tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216260342024-03-20T19:58:41.038-05:00soapquiltknitJerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.comBlogger256125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-59775648177849669172009-04-14T11:17:00.000-05:002009-04-14T11:19:09.940-05:00SalesWhat if there was a store that was having a sale, and an item is priced at 3.00 and was 40 percent off? It would cost 1.80.<br />And then if there was anther sale, and an item is priced at 3.00 and was 60 percent off, it would cost 1.20.<br />But, what if you were in a hurry, and you weren’t watching your prices closely at the store. And then you were looking at the items in your bag, and the item was marked at 3.50. Well, then, it costs 1.40. Yes, it’s only pennies different but if you’re buying lots of them, it adds up.<br /><br />The moral of the story is to look at the prices on the items before you pay your money. And if there are price changes you weren’t expecting, ask about them. Before you pay your money.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-59018780009925526532008-04-21T21:32:00.003-05:002015-02-13T13:53:03.491-06:00Happy Earth DayI know, I know, I've been missing in action.<br /><br />I'm still alive. For a while I was spending too much time at work. Now, I'm spending too much time knitting and spinning. And on ravelry...<br /><br />In honor of earth day, I'm publishing my first pattern. This is a bag I call my purple bag, but to go with all the green theme and because I usually make such bags green, it's my Green Purple Bag. I intended to put a pdf link here but I'm not exactly sure how to make that happen and I want to get this post up, so I'll place the pic and words here, and come back later and replace it with a pdf.<br /><br /><strong>Green Purple Bag pattern</strong><br /><br /><a href="http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q67/soapquiltknit/?action=view¤t=2008_03_13_0545.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q67/soapquiltknit/2008_03_13_0545.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><strong>Yarn</strong>: for a big bag, as written below: about 200 yards of cotton or cotton/linen blend yarn<br /><strong>Needles</strong>: Size 13us 16 inch circular needle and size 7 (any type)<br /><br /><strong>Handle</strong>: Using a provisional cast-on and smaller needle, CO 7 stiches. Knit garter stitch until strap is about 20 to 24 inches, stretched. My handle is 110 rows, 55 ridges. Leave stitches waiting on needle. (Note, when I make my next bag, I’m making the handle about 10 inches long)<br /><strong>Bag</strong>: Using larger needle, cast on 70 stitches and join for knitting in the round.<br /><strong>Round 1</strong>: Place marker to show the start of each round. K3 stitches then knit the next 7 stitches together with the strap stitches. (This is like a three needle bind off but don’t bind off. ) K28. Remove the provisional cast on and knit the next 7 stitches together with the starting stitches. K25<br /><strong>Round 2:</strong> Purl<br /><strong>Round 3:</strong> Knit<br /><strong>Round 4:</strong> * YO2, K1 Repeat from * until end of round<br /><strong>Round 5:</strong> * Drop first YO, knit second YO together with knit stitch. Repeat from * until end of round<br />Repeat round 4 and round 5 until bag is desired length or about 25 yards of yarn remain.<br /><br /><strong>Decrease rounds:</strong><br /><strong>Round 6: </strong> *YO2, K2tog Repeat from * until end of round<br /><strong>Round 7:</strong> Drop first YO, knit second YO together with knit stitch.<br />Repeat round 6 and round 7 one time.<br /><br />Divide remaining stitches evenly between 2 needles. Do a 3 needle bind off. <br />Alternatively, cast off stitches and seam the bag bottom.<br /><br /><strong>Note: for a smaller bag</strong>, use one ball of yarn, about 100 to 120 yards, and knit until you have about 25 yards left, then do the decrease rounds.<br />Another option would be to do fewer stitches around. The pattern stitch works for any stitch count.<br /><br />© jdb 2008<br />Please use this pattern for personal use only. <br />Contact Jeri Bisel at soapquiltknit@gmail.com with questions or comments.<br /><br />p.s. If anyone can share information about how to put a pdf on blogger, it would be great.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-38676843447999439342008-01-03T20:41:00.000-06:002008-01-03T21:01:48.233-06:00What was lost is foundThe maple man's hat has been lost. The hat I knit for him this year with yarn purchased specially for his hat. Not this and that, scraps and leftovers, like many hats this year have been knit with. This was Lorna's Laces worsted. Vacation trip yarn. <br /><br />I was not pleased. (This displeasure was compounded by the fact that he needed a new hat because he felted last year's hat. This year's hat is superwash.)<br /><br />He called me yesterday at the office. He was so happy. He had found his hat. When I got home, he presented me with the hat he found in the fire dragons (I should find the TM symbol, the Fire Dragon is a special shantung maple with red fall color that he patented last year [<a href="http://metromaples.com/generic0.html">link</a>]). The found hat was some green acrylic hat I had knit, probably quite a few years ago. I guess it has been out in a field of trees for maybe two or three years. I told him that that was <em>not </em>the hat he had lost. I tried to describe the red variegated color of the lost hat. He did not remember. I had to go find the little hat I had knit with the leftovers. Then, at least, he knew what he was looking for.<br /><br />Today there was another hat find. The right hat. It was found in some bag behind the seat of his truck. He says it is warm. He says it is long enough to fold up. I said, "yes, you ask for extra length. Of course, it's warm, it's wool." <br /><br />And it's a good thing. He was at risk of a fate no knitter's husband should face. Store bought hats.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-83925007729289985502008-01-01T10:19:00.000-06:002008-01-01T11:01:40.764-06:002008 plansNo resolutions, just plans...<br /><br />I plan to knit some yarn and spin some fiber. <br /><br />I just did a major lys sale buy. How could I help myself when a yarn store is moving and selling at crazy prices? So I plan to mostly knit from stash...<br /><br />Some of my knitting plans:<br /><em>finish </em>knitty grace -- this project has languished in the ufo list for tooo long<br /><br /><em>finish </em>the pink cotton cable-y sweater and find somebody who fits it<br /><br /><em>finish </em>the malabrigo wrap -- this one was set aside in favor of knitting sweaters for the maple man and for mom... Sweater season is over, at least for others, and for the time being. <br /><br />knit some socks -- Here are some socks that are on the needles:<br /><strong>handspun spunky </strong>grand opening color socks -- my first socks from my homespun. Both socks are knit to just up over the heel, with scrap yarns in place for afterthought heels. I have to spin more yarn. My spinning wheel has been neglected during sweater season. (see above)<br /><strong>pinky funny rib </strong>socks -- I think the pattern is from favorite socks (and I need to look it up.) I liked the way Joy's socks by this pattern looked better than I like knitting mine. Seems like I have to pay attention to the chart and it's not becoming imbedded in my brain.<br /><strong>ribby socks </strong>that started out as hedgerow socks but the yarn doesn't really work with the pattern... So they have a few chart repeats of hedgerow at the top and then k2p2k1p1 ribbing<br />I want to knit <strong>Eunny's endpaper mitts</strong> [<a href="http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2006/11/endpaper_mitts.html">link</a>]. They've been in my ravelry queue for the longest.<br />I want to knit <strong>Rosemary's wendelins </strong> [<a href="http://www.rosemarywaits.com/2007/02/04/wendelin-socks">link</a>] and <strong>Brenda's Brother Amos</strong> [<a href="http://www.cast-on.com/?page_id=160">link</a>].<br />Some sock patterns I've knit before that I may knit again are <strong>monkey </strong>and <strong>rpm</strong>, both from <a href="www.knitty.com">knitty</a>, since mine are gone (gifted). And <strong>loksins</strong> [<a href="http://cassiana.typepad.com/too_much_wool/2007/05/new_sock_finall.html">link</a>]. <br />I plan to knit socks for birthday gifts for my sis and sil. (I could keep this a secret but since I made them both do a major try on of my socks and "pick a sock yarn", I'm guessing they have some ideas...)<br />the cat lacey double stranded socks [pattern from a vogue knitting during 2006] will be up for evaluation, to frog or to finish, that is the question.<br /><br />And I plan to <em>figure out </em>what else is hibernating. And needs to be finished. Or frogged...<br /><br />I plan to spin some. I'm not going to say every day because that won't happen. But at least every other day. I've joined naspimomo [<a href="http://zeneedle.typepad.com/zeneedle_process_of_art/2007/12/spinning-past-a.html">link</a>] and the naspimomo ravelry group. [Gotta love ravelry. If you're a knitter and you're not on ravelry, head right over and <a href="www.ravelry.com">sign up</a>. I'll wait. I've entered most of my yarn stash and next comes cataloging projects. I plan to enter new projects as I work on them, and catch up past projects during the year.]<br /><br />There's quite a bit of fiber accumulated during the last few months since I've started spinning. After I spin some down, and if I keep spinning and liking spinning, I plan to join Spunky's monthly fiber club [<a href="http://www.spunkyeclectic.com/spunkyclub.htm">link</a>].Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-48587900505614463722007-12-26T07:23:00.000-06:002007-12-26T07:54:28.794-06:00Yarn salesSometimes we struggle with ourselves. The little guy on one shoulder says "yarn sale, 50% off". The little guy on the other shoulder says "you have a LOT of yarn, what do you need more yarn for?"<br /><br />Do you remember gas wars? Well, something similar is happening here with yarn. Today, in a couple of hours, a yarn sale starts at <a href="http://www.theshabbysheep.com/">Shabby Sheep </a>and it's 50% off all yarn. Later this week, at the <a href="http://www.woolieewe.com/default.asp">Woolie Ewe </a>it's 50% off everything. All week at <a href="http://www.yarnsewenique.com/">Yarns Ewenique</a>, it's 25% off everything. Last week, <a href="http://www.jsyarns.com/">Jennings Street</a> had 25% off everything. Then there is the big <a href="www.yarn.com">Webs </a>sale.<br /><br />Those little guys (the ones on my shoulder) are making lists. It is about 32 miles to Shabby Sheep and 50 miles to Plano. And there's not any other good reason, that I can think of, that I <em>need </em>to go to Dallas (or Plano). And gas is $3.00 per gallon. And I have lots of yarn. Lots and lots of yarn. And it will seriously cut into today's knitting time to go for a drive to Dallas. On the other hand, think about the yarn. We could do ooh, pretty, for 50% off. Rubbing elbows with lots of other knitters. Lots and lots of other knitters. <br /><br />I think I will work on photographing my yarn and updating my ravelry stash. <br />And post a message on the Sisters of the Wool list, to see if anybody is going to Dallas. And I'll get dressed, in case anyone says yes. <g>Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-61011331385117440252007-12-23T21:11:00.000-06:002007-12-23T21:56:04.994-06:00it fitsWe did Christmas today with my family and I tried mom's sweater on her, complete with dangling needles and yarn ends and balls of yarn here and there. <br /><br />And it fits! Well, what there is of it. It needs a few more rows on the front bands than I thought. And there is less of the sleeves left to knit than I thought. I'll need to do some figuring about the sleeve decreases but if I start now, they'll be pretty drastic. I may have to frog a few rows and start the decreases sooner... We'll see. I'm not up for the figuring this evening. Eight hours of driving (well, riding) takes it out of me.<br /><br />On the way up there, I decided I needed to do some sock knitting. I was feeling uncertain about the sweater fit and there is sooo much of it now. There will not be seaming later, but the other side of that coin is that there is a lot of sweater and it's complicated to turn and knit back on a row.<br /><br />Back to the sock, I decided I wanted to start knitting my latest handspun, the spunky eclectic grand opening color. I have spun enough, I think, for two sock feet and have the fiber batched up in queue to spin for the legs. It feels a little like cheating to start knitting before I'm done spinning. But, knit I did, and one foot is over half done. It's toe-up with a simple 3x1 rib on the upper foot area. It's doing a trekking style stripe. Pictures tomorrow if the weather cooperates.<br /><br />A note about Christmas knitting... I decided to line the sari silk bag and take it as one of my gifts. We've been doing the dirty santa style exchange and last year there was a problem with clogs I intended for one nephew, who turned out to not be so interested in picking that gift... We this year, my niece brought her new bf (well, he's not new to her but it was his first time to meet the extended family.) Well, he opened the silk bag when some other gift was stolen from him... And no one stole it from him. He probably thinks we're weird. Or at least a gift exchange where a guy gets a knitted silk bag is weird. I'm hoping my niece likes the bag. Or she re-gifts it to someone who likes it... In any case, there will be no knitting for unknown recipients next year. Remind me next year, if my memory fades.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-26890574444770619052007-12-16T22:00:00.000-06:002007-12-16T21:45:31.345-06:00mom's sweaterSo now that Irish Moss is done, I'm concentrating on mom's sweater. Here she is as of earlier today:<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q67/soapquiltknit/moms_sweater_121607-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />And it's going pretty well but there is a problem on the front, I was going to say front right or front left but it occurred to me that I dont know whether it's left or right, because it's garter and I don't even know which side is the right side...<br /><br />Anyway, on the pic above, it's on the side where the front panel is wider. The last three inches have some odd loose gauge. <br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q67/soapquiltknit/moms_sweater_121607_loose_edge2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />They're almost ruffle-y. I have no explanation. I had no idea that I could knit with the same yarn and the same needles and get such a difference. When I noticed the looser rows, I let them rest and started working on the other side. I was kidding myself when I thought maybe the stitches would ease in? I'll be frogging a few inches.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-55523725136096821142007-12-16T20:30:00.001-06:002007-12-16T21:20:35.642-06:00Irish Moss is done!!As I guessed in the last post, I switched to a size 2 for the last 4 founds of the neckband knitting. And 16 rounds of neckband ribbing were plenty. To make sure, I knit in a circ for most of the stitches and dpns with only 10 or so stitches for the rest, and ask the maple man to try it on. I think he tired of the trying-on requests but indulged me. <br /><br />Friday was our office Christmas party then we went to a graduation party for a good friend. There was minor imbibing so there was no serious knitting. On Saturday, December 15, I bound off the neck and woven in the last ends. And today, the maple man wore it to church. <br /><br />Without further ado, I present Irish Moss:<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q67/soapquiltknit/irishmoss_finished_121507.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />And up close:<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q67/soapquiltknit/irishmoss_finished_121507_close.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />I wanted to take a picture on him but forgot to do it before he changed. A modeled picture will come later...<br /><br />Just for the record, <br /><strong>Started </strong>August 4, finished December 15. That is 4 1/2 months... Not monogamous knitting but almost. And steady.<br /><strong>Yarn </strong>Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool Hazel colorway 13 skeins<br />(I bought 15, 2 were insurance in my mind, I guess I guessed well)<br /><strong>Needles</strong>: size 5 knitpicks options, plus size 3 for the ribbing and size 2 for the end of the neckband ribbing<br /><strong>Pattern</strong>: Alice Starmore's Irish Moss (Thanks to my local library for having Aran Knitting, and allowing my to check out and re-check...)<br /><strong>Modified </strong>to make the sweater longer and the sleeves longer and to add stitches, and cable chart repeats, based on my gauge. Actually, my first gauge swatch matched the pattern specs but felt "too airy". I feared it wouldn't be stable during wearing, and a bit too drapey for a manly cable sweater. As I knit them, the sweater front and back panels had 195 stitches in each row. I've thought about calculating total stitches but I don't think I want to know.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-58274218627963207342007-12-13T21:46:00.000-06:002007-12-13T22:04:29.752-06:00Christmas knittingIt seems a while since I posted and posts may be spare over the next week or two. I'm trying to finish Irish Moss and I'm sooo close. Then I need to do some knitting on mom's sweater. To get it to a try-on point if I can't get it totally finished. Mom has already reminded me that her birthday is in February. So maybe she'll get most of a sweater for Christmas and the rest (a completed sweater) for her birthday.<br /><br />I seamed Irish Moss like a mad-knitter last weekend. The life-line/chart markers really helped with the side seams and sleeve seams. The saddle seams were contrary as I was seaming an end of the shoulder to a side of the saddle. I ended up quartering each section and easing each to match. It was slow work but fitted together.<br /><br />At knit night on Tuesday, I pulled out lots and lots of markers and life-lines. About a coffee cup full.<br /><br />I picked up stitches for the neck band but had to make adjustments to compensate for the adjustments I had made in the overall stitch counts. I kept the integrated chart A cables in the ribbing. I tried to use a 32" circ (the same kp harmony size 3 I used for the front bottom ribbing) magic loop style, but it just wasn't long enough so I hunted up a set of dpns (wasn't in a mood to buy a different circ which has little chance for my future knitting). I am 12 rows in to a 20 row neck band but I am thinking 16 rows may be enough... We'll see when we get there. Also thinking about dropping down to a size 2 to pull in the ribbing more. We'll see what I think tomorrow. <br /><br />In other news, knitpicks now has cat bordhi's new sock book for a nice discount. I ordered one for me and a few for my Sisters. On Saturday. And there was a box on my porch tonight. That is basically 4 days shipping during the holiday season. Good job Kelly and crew. Thanks. Except I lost an hour or two of knitting time tonight.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-36815802285240905012007-12-02T16:52:00.000-06:002007-12-02T17:12:23.750-06:00destashing --- what is that?An unusual phenomenon is happening here at chez maple. I mentioned last week [<a href="http://soapquiltknit.blogspot.com/2007/11/yarn-for-sale-or-trade.html">link</a>] about listing some yarn for sale or trade on ravelry. It's going pretty well. About half of the yarns have "moved on". But this is not <em>normal </em>around here.<br /><br />What usually happens is that yarn comes in, from one of my lys's or from the internet. [I puzzled over that phrasing but I guess that's how it seems, in my head.] Anyway, it usually hangs around on the dining room table for a time. Then it gets into a bag for knitting or goes into a bin, in the room I used to call the quilt room but there's been precious little quilting in the last coupla' years. And the stash is reduced only by yarn which becomes finished objects.<br /><br />However, I've recently come to the opinion that there is some yarn that I have knit and don't want to knit again, or yarn that I bought and I just don't want to knit. And it was time to move it on. Hence the ravelry offerings.<br /><br />The maple man is oblivious to most of the yarn. And to the knitting. Except for the knitting on his sweater which he considers honorable knitting of the highest order. But I digress. <br /><br />I mentioned to him this afternoon about mailing out some yarn. He asked if I had plenty of packing tape. (I had him hunting for tape last week. We didn't find it. I bought more and now it will turn up...) I told him I was destashing some. He gave me a puzzled look. He said, "What do you mean? Hiding yarn at someone else's house?" I said, yeah, kind of...Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-71720738759026025502007-12-01T10:36:00.000-06:002007-12-01T10:48:36.275-06:00December 1 statusI did so want to have a finished Irish Moss to report for December 1. But if you've read my <a href="http://soapquiltknit.blogspot.com/2007/11/all-is-well.html">recent post</a> I had to frog back the neckline shaping and knit another inch. But stay tuned for updates leading to a completion. Soon. Surely...<br /><br />finished during November 2007 <br />5 hats<br />no socks<br />The sock total for 2007 remains 14 pairs <br /><br />For December knitting, I plan to complete Irish Moss. <br />I'd like to complete Mom's sweater so I don't have to gift her an incomplete sweater then take it back to knit...<br />Maybe more Christmas gift hats. <br />Then back to some moi knitting.<br /><br />My spreadsheet of projects has been neglected recently. I'll try to get it updated for a complete report at the end of the year. I may use ravelry to track projects in '08. I do some ravelry but have to limit myself so it doesn't become a black hole for time when I could have been knitting or spinning. I'm patternwhisperer on ravelry if you want to be my friend.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-69480830440896383782007-11-29T19:34:00.000-06:002007-11-29T19:38:16.668-06:002 saddlesThe Irish Moss sleeves each have a cable-y saddle. (The maple man thinks of them as officer's stripes.) The front has been frogged back to before the shoulder shaping. I'm quite pleased that I put in a lifeline before starting the shaping.<br /><br />I'm off to knit another inch or so of cables then more shoulder shaping. And watch the cowboy game. ;-)Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-14087797793093956862007-11-26T13:29:00.001-06:002007-11-26T13:29:51.473-06:00Yarn for sale or trade<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/97615436@N00/2065344007/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/2065344007_ead01ad919_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a> <br /> <span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/97615436@N00/2065344007/">yarn_for_sale 076</a> <br /> Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/97615436@N00/">soapquiltknit</a> </span></div>I've just loaded some yarns onto my stash for sale or trade page. If you're not on ravelry and you're interested in some yarn, let me know what you're looking for. I have Noro and sock yarn and recycled silk and sock yarn (KP sock garden geranium, and tap dancing) and wool gatto. Also KP Sierra and spinnaker. And some Fire Ant Ranch singles.<br /><br />Here is a link:<br />http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/iso-and-destashing/42458/1-25<br clear="all" />Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-27335442951847371752007-11-25T22:18:00.000-06:002008-12-09T16:38:21.704-06:00All is wellStill adjusting to the new computer... [Scoll way down for knitting content.]<br /><br />itunes is ticking me off. Anybody know of another program to use with my ipod to keep up with podcasts and load a bit of music from CDs?<br /><br />The maple man has to make a pdf to send in related to the rhodie convention next year in Tulsa. I did not move over his make-a-pdf shareware. Worse than that, I got rid of it (on the old computer, I asked first "are you going to make any more pdf's) because the name of the program looked suspiciously like some software known to cause problems with some thumbdrive software. Who knew they were so complicated?<br /><br />But I digress... So we had to re-download, and re-install primo pdf. And he made a pdf yesterday. But he didn't send it off. He wanted to think about it. Today he couldn't find it. So he made a new one and sent it off. This evening I'm knitting. He starts asking questions about the program files directory. What?? He wants to know where the program files directory is. He thinks his lost pdf is in there. What?? He will not be dissuaded. I have to put down the knitting and find him the program files. First I had to tell Vista to quit hiding system files and folders. Don't remember what all I clicked but about a half hour later, we found all the program files and his lost pdf's (one from yesterday and one from today that he had not mentioned). Then he announced that all is well with the world.<br /><br />I was ok with that until I noticed the time and the fact that I had missed the first part of Desperate Housewives...<br /><br />In other all-is-well news, the irish moss is coming along nicely. And it fits. Well, it will with minor adjustment. I really really needed to try it on the maple man before more knitting. The front and back and sleeves were knitted. All was. complete save the saddle shoulders and the neckline ribbing. <br /><br />I basted the side seams and the sleeve seams and basted the sleeves to the body parts. But what about those missing shoulders? I could not ask him to put it on and try to hold it up. So I used a t-shirt. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEili9Yq-YSaLg-_DRUbWbbUFqKd0qbm7Lp9zHTH_vO0s7m18CvUQ9oHw1mAqbCHfKC1kgI4cbrLNv0fHbG_r5YMZRUCavC0hr3K0uY7UqU3frf-7y4WTc9Npyrbiu4c6U8d-oIj/s1600-h/im_tshirt1125_close.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEili9Yq-YSaLg-_DRUbWbbUFqKd0qbm7Lp9zHTH_vO0s7m18CvUQ9oHw1mAqbCHfKC1kgI4cbrLNv0fHbG_r5YMZRUCavC0hr3K0uY7UqU3frf-7y4WTc9Npyrbiu4c6U8d-oIj/s320/im_tshirt1125_close.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137005082934200866" /></a><br /><br />I could have cut it up to have just the shoulders and neck ribbing but there's no need. <em>And it fits. </em> He commented right away that the sleeves are just right. Looked a bit long to me but poor guy's probably never had sleeves too long. And the length will take up a smidge with elbow bend wrinkles. The sweater front and back do need to be an inch or so longer. I've already blocked in some length to account for the bloom of the wool/silk blend. I have lifelines holding the back stitches before the shoulder bind-off. And lifelines holding the front stitches before I knit the shoulder shaping.<br /><br />So I'm knitting saddles. And preparing to knit an inch or so more body. And I'm ready to be done with cables for a while.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-52215998552173049512007-11-23T23:11:00.000-06:002007-11-23T23:32:29.271-06:00On the day after Thanksgiving...I usually go shopping. I didn't do the mall. And didn't go for the 4 a.m. openings or the 5 a.m. openings. But I did do Office Depot. At 5:45 a.m. And got a new laptop. And it is a pain in the patooey to move over files. Especially the maple man's collection of pictures. Many of which are more than 4 meg each... Good thing I also got a <strong>big </strong>external hard drive. And it's a good thing, this struggling computer did not give up the ghost before I finally got around to upgrading. So far, vista is fine. And plenty of memory is good. Now about those rebate forms...<br /><br />Then to Simpatico [<a href="http://simpaticoyarns.com/">link</a>] for the sale. I got LOTS of fiber. A bag full of mostly red (with some black and white) that is a mill end roving from brown sheep. Probably wool with a low percent of mohair. Some lady from California was there last week and bought all the black and brown and all of the punta top. Also I got a couple of ounces of colored cotton for when I feel up to trying cotton. And a bit of yarn. Who could resist hempathy for 70% off? Before you rush right up there, I got the last of it. But there <strike>are</strike> were some good deals left, when I left. I think the sale is still on tomorrow. <wink>Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-51493037977491504132007-11-22T10:05:00.000-06:002007-11-22T10:21:54.342-06:00Thanksgiving 1I am losing it. Not sure how this happened. I told the maple man that he may need to check me in to the funny farm. I know how to make pies. I became the official pie maker in my family, when I was 13 or 14, in self-defense. My mom made really bad pie crust. She tried. Really she did. It just never came out flaky and tender. Sometimes tough. Sometimes doughy. Sometimes burned. But I digress...<br /><br />Today is Thanksgiving. We must have pie. Pecan pie. Some of you might say pumpkin pie but around here, if there is one pie that is mandatory, it is pecan. Last night, I didn't have bell practice so I went to an <a href="http://fibertherapy.groups.vox.com/">extra knit night</a>. The maple man thought the knitters should be home making pies or thawing turkeys but I had different ideas. <br /><br />So, I'm making pie this morning. I make crust from a recipe in my head. Roughly, per crust, 1 cup flour, 1/3 cup crisco, some salt, and water to moisten, with minimal mixing. [The trick is to measure the crisco by displacement in ice water. Now you know all my secrets...] <br /><br />Sooo I commence to make the crust. I measure 2/3 cup of Crisco. 2 cups of flour (can you see where we're going with this?) Mix the crust. Divide in half and roll out (with the one-handled rolling pin I inherited when my mom moved in with my brother... The story goes that Grandma Shorty broke off the other handle on grandpa's head.) I put the crust in the pie pan. And then I started to wonder what I was thinking. A pecan pie is a one-crust pie. What is that other crust for???<br /><br />The pie is in the oven. The other crust is in the freezer.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-2939300844051672882007-11-22T10:01:00.000-06:002007-11-22T10:05:13.742-06:00saving nine contestRush on over to Nichole D.'s blog, saving-nine [<a href="http://saving-nine.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html">link</a>]. (Scroll down to the November 9 post. I couldn't figure out how to link directly. So sorry.) <br /><br />She's having a contest to promote her cute knitting needle endcap earrings. Entries close today, 11/23, so hurry on over and comment to enter.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-64999126139723543562007-11-21T07:11:00.000-06:002007-11-21T07:35:01.395-06:00let the holidays begin...I'm off work today and next Monday, plus the holidays, so we're having a <em>nice long </em>weekend. There will be cooking tomorrow but I've convinced the maple man we don't need to cook a turkey for the two of us. I think we've decided on butterfly pork chops with some of the traditional side dishes. Watch this space for a list. We have different favorites so it will be interesting to see how many we end up with in our effort to not get carried away.<br /><br />But, and you might have guessed this, a long weekend means lots of knitting time. Last night at knit night, I finished knitting the last rows on the back of Irish Moss. Now there is the binding off, but we'll have no normal binding off for Alice. In the cables, there are decreases during the bind off so I have to pay some attention. I considered briefly doing a three needle bind off for the shoulders, and then I remembered the saddles (which I still need to knit. Forget about it, I said to myself, and follow the bind off instructions.<br /><br />The maple man asked this morning what I was going to be knitting. I told him I was about ready for the bind off. Then I'll do some blocking and basting-together to make sure this thing is going to fit. Not sure how I'd make adjustments but, ummm, there will be no frogging and reknitting. In the back of my mind, I am thinking about my brother who is a smidge smaller than the maple man, tall, but not quite as tall, and no dun-laps (<em>def</em>. when your belly done lapped over your belt).<br /><br />Back to the knitting plans... I said the ribbing would be knitted soon. He says "I've been meaning to talk to you about that". I'm thinking, this is all I need, suggestions from <strike>the peanut gallery</strike> a non-knitter. He says "How much ribbing am I getting? 1/2 inch, 1 inch?" I said about an inch or a little more. I don't have any idea how much Alice has in mind but I figure it's up to me. We need enough ribbing to make the neckline stable and look good. I guess I'll be considering the suggestions of the maple man and Alice. <br /><br />Then he explained about the glasses. He says he likes to take his sweater off with his glasses on. The things you learn about a man after all these years.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-138163493914238412007-11-19T11:41:00.000-06:002007-11-19T10:09:21.978-06:00into the toilet...Podcaster Kelley Petkun from knitpicks has gone over the deep end recently with an extensive review of a book about toilet paper covers. <br /><br />Umm, I grew up in a house with a crocheted toilet paper cover. It was yellow, I think. I don't recall that we used the toilet paper in the cover. It was for decoration. This (the making of toilet paper covers) would be more complicated these days because of the downsizing of the regular size toilet paper roll, and the introduction of double rolls and triple rolls. And whatever other new size rolls they are making this week. It seems we have lost our standards.<br /><br />I'm not linking to the book. If you are interested, I'm sure you can google it. Or listen to the podcast.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-74195421100613486112007-11-18T19:06:00.000-06:002007-11-18T19:09:00.004-06:00a shoulderIrish Moss has a shoulder:<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q67/soapquiltknit/im111807.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Well, almost two shoulders. I'm off to finish knitting shoulder 2, but first a close-up of cable-y goodness:<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q67/soapquiltknit/im111807close.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-11411814171593533092007-11-14T20:25:00.001-06:002007-11-14T20:25:10.899-06:00poke berry yarn update<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/97615436@N00/2025941049/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2079/2025941049_dc4712c960_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a> <br /> <span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/97615436@N00/2025941049/">poke plyed111307 002</a> <br /> Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/97615436@N00/">soapquiltknit</a> </span></div>I have plyed the darker yarn from the first week's poke berries with the lighter yarn from the second week's poke berries. It's pretty and I think it will knit up tweedy. But, and I guess I shouldn't be surprised, it's chunky. Two singles, that both looked like fingering or light fingering, ply together to make chunky. It's not over-plyed so that is progress. I looks a tad under-plyed to my untrained eye but hangs without twisting as pretty as you please. I understand that means it's balanced.<br /><br />I mixed together the saved poke berry juice from both batches (there were no mold or off-scents). There were about three pints total and stewed up (that's a techical term) another couple of yards of roving. One yard of targhee, marked with a green thread, and one yard of rambouillet. I wanted to test whether it was likely the roving source that was responsible for the color difference. It wasn't. Both rovings are very similar in color. So the difference is likely due the the berry ripeness difference between week 1 and week 2 or some processing difference. After the rovings came out, there was still plenty of juice so I dyed some of my early spun yarn (ok, all my spun yarns are early, as I've just been spinning for a couple of months...)<br /><br />I haven't decided what all this yarn in various shades of poke berries wants to be. Nominations are open.<br /><br />p.s. there's still a pint and a half <br />Are you asking yourself, will this saga every end?<br /><br />p.p.s. I've read that carrot tops make a nice green. I've never had a lot of gardening success with carrots. Maybe it's time for another try?<br clear="all" />Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-62263413058417078052007-11-13T10:24:00.000-06:002008-12-09T16:38:22.112-06:00a sweater for dadToday’s knitting daily post comes from guest contributor, Amy Clarke Moore, editor of Spin-Off magazine. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CYZJ1HCcCxZiTUvEGjzH1j1t8rrv_084i91AQwCdJfiyS9Mdj9nW0JDau42HcC_9k1Dm6ADrBhOSSu7G8-XTlDPsGCXVZzHYBPW4gzaLc5d-FqQAx4_hd4XHrxOHV5q_Sms7/s1600-h/amysdad.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CYZJ1HCcCxZiTUvEGjzH1j1t8rrv_084i91AQwCdJfiyS9Mdj9nW0JDau42HcC_9k1Dm6ADrBhOSSu7G8-XTlDPsGCXVZzHYBPW4gzaLc5d-FqQAx4_hd4XHrxOHV5q_Sms7/s200/amysdad.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132361799166346050" /></a><br />Amy tells about the sweater she’s been working on for her dad since 1996. She knits on it from November to February. His birthday is in February and when it’s not done in time for his birthday, she puts it away until the next dad-sweater-knitting-season.<br /><br />I’m not sure how old Amy is or how old her dad is. But I’m guessing Amy is grown, since she has a position as editor of a spinning magazine, and her dad is, what word should I use, mature. <br /><br />Life is fleeting. We never know when our number will be called. I lost my dad, suddenly, in 1992, when he was 65. I think he knew, because before he passed, he made the “tour” and visited each of his kids and their families. And I wasn’t a knitter then, but if I had been, I would have wanted him to have his sweater.<br /><br />Amy, finish the sweater.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-90026940046998022432007-11-13T10:20:00.000-06:002008-12-09T16:38:22.251-06:00knit stamps<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9Cj856zzPdwWJCka7m057dfr7KGxnPjRHVBiI47f6Vrb4MGsjgejkj4Q5r3mNMUHLR72rM_V8qtkKD4y1SLFSsgOMNz_UsCLEm-C31lVoDdWI7ySzGSmKW5cMUjUQ0ucAPGk/s1600-h/knit_stamps.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9Cj856zzPdwWJCka7m057dfr7KGxnPjRHVBiI47f6Vrb4MGsjgejkj4Q5r3mNMUHLR72rM_V8qtkKD4y1SLFSsgOMNz_UsCLEm-C31lVoDdWI7ySzGSmKW5cMUjUQ0ucAPGk/s200/knit_stamps.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132361275180335922" /></a> Have you seen this year's Christmas stamps from the USPS?<br /><br />This picture is from last year. The stamps a co-worker showed me this morning say 41.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-57018594285855631952007-11-12T18:28:00.000-06:002008-12-09T16:38:23.078-06:00hats for 3 year oldsHere are some hats I've been knitting:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgux3cogr8Nc5_T4tBBqMnPmaWKoJLQmHer-GkUHolg1G8Cjrn4pyQSVH0st76QDHsTdDaeD2cBQoxx8ZG78KIkk9SNbmuXRwxVRoFgQriIUdfIpi9oD-0DDlQFQPXjFjtHVS0C/s1600-h/pinkhat111007.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgux3cogr8Nc5_T4tBBqMnPmaWKoJLQmHer-GkUHolg1G8Cjrn4pyQSVH0st76QDHsTdDaeD2cBQoxx8ZG78KIkk9SNbmuXRwxVRoFgQriIUdfIpi9oD-0DDlQFQPXjFjtHVS0C/s320/pinkhat111007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132117484246680322" /></a>The pink hat is for my cousin's granddaughter Anna Mae. It is knit with two strands of custom dyed not-so-light yarn from Socks that Fit [<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=42932§ion_id=5058641">etsy link</a>] <br />I think it will be just right for a 3 year old girly girl who likes pink. It reminds me of pepto-bismol or Barbie playhouse pink. My cast-on was 80 and the needle was a kp 16 inch circ size 5us. The pattern is my own and will be published here soon.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6HJHMTOXrQZWM3OMdFkXcOEoVyX7rf2bG-rXcWJ4VLny2Qkk13jrZ5TSIwMKLR9hwBFA-BnYX17c2czZm-6FA3q4sQFsv8mIwwGdj1OBAFk4DP8zmwnULaaYYrMDJeMi7FgL/s1600-h/redhat111007.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6HJHMTOXrQZWM3OMdFkXcOEoVyX7rf2bG-rXcWJ4VLny2Qkk13jrZ5TSIwMKLR9hwBFA-BnYX17c2czZm-6FA3q4sQFsv8mIwwGdj1OBAFk4DP8zmwnULaaYYrMDJeMi7FgL/s320/redhat111007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132117497131582226" /></a> The red hat is for the 3 year old grandson of one of the maple man's suppliers. Carl Munn is the developer of the popular and hard-to-find Moonrise maple. The colors of the hat are designed to capture the fall colors of Japanese maples. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvXm9E5jee8OC8RGI01CWr1NMB7tg92pa7TawOFP-Qp60P2nBGqkGAfhY1AKWa51mUJsHWUKuI4SUYXV7QuMK3rVFamLhIXOaC6tC7bxoEKqfAMYq04hnELDqzANDqpT3Y17I/s1600-h/OR7+078.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvXm9E5jee8OC8RGI01CWr1NMB7tg92pa7TawOFP-Qp60P2nBGqkGAfhY1AKWa51mUJsHWUKuI4SUYXV7QuMK3rVFamLhIXOaC6tC7bxoEKqfAMYq04hnELDqzANDqpT3Y17I/s320/OR7+078.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132129561694716706" /></a> This one is Acer Japonicum Oisami.<br /><br />Same pattern as above except the cast-on was 84. Same size 5 kp 16 inch circ. The yarn is one strand of Silja red and one strand of Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn in the fall foliage colorway.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626034.post-14805484084999183522007-11-11T17:33:00.000-06:002007-11-11T17:45:43.723-06:00dog timeWe changed the clocks a week ago. It's time to "fall back" but on my first effort to reset the microwave clock, I went a hour the wrong way. The maple man understood the time change more clearly than I did and I reset again. I've only been resetting twice a year for <em>mumble mumble </em> many years but I guess I was confused.<br /><br />About 4:00 last Sunday afternoon last week, the dog's were acting hungry earlier than the time they usually eat. The maple man understood that they don't go by clocks and their tummies were telling them it was time for dinner. I also declared that my tummy said it was time for dinner.<br /><br />All week, I've been waking up early. Before the time on the clock when I usually get up. And I've been getting yawn-y and sleepy earlier than my usual bedtime.<br />Add to this time confusion that things have been crazy at work and I've been staying later than usual.<br /><br />And one more problem with time changes, it's dark when I get home from work, or at least the good light is gone. Which makes problems for blog pictures... I think I took some at the farm yesterday but they're still in the camera... Maybe later? <br />My tummy says it's time for dinner.Jerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16950369280019881887noreply@blogger.com0