Purrrrrrrr

Look what I did this weekend!
Yeah, that's a pair of ribbed sock you're seeing!

Here are the specifics:
Leg: 35 rows of 1 x 1 rib
Pre-heel: 10 rows (next time I'll put the heel spring on it or dial the tension to be tighter.
Foot: 34 rows
Heel & toes with different yarn carried with woolly nylon.
Yarn: Knit Picks Pallet
Size: Child's 2

I tried to make a ribbed sock for me, but I dropped a lot of stitches on the top so I'm currently frogging it to start it up again.

I am glad I found out about how to adjust the timing on my ribber, though. Right after I finished the pair above and while I was setting up the ribber, I looked at the timing on ribber and this is what I saw:

For my machine, when the screw is located on the left side of the slot, the ribber timing will be completely off. I have found the following adjustment to be the best for my machine:
The screw is all the way on the right side of the slot.

Now then, what's the big deal?

When the screw is on the left, my ribber needles are pushed out too early for the yarn carrier and will lay the yarn behind the ribber needle latch - thus not knitting the stitch. Look at the photo below:

I know it's blurry, but you can see how the cylinder needle (located in the slot just to the right of the red strip) is knitting. The ribber needle located to the right of that cylinder needle is catching the yarn.

When my timing screw is located on the left side of the slot, the cylinder needle located to the right of the ribber needle (not the left like it's shown above) knits first. That's out of sequence - and thus, the ribber's timing is off. What was happening is the cylinder needles on both sides of the ribber needle were knitting before the rib needle - thus, the loop was pulling down on the ribber needle. This tilted the ribber needles and would jam my machine up quickly.

So, hopefully my pain with learning how to adjust my ribber will help someone else.

I think I figured it out

More troubleshooting my CSM ribber.

I think I have figured out the problem. It's a timing issue.

Reminder: While turning my ribber, the ribber needles will tilt and jam the tappet plate - thus stopping the crank from turning.

To help illustrate what's going on, here's another sketch from the CSM manual (Fig. 29):

There's really not a good way to show what's going on. I'll try to get a photo of it to post so you can see what's going on.

Basically, the cylinder needle closest to the yarn carrier is knitting before the ribber needle knits. What this does is puts a loop on the ribber needle and pulls down on the needle - thus tilting it and jamming the work.

So, I need to adjust the H1 screw to make sure the needles knit in sequence - hopefully this will fix my problem.

CSM Socks

I'm still struggling with my ribber. For the past few evenings, I've been just cranking scrap yarn just so I can get a feel for using it.

Problems:
There's a screw on the top of the tappet plate that sets the location of where the ribber needles will grab the yarn. I set the needles to basically grab after the cylinder needle before has been pulled down. This works great, but the problem I'm having is that the screw on the tappet plate will slide quite a lot. (Screw H-1 in the sketch below and the slot is H-2).

But the most frustrating thing is when it feels like I have everything in working order and then start to knit. All of a sudden, the ribber gets stuck.

Last night, I finally realized that the reason why it was getting stuck is because the ribber needles were tilting ever so slightly. The butts go up and the heads are slightly down.

It's hard to see because we're talking tight tolerances. I just finally noticed that simply lifting up on the ribber needle frees up the tappet/needle and the crank is ready to turn again.

One I thought I had was that the bolt (H-9) wasn't snugged up enough and allows the tappet plate to move. The other thought I have is that I may have the ribber dial set too high (with the adjustment of screw J-1).

Maybe I'll work on it some more tonight.

But I have done two more pairs of simple hem hung socks. Last Sunday I whipped up the purple ones while showing Jen how to use her AK CSM. (Jen, I had fun so don't feel like you were using up my Sunday afternoon)

One sock is for my FIL, the other for my MIL (or so M declared upon seeing both pairs of socks go into the father's day care package we're sending out in today's mail - "The purple one should go to Grandma 'cause it's sort of a girl color, mom"). Both are Trekking Natura (wool/bamboo blend).

LSP Routines (Another CAD thing)

I've upgraded to Civil 3D 2009 and need to add in all my lsp routines automatically.

I used to have to make a acad.lsp file with some code written for each.

I thought I had to do that this time, but I forgot the simple way to do it:

Appload

Then click on Startup Suite "Contents" button. Pick all the lsp routines you usually use and you are set.

Much easier than acad.lsp files. Why they still have that documented in ACAD help is beyond me.

Summer & Homestar Runner

M is home and driving me crazy. We're trying to not send her to a day care this summer - to save money, yes, but really because home is where M would rather be.

So we're trying to do some home schooling. J bought some workbooks and she's been reading for the summer book clubs.

Summer book clubs are great. We belong to two libraries, so we essentially double up on the prizes. Your local Barnes & Noble has a book club now, too. Read 8 books, get a free book.

I have to admit that M has surprised me. She's read two chapter books in two weeks and seemed to really enjoy reading them. Junie B. Jones rocks!

Anyway.

Since she's home so much now, her room becomes a complete and utter wreck every other day. So J & I decided to black mail her since she wasn't doing it.

If she cleaned her room really, really well, then she could have a Homestar Runner shirt.

What is Homestar Runner?

According to my six year old, the funniest website around.

J knows about it and I've browsed it a couple of times. M loves Homestar Runner and will sing the "Buttdance" and wanted a meatball sub the other day because it's Strongbad's favorite thing to eat. Instead of hearing about the funny things she saw on Spongebob (a mom can only take so much of that), she now tells me about all the funny things on Homestar Runner.

Ever hear a six year old sing a heartfelt rendition of "Trogdor"? It's quite funny. If I can get her to do it on camera, I'll try. I giggle almost every time she does it.

Well, DD did do what she was asked to do (and we did a dreaded clothes purge with minimal tears and yelling), so M got a new shirt today.

Bonus!

We shop at thrift stores for clothes. That's something that may bother some folks, but it doesn't bother me. Nobody knows the difference once you're wearing them. :) Strange thing coming from someone who lives in Southlake!

M loves going and picked out a pair of pink skorts for $1.

She wore them and put her hands in the pockets and found something. . . a $20 bill!

Oh, sweet Karma!

Contours

For the knitters out there, just ignore this post.

I'm posting this to my blog because it's information that I have to access every couple of months and I end up forgetting out I did that.

I found a good resource on how to convert your ESRI *.shp files to contours. I end up importing the lines only to find the line work is inserted at layer 0 - Can't make a surface from that! When I click on the line and look at the properties, the elevation info is contained within the database attached to the linework - GRRR! Note: I have to open a new drawing and import the SHP files from Map > Tools > Import - then save it and do the next stuff. I have not been able to define contours from large data sets of SHP files via the Data attachment with Task Pane. Anyone know?

But the next step is where I have to look up time and again - which takes about an hour to find each time.

Attach the contour dwg you just imported your contours into into your main dwg.

1. Define Query of attached dwg
   a. Location (usually All)
   b. Query Mode (Draw)
   c. Alter Properties
   
2. now, click Expression - navigate to Object Data
3. Hit "Add" button - do this for each data set. Then Hit OK
4. Hit "Execute Query"

Joy!

When you are building the surface, add them as Contour Data.

Tobacco Road & AC

Well, shortly after I blogged about the AC, we started seeing temperatures in the 90's. We have computers and I just couldn't stand it any more. We have set the temp 4 degrees warmer than what we've done in the past.

We're trying to save in other ways. J noticed how hot the utility room gets when we're using the dryer. He bought a couple of clothes lines and pins.

It's amazing how quickly the clothes dry in this heat. We're also not warming up our home, which defeats the purpose of turning on the AC to begin with.

FO - Slippers

This used to be my Garterlac rug.

Now it's a pair of slippers that will be donated to John Peter Smith Hospital. Some of the ladies I go to church volunteer there and said they're in great need for slippers. The indigent patients tend to walk around with no shoes.

It's more of a need than the baby hats/booties.

FO - Dishcloth

Another stash busting project

FO - Decorative Scarf

Simple 20 stitch garter scarf

Trying to use up my stash yarn - used one whole ball of Plymouth Eros.

Edited later:

Linda asked how I made the scarf.

I cast on 20 stitches

K all rows until you can't stand it anymore. Bind off.

Simple! While the finished product is pretty, I dislike knitting with ladder yarns.

Webkinz "Halter"

M loves her top and asked for a matching top for her Webkinz.

Here's what I whipped up today. (Should I post the pattern?)

Free Pattern: Girl's Cotton Babydoll Halter Top

Front: (pop star pose) Back:
Materials: Worsted Weight Cotton (Sugar N Cream or Peaches N Crème -Each ball: 2.50 oz / 70 g, 120 yd / 109 m) One ball in an Ombre'. The other is a solid.

Pictured:

Yarn A: Sugar N Cream, Summer Splash (1 ball)

Yarn B: Sugar N Cream, Hot Green (1 ball)

Needles: Size 7 circular needles (32-inch long)

Gage: 18 stitches per 4 inches in Fan & Feather. 14 stitches per 4 inches in Stockinette

Size: 5 years (but my girl is a size 7 - this is a tight fitting top)

Final measurements:

Chest measurements: 24 inches

Body of halter: 13 inches

Abbreviations:

CO = Cast on

K = Knit

P = Purl

K2tog = Knit 2 stitches together

SSK = Knit 2 stitches together from the back

YO = Yarn Over

Pattern:

We'll start from the bottom and knit up. The skirt part of the halter is a fan & feather pattern knit flat.

Yarn A: CO 108 stitches

Row 1: K all stitches

Row 2: P all stitches

Row 3: *K2tog 3 times, [YO, K1] 6 times, K2tog 3 times* 6 times

Row 4: K all stitches (This row puts in a ridge on the Right Side)

Repeat Row 1 through 4 one more time.

See the photo below. It only shows two ridges on the bottom. This makes it look like it has ruffles.

The rest of the fan & feather pattern is knit without the ridge - continue Fan & Feather using the following rows:

Row 1: K all stitches
Row 2: P all stitches
Row 3: *K2tog 3 times, [YO, K1] 6 times, K2tog 3 times* 6 times
Row 4: P all stitches (by purling this, you will not be making a ridge on the Right Side)

Knit these 4 rows until piece measures 8 inches long. The last row 4 should be a ridge row (or you knit it). See the next photo as an example.

Next, we need to decrease 24 times across the fabric to make the total number of stitches cast on to be 84 stitches.

Decrease Row 1: (K4, K2tog) 18 times (90 stitches on needles)
Decrease Row 2: (P15, P2tog) 6 times (84 stitches on needles)

Switch to Yarn B, K all stitches and join in the round. Place marker. Knit in the round till the stockinette part of the halter measures 3 inches.

Next, you need to work on the front halter part of the top.

K63 stitches, Bind off 42 stitches.

Now you'll knit flat again.

Row 1: K1, SSK, Knit to last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1
Row 2: Purl all stitches

Repeat these two rows until halter measures from the bottom CO edge, 13-inches.

Next we need to make the Picot edging

Picot Row 1: K1, SSK, (YO, K2tog) to last three stitches, K2tog, K1
Picot Row 2: P all stitches
Picot Row 3: K all stitches
Picot Row 4: BO in Purl stitch.

Next, sew the BO edge to the back of the fabric to make the Picot edge. See photo below

Next we need to make the straps. Looking at the back of the halter, count 10 stitches from the side & pick up and knit 5 stitches. Knit these stitches in a garter stitch (k5 each row) till the strap measures 15 inches.

Make a button hole: K2, YO, K2tog, K1.

Knit two more rows and make another button hole.

Knit two more rows, then bind off.

Do the same thing on the other side (count 10 stitches from the other side, pick up and knit 5 stitches, etc.) The photo below shows the beginning of the strap.
Sew two buttons on the inside of the picot edge (see the picot edge photo).

Weave in ends and you're done!

ETA: I made the top 24" in circumference. M's been that circumference for quite some time From the YarnStandards.com site, this size would put her squarely in the size 5 category - but she's very long and has been wearing size 8 for the past year. The top needs to be snug to fit. If the top is a little big, it does look cute with a tank underneath (see Gea's top - her daughter is wearing a tank under it and it's still cute) and can easily grow with your girl.

Thanks for all the great feedback!

Note to Amy: Whenever I mention "sew", I do mean to use a needle and the yarn (hand sew). Also, give me your 8 year old's chest measurement and I'll see if I can whip one up. M is now 9 and would probably like another one.

WIP - Girl's Halter top

I'm currently designing a girl's halter top - we live in the D/FW area and it gets hot. I'll probably write up the pattern once I have it all figured out.

It's pretty simple. My DD is 24-inches wide (and has been for at least the past two years), so I cast on enough stitches to knit a fan and feather pattern for the skirt part of the shirt. (In my case, it was 108 stitches). I knitted that part flat. Once the skirt part measured roughly 9.5 inches long, I decreased across the top for 84 stitches and joined it. I then knitted the top in the round for a stockinette top. I knitted that for about 3 inches. Then I cast off 42 stitches in the back and started the halter part. (These are just rough notes for myself). I decreased on the knit side, purled the wrong side until the top looked long enough to cover DD's chest. I then did a picot edging and cast off. I'm currently knitting the straps in a 5 stitch garter and plan on having those cross in the back and fasten in the front with a button located inside the halter.

Of course this is being knitted in cheap kitchen cotton!

Front:

Back:

The skirt part of the shirt has an open seam in the back that stays open.

What do you think? Would anyone else be interested in knitting this? I can easily see this being done in pinks, too. I wanted to knit the top in the blue, but my local Joann's didn't have that color when I went shopping there over the weekend.

Geeky stuff

I subscribe to the Bad Astronomer Blog and Tom's Astronomy Blog. I'm not one of those super knowledgeable types when it comes to astronomy. Truth be told, I like reading them for the photos - it's sort of how most everyone "reads" National Geographic.

But I digress. Both of them posted this photo.

The child of the 70's in me remembers when all my mom's friends did free form wall hanging weaving and this photo reminds me of that time - Orange was HIP.

The modern art fan in me feels that this photo can even be framed and hung in a modern art museum. (I'm one of those weird people who likes Jackson Pollock's stuff.)

The geek in me is really amazed. It's a photo of the red dot on Jupiter - it's a huge storm - and it shows at least four more "dots". According to Tom, the small dot close to the large dot is being predicted to join together in August.

How cool is that?

FO - Baby Sweater

Yes, another baby item! J's family keeps getting larger. . .

Sweater Pattern: Green Zebra Stripe Baby Sweater (free) for size 2 yrs
Yarn: Pound of Love
Thoughts: I'm trying to knit through my stash and I have two skeins of the PoL. The pattern was easy to follow, but the construction of the sweater was a little weird - it's a bottom up raglan top.

ETA: The construction was strange for me because I had to stop in the middle and knit the arms in the round separately - then join them. After they were joined, it took some mental aerobics for me to grock what was going on. Like I mentioned, the instructions in the pattern were really good. I just wasn't trusting them while I was knitting it, but it came together quite nicely.

Sock Pattern: Socks Three Ways (free)
Yarn: Pound of Love
Thoughts: I did the kids sock but heavily modified the pattern. The whole leg is a 2x2 rib and the foot is 4 inches long. The size given on the pattern is wrong. It says to knit for 6.5" - my sock it to me guide said a kids size 2 is 4". I also don't like to knit dutch heels.

FO - Lucy Bag

I must admit that I've been terrible about keeping the blog up to date since Ravelry started up.

Here's my latest finished project.

Pattern: Lucy Bag by Two Old Bags

Yarn: Plymouth Outback

I won't be the one

to blink. . .

J is playing a weird game of not wanting to turn on the air conditioner so we've been wearing shorts, tanks and sandals at home. The thing is, it gets SO nice at night - upper 60's - and it is just wonderful in the mornings. First thing I do when I get up in the morning is to open up the house and get the fan blowing to cool everything down.

But then it gets hot.

I mean really, really hot. We're seeing low 90's outside. The house is staying somewhat cool at 83 degrees downstairs. Upstairs where we work is at least 10 degrees hotter because of all the computers.

I am trying really hard to play along with this game. J's always quick to say that we can turn on the AC, but I'm just a little too competitive to turn it on. *He's* going to have to do it.

Then I win!

What I win, I have no idea. The strange games we play. . .

Surreal Evening

Last night, J & I got a babysitter for M and went out on a week night.

Why?

Well, Roy Zimmerman (warning, the link goes to You-Tube and the volume is on) was in town and J wanted to see him live.

Roy Zimmerman is best described as being a liberal satirical song writer/singer. He was playing at J. Gilligans last night and it was great fun, if not a little strange.

We listened and laughed. During intermission, I went up and spoke to him. While I was talking to Roy, a big bald guy came up to him from behind, grabbed him by the elbow while muttering "F*ck you, man. Just f*ck you." Roy was really great at brushing it off, but I could see that he was a little shaken up. He mentioned that the guy was in the back of the room during his set flipping him off while he sang.

He started up singing again & I noticed the time - it was 9:30 - we needed to leave in order to get our baby sitter back by 10 pm, which is what I had committed to the babysitters mom. While trying to get the bartender's attention, an angry old guy (I'll call him AOG from now on) was behind the bar and started yelling at Roy. He then stormed around the bar and ran up to the stage. I was at the bar and the bartender started telling a buddy of his, "Hey, man, watch this, watch this, watch what he's gonna do."

Well, AOG pulled the plug from Roy's guitar. J, being the defender of the small, saw what was going on and followed AOG up onto the stage and proceeded to move AOG away from Roy by shear virtue of his size. Two more guys got up and did the same thing on the other sides of AOG and they backed him into a corner - no fists swinging, just a simple bumping AOG into the wall. The bartender then got into gear when more people started getting up on stage and basically told everyone that there weren't going to be any fights that evening.

Roy, like a true professional, mentioned that his songs were meant to be funny jokes and no harm was meant.

As we were leaving, Roy called out to J, "Why are you leaving? You're a big guy - I need you here, man!"

J hated leaving early, but said that we had to get back to the babysitter.

It was fun. Roy's abstinence song made my stomach muscles hurt from laughing so hard.

My HUGE Computer

J has been working so hard to make a new computer for me and he's been able to cobble together the computer for around $850. I must admit that it's screamin' fast. Today is the first day I've started using it.

It has four processors. That's a lot. Most machines only have one. Here's proof:

There are four boxes for the CPU Usage History!

I tease J that I now have the biggest weenie :)

It's a guy thing.

Impressed

I have an uncle who I've lost track of over the years. We sort of connected via email and it's been really nice to hear what's going on in his world.

Uncle Butch is my big jolly uncle who always played with us when we were little. I also shot my first gun with Uncle Butch. He worked for the IRS for years and is now retired and doing a little consulting work - forthe state of Georgia - as in former USSR!

His emails are remarkable and wonderfully descriptive. I got one this weekend that detailed a side project of his.

He set up a children's relief fund for the orphans of Georgia!

WOW!

And it was really formed because he was appalled at the conditions that the orphans lived under. I've emailed him to see if I can get a knitting charity program together. I just was really touched that he did all this - but not terribly surprised. He's just terrific and so is his wife, Edythe.

Duck Tiles

Mexico

My local Walgreen's had a free photo development day and we took advantage and finally got our photo's printed from our trip to Cozumel, Mexico.

M with a virgin Strawberry Daiquiri

M with a virgin Strawberry Daiquiri
Mom & M with flowers in our hair.
Green lime smile.
J's position pretty much the whole trip.
M's photo of me.
Mom & M getting ready for dinner.
M looking very grown up.

Happy J & I.

We found out that we're going back to the same resort the week before Christmas. Should be fun.

FO - BSJ

EZ Baby Surpise Jacket

Sugar n Cream

Size 7 needles

Camping

I went camping last weekend with my church at Mineral Wells State Park.

It's a beautiful park and M had SO much fun. It's funny the things you do to give your kids new experiences. I've not camped out and really roughed it since I was a kid - and even then, we didn't really rough it. My folks had a number of motor homes while growing up. So roughing it just isn't something we did a whole lot of.

We had initially got a primitive shelter, but the cost of the shelter for two nights was the same as the cost for a new tent from Costco. So, we bought a tent. We didn't buy air mattresses, and I wish we had. The first night was awful - J & I didn't get any sleep at all. M slept hard. Good thing that Mineral Wells was close in town. We ran over to Walmart and bought two twin air mattresses so we could at least make it through the night.

As luck would have it, we caught wind of the possibility of rain. Well, I'm not going to break down a tent in mud, so after discussing it with J, we chickened out and broke down our campsite just before dinner. M was terribly disappointed, but she understood. Anyway, she had a big day. Started with hiking, then swimming, then fishing, and finally canoeing. She also made a candle (dig a hole, pour in wax and put in a wick). She was filthy when the day was done. Head to toe.

While eating dinner around the fire (yummy fajitas), someone had turned on a weather radio and we listened to the Mineral Wells weather. 100% rain - which was fine. Most folks were going to brave the rain. When it announced temperatures in the upper 40's with winds 10 t0 15 mph. . . well, that sealed the deal. The camping was essentially called off - we were the first ones out since we were already packed up.

Next trip is in October.

Future Chicken Coop

I took some photo's of the green house so I can dream a little.

View looking towards the house. The gray looking trees will need to be removed as they're dead.

Here's the entrance into the green house. We'll keep it as is. The glass that you see the most of will be replaced with chicken wire.

Here's the inside.

Swing!

Our neighbors gave us a HUGE rope a couple of years ago and we just never did get around to hanging it up. M is getting literally out growing another swing we did put up. The same neighbors who donated the rope were gracious enough to come over and help J hang it.

M is thrilled and the kids had a great time swinging on it all afternoon. Looks like fun, hmm?

Libraries once again

For some insane reason, I stopped going to my local libraries. I know the reason why: we got caught up with Paperback Swap. I love the book swap site and J is really great about tracking down books. But it DOES cost money - you ship the book on your dime.

I was over at my local library and struck up a conversation with one of the librarians. He mentioned that our library no longer charges for inter library loans - you would have to pay shipping, which is exactly what we're doing with book swap, but we get to own the book. But then I mentioned that I didn't want to use the service because I'd feel guilty about making the library spend money on me - money they could use to enhance their collection. The librarian said to NOT feel that way. They have a certain amount of money budgeted just for inter-library loans and they were able to get the budget money because the library has SUCH a small foot print - this way we'd be able to get anything we want and the library wouldn't have to house the book.

Well, that's a win-win in my book. I think the other half of the equation is that it allows the librarian to show that they need more space. I know the city is kicking the idea around regarding building a larger library. I'd rather have a larger library than a $28 million jail.

So, I'm off to start filling out my wish list. Ravelry has this really dangerous link at the bottom of most pages that have books: Find this at your local library - It's linked to WorldCat.org. Check it out. It's just about the coolest thing ever!

Oh, and if you are a knitter and live in Plano, you HAVE to go to your local library. It seems like they have all the latest stuff. Must have a knitter on staff! :)

Got an idea

My neighbor raises satin angora rabbits - they're the cutest things and SO soft.


She used to have a chicken coop when she lived in Virginia and had been kicking the idea around to start up another one here.


I've always wanted to try to raise some type of farm animal. Don't know why, just have. Still do.


So, the other day I had C & R come over to look over an old shed that's sitting unused to see if it'd be viable. They looked over at the unused greenhouse and said with some modifications, it'd be better.


We have a lot of work to do to get the greenhouse ready, but I'm shooting for getting a shipment of 25 chicks from McMurray Hatchery by fall.

I've also been experimenting with making homemade bread. Still haven't found a good recipe on making that really great store bought type of fluffy bread, but I'm making premium breads for about a $1.50 a loaf (compared to $6 to $10 at a bakery). A great recipe can be found at Welcome To My Brain blog - Whole wheat bread for complete morons.

I also broke out my old pasta machine and made some fettuccine wheat noodles. I got the noodles ready to the point where all M had to do was crank the handle and out came the noodles. That was about enough noodle making a six year old could handle. The noodles were FAB by the way. I'll try to post the recipe later.

Why the interest in doing stuff from scratch and cheaper than you can buy at the grocery? Well, my inner chicken little is just squawking away. I know things aren't terrible right this minute, but I just feel like the economy's long term outlook isn't good. We're trying to save money as much as we can now. Just this week I've talked to three former co-workers who have recently been laid off. They have great experience and can't get a job.

[rant on]

Which brings me to McCain's stupid idea of repealing the gas tax over the summer. On the face of it, I initially thought, what a great idea! Yeah, that would work! BUT hold on, the whole reason why we have a gas tax is to pay for infrastructure. You know, that stuff we need to keep in repair if we want to keep on using it? I remember in the recent past hearing of a bridge falling down and the elected officials jumped up and down and said we need to fix our infrastructure. Well, the gas tax is how we finance it.

But then again, we could just stop the war and use the money that we're spending in a week to fix our infrastructure problem, but you know, we gotta make Bush's cronies richer and kill more Iraqi's and American soldiers for - insert this week's reason why we're in Iraq here.

[rant off]

Seriously. I'm worried.

2008 Book list

Trying to see if I can read 50 books in a year.

1. Mind of My Mind by Octavia Butler
2. Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Prest
3. The Dispossessed by Ursula K LeGuin
4. March Violets by Philip Kerr
5. Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K LeGuin
6. Patternmaster by Octavia Butler
7. To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer
8. Blasphemy by Douglas Preston
9. Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs
10. The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry
11. The Fabulous Riverboat by Philip Jose Farmer
12. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
13. Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
14. Specials by Scott Westerfeld
15. The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry
16. The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry
17. Field of Dishonor by David Weber
18. Flag in Exile by David Weber
19. Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
20. Ghost Dancer by John Case
21. Murder Artist by John Case
22. Kushiel's Mercy by Jacquiline Carey
23. The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sara Vowell
24. Where in the World is Osama bin Laden? by Morgan Spurlock
25. Charlie Wilson's War by George Crile (read half)
26. What Happened by Scott McClellan (read half)
27. Honor Among Enemies by David Weber
28. The Wordy Shipmates by Sara Vowell
29. In Enemy Hands by David Weber
30. Echoes of Honor by David Weber
31. Ashes of Victory by David Weber
    

(I'm not going to make it this year - Will do it next year!)

It's been quiet

I've been quiet on the blogging front mainly because I've been so busy. I had a project that just wouldn't die - who is currently lying quietly in the corner with my PE stamp on it just waiting to be built! Yay me!

So my creative side hasn't really been fed as of late. Plus I'm on a yarn diet right now (stupid economy).

I took apart an old wool project that was sitting around never to be finished and am now knitting it into a Lucy bag. I've got the main bag part done, now all there is to do are the handles - and of course I've run out of the wool. So I have to dig through the stash to see what will match that's felt-able.

I've also been working on an Elizabeth Zimmerman Baby Surprise Jacket. I had made a spreadsheet for my mom a while back. Well, it had errors and I found it was a little confusing as well so I added the even row counts - which serves as a great way to check yourself. I think I don't like knitting this bugger - mainly because you end up counting and counting and counting. It can get a little frustrating. I'm using ordinary Sugar 'n Cream for this. Yes, it's stash yarn.

On the CSM front. I've been really struggling to get my ribbing mojo back. I think some knob or setting was disturbed and I just can't get the thing to work. So I went ahead and did some hung hem socks just so I can get that great knit gratification.

Every Saturday I go to WW, then to Starbucks, and then to Curves. It's great fun because I do it with a good friend. Occasionally MA and I will knit stuff for folks - one of the Barista's had a baby, etc. One of the Barista's is always interested in our knitting and keeps up with us personally. So MA bought a ball of yarn at the Fiber Fest ($9.50 for a pair - it's a steal if you ask me) and I knitted up a size 9 woman's sock:

Yarn: Schoeler + Stahl Foritissima Colori Disco Socka Color
Size: Women's 9
30 row hung hem
40 row leg
63 row foot

I cheated on my yarn diet, but it was a budgeted cheat. I had $20 to spend at the Fiber Fest and I stayed within my budget. I couldn't pass up $9.50 for a pair of socks So here's my socks (which I'm wearing as I write this up - how's that for knit gratification!)

Yarn: Schoeler + Stahl Foritissima Colori Disco Socka Color
Size: Women's 10.5
15 row
picot
15 row hung hem
75 row leg
67 row foot

(FWIW, 75 rows is too long for a sock. I should have made the leg shorter)

Then there are the socks that I committed to do for my mom. She bought a BUNCH of Knit Picks Pallet a while back and the deal was that she'd buy four balls in each color - she'd get a pair and I can have the other to gift/use whatever. I felt kind of bad the other day as I realized that I hadn't knitted sock one for her, so I dug everything out and made a bag of yarn for just mom's socks. I also wanted to incorporate the woolly nylon thread in her socks as Palette is 100% wool and will wear fairly quickly. Here are two that are just for her:

Yarn: Knit Picks Palette Clematis Heather & Woolly Nylon (purple)
Size: Women's 8
30 row hung hem
56 row leg
56 row foot

Yarn: Knit Picks Palette Purple & Woolly Nylon (purple)
Size: Women's 8
20 row hung hem
45 row leg
56 row foot

I think that in the future I'm going to just match the rows of the leg to the rows knitted for the foot. Seems to be a good ratio.

Another Nice Thing Happened

A couple of months ago I went to a local high school to talk about being a civil engineer. I don't have a teenager (yet) and totally forgot how sullen they can be. I felt like I was talking to a wall of uninterested boys.

Guess you never know when they're paying attention. I just got a letter from the teacher who's room I was speaking in with another letter attached. It was from a kid who decided that he was going to try to become a civil engineer.

This school is where the local school district parks all their problem kids. My friend who asked for my help in the first place, says there are occasional police arrests in the halls. It's a tough school.

I just am stunned and terribly flattered. I'd like to see if I can help find him a job with a city as an intern. I have my fingers crossed.

Nice thing happened today

I was dropping my daughter off at school and was pulled into one of the teachers rooms. I had stopped in a while ago to ask her if she liked blues and purples. The idea being that I could use some Plymouth Outback wool for a Lucy bag for her. It was a bit of a mess when I had asked because she was being observed by a consultant and was really distracted when I asked. She even was sweet to email me later to explain why she was so short with me. In her email, she mentioned that she uses the dishcloth my mom made her and gave to her last year.

This morning she showed me the dishcloth - it was so well used.

I think that can be the best compliment anyone who makes handmade items can get. It was used but was still going strong.

So, now the teacher isn't going to get the Lucy bag (which I will now re-gift to myself as I LOVE the way it's looking). I've decided to knit her a number of pretty matching yellow dishcloths. This time, however, I'll try to set the color by giving it a vinegar bath prior to gifting them.