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

4/25/18

WIP Wednesday Again

I've got 2 knit projects in the works for this post. First, I've started the second of a pair of gold child's mittens. They'll be size 4-6.



I've also got the knitting done for the matching hat to the entrelac cardigan.



Just needs blocking and sewing together the pieces. Still haven't found a pattern I like for entrelac booties.

This week we are having glorious spring weather. Sunshine, blue sky, and fluffy clouds. It's very warm. I've been opening windows and doors and blowing out the winter staleness.

The hot tub is leaking yet again. I've told sweet hubby I give up. I'm tired of dealing with it. The damn thing is over 50 years old and it's reached the end of it's life. He's not willing, yet, to let go, so I leave it to him as to what to do next. If we could just figure out where the leaks are, we could probably fix it, but alas.

I had some problems with my new vacuum cleaner over the weekend. It would not suck. I discovered that I've been viciously abusing it. I never read the whole manual that came with it. Just enough to get it together and going. I've found out it has 2 filters in it that need to be cleaned regularly. They were thoroughly plugged up. They were very easy to clean. I had to wait 24 hours to put them back in the machine, but I could live with the big mess Zoey had made on the living room rug (decimated pine cone) for that long. I used a broom to sweep up the worst.

Next day I put the newly cleaned filters in and started her up. She still wasn't sucking. AARRGGH! I did more investigating and discovered the hose was plugged. It was so plugged I couldn't get whatever was in there to even budge. I sought the husband for help. He worked on it and eventually worked out the biggest chunk of felted cat hair and dirt I've ever seen. He said while I continued vacuuming with dirty filters, the dirt was compacting in the hose. I've learned my lesson. I will be cleaning those filters regularly from now on.

My cats are shedding like crazy. Despite my best efforts, I can't keep up with it. I've been brushing them at least once, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day. Still, large gray fluffy tumbleweeds drift across the kitchen floor. Balls of matted hair gather on the furniture. It floats in the air landing on everything. It piles up in the corners of the house. It's driving me crazy. Surely they should both be as bald as bowling balls by now judging by the amount I've been scooping up and tossing in the trash can. But no.

I tried one of the attachments on the vacuum cleaner for the first time today called the Pet Turbo Tool.



I used it to vacuum the cat hair off the upholstery of the new couch and love seat. It worked magnificently! Took every bit of hair off the microfiber fabric. I am so happy with this vacuum cleaner.



Live long and prosper. \\//

4/19/18

Yesterday's WIP Wednesday

Intended to post this yesterday, but didn't get it done.

Making more progress on the mini Star Trek. The Squire of  Gothos .



I have just three characters left.



Last night I finished sewing together the Entrelac jacket.



I tried to sew the collar on-ugh. It was awful. In retrospect, I could have picked up stitches and knit it on. Would have been easier, I think. But, oh well. I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out how to sew it on. My brain just wasn't working for me. So I asked for help in the Knit and Chat group on Facebook. They were so helpful. It all came back to me how to do it and I am quite happy with the results.

I was putting a 1 by 1 rib cast on edge (collar) to a 1 by 1 rib bind off edge. The stitch count is different on the two pieces, so it wasn't a case of matching up perfect. It's pretty thick and bulky for such a small sweater too, so I put the right side of the collar to the wrong side of the jacket and slip stitched the two edges together. It reduced the bulk of the seam allowance perfectly. I'm happy with the result.

Inside, where the right side should be so the collar rolls to the back.



Outside under collar. Collar will fold over and hide allowance.



Today I have Yarnies so I'll work on the matching hat. I already have the brim done. The main body of the hat is next. I have been looking for some Entrelac booties I could do to match, but so far have not found anything I like. I may just do the usual plain booties.

Ta ta for now.

Live long and prosper. \\//

4/11/18

Hats

Just a quick post so you know I'm still alive. I'm using my phone to post this.

I took a break from the entrelac project to knit doll hats. I have seven outfits made for the shop that need them. I've done five.



A sixth is almost done. I'm looking forward to getting them in the shop.

Saw my doctor today. I've been coughing a lot for several weeks now,  and I needed to do something about it. I asked what is causing the cough? He answered "Linda, that is the asthma".  Oh. Oops. The new asthma medication I started in January is not working. So now I'm taking Prednisone for a week and starting yet another new asthma medication. Ugh. I hope it works cuz I'm so tired of coughing.

Had a nice day weather-wise. Warm sunshine for a bit. I opened the back door and let the fresh air in for a couple hours.

We have snow storm warnings starting late tonight until late tomorrow night. What the...?

Live long and prosper. \\//

4/6/18

The Simple Woman's Daybook April 6, 2018



Outside my window... It's a gray, damp, cold, dreary day out there, but the birds are happily feasting at the Parkarosa Bird Buffet. Most of the snow had melted off. In fact, there isn't any on the back deck. Now, if temps would get above 50, I could start enjoying the deck again.

I am thinking... it was a very wise choice to hire an accountant to do our taxes this year. She just finished them this past week. She is awesome. She found ways to save money on our taxes that we would never have known about. Well worth the fee she charged. We'll have more of the severance pay left in the bank than we thought we would.

I am thankful for... the fact I got to go on that Star Trek cruise last year. I know I didn't blog much about it, but it was so much fun. Definitely something very special. We were fortunate to have William Shatner as our host. He just turned 87 a few days ago, so I know the days are numbered to see him.

From the kitchen... It's nice and clean in there right now. I am planning to make cube steak for dinner tonight. I haven't done cube steak since forever. Definitely since before we had kids.

I am wearing... blue jeans and a purple and pink print button down blouse that is super comfortable. It's made of that fabric that is wrinkled. When you wash it, you twist it real tight before hanging it on a hanger to dry. I forget what that fabric is called. Skirts made of it were super popular a couple decades ago.

I am creating... doll hats. I had 6 Ellowyne outfits that needed hats. I've knit 4 so far this week. Only have 2 more to make. I am taking a short break from the Entrelac project, for sanities sake.

I am going... nowhere today. I don't feel well. I had a very bad night last night and several nights before. My new asthma medication is making me cough, and cough, and cough and keeping me up at night. I cough up big huge globs of white goo. I've made an appointment to see my doctor next week and have stopped taking the medication, called Advair. I want my Pulmicort back. I had to stop taking it because the insurance wouldn't cover it anymore. It worked so well I hardly ever had to use my inhaler. With the Advair, I'm using the inhaler 2 or 3 times a DAY. I'm miserable too.

I am reading... Dorothy Sayers Lord Peter Wimsey novels. The Wimsey novels are some of the best detective mysteries ever written. I own them all, but hadn't read them all yet. I decided to read them in order from the first to the last, chronologically. I started about a month ago. I'm really enjoying them. I'm all the way up to Have His Carcase. When I can't sleep, I read.

I am listening… to the television. Shrek the Third is on.

I am hoping… my cough will go away. I've stopped taking the Advair in hopes that will help. I'm also hoping sweet hubby finds a job, though it's been pretty discouraging so far. It's turning out to be very difficult to find one because the application process is so designed against the applicant.

Around the house... all the fur kids are asleep. It's peaceful and quiet. Except the tv, of course.

One of my favorite things... animated movies. Especially the Shrek movies and the Disney Classics. We've got quite a collection of DVD's of animated movies.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Just get through the week. Sunday is the Inland Northwest Freethought Society meeting. Tuesday I have Rathdrum Knitalong-which reminds me, we have new members now. The group is growing again thanks to the library actually working to promote the group. Wednesday I see Dr. Lindford about the medication. Thursday is Yarnies. Friday I get to stay home. Somewhere in all that I'll fit the laundry, house cleaning, grocery shopping, etc, etc.

Here is a picture for thought I am sharing... The newest outfit I've put in the shop, modeled by Ellowyne. Whatcha think?



If you want to join the Simple Woman's Daybook, click here.

Live long and prosper. \\//