WEEK 47/ ONLY 5 LEFT!

Good day to you all.  It is glorious here today.  Lovely blue skies and only getting into the low 80's.  This spring has been a true spring for us Arizonans.  Usually we are well into the 90's and even the 100's by now.  I have doors and windows opened and am enjoying the lovely fresh air flowing through my home.  But, alas, this is not the reason you have stopped by today.  Onward to the crafting!

The toe up sock is coming along quite nicely.

You can see were I was last Sunday by the gorgeous sea glass progress keeper from Liz.  They were my project I worked on while away last week and what I keep at the ready when I have just a few minutes of down time.  I am enjoying the simple vanilla knitting of this sock.  There is only another 2 inches to go before the heel gets started.  As we all know, after the heel a shorty sock is almost completed.  Sock #2 will be cast on promptly after this one comes off the needles.

My main attention was given to my Spotting Clouds top.

The upper part of the top is completed and is waiting to be blocked before the sleeves and body can be added to it.  So far I have enjoyed working on this.  The fun part will be the sleeves as the pattern calls for a little cap sleeve and I want to make it more of a short sleeve to cover up old lady upper arm syndrome.  There is plenty of yardage of yarn to do it but, I will be doing this off the cuff (so to speak).  It has been years since I have made a sweater and then it was always knitted.  Wish me luck.

This is the view of the neck/shoulder part of the sweater.  Someone asked how it was working using the S/M size and working with DK weight yarn.  Here is my take.  I am using a size F(3.75mm) and size G(4mm) hook.  It makes the fabric much softer and airy.  It also has better stretch.  It is blocking out to at least the L/XL.  Since it is an A-Line shaped top, I am sure I will be happy.  That is the same shape as my body LOL.  

It will be interesting to see how I do on the next part of the pattern.  I have read it several times and know I will need to go in and look at the photos she has on her blog to make sure I am doing it right.  This is where being left handed is a challenge.  Everything I do is backwards to what you right handed folk do.  Even after 40 plus years of crocheting, I still have issues twisting patterns around in my brain.

Last week was very busy yet quite enjoyable too.  We went to Las Vegas for Mother's Day and had a very nice time with my MIL and also our dear friends.  Hubby and I did get a little down time in the evenings and so enjoyed ourselves.  It was great to get away.  I made some new friends.

My 3 amigos!  These guys are at the entrance to the casino.  We stayed at The Orleans.  It is all done up in Mardi Gras theme.  

When we got home is was even busier.  Our local grand graduated from the school she had been in since Pre-K.  It is a pretty big deal at that school too.  Take a look at her progress from first day of school to her last day there.

She and her parents are in New York City this week.  They have been to the 9-11 memorial, attended mass at St Patrick's Cathedral and are heading out for more sight seeing today.  Tuesday night they are going to see Hamilton on Broadway.  That has been this girl's dream for over 2 years.  She deserves it.  She has been on the honor roll every year and has really applied herself to her studies and still has maintained a lovely social life too.

I just finished making monkey bread in my air fryer. (YUM)  I made it with a 2 ingredient dough and it was wonderful.  Now to make some regular bread for our dinner tonight.  As soon as the bread is in the bread machine, I will be off to take care of the Grand Kitty and Grand fish.  When I get home I will wet block my sweater top and work on hubby's sock.  There might be a load of laundry getting done too.  We leave again on Saturday for Texas.  Our son is getting deployed to the middle east and we want to see him before he leaves for a year.  Please keep him and all the military in your prayers.  Things are heating up again over there!  So I do not know if I will get an update posted on Sunday.  It might be Wednesday before I am able to post for the next YOP.

Until next time........................Happy Crafting!!!!!

HOME AGAIN

Yup, the photo above describes how I felt last night as I lay my tired body down in my bed.  I had 2 dogs vieing for my cuddles as well.   I enjoy traveling but my body pays the price of sleeping in strange beds that are usually super hard.  

We had a lovely 3 day away trip to Las Vegas.  We were able to take my MIL on a couple of outings.  The first outing saw her getting some new clothes and a lovely lunch of her choice.  The second outing saw her getting a haircut, a trip to WalMart and another lunch.  She only lasts about 3 hours and then she is totally spent and ready to go back to the facility and take a nap.  

We also got to be with our dear friends for an evening.  The guys watched hockey while us gals knitting away.  There was wonderful food and conversation to go along with our visit.  A nice break from the hustle and bustle of the casino where we stayed.

We arrived back home yesterday early afternoon.  The drive back was pretty easy and was the first time I drove home.  In fact, I drove for the entire trip.  It was good to learn more about Las Vegas and how to get around in it.

Last night we went to dinner with my son's family and his wife's parents.  We all get along so well, it is like we were meant to be family all along.  This was a special occasion though.  It was the night before our local Grand Daughter's Graduation.  She has been in this school since Pre-K...........so for 10 years!  She is so sad to be leaving it as it has become quite comfortable for her.  

Look at that sweet little thing going to her first day of Pre-K!

But I digress...................

So last night her mom and dad decided to give her, her graduation gift they got for her.

To say she was totally surprised is an understatement.  Want to know what she got?

She is going to New York CIty to see Hamilton on Broadway!  This has been her dream for 2 years now.  She flies out (with her parents) on Friday morning and will be staying in the heart of Times Square for 9 days.  They also, have several tours planned for their stay.  She so deserves this honor.  The girl has been on the honor roll every year without fail.  She has really applied herself to her studies and it shows.

Today we will be going to her graduation Mass where she is once again singing the Psalm.  Tonight is the actual graduation with a class party following.

Congratulation Josie.................You have done well and are very deserving!

AND THEN THERE WERE 6/ WEEK 46

Another week has past and there is progress on this home front.  After much trial and error, deliberation, I finally started a spring/summer sweater for myself.  It was one item on my YOP list that had not been addressed at all.

Introducing "Spotting Clouds Top".

OK, so it doesn't look like much now.  I promise it will be a lovely light weight cotton top when I complete it.  It is being made with Cascade Ultra Pima Cotton DK weight yarn.  I went up a hook size from what the pattern asked for and am making the smaller size.  It should all work out.  I have laid this across my back and it seems to be a lovely fit with just enough positive ease to make it comfy for me.

As you know, I have been wanting to do some short socks and do them from toe up.  I decided on the Rose City Roller socks and just do them toe up instead of cuff down.  They also will have a FLK heel instead of a heel flap.  Hmmmmmm, I guess I am just making a toe up short sock with a rolled cuff. LOL  It took me forever to remember how to cast on for toe up socks.  Finally, I found a wonderful YouTube video by Purl Together for the cast on I remembered.  So here is where I am with socks one.

Hubby has asked to have these socks as he wears tennis shoes year round and really wants to try out this short sock to see if he wants more.  I started the sock out as magic loop and once the toe was completed I switched to DPN's which is my preferred method for socks.  My tension between magic loop and DPN is also different.  I am tighter with DPN's.  This has been my TV project since it is just plain knitting.  No counting required.  Love that.  This will also be the first time I have done a FLK heel toe up so am looking forward to seeing if there is much difference in the look and feel of the heel.

That is all from the crafting side of my life.  We are hustling around here, trying to get things done quickly this morning.  We are heading to Las Vegas to celebrate Mother's Day with hubby's mom.  After 44 years of marriage we have never done that and I figured, since my mom is not with us anymore, we should make some memories with his mom before we loose her too. (she will be 92 in 2 weeks!)  We will also spend some time with our dear friends who live there as well as have some fun in the casinos.

I want to wish all of you a Happy Mother's Day.  Even if you do not have children, I am sure you mother (Nurture) someone or something. So enjoy the day.

Until Next Time................Happy Crafting!!!!  

So Excited

 

I am very excited.  I frogged my sweater and started on the crochet pattern I found.  Then I realized I needed to go up on my hook size, crochet the next size down on the pattern and start with the color I have the most of.  So I frogged again.  I am now back to where I was before the frogging came along.  I am loving the feel of the fabric now that I went up in  hook size.  It measures the same as it did when I was making the larger size so it is all good!

I finally sat down with YouTube and watched several videos on casting on for toe up socks.  I found one that 'spoke' to me by Purl Together.  So the Rose City Roller socks are being done toe up and I will use the Fish Kiss Lips heel for it.  The socks were started on magic loop but have since been moved to DPN's.  All that stockinette stitch is perfect for relaxing and watching TV.

Hubby and I have such a hectic schedule for the next 2 weeks.  I do not know how much crafting will get done.  

Tonight we have grands final band concert, adoration and I need to get the dog food set up for next week.  

1. Tomorrow we have an appointment with our attorney, the grand and I need to go back to the uniform shop to try on gym clothes to get her size, and then we are going to dinner with the whole family to say good bye to my cousin who leaves to go home next Wednesday.    2. Saturday I have a nail appointment and then we serve at Mass that afternoon.  We will go to dinner with friends that night.  

3. Sunday we will pack, I will update this here blog and then we are off to Nevada to see my mother in law for Mother's day.   

4. Monday we take my MIL shopping for clothes and then spend the evening with our dear friends.  

5. Tuesday I am hoping hubby and I can have a day to ourselves to just enjoy.  

6. Wednesday we drive back home and I will need to get all the laundry caught up.  

7. Thursday we have graduation Mass at 10 followed by the awards ceremony, then celebration lunch, graduation ceremony will be at 7 that night and then another dinner out to celebrate.  

8. Friday I will be taking the graduate and her family to the airport at 4AM.  I will not say why at this point as it is a super duper surprise and I am not sure how many in my family reads this blog.

That about covers it.  Today I did manage to do 7 loads of laundry before 2pm!  That is new record for me.  Normally I do one or 2 a day but never 7!!!!  Hubby cleaned the kitchen and 3 bathrooms so things are looking good.   It will be nice to come home to a clean house.

I made the Grand's graduation card today too.  I will  try and take a photo of it once all the glue dries.

Right now, I am going to go and pick up the socks and work on them until dinner time.

Until next time..................happy crafting!

PS:  Our weather cooled off again this week.  We had a nasty dust storm yesterday but with that came cooler temps and I have the A/C off and the house opened up.  This is not usual for us in May!  LOVE IT!

Never Give Up

This is my mantra today.  I finally found a pattern for a sweater and no show socks I liked.  The sweater got cast on yesterday and I did about 14 rows on it.  It is not a pattern I am totally in love with but will do.  Or at least I thought it would be OK until this morning.  I looked at it again and realized it is not making my heart swell with the longing of having it in my closet.  It is going to be frogged today.  Don't be sad for me.  I did find another pattern that made my eyes go wide and my heart swelled with the longing to have it in my closet.  This time the sweater is top down (the other was not) and it is crocheted!  Normally crocheted clothes do not strike my fancy but this one is everything I was looking for.  The pattern is written for fingering weight and I am using a DK/sport weight.  It will turn out OK as the pattern is written for a size a bit smaller than myself.  I figure with the DK/Sport it will be the perfect fit!  Plus, since it is top down I can make adjustments as I go along.  PERFECT!

Since the sweater was not causing copious amounts of joy, last night, I decided to cast on my toe up no show socks.  I tried 4 times to cast them on using 2 different methods.  Nothing worked for me.  When I first started making socks, they were ALWAYS toe up!  I have no idea why I am having such a hard time starting these.  I will sit down with YouTube today and try it again.  Never give up!

After all the disappointment of my crafting day I settled into my chair, hubby turned on movies and I worked on a dishcloth.  Someone called dishcloths palette cleansers.  I agree.  The pattern I use is memorized so there is no need to look at any written instructions.  It is also one that I knit using the Portuguese style so my wrists and hands do not get tired and I also do not need to watch my work.  It was very soothing to work on.

Today is a new day and I am all set to make things go better.  But, before I start on the crafting I have a list of to do's that will be done first.

Until next time...........happy crafting!

T Minus 7 AKA Week 45

 

Hello one and all.  How did it become Sunday afternoon already?  This is what happens when we go to Mass on Sunday instead of Saturday.  Because, after Sunday Mass you really want to go and have breakfast with your BFF's and then you need to go to the hardware store and the grocery store.  Then.....BAM.....It is 1pm and you are just sitting down to write your blog post.  This post will be picture heavy, so sit back and relax for a while.  That laundry can wait!

I do have finishes this week.  There was a mid week post but I know most of you only read the Sunday posts.  So here is my first finish of the week.

They are finally done and have been worn twice already.  He loves them and is already asking when the next pair will be done!  I haven't even cast on another pair yet.

My next FO is the Mimic Shawl.

I took several different angles of this while it was blocking.  In fact, it is still on the blocking boards.  So here are all the shots I took of it.

It ended up being 6 feet long and 24 inches deep.  It will be perfect for our places that love to run their A/C super cold.  And now, you know what I use our pool table for LOL.

I am now perusing patterns to find a sweater pattern to use up some of my copious amounts of DK yarn.  So far, I have found one I love but it is a cropped sweater and knit from the bottom up.  I have only knit top down sweaters in the past.  That style of knitting suits me quite well.  I can try on as I go and make adjustments as needed that way too.  So, there is nothing on my needles or hooks other than a dishcloth.  Shocking huh!

The main reason there is no activity in my yarn is the busy week we have had.  This being Josie's last year at her current school, there has been so much activity going on there.  I already wrote about the May Crowning on May 1.  That evening we had a BBQ at her high school she will be attending this fall.  We were there until well after dark.  It was a very long day for this MiMi.  On Friday, I went to her school assembly where she was presented with Student of the Month.

So proud of her.  Can you tell her mom is pretty proud of her too!  I also did 4 loads of laundry Friday since I had not had a chance to do any laundry all week.  I am telling you, this past week has been one of the busiest in a long time.  

Saturday we had Confirmation and First Communion at our church.  As we had several people we knew receiving these sacraments, we went to that 2 hour service.  After wards, we were invited to a lunch celebration with one of the families.  When the delicious Italian feast was over we headed over to our son's house to continue the celebration and to let the kids swim for a while.  Another VERY long day for us.  I slept for 10 hours last night!  

Today, hubby is smoking a brisket even though we probably will not eat it until tomorrow.  We are so full from our breakfast.  I am going to go back through knitting patterns again looking for a sweater pattern that speaks to me as well as probably cast on some short socks.

I have one last photo for you.  My husband loves to give me flowers.  His favorite thing to do is give me potted flowers and watch me tend them and baby them to make them grow year round.  Here is the latest flower he bought me.

It is called Orange Star.  It is so pretty.  It has been blooming for over 2 weeks now and still has many more buds on it to open.  Not much info came with this one so Google and I are going to be best friends.

OOPS..........One more photo...........I promise this is the last one.

My fur babies.  This bed is in the room with the pool table.  I was blocking my shawl and looked down and there they were.  Needless to say, I am seldom alone in a room.  The male dog is always by my side and the female drops in to say hi from time to time.  

I hope your day is blessed.

Until next time....................Happy Crafting!!! 

May Day

Happy May Day.  Do you remember leaving May Baskets on the door steps of your neighbors?  When I was child (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth), mom and I would make May Baskets out of pretty colored construction paper, put a few pieces of hard candy in them and top them off with some pretty flowers from our garden. 

I would go and lay it on the doorstep of our neighbor and knock on the door (or ring the bell) and then go and hide to watch the face of the recipient.  It was so much fun to be a secret giver.  When my Mom moved to Arizona, I had our local Grand Daughter continue the tradition of the May Basket.  My Mom loved it so much and it brought back so many lovely memories for her and I.  

Today is also a special day for Catholics.  May is the month of Mary.  Today, the school children have a crowning of the Blessed Mother during Mass.  Our Grand Daughter sang the Psalm during Mass today.

She did a lovely job of it.  It is not easy to get up in front of your entire school as well as parents and other people of the congregation and sing.  We are quite proud of her.

Since we had to get up early to make it to Mass, I now have extra time today to do an update AND some crocheting.  

Yesterday I finally completed hubby's socks.

Nothing else got attention since Sunday.  I was getting tired of seeing these things hanging out by my chair and staring at me.  Hubby is quite happy to have another pair of socks in his drawer.

Well, they were in his drawer until this morning.......he wore them to Mass today.  I truly love the Hermione Everyday Sock pattern.  It gives the sock some interest and keeps me a bit more alert than plan vanilla socks.  It also, does not disrupt the self striping feature of the yarn.

Today, I am going to concentrate on my Mimic Shawl.  Fingers crossed that it will be completed by this weekend.  I truly want to move on to something else but refuse to cast on anything until the shawl is completed.

I did find an interesting idea on Facebook the other day.  It made me think of one of my fellow YOPers, Becki of Field Lilies fame.

Becki, makes beautiful doilies.  Isn't this a wonderful way to showcase them?  Make a table runner with them!  I have just a few of the doilies my Grandma made and was thinking of doing this with them.  They would be so pretty on my dining room table with my candles on top of them.  Hmmmmmm.

I best get busy on that shawl.  Today, I am picking up the grand from school.  Tonight, the grand, her mom and I will be going to her high school for a welcome BBQ.  I will not get much time to work on the shawl then.  

Until next time...........happy crafting!