"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either." ~ Elizabeth Zimmerman

9/9/17

On Vacation

I am on this ship today. See ya when I get back.





Live long and prosper. \\//

9/8/17

Rest in Peace




Chenille Park
2002 - 2017

I will miss you, my little girl.

9/4/17

Layette Set #24 for KnitWits




I finished this set just a few days ago. You could call it my July project. The cardigan is my design and I have been writing up the instructions for it. My bff Phyllis is knitting it as I write it. She's learning how to knit in Intarsia, which is what technique is required to make it, and she's test knitting it. I think that's pretty cool.

The cardigan



Pattern: Sporty Raglan Baby Cardigan by me.

Size: 0-6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: 5004 Medium Gray

Yarn: Lion Brand Pound of Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Light Green

Needles: Circular size 5 and 7

Started: July 25, 2017
Finished: August 20, 2017

Detail pic of the cool buttons.



And here's the ribbing. I went with 1x1 ribbing this time instead of the 2x2 I did on the first prototype. I like it much better.



The hat



PatternChibi Striped Baby Hat by Chiaki Hayashi

Size made: 6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: 5004 Medium Gray

Yarn: Lion Brand Pound of Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Light Green

Needles: U.S. size 7 circulars

Started: August 24, 2017
Finished: August 27, 2017

Comment: Instead of the garter stitch cuff, I did a 1x1 rib one.

The booties



PatternBaby Chucks by Laura Helton

Size made: 6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: 5004 Medium Gray

Yarn: Lion Brand Pound of Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Light Green

Needles: U.S. size 7 circulars

Started: August 22, 2017
Finished: August 24, 2017

Comment: This pattern is somewhat fiddly to knit, and a bear to block, but it was worth the effort. They turned out so cute!

The blanket



Pattern: Two rnds of (sc1, ch1) all the way around, join rnd with sl st, then one rnd of dc in each stitch and ch1 space, join rnd with sl st.

Size made: 36 by 30 inches

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: 5004 Medium Gray

Yarn: Lion Brand Pound of Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Light Green

Hook: U.S. size H

Started: August 31, 2017
Finished: September 1, 2017

Comment: I thought I found another piece of the green and grey/blue zigzag fabric. After I got the cardigan, etc, done, I found out I was wrong. So I hot footed it down to Joann's Fabric and Craft and got a yard of light gray fleece so I could finish the set with a blanket. I really like it!

Detail shot of edging.



I have half a yard of the fabric left. However, I am sick of the colors so I'm gonna put it away for another time.


I've started set #25. I'm using bright red, yellow, and green. My eyes are so happy they're dancing a jig.



I think Chenille's appetite is definitely coming back. I've been feeding her 1/3 of a can of cat food each day as well as the unending supply of dry food. She ate almost the whole 1/3 last night. I mean, she was really chowing down. That's the most I've seen her eat in weeks! I am so relieved to see her really eat. Hopefully she will keep improving and we'll get some meat back on her bones. She pretty much slept the whole day and night last night. I hope her body is healing some. I sure wish we knew exactly what her ailment is. I'd feel a lot better knowing.

It is still disgustingly hot and smoky out. I have stopped using the hot tub and hardly go outside now. If I do go out, it sets of my asthma. Ugh! We had a small fire nearby in the Twin Lakes area. Fortunately, the fire department knocked it out quickly. I hate fire season. I wish it would rain for a couple days. Looking forward to the cruise-being on the ship and breathing in fresh salty sea air.

Live long and prosper. \\//




9/3/17

Layette Set #23 Finally Done



I got the knitting for this done weeks ago, but didn't get around to doing the blanket until last week.

Cardigan



Pattern: Super Natural Stripes by Fawn Pea

Size: 0-6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Buttercup

Yarn: Red Heart Classic Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Gray

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Needles: Circular size 7

Started: July 5, 2017
Finished: July 16, 2017

Detail shot of the shoulder.



I found this button at the Knit-n-Crochet shop in Coeur d'Alene



The hat.



Pattern: Chibi Striped Baby Hat by Chiaki Hayashi

Size made: 6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Buttercup

Yarn: Red Heart Classic Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Gray

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Needles: U.S. size 7 circulars

Started: July16, 2017
Finished: July20, 2017

The booties.



Pattern: Seamless Garter Tassel Booties by Karen Strauss
Size made: 6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Buttercup

Yarn: Red Heart Classic Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Gray

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Needles: U.S. size 7 circulars

Started: July 20, 2017
Finished: July 24, 2017

Blanket



Pattern: One rnd of (sc1, ch1) all the way around, join rnd with sl st, then one rnd of (2 dc, 1 trc, 2dc) in each ch sp all the way around, join with sl st.

Size made: 36 by 30 inches

Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Buttercup

Yarn: Red Heart Classic Solids
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Gray

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Hook: U.S. size G

Started: August 30, 2017
Finished: August 31, 2017

Detail shot of edging.



I entered the cardigan, hat, and booties in the North Idaho State Fair and won a second place red ribbon. All in all, I'm happy with how it turned out. I am now out of that fabric too.



The weather is still unseasonably hot and dry and we are well socked in with smoke from wild fires in outlying areas. Nothing close to us that we have to worry about so far. We're keeping our fingers crossed. The 90F degree temperatures are predicted for at least another whole week. We are about 20 degrees above normal. The woods are super dry and crunchy. The nights, though, are being their normal cold, in the forties, and even 30's, though we haven't gone below freezing yet. So, a typical day is 93 degrees, and the night gets down to 40, though we did have one get down to 33 last week. That is a HUGE temperature difference in a 24 hour period.

As I mentioned in my last post, my husband was laid off his job. He worked for them for 17 years, and we were not expecting it. It's been quite a shock to us. He's been applying for jobs now, but so far has not heard back from anyone. This is a bit scary. We have some savings, but there's a limit to how long it's going to last.

I'm so glad the cruise is all paid for. We have less than a week before we leave.

Chenille is doing good on the medication. She's been eating a little bit more, I think. It's hard to tell. She certainly scarfs down any treats I give her. She likes the medicine too. A couple times I accidentally squirt it on to my hand instead of in her mouth and she licked it all up. She's sleeping a lot these days and wants to be in my lap whenever I sit down. Zoey doesn't like that at all.

I will post another finished layette set tomorrow.

Live long and prosper. \\//