TGI..December

I can’t believe how time has flown.  This time of year is so tough because we live so far from family.  We missed out on another big turkey day with the fam.  DH had to work anyways so we had our thanksgiving on Friday. If I really tried I’m sure I might have been able to not-burn-the-house-down cooking the turkey. But I have never cooked one before by myself and he really likes cooking it so i just let him do it.
I had a lot of other things going on this past month that just seemed to eat up the time. So I have not had the time to blog about things or knitting things.

Another cowl from a pattern seen on ravelry. Which I’ve search for and now can’t find. But If I do I will post it because I love the look of the pattern.

Still need to wash and weave in the ends but I do like the colors.

I also finished the scarf and Little Miss Peanut has been wearing it around the house.

I like how this turned out but it’s more of a cool day scarf and not winter one. Or maybe to wear as an accessory kind of thing. Peanut likes it because its shiny and princesses where shiny things she says.

She has been going back to the princess dress up and ect. She was going through a tools working on my bike thing. So now I’m an confused about what Santa should bring her. However she has been asking me when she sees my knitting is that for her nowadays. I think I’m going to have to whip up some knitted stuff for her.

Old and new

This will be a picture-less post again.  

Yesterday my 2 year old computer died.  We had the “moo” type and I am sad that it no longer wants to boot up.   I did have one last chance to get pictures off but didn’t get any files.  I think if I try one more time it just might give me the chance to get them, but not today. 

 Today is for taking a tour of that whole new ”moo” experience with its new software.   Should be nice.  (sarcasm)   I really want to stress how important it is to get a warranty for times like this.  All the nerdy guys at the store (you know who they are) shook their heads at us about NOT having a warranty on the old “moo”. 

 It was a joke to DH, “oh you don’t want the warranty…(whisper) ok see you in two years”.  Not funny at all seeing as he thought ” eh we don’t need that warranty this is a really good computer so it will last awhile”.

  Now the new “moo”  has a warranty.   It also has all the bells and whistles and an extreme graphics card that the DH had to have so that he can watch or record tv on it.   I think that’s nice.  (more sarcasim)

I miss the old “moo”  that didn’t ask me a question everytime I wanted to do something.    AND the old “moo” was compatible with everthing unlike new “moo” which has a problem with everything…..like the printer….and me.

Day off

I could/should be doing laundry, raking leaves, painting, or cleaning something.   But I’m taking the day off.  I’ve already ventured to the store and picked up a bike pump and a new recycled backback for Peanut.  So I have accomplished something today.  (I also had an itch to buy some yarn which I don’t need and is not in my budget yet I managed to drag myself back home.)   Other then that I might knit or maybe watch a movie.    I just need a me day. 

I finished my Yo Drop It scarf and was happy with it until DH gave it a look.   I like it but he thought it was colorful.  Meaning too colorful but this is coming from someone who won’t wear a shirt unless it is blue or grey.   I admit I’m not thrilled about the gold and which I previously mention but I like the colors.  I’ll post a pic next time.  I am going to start another neckwarmer today, maybe.   

  Tomorrow is a big day and it could mean changes.  I hope for the best.

Belated HH

We had a fun Halloween.   It was very very quiet.  Around here we do not have many trick or treaters and I think that is sadly caused by many homes being so dark on this street.  Dark meaning the people hide in there house for 4-5 hours so they don’t have their doorbell rang.   We on the other-hand handed out a large popcorn tin filled with candy to maybe 9 kids.   Handfuls of candy to each.   There was only one other house on our street that had pumpkins out and maybe 5 with lights on.   I guess that’s just how it is around here but it is very different from where I grew up.  

 

So Peanut went to the 5 houses and tricker treated with her dad.  While I watched out for the treaters which I had 2 during my watch.   Peanut didn’t mind having only five houses to go to.   She had a busy day of treating at school around the college and a Halloween party.    She has a giant container of candy and she had a great time at her party.   The after dinner treating was just a little extra to her.

Her favorite part was picking out the pumpkin faces. We found them here.

Another Halloween treat was getting the parts from the bicycle company. Her bike was missing some important parts.Rather then return the bike I called the bike manufacturer and requested them to send the fittings for the tires and petals.

So what do you get from a bike manufacturer when you request 8 little parts?

Everything that those little parts connect to the bike. Minus the rubber tires and tubes. I specifically only asked for the fittings but was informed they send everything used in that area of the bike. So now we have spares.

Monday

Peanut is home from school today. She has a cold or something going on and hasn’t slept well all weekend. It could either be two things, a cold or allergies. She has been a pretty healthy kid and I was pretty lucky that she wasn’t a sickly baby. Being around other kids is building up her immune system and so I understand she is going to get sick and shes going to be miserable. But she also is dehydrated and even though she wanted to stay at school today I felt that it would be better that she spend the day at home with me and get lots of fluids. Of course today was picture day so we had to go this morning. Couldn’t miss that and she wasn’t coughing or sneezing on anybody. She didn’t have a temp or anything so I’m leaning more towards thinking its allergies. I think it might have been some autumn themed smelly candles I bought from Ikea on Friday. Which they are now put away to test my theory.
I actually have a versatile FO to show.

or this way

Neck-warmers seem to be a popular project going around. I searched on ravelry and found a few patterns to try. I ended up trying this pattern. I only had one ball of tahki baby and the yo weren’t looking to good with the bulkiness of the yarn. So I decided to use some of the pattern like the garter stitch edges but fill the in-between stitches with my own pattern. I also decided to add buttons on the edge instead of seaming it together. However there are no button holes. the buttons can be just slipped through the edge stitches or just about anywhere in the neck-warmer so that i can fold it any way I want. So instead just having a loop it can be triangle shaped like this.  (Just an example from ravelry of another pattern I really wanted to use.)
the buttons were also sewn right onto the cast of edge so that I could have either side of the knitting showing. Very versatile, quick, and easy.

Pattern I used:
US 17 needles
1 ball of tahki baby

Cast on 15 stitches.
First row knit first stitch but every row after first stitch will be slipped.
Row 1: Sl 1, K4, P1, K3, P1, K5
Row 2: Sl 1, K2, *p1,K1* repeat 3 times , P1, K3
Work until desired length and then cast off and sew buttons on the end. Make sure buttons will slip through stitches easily but not too easily.

I’ve already been wearing it around the house to try it out and it is cozy. Peanut has also requested one in yellow, her favorite color.

While watching Ironman I made progress on this scarf.

This is the third pattern try with this yarn. The pattern is Yo Drop It from S&B Nation. Very simple and seems to be working out nicely. I think I might have enough yanr to change the edge on the ends to something a little more decrotive like a scalloped edge or something.

UFO’s be gone

I spent Peanuts day at school day organizing the house. I can’t stand clutter and our house was starting to feeling like the incredible shrinking home. I have a method to my home organization madness too. Everything needs to answer one of these three questions:

Does this need to be kept because it has a history or importance?
(Passed down from someone or like Peanuts first favorite whatever or etc)

Can someone else use this more that us?
(Like that brand new coffee maker gift in the closet that we don’t use because we have a coffee maker)

Why am I saving this?
(My favorite question that comes up for odd items I find that someone in this house decided that they just couldn’t throw out like boxes or even powder drink canisters….he who will remain nameless)

Well during this madness (which no drawer, shelf, or closet is spared) I decided it was time for stash organization. I have a serious problem. I hid yarn in 7 spots in 4 areas of the house. I found 4 out of 8 UFOs that I couldn’t even remember. I found needles that I thought were lost in 3 different spots including a set of circulars I have been assuming that I never bought. I found miscellaneous yarn cakes and left over strands only inches long that I was saving for something but who know what. I did not have time to take photos because I had an hour before DH would come through the door. (He would have turned around and walked right back out.)

I found the shawl pin that my MIL got for me a while ago.

I frogged 3 sweaters and 2 scarves and tossed a grocery bag of yarn.
Everything is bagged and in zip-locks and needles are all in the same place. I found my wicked pattern,
that I thought was thrown out, in a book.
Everything is organized.  I love knowing where everything is.

My Loop-d-Loop Octagon purse that really needs to be sewn together.

I stacked up all my books and even put all my magazines in a basket.
I also will be recieving my subscription to IK soon. Mix up on the address by one number but it is a completely different area where it is going to. (A 4000 address difference.) So it’s not one of my neighbors. ( Which tends to happen from time to time and is what I thought.) Anyways whoever they are they won’t be seeing the next issue. I am very excited because this whole time I thought that my MIL didn’t get it for me. I can’t wait.

Another Nice

After a conversation with my MIL I discovered that someone in the mid-Atlantic area is enjoying my magazine subscription.

MIL: “So that magazine I ordered for your birthday keeps sending me KnitPicks advertising.”

Me: “Oh………………….Wait what magazine are you talking about?”
(I’ve been getting BH&G mags)

MIL: “That knitting magazine you wanted.”

Me: “Um…You got me BH&G…..I’ve been reading it.” (Not really)

MIL: “No I also got you the other one…what’s the name…In knit or something?”

Me: “INTERWEAVE KNITS…..when did you get that?”

MIL: “In April….you know….you have been getting it……….. haven’t you?”

Me: “Um NO.”

MIL: “Well I think I threw out all the info………but I’ll let you know”

So someone has been enjoying the summer and fall issue of IK compliments of my MIL.
Nice.

I also gave up on the Toasty Claudia’s hand-painted. Every few yards it was torn. Which I had missed these little weaknesses while winding it up. So with all those little knots it was not enjoyable to knit with. All those little ends to think about later and wasted yardage was an unpleasant thought. I don’t believe its hopeless but it’s bagged up now and maybe at a later date I can find the patience to mess with it.

To cheer myself up I started this as a little side project from ravelry.

The yarn is berreco idol which has a gold strand in it. After getting this far I realized I love the pattern but the yarn just doesn’t cut it. The yarn was part of a grab bag from patternworks and I like the colors but not really into that gold strand. I cast on again and am trying this pattern also from ravelry.
I like this pattern too so we’ll see how it goes.

Nice

Sometimes I use the word nice in place of swearing, or saying typical, or completely in a sarcastic way.

Examples:

Car cuts me off on the beltway = “NICE!!”
DH tries to make Alfredo sauce with milk and parm cheese concoction = “n..i..c..e”
Light switch in bathroom starts crackling and flickering only when I flip the switch = “Nice“

I’m sure it is obvious which way its being used. Peanut has picked up on it and now tends to use the term from time to time.

For today is a perfect example of her and my use of the word. It’s a beautiful crisp fall day. Perfect day to learn to ride a bike. A brand new bike that we looked for after school yesterday for 2 hours. Between tired rants and an arguement about a green power scooter that we are not big enough for. Also nice enough to try out a brand new helmet that was the chosen one after trying on just about every helmet we could see.

Being prepared with tools to put little purple bike together with an excited 4 year old only to find out that there are no little parts in the little parts bag is very nice. Or as Peanut put it “Oh….NICE”.
Sadly this was the only one of its kind at the store.

The other instance was trying to wind two skeins of Claudia’s hand painted into two nice little cakes. I won these a while back and love the warm toasty colors like the name Toasty.

Unfortunately after a very frustrating winding session and discovering that ever so often something had sliced (or maybe eaten) through the strand I ended up with many little messy mini cakes.
There were many uses of the word nice throughout my morning.

On my way …

…out the door to continue my house painting. But I thought I would take this little autumn test.

Your Autumn Test Results

You are a dynamic, vibrant person. You aren’t afraid to pursue your passions. When you’re happiest, you are outgoing and expressive . You love celebrations, and you enjoy showing off a little. You embrace change. You love change. You see change as a rebirth. You find love to be the most comforting thing in the world. You feel at peace when you’re with your loved ones. Your ideal day is active and full. You like to keep busy with your favorite things, and you appreciate a routine. You tend to live in the moment. You enjoy whatever is going on, and you don’t obsess over the past or future.

The Autumn Test

I would rather knit all day today because its a little chilly out there. I guess the active and full day part of this is correct but I’m not happy about it today.

Today was a sad day for Mr. Greenjeans. The body was almost completed and I realized I should try it on again just to check the fit. Sadly the cables section fit well but the upper body was puffy. I don’t understand why I didn’t pay more attention to that the previous time I tried it on.   Not only that but the arms looked huge.  I’m not giving up, I am going to try knitting the smallest size this time.

Last week was so busy that I just didn’t have time to post or even set up my Ravelry account.  I finally felt good enough to get going on my list of outdoor chores.  Which includes a lot of painting and maintenance…..but mostly painting.   Between the DH and I most of the house maintenance is completed by me.  Painting is just not his thing and not one of his best abilities either.   However wires and pipes is not at all my thing so we do balance out.   I have really bad luck when it comes to those two things so I just stay away.   So as long as whatever needs to be fixed doesn’t entail those two things its my job.   Anyways I started chipping away at my to do list last week.

Peanut had a busy week too.   She went on her first field trip last week and had a school meet-up for a hayride.   She had a great time at both.   She also tried on most of her fall/winter clothes and realized that she has definitely grown a lot from the spring time.   We went on a little shopping spree for clothes and shoes and found some great deals.  

So that was my busy week.   I am going to finish up my busy frog day today with setting up my ravelry.   This is actually my second invite because I just didn’t have the time for the first one.  I read on many blogs that it was time consuming so I passed.  But now it seems like I’ve missed out on the fun so time to play catch up.

I’m also hoping it will help me find something to do with a lonely ball of Noro.