Condolences

Dear Coach Cowher,
I am so sorry for your loss, of which I just today heard. I read your statement on the Steelers' website. I've wanted to tell you how heartbroken I was when you retired from coaching the Steelers, and then how happy for you I became when I watched you making commentary on games -- it was so good to see you smiling! Now I understand that your retirement was for Kaye's sake, so she could have her family around her during her illness, and I admire you even more for such a gentlemanly decision. I'm sure this support from all her family made her struggle more bearable. My prayers go out on behalf of you & your family, that you might find some comfort.
"Lady Boss", aka Ann

Hey, y'all! Watch this! (Part Deux!)

Lookee, lookee! Brand new hand-knit socks! And it only took me 2 years and 3 months to produce these! I am so ready now to cast on another pair. Let's just have one more look, shall we:

Gotta take some pictures!

I'm nearly to the toe shaping on the second Moc Croc Mark II! And I'm working the third column of mitered squares for Dolly Blankie #3. I went to Bliss Yarns on Friday the 16th, and picked up some more solid colors for this blankie. One thing I noticed there -- a whole basket of Noro sock yarn mill ends, most just a few grams. They sure were tempting! I can see me getting about 8 different colorways, and putting them away for my own mitered square throw. But not just yet; I really need to buy less & knit from stash as much as possible. One of the projects that needs some time: unraveling all those thrift store sweaters I bought for the yarn! I should show DiscoDame how to do that, she loves frogging. Right now, all those sweaters are just in a bag behind the dresser in the living room, waiting for attention. Some are cashmere, some merino, etc -- can't wait to see how much yarn I get out of 'em. I've actually worn one that I bought at a yard sale, labelled as lambswool, and a very nice navy cardigan. It was meant to be unravelled for the yarn, but got picked up & worn. Guess I can keep it as is!
***About a week later (7/26/10): I finished the second sock on Saturday; after remembering that the first one was just a little bit short for my foot I added another repeat of the pattern to the foot before starting the toe. Now, I've frogged the first one back to just before the toe, Russian-joined in some more yarn, and I'm almost ready to work the toe (again! 3rd time better be the charm!). I must take some pictures!! And decide what pattern to use for that red Cascade fingering yarn. I'm thinking I could get pretty crazy with texture, since it's a solid color. I'm going to post this without pics, and add another post when I've got something to show!

Wednesday wonder

While I was sick with bronchitis, I was supposed to see the dental hygienist & get new x-rays. I cancelled that appt., and called on the 13th to reschedule. The first available spot was 9:45 a.m. on the 14th! So I've already been, got a clean bill of oral health and some samples.
I'm still plugging away on the Moc Croc Mark II second sock, with 4" of the foot done --which means this cuff-down pair is very close to being done! I have been looking at sock yarns online, as if I actually had moola to spare for such luxury as new yarn. I will have to start another pair as soon as MCM-II is done, preferrably in a (mostly) green colorway. I'll go stash-diving this weekend, I'm pretty sure I can find what I need.
The mitered-square Dolly Blankie is coming along rather slowly; it's mostly TV knitting, and I just don't have much time for TV anymore. I've about decided it needs a backing, to help hide all those ends of cotton yarn. It'll have to be thin fleece, but whether a plain pastel, white, or a print? I haven't a clue. Maybe I'll carry the finished blankie to the fabric store.
I haven't started Sis' felted latte cozy yet. She specifically mentioned felted. The only way I can think to get it to fit would be to garter stitch a rectangle, felt the heck out of it, sew some toggle buttons at one end, and cut a few rows of "buttonholes" across the other end. In fact, I'll likely cut slits all the way 'round, make 'em look like a "design feature" -- and I could embroider around a few of them, too. Yeah, there's an idea. Wonder if the toggles would tear up the felt? Only one way to find out!

Hanging on by a thread

I'm not apologizing for being absent, just letting you know: I was SICK, you vultures! Bronchitis again *sigh (immediately followed by kaff-coff-kaff)*, another doctor visit. I'm still coughing, but not as puny as I was. For about 3 days, I got sleep 10 minutes at a time, then woke up & coughed for 10 minutes, ad nauseum. Talk about tired!
I'm making a third Dolly Blanket for Princess Tess' babies, even though I've still to send the 2nd one. I have a bag full of Sugar N Creme in various pastels, which are being worked into mitered squares - very cute! Sis has asked for a cozy for her tall latte; I will have to check the stash for something feltable. Should be fun! I started the Feather & Fan stole again, this time with US 6 circular needle, and alternating skeins every other row. No more pooling & flashing! It should come out with a more consistent color over the entire thing. Not that it wasn't lovely; but it will be lovelier now!
We had a bit of a financial melt-down at Chez Plaid Patrol -- the bank screwed up by dinging us for two mortgage payments, although we'd only authorized one. We had funds for one mtg. payment and weekly essentials (minimal groceries, gas, doctor visit). Needless to say, the second mtg payment sent us into the red in a big way, and we didn't even know it for almost a week! So we're blithely using the debit card for groceries & gas, and our life insurance autodrafts came out.
ETA: We missed a credit on our tax return, and got a check from the IRS!! Surprise! The Plaidman had to call them up & ask if it was "really" our money. And Pup sent a check too, God bless him. So our straits aren't quite so dire at the moment. We've made a pledge: No more checks by phone! Then I had to stop the Plaid One from making one just two days ago...he went to the library to do it online instead.
The mitered Dolly Blanket is moving quite slowly. The second sock is moving along well:


And, saving the best for last, at a job fair over on the Lipscomb campus, Plaidman got hired!! He's in training today & tomorrow, which is our 33rd wedding anniversary. After that he's going to work 3rd shift, not so great actually, but at least it's a job! I'm so relieved.

Mulligan

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I took the Chunky Monkey Hat home Wednesday night, and removed the ears--I'd decided they were A) too small and B) placed too high on the hat. So I got out a bigger crochet hook (an N - seriously big) and remade those ears, sewed the new ears on the hat, and took more pics of the hat being modelled by our sweet little TomTom Kitty. DiscoDame & I about laughed ourselves silly. So, now it's on my desk at work, waiting for the "client" to pick it up, and garnering a few compliments. I did put it in the wash between the picture-taking and bringing it to work; the yarn is so much softer now!


It looks like I'll have to make another one for TomTom; he's enjoying it so!

Graduation from Daymar Inst

What a great day! This past Saturday DiscoDame had her graduation ceremony.

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Here's the Dad & Grad shot:










Sunday I finished the Baby/Toddler Monkey Hat. I'll have pics later. This little thing took some brain-burning to make: I had only a sketchy idea of what the lady wants, and the free patterns I found online all used sport/baby or DK weight yarns. I had nothing in the stash in the colors wanted, in sport/baby or DK--but I had it in chunky in the main color, and in worsted in the contrast color, and both were the same fiber blend. So I triple-stranded the contrast to match weights with the main, jiggered the maths for the size hat I wanted, and started the thing about four times. The earflaps aren't real big, but they're noticeable, even though they're knit in one piece with the rest of the hat. Here's what I came up with, pattern-wise:
Materials: Main color (MC) - about 1/2 skein Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick
Contrast color (CC) - about 1/2 skein Lion Brand Wool Ease (solid color)
Size US 13 circular, either extremely long for Magic Loop, or use two of them, or Sz 13 DPNs if you prefer. I used two circulars for the hat.
Size 11 US DPNs (two, for I-cord ties)
Tapestry needle, tape measure, stitch marker

For baby/toddler size, the total circumference needs to be no less than 12", and should probably stretch to about 13.5". Gauge - well, I never checked it exactly, but the Thick & Quick ballband calls for a US 15 and 9 stitches over 3" (I think, I'll check this before I post). I figured it would be a little bit smaller with the smaller needles, and that would also give me a nice firm fabric for this hat. Decide whether you want this as stockinette or garter, & work accordingly.
First earflap: In MC, cast on 3 sts. Turn, work even across. For the next rows, work RS rows with an increase near each end, and wrong side rows work even.
Next row (RS): K1, make 1, K1, make 1, K1. Next row (WS): Work even (5 sts).
Next row : K1, M1, K3, M1, K1. Next: Work even (7 sts). The contrast color edge will add width & length to the earflap, so cut the yarn (leave enough to weave in) & place these 7 sts on a holder or DPN.
Now, work the second earflap as for the first, but don't cut the yarn. Instead, use a backwards loop cast on for 11 stitches (work these as tightly as you can!) for the front of the hat. Making sure the right sides of both earflaps are outward, knit(purl) across the first flap. Again, backwards loop cast on 11 stitches (back of cap), join for in-the-round & place marker, and knit across the second earflap. Work even until piece is 2.5" above the earflaps. Next round, *K4, K2tog*, repeat to marker. Work even for 3 rounds/rows. Next: *K3, K2tog*, repeat to marker. Work even for 2 rounds. Next: *K2, K2tog*, repeat to marker. Work even 1 round. Next: *K1, K2tog*, repeat to marker. Next round: K2tog around; repeat until there are only 5 stitches left on the needles. Cut yarn, leaving a 6" tail. Thread yarn tail onto large tapestry needle, run through the remaining sts twice, remove circular needle & pull to close the top of the hat.
With US 13 & CC triple-stranded, pick up all stitches around bottom edge of cap. I did the MC in stockinette, so decided to work the trim in reverse stockinette; but I know lots of folks don't like to purl that much--try garter stitch. I made two rows even, then on the third row when I came to the middle 4-5 stitches of the earflaps, I worked short rows twice to extend the length of the earflap. Continue around to marker, then bind off. For the "ears" I just made a 2-chain crochet chain, worked 4 single crochet into the first chain (careful not to work over the tail end--the loop can be pulled tight later!). Slip st to 2nd chain st, work 1 sc same st, 2 sc in each st around, slip st & pass cut end of yarn thru loop. Repeat. I sewed the "ears" on just forward of the middle of the earflaps, about where the first row of decreases appears.
Now, find a willing victim/model, and LOL at the cute hat!