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So I Went to the Doctor

December 14, 2010

And guess what?  I have a sinus infection.  Whoopee shit.  So what else is new.  I got a prescription.  Doctor asked if I had a flu shot.  I said no.  He asked if I wanted one.  I said no.  He asked if I had the flu.  I said I’ve never had the flu or a flu shot.  He told me to drink plenty of fluids and eat yogurt twice a day.  There was no, “You should have a flu shot!”  in a condescending tone.  This guy is kind of cool for a man doctor.  And I was good.  I didn’t ask how to drink something that is not a fluid. 

Well, I lied.  I didn’t start a hat to match my sweater, but I have an excuse.  I decided to make the hat on the cover of Boutique Knits.  It calls for size 5 needles which I don’t have in Signature  Art Needles.  I ordered 5’s and 6’s and the holder for DPNs.  So anyway, I’m making a mitered hat with my left-over orange and green yarn from socks.  I was about a third along when I decided to make the shawls.  Now, I’ve changed my mind.  Instead of starting at the band, I’m starting at the top and working down.  It’s so much more interesting.

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3/4ths a Headache

December 14, 2010

I don’t have half a headache or a whole headache.  It’s definitely 3/4ths.  Once again my sinuses are full of green goop that I could use to seal any cracks that there might be in the concrete.  It has put me in the loveliest of moods.  So after a couple of weeks of this, I called the GP for an appointment for tomorrow.  I had all ready decided that it was time to do some shopping.  I was hoping that the smow flurries would keep some people home.  I probably should have stayed home and called that radiology place in PA (the x-ray was done locally) and explain to them that they charged my insurance twice and I am not about to pay them $7 just because they are idiots and can’t read.  Going shopping and being nice to sales people seemed like more of a challenge. 

I headed over to Rehoboth and the outlets.  I thought about the yarn shop there and then remembered that I have been there twice and never bought anything.  When I go to a yarn shop, I like to buy something, especially around here.  They are too few and far between.  Both times I could find nothing that I was the least bit interested in.  I decided not to try again.  I didn’t want to get depressed too. 

My first stop was the Fossil store.  I hate this place.  I always buy something.  And they had several great looking handbags at half price.  All I wanted was a wallet for my daughter.  I found a wallet, wristlet and coin purse in red leather with little circles sewn on them so I got all three.  I also bought two handbags.  I’ll probably give her one for her birthday.  It’s in February and who wants to shop then.

Next, I stopped at a gift shop that always has lots of unique things.  I didn’t have much luck this year and I only found a Christmas ornament and a pin.  By this time, I was getting hungry and I really had to pee.   I stopped at a place that had a nice restroom so I figured I might as well eat there, too.  I got a chicken BLT.  It wasn’t bad, but everything was piled in the middle and I had to rearrange it.  It also had cheese and pickles on it which I thought was strange.  The pickles were really good which was a surprise.  I ate them separately.  The tomatoes had to be removed.  I think they were made out of styrofoam.  You’d think I would learn after all these years.  They also had good coleslaw so I forgave them for the other stuff.

  Here’s my third shawl.  I put that pattern to good use.  I have decided to make a hat and gloves to go with my stars sweater next.  I have a lot of the yellow left.  Maybe I’ll make a scarf, too.  I don’t know.  Scarves can get boring.

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I’m Trying to Finish the Shawls

December 12, 2010

I should have had them both finished a week ago.  Instead I found two more skeins of the yarn–blue and light aqua.  What do I do?  Add it on, of course.  I had finished the blue one so I had to undo the bind-off.  I managed to do this without losing any stitches.  Then, when I was knitting along, I forgot about stopping to check on how much was left.  I found myself having to unknit two rows and wasting an hour.  Bummer. 

See the light edge.  I am not sure that I like it, but it’s staying.  I have used up all of this yarn which was my main objective.  I think that this was the best use for this yarn.  It would not have made a very good garment.  It does wash and iron nicely–always good for gifts.  I forgot to take a picture of the blue one.  Maybe tomorrow.  I’m not promising.

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Ice on the Creek

December 9, 2010

It was 21 degrees when I got up this morning.  Except for one small corner, the creek was completely covered in ice.  The geese were not happy and left deposits on everyone’s lawn.  I had to break down and wear a coat this morning.  A turtleneck, corduroy shirt and heavy sweater weren’t doing the job.  My having to wear a coat on my walk means that winter has come to Lower Slower Delaware.  It was very beautiful sitting out on the pier on the river.  There wasn’t much wind so I didn’t freeze over.  I was also treated to a small tug pushing a barge with an enormous pile of sand.  It came very close to the pier. 

Flo kept running in and out, trying to find the door into summer.  She finally gave up and proceeded to get into as much trouble as possible.  Of course, she said she didn’t do it, but I have proof.

Maybe I should knit her a body suit.  It would have to cover her ears and tail, but leave a place open to pee.  She prefers to go outside and will go in the sink if we are not fast enough.  This cat is such a pain in the butt, it’s a wonder that I keep her.  She’s just a little tabby cat.

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Trying to Organize

December 3, 2010

I was only looking for one piece of paper.  And everything sort of just mushroomed.  I knew that what I was searching was in a particular tote bag.  I found the paper and so much more.  There were an awful lot of  patterns  in there and A LOT of loose needles.  The patterns didn’t bother me.  It was the needles.  I started searching for needles everywhere.  And, now, two days later, I am finally getting them organized.  But, you know, in the back of my mind, I know there are more lurking somewhere, waiting to appear at the least inopportune moment. 

Sweetums is so proud of himself.  He has been able to get the Christmas cactus to bloom again.  I had to show it.

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Leafprints Shawl 2

November 30, 2010

I had such a good time making the first one that I decided to make another.  This time I found a cotton/viscose blend in a DK weight in my stash.  I used my size 7 circular Signature Art Needle.  It worked great.  There was not the catching problem that usually goes with this type of yarn.   The needle was smooth.  The cable was smooth.  The join was smooth.  What more do you want?  Actually, what I want is more sizes.  But, I can wait.  They’re worth it.

I knit until I almost ran out of yarn.  Luckily, it was at the end of a leaf.  I had three small skeins that were 110 yards each.  Then I found four more in a beautiful aqua/turquoise/teal so I started another one. 

When I came to the end of the first skein I decided to stripe it, changing colors every other row.  I had two light and two dark skeins.  It’ll have to do.

I’ve been working on a personal tag for a bag I am giving my daughter.  I’ve had the front for a while and I finally got around to making the back with her first name.  I put magnetic snaps on the strap because I’ve never used them before.  If you’re lucky, I’ll have a picture of the completed project tomorrow.  Then, maybe, I can start a Christmas table runner.  I need to do something to get me in the mood. 

 Nothing gets Cora in the mood, except, maybe, food.  See that poor flower in the hanging basket outside?  They all died the other night when it got below freezing for the first time.  Can winter be far behind?  It is so hard to believe that I was in North Dakota a month ago.

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Leafprints Shawlette by Anne Hanson

November 25, 2010

I thought that this was an easy  pattern.  I should say here that I have been knitting for about 55 years so you can give me the fish-eye.  The others at knitting group certainly do.  There are charts to follow, but if you prefer your directions written out, they are there also.  This makes the pattern four pages long instead of two.  It is very well written and an advanced beginner could follow it.  My goodness!  I have finally figured out what an “advanced beginner” is.  I have often wondered.

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What’s On My Needles

November 15, 2010

I opened a drawer and I found two old Colinette kits.  They were similar in color so I decided to make a sweater out of mitered squares.  I think I may have a pattern somewhere, but for now, I am winging it. 

I am also thinking about a new hat.  I haven’t been able to find most of my hats and I thought I’d use the rest of my last socks to make one.  Here we have miters again.  They are so much fun.

But, wait!

I saw this pattern and I thought that it would be perfect for Jenn.  So far, I have only made one change(other than using different yarn than mentioned).  When going from the garter rows to the leaf pattern there is a row of yarn over increases which I found ugly so I made Make One increases–a much better looking increase.  I am not certain that I like the pink I chose, but I can always give her two.

You know, I still haven’t gotten around to posting my ND pictures.  I should do that.

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Yesterday

November 8, 2010

I was going to blog.  Really, I was.  When I sat down with my laptop. my mind went blank.  And what was I going to talk about?  I’m still not certain.  It was the first day of Standard TIme so I was up an hour earlier.  I had time  for a nice breakfast, a walk, some reading, some knitting and a long hot shower before leaving for knitting group.  I still left early.  I needed gas and I wanted to stop at Staples to get a book spiralled.  Is that a word?  I don’t know anymore.  There are so many new ones out there.  The stop at Staples was a waste of my time.  They said it would be about an hour before they could help me and that I could leave my book.  I said, “No thanks.  I’ll be back in two weeks.”  They said they were always very busy on the weekend.  This is a lie because I always come on Sundays before my group starts.  And the job they were doing?  It seemed to be watching the customer operate one of the big machines.  Huh?

Group, as usual, was a lot of fun.  I wore my new socks.  I love them.  They are so me.  Betty started talking about my socks so I flipped my clogs off and pointed to my feet.  She started laughing.  She didn’t realize that I was wearing them.  She’s one of those people who you want to make laugh just to hear her. 

Maria made NO progress on the fringe of her shawl.  She kept complaining that it didn’t look right.  She kept losing the yarn overs.  I hope I got her on the right track.  I told her she can’t do anything new until she finishes the fringe.  Fat chance of that happening.  She’s all ready planning her next shawl and she has the yarn for it.  I really like the pattern she found.  Maybe I’ll do it, too.

   At this point I was going to show you what I have started.  Unfortunately, my laptop and my camera are not on speaking terms with each other today.  This has happened before, but I do not currently feel like fixing it.  But there is always cat pictures.

 This is Miss Kitty.  She is a Certified Bed Cat.  She will sleep with you every night when you visit my girlfriend in Bismarck.  And, believe me, you need at least one of these when you go there.

And here’s Flo.  She missed my lap so much while I was gone.  She’s been trying very hard to make up for it.

And here’s Cora enjoying the fire.  She didn’t even realize that I was gone.

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Montgolfiere

November 6, 2010

These socks were a bit challenging, but well worth it.  The instructions said to make your favorite heel with the main color, but I like a two color heel so that’s what I did.  Originally, I was going to make the short row heel, but these socks were mostly  made on my trip and I didn’t have my reference books handy.  I should say that I didn’t have Lucy Neatby’s Cool Socks Warm Feet book.  It has the best instructions. 

Montgolfiere is written by Stephanie van der Linden.  It is a free on-line pattern.  At least I think it’s free.  I printed quite some time ago.  Here’s the website I found on the last page. I probably found it coming from the opposite direction so I’m not making any promises.  She also has a new sock book that I love.

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