Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Neck & Cuffs Complete

I am still working on my sweater. The neck and cuffs are now complete.
I had to rip out the last two inches or so of the neck three times because I kept coming to a stitch that was giving me fits.
If I knit it as presented it would leave a gaping hole.
I would redo it and still come to the same mistake.
FINALLY, I realized it was one of the 'wrapped' stitches that had not been addressed properly
when I was finished shaping the neck with the short rows.
Once I figured that out and knit it up it looked much better.
As you can see on the neck in the picture, the back of the sweater is higher than the front by about an inch. That is because I knit short rows on the back of the sweater to give it more height.






I picked up stitches around the cuff and knit a few rounds, added some color,knit a couple more rounds and then turned it to the inside and attached it there.

The body hem and underarms are all that I have left to do.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Margaret's Project

A knitting friend gave my daughter the name of a fella that
wanted some golf club head covers knitted. We met with him. He told us the colors and design.
We ordered the wool. We waited. The wool arrived.
Margaret knitted.
She knitted some more.


The big one is for the driver and the smaller ones are for the 4 & 7. (???)

He has had a sneak peak at the big one and he was just giddy.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Another Old Book

We come into some old books a while back. Yesterday during history, the making of a radio receiver was mentioned as being in the Boys Scout Handbook as early as 1911.
I remembered that we had saved a Boys Scouts of America handbook and located it to see the print date. This copy was printed in 1929, but it mentioned a merit badge that you could receive for different activities involving radio and radio transmitting.
It is the neatest little book.
I need to study up on the section "How to make a fire without a match".
I have always wanted to know.





I also want to learn Campcraft, it is in Chapter Three.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Give It A Try

My Knitting Story.

O.K.
There was some knittin' goin' on when I was a child. It didn't stick with me.
A few years ago, a lovely lovely lady named Natalie, graciously showed a group of us gals how to knit. It didn't stick with me.
I have tried crochet (my sisters and mother- ALL LEFT HANDED- excel at this craft). It didn't stick with me.
A year ago in July I spent a one-time fee of $10.00 at our local library to learn how to knit.
I figured if I SPENT MONEY ON IT....it might stick.
Well, it must have just been the time to do it. It stuck.
I still can't get away from left handed people (I love ALL of you-really!-there are several of them in our knitting group as well).

Anyway, a year ago I tried something that I had tried and tried before, to no avail. I fell in love with it and have read and knit ever since.
I keep trying new things to understand stitches and techniques better.
I don't claim to be a great knitter, but I love it.

So, may I encourage you to try it ONE more TIME....see if it sticks on you.
Try all sorts of things.
Try the toe up two at a time sock....it is quite fun~!!!!

Practice Socks


Well, I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to find out what this magic loop two at a time sock knitting was all about.
On inter library loan I checked this book out.
Found it quite interesting.
Splurged and bought it along with a pair of 40 inch circular needles.

The book has you make a sample pair of socks. Each sock with a different color so you can follow the instructions for sock A and sock B without confusion.
I just grabbed some spare yarn and started. The purple yarn was much smaller than the multicolored yarn, but I didn't really think about how much of a difference the yarn size would make....I thought they were fairly close in thickness.....but I was wrong.

It took a few tries to get the cast on correct, as well as, the heel, but I got through it.
I still need practice on a few stitches.
Anyway, here is what the little fellas look like.




Finished.
With bigger needles and wool I plan on making Chris a pair for wintertime. He will be my guinea pig.


Sunday, August 22, 2010

Eat Over the Sink Sandwich


Probably my favorite sandwich.
Thick sliced home grown ripe tomatoes with a big ole slathering of Miracle Whip.
I just have to stand at the kitchen sink and eat it. It is so juicy.


Saturday, August 21, 2010

Her Own Musical

Earlier this spring my daughter knitted a cute little pair of infant's socks.
The pattern was in a vintage sock book(a modern book) and was dated around 1900 I think.
She thought they were cute and decided to knit them for 4-H as well as her hope chest.
More than one attempt was made for the final result, but quite worth it.
In 4-H, in Indiana at least, the project must win at the county level to be entered in the State Fair.
We were glad they made it, but also knew that getting a blue ribbon at the state level wasn't easy.
When we saw that she got a blue ribbon and special merit, we were quite pleased.
I never did find the grand champion knitted item, but in our hearts these were just as good.
Pop on over to her blog and see some pics.

Friday, August 20, 2010

The Indiana State Fair 2010

At the 2010 Indiana State Fair it is the Year of the Pig.

Can display of said pig.


Looks like a can display of an Indy car.

This is a big pumpkin that has a sow and piglets carved into it, as well as, the state fair emblem.

Some folks we met there.
(Me,Chris,Maggie)

Oh, look here they are carved in a giant pumpkin!

This little sheep is a Tunis sheep. The fella said that these were the type of sheep George Washington had on his farm and that later on in history they were almost eaten out of existence. The Civil War used up a lot of their meat.

I thought I might knit these gals a sweater....what do you think?

The 'world's' largest boar. Really? Is he REALLY the largest one in the world?

Well, that is what the sign says.

He weighs only a couple hundred pounds more than the State Fair winning heaviest pumpkin.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Mystery Plant


Does anyone know the name of this pretty plant?
It grows in Indiana.
We thought perhaps in the milkweed family, but are unsure.
What are YUR thoughts?

Since my post I have been informed that it is a milk thistle. Go here.


Oliver


Oliver used to be a biter.
Now, not so much.
He was showing me his whiskers and 'antennae' this morning.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

O.K.
So!!!!
We live in a county that has two large Christian universities. They have both been around for a long long time.
The one closest to us seems to be building something new all of the time. They recently built a new chapel. Yesterday was our first time in it and it is something else! It looks like it should be in a major city instead of our smaller one.
We were there to witness the graduation ceremony for the adult classes., folks who are working but taking classes at night or whenever to further their education.
Anywho, congratulations Brian!!!


I wrote all that to say this........
Bless my husband's heart and the heart of every other man there yesterday.
I realize that not everyone that attends a graduation at a Christian institution will be a Christian.
I suppose not everyone who takes a class at a Christian university is a Christian either.
So, therefore, one would not expect Christian type behavior from everyone, right? Right.
That is easy enough to comprehend.

I guess what I want to say is to all of the ladies out there who feel as though they need to wear the tallest heels and the shortest dresses or skirts or shorts to the point that you fear you may see something you REALLY don't want to see if they move just a bit too much the wrong way.....

"I am as happy as YOU are that we live in a country where we have the freedom to dress as we wish. Truly I am, because I like to wear jeans and t-shirts and bare feet. But I must stress to you that men are VISUAL beings. Please take care how you dress, because you may inadvertently cause a fella to sin. Perhaps, too, have a little forethought about places you will attend-is my attire proper for this outing, etc? Perhaps the slinky dress you wear to a college graduation would be more aptly worn to a night club."

Yesterday as we walked through the campus of this lovely college, my family fell victim to the onslaughts of skimpily clan ladies. So much so that my husband led us off the beaten path to avoid possibly seeing something he didn't want to see.
Thanks Honey.










Friday, August 13, 2010

Knitting Surprise



We special ordered some wool, here it is, for a special knitted project.
Will keep you updated.

Until Next Time.

The Elusive Transparent Pie-Update


I put a crumb crust on top. It turned out pretty good.
Observation to self: Perhaps you slice the apples a bit thin, go for the eights.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

E.Z. Yoke Sweater-Adding Color





In a holding pattern waiting on more wool.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Bullet-y Things


We came across some old things the other day. Here are a few projectiles.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The Elusive Transparent Apple


It seems that all of my life I have heard that Transparent Apples make the best pies.
I believe I have heard that from my mother and definitely from my Aunt Rosie.
Could it be true? My mom used to make some REALLY good pies and they were not from transparent apples.
Anyway, I have never been able to find these apples at the grocery. Never!
But I DID express short-lived GLEE a couple weeks ago when I found the EVEN MORE elusive gooseberry at Meijer. Sad part was....they were $3.00 for 6 little ounces. Needless to say I didn't buy any. :(
O.K. so I called our local orchard yesterday and they said that they did in fact have said apple. After getting the oil changed in the truck I drove on over and procured 10 of them.
$3.50.

Upon my arrival home I anxiously called my aunt. With delight in her voice she asked if they were green or yellow. I said...GREEN!!! She said with a saddened sound "Oh, the yellows are the best".
If you let them ripened ON the tree til they turn yellow...that is when they are the best.
And here I sit with 10 green apples. :(
She must have heard the despair in my voice because she added....the green ones are o.k. too, just that I like the yellow ones best!

For cryin' out loud. I should have just bought the gooseberries!



Until Next Time!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Sweater Progress



When I first started knitting a year ago, my biggest fear was dropping a stitch.
Wise knitters at our knitting group would say not to worry, you can pick it up when you come around to it again. I backtracked more than once to get back to my dropped stitch instead of going on around to pick it up. What I have learned over the year is that you CAN pick up a dropped stitch even a few rows down...but not a whole bunch of rows down. When knitting my shawl I found a stitch that I had dropped...quite a few rounds down and was downcast....but I persevered and picked them up, albeit....quite a tight fit.

I said all that to say this:
My current project called for a dropped stitch on PURPOSE. Can you imagine? It had to be dropped all the way down the side of the sweater and then picked back up in a certain way with a crochet hook to create a 'phoney seam'. I was a little apprehensive to say the least but what I wasn't taking into account was that the stitches had been knitted and I was going to pick out ONE vertical row of ONE stitch and pick it out all the way down. It left a gaping strip. The cool part was that each stitch had left its wool right there to be picked back up again, where when you unknowingly drop a stitch and just keep knitting you are NOT making a yarn allowance because you didn't knit it. So when you go to pick it up, the yarn just isn't there to help make the stitch.
Clear as mud right?

I know some one out there knows what I am talking about. :)

Anyway, in Elizabeth Zimmermann's book Knitting Without Tears (love this book by the way), she says this about phoney seams: Opponents of circular sweaters - and there are unfortunately some - take as one argument the theory that being without seams, circular sweaters don't hang together properly. A fallacious argument if ever I heard one, but let us refute it by putting in imitation seams, which are rather good things anyway, and a neat and mysterious feat of skill to boot. They may be made by slipping the seam stitch every second round, but this is a rather tiresome thing to remember while you are peacefully working your way up your lovely circular sweater, with no interruptions, and thinking great thoughts. Phoney seams are great fun to make later, and the technique will, I think, prove to you that you are the absolute boss of your knitting.

I like the phrase "absolute boss of your knitting". When I finished putting in the phoney seams...I DID feel like I was the boss.
I am sure my future holds sweaters that will be stitched up the side by hand, but for now my first sweater EVER has been great fun knitting in the round.


Above and below show the picked out stitch all the way down the side of the sweater.
A year ago this would have caused SHEER PANIC.

To pick the seam back up, put your crochet hook through the first stitch (at the bottom) and hook the next two stitches through it together.
Then one stitch, then two together again, then one stitch, etc.


Repeat until you get to the top.
You may have to click on this picture to see it better.
It has the finished phoney seam on it.
:)

This is not a true version of the color of this wool.
It is more like the picture above.
It is Knitpicks Wool of the Andes, Currant.
Knitpicks is a FUN place for affordable yarn.

Knit on my friend, knit on.


Thursday, August 5, 2010

Stamps

A certain set of circumstances led us to a bag and a few boxes of stamps. All kinds of stamps.
Hating to throw them out and not really knowing what to do with them, we will just keep them safe for now. Thought I would share some with you.
Click on the picture to enlarge it.


Until Next Time!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

A Very Special Birthday


Remember these old "EAT" signs?
The party was held on the patio of a local eatery. Cute. Cute.

Dads always get the tangly jobs.

Birthday girl in the middle. Her name is Tylanna and you can read her very inspiring weight loss story here. She stands here with her daughter on her right and my daughter on her left.


E.Z. Yoke Sweater

I have been working on Elizabeth Zimmermann's version of the seamless yoke sweater.
It is knitted from the bottom up in the round. I pinned the bottom edge down-it won't be finished like that. The sleeve on the left is almost finished. I still have some kniiting til I join the sleeves with the body. But until then...wish me luck. It is my first sweater.
I have told my family that I am going to wear it regardless of how it looks-maybe just at home.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Comb Honey


Over this past winter, our bees and Mom's bees died. We didn't purchase new swarms this year.
BUT, we left the bee boxes as they were, just to see what would happen.
Some bee activity was noticed around Mom's hive and we went out to check last Friday evening and they had filled up the brood box and started on the super. There were no foundation/frames in the super, so Chris and Maggie promptly took care of that.
They removed some combs to get the foundations in......oooo, they were full of honey. Quite delicious.
Yesterday we took our bee box out and set it by Mom's to see if any bees wanted to move in.
Mom called today and said there was some activity in our box today.
Hopefully they can get things fixed up in their little home to make it through the winter.
This winter we plan on taking preventative measures to help them out.

Until Next Time.