Sunday, July 23, 2017

YOP Week #4


  I have a fear of commitment and now I know why!  The minute I commit to anything, it seems providence and/or  'the powers that be' start laughing and whispering.......'we shall see about that'.  Remember the sad tale of the the star ornament and remember how I said, "well, at least I should have a finished sock by next week"?  Not so much.........but I have worked on it.  You see I had several doctor appointments this week and little did I know that one would result in some 'in office' minor surgery.  I'm fine but it was my toe and I've been limping along and have meds to take with food 3 times a day and I only eat twice a day so I had to come up with something else plus twice a day I have to soak it and change the dressings.  I'm fine but it's just very time consuming and instead of being able to put my 'feet up' and recuperate.....I spent a day in Mountain Home and came home to my usual responsibilities.  There was little if any pain involved so I am very grateful for that but I had my eyes dilated the same day! LOL!  It's been quite a week altogether....do you think my life will ever settle down? 
The good news is, I am healing and my eyes are great and they will monitor my eyes for the new RA medicine I am on which is much more affordable.  End of story...........but the socks are not finished.....close but no cigar............
 My daughter and SIL  celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary so I thought I would whip up a little Bluebird of Happiness (a free pattern on Ravelry which many have made....successfully, I might add).....I had some troubles as it called for a WT (wrap and turn) throughout and I had never done that particular instruction before.  I watched some You Tube videos and went to www.knittinghelp.com which has always been so clear and helpful and they all seemed a bit different. So, I went straight to the source....the author of the pattern,  Sara Kellner.  I emailed her and she got right back to me!  She gave me these instructions which were very clear and understandable.........or so I thought.......

"No worries - it’s not a dumb question at all! If short rows in the round is not something you’re used to, then of course you’d be confused - anyone would!
The answer is very simple. If the round says to:
K3, WT, P6, WT, K3
Then you will K3, WT, P the 3 you just knit, then P the next 3 on the other side of your beginning/end spot - in other words, the last 3 sts in the round. Then you will WT, and K the 3 you just purled. And now you’re back at the beginning of the round again.
Same goes for all of the WT rounds. So on the next one you will K4, WT, P the 4 you just knit, then P the next 4 on the other side of your beginning/end spot, WT, and finally K4.
Now that you know how to do this, you can make any of my patterns! :-)"

Yes, you can laugh......I would too if I wasn't once again...disappointed in my 'knitting performance'...............and what happened to the tail?????  Really?  This is the best I can do?  I think I will be sewing this week.................
 When I was at Walmart I was able to pick up some new yarn...........unplanned for but it caught my eye............Lion Brand's version of 'cake' yarn for $6.............it's light at a 3 weight, it is 590 yards or 540 meters and 150 grams.  It comes in a variety of color combos and is machine washable and dryable which is great for my gift giving to people who do not have the time to care for fine woolens nor do they want to! LOL!  It shows a scarf/cowl and I think I will look on their website to see what else they make with these 'cakes'.  BTW...it is Christmas in July officially starting on the 25th!  Next week I will post about what I am 'gifting' this year in the 'handmade' department.

I also picked up this 'scrubby' yarn by Red Heart for making......you guessed it....scrubbies!  One of my  ideas was to make some gift sets including scrubbies and some coordinating washcloths.......so last night I got the pattern off the Red Heart website for citrus slice scrubbies...so cute! But this yarn is so stringy and sort of rubbery that I could not see the stitches so I will be returning it and getting my money back!  Has anyone used this stuff?  I am feeling extremely dysfunctional in the knitting and now crocheting arena.  I may be sewing from now on!  
I also bought the cotton worsted for the cloths to coordinate..........it was a nice idea.........until it didn't work!
I did get this new magazine by Pioneer Woman........love her and her dishes and her cookbooks and her Food Network show and her recipes are divine!    I thought it would be pricey like most magazines today at anywhere from $10 - $25 but it was a mere $4!!!!  I couldn't believe it.........thank you, Rhee!  Finally a sensible, non-greedy business person!  So, needless to say, I picked it up. 
 This week I have been watching a podcast about sewing, knitting and decorating by a darling young 'mum' in the U.K. with exquisite taste and talent......The Little Tailoress.  I highly recommend her podcasts!  She doesn't have a lot out there yet and only podcasts about once a month so it's not hard to keep up with her but she has gorgeous projects and a gorgeous home and she looks like a movie star!
Hopefully, I will get my life/act back together this week although I do have future doctor appointments and vet appointments and the roof boys were back last week!  I'm also getting new glasses so there are going to be many trips to Mountain Home in my future!
I wanted to end on a more positive note so I saved this for last............Susan B. Anderson's mini-mitten bookmark/ornament pattern which...cross your fingers.....I am able to knit.........I've finished the hand and now need to do the thumb which is on waste yarn.  If I can successfully complete this I will be making quite a few for the grand's 2017 Ornament of the year and one for my tree and also for the 12 Ornament Along by Maker's Haven and The Homespun House.  Wish me luck!
I hope you all had a great week and I can't wait to see what everyone has been up to!
Happy Trails!!!
   

12 comments:

  1. I was on an RA drug that required every 6 month eye exams. It worked quite well until I became immune to it. Hopefully this will be the answer for you.

    I have worked with the scrubbie yarn. Here is the trick.......no one will see your mistakes.....just go for it. I used a size H or I hook with it.

    Love the mandala yarn. I think everyone is carrying it now.

    Glad to hear you're not in pain with the toe. Hopefully your medical appointments are about done.

    Fingers crossed this week will be better for your crafting.

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  2. You have reminded me I need to pick up yarn to finish the baby blanket.

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  3. Sorry you had minor surgery, Sandra. You only eat 2x a day? I say just take your time on your projects. For wrap and turn I usually follow Purl Soho's way or Very Pink's. How do you like Peaches & Creme vs. Lily's Sugar 'n Cream?

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    1. Oooh! I just noticed ya got scrubby yarn! I want some and need to see if our Michael's or Joann has it. Yeah, I know those of you in the triple digits are laughin' at my complaining, LOL. Yes, sushi can be an acquired taste. I understand that. Oh boy! Fried anything is thumbs us. I'd love to try fried desserts at the county fair.

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  4. What a rough week you've had Sam and the fact you got any crafting done is amazing. Your sock will soon enough be off the needles and like Stef says Very Pink Knits does a great w+t demo video. I hope you can make the scrubbies work with the scrunchies yarn, it was a great idea, if the yarn doesn't work out perhaps a different yarn will work and you can still make your sets. Hope the wee mitten works out for you so you can do lots more of them for gifts and KALs.

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  5. I don't especially like wrap and turn myself, but I think I have mastered it. I prefer the German short row technique instead of wt, it's much easier imo. Glad you are healing well and I hope this next week is better for you.

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  6. Even with all of your out of the normal "stuff" you've gotten so much done. I'm impressed. I have never tried the scrubby yarn although I've been tempted. After your experience, I think I'll pass. Love the mitten ornaments. I hope you continue to heal well my friend.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  7. Sorry to hear about your busy week - busy for reasons you'd have rather not been busy with, I'm sure. I hope you heal up good and completely, and that your eyesight isn't compromised by the new medicine.

    Any three-dimensional knitting is impressive to me. Though I did have a little chuckle at your tail-less birdie. Looks like one my alley cats got to him. I've yet to try the scrubby yarn (for precisely the reason you struggled with it). I like what Marsha wrote, though - no one will likely see any mis-stitches because it's so "fluffy". The mini-mitten is adorable! I can't even imagine knitting something that small! What cute ornaments these will make. Merry Christmas in July, Sam! :)

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  8. Sounds like you've had a very busy week with all your appointments and surgery. Hope your foot is getting better. I hope that Mandala yarn becomes available in Australia - at the moment we can get the Caron cakes and an Aussie chain of yarn stores (Lincraft) have their own version. Caron is $15 and Lincraft $10, so the Lion Brand ones are sounding very good !!

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  9. i think you have to use big needles or hooks with that scrubby yarn, it was a good idea! :)

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  10. Wow Sam you've had a busy and challenging week!! The scrubbie yarn looks funny to me, but then I'm a rookie knitter so it's because I've never seen it before! I love those peaches and cream colours! And your socks look nice!!! I hope your toe is better soon!! I hate being on meds of any kind...disrupts my whole digestion!

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  11. Wow! You've had a busy week. I hope you are feeling better! I've never seen that scrubby yarn. How does it feel to work with? I'm wondering if it's rough on the hands. I love the colors of your Mandala yarn. That's another one I have not seen yet. I'll have to see if the local Walmart has it. I usually go to Michaels or the yarn shop for yarn, I forget that WalMart has it.

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