That'll teach you....

The above title is not the original one for this post.  The first post was almost completed - I was just adding a link to my insightful thoughts and bits of knowledge when my computer flipped out and ate the whole page, sending me to my link.  Gone.  All Gone - all my strenuous work and strenuous intellectual deep thoughts - gone.  

So the title is to remind me to save this thing regularly.  Then when the computer flips out, all may not be lost, just misplaced.

The reason this thing flips out, pitches a tantrum or whatever you want to call it, is because the little scroll pad that you use to move the cursor around is very, very sensitive.  So sensitive, I don't have to touch it.  Moving my thumb or hand over it can cause it to follow what it perceives as instructions.  I've tried to find settings to turn off the pad only but no-can-do.  One must use the keyboard and pad or neither one.  Not acceptable in my book.

The original title was Temptations and other Things.

So I will now attempt to recreate the original post but, please be advised, all my momentous revelations are gone - poof - not to be repeated.  But I am saving this so all won't be lost again, I hope.

Temptation:

temp·ta·tion

tem(p)ˈtāSHən/

noun

noun: temptation; plural noun: temptations

1.

a desire to do something, esp. something wrong or unwise.

"he resisted the temptation to call Celia at the office"

Definition courtesy of Google.

Not to be confused with the group from the 60's, The Temptations, often referred to as the Temptin' Temptations.

My first temptation is called Sock Madness.  Imagine over 500 knitters from all over the world waiting for a link to a pattern to be posted.  They grab their copies from the link, grab yarn and needles, cast on and go.  Please note the cast on may be before or after reading the instructions the whole way through.  The goal:  Be able to complete a pair of socks within the allotted time of two weeks, have a project page displaying both an in-progress shot and a finished shot; send an email to a secret address with a link to the project page included and a key word on the subject line.

Now Sock Madness turns into a knitting version of Musical Chairs.  There are X number of places on each team.  You must knit the pattern emailed to you and complete the pair of socks, project page and email before the chairs/places on your team run out.  And so on until the finalists from each team go against each other (I think) in the final round - the 7th pair of socks.

The additional part of the madness is that the participants are all over the world. Ravelry (Ravelry.com is a fiber enthusiast's version of crack or meth, being very, very addictive) now has over 4 million members and is where the meeting of Sock Madness Participants resides.  There are members on almost every continent (not sure about Antarctica) and so that means lots of time zones.  So the patterns might come out at midnight or 2 am or noon your time.  There are quite a few people who have the ability to complete a pair of socks, approximately a few hundred thousand stitches, within 24 hours - no matter what time it is in their location.  There have been comments about Scandinavians and Germans having some sort of genetic advantage.  Well, I'm German and Swedish and I'm not seeing any advantage.  Maybe they cancelled themselves out.

Where do I fit in?  Well I'm one of the people who finished under the heading reasonable effort.  I've finished at least one sock or, if I were knitting 2 at a time, finished at least the heel turn on both socks.  That means I will receive each pattern sent out during Sock Madness.  Some of the patterns can cost as much as $12.00 if purchased separately so getting them free can represent a significant savings.  Of course the yarn purchases required put you in the hole again.

 Please meet Brucie, the first round sock of Sock Madness.  Named for the shark used in the movie Jaws. 

That was one temptation I succumbed to.  Another was my first Test Knit.  Test Knitting (or crochet, etc) is just that.  A person is testing a pattern for errors, understanding the steps, reading a chart if needed, and even sizing.  I was testing a toe up pattern for a wonderful lady in the UK.  I love the pattern (which was free) but don't have a finished photo yet.

Here is my Pickled Peaches test sock.  The name is because the German yarn is Opal Sweet & Spicy colorway Peaches.  My German Grandmother would make pickled peaches and taught me how.  This reminds me of those wonderful gems.  Hmmm, note to self, look for peaches at farmer's market this year and make up some jars for gifts.

The third temptation is the Do-si-do stitch along, also on Ravelry.  This very fun event is where someone chooses a pattern to knit. Then they either find a partner to knit the same pattern, or announce they need a partner.  Last year when I participated, I knit a pattern called Chartres.  I called mine Flying Buttresses as the pattern kicked mine a few times.

Here they are from last year.

I'm dancing with one of the same ladies as last year and doing a pattern called Leopold.  Mine will be called Leopold or Leonard due to my confusion between Leonard Bernstein and Leopold Stokowski as a child (both were mentioned in Bugs Bunny cartoons).  I knew one was still alive (at that time) and one wasn't (i thought).  But both being well known in the field of music, well confusion was ok.
I would also get confused with a friend's cat - could not remember if her name was Gertrude or Geraldine.  Still can't remember.  She is either the oldest known cat ever or has traveled to her happy hunting grounds.  If cat years are similar to dog years, she would be a few hundred years old.

Spinning has sat on the sidelines while the crush of knitting was going on.  Now I hope to finish the skein I'm working on (singles only) and get it plied.  My next project will 

be either the cotton sitting over there waiting for me or some Corri-

edale sitting in my closet, also waiting.  The Corriedale is the remainder of 2 lbs minus the skein and bobbin I've already spun.  It's just white yarn right now - so no photos yet.  After it is all done, washed and pretty, then I will post a photo or 2 and figure out what I want to knit with it.  It should produce enough yardage for a lot of socks or at least one cardigan or pullover.  It's outerwear for sure, a bit too scratchy for next-to-the-skin. I've finished that trip across the bobbin with the gray and am starting back to your right as you look at the photo.  The fiber does have sparkly bits in it so those white dots are part of the yarn, not a flaw in anything.  I have a ball about the size of a medium cantaloupe left to spin.

My work on my depression issues continue with the medication and counseling.  Both are helping a lot but I still have issues to get through or to learn how to deal with.  I've made notes to take to counseling so to bring them up and see if they are real or my imagination.  My children have been terrific support throughout all of this and encourage their kids, my grands, to talk with me- which can cheer me up no matter how down I am.

I will boast about one grand.  The grand took a Pre-ACT and scored in the top 1% of the nation.  As a result several colleges and universities are sending material to tempt (another temptation) the grand to attend their hallowed halls.  Some trips are planned so visits can be made but I don't think any commitments will happen until late in the Junior year or even early Senior year.  Now the grand needs to work on fields of interest or interests and see who offers the closest possibilities to fulfilling those needs/interests.  I am so thrilled with the opportunities available.

The other five grands are doing well within their fields of endeavors and provide moments of true joy with their adventures.  One watched a video I sent to the parent and stood and applauded while the youngest grand wanted it played again and again and again.... those with children or grands know exactly how much patience is required for dealing with this...which is why I sent it.  I did provide a warning that the grands would probably love it but the parent would not like me very much for sending it.

There is one advantage I see to being hearing impaired and needing appliances.  One can turn off the appliance to avoid the repeating and repeating of a song or some other irritating sound that children love.  I have seen that done by those I love who do need the appliances.  At times I wish I had the same ability.  Years ago that purple dinosaur would about drive me to drink.  Fortunately my children quickly reached the point of wanting to see something other than purple dinosaurs.

Well, friends, I'm off to knit some more.  Maybe that is what Poe's Raven is saying... Knit some more instead of Never more.  Until the next time, Enjoy!

New Year, old goals, new and old again

Welcome back.  Last time I wrote in this I had just arrived in NJ. I've been and then moved to TN.  It was a good trip except for some construction sites in VA.  Closed on the condo and discovered today that it is 1080 sq ft instead of the 950 I thought it was.  That's good news.

I had to update a few things after I somewhat moved in (meaning everything is here but not 100% unpacked).  I replaced the dishwasher, added a disposal, installed a new water heater, and replaced the light (one bulb) with a light/fan combo (3 lights) in both my bedroom and the dining room.  

At some point I will need to fix the lighting in the kitchen and add small task lights under the upper cabinets.  I'll also need a new stove at some point - this one is not self cleaning and the heating elements on top all list to one side or another.  None are level nor do they appear to be able to sit level - the clips to hold burners in place are not positioned the same as the holes in the stove top and it also appears someone made them fit.  They work which is all I need at this point.  I will also need to replace the apartment-sized washer/dryer unit with a new one. This one is old, the ventilation does not work well and the dryer doesn't do a very good job.  Eventually the clothes do dry, so it stays until it doesn't work.

Next project - work on closets - getting the materials to let me use shelving where I need to and to hang clothes without catching on a lower shelf.  Then I need to get closet items into the closets and also set up system for completing some of the WIPs (works in progress) in quilting, counted cross stitch, knitting, one embroidery project, and to set up the craft area so I have a place to put my sewing machine, drum carder and other stuff such as an inkle loom and a rigid heddle loom.  

I've found a primary care doctor, an opthamologist, and a counselor/therapist.  I'm extremely happy with all of them.  The primary care physician (pcp) adjusted my medications and I'm feeling a lot better but still having some setbacks.  Nowhere near as horrible as a year ago, but enough to rattle my cage and cause some problems.  The counselor is a neat person and we get along well.  I've outlined what I expect to achieve with my sessions and she feels they are doable and we are starting to work on those.  The eye doctor has put me back on eye drops for the glaucoma as I meet 8 of the 10 criteria he looks at for glaucoma.  The next appointment I had with him had my pressures down to 13 and 14.  That is terrific as that is the goal other doctors had set as a target pressure.  So I'm all set in that area for a while.

Now for something a bit different.  I was loaned a book by a friend who thought I would like it.  I read it earlier this month and fell in love with it enough that I bought my own copy.  It is Down This Road by Holly Young.  This is her first book.  I can't give specific reasons easily but the main character is one I can identify with along with some of the challenges she meets.  It is through reading her journal that we are told her story and meet and love or hate the people around her.   

Holly states this is based on a true story.  I wish I could have known the actual people used as the spark for the story.  If they were anything like the characters, they would be some wonderful people to know.  Not many books can have that said about their characters.  I believe most people will enjoy the story.

On to other things.  I'm test knitting a pair of socks for a designer from Great Britain.  I'm having fun with it.  The yarn is Opal, Sweet & Spicy in color 636, Peach.  The sock on your left is from the beginning of the skein and the other from the other end.

I'm happy with  this as my most recent start was yesterday.  I've also learned a new trick. The increases for the toe are done with a make 1, front and back.  at the beginning of the row, this is done on the first stitch but at the end, you stop 2 stitches before the end, do the kf&b and k1.  The neat thing is that the kb part of the stitch puts a small horizontal bar at the base of the stitch.  Doing the kf&b in the first stitch of the row puts that bar on one stitch in from the end.  Doing the kf&b 2 in from the end has the bar also one stitch in from the end.  Something so small does make a bit of a difference.  I'm making a 64 stitch sock and will do Eye of Partridge (EoP) for the heel turn and heel 'flap'.  

This is my progress on a Kustom Kraft SAL called Early Fall.  SAL is Stitch A Long. This reminds me of Lake Nickajack, just a bit west of here on I-24.  The river/lake shows along with mountains in the background.  I'm doing a method called Parking.  I'm working in columns now since I learned another 'new' trick.  There are 2 fairly recent videos on YouTube showing how one woman works her parking.  Then I also am using another person's method of doing the first leg of the cross, in this case \ and then bringing up the needle in the lower left where I can park the thread.  That way I can know for sure where I am with the parked thread.  The videos also show the stitcher using one marker to block out portions she has completed but using a 2nd color to mark where these parked stitches are.  I'll try to get more detailed photos for the next posting.  

Last, I'm finishing my first Bullseye Bump from Loop.  Stephanie does a magical process of turning wool and other fibers with bling or sparkle and makes them into a roll where things pull from the center and you end up spinning progressive colorings.  This first one was called First Blush and what you are seeing are the outside layers.  This started as a medium peach color then moving out to white and then gray.  Sounds boring and maybe it is - but I'm having fun spinning it.

The little pieces that look like errors in the picture do not mean I had a dirty lens but are the bits of sparkly stuff.  You can see parts of the color changes and I have a soft ball of between softball and volley ball size to finish. I think I will Navajo ply this.  That way the colors stay together and I won't have all sorts of bits to add to the yarn.  I do have 2 weaver bobbins that have parts of the two previous spinnings.  They will be worked in as I ply the yarn so I preserve any color progression.  The next one I have is more intense color in it so will be a bit more dramatic when it is done.  But that one is on the back burner. Next up in the spinning will be to finish almost 3 lbs of corriedale roving.  One lb from Halcyon Yarn is super soft.  2 lbs are from Spunky Eclectic in Maine and will be used in a sweater of some sort.  After those are done, washed and dried, then I will start 17 oz of cotton.  You may think that's not much but it's about a 2 gallon bag overfilled.  I'll also do the handpicked cotton from Cotton Man, which is 2 lbs.  It's not quite as much as there are seeds that are heavy with oil.  The lint (unspun cotton) is just fairly short and very fine.  

When the socks are done, I'll grab one of my WIP knitting and finish it, then another and so on.  The SAL will take the longest and I will hope to finish by 1/1/15.  The other part of the SAL is that we get one page of the pattern each month.  I believe we have 5 pages of 12 so far.  I'm still stitching page 1.

So this is most of what's going on.  There's more but that will be coming in the next entry. Take care and Enjoy!