Saturday, March 17, 2018

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Are you celebrating?  It was another rough week on the homestead...the best laid plans...not!  Grace went back to the vet and she is a little better but still not eating and she has a low potassium so she is on a supplement that fortunately is not a pill.  It is a gel I can mix in her food that she still gets by syringe.  No more appetite enhancement pills either as they are obviously not working.  I went to Walmart after the vet and glad I got supplies as it got worse before it got better.  Nitty had a seizure on Thursday but I thought it was a stroke.  She was shaking and trembling and didn't seem to know where she was.  I called the vet and they said to bring her in.....easier said than done.  She's a Rottweiller and over 100 pounds.  I have no one around here to help so I called the only 'strong, capable' people I knew.........the roof boys!  I told them I would pay them if they could help me get her into the suv.  They said they were on a job but lo and behold.........they came and got her in the car for me and then told me to call them when I got home and they would come back and help again.  Bless them!  I don't like to ask for help but this was for my girl so I had no problem!  By the time we got to the vet she was doing better and when the vet came out to the car to take a look she checked her eyes and her heart and said it was not a stroke but she was pretty sure she had had a seizure.  I told her she had urinated on the carpet where she had been laying.  The vet said that was pretty normal for a seizure.  Nitty NEVER has gone in the house so I knew something was up.  She was recovering nicely and came down the ramp from the car so I called the roof boys and said they didn't need to come by again.  She wouldn't go up the stairs into the house though.  I tried the ramp too but she refused.  I think she just didn't trust her body or felt bad about going in the house or both.  I took her food, water and bed out to the garage and that's where she spent the night.  We were all missing her and I kept going out to the garage to check on her.  It was a lonely night without 'the Nit girl' laying next to my bed.  The good news is she came in last night!  Up the stairs she came and we were all so happy to be together last evening!  Nitty is 14 and the vet said she could have more and they could get worse but meanwhile I am happy and glad she is feeling better for the moment.  I know the time is coming....I just don't know when, so I will enjoy her and cherish her for as long as l have her with me.
Meanwhile, the corned beef and cabbage is cooking and The Quiet Man is cued up for tonight's movie.  It's on Amazon for $2.99 for a 29 day rental.  I was going to make an Irish Lemon Tart also but I will see as Grace is still requiring lots of care and I'm keeping a close eye on Nitty too.  I'll probably turn QVC on to see what they have.  They usually have things from Ireland on St. Patrick's Day.  I hope you have a wonderful day and since I am Irish, I can say this..........."You can always tell an Irishman.......but you can't tell him much!"  LOL!
Happy Trails!!!         

Sunday, March 11, 2018

YOP Week #37


I cannot believe how fast this YOP year is going!  I'll get right to it as I am running late as it is........
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FO's (Finished Objects) -
FO #1 - The Star!!!  Although, in all honesty I still need to make 2 I-cords to tie it around the tree and I will!  Tonight...I will not wait until Christmas Eve! LOL!  I have been known to do that.......

I still made a mistake on the very last star tip and I don't even know how I did it....that's what's scary!
Also, I could not totally close the hole in the middle so it has a "design feature" of a button to cover it up.  My daughter would like one.....uh oh.....there's part of me that wants to perfect this darn pattern and master it and then there's another part of me that says just walk away.
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FO #2 - I finished several more dish cloths this week.....last week was the Advent Calendar Christmas cloth and an orange one and I was 1/2 way done with a yellow one.  Since then I've finished the yellow one and made a gold one and a pomegranate colored one.  I also took a picture to show you the size difference between 44  stitches cast on and 54.  The one on top was my Mom's.  The only problem with making the bigger cloth is that with 44 you can get 2 clothes out of 1 skein but with 54 you can only get one cloth with a lot of yarn left over.  Solution?  Stripes and scrappy cloths!
Here are the cloths altogether...........I have changed my mind again too.....the last cloth; the pomegranate one is made with Knit Picks Dishie 100% worsted weight cotton and it is colorfast which the others are not plus it does not split and I found myself knitting along just great with it while I remember struggling with the Peaches and Creme on the decreases...anyway.....for what it's worth.............

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FO #3 - Scrubbie!!!!  Whoa Nellie.....that Red Heart yarn is something else but this pattern is great and easy....it's just when you try and gather it up or stitch with it make sure you are going in a big hole otherwise it will get stuck and you will yank and pull like nobody's business to get it to move backwards or forwards.  I'm thinking maybe the netting would be easier?  This is the prototype though and  I will use it and see how I like it.  If I do then I guess I will try and get more proficient at making them.  I have plenty of "yarn" left in the skein to make several more so it would be an economical gift for sure.  Maybe paired with a couple dish cloths and a bar of my handmade soap?  Just sayin'!
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                                                   WIP's (Works in Progress)
WIP #1 -  Sleeve #1 is done on the sweater!  My DPN's arrived this week and I was able to finish the cuff.  I must admit though....DPN's and straight needles get caught in my sleeves...I prefer circulars as that doesn't happen even for straight knitting.  Does anyone know what length of cable I should get for knitting sleeves?
Hopefully I'll be able to finish the other sleeve this week.  Looking at that picture I'm thinking a zipper would be nice....can you put a zipper in a cardigan sweater that is already finished? 
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WIP #2 - A new cast on!  My felted slippers prototype....these are for me but if they work out then they may be the gift for Christmas 2018.  I bought the women's pattern but there are patterns for men and children too.  Yarn Hoarder  (podcast) - Amber Lindeman, made these for her entire family for Christmas.....like a zillion pair and she got rubber soles you can order from Etsy to sew on the bottom so they are really nice when done!  Here's the link  for the men's slippers but she has them all.......
Here's a picture of the mens but they all look the same just different sizes.
I even did my first gauge swatch for these slippers and it came out first time!  I was surprised because I thought I tended to knit a little tight.  I got the first 37 rows done on size 11 needles....they felt so huge at first and you use the yarn doubled but after a while it's really fun!  I'm excited to make these and I pray they turn out!
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BTW there was little work done on my CMB (Cozy Memories Blanket)....I have a feeling it is going to take a back seat for awhile as I am ramping up for birthdays and then Christmas gift making!
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Acquisitions and getting ready to cast on: 
I received my order from Knit Picks which were the size 6 DPN's for the sweater cuff, the wool yarn for the felted slippers and this Felici sock yarn in the Hisbiscus colorway.....I showed it earlier this week but some of you only come by for YOP so I thought I would show it again.  I need to get more sock needles so I can cast on all the socks!!!
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 I have not received my Alicia Paulson or Little Skein in the Big Wool packages but soon I hope! 
Here's a picture of Alicia's Time of Spring Flowers cross stitch of which the kit is sold out already but usually you can get the pattern.....isn't it precious?  I can't wait to start it.....and finish it! LOL!
 I want to do all the seasons.........I need to order the one from Winter............
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I did pick up the Spring issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects at Wally World........so inspirational and a treat to peruse............
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 Here is the kit for the next ornament after I knit up the I-cord for the star...........I need to find the directions but I know where they are........I put them in a notebook of patterns............there were 3 designs and I can't remember which one this is........  I'll show a picture next week............another Alicia Paulson design.


What's in the Queue -
#1 - Land of Sweets Cowl
I still have to get enough mini-skeins to do the different colors.  I'll be starting on this very soon and probably ordering some minis this week. 
#2 - Some Valentine's Day socks - I'll be on the look out for VD appropriate yarn.  I heard that Lolo Did It always dyes special yarns for the holidays so I need to take a look but it will have to be in next month's craft budget. 
#3 - Something for St. Patrick's Day...socks or cowl...not sure.  I think I found a cowl pattern with a Celtic design but I would like socks too!
#4 - Still more washcloths as I have plenty of Dishie and Peaches and Creme worsted cotton
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What I'm "wishing upon a star" for -
#1 - My Valentine and St. Patrick's Day yarns for socks or cowls and mini's for cowl and Granny Stripe Blanket.
 #2 - Susan B. Anderson has her 2 kits back in stock..........The Loopy Sheep
and her Spring Chicken kits  just in time for Spring but where do I get the dough for all these great items?
#3 - my new over the top obsession I discovered from Little Bobbin's mother who does the most beautiful stitchery from Jesse Chorley
I'd like to do her Friendship Quilt  if I live long enough! LOL!  I may try just a little sampler on my own but check out her website for lots of other wonderful and unique items and projects.
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 Podcasts: Still binge watching Yarn Hoarder and I think I am on #16 now.  I only watch about 1 per night as they are pretty long.  I can't wait to catch up and enter her KALS/CALS and giveaways.
HappyTrails!!!!
P.S.  To see other fabulous makes please visit our other YOP participants