Two Scarfs Finally Finished

 I finally finished 2 scarfs tonight.  The larger one weighs in at least a pound of yarn and is at least 6 feet long.  This scarf  is going up to northern Arizona next winter and is meant for a teenager.  The scarf on top weighs in at a mere 4 ounces and will be going to a children’s clothing bank in Tucson.  They are vastly different in size. Meant for entirely different climates.

Next I wound and prepared yarn for the next pounder scarf. I did a lot of stash busting on this one.  There will be some interesting stripes in this scarf. I wound yarn through 2 episodes of Star Gate SG1 before my arm said enough. 

Then it was time to cast on the next pounder scarf.  I am using a U.S. size 11 knitting needle with a 16 circular.  I am knitting 3 strands of yarn together to make a warmer scarf. I am also knitting this scarf right handed because the yarn was to difficult to knit left handed.  So far I like the color scheme, the colors pop just right and hope that 10 skeins of 50 grams worsted weight in dark blue is going to be enough.  I am using Patons Bella in color number 4088 Lot 3. The rest of the yarn is stash busting yarn. I just love projects that make space in my knitting room and help other people. It’s a win win for everyone involved.  The reason I make the pounders so big is that I expect shrinkage when washed and dried.  

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Apple Series 11 Watch

 I tend not to replace my electronics until they are almost completely dead or actually, ready to be recycled. I have been using Fitbit products since the Fitbit One hit the market a long time ago, I started with the Fitbit one just to keep track of my steps. As the Fitbit had evolved to include watches, I went along with it. I thought it was great innovation. My last Fitbit Was on the wonky side. About two or three years into the ownership of it. It decided that no matter how I programmed watch it only wanted to give me the temperature in Celsius. That would’ve been great if I would’ve been better at converting Celsius to Fahrenheit. Now what is that Conversion rate formula again? I grew up on Fahrenheit and still thinking Fahrenheit and when the watch battery started dying, I decided to take the lead of the younger generation in my family. Some of my family members were on their second or third Apple watches.

My husband and I both got the Apple series 11 watch. The first Apple Watch for both of us. For me it had a great big learning curve because it was so different than the Fitbit watches. I think I almost have the hang of it after a few months of use, well more than a few months of use. The only thing I can’t figure out is why the watch keeps asking me if I need help? Should the watch call emergency services? This does not happen to my husband. I can’t figure out why the watch thinks I’m in constant need of help. Well, I am in need of some assistance but I don’t think the watch washes dishes, polishes wood, dusts the house or any of those basic household chores that are so annoying. My Apple Watch also asks if I’ve fallen down and need help getting up should they call somebody? It has even gotten my iPhone 15 into the act. Seriously walking around my own house, it’s not even like I’m trying to climb up to finger rock  hill the first time. I’m wondering if I’ve gotten a nanny watch who is so overprotective it just is worse than Rosie from the Jetsons making sure everybody is OK. This glitch happens four or five times a week. At first, I thought it was me that I was doing something wrong or I tripped. But I’m beginning to think my watch is a little bit off kilter. Today while I was sitting down at the table eating my salad at lunch the watch asked me if I had fallen and did I need help getting up? Then later today while I was knitting and watching TV, of course I was sitting down. If you have to ask. The watch asked me if I needed of medical assistance. This is getting a little bit annoying. Just how many times is the Apple series 11 watch supposed to ask me if I need medical assistance a week? Did I mention the time last week when a random alarm just kept going off and only stopped when I put the watch back on the charger? The watch battery was full. Is the watch just bored and needs to do something more? Am I wearing the watch the wrong way. Just what is its problem? I think it’s time that this watch paid a visit to the Apple store near us. Maybe somebody at the genius bar has heard of this and can fix it.

In other news, my body has still not recoup from my very busy week last week.  I was even too tired to go to go hang out with friends.  After breakfast, I took a four hour nap. Then did 3 very small loads of laundry. I am talking about hand wash that is currently hanging out on the clothes line.  John did the shopping and brought home some nice salads for dinner.  

The rest of my afternoon was spent with my feet up. Trying to finish the next pounder scarf while watching television.  I am even heading to bed early tonight.  

The Great American Snail Race

 Any week that starts with me going to Mayo then adding 4 activities from Wednesday through Friday will end with me in a couch potato mode.  Don’t worry, it is highly recommended by one of my doctors. My feet are up as recommended. 

For those of you keeping track of the race between myself and the snail. Today the snail went flying past me shortly before breakfast. At the rate I am going today the snail will win the day.  

Is it time for the second nap of the day yet?

Stash Diving is Fun

 I have finally finished enough UFO’s to go stash diving for charity Scarfs for my favorite kids clothing bank.  So I picked out some very colorful yarn from Bear and Bee Yarn Company in from Canada.  I had bought 3 skeins intending to knit them right away before I got sick in 2023.  I wanted something bright and cheerful to knit.  I forgot just how soft and squishy the worsted weight super wash merino was.  

I put the first skein on the squirrel cage to wind the first skein earlier today.  I started knitting a new scarf tonight while talking to my daughter.  I am 6 inches into the scarf am I am in love with the feel of the yarn. I am a very tactical person and this yarn just hit the “ it’s a joy to knit with” spot.  Unfortunately for me this is the Zoom scarf so it stays by the computer to be worked on only when I am at the computer. 

I do know one thing for certain. The child or teenager who gets this scarf is going to love wearing it as much as I am going to enjoy knitting it.  Luckily for me I still have 2 more skeins to go.  Luckily for you there are sales on roving, t shirts, yarn and stitch markers going on as of February 20, 2026. I do not know how long the sale will be going on. There is also a wide array of fresh from the dye pots yarn and t-shirts too. The new colors look lovely.  If you have the ability to help out our friends from Canada please buy a skein or more. Share this post with your friends.  I know the expletive deleted from Washington D.C. have not been kind to our gentle neighbors to the north. Below is a before the scarf is knit photo. Just yarn in the skein’s.

The OldPueblo Knitting Guild Luncheon and more

 After months of planning down to the littlest possible detail, I can say that the Old Pueblo Knitting Guilds annual luncheon and fashion show went off without a hitch. We even exceeded last year’s luncheon of total people in attendance.  The last time that happened was the last fashion show that I planned over a decade ago.  I am extremely happy and tired.  I will ask that the basic plan for people be added to the guild’s documentation page so that the wheel does not have to be reinvented ever again.  I came home and took a nap. 

I my humble opinion, the trick to handling a successful event is to break the event down to the smallest possible detail. So most people will not have more than 30 minutes of work before they can go and join their friends.  Then when planning for the event figure out how many people you will need to cover all the jobs.  Put one person in charge of each task and add 10% or 1 extra person for each task, which ever is greater.  That way when people drop out for family or health reasons you will have most jobs covered and have to find fewer last minute replacements.  

Also today I had to actually pull yarn from my shelf to start a new scarf.  What that means is that I have finished a lot of projects.  Now all I have to do is keep knitting until it’s time for charity work drop off in November or December.  Unless the pile to go over to the clothing bank fills the allocated space.  Then it heads out of the door earlier.  I personally don’t think that I will get a 20 gallon bag filled that fast this year.  

The Yarn Knows Best

 I wanted to make a scarf out of this yarn.  I tried 2 different patterns.  They were just not looking good. The yarn wanted to be a shawl for summer.  I guess it’s a shawl for summer. The shawl even at this early stage looks a lot better than either scarf. Also if the iPad wants to take the photo sideways, who am I to argue with new technology when I specialize in very old technology. We are talking about ice age technology in some cases.

The Forth Skein

 This afternoon I hit the magical 4th skein of yarn in the 4 color fade shawl.  I did not even notice when I went over the Russian join.  Which was very surprising to me.  We were returning from a day trip to Scottsdale. Of course John was driving, I would never knit while driving. It just feels so unsafe, like a very distracted driver. I was exhausted when it was time to add the join. I always add the Russian join a few yards before I need to.  I like the yarn to rest and settle into place. We were going down I-10 going the speed limit of 75 mph. We were on a straight stretch of freeway.  I got my tool kit out and managed to make a pretty decent join considering I was not at a table. This is definitely not a beginner move.  

Each row is now taking about 30 minutes to complete. The shawl bottom is in excess of 50 inches. The only question I have is will it be ready by Thursday for the Old Pueblo Knitting Guild Fashion Show. Now I did tell my husband that I would model it even if it was not finished. Even if I had the yarn on my spinner yarn holder, minus the bottom of the butler part of course. If you want a yarn spinner like mine, Grandma’s Spinning Wheel in Tucson  carries them. I think I will have about 2 to 3 hours to knit tomorrow, which should be another 4 to 6 rows.  I am so bad at the math figuring out how far the yarn will actually go that I will be playing yarn chicken with this shawl.  

You will notice that I keep my Lantern Moon tightening tool and dropped stitch tool in the center of my yarn spinner. This is so that they are always ready when I need them. You can also see all the colors of the fade.