Monday, March 11, 2024

Netflix and Chill Knitting

Yesterday I mentioned I would be looking for some new after dinner, tv watching knitting. I found the perfect projects. I am going to make a couple slouchy hats with a pattern from Knit Picks. The pattern uses an Italian cast on. That was a new skill for me. I found instructions on YouTube from Bill Souza. < The link goes to his channel. His videos for left-handed knitters are done very well. Any time I come across something in knitting patterns I don't understand I always look to see if he has a video on it. My edge does look a bit sloppy and I am not sure why, but practice makes perfect. It does seem to make the perfect cast on for hats and bottom up sweaters with ribbing, maybe even top down socks.


I got my 1 1/2 inches of 1 x 1 rib done last knit. Next is lots of plain knitting in the round until it is time for decreasing at the top. I'll share more again soon.

Back with more again soon.
Take care and stay cozy!
If you shop on Amazon you can use the affiliate link below if you wish. I could earn a bit from qualified purchases and that means more yarn for me and many thanks to you!

Sunday, March 10, 2024

New Knitting

Yes, I did. I have started a new project. This is the first of a pair of yoga socks. No toes to make or heels to turn. I haven't ever made these before. The pattern is from Stitchcraft and Wizardry and is called Knitting is My Yoga Socks. You can find it on Ravelry and you don't need an account to check it out. 


Since I am in a stash busting mood I have decided to knit some hats during movie time after dinner. Nothing is cast on yet but when that happens I will let you know. The yoga socks will be worked on upstairs where I can concentrate on the pattern without distractions.

Back with more again soon.
Take care and stay cozy!
If you shop on Amazon you can use the affiliate link below if you wish. I could earn a bit from qualified purchases and that means more yarn for me and many thanks to you!

Friday, March 8, 2024

I Sewed a Thing!


I haven't sewn anything in quite a while. With my sisters here last weekend I sewed. My younger sister was showing me some inspiring videos on YouTube and I started planning things in my head and pulling out fabric from bins. This project was from a design by Debbie Shore who you can find on YouTube. I adjusted the size a bit and created a project bag with an 8 inch square bottom. I love the combination of the stiff bottom and the drawstring top. The outside straps make it easy to close up the bag and carry it wherever you wish.

I have plans to use another of her patterns to make an organizer insert to hold small scissors, stitch markers, a tape measure and yarn needles. In other words, all those little tools you like to have handy when you are working on a knit or crochet project. With an insert I could move it from bag to bag because I have never been a monogamous creator. If you asked how many projects I have started at any given time I wouldn't be able to tell you.  I need to come up with a pretty solution to the drawstring too. Right now, I just have a strip of old fabric in the casing to see how well it worked. 


For the lining I remembered what the woman on the show "What Not to Wear" used to say. Remember that show? Anyway, Stacy(?) used to say it doesn't have to match, it has to go. I found a fabric lighter than the outside of my bag for the lining that I though fit that statement. The lighter color of the lining should make it easier to find things in the bottom of the bag, in the organizer that I need to make next.


So, I sewed a thing and want to make more.

Back with more again soon.
Take care and stay cozy!
If you shop on Amazon you can use the affiliate link below if you wish. I could earn a bit from qualified purchases and that means more yarn for me and many thanks to you!

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Books Read in February

I finished three books in February. One was nonfiction and two were fiction. I enjoyed all of them.
  • Storm's Fury (Amelia Storm FBI Mystery Series Book 1) by Mary Stone
  • Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning by Liz Cheney
  • Don't Forget to Write: A Novel by Sara Goodman Confino



The pictures above are affiliate links directly to the book's page if you want to read them yourself. If you have read any of these I would love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment.

Back with more again soon.
Take care and stay cozy!

If you shop on Amazon you can use the affiliate link below if you wish. I could earn a bit from qualified purchases and that means more yarn for me and many thanks to you!

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

A Morning Surprise

I probably told this story here a long time ago. Since I am sharing hot air balloon products on X from amazon today, I remembered something from the summer of 2011. I very nearly had a hot air balloon land in my backyard. It certainly wasn't a planned landing. The folks in the basket were looking forward to floating along looking at the Teton Mountains and the Snake River. That changed and for them it may have been a bit scary, but no one was hurt. The balloon was bundled up and put on a trailer and the tourists were loaded in a van and taken away I hope to get refunds but who knows.

Check this out...


Those trees were in my backyard. The fence posts you see marked the edge of my yard. The drop was controlled and the landing soft. I kept hearing the burner going off. Evidently it was able to slow the descent but not keep them in the air. 



I was amazed at how fast the situation was taken care of. As the balloon collapsed the trailer and van showed up. The whole event was over in less than half an hour. 

Back with more again soon.
Take care and stay cozy!

If you shop on Amazon you can use the affiliate link below if you wish. I could earn a bit from qualified purchases and that means more yarn for me and many thanks to you!

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

National Polar Bear Day & Other Stuff

It is national polar bear day. No matter what you think about climate change (and I believe we have f***ed things up and I hope it's not too late) you have to admit these are some majestic animals. They are having a hard time in a place where life is always hard anyway. I am thankful that there are people and organizations looking out for them.

The other stuff? Jim and I spent 3 hours getting to and from the nearest military base so that I could renew my dependent's ID card. Evidently this was the last time I will ever need to do this. My card is now indefinite. Driving was the longest part of this. The actual time at the desk of the friendly guy who helped me was about 2 minutes. It is done. I am registered on the DEERS system which means my Tricare for Life Medical Insurance is active. This is such a wonderful benefit. Without it our retirement could be very different. It makes 20 years of military service worth it.

My sisters are coming for the weekend. We have some tentative plans. Will share more about the visit next week.

Back with more again soon.
Take care and stay cozy!

If you shop on Amazon you can use the affiliate link below if you wish. I could earn a bit from qualified purchases and that means more yarn for me and many thanks to you!

Monday, February 26, 2024

Head in the Clouds


The image above is from Bing's Image Creator. It fits my thinking today. My sisters and I are considering forming a company to sell what we make. We all make things using different materials and styles and techniques. We are thinking of finding venues to sell in person. We are creators, all three of us and it gives our lives purpose and meaning that sometimes our significant others don't understand.

I am wondering if I have my head in the clouds thinking that we could make enough money to make it worth our time. The link is from a site giving the history and meaning of the phrase. What I wonder is if we sisters are being delusional? Can in person sales give us what we need to keep making? I have pretty much decided that for a small time hobbyist like me that Etsy is a waste of time. It has become a wasteland of POD t shirts and resellers with thousands of items who don't spend time and heart and soul to bring a customer hand crafted works or vintage treasures. 

I am also considering a web site for myself and maybe selling on eBay which doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is unlike Etsy. Head in the clouds, maybe. I guess we won't know until we try. 

Back with more again soon.
Take care and stay cozy!

If you shop on Amazon you can use the affiliate link below if you wish. I could earn a bit from qualified purchases and that means more yarn for me and many thanks to you!