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.

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.

Sweater Update

I did manage to get a picture of the Graceful Harvest Cardigan at Knit Nite the other day.  

 

Since this picture the left sleeve (on your right) has grown quite a bit.  It is now 10 inches long.  Another few inches and I repeat the garter stitch edging for four inches.  I am really happy with how it is looking right now.  Hope my favorite teenager likes it too.

First Finished

The first Finished Object of the year, like the last project of 2016, is a hat for a granddaughter.

 

You may recall, before Christmas when we went shopping for sweater yarn, that my Favorite Teen mentioned needing a slouchy hat.  The Turquoise Sockhead hat fit the bill perfectly.  Being her favorite color didn't hurt either.

 

And it is definitely slouchy.  I want one of my own.  Which is also the problem I am having with the Graceful Harvest Cardigan that I am working on too.

 

It is a simple raglan sweater with a unique collar/border treatment.  It is a fast knit and I only have a few more inches to go before I start the bottom four inches of garter stitch.  I hope she likes it.

Problem is, now I want one of these too.  But it isn't on my list of knitting goals for this year.  I need to finish some other projects first.

On the bright side, here it is January 19, and I still haven't cast on anything new.  

For me, that is amazing!

One Down!

With some fast and furious knitting, I have finished my first project of the year.  Just as the last of 2016 was a hat for my littlest granddaughter, my first  FO or Finished Object is another hat.  But this time it is for my oldest granddaughter.

 

I know it looks long but the Turquoise Sockhead Hat is a slouchy hat and the length makes it slouchy.  It even fits nicely on my big head, with room for my hair clip.  Once I catch up on all of my knitting goals and dare start something new, I just may make one for myself.

And there I go, already wanting to cast on a new project.  But I will carry on with my previously stated goal and continue on to the Graceful Harvest cardigan, again for my favorite teen.  

I will probably want to make one of those for me too, when I get done.

A Few More Goals

Obviously most of my goals for this year were all about knitting.  And I almost have the Turquoise Sockhead hat to the point of decreasing.  A nice soak and blocking will soon be all that remains on that project.

However, I have set myself some goals regarding my reading habits.  

I want to track my reading this year.  I tried a regular form reading journal last year.  It was too formal and time consuming and was soon abandoned.  This year, I am just recording the name of each book read in my bullet journal, adding new sections after later months if need be..

I am also recording the genre and date finished, as well if the book was electronic or paper.

I have no trouble choosing fiction to read, even if they are heavy on mysteries.  I didn't set any specific fiction goals this year.  However I did set a few other goals.

Classics:

• A "new to me" classic that I have either never read, or at least never managed to finish.  I don't plan on wading through "Bleak House" or "War and Peace" ( they are HUGE!). But perhaps "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" by Anne Bronte.  I've never gotten more than half way on that.  Or perhaps something else. I have a bunch of hard copies, as well as e-copies of most of the Barnes & Noble Classics on my Nook app.
• I want to re-read at least one favorite classic.  I'm thinking Jane Austen, either "Emma" or Sense and Sensibility" at the moment. It's been a while for both of them.

Non-Fiction:

• I want to read several books to help me on my faith walk, already in my library and/or wish list.
• I would like to read a couple biographies.  I am in the middle of one on Mother Teresa of Calcutta that is inspiring and fascinating all at once.  

In my general reading, I would like to catch up on my reading my magazines.  I have e-versions of several, most notably National Geographic.  I am about seven months behind on those alone and would like to be only a month or two behind at the most.  Then maybe I can start on my back issues of Smithsonian.

 

In case you wonder why I read mostly electronic editions of magazines as well as books, the answer is that they are so easy to read while knitting.  It only takes a flick of a finger to turn a page.  And then they stay turned.  Paper books and magazines aren't nearly so conducive to knitting ease.

I Hate When That Happens

The red hat for my Little Peanut was going great.  The required 6 inches was complete and the final shaping was begun.

And then......it wasn't coming out right.  I unknit the shaping row and could find no mistakes.  

Then I recounted the stitches.  Oh oh.  Only 64 instead of 72.  That will make a difference.

 

So, here I am back at the beginning again.  Luckily, it is going to be a bit warmer these next few days.  I can get it to her by this weekend, I'm sure.

In the meantime, I better get those needles flying.

What's a Grammy to Do?

So, when Grammy discovered on Christmas that her Little Peanut needs to find a hat that fits her, what else can Grammy do but go diving in the stash?

 

And today I started a hat with some superwash wool yarn left from the crocheted scarf and mitts.

 

We are guessing on the size, after looking at several patterns.  So far, I have this much.

 

Since the patterns are estimating 13 inches for a newborn head, and 15 1/4 for a year olds head circumference, I hope this will work.  All in ribbing, it stretches from 6 1/2 to 14 1/4 inches.  

Measurement of actual baby head to follow.  Unless Grammy finishes this and takes it for a try on first.

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. 

Making Progress

Last week, along with my granddaughter, I purchased yarn for her Christmas presents.  The sweater has not been started yet, but I have been making progress on the Turquoise Sockhead Hat.

 

It has been an adventure.  I usually can come up with just about any size needle I want, since I have a couple sets of interchangeable needles.  But these are knit on needles smaller than the interchangeable tips in the sets: 2.5 and while I had double points that size, I did not have any circular needles long enough for Magic Loop, or short enough to knit in the round.  

This hat started on a circular 32 inch needle.  That was too short to work comfortably so I switched to the double pointed needles.  Those were shorter than I liked with this many stitches so I decided to invest in a fixed needle with a longer cable.  Now I can maneuver the stitches around and it is going much more smoothly.

The hat is made with sock yarn.  That the reason for the name: Sockhead Hat.  There is a ton of ribbing, followed by a mile of plain stockinette so it is fairly brainless knitting.  

I may need to start the sweater once all my other Christmas knitting has all the finishing up done.  And all the presents wrapped.

Obviously these presents will be gifted in the pre-finished state.  I told her next year to give me her knitting requests earlier I. The year.

Nesting

The girls and Montgomery haven't been venturing very far from the coop the past week.  Actually they haven't even left the run.  

 

Maisie was most put out that I would even think of disturbing her warm nest to check for eggs.  But as it turned out, she was hiding one.

Instead of venturing out tonight, I will stay home and knit tonight.  The wind is whipping the snow over the flat roads we have around here.  Many areas of slick, or drifts roads, intersperses with dry roads.  I think I will stay home.

 

The Sockhead Hat has been cast on.  I am attempting to do it Magic Loop method rather than with double points, but my needle is only 32 inches instead of 40, like I would prefer but progress is being made.  Many inches remain to knit.  On tiny size 2.5 needles.  

Many inches of ribbing.  Many inches if stockinette.  Many, many inches.  Plain, brainless, boring knitting.  

I may start my granddaughter's sweater soon, just for the variety.

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.

More Knitting

Yesterday, I picked up my older granddaughter from school and we went Christmas present shopping.  Teens are hard to shop for and since I had given her a gift card for her birthday, I wanted an actual present for Christmas.

She had mentioned, when I asked a few weeks ago, that she would like a white cardigan, plain, long with no buttons.  

I can do that I said, so yesterday, off we went to the LYS.  For non-knitters, that stands for Local Yarn Store. 

And she is a quick shopper.  I showed her a possible pattern (Harvest, by Tin Can Knits) and she liked it.  Before I knew it we had decided on yarn, a charcoal color, with a near black for patch pockets.  Then we talked hats.  She found that she liked slouchy hats, and the Sockhead hat also a free pattern on Ravelry.  After a quick trip to the sock yarn section, we had added an extra skein for a hat.

 

Turquoise for hat, and the grays for her sweater.

After the shopping portion of the evening was done, we visited my Aunt Glenna at the assisted living center where (of course) we found her going for a walk.  Then we completed our "girl's night out" with an early supper.

 

Now if you excuse me, I have some knitting to get busy with.

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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On Again, Maybe

I am waiting to hear about working the recount. I was asked if would help and was told not worry until I was called with the details. Well, supposedly the ballot recount is on, but I still haven't been called with the information on time or place for my county. Maybe they got enough and don't need me. Maybe they are still looking for a room big enough.

And so I knit and wait.

While the Red Teddy still is lacking a face, I have gotten a bunch done on Little Farmer's Hoodie. I'm using the Wonderful Wallaby pattern. Here is the front with the pouch pocket finished.

This picture shows the back with the pocket underneath.

I have knit quite a bit more than shows here. I probably only need to knit another inch or so before fusing the sweater and pocket together. It may be finished by early next week. Sleeves will take the longest. But after that, it is clear sailing.

Depending how much time out of my life, if any, is taken by the recount that is.

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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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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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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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Keeping Busy

Between my Daughter in Law's maternity leave, followed by her new job, I won't be getting my weekly Grammy day with the kiddos. But this past week, with the return of the school year, I went to help wrangle the little grand kids, while my DIL managed her yard sale and mowed lawn between customers. At least to the eighth grader came home. (That's right. She has infant, toddler and teen. Pray for her.)

Tough job, but I managed.

When his momma was helping customers, guess who wanted to run the mower? Well, hey, it goes vroom vroom doesn't it?

And, I have done several inches on my Cactus Flower Gold Digger socks. I'm well past this picture taken last Tuesday. Can you see where I used the red reinforcing strand of mohair on the heel?

I am quite sure I will be knitting fewer rounds than called for before beginning the toe shaping.

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