This and That

On "Let's Make a Deal" the prize was a llama. I was all "yippee" your own llama!!!! It was a zonk prize. The winner was not happy.

Don't wear a red shirt to Target or you will be asked by other customers where to locate an item.

I like knitting hats.

I purchased a pair of women's jeans that zip on the left side.

I CAN do to much research on a product I am interested in purchasing.

Original Law & Order is my favorite tv. Last night there were 2 hours of new shows.

I'm having fun on Twitter. Today's tweet is "Light frost makes everything sparkly".

There's a way to respond to someone else's Tweet. Can't figure out how to do it.

Lot's of brown yarns in my stash. Why?

Backed out of a very tight parking space yesterday and made it without hitting another car...or person!

Gilmore Girls is another favorite TV show.

There's enough General Tso's Chicken left over for lunch or breakfast.

Yankee Candle "North Pole" scent smells like butter mints.

Hot Water Bottle cover for Maks ..free pattern

This is a generic pattern that you can modify to fit your Hot Water Bottle (HWB). Assumption is made that the knitter understands basic knitting terminology or has knitting dictionary available to them.

Materials:
• Appx 140 yards worsted wt yarn (I used 1 ¼ skeins of Trendsetter “Tonalita”)
• US #7 double points or US #7 12” circular
• US #9 16” circular
• 1 marker
• tapestry needle
• scissors

On size US #7 needles, cast on 44 stitches or more/fewer as needed for your HWB).

Place a marker and join to knit in the round.

Knit 2x2 ribbing for 4” or until ribbing is long enough to cover the neck of your HWB.

Change to US #9 needle and Knit 2 rows in pattern.

Next row: *K2, P2, M1* around. Stitches increased to 54 if you are following the pattern as written.

If additional width is needed for your HWB, knit 1 row and then on the next row increase 4 stitches evenly around. Repeat these 2 optional rows until it will slide over your HWB.

Knit every row for 7 ½ inches or so to fit the “body” of your HWB.

Still on US 9 needles, knit 2x2 ribbing for 3” or until long enough to cover your HWB.

Bind off in pattern. Weave in ends and enjoy!

Carve your own pumpkin...over and over again! Enjoy

You guess correctly Katie...a hot water bottle cover for "Maks".

The yarn is Trendsetter's "Tonalita" a wool/acrylic blend.

I'll write and post the pattern when finished. I'm making it up as I go along.

End & Begin

Give your shawl a nice long soak in a woolwash of your choice. Not dish soap or woolite. Some use shampoo. I haven't so can't comment. And have lots of towels ready to gently press the water out of the shawl. And make sure to have your favorite coffee maker in the picture along with your favorite coffee cup.




Lay out your shawl to block making sure there are enough towels on your carpet or floor. I didn't use my blocking wires for this shawl. The points stay in place without them. I did weave in my ends before blocking but I didn't cut the ends until after blocking. Why? Stretching the finished item will also move the woven in ends and they may pop out or worse, come loose. And if you cut them to short you may be in trouble.



Let it dry and then take it outside for a photo op!



Then begin a new project

HWB update

I didn't realize how BIG Hot Water Bottles are! And take a look at how one Raveler used her fished shapped HWB.

Post 157

If you can't see it, she tented her tomato plant to protect it against frost and used her HWB to keep it warm.

I did purchase one today. Just the basic shaped red one. A bit smaller than I remember. And it wasn't as easy to find as I expected. Neither Bed,Bath&Beyond nor Target had them. Rite Aide had 1 left.

It's warming my toes right now and I don't want to leave it to find yarn to knit a little jacket for it.

Perhaps I should give it a name?

And arm/shoulder update...surgeon released me from his care today (yippee) but I must continue p/t. And I must be careful with driving until I have more movement in my shoulder.

YES!!!!!!

Knitting faster does work! I have about 20 yards of yarn left. Still need to weave in ends and block. Then I'll post a picture.

I asked a question on the Ravelry "Remnant's" board...Hot Water Bottle Covers. I never expected so many responses. Check out the link on page 5, post 110. I'm adding hot water bottle to my Target list. And someone suggested a baby size.

And I've fallen in love with this afghan. Nice carry around project and stash buster. Course you have to sew it together....

Surgeon's appt this afternoon. Fingers crossed he'll let me begin strength exercises.

Jane Austen Shawl update

Just made it to the 1/2 way point.



Am I going to make it?

Shawl update

Jane Austen shawl update: After several attempts to knit it, I had decided that the pattern for attaching/adding/knitting the lace edging was wrong. But the Friday mid morning knitting group straightend me out. What I thought was the bottom is actually the top! I love my knitting group!

I'm using an age old measuring tool to determine how much yarn each lace point will use. I pulled the yarn out as far as my reach will allow 5 times and then knit one repeat of the 8 row pattern. I had just over 1 arm length left. So now I will knit the next point with 4 arm lengths.

Now to knit as fast as I can so that I don't run out of yarn!

Good news!

Received good news about my arm yesterday.

Physical Therapist measured the degrees of movement, compared to day 1 and said I improved very nicely. I now have unassisted exercises to do. Those are the ones where I lift/move my right arm without assistance from my left arm.

Surgeon was pleased with the movement I have and gave me the okay to drive short distances. Yippee!

And puppy class was fun. I stood on the side and observed. Wanna see a cute picture of Primrose? click here!

And there is knitting news. I started the Jane Austen shawl from Cabin Fever using stash yarn (yea me!) Jo Sharp Silk Road DK Tweed. The color is no longer on the pallet page. It's called "Ambrosia" and it's somewhere between "Asparagus" and "BeanShoot". The pattern calls for a chunky yarn so I am doubling the dk.

According to the yarn requirements of the pattern, I'm going to be about 25 yards short....BUT..because you knit on the lace edging after knitting the shawl there are several things I can do...

not put on an edging
crochet an edging
add fringe
knit a different edge
knit a few repeats of the lace edging pull it out & measure how much I really use

...I'll let you know what I decide when I get there. I'm knitting so slowly it's going to be a while before I have to worry about it!

Updates

Thank you Margaret for your Majacraft "Rose" info. I've updated yesterday's post with the info.

Becky, my plans for the cotton is a shawl. Something lacy maybe. Here's her blog with samples and other info. Wolle


I like the Montpelier festival because it is small and you can see everything in a few hours without feeling rushed. We probably got there about 11:30 and had finished shopping by 2:30. And that was taking 2 trips through tents. Trip one was to see, trip two was to purchase! We did buy lunch (barbecue, then picked up "Rose" and were back on the road by 3:30.

So today is arm update. This morning p/t will test my progress and this afternoon it's back to the orthepedic surgeon for his update. Fingers crossed I'll get the okay to drive in a week or so.

And tonight I'll go to puppy class. Fame's mom Debbie is going to pick me up. It will be fun to see how much the babies have grown.

I do still plan to raise a puppy.

Fall Fiber Festival & Dog Trials

Yesterday, bright and early (8:30am!) Artsyfish, Macadoodle and I headed northwest to Montpelier for the 22nd Annual Fall Fiber Festival. We had a beautiful day. No rain. A nice breeze. Lots of sunshine.

Warning: I still cannot raise my right arm high enough to actually see what I'm taking a picture of. Right hand holds camera, left hand presses button. They are what they are.

Much smaller than MS&W



it's a nice size with a nice selection of fiber, yarn, wheels, and animals (rabbits, goats, llamas, alpacas, sheep & dogs)





Artsy went with a mission. She wanted to try out different wheels. She came home with Majacraft "Rose" from Misty Mountain Fibers.



She smiled like this all the way home

Mission Accomplished

Mac was looking for pink yarn. Not much pink out this year. But she did find a nice hand dyed fingering wt. Here she is putting it away.




Mac and I walked around until we saw something new and different. We both fell in love with this cotton from Wolle



Four colors that "blend" into one another. These are the 2 skeins that came home with me.

And I cannot pass up lace wt. especially these 3 skeins from "The Drafting Zone"



It was a super fun day. (I'll come back later and update the brand of wheel Artsy purchased and the store she purchased from. It has left my mind!)