The Best Way to Work Down My Yarn Stash

 I am making a good amount of progress in knitting and Tunisian crochet projects today.  Except for weaving in the ends they are basically finished.  So today’s  knitting and crochet count is one of each.  I do wish I had a bigger Soak Wash tub to hold the projects that need seaming or weaving in the ends.  The basket includes one pair of Maxi Fingerless Gloves to seam in the Della Q snap bag and 3 scarfs that need the ends woven in.   Maybe it is a good thing that this is the small wash tub.  I am sure I could get 3 times the amount of projects in the bigger wash tub.  I like to weave in the end in natural light.  I also tend to have more energy earlier in the day.

Currently I am on a finishing binge on the project front.  My body seems to require more rest right now.  So the best thing besides napping that I can do is listen to a book and knit.  Also winter is coming, so I need to knit faster.  I say this tongue in cheek, because today was yet another day over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. There has not been enough rain this summer. So the summer seems longer than normal. A good afternoon rain storm just makes the day more pleasant. Because of the long-term drought in the desert Southwest, we haven’t seen regular afternoon rain showers for a long time.

Today Was All About Knitting

 I am currently designing 2 new knitting patterns.  The good news is that the elements for one pattern have come together. I will begin to type up the relevant information and instructions.  Taking pictures in 100 degrees Fahrenheit is not ideal for this pattern. So I’m going to have to come up with an alternative that’s indoors. 

The Bad news is that the second pattern on the third section will have to be tinked. I can say at this point having two out of three sections done is helpful. However, the last section is the largest section. Tinking will take place soon.   

I have finished the Maxi Fingerless Gloves for my daughter.  All I can say is that The yarn is scrumptious. It is an alpaca, silk blend from the Yarn Dragon in Seattle, Washington. It even came in a worsted weight which was needed for the pattern.  He has a beautiful on line shop. It is a luxurious fiber that I’m sure my daughter will love. And hopefully there won’t be any allergies involved. On gloves looks larger then the other because I just had to try them on. I might have to get a skein of this yarn for a pair of gloves for me. 

A Progress Report

 

 Last night I started a new pair of Maxi Fingerless Gloves, by Sheri Karobonik Designs.  Tonight I finished the first glove, Except for seaming.  I have started the second glove and I’m Two rows in.  

As you probably guessed I gave up looking for my lost gloves.  I am trying something different this time.  I am using my Maxi Fingerless Gloves pattern, but am doing stocking stitch in the garter stitch section.  I am really liking how it’s turning out. I’ll have to see what they’re like when they’re seemed up, and I tried them on. Although, as with most patterns, I had a small difference of opinion with a designer on one section and I think I’m going to leave it there just because it’s a cute addition to the design. If I like it, you’ll see a new pattern soon. If you’re adventurous and have the skill set, go ahead and order the maxi fingerless glove pattern off of ravelry. You will find it under Sheri Karobonik designs.

Another Rest Day and more

 This latest round of flare up has gotten the best of me.  So even if I don’t intend to be cranky, sorry but the pain is winning right now.  

In other news I have posted an update to my Maxi Fingerless Gloves.  I had a hard time doing the editing on Google Docs.  So I transferred the information to Microsoft Word to do my editing and clean up.  Then I transferred the pattern back to Google Docs and added my new picture.  It took me a while to figure out how to make a pdf file for the pattern. I landed up Googling my question.  Apparently it is a very popular question because I was not even halfway through typing when the question finished itself. Once I got it up it was easy peasy.  

I also called the durable medical equipment company and got the run around again.  At least with the phone call it did not take multiple hours to get the answer that they were twiddling their thumbs.  Apparently only one person in the entire company can process the paperwork and he seems unwilling to do so. I am at the point of getting my money back from the credit card company and then reaming the on the review boards.  To say that the service has been lack luster and horrible is giving them too much credit.  

The lesson learned from this is not to work with the company to see if the equipment works but send any merchandise that arrives damaged back immediately and get my credit cards company to refund my money.  Especially if only the inside box is damaged. 

Allergies Part 3

 I was not able to get the perfume residue out of 2 pairs of my sleeping gloves aka my design,  Maxi Fingerless Gloves.  Also victim to this perfume problem was my sleeping sweater.  I tried everything until it was suggested that I make new sleeping gloves. I have a pair that needs to be seamed up. I have also pulled some worsted weight yarn from Misti Cotton, a beautiful cotton and silk blend. Then a special collaboration between Lola Bean Yarn and Spin Cycle Yarn in a worsted weight wool yarn.  

I have a solution for the sweater too  I have lost enough weight and inches to pull an older but still very nice sweater from my closet. Which means that everything old is new again at some point in time.  The only thing the sweater from my closet does not have is visible mending.  Maybe a few years down the road this will happen to this sweater too..

The decision was made tonight to put the charity knitting aside until I finish the new gloves and a couple of shawls that are works in progress for me.  The shawls will come with new patterns for you.  

It has been raining here for 2 days so far.  We have gotten 1 1/2 inches at the house so far. So instead of errands I spent the time finishing up my closet.  Today I found a bunch of earrings. I sorted them out to keepers and Bookman’s trade.  Since I don’t want to overwhelm them I will take in 6 pairs at a time.  I say this because I went through 50+ years of earrings.  I bet that you are not surprised that most of the earrings that I got in Junior High and High School did not make the keep pile. In fact a lot of really retro earrings are going to be leaving the house slowly for the next couple of months.  

Need I Say More?

 After a really bad couple of hand days and nights, my hand was feeling well enough to knit a few rows tonight. I might finally finish my new shawl this week. It might be that I had started wearing my Maxi Fingerless Gloves while sleeping again.  

Oops

 My day did not go as planned. When I went to seam the new gloves, I was missing 1/4 of a glove. So back to the knitting room I went. First things first, I had to find a second pair of US size 6 wooden knitting needles. Thankfully I have at least 2 pairs in each size. I think that everyone should have at least 2 pairs in each size. Your local yarn shop can help you with that. You don’t have to buy them all at once. Save up your coupon money so it does not have to come out of the household budget. I am also grateful that the second pair were not on a project. 

Forty five minutes later it was really finished. So while dinner was cooking I wove in the ends and clipped them together for seaming. I was too tired after dinner to do any sewing. So I choose to relax and watch another the Moon is going to crash into the earth movie. Of course the astronauts saved the earth at the very last minute.  They always do.  

So below is a picture of my oops.  

A Knitting Hack

 My next pair of Maxi Fingerless Gloves are almost finished. I am sewing the final seam. You will notice that my seam clips are missing. Yes, I reorganized everything and forgot where I put them. However these movable stitch markers placed in strategic places long the seam work just as well. I have one gloves finished and just the thumb to seam. 

I will have nice new gloves to keep my hands warm tomorrow.  Of course the leftover yarn scraps will go to fill dog pillows.  

Knitting Humor

 The second Maxi Fingerless Glove has been finished except for seaming. I have cast on the first glove of the pair. I always try to finish the second one first because it is so easy to forget to knit the second of anything. The yarn is from Merino Y Vino.  

 The yarn for the second pair arrived today so I can start the next pair very quickly. I also got yarn for a matching shawl too.  This came from Gingersnap Yarn

A Little Yarn Destash

 A little yarn destash has never hurt a knitter.  The yarn I am destashing today knit up well for a super wash wool. However after about the 5th time through the washer and dryer. Which this wool was supposed to handle with ease, it started felting and getting that burnt nylon crackle.  

I will not be replacing this yarn with any other yarn.  Instead I will diligently work through the yarn in my stash. Once I am down quite a few projects, let’s say in the few hundreds I might consider adding more yarn. Well I might get a skein here or there after all it’s yarn.

With the return on time invested on my last destash sale, I will be skipping that this time. Now that I have had a few minutes to rest and have some water.  I am loadings the three 64 gallon bags and the smaller 2 shoe box bag ( about 6 cubic feet of yarn in total) into the back of my car.  Then it’s off to Goodwill.  

If I have the energy I might just sneak into Target for some frozen vegetables and almonds on the way home.  

Maxi Fingerless Gloves

 The thought occurred to me to night that you have not seen  me wearing my new Maxi Fingerless Gloves. I have got to tell you that I did not take time to set up my tripod. I also found it hard to take a picture of my own hand.  None the less, here it is in action. Yes I did type up this blog wearing my new gloves.  I tend to like warm and toasty hands at night and on cold days. It helps me sleep better.  

I will try to take a picture of the red ones at a later date.