Log Cabin Blanket

Thanks to Ann http://www.purlingswine.com/ the log cabin blanket may be figured out. Placing a safety pin on the right side helped me to keep track of the ws and rs. Finally-No more lines showing up on both sides. I was only going to use this Lion Brand Thick and Quick for practice -but might just continue using it. Maybe a pug blanket ? I plan on saving all leftover sock yarn and make one of these like Wendy is doing.

feels like winter

Cold today.My visiting son and husband are on the roof putting in something for a fireplace insert downstairs. Glad he is here so I do not have to help! ( see the ladder in the picture )

so this is what I have done:

• I got rid of the dead plants in the garden
• walked to yarn store.


• Played with 3 of the pugs (Buddy, Molly, Peek-A-Boo)


• took a day off from nursing home with my father and being patient with my mother


• vowed (again )to lose those 10 pounds.
• decided to do an Elizabeth Zimermann knit-along of the Maltese Hat

Mason Dixon Log Cabin blanket

Trying very hard to to figure this out. Just practicing with Lion Brand left over thick stuff. Not sure how you pick up the stitches and which side if the ridge side... a line is showing on some sides and not the others.YIKES I need help!!! Not sure when you change colors either..Tomorrow I will take it to my knitting group .

Poor Peek- A- Boo ( adorable black one)

This is Peaky and her mom, Molly.

Poor Peaky has 9 kidney stones. She is on special food for 3 weeks and if that does not dissolve them she will have to have surgery at $900. Poor pug had this when she was a puppy a few years back . So when she started trying to pee with no success we took her to the vet today.

socks and Digital Phone

I am working diligently on my sock. Got the heal started last night. I think after a couple more of these I will have it down. I like doing socks- sorta like a puzzle.This will be my 2 nd pair on my own. Made a mistake with the ribbing on the cuff -lost track of purls and knits while in the stressful hospital last week. I wonder if I should make the 2nd one the same way with the ribbing off?
They picked me to be a Friendly Tester of the new Digital Phone in my area. So now we have two phones hooked up here and ringing from different places. The Digital one will be really cheap with unlimited calling at 34.95$ a month. One problem I encountered already is that my CapTel http://www.captionedtelephone.com/how-it-works.phtml phone will not work with Digital. So I am not sure about changing companies for that reason or maybe keeping one line just for that?

woopeee! learned how to cross out words with a line !!

testing
Thanks to Wendysknit.net
Wendy was kind enough to explain how to do this crossing out with a line by using the strike Html tag (which I knew nothing about ).

rhinebeck

Went to Rhinebeck with Liz for my first experience with all the vendors and crowds. Enjoyed going around and feeling all the different yarns -but -was a bit overwhelmed with all of it. So much to choose from! Got some sock yarn and 2 kits to make shawls just because I couldn't think of what yarn I needed and how much for the different projects I want to start. Planned to make the list but never did. Must do this before going to Stiches!

Last night Liz and I knit beaded bracelets using copper wire that I learned to make at knitting camp. So wonderful to spend this kind of time with her. Then this am I helped her grade science tests . I miss teaching but not all the paper work I did on Sunday nights for 30 years! Now I can knit instead (:

Drove home this afternoon and stopped to see Dad at the nursing home. He seemed perkier but fell asleep after awhile

Rhinebeck

This morning a friend showed me how to do some ribbon embroidery..cute little flowers. It was fun.
Then went to visit Dad in the nursing home all afternoon. not fun..


I am off to Rhinebeck tomorrow. Meeting Liz by the Kingston exit. hmmmm I wonder if they take debit cards? maybe I better stop at the bank first... Hope it is warmer than it is tonight.
- going to make a list of yarn that I want for projects that I hope to do soon..sock yarn is easy but for other things I am not sure.
Thursday knitting group is making a Crayola Box sweater. I m not that thrilled after making one square . It is taking me forever to finish just the back of my wip. Think I rather do some felted purses or something that goes faster for me.

Pugs

I love these little clowns! They give me unconditional love , lots of licks and stinky kisses. Pugs are the best medicine for cheering me up.

Nursing home

Well, Dad is there in room 226 . Long depressing day of waiting at hospital, filling out of repetitive forms and coping with both parents while dad was sort of settled in nursing home. I had to get rid of what I wrote last night.
no knitting done......):
I still plan on going to Rhinebeck with Liz. She sounded sick with a sinus infection last night and still has to teach those 6th graders so I hope she is up to it and feels better.

Nursing home

Dad might be going to a nursing home . Tomorrow they will take him if all the papers and forms work out. It has been extremely depressing and upsetting dealing with my mother and and having him sent there.Mom can't handle his needs at this point and she is feeling so guilty . He can hardly get around and needs constant care. I hate having to make these arrangements and decisions along with my mother to put my father in this sad place. It will even worse taking him there from the hospital and having to leave him and my mother going home alone. I hope my kids never have to experience this heartbreak with me.
After I came home tonight I did sit for a while to knit the sweater. Knitting is therapy and helps calm me down for a bit.

pug in heat...

Peek-A-Boo is in heat. What a nuisance! She has to be separated from the male , Magoo ( her father). Magoo is moaning and howling like a love sick pup keeping us up awake at night.

Dad is still in the hospital. I knit part of the cuff of a sock today.

Spinners and Weavers Guild lunch

Yesterday I took a short break between hospital visits. I went to the local Spinners yearly luncheon with my new knitting friends. Such a wonderful time was had with new friends, an impressive fashion show and door prizes. Fiona Siobhan (can't remember last name), an amusing Irish storyteller sat at her spinning wheel and entertained us by sharing her experiences as a shepherd and spinner .
I am off to the hospital to visit Dad and to help my mother.

Dealing with sick parent

Dad is still in the hospital. I did do more knitting as I worried about him today. Mom is super stressed and I am not sure if she will be able to take care of him. Doctors say he has had several strokes this past year and the brain is atrophied. His balance is off but wants to get up frequently to use the bathroom. He had a high fever and fluid in his lungs. That is better.

He was the most modest, intelligent and kind man growing up. Today he is argumentative and does not care that I have to put the bed pan under him or wipe him. This is so difficult...Making the decisions about how to care for him is even harder. He was better mentally today . The social worker came in to talk with us. Mom does not want assisted living or to leave her home. He hated the nursing home he was in for a few months last year after he fell.

The sweater saga..kimono

My 85 year old dad is in the hospital the last 2 days. I have plenty of nervous energy waiting while he sleeps most of the time. So I did get a bit of the sweater done..this is a lot for me..

I learned the mattress stitch to sew up the kimono and now I am crocheting the edges. The finishing part is taking a long time..

twins to knit for.....

Picture of Sarah and Jason's Twins ( A and B)..is this cool or what? My nephew and his wife Sarah found out yesterday they are having twins in May. Now I have some babies to knit for!

Stitches Stuff came today

The paperwork came today. Stitches is getting closer and I am saving my $. Funny,they even provide a service to mail all your stuff home . Some people must get a little carried away. Better not bring the Mini.

Now- Have to figure out what I signed up for and what homework /materials are needed . My classes are all beginners ones and I am sure I will learn a lot about felting 101, cables, everything beyond knit and purl and finishing .

purple kimono progress and moth eggs destroyed

I am blocking the baby kimono .. now have to figure out how to do the mattress stitch. This stretchy cotton makes it hard to see bars I am supposed to go through in the stitch. I better wait till it is sunny during the day so I can see.

Gross thing accomplished today. I went around and scraped off the moth eggs on my trees today. These yellow masses can can potentially hatch over 1,000 disgusting caterpillars next spring . Moths were so destructive this year eating the leaves and dropping their poop all over. Eggs are now soaking in a can of bleach .

http://wendyknits.net/ Celtic Swan Forge dpn's are on my wish list. Wendy's blog is better than any knitting magazine or book.




























































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Is knitting making me fat?

Since I started knitting 7 months ago I have gained 10 pounds? Yikes. I keep telling myself to go for a walk or do a tape ..Maybe it is because I am retired too. But, husband claims I am sitting too much? would think knitting would help me lose weight because it keeps my hands busy from snacking. Nothing fits): winter coming and it will only get worse.so depressing. Sitting at this computer so much does not help either, I guess?

Friday..

Went to knitting last night and we are getting excited about Stitches. My first Stitches so I signed up for several classes. Hope I left time to shop. But, maybe that is a good thing $$$

Still working on the front left of the Mason Dixon kimono.

Went to 2 church sales today with my EBay selling friend. Had to get up in the dark to be the first there ):. I was looking for knitting and spinning stuff & found none .But is was ok because she filled her car up with EBay stuff .

Found another blog I plan to visit daily..My favorites now are :

• http://wendyknits.net
• http://www.purlingswine.com/
• http://theraineysisters.com