty night we had last night around the old farmstead. At midnight, in the middle of "High Society" that was being dvr'd, our lights went out.

And, even though we heat with wood, we rely on electricity to pump the water through the heat exchanger to heat the house. And pump the water. AND MAKE COFFEE!

And just now 20 hours later, it has come back. Whir of the fridge, whoosh of the furnace blowing sweet heat. Click of television, beeping of microwave. The lights! The satellite! It's back, all back.

I can take a shower, once the water heats, and watch my movies. Bliss.

Before long I can start shedding layers of wool. (There is a long sleeved turtleneck under all that wonderful wool too.)

I mentioned to someone today that I could be perfectly happy without power I'd only I could watch tv. Hey, the simple pleasures of life--wool and television.

And maybe heat.

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On to New Knitting

The knitting is finished, at least for Christmas. Everything is wrapped but posting pictures will need to wait until after the gifting is over. Old projects have been picked back up and worked on.

But...I did swatch for a vest out of the navy blue tweed yarn I found in the wool room.

Since the yarn is machine washable, I vigorously hand washed and then dried in the dryer. I measured the swatch before and after washing and drying. Then I went into the Custom Fit website and generated a pattern to match my swatch. It is going to be a cardigan style vee-neck vest. I think I will forego buttonholes. I have a neat button that I think I will use with a loop style button fastener. If I have enough yarn for that.

Since I also weighed the dried swatch on my digital postal scales, after giving the total dimensions, the finished pattern also gave me an estimated yardage needed. I am hoping that the strings contributed enough weight to make the website estimate more yarn than actually needed.

The estimated required yardage is 1217. I have 1200, minus the yarn used for the swatch. I may be playing yarn chicken on this project. See what I mean about having enough yarn for a loop closure?

I wonder how a contrasting button band and neck band would look? For that matter, I don't t think a different dye lot would be too noticeable on the front bands and the sleeve edgings.

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Done!

Christmas knitting is done. Just a bit of sewing to be finished this evening. Then wrapping tomorrow and maybe Monday.

Since I dare not share any of the pictures is the gifts here, here is a stunningly cute toddler to tide you over.

I do have a handsome Little Farmer.

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Middle School Concert Time

Flutes, clarinets, drums

Bells ring; family and friends

Christmas concert fun.

 

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Already? Yikes!

Is Christmas really next week? I have some fancy knitting to get done. I have made the decision that my current project will have to be my last bit of Christmas knitting. I still have some finishing work to do on the last gift as well.

Of course the Scoreboard Cowl took a big bite of Sunday and Monday knitting time. I have decided, reluctantly, that this weekend's scoring will need to wait until all holiday knitting is complete. Plus I need to schedule my wrapping day soon. A chunk of Friday is missing because I have to sit on the township Board of Review as well. Tomorrow is my Grammy day with Little Farmer, and Thursday is Bible Study. I need to hurry! Where did all the time go?

The Scoreboard Cowl has been growing. This photo shows the last couple weeks Lions games immortalized in yarn. I haven't looked at the whole thing since packaging it up in the bag for easier knitting.

During the time between knitting and the next game, it sits tightly wrapped up.

I am almost afraid to see just how long it is. And if I read the schedule correctly, there are still three more games left. It will definitely be long enough to wrap around neck and head.

If this stupid weather ever gets cold enough to wear it.

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Just a Peek

I don't suppose I can keep all gift knitting off my blog. Not that this picture will be of much help.

Or this one.

And no matter what it looks like, it isn't a top down hat.

Bulky yarn isn't my favorite but at least it is going quickly. This item probably won't appear here again until after gift giving is done.

 

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Stealthy Knitting

I have finished one Christmas present and am closing in on another. But, because they are presents, I cannot show pictures. Those will need to wait untill after the holiday gift giving.

Instead, I will say, the boot toppers are finished. I should have my next present completely done by bedtime. I may even have a new project started by then. It replaces one of the ones pictured last time I showed my queue list of patterns. I found a better pattern. And if I can't get the others done in time, no big deal. The next one to be cast on may take me to the Christmas deadline.

And in case you can't deal with no blog pictures, I can give you this:

He likes to laugh at our selfies.

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The Big Time

My Dish service was upgraded today. (Surprised the sent a man on Sunday, but since he would have been working somewhere, I scheduled for today.) The technician was rather amused by our ten year old receiver and dish. We we first were hooked up, we had a fat old standard television, in our escape from rabbit ears. He could not believe our old style hookup.

Now that he is gone, I am marveling at the vividness of our HD televisions finally getting an HD signal. And now I can dvr programs as well. Big time for sure.

I can hardly wait till February and watching the Daytona 500 in HD.

Now back to knitting with some great television viewing.

And a little picture of my Little Farmer, with his favorite cat. Just because.

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Blazing Needles

You can tell I must be busy when I do not show up here very often. The reason right now is Christmas knitting.

One boot topper is cast off and the second is in progress. With only two rows with the cabling, it can go quickly. Especially now that I am doing them with magic loop.

With the second one going quickly, I can try to decide which project is next in queue. I am leaning toward a pair of slippers called Leethal Mary Janes. I have black and silver Encore Mega, I think, and another skein of the silver I am using on the Scoreboard Cowl. It will be knit with a strand of both. There will be silver left over, in case I need it for the cowl. The pattern is the top one on the pile I shared last time.

And speaking of the cowl, the Lions played last night. So tonight's knitting will focus on finishing the knitting scoring from last night. A loss, I might add. Then back to boot topper number two.

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Marching Forward

Time is quickly getting away from me. The birthday knitting is done, but now comes Christmas knitting. And I have a bit of knitting ahead of me. That's four items on my Christmas knitting list. Yikes!

I have started on one item, a pair of boot toppers, using yarn in my stash.

They were just started tonight, but seem to be going well so far.

Now, if I can do as well on the others.

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Small Steps

One thing I have noticed since Lewie came here to live is that it is really hard to get a good picture of a black cat. Especially when he doesn't cooperate.

But the upside is that as time goes on, the growling and staring (glaring?) by Leo has greatly diminished. I have even seen them both on the bed at the same time. Yes they were at opposite sides of the bed, but they seem to be adapting well.

On the knitting front, I have finished another birthday present.

Isn't just the cutest thing? I am considering making one in my size. The pattern is sized from baby to adult large, and now that I know how it works, it would be easily adjustable.

That leaves me with some Christmas knitting to do. I have even thought about casting on for another vest for me, this time in garter stitch. As though I don't have a pile of WIPs (Works In Progress) already.

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Games and Races.

Great day for sports in the farmhouse.

The Detroit Lions actually won their second game in a row today. And while I don't watch football (I have a friend who shoots me the score while I give her race updates), I do appreciate the fact that both of these last two games haven't been high scoring games. My Scoreboard Cowl isn't growing quite as fast as it was previously.

The knitting goes easier with the majority of the cowl folded up into a plastic bag. I can manage the three skeins much better without the length of the cowl getting all wrapped up in it.

The other sporting event, more near and dear to my heart was the NASCAR finals. My favorite driver was out of the running for the championship, but up until about 10 laps left, was leading the pack. Then a caution hit. He ended up third, and since Brad couldn't win the championship, I am glad Kyle did.

What a comeback it was too, after missing the first couple months of the season with both a broken leg on one side and a broken foot on the other. I am happy with the outcome of the season.

Now how long till the Daytona 500?

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Gift Time Knitting.

I can't call it Christmas knitting, because I have two birthdays coming first. Both Little Farmer, who first popped into the world last Thanksgiving, and my Lil Farm Gal,whose birthday is early December, are needing presents, so that is coming first.

First up is this Turquoise Benedict Cowl. The yarn was just purchased last Friday and I am ready to start my last sawtooth section. I should have it done by bedtime, if this post doesn't take too long, at least as far as the knitting goes. But sewing up and hiding in ends should go quickly, so probably tomorrow with that.

Than, after tossing the stash, I came up with this. I'm thinking a Farmall colored earflap hat. I have a bit of time to decide which of two patterns I like best.

At least until tomorrow sometime.

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