Bye-Bye Bibs

 Today I decided that I am no longer making special needs bibs.  All the supplies are heading to Goodwill with the exception of the cut up bandannas which landed in a dog pillow.  I have been trying to get myself to use up the supplies for charity donations.  After 1 1/2 years of trying John and I talked it over and decided it was time to let go.  Unfortunately for John that means another trip to Goodwill since he brought in a car full yesterday. 

!!! News Flash !!!

 There may be some hope for me.  I am actually knitting a summer top for me. My weight and inches lost is some what stable for now.  I started it this afternoon and have 3 inches of the front knit on the first day.  Shocking, I know.  How long has it been.  At lest a hundred projects ago.  At least a year.  I tend to knit fast.  I am at 47 completed knitting projects for 2021 so far.  My goal is a hundred projects, so I think I can quite possibly reach my goal.  

I have to admit that I still have 1 hat, scarf and blanket on the knitting needles as works in progress for charity. So I did not go completely to the selfish knitting side.  

Still Flared Up

 11 days later I am still dealing with my flare up. I probably won’t get all 14 scarfs done in 21 days. I have managed to complete 10. Which is 10 more than I had before.  I know that they will be needed and loved. 

I have had a few really bad days of just sitting or sleeping.  My body just to tired to move.  The brain fog is mind numbing. I really hope that I have turned the corner.  I have a syllabus to write on spinning silk. Think art yarn.   I hope enough people get the vaccine so we can get past COVID19.  I want to share my knowledge.  

Mother’s Day was fun.  It was full of eating, popcorn, chocolate and a couple of new outfits that we went into the store to try on.  I also have to find time to get my new glasses. They are ready.  I am hoping for a better day, one day at a time.  

The downside if flare ups

 My body and I are not currently on speaking terms.  I have had a major slow down in what I want to do versus what my body will allow. For the past 3 days all I have been able to knit is 6 or 7 yards of yarn at best.  I really feel bad as each scarf represents a holiday present for a child in Tucson.  

To get over this latest Sjorgrins flare up, yes a flare up as I live with some effects on a daily basis.  I must rest.  Which is not always easy.  My bed which was picked out because it was soft and comfortable feels like cement.  Even playing jazz quietly in the background is not working. I wish I had some magic to fix this and everything else that is going wrong in the world. 

I am going to try to sleep again. I don’t know if it is possible but I will try.  My pain level is just below crying. Which makes it hard to sleep.  No more aspirin until 6 am. Sighs.  

I Should Know Better

 It would not surprise anyone who knows me that I was spinning some ecru silk brick while wearing a jet black dress today. I had silk threads everywhere on the dress.  What a mess. I went over to where I have the next dog pillow in progress and tried to get most of the silk off.  I need to coordinate my spinning colors with my clothing colors better.  I might have just as much fiber on me, but at least it would not show up so boldly.  

A Rainy Day

 It was a rare rainy day here. We got almost an 1/8 of an inch of rain.  We also got to see a wonderful double rainbow this afternoon.  My body is out of sync so not much got done.  I still have about 12 inches to go on the next scarf.  So it will be finished tomorrow.  

Free Broken Rib Scarf Pattern

 Project number 37 of the year is finished and in the right bag. This scarf is also scarf number 2 of 14 in the 21 day challenge. Of course projects 38, 39, 40 and 41 are on the knitting needles. They include 2 scarfs, 1 blanket and 1 hat.  I have to admit that I was having a bad body day, so not much got done today.

Project 37 is a Broken Rib Scarf.  The pattern is free.  This is a very easy pattern and  is good for beginners  

Using knitting needles 3 sizes larger than your yarn wrapper suggests.  

Cast on in multiples of 4 plus 1. 

Knit 2 Purl 2 ending in Knit 1.  Repeat this row until your desired length is achieved. Cast off in the pattern. 

More Scarfs Equals Less Yarn Stash

 More scarfs are on my knitting agenda. This bag is full of bulky wool and cotton yarn. Since I don’t need it for sweaters I think I’m going to use the yarn for knitting scarfs.  This is also a great stash buster project.  These will make great Scarfs for the students who need them. I will also have 14 less skins of yarn in the house when I am finished with this bag. I can usually knit a bulky scarf and an evening.

The down side is I will Probably need to start another bag for hats and scarves for the kids. Although Teri and John will agree that this will not be a bad downside.

 

Finished Stuff

 This week’s finished projects. 3 dog pillows for the shelter.  1 hat for the kids. 1 blanket headed to the V.A. When I have a box full.  Pictures are here.  the car is loaded for Monday’s delivery of the pillows.  

Lots of Knitting

 Today we got our 2nd COVID19 vaccine. We were supposed to keep our arms moving. My solution was very Sheri.  I finished knitting the blanket that was the design failure, it still looks good, but you will not see that as the new pattern.  Then I picked up a hat to finish. As usual I cast on the next hat so the stitch markers would not get lonely. Next I picked up a scarf that was only 6 inches long and knit another 24 inches with only 30 more inches to knit.  Pictures tomorrow.

Since you are supposed to rest for 2 days after the COVID19 vaccines, I will see what I can get done tomorrow. I wonder if I can finish a couple more projects?

With over a year into stay at home I started watching Netflix on my pad with my AirPods.  I got to watch my movies while John worked. My iPad rested on my knee while I knit. It was perfect. Why did I not think of this earlier in the pandemic?  Well I had to get John to put in the password. He has been busy. 

A New Use for My Knitting Bowl.

 A new use for my wooden knitting bowl.  Ok, I realize that I am short enough for my feet not to touch the floor in most chairs in my house.  Today by accident I found out that my knitting bowl lets me keep my feet flat while knitting.  This allows better posture.  It works on the couch and chairs.  I will not try this with my ceramic or metal knitting bowls though.  

My socks in the picture are by Sock Panda dot com.  The great thing about Sock Panda is that they give back socks for every pair sold to charity. I have used them for 2 years.  They have subscriptions that make great gifts. A new pair of socks monthly.  

More Zenning

 I spent 2 hours going through all my knitting needles.  I now have 2 full vases less of straight needles. They are now organized by height and size.  I have a dozen less circular knitting needles too.  I also filed the ones I have used since Teri’s last visit and she does not even have a trip planned.  I must have earned bonus points for that.

Next on the list is pairing down my double pointed knitting needles.  I am sure I have a few too many of those too.  As for today I am way to tired to start.  When one reaches a certain age, one, namely me should not sit kris cross applesauce for as long as I did today. I did manage to stretch out my hip muscles and tendons though.  

After dinner I will work on Tinker.  This version will not be the final version.  Since it’s not the final version I will show pictures when it is finished. I am almost halfway through, so I will finish the blanket then send it off to a good home once I have a couple of boxes of hand knit blankets.  It might be a while because it takes mr 6 or 7 days to knit a blanket.  

Below are my knitting needles already for a project.  It is much more organized   

Blanket Number 4 of 2021

 I am on a blanket roll.  I finished my forth blanket of March.  As you can see I ran out of the blue and had to use a similar color. I have at least 3 more blankets on the knitting needles. Since each blanket uses a lot of yarn and I am not tired of them yet, it’s blankets away.  

This is the Modular Baby Blanket by Sheri Karobonik Designs.  You can get it at your local yarn shop,  A plus for going to your local yarn shop is that they can help you pick out the yarn. Any worsted weight yarn will work out nicely.  If for a baby I recommend using cotton or cotton blends.  Any washable yarn will do.  This is also a great stash buster project.

The pattern is also available on Raverly and at LoveKnitting.com with the key words Sheri Karobonik.  

A New Design

 I have a new design under way.  It’s a great pattern in that you can stash dive, use any worsted weight yarn you have. You can even take it to your local yarn store to have them help customize it anyway you like.  Best of all it’s an advanced beginner pattern with enough color changes to keep most knitters happy   The pattern will come with lots of yarn choices   

I also finished a blanket over the weekend and will take pictures tomorrow.  

An Update

 I am nearing completion of the next two blankets.  One in cotton and the other in super wash wool.  Pictures to follow when they are completed. The next 2 blankets will both be cotton. One is going to possibly be a new design and the other was slipped into to my knitting basket at Knitting Guild, by the way that is a big No-No.  Don’t assume that someone will finish your project for you because you ran out of yarn and ideas. 

I am still having arthritis issues which are messing with my sleep schedule.  Not to mention it’s pollen season in Tucson.  Even with allergy medicine, I still have issues. Even with all that happening, I am managing to buck the COVID19 trend of gaining 2 pounds a month.  All I know is the last week of April I can go clothes shopping.  I am in need of almost everything in smaller sizes.  I am going to hold off ordering more clothing online so I can get some up to date clothing.  I really hope the spring fashions are not going to be a bust.  

So Much Yarn, So Little Time

 I spent most of the day knitting while trying to get my body back in sync.  I am currently working on 2 different blankets, a scarf and a hat.  I have promised myself that I will finish one blanket before I start the next blanket. No matter how good the pattern looks in my head.  

Also I think I seriously misjudged how much yarn I really needed to get me through a pandemic.  I think that is understandable because prior to COVID19, I have not been in a pandemic.  For future reference that would be enough yarn for 25 to 30  small to medium sized projects every quarter.  Also I have found out that lots of people and stores are still selling yarn.  My hands are not as young as they once were.  I am slowing down.  

The Scarf Pictures as Promised

 As promised.  My first charity scarf for 2021.  The pattern is called Stash Dive Scarf by Summer Lee Design Company.  It is available on Raverly. Mine used 9 skeins of yarn.  6 skeins of worsted weight yarn and 3 skeins of sock yarn.  I did not follow the pattern to a T, but instead had fun with my colors.

I am showing 2 photos. The first folded over like it was being worn. The second to show off the colors that I used. This scarf was so fun to do that I started another one yesterday and have  20 inches out of the 60 knit.  The next scarf is a different color combination.  It takes me about 6 days to knit, the same amount of time as a blanket.  The kave just about the same square footage.  This will be going to a boarding school on the Navajo Reservation in the fall.  

This is my 25 completed project for 2021  I am ahead of schedule.

Knitting Scarfs

 Today was a very uneventful day. I decided to skip knitting blankets today so I could finish a scarf and start the next scarf. I have to say that the scarf had more ends to weave in than a 36 inch square blanket.  Since the scarf was knit with one strand of sock yarn and one strand of worsted weight yarn knit on U.S. 10.5 knitting needles in the round, the fabric is very heavy.  The scarf is much to heavy for Tucson use. So it is going up to a school on the Navajo Reservation.  It will go up with other hand knit items from other Old Pueblo Knitters Guild members. I think I can get 3 or 4, 60 inch scarfs from this batch of yarn. I am very happy that they use up a lot of yarn.  I am using mostly left over yarn and yarn from projects I decided not to knit.

I will show the picture and give the pattern name out tomorrow. I finished the scarf after dinner and there was not enough natural light for a good picture. Since the designer wanted at least one scarf from the pattern go to a good cause, I think that this will fit the bill. 

I Scored

 Tonight I managed to get 2 of my favorite skirts in one size smaller.  They should arrive in a few days.  I find it so hard to shop for smaller sized clothing on line without having tried the clothing on.  So I have been relying on hope for my shopping. My hope is that I can find the same item in one size smaller when needed.  So therefore, I scored tonight.  

2 Inches -The Shorter Side of Life

 My legs are just 2 inches too short to reach the floor when I am sitting on the couch. I finally figured it out tonight. I don’t remember when we bought them. I found the couch was unusually comfortable. Then I looked down at my shoes. Yes they had 2 inch heels. 

I wonder why you can’t order on half the couch built for the taller person and a shorter couch built for the shorter person.  Of course it would have to have the same fabric. I can not be the only wife with a husband who is 12 inches taller.

Our house is a mishmash of shorter and taller counters.  Kitchen countertop lower.  Bathrooms one short, on regular height and one taller.  Rocking chair is on the taller side, the short on wore out long ago.

Cars are an issue too. It’s hard to find a car that fits someone that’s 5’3” tall and some one well over 6’ tall.  The car that’s good for the short person can be really awkward for a taller person.  My 1969 VW Bug was a perfect example of this and so was my Toyota Corolla. When John drove those cars his knees were wrapped around the steering wheel. Yet they fit me to a T.   In the Astro, John almost always drove because there was more leg room in the driver’s seat  in the Nissan, I hated driving John’s car, because I was too short to get comfortable  

Designers are falling short on this issue. Pun intended.   

24 Percent

 With the last blanket being finished it means that I have 24 out of 100 projects finished for 2021. At this point I really wish that I had made a sizable dent in my yarn stash, but alas the answer is a solid no, not yet.  So the 3 blankets used about 27 balls of yarn.  With about another 10 blankets to go that another 90 skeins. So with 13 blankets it will only use about 127 skeins.  With another 14 skeins of yarn for the hats that brings it to 141 and I think it was 10 for the shawl 151 skeins used this year.  I was really hoping for a much bigger dent in volume of yarn around the house.  I thought I would have at least one empty yarn tub by now.  Sigh..

Have you noticed that the estimate of blankets left to knit keeps going up to?  With all that said here is blanket number 3.  By the way with the 1st box of blankets almost full, with a lot more to knit, John graciously agreed to help deliver them. I added a prayer shawl that I knit and a couple of blankets someone gave for me to donate to a good cause.   

In case you were wondering the pattern is one of mine called Modular Baby Blanket.  You can get the pattern at you local yarn store, www.ravelry.com and www.love crafts.com.  It will be under Sheri Karobonik Designs.  It’s a great stash buster project because each square can be a different color.  So far I have only knit this in cotton, although other worsted weight yarn will work also.  Just remember if you start with cotton all the yarn must be cotton. If you knit with wool all the yarn must be wool.  This would also apply to man made fibers too. 

Finally Finished

 Well finally finished applies to 2 projects. First is the remodel of the craft room. We just moved a whole lot of stuff around. I also got rid of some stuff. From where my rocking chair sits, I can not even see the store room supplies.  I also reorganized the supply shelf’s and found room for some craft supplies.  

The next blanket is finished. However, by the time it dried there was not enough light for a good picture.  So that will happen tomorrow.  I am also going stash diving tomorrow to see if I have a few skeins of a certain shade of blue for the current blanket. If I don’t have any more, I will just mix up the colors some more.  

Spring Cleaning and more...

 I spent part of the last 2 days doing spring cleaning. I decided to tackle the storage room.  I started by emptying the big storage shelf. Then I had John help me move it to a different place. That involved unscrewing one bookcase from the wall and moving it 1 inch to the left. Thank goodness I did not have to empty the bookcase too.  

Today I started out cleaning and organizing the kitchen pantry. I do this every spring. I toss the expired food.  Put the still good but what was I thinking to a box to rehome when I am finally finished.  Then I started loading the shelf in the soon to be partially recovered craft room.  

This afternoon I listened to Hillybilly Eldgy by J.D. Vance while I finished the 3 rd charity blanket of the year.  I will photograph the blanket after it is washed tomorrow.  I got the center square done on the next blanket.  I am on a slow roll here.  

Blankets and More

 I have 6 more blankets to knit unless I have too much yarn left over and then it will be anyone guess.  I basically have 2 large tote bags full of yarn for blankets with 4 partially completed blankets inside. Plus 2 more that I had inherited, one with no additional yarn and 1 with about half the yarn I need to finish it up. I am of course stash diving. 

I really want to buy more yarn. I just can’t until I have completed a whole lot of projects.  So every project finished and every skein of yarn used up, I am closer to being able to go out and buy new yarn.  

As for the craft room that was turned into a storage room, John think he can rearrange the room so I don’t have to look at all the storage stuff. This happened after he heard me dragging my rocking chair to another room.  The chair is just to big and bulky for me to lift.  

I also started listening to a new book today. Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance. I have finished 9% of the book and I don’t want to put it down.  Mr.Vance is an excellent story teller.  I can’t wait to listen to more as I knit tomorrow.  

A Sad Anniversary

 Today March 10, is the one year anniversary of the last time we ate out.  I have not been in a grocery store for a few days longer.  My much anticipated craft room has turn into storage and a quarantine area.  It is not comfortable to sit in my favorite rocker and knit. I no longer spin in there either. 

All I seem to do is figure out where to order in our supplies from. Clean house. Do laundry. Cook. Knit hats and now blankets.  Yes, I did have a yarn stash built for the proverbial pandemic. I am making small dents in it. Every 2 hats is about 2 skeins gone, I have knit 20 hats so far this year. Now blankets use a lot more yarn between 5 and 10 skeins per blanket.  I am trying to use up bits and pieces so hopefully a bit more yarn is gone.  The shawl I made used about 15 skeins. So I have used about 45 skeins so far this year. It is all going to be delivered to charity sometime this year. My goal is lots of empty boxes and bags of yarn and more boxes and bags of finished knitted items.  

I still feel very useless. As if life said I am making you redundant.  The sense of isolation is getting worse. Even when fully vaccinated I fear we will still be quiet limited in what we can really do. This is not how I planned to spend my retirement. I have not felt this alone and isolated since Eric died.  

So I try to get dressed nicely every day. Although this to is getting harder since I have dropped about 3 dress sizes this year. I am really tired of wearing shifts and skirts that have ties so I can take them in without sewing. My Goodwill box is getting fuller again. I am also slowing down in the speed at which I get things done.  Chores seem to be done in spurts.  

To plan John’s special dinner tonight, it involved shopping at 3 different stores and planning out delivery times. I also had to pray that between the 3 stores I could get everything I needed.  2 stores were out of bananas and tomatoes. I play grocery roulette every week.  Some weeks I am lucky, some weeks not so much. 

I guess this is a very long winded way of saying that I am tired and stressed out by COVID19.  I am tired of seeing people acting dumb.  I need to be around more creative people. I need to chat with friends.  

I know a lot of this sounds positive, but I don’t feel positive about it.  I am not really doing anything worth while. I really need my old life back.  

Finished

 Need I say more about the 100% cotton charity blanket?  Yes, I am working on the next 2. I am not sure what will be finished first.  

The Next Blanket

 I finally finished the next blanket tonight.  Tomorrow it will get washed, dried and bagged.  

Blankets on My Mind

 I am currently working on three different blankets at different stages of completion.  The closest one to being finished is one that came with 3 different sized 8 inch blocks.  One would think that 8inch blocks would be a standard size, but not in this case. So I made three 36 inch strips and am in the process of sewing them together.  Then I will add a broader. 

The second blanket is by my computer.  I work on this one when I am working with students.  I also have a scarf that is almost finished that I work on while taking classes.  

The third blanket is going to be a modified log cabin block blanket.  I started the center with 2 patterned blocks.  I will just add more yarn on each side turning it as I go. I started this tonight while watching television.  I do not have to keep track of anything. The first color addition is almost done,   When this blanket is done I might have a basket back.  

Hopefully I will finish at least one blanket this weekend.  

The First Blanket of 2021

 This is the first block blanket that I completed this year.  I crafted six out of the nine blocks. Seed the blocks together.  Added a three round crocheted broader.  Washed and blocked it today.  Considering that our humidity was about 1% for most of the day, I did expect it to dry faster than it did.  I did make it reversible with one Tree of Life block face up on each side.   

One Blanket Down

 I finally finished knitting one blanket. It will get washed and blocked tomorrow.  I am a third of the way through the next blanket in the basket. I have 2 inches to finish knitting on the first strip. Then I will start the next strip. This is the first of two blankets with 3 different size 8 inch blocks.  Yes, I have another one of those too. We as knitters either have to standardize what an 8 inch block actually is or all use the same rulers. My take on an 8 inch block is 8 inches wide by 8 inches in length. On the next 2 blankets I have six different sized  8 inch blocks.  So I will be knitting a lot of strips. Sewing them together.  Then adding Crocheted boarders.  

I also started spring cleaning today.  I started in the kitchen.  I cleaned for 1 1/2 hours and napped for 3 hours.  I am sincerely hoping that this is still the surgery recovery process. If it’s not I might have to admit that I am not 30 anymore.  

I need to get a good nights sleep.  Tomorrow we will be hunting down tree killing mistletoe and removing it.  Since we have a dumpster bag we will also get some junk out of the garage. The word of the day tomorrow is Zenning.  

Just Another Night in.....

 It’s never good when arthritis pain wakes me up at night.  I must learn to sleep through throbbing pain in my joints.  I really need the sleep. Just waiting for the aspirin to kick in.  I have in been knitting less than last year.  I am really trying.  I really hate arthritis. 

Not All Eight Inches Squares Are the Same.

 I spent most of the day battling a migraine that started at 1:30 am and lasted until after 3pm. I only got 2 loads of laundry washed and dried, but not folded  I also made dinner using a new pan for indoor grilling. The chicken came out great.

 I did come to a decision on the blankets. If all the blocks in a project are different sizes, yes it’s very hard to get a bunch of people to knit the same size 8 inch square. You would be surprised at the difference in all the 8 inch squares.  So if the squares are really off I will use one or two squares per stripe. I will then knit each stripe 36 inches long and the sew the stripes together. Add an edging and I will have a finished blanket.  No redoing any squares. This will be a real time saver. 

I am going to try to get to sleep early.  I have a lot to do tomorrow.  

The Mission is Finishing a Whole Lot of Blankets.

 Ok, this started out really simple. I found a basket with four unfinished blankets, I decided to finish them all so I could have the basket back. Well nothing is simple around the Karobonik household. Today I found two more bags with at least four more blankets that were in progress. Time to finish a whole lot of blankets, I found a new way to Zen the house  

I used to knit a lot of baby blankets, when Eric was with us. There used to be a lot of aides who were either pregnant or had a family member who or was pregnant, so I was always needing baby blankets to give as gifts. After we lost Eric, I put all these projects aside. Well I need the space now. So the only solution is to finish knitting the baby blankets up and turning them into lap blankets. I will try to donate them to the Assisted Living for Seniors where John’s dad use to live. I will also try to give them a few shawls, I think I have more than enough for myself.  After all how many shawls do I really need?  

On to blanket assembly and knitting.  I will share finished blankets here.  

Ahead of Schedule

 I decided in the beginning of January that 100 knitting projects was a reasonable amount of knitting for 2021.  About one project for every 3 or 4 days. I am trying not to over use my hands.  At the same time I am trying to finish my UFO’s and do a major stash down.  At the same time making sure I have at least 5 dozen hats for the Flowing Wells School District Clothing Bank.  I have a lot of knitting wishes for the year. 

To that end I choose a basket with three partially finished blankets this week.  I finished the fourth missing square for the first blanket tonight. I will sew together the blanket tomorrow.  Then add the edging by picking out the 3 main colors and adding a Crocheted boarder. Then it will be washed, bagged and labeled.  I have started a box for a local nursing home for the blankets and shawls.  

Tonight I pick up the second blanket from the basket. I decided not to make a whole bunch of squares, but instead make 3 strips. I am doing this because the three blocks that are finished are different sizes.  So as long as the strips are the same length, I should be golden.  This means less sewing too. That is the problem with having a blanket project made by so many different people.  The thing is that even though five other people worked on the  two blankets I an knitting the majority of the squares.  Note to self never ever do this again.  

I will also go stash diving tomorrow to find stash yarn that will go with the second blanket.  I am really hoping that I will not have to buy yarn to finish the second blanket.  I do have a lot of cotton yarn in my stash. Wish me luck. I am hoping to find dark blue and purple.  A turquoise blue, and medium blue and purple.  I already have the white, I just pulled a cone out.  

Well it’s time to call it a night.