An Outing

 Today we went for a drive going north on Oracle Road. Truth be told I am going stir crazy at home.  Did I mention that there were over 1,000 new cases of COVID19 in Pima County today, yet again.  We drove all the way to Pinal County.  There is an over 55 community up there. Although it looks nice since we don’t golf or play tennis it probably would not be worth the monthly maintenance fees.  Did I mention that not one person we saw was masking up? Although if one could snag a house overlooking the golf course that might be worth it. It is basically out in the middle of nowhere.  15 minutes to the nearest grocery store.  A definite lack of places to eat out.  Since it is an over 55 community there would be no trick or treaters at Halloween.  I really love watching the kids grow up. It’s not for us, we are staying put.  I love being part of a multi generational community.  I love being close to things. 

I thought I would be on the next color strip on the baby blanket. I am almost there.  Tiny needles plus fine yarn equals skeins that go on forever.  Hopefully tomorrow will be the day for the next color.  

I had the energy to get a few things done around the house.  Although it required a rest afterwards. Yup, still in that blank ity blank flare up.  I think I will freezer dive for dinner tomorrow night.  Since I managed to snag a few ready made meals the freezer is full. That will be about my speed too.  

Some Knitting

 I am in the middle of a project that I am writing a pattern for.  Yes I am using a pair of U.S. size 4  (3.5 mm) knitting needles.  Something I usually don’t do.  The anticipated size will be 40 inches by 57 inches so it will last longer.  I am still on the first of eight 100 gram skeins of yarn.  The blanket is not going as fast as I would like it to.  I think it is more this stupid arthritis flare up.  It is leaving me very tired, sometimes too tired move.  I hope with a little more rest this week will the flare up will fade into history. 

I have not had the energy to sit and type the last pattern.  I am hope to add the fringe and start typing it up. Wish me luck on that front.  

A sneak peak of the newest pattern.  

My Ramblings

 I finally felt well enough to get some work done around the house today.  I did 3 loads of hand wash and 1 regular load.  I also caught up on a little bit of folding.  I found an hour to block the new pattern.  Found an hour to work on a present.  Spent a couple of hours sleeping after a walk. It felt good. I have not walked this far in a while. It still leaves me a bit winded.  Maybe we will have an answer soon. Placed an on line order and got most of it put away   

I did not catch up on paper work including typing the new pattern.  Well there is always tomorrow.  But for now I will call it a day. 

Blocking

 If you have ever wondered why we block some things in knitting, just take a look at the picture before blocking.  This came of the knitting needles this week and has not yet been blocked.  It was raining today, so it was not an ideal day to block anything.  I will try again tomorrow.  

By the way there is absolutely no way to tell what this is before it’s blocked   It just looks like a piece of hand knit fabric   

Another New Pattern.

 I am currently working on a bespoke baby blanket.  I will publish the pattern after the mom to be gets it.  One thing I can tell you now is that it is simple and colorful.  There will be a nice gradient in colors.  It is a fast knit.  It will use 8 100 gram skeins of yarn on US size 3 knitting needles. Those without arthritis in their hands should be able to finish in a week or so. It will be large enough to use until the toddler stage.  

Somehow having a space of my own where I can shut out the world while looking at a nice desert landscape is helping my creativity.  I only wish I could knit more hours a day right now.  Right now I knit for a bit and let my hands rest.  This seems to have cut down the soreness and swelling.  Maybe this way I can avoid further surgery on my hands.  I can only hope. 

Finished Knitting a New Pattern

 I finished knitting a new pattern today.  All there is left to do is weave in the ends.  Wash and block it. Photograph it.  Type up the pattern and notes.  Insert the pictures.  Then the hard part. Working on the listings.  

I pulled out another notebook for the next design that is already 2 1/2 inches into the pattern.  Don’t worry this is much easier than the pattern I just finished.   I should be able to catch up on the notes in no time at all.  

On the 5 foot long scarf that I am knitting while watching television, I made fourth color change tonight.  The green that I started should take me almost to the end of the scarf.  Then maybe some yellow if I still need to add inches.  

This has been a bad body day, which on top of being stuck at home because of the COVID19 numbers is making me cranky.  I just want to cry.  I know that won’t do any good so I don’t.  I just want to go out.   I just want people to wear their masks and get their vaccines.  I want to eat out. I want to knit with friends.  I want to travel.  I know it’s not to much to want, but it seems like a lot right now.  

The Pattern from Hell

 I started knitting a baby blanket for someone I know.  No, it’s not a family member.  I am using a kit that included the yarn to make a baby blanket and the pattern. The pattern sold well a few years back but I never did see any of the finished blankets.  Now I know why.  I also now know why so many people gave me their new kits   

First off the finished baby blanket size is 27 by 40 inches.  That is much to small for a baby blanket.  It’s more like the size of a shawl.  Second each stripe is supposed to be 10 inches wide and there are 4 of them.  I might not be the best a math, but by the patterns calculation the blanket would be 40 by 40 inches.   A nice size baby blanket.  For 40 grams of yarn I got 2.5 inches, so for a 100 gram ball that would give me 6.25 inches not 10 inches as stated by the pattern, 3.75 inches too short. Assuming it really was 100 grams when I started. By industry standards they are allowed + or - 5% for each skein of yarn for weight and yardage. 

Since that was only the beginning of the problems with this pattern.  I would have to rewrite the whole thing to send to the company for an errata.  One or two things ok, but the whole dammed pattern no way. So I came up with a work around.  

So I went stash diving to see if I had yarn that matched. Even if it was not the same dye lot I could make it work.  That’s for a lesson or another log post.  I had no luck there.  So I went to start looking at kits that were waiting to be knit.  I found the same kit in the same color.  In the very first basket.  Yeah, there are 5 baskets of kits waiting to be knit.  I  found it in the first basket. I now have a very workable solution.  I will have another pattern to write up shortly.  I usually don’t like writing and knitting 2 patterns at a time , but I will use separate notebooks and different yarn bowls, yarn weights and colors.  So that should help.  

Wish me luck.