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.