A Finish and a New Project Started

I finished my blue and white mini shawl. I say mini because it is really more like a triangular scarf. This piece was knit in garter stitch. I love garter stitch when I want to create a fabric that feels squishy. I think this is a very versatile shape to knit. If you wear the point in the back you have a nice accessory to keep your neck and shoulders warm. Is it just me or do you know that sometimes that is all you need to feel comfortable and keep you from tensing your shoulder muscles and getting sore? If you wear one of these mini shawls with the point in front under your coat on a blustery winter day you can keep the wind out and stay nice and cozy while "walking in a winter wonderland".

So moving on I have started a new baby afghan. Have to have something on a hook or needles at all times. It is how I get through life without hurting people. LOL. This is the third time I have made this pattern and certainly won't be the last. This time the yarn is a cheerful, sunny, you just gotta smile yellow. The pattern for the knit Free Sunny Baby Blanket can be found by clicking here. I like this pattern for its ease. It makes for great tv knitting. I also like solid rather than lacy patterns for baby blankets. This is so that little fingers and toes don't get caught. 

My triangle mini shawl all done.

Rows and rows of squishy garter stitch.

The next project (a baby afghan) cast on last night.

I have to end with a rant. I had a new version of blogger show up last week. It may be older than that but I didn't post for a couple weeks. I hate it. formatting with pictures stinks. I can't easily arrange text and pictures like I used to. Setting up labels for posts is not as easy as it used to be either. Before you typed your label and a comma, next label and a comma and so on. Now you are supposed to be searching labels. It is just clunky and wrong. Look Google, I do like learning new things, I really do but I don't see how you have made things better so I want to learn them. What are the wonderful benefits of this new design. These changes kind of remind me of Etsy and some of you may know exactly what I mean.

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

Some Things To Smile About

Yes I do have things to smile about. In this time of worry and concern so far no one in my family has been touched by the virus keeping us all distanced from each other. My African Violets are blooming.

I saw a cute little boy singing "Don't Worry".

If you haven't found a reason to smile yet today watch the video. It is worth a minute of your time and I dare you not to feel better after watching.

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

Covid Map

I am putting this map biglocalnews.org on the blog for those like me who tend to have a real problem with FOMO. I would say enjoy but that doesn't seem right.

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

Netflix Watching At Our House

Like so many household today we are watching a lot more Netflix. Jim still works at the hospital Monday through Friday. Weekends seem forever long now especially for him and there is only so much news any of us should be watching for our mental heath. Many, many weekends before this virus became a problem we would leave town on the weekends. Typically he wanted to go to a town with a casino like Fort Hall, Idaho or Riverton, Wyoming. That wouldn't have ever been my first choice but they were his weekends so I would pack a book and a project and tag along. Other times we would go visit family in the Salt Lake area. That has come to a screeching halt and our weekends are now filled with Netflix.

It can be hard to find shows or movies that we both want to spend time watching. I do find it amusing that Jim is not real fond of intense thrillers or anything with violence in it at all. I had been watching Bates Motel and he didn't seem to like it at all. I kind of like the occasional science fiction show as well and he is not into those either. He also is not interested in shows like Supernatural or Vampire Diaries. I realized finally that he likes people stories. Think of shows like The Ranch and Friends. So with that in mind what are we watching together on these cabin fever inducing weekends? The latest series we have finished watching was Frankie and Grace. He loved it and so did I. We have to wait now for the final season to come out. 

Moving on to something new we have begun to make our way through the 15 seasons of Grey's Anatomy available on Netflix. He likes it. I had watched several seasons already but I am enjoying watching again from the beginning.

What is on your screens these days? Share in the comments. Would love to hear about any favorites from Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney+.

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

Making Winter More Cozy

Everyone wants a comfortable home to enjoy after a long day. When looking to add extra comfort to key areas of the home, the use of carpet warmers brings a touch of cozy to any room. As a consumer, there is often some confusion on this product. Let us remove some of the confusion with our breakdown of two main options on the market. We take a look at the key differences between Hot Carpet by Woowarmer vs. RugHeat™ by CozyWinters to help you make an informed purchase for your home.

Hot Carpet by Woowarmer vs. RugHeat™ by CozyWinters

1. Sizing

Hot Carpet by Woowarmer: Offered in limited sizing choices that do not fit most rugs sold in the U.S. to accommodate standard room sizes.

RugHeat™ by CozyWinters: Offers several sizes based on common rug sizes sold in stores for a variety of areas in the home.

22" x 34" (Fits under a 2' x 3' Rug)

22" x 89" Runner (Fits under a 2' x 7.5' Runner)

34" x 58" (Fits under a 3' x 5' Rug)

58" x 81" (Fits under a 5' x 7' Rug)

63" x 93" (Fits under a 5.5' x 8' Rug)

2. GFCI and plug

Hot Carpet by Woowarmer: Utilizes a two prong plug connected to a cord and is not GFCI protected making it dangerous and not within the required electrical code.

RugHeat™ by CozyWinters: Utilizes a three prong plug that is GFCI protected and is the only CE listed heating product on the market for use under an area rug.

3. Temperature

Hot Carpet by Woowarmer: The operating temperature of the Hot Carpet is 115 Fahrenheit on high or 95 Fahrenheit on medium. Both of these temperatures exceed the UL recommended surface temperature suggested for optimal safety. In addition to exceeding safety recommendations, a temperature of 104 Fahrenheit and above may cause issues such as surface skin burns and dehydration after extended use.

RugHeat™ by CozyWinters: Operates at a safer temperature of 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid safety concerns while still offering enough heat for comfort.

4. Safe power density

Hot Carpet by Woowarmer: The power density is not within a safe range as it exceeds the limit of 12 watts/sf set by UL standards.

RugHeat™ by CozyWinters: This option stays safely within the range of acceptable watts and it offers the necessary amps/voltage needed for safety.

5. Waterproofing

Hot Carpet by Woowarmer: Spilling liquid on this product has the potential to be quite dangerous and damaging since there is no GFCI protection. This product also isn’t waterproof to start with so using in damp/wet areas such as bathrooms isn’t recommended.

RugHeat™ by CozyWinters: This product is waterproof and has the necessary GFCI protection to allow it to be used in damp/wet areas without worry so you can use it the bathroom or kitchen.

6. Cord length

Hot Carpet by Woowarmer: The cord length is only 6 feet which makes it too short for the average size of rooms found in American homes.

RugHeat™ by CozyWinters: The cord length is 8 feet to make it easier to accommodate the U.S. market in terms of the average room size found in American homes.

7. Control unit

Hot Carpet by Woowarmer: The control unit is not only bulky, but it offers no warning about the dangers of it being covered with thermally insulated material. It is also a trip hazard due to where it is located.

RugHeat™ by CozyWinters: The control unit is encapsulated in a flame retardant ABS block that exits the heating panel in the corner of the warmer to avoid any issues.

8. Furniture

Hot Carpet by Woowarmer: This product carries restrictions on what types of furniture can be placed on top of it. For example, it can only be placed under the legs of furniture.

RugHeat™ by CozyWinters: This product can be used with all furniture and gives more options in terms of furniture placement such as being used under chairs rather than just under the legs of tables. Provided you follow the spacing guidelines of the product, you can place it just about anywhere in terms of furniture.

9. Unpleasant Odor

Hot Carpet by Woowarmer: The product may create an adhesive smell in the area when you first turn it on. The smell should gradually dissipate over time, but it can be a concern especially when using the warmer in a small space or a space that isn’t well-ventilated.

RugHeat™ by CozyWinters: The product is free from any odor from the start, provided you follow all the guidelines such as not placing foam underneath it.

10. Unclear Messages on Usage

Hot Carpet by Woowarmer: Woowarmer reports the product can be used in ways contradicting the product details such as stating it can be placed under a bathmat when it isn’t waterproof. They also suggest the warmer can be placed under a pet bed to provide warmth, but this would cause the product to overheat and shut off. It is also worth noting that the product is not actually recommended for use with pets because it could create a fire hazard if they damage the product. Woowarmer also suggest that the Hot Carpet is ideal for use with sleeping bags, but also carries a warning not to use the product while sleeping. With so many, it makes it harder for consumers to know how to safely use the product.

RugHeat™ by CozyWinters: CozyWinters educates consumers on the product and how to use it safely. With a thorough FAQ section on the site, it is easy for consumers to learn accurate safety information without any contradictions.

11. Bug Issues

Hot Carpet by Woowarmer: There is the potential for big issues with Hot Carpet since the heating element is located inside of a carpet-like material. This material may harbor ticks, mites, and other pests to the point that the owner’s manual includes tips on getting rid of them.

RugHeat™ by CozyWinters: The product is made without the carpeted material over the heating element, so the concern of harboring bugs is eliminated thanks to the design.

12. Warranty

Hot Carpet by Woowarmer: Offers a 1-year warranty.

RugHeat™ by CozyWinters: Offers a 5-year warranty.

This is a sponsored post.

Mindless Knitting

The value of mindless knitting is proving its worth to me once again. This is a simple sock yarn garter stitch triangular shawl made with size 6 circulars and I like the fabric it is making so far. An increase, I am doing a yarn over, is done at the beginning of every other row. The increase side is the top edge of the shawl. I am doing a solid blue body with a white edge. I will post pictures of the finished shawl.

So why mindless knitting now? Well I use it as I think through things. I use it when watching television. I use it to keep me from snacking on crap foods because my hands are too busy to put things in my mouth. Like the rest of America right now I am staying informed about the Coronavirus and its spread through our country and following the advice of experts. I am making no unnecessary trips anywhere. However I am not completely isolated because my husband is still going to work. He works at a hospital as the Facilities Director. His hospital is doing well so far to have the supplies to keep every one as safe from exposure as possible. I feel pretty good about that.

I hope this finds readers of the post doing well!

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

Washing My Hands and Other News

I have been careful lately with my exposure to others. I will soon be in the company of an elderly woman who is at a very high risk for the coronavirus being dangerous to her. I don't want to be the one who might bring that into her environment. I have whatever I need for weeks if necessary in my house so that's good and I am looking forward to a visit with her.

Photo by Matthew Tkocz on Unsplash

My mother, also elderly, was in an emergency room this week. She had a severe hours long case of vertigo and an ambulance was called. She has a couple cameras at her house and after seeing what was happening I was able to contact siblings right away and the ones closest to her were at the hospital right away. She was sent home with medicine and instructions to follow up with her primary doctor. The thought of her at greater risk for falls is frightening for me and a possible very painful consequence for her.

So in the coming weeks my mantra will be "Wash your hands and don't touch your face."

I do hope you all stay safe and healthy. 

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