Sunday, September 28, 2014

YOP Week #13


What a week!  The weather is perfect and I have to use it while I can.  You won't see gobs of progress on YOP's... just steady until Winter.  I have to balance it with outside work and also Project #2...The Kitchen, Day #2 is today.  Actually, yesterday was but I was over at the neighbors helping her pack up as she is the widow (they were separated) of my neighbor Paul, who died.  She came back from Florida to arrange for an estate sale and also to rent out the house and move what she was keeping down to Florida.  My heart went out to her as you could tell it was all a bit overwhelming for her.  But there were several helping her besides me and I met my new neighbor!  She's a retired teacher from Iowa!  Do you believe it?  She's very nice, loves animals and loves to read!  She was custom made to be my next door neighbor!  Anyway.......this is my "progress" at the end of the day when I was too tired to do anything else. LOL!
 Remember the afghan I was trying to resurrect with this Lion Brand Homespun yarn? Well, it wasn't working so I tried my favorite blanket pattern (again in crochet) and the problem with this yarn (besides being the yarn from hell) is that I can't count my crochet stitches which means you can't follow any pattern in crochet.  Someone mentioned they had no trouble knitting with it so I found a knitting pattern on Lion Brand specifically using Homespun.  The other problem was I had no idea it is technically a "bulky" yarn....that might have been part of my problem.  Anyway, I am off and knitting a "throw" and it is called a "wave" stitch which describes it perfectly as that's the effect you get after about 10-12 rows.  It's 136 stitches cast on and it is all squeezed on my long needles but so far so good and the one nice thing is even if I make a mistake I'm not sure you could ever see it! LOL!  I hope it will be big enough....it's hard to tell.
  I've got it figured out if I do 3 rows a day I should be done by the end of November or beginning of December.
 Another "bulky" project I dislike............the rug which will take forever but I do some each evening...it's a good t.v. project.........
and of course the long standing sock project........but...I am starting the heel!
Kitchen Project Day #1 got me this far...........I cleaned off this bookcase in my kitchen and put all my appliances and big pots on it with room left over.  I think I will make a curtain for it to keep the dust out plus appliances aren't all that attractive...lol!
I also started a new book my daughter brought me taken from journals and real life but made into a fictional account for young adults.  It got the Newberry Award and I may be looking into more "young adult" books as I love them!  This story is about a 16 year old orphan who inherits a "claim" and a shack to go with it in Montana but she has to "prove" the claim by fencing it and farming it.  I could read these types of books all the time. 
 *Katrina....if you haven't read this you should...you will love it.....it's right up your alley!
Last year I bought the niftiest tool.  I don't like chain saws and most are too big for me to handle but this is a chain saw that you use like scissors and is more for saplings and limbs (no tree felling using this) which is all I need to do with it.  It works slick and as long as you can get the  "scissor" around it you can pretty much take it down.  It's also cordless and made by Black and Decker.  LOVE!!!!
This is my handiwork from yesterday.....easy peasy!  I told you it was a jungle down here! LOL!  At least in my yard it is.  I'm 66 and have RA so you can see how easy it must be. Plus, much safer for me than a chain saw.
Well, that's all for the YOP's but stay tuned for more progress on my 50 million other projects before winter comes! LOL!
Happy Trails!









15 comments:

  1. Wow, so much progress! I love the Afghan and the rug and hurrah for reaching the heel!

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  2. So happy to hear you have a nice new neighbour with similar interests! Your knitting is looking lovely. You always seem to get lots done. (And I enjoy books for young adults too...they are often a really good read!)
    Happy week, Sam!
    Helen xox

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  3. Hoorah for neighbors that have similar interests as us. The sock is coming along well. By this time next week the heel will be done, then the long boring instep to go. I love what you are doing to your kitchen. I so want to make mine over, but it would require knocking out cabinets and counters and doing some major work on it. Someday...........

    Also like your 'chain saw'. Looks like it handled everything you threw at it.

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  4. Geez, now I want an alligator chain saw thing-y and I don't even have any big branches to trim.

    I admire for sticking with projects you don't like - but promise me, if that yarn from hell doesn't cooperate this time, please get rid of it! Use it as stuffing for pillows or something!

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  5. good lookin' progress this week! way to go.

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  6. A new neighbor yes...and I hope she is really nice! Are you going to tell her that you blog:)

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  7. I'm so pleased for you about your new neighbour. I hope you become great friends. Sad about your old neighbour though and it must have been very difficult for his widow to sort through everything even if they were separated. I like the look of the scissor chainsaw. It looks an ideal tool for me for our French renovations! Chris is buying himself a chainsaw. I might buy one of these! X

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  8. Wow you have been a busy industrious bee go you. How wonderful to have a new neighbour that sounds like your going to get on well with. Best of luck with your bulky yarn projects I hope they move along swiftly for you.

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  9. greatttttttttttttttt
    love the afghan so much..
    hugs x

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  10. You have been busy! I think your afghan is going to be very pretty. I have the same problem crocheting with the Lion brand homespun but knitting it is much easier. The book looks like something I would also like and your shelves look so neat and clean. Your neighbor sound like she was custom picked for you! Fun days ahead!
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  11. I don't know how I missed this post. I will have to check our library for that book. Thanks!

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  12. Love the throw you have settled on - I'm looking forward to seeing more of the 'wave'. :)

    Great job getting to the heel on the sock, that's always a bit of a milestone, isn't it? I have no idea why that should be but after that socks always seem to progress much faster.

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  13. Love the projects that you are working on... handicraft projects, home organization projects, and outdoor Fall cleaning up. You are always so busy!!

    Sounds like you have a new neighbor that is a kindred spirit. Hope you have a great friendship ahead of you :)

    Smiles :)

    Kerin

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  14. I hope it cools off for us, too. It's been sunny and hot today. I'm in between sewing projects. I love the dishcloths you're making! Have a good week my friend! Hugs, Diane

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  15. I like the idea of making a rug. A little a day works. I read this remarkable book some time ago: A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter. Your current book made me think of it.

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