Return of the Blog?

I haven’t blogged for several months. Anyone miss me?  

Indeed it was early last fall.  It was beginning to be a chore rather than fun.  So I stopped.  

Recently however I have basically dropped off Facebook and wanted a way to chronicle my knitting and other life landmarks.  So I may be back sporadically but I am back.  I will just be posting here, with no more sharing on Facebook so it will be a bit more private.  And maybe a bit less politically correct.

Anyway, earlier this month, a life event happened.  Another grand baby was born, about six weeks early!   I almost missed the event, since it was only announced on Facebook. Although I was tagged, since I had not been Facebook much that day, I had to be informed of the event by a distant cousin in Canada!

Here is the little sweetie in a photo I took last Friday at age two weeks, one day.  Since she was in the NICU in the big city, I hadn’t gotten a chance to see her before then.  I was lost just riding in the passenger seat.  Not sure when she will be home.  No one tells me anything.

Since I was unable to see her in person for so long, much knitting ensued.

First was a week poncho that would work well for car seats.

Which of course was followed quickly by a matching Cupcake Hat.

Then was a sweater that still needs buttons but it turned out a bit large.

While I mulled that over and fretted about not being told anything, I banged these out.  Campfire Fingerless Mitts.

Very comfy.  I had barely started them when I got word of her birth.  

Very quick and comfy.  I finished the second in less than a day.  My only modification was the sideways garter stitch on the bottom, to match the top.  Now they won’t curl like another pair I have.

I may need another pair.

 But first perhaps another baby sweater.

And It Is Done

I am knitting slower this year.  This is only Finished Object #2 for 2017 but it is done and delivered.  With the movies that have been on, I was able to make a push and got it done.

   

The second sleeve went well, although I kept having to think back when my mind absolutely would not purl in the first garter stitch round.  But eventually it all worked out.

 

Do you remember the dilemma about weather to knit the pocket in place or separately?  I sort of did both.  I fused the bottom by picking up stitches just above the garter stitch and knitting away.  I still had to sew them down but at least I knew the positioning was even.

And did my favorite teenage granddaughter like it?

 

I think so, complete with the contrasting pockets she requested.  

And so ends the Christmas knitting for 2016.  Now back to baby blankets.  And (oops) I may have cast on a thing or two.

Family Time

Last week was one of those times you dread.  The younger of my last two aunts passed away.  

Aunt Joyce was my dad's baby sister.  She had been living in a nursing home for several years, and passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family.

The weather for the visitation and funeral was fine, and downright sunny the day of the funeral, although quite chilly again.

Yet while it was a sad time.  It was a time of cousins sharing and hugging.  Saying it is a shame we only get together like this at funerals.  And yet there was the knowledge we probably won't be together again until the (hopefully long delayed) next time.

However my cousins, her sons and some of her grandsons have made a habit of showing off their Irish heritag.  They mostly come by it from their father's side, although the closest immigrant ancestor on the side I share is also from Ireland. 

 

My kilted cousins!  Clearly they love their Irish roots.  No wonder their mom and dad (or grandparents as the case may be,) were delighted with the trip they took to Ireland with my parents.

Needless to say, it was a memorable send off for Aunt Joyce.

Two Steps Back

Just a bit of a setback on the sweater sleeves.  After a few rounds into the garter stitch cuff, I realized that I was supposed to switch to the smaller sized needles.  So first order of business was to think back and switch the tips on the needles.

That is what I love about the interchangeable needles.  The cable can stay put and just the tips need to be changed.  Once that was done, garter stitch in the round began again.

 

Seven ridges down, twelve more to go.  Then I can start the second sleeve.

And I can start making pocket plans.  Do I want to knit them in place?  Or make them separately and sew on?  Decisions, decisions.  Right now I am leaning toward knitting them in place.  Time will tell.

I'm not sure if I ever mentioned the pattern I am using for my Favorite Teen's Cardigan.  It is Harvest, by Tin can Knits.  It is a free pattern with sizes ranging from wee baby all the way up to "too big for me even."  It has been easy and I still want one for me.  I do recommend it as a fun knit to try.

Almost Ready

The finishing touches are done and both Red Teddy, for my Little Peanut, and Little Farmer's Wallaby hoodie sweater are ready for wrapping.  

 

Yes, I know the eyes aren't even,  and the mouth is lopsided, but that proves it's handmade, right?

After finishing the bulk of the wrapping today, I finished Teddy's face and grafted the underarms on the sweater.  I hope it fits ok.

So all that is left to wrap is the knitting and "to be knitted" items.  Now I need to figure out how to wrap and gift the two knit gifts that are barely started. 

Cruising in on Christmas

As Christmas looms ever closer, my knitting is nearing completion.

 

This was the status as of yesterday of Little Farmer's hoodie sweater.  I am starting the hood now and anticipate binding off very soon.

The gray or turquoise yarn shown previously will soon be warming my fingers and filling my needles. But, it will not be finished in time for Christmas.  The yarn and pending labor will be the present for now.  I wonder how I can wrap labor?

Yikes. Just a week away!  I better designate Wednesday my dedicated wrapping day.  Not that there is much, but what there is will need wrapped.

Brrrrrrr!

Country winters, gotta love them.

This morning, I knew something was up when I only had cold water to wash my face.  I woke Hubby as I got ready to pick up Younger Son at work to check it out.  Apparently he had bumped a line on the hot water heater, and it just needed tightening.  

But that wasn't the least of our troubles.  

The inside temps started dropping, down to 63 by the end of the day.  It seems the damper on our outdoor boiler has a broken sensor.  (We discovered this at 9pm and the afore mentioned interior 63 degrees.) Why do these things always happen when it is blowy and like 9 degrees outside?

Of course, after Hubby bumped up the thermostat on Monday, and I was in a 76 degree house in shorts and tee shirt, with the fan blowing, I wasn't as put out as he was today.

Until he can get in touch with the local Amish dealer for our furnace Hubby stuck a big bolt in the damper, to hold it open.  I think my big wool Leftover Pi Shawl/Blanket will be on the bed tonight.  

 

I know the pets will appreciate it too.

Blog Interrupted

It has come to my attention that my blogging app is no longer supported or working very well. I am investigating my options and will try again soon.

In the mean time, here is my most recent Christmas present, in progress.

Almost two sleeves done. Then a few more rows before joining together. I think I will make it.

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A "Grand" Week

Any time spent with the grand kids is time well spent.

As you can see, for the time being, Little Peanut has my chipmunk cheeks. We saw them this past weekend while celebrating Little Farmer turning 2, and his big sister turning 14. As you can see, Baby Sister was not impressed.

This has been a knit filled week as well, as I decided a couple knitted presents were in order. First up was Red Teddy, who was a fun if fiddly knit.

He does need the face stitched on, but you get the idea. Even the vest is done. So there is one present down.

Then in the midst of Christmas knitting came a quick birthday gift, a card holder.

As a bonus, it even holds a teen's phone.

As if that weren't enough gifting, I tossed the stash and found some well marinated and aged yarn. Clearly I intended it for a little boy hoodie. Just as clearly, although it may have been intended for grandnephews, I think it is going to end up on a grandson instead.

And since it sounds like I will be hand counting ballots all next week, I better get knitting.

Sorry Pink Princess. But the Baby Hap will will get finished.

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What Black Friday?

No Black Friday shopping for me this year. Partly due to finances, and partly to avoid the mobs. Much of my shopping has been done from my favorite online tractor toy store. That package is due for delivery tomorrow. I do have a bit more to get, but not right now.

I had to make a few unexpected purchases on Monday though. While getting a specific hoodie for Younger Son, I accidently picked up a new pair of barn boots for me, mid-length Bogs. I have a pair of tall ones, but the are tight on my calf, although very useful following blizzards. Now I have a shorter pair for normal snow and rainy farm work.

I also needed to replace the lamp by my knitting chair. I had noticed lately even on the highest of the three-way settings it wasn't as bright as it had been. I was thinking of replacing it someday with a floor lamp, with a reading lamp. Then Monday morning, it wouldn't even turn on. When disposing it, I saw the connection where the bulb screwed in was a bit scorched. Yikes!

I found a floor lamp, less expensive than the one I had spotted the week before while grocery shopping. And it still had the reading lamp. The price was so good, I also picked up a desk lamp as well. Between the reading lamp and the desk lamp, my knitting as well as my reading (especially charts and patterns) will be much easier to see on cloudy days and after dark. Leo thought it worked quite nicely,

And the Red Teddy has grown a leg.

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It Couldn't Last

You probably knew I would need to cast on something again soon.

But after all...Christmas! Grandchildren! Knitting Grammy! Put it all together and, well, I have a new project on the needles. Which leads us to "Red Teddy."

I know it looks kind of funny there. But it is the head of a Magic Loop Teddy. I just started this afternoon, after finding a "new to me" cast on of a type used for casting on for toe up socks. It is built off of a long tail cast on and very easy.

I like easy.

I even resigned myself to using Red Heart. But at least this is soft and sturdy. The last I time I used Red Heart, I felt like I was knitting with plastic. This is nice though, since being a toy, I decided against wool for washability. It is knit in the round, all in one piece, except for the ears which are sewn on after finishing. The pattern includes a little vest. I will probably knit that in the remains of silver gray I used for the Scoreboard Cowl.

The head is done and I am ready to start the body.

It is more of a deeper wine color than it looks here. And the pattern is a free one through Ravelry if anyone wants to see it.

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The Little Things

It doesn't take a lot to make my day.

A month or two ago, our back room light quit working. Hubby and I changed the bulb. Still no light. Younger Son has a friend who was going to change the switch but he has been busy working on his truck, so we were still in the dark, literally.

Then a couple weeks ago, my friend reminded me that her hubby was an electrician for Ford Motot and could probably handle it for us.

And after a quick visit this afternoon, we have light in the back room.

It was the switch. And not only was that replaced, but he installed a light I had purchased for over the back steps.

We once had a light there, but when the house was re-sided, the installers capped off the wires and left them under the eaves. When the offer was made for a real electrician, I quickly purchased a fixture for over the porch.

I have light! I can see to walk in and out of house with out a flashlight after dark! What a concept.

Like I said, it is the simple things.

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Fast Start, Slow Finish?

I started the year so well with blogging regularly. But lately, not so well. Even my knitting has slowed. But I will try to get better. I hope.

Fall has returned, although half heartedly. I am not a fan of these above normal temps, even if it is now in the 50s and 60s. Heck, I wore sleeveless top and sandals to church this week! In November!

The leaves have been falling right along. Usually our yard would be thickly coated. However Hubby discovered last year that if he puts the bagger on the mower he can pick them up and dump them in the manure spreader. He then scatters them in the meadow we leave fallow. The pictures here are less than 24 hours since the last pickup. Our trees drop them one tree at a time, so he will be at it for a while yet.

And another sign of fall. See the dust in the left background?

Our neighbor was harvesting soybeans. They always raise up a cloud of brown dust. There is a red combine in that dust cloud.

And just because I haven't posted anything here about my Little Peanut, here is a shot from this past week, when I got to watch her for a while.

Just like her brother, she wants her hands on the phone.

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The Scoreboard Flies Again

If you are a reader of my blog going back to the last year's Detroit Lion's ever dismal football season, you may remember a season-long project of mine called the Scoreboard Cowl. The idea was one round for each point scored in each game all season long. In this case Honolulu Blue for the Lions points, and a silvery gray for the opponent's scores. Between each game I added three rounds of charcole gray. At the end of the year I picked up the stitches from the provisional cast on and joined the ends of the giant tube with five rounds of charcoal. One game went into overtime and that is designated with a single round of the charcoal.

The season started rather heavy on the silver and very light on the blue. But the blue came on a bit stronger by season's end.

One thing that did happen was lots of scoring throughout the season. Which resulted on a rather long cowl.

It was a bit better doubled, but with my "no-neck" I was lost in it. (FYI--that is a mere sliver of my wool room in the background, including Gertrude, my duct tape dress form.)

Anyway, since I was swimming in it, and knew I probably wouldn't be wearing it, I posted my Facebook friends recently to see if anyone would like it.

My first cousin once removed jumped on it and I promised it to her. I passed it along to her mother, as she was out of state, and the mother passed along to her.

I think she likes it. It even goes with her Detroit Lions bracelet and tee. Glad to see it in the hands of a real fan.

 

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Chilling With The Critters

Just a typical Sunday afternoon: knitting, NASCAR, and a few animals.

Lewie on the footstool and Lizzie on the floor, feeling a bit subdued after her thwarted attempt to play with a chicken, and both managing to sit quietly for a while. The only reason Lewie is here, is because Leo had already claimed my shoulder.

(Non race fans, feel free to skip this paragraph.). The race was a rain delay from last night, but went quickly. Lots of the Chasers (championship finalists) had trouble so it is still anyone's to win. Of course, Talledega is in this tier, and that is usually a wreck fest.

Montgomery has been taking good care of the girls.

I went looking for them earlier. They had wandered to the front lawn. When I called, they all came running. Unfortunately they do not understand Lizzie's exuberant need to play. Monty started chasing Lizzy the second time she tried. I think she will avoid them now.

Didn't seem to bother the girls much at all. But they do stick close to Montgomery.

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Little Farmer Giggles

With my daughter-in-law back to work after the arrival of Little Peanut, she is working different hours and I no longer get my day a week with my grands. I have missed them greatly, especially my little buddy. I caught up wth my teen granddaughter first  She was worried about creepy clowns,

When he saw me, Litle Farmer was quite as excited to see me as I was to see him. He grabbed my thumb and dragged me to the living room, where he then pushed me down on the footstool. He then proceeded to show me all his big trucks, a couple balls and tractors, and his favorite Farm Trader magazine. (It is full of tractors and other farm equipment.). He was full of laughs and giggles.
I couldn't stay long. And while he would give me a hug, he wouldn't come shut the door for me when I left.
And Little Peanut pretty much slept through the whole visit.

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