Road trip tomorrow - again for work - this one a two hr drive away [but, I'm not driving.] Looking forward to this trip, too. But there won't be any shopping or sightseeing afterward.
I've been watching the Grandsons a lot this week while their folks work on packing and moving their belongings...35 miles away. Not too far I know. It could be a lot worse. But, they currently live just 2 miles away, so I'm used to seeing them nearly every day.
And since I have been busy with the boys - AND I'm now back to work full-time, I haven't been doing much knitting. No sock knitting at all. However, I finished the body of the sweater I'm knitting for CIC Orphan Knitting project ...it's a pattern that can be made as a vest 0r add sleeves for a sweater. I thought I'd do a vest, but I have plenty of yarn left over, so I've started a sleeve. I'm not going to do the pocket.
Needles: sizes 10.5 and 11 [US] circulars
Yarn: KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Bulky in Emerald & Taupe.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Friday Road Trip & OTN Update
Working part-time is going OK, but I've been taking afternoon naps. If the Dr. OKs my return to full-time on Monday, I'll miss those naps. Not really sure if I actually NEED the naps, or I just *think* I do....
Friday, however, I took a road trip! A co-worker & I went to a conference, but, it *was* a road trip! My C-W had never been to that city. What? How could that be? It's only 90 miles away. The conference got over at 3 p.m. and I was able to easily persuade C-W to do some sightseeing & shopping. [No yarn shops, tho. -- couldn't find any online info on any possibilities.]
Had a good time sightseeing - including a cable car ride :-) & a visit to a marvelous toy store, a bead shop [C-W says the prices were much better than here in town], an Irish shop [I bought a box of Barry's Gold Blend Tea], and an English import shop [where I bought my all-time favorite Yorkshire Tea.]
OTN Update:
1. a pair kids socks for CIC - just need to finish the toes
2. socks for Mother...nearly finished with first leg
3. oops - side tracked -- I have 9.5 inches completed on the body a "child size 4" pullover
4. Opal Feeling socks - on hold for now
Photos later...
Friday, however, I took a road trip! A co-worker & I went to a conference, but, it *was* a road trip! My C-W had never been to that city. What? How could that be? It's only 90 miles away. The conference got over at 3 p.m. and I was able to easily persuade C-W to do some sightseeing & shopping. [No yarn shops, tho. -- couldn't find any online info on any possibilities.]
Had a good time sightseeing - including a cable car ride :-) & a visit to a marvelous toy store, a bead shop [C-W says the prices were much better than here in town], an Irish shop [I bought a box of Barry's Gold Blend Tea], and an English import shop [where I bought my all-time favorite Yorkshire Tea.]
OTN Update:
1. a pair kids socks for CIC - just need to finish the toes
2. socks for Mother...nearly finished with first leg
3. oops - side tracked -- I have 9.5 inches completed on the body a "child size 4" pullover
4. Opal Feeling socks - on hold for now
Photos later...
Monday, April 9, 2007
Back to Work
Maybe I'm not as recovered from my surgery as I thought. I worked from 8:00 a.m. - Noon. And I slept from about 1:30 - 3:11 p.m. I would have slept longer, but DD2 arrived with the boys. They were only here about an hour before the mama came back for them.
The weather is still unseasonably cool, but the sun was warm. [Oh, and the humidity was a perfect 20% -- just like back home in The West.] The boys brought bottles of bubbles, so we sat on the front steps and blew bubbles. Well, Sport did. He's a pro at it. But, Buster had shaken his bottle so much that the wand was full of tiny bubbles - not blowable. I guess Buster got bored with chasing his brother's bubbles and high-tailed it around the corner of the house.
I'm not ready to run. But run I did...that short, chubby fellow can Move! Then they played on the slide out back...until Buster decided to bounce a big ball on the empty parking lot behind my house. OK. We can do this. Bounce the ball. Toss it back and forth. Coax Buster to come back closer. Play "soccer" with Sport.
Of course, they didn't want to go back in the house when I was ready. Do you want juice? No. How about hot chocolate? Yes! Sport likes to hold the glass with the "hot" water while I stir in the powdered mix. He loves "Grandma's hot chocolate." Poor kid...someday I'll have to make him Real Hot Cocoa.
OTN update 1: Ribbing for sock #2 for a CIC kid's sock. [I joined the CIC knitting list recently. Still waiting to hear what the new challenge will be.] Yarn: Wool of the Andes worsted weight in Cranberry, needles: size 4 [U.S], pattern: "Swirling Confetti" Kids' Socks from the CIC group file [I think.]
OTN update 2: The blue striped OPAL "Feelings #1703" is on hold for now. Leg for sock #1 is completed.
OTN update 3: Belated birthday socks for mother. She's always said that she doesn't like blue. But, she picked out KnitPicks' Essentials "Dusk" - it's definitely a denim color. But, that's OK. She wants them to wear with blue jeans. [Mother is 79, by the way.] Since the yarn is a solid, I offered to do a pattern from my [very own] Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs. I was thinking of the Uptown Boot Socks, but when I showed Mother the book, she said she'd rather have the Embossed Leaves. So...that's what I'm doing. When DD3 was here yesterday, she took a digital photo of the few inches of pattern that I had completed at that time. I'll add the photo when she emails it to me.
The weather is still unseasonably cool, but the sun was warm. [Oh, and the humidity was a perfect 20% -- just like back home in The West.] The boys brought bottles of bubbles, so we sat on the front steps and blew bubbles. Well, Sport did. He's a pro at it. But, Buster had shaken his bottle so much that the wand was full of tiny bubbles - not blowable. I guess Buster got bored with chasing his brother's bubbles and high-tailed it around the corner of the house.
I'm not ready to run. But run I did...that short, chubby fellow can Move! Then they played on the slide out back...until Buster decided to bounce a big ball on the empty parking lot behind my house. OK. We can do this. Bounce the ball. Toss it back and forth. Coax Buster to come back closer. Play "soccer" with Sport.
Of course, they didn't want to go back in the house when I was ready. Do you want juice? No. How about hot chocolate? Yes! Sport likes to hold the glass with the "hot" water while I stir in the powdered mix. He loves "Grandma's hot chocolate." Poor kid...someday I'll have to make him Real Hot Cocoa.
OTN update 1: Ribbing for sock #2 for a CIC kid's sock. [I joined the CIC knitting list recently. Still waiting to hear what the new challenge will be.] Yarn: Wool of the Andes worsted weight in Cranberry, needles: size 4 [U.S], pattern: "Swirling Confetti" Kids' Socks from the CIC group file [I think.]
OTN update 2: The blue striped OPAL "Feelings #1703" is on hold for now. Leg for sock #1 is completed.
OTN update 3: Belated birthday socks for mother. She's always said that she doesn't like blue. But, she picked out KnitPicks' Essentials "Dusk" - it's definitely a denim color. But, that's OK. She wants them to wear with blue jeans. [Mother is 79, by the way.] Since the yarn is a solid, I offered to do a pattern from my [very own] Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs. I was thinking of the Uptown Boot Socks, but when I showed Mother the book, she said she'd rather have the Embossed Leaves. So...that's what I'm doing. When DD3 was here yesterday, she took a digital photo of the few inches of pattern that I had completed at that time. I'll add the photo when she emails it to me.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
April Socks Completed
Still no digital camera - so I had to fold the top [bottom in real life] sock to show the second one.
Almost identical except for the last few rows of the toes. The 2nd one has more "tan" - and less "raspberry" at the very end.
Details were posted on March 29.
My Past Week - Part C
Oh, yeah. The dryer quit working a few days ago. Need to contact the landlord. Don't know if they are back from Florida yet or not. [If they Are, I bet they wish they weren't. Windchill this a.m.: 6 degrees.]
Friday, April 6, 2007
My Past Week - Part B
Earlier this week...Monday to be exact... we had a lot of rain. The ground was already saturated, and now the rivers are up. I live on high ground, so I was really surprised on Tuesday morning when I went downstairs to do laundry. Standing water! [I rent, by the way. And for some strange reason, the landlord had raised the floor around the drain. The center of the basement floor is several inches lower.]
I got a mop & pushed water uphill to the drain for nearly an hour & a half. I sent a text message to DD1 saying HELP! - she came straight home from work. Most of the wet stuff belonged to DD3 who's [90 miles] away at college. I left a voice message on her phone saying that it looked like most of it would have to be pitched.
DD3 called after class and said she would come home to help and arrived around 5 pm-ish. DD1 helped her haul wet stuff out to the garage. I stood around and tried to be supportive. Her boyfriend came over when he got off work & they hauled all the wet mess away.
We turned on a couple fans and by bedtime that evening the floor was completely dry.
I was SO thankful that DD3 was able to come home to help. Thanks again, Honey Bunch!
I got a mop & pushed water uphill to the drain for nearly an hour & a half. I sent a text message to DD1 saying HELP! - she came straight home from work. Most of the wet stuff belonged to DD3 who's [90 miles] away at college. I left a voice message on her phone saying that it looked like most of it would have to be pitched.
DD3 called after class and said she would come home to help and arrived around 5 pm-ish. DD1 helped her haul wet stuff out to the garage. I stood around and tried to be supportive. Her boyfriend came over when he got off work & they hauled all the wet mess away.
We turned on a couple fans and by bedtime that evening the floor was completely dry.
I was SO thankful that DD3 was able to come home to help. Thanks again, Honey Bunch!
Things That Go
[Grandson content]These photos were taken at Christmas time. My grandsons are a treat! I have 3 lovely daughters - but had no idea how much fun grandsons would be. They are fascinated by all things motorized & with wheels. Sport wants a motorcycle and Buster wants a "digger." Poor Buster thought this one was his to take home. :-)
My Past Week - Part A
[Genealogy content]
I have been knitting...some. But, I spent a lot of hours working on genealogy stuff. A year ago I bought a new database program and decided I wanted the data to be as "perfect" as possible. So, I started transfering each individual manually - each ancestor, ancestors' siblings, in-laws, known nieces & nephews, etc.
That works well, but takes forever. There are 2998 individuals in my old database. When I got to my paternal grandfather's line, I decided to do a data download for those individuals. That did NOT work well. I have no idea how it happened, but during the download random individuals were given burial dates ranging from 2002 and 2007. Really random. Not everyone. But, some of the people are still living. Some died in the 1700s. Some of the "notes" sections were duplicated, but not all. ARGH.
I started to clean up the records for those in my paternal grandfather's line and learned some new tricks for using this new database. And then, I decided to look at the data for every single person. I went alphabetically through the entire new database -- 1527 records -- and fixed what needed to be fixed. It was *very* time consuming, but I'm glad I did it.
Now for the remaining 1471 records -- I'm going to enter the data manually. It might take me a year, but I'll end up with a "clean" database.
yDNA Update: A few days ago I got word of a new project participant who matches our results perfectly. Our Most Recent Common Ancestor was born about 1750 in Pennsylvania. And here's another who matches very closely - but we don't have a proven connection, yet. Most likely it's several generations farther back. Now - if I could just talk a couple of my mother's male cousins into doing a yDNA test I think we might be able to prove or disprove a certain family oral tradition. The test itself is a bit pricey, but the two cousins I would ask could easily afford it.
I have been knitting...some. But, I spent a lot of hours working on genealogy stuff. A year ago I bought a new database program and decided I wanted the data to be as "perfect" as possible. So, I started transfering each individual manually - each ancestor, ancestors' siblings, in-laws, known nieces & nephews, etc.
That works well, but takes forever. There are 2998 individuals in my old database. When I got to my paternal grandfather's line, I decided to do a data download for those individuals. That did NOT work well. I have no idea how it happened, but during the download random individuals were given burial dates ranging from 2002 and 2007. Really random. Not everyone. But, some of the people are still living. Some died in the 1700s. Some of the "notes" sections were duplicated, but not all. ARGH.
I started to clean up the records for those in my paternal grandfather's line and learned some new tricks for using this new database. And then, I decided to look at the data for every single person. I went alphabetically through the entire new database -- 1527 records -- and fixed what needed to be fixed. It was *very* time consuming, but I'm glad I did it.
Now for the remaining 1471 records -- I'm going to enter the data manually. It might take me a year, but I'll end up with a "clean" database.
yDNA Update: A few days ago I got word of a new project participant who matches our results perfectly. Our Most Recent Common Ancestor was born about 1750 in Pennsylvania. And here's another who matches very closely - but we don't have a proven connection, yet. Most likely it's several generations farther back. Now - if I could just talk a couple of my mother's male cousins into doing a yDNA test I think we might be able to prove or disprove a certain family oral tradition. The test itself is a bit pricey, but the two cousins I would ask could easily afford it.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
April Socks update
I knew it would be slow going with these. That's why I got a head start on the April socks. But, I'm making good progress. Love the feel of this yarn. [I've read a few blogs or socknitters' posts from people who have not liked it. But, I'd definitely use Step again!]Sock #1 nearly completed - need to finish toe and deal with the cast on tail. I left the tail long to help me match up the start point of the second sock. Yippee. The second sock, now OTN, is looking like the stripes match up well :-)
Yarn: Austermann Step #10 Melba
Needles: No. 2 [US] aluminum, 5 dpns
Pattern: rather basic pattern - top down, k4, p1 rib that I saw at Michelle's Basic Socks - but then the rest is my modification with a heel flap instead of a short row heel. Maybe one of these days I'll actually use Michelle's entire pattern.
Online Shopping Fun
WooHoo! I'm just back from shopping at amazon. My dear friend from across the pond, JCS, gave me a gift certificate! I browsed the site for ideas: there was a book about the War of 1812, several on genealogy, and then I looked at knitting [related] books. Being a practical sort, I decided that the book on the War of 1812 & the ones on genealogy I would probably read through once and only once. And they could be easily borrowed from a library. But the knitting books...I would read and refer to over & over.
Then, I had to decide which knitting book[s] to choose. I read the amazon blurbs and found online reviews and finally settled on:
Wolcott, Jill. "YNotKnit"
Pearl-McPhee, Stephanie. "Knitting Rules: the Yarn Harlot's Bag of Knitting Tricks"
Several reviews called "YNotKnit" basic and perhaps it is. It describes how to knit the Continental Method and that's all I've ever done, but I'm thinking I could use some advice and tips from the pros. DD3 has started knitting, and DD2 wants to, so the book would be a good reference for them as well.
It appears that "YNotKnit" is not currently in stock, but usually ships in 4 to 6 weeks. Darn. But I'll be happy to get it when it does arrive!
Thanks, JCS!!!!
Then, I had to decide which knitting book[s] to choose. I read the amazon blurbs and found online reviews and finally settled on:
Wolcott, Jill. "YNotKnit"
Pearl-McPhee, Stephanie. "Knitting Rules: the Yarn Harlot's Bag of Knitting Tricks"
Several reviews called "YNotKnit" basic and perhaps it is. It describes how to knit the Continental Method and that's all I've ever done, but I'm thinking I could use some advice and tips from the pros. DD3 has started knitting, and DD2 wants to, so the book would be a good reference for them as well.
It appears that "YNotKnit" is not currently in stock, but usually ships in 4 to 6 weeks. Darn. But I'll be happy to get it when it does arrive!
Thanks, JCS!!!!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Cheesecake and a sick Buster
I drove to work today for the March birthday cheesecake event. Peanut Butter Cup cheesecake. Yummy! Chocolate & Peanuts/Peanut butter are my favorite foods! :-) I need to talk with the surgeon [or his nurse] to get a return to work release. I'm thinking about starting back half-time on Easter Monday.
While I was eating cheesecake, DD2 called to say that she was taking Sport to pre-school for the afternoon, but Buster had a fever. So he's here, asleep on the couch. Poor little fella. I need a nap - too tired to knit. And I'll have to pick up Sport in an hour. The mama works till 9:30 or so tonight & the daddy is out of town.
While I was eating cheesecake, DD2 called to say that she was taking Sport to pre-school for the afternoon, but Buster had a fever. So he's here, asleep on the couch. Poor little fella. I need a nap - too tired to knit. And I'll have to pick up Sport in an hour. The mama works till 9:30 or so tonight & the daddy is out of town.
Short Row Heel
...ala "Simple Socks: Plain & Fancy" by Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts. When the book came home to me, I read through it & thought: Yippee - I'll practice on that blue striped OPAL.
[I'll skip the part about the 3 total and 2 partial frogs...]
I finally got through a heel that I thought was "OK" and started down the foot. But, I kept seeing the two mistakes [one on each side of the heel] and they drove me nuts. *IF* these socks were going to be for me, I would have given a shrug and kept on going. But, this yarn is going to be used for socks for someone else. And while the [non-knitter] person who will eventually wear them probably wouldn't have noticed, I just couldn't bear to continue.
So...frogged again and now working on my standard heel flap.
While I was struggling with the short row technique, I thought that perhaps I should wait & try it on a pair of socks from heavier weight yarn. Then a few days ago Kathy mentioned that, too. [Thanks, Kathy.] That's what I'll do. I *think* have have mastered the technique - just need a bit more practice.
I have a yarn order hopefully in transit from KnitPicks. When I saw the mail truck at the corner, I thought, "Maybe the package will come today." Oh, no! It kept on going down the road. Maybe tomorrow.
[I'll skip the part about the 3 total and 2 partial frogs...]
I finally got through a heel that I thought was "OK" and started down the foot. But, I kept seeing the two mistakes [one on each side of the heel] and they drove me nuts. *IF* these socks were going to be for me, I would have given a shrug and kept on going. But, this yarn is going to be used for socks for someone else. And while the [non-knitter] person who will eventually wear them probably wouldn't have noticed, I just couldn't bear to continue.
So...frogged again and now working on my standard heel flap.
While I was struggling with the short row technique, I thought that perhaps I should wait & try it on a pair of socks from heavier weight yarn. Then a few days ago Kathy mentioned that, too. [Thanks, Kathy.] That's what I'll do. I *think* have have mastered the technique - just need a bit more practice.
I have a yarn order hopefully in transit from KnitPicks. When I saw the mail truck at the corner, I thought, "Maybe the package will come today." Oh, no! It kept on going down the road. Maybe tomorrow.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Favorite Socks!
Yippee! Gift from DD1: the new Interweave publication: "Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs." I'm SO tickled! [And she gets to pick out a pattern & yarn and I'll gift her back with a pair of mom-made socks :-)
Self Striping Yarn
Looking at old photos recently with Sport and came across this one taken in September 1974. Groovy, eh? My first encounter with "self striping yarn." The design that emerged was Totally Accidental. I was amazed - and pleased - at what happened :-)This morning I dug out my box of knitting [etc.] patterns and found the one I used.
The yarn was Red Heart Wintuk Clansman sport weight. The pattern was from a 3-pattern folder: "Clansman Sweaters - Coats & Clark's Studio Card No. 8"
Copyright: 1973 - Price: 35 cents
Good lord!
When I saw the kids' sweater photos on the pattern card, I remembered knitting several for First Nephew and First Niece. And now I know what pattern I'll use for pullovers for Sport & Buster :-)
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