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The Cables I Subscribe To

These are the cables I subscribe to. I gave up cable television years ago because it was very expensive for very little in return. But these cables are very reliable and, technically, they aren’t cables. I did the pattern for my Faux Cable Beanie. These twists are fun to make and I love them in the different colors I’ve knit them in.

This is Yarn Bee Sugarwheel by Hobby Lobby. I lovethe color and I love the yarn but I will be using up what’s in my stock and not buying any more. I understand those who will still support the corporation, I just won’t be one of them. But I love this color. I think I am going to be using Ice Yarn Cake Blues as a substitute. I haven’t used them but I do like the Ice Yarns I do have so I’m having faith.

I did do them in two other colors, each one from Caron Big Cakes: Blueberry Torte and Cherry Compote. Look at that texture. They are loftier than a ‘real’ cable. This twist is made with just two stitches. They almost jump off the hat!

They also hold up to the color and enhances the changes. I don’t what Caron has in mind for new colors for Big Cakes and I hope they aren’t discontinuing them because not only are they a great bargain at $9.99 for 600 yards, but they are also vibrant and lush colors that are fun to make cables with – even the fauz kind.

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In My Knitted Dreams

It’s June and this is the month my knitted dreams go a little wild. I purchase yarn twice a year (except when I need it for a specific order.) My last yarn haul was December, and I was looking forward to Herrschners sale this year. I contacted them a few months ago and they said they hadn’t decided what to do with their sale and they just put some stuff on clearance on their site. I’ve been eyeing the Ice Yarns, Paintbox and other sites looking over the fibers I want to have in my stash. I know very well most of what I buy will linger with the masses in the stash – the skeins I pulled last night have been there for 3 – 10 years. Their patience is being rewarded by sitting on my table and possibly finding their way to my needles. 

The yarns I pulled? Cascade Eco. The yarn continues but the color does not. And it is rare for me to have 100% wool but I have it and I think I have it in a brown color, too.

I Love This Yarn Sugarwheel in Gelatto’s My Motto. Hobby Lobby as a company has not been a favorite lately but I have a ton of their yarn and it makes me happy so I am going to use it even though it is likely I won’t be shopping there again. I imagine the Ice Yarn Cake Blues will sub just fine. That’s also why there is no link to the yarn

Barcelona by Loops and Threads. Sold exclusively at Michaels. This is a very lush and soft acrylic yarn.

Caron Big Cakes in Blueberry Torte. This is one of my favorites because it’s beautiful, soft and I get a lot of bang for the buck.

Finally, another Loops and Threads. This is Impeccable. This is their basic worsted weight yarn. I like it in a pinch for wearables but I am not making a wearable with this one.

 

 

 

What am I making? I will tell you in My Knitted Dreams, part 2.

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Discovery Channel

It’s like the Discovery Channel – Knitsville Edition. Where the folks in Knitsville are putting away the winter clothing and pulling out the summer clothing only to discover some fall clothing no one remembered they had.

That is to say, I have found a number of hats and scarves hiding away in places and there will be some new additions to the shop when I can get around to it all. I’ve also cataloged the ready to ship items and they have new sku numbers and if they weren’t in the shop before they are now.

I am also working on some new stuff that is piled unto on one of the trunks. This  stocking cap is about to come off the needles.All that’s needed is a stretchy bind off and a pom-pom. It can be a little splitty but I can overlook it. There is a review of the yarn right here. 

The move in continues. I still have boxes in the room. Some I’ve opened by couldn’t completely empty until I find something else in another box.That is somehow a good thing. There will be more donations when they start up again. I am discovering yarn I forgot I had. It is kinda ironic I am looking forward to my biannual yarn buy. I know I am not likely to be using it soon no matter what I get so all I will be making is room.

I enjoy cooking in the kitchen. It will be better when the boxes are empty and off the counter. I’ve been ambitious in this new place. I did an eleven hour low and slow roast and I’ve baked some bread – really delicious. Gonna have some right after this. Loving two bathrooms and no stairs.

It’s amazing the things that thrill us. 

 

 

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The Grass is Greener

You know that saying the grass is greener on the other side? It’s true but we want to get on that other side anyway. I wanted to get to that other side in this moving thing and learn how to live in a condo.

That has happened.They moved us in two hours and we were living in a condo. It added one more thing to my list of things to do. I have to knit, run the business side of knitting, do church work, put together a new home and dismantle an old one. Did I mention there’s a pandemic?

I thought for certain I would be cooking that first night. Around four, I knew dinner from scratch wasn’t going to happen. I looked forward to doing it Tuesday and thought I had everything together only to learn I didn’t have a can opener, measuring cups or spoons. Maybe Wednesday.

Yes. We had our first home cooked meal that night. Cream of Chicken soup with wild rice and cornbread.

We’ve been coming here off and on since we bought the place and doing some stuff. The internet was running slowly after being fine the weeks before we moved in. It required a technician but it wouldn’t cost me anything. Things weren’t wired correctly. He fixed the problem and that was that.

I’ve hardly touched the knitting needles but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been working. I have a bunch of finished objects and I am putting them in inventory and placing them in the shop.

I will get to knitting this week and that will make this all make sense. Can’t wait to get there.
 

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I’ll Try Something New

I didn’t know what I was going to show you in this post. I had to go to the Google because I thought ‘I’ll try something new’ then had to see if I had actually done it.

There was this:

Lasagna. I haven’t made lasagna in years and it was tasty. I’ve made it twice and the second was better than the first. This does take some time to prepare. The sauce is sooooo good. I did only a small variation. I don’t like ricotta cheese so eliminated that. The recipe is here. 

And then there was this:Doesn’t look like it’s finished but it is: except for the pom-pom. Couldn’t put that on there because the pom-pom maker is at the condo. But as soon as I’m over there, this will a completed hat.

 

 

But wait…there’s more: I started and finished a mask. Pattern was pretty simple and I even wrote it down on paper. I haven’t lined it yet because the cotton and thread and needle are all at the condo. (We move a week from tomorrow.)

There’s more. I finished the Shale Cowl in gray. There’s a few thing sitting in my bag waiting to go over and hang out with the rest of the finished projects and they all need to have their photos taken. I will be over there tomorrow or the next day to get that done.

I made a pork roast using a new recipe. It was good but I cooked the pork too long. My dutch oven really gets things done fast. I will use a meat thermometer next time. All in all, a very good week.

I have a new hat on the needles made with Ice Yarns Tweeds in two colors. I’ve got a toy turtle or tortoise started. The week will be busy and there’s no telling yet but the next post may be from new place! Now, that would be something new.

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Nowhere Fast

If you’re reading this anywhere in the world, I don’t have to tell you about the Coronavirus, Covid-19 pandemic/ I am in Illinois, Chicago, to be exact and we are under sheltering orders until the end of the month – or we were. The governor extended it to the end of May but some businesses are reopening.So I am going nowhere fast.

For me, it doesn’t make that much of a difference because I work from home and my boss didn’t give me any time off.

The condo is filling up with boxes and the move has been scheduled. I am packing/cleaning. I have done some knitting but no photography. But this is what I’ve got thus far: The mittens to match the hat. The hat is at the condo and I haven’t been there since Easter. The Shale Cowl is really pretty and it’s now complete. I have another one in shades of gray that’s about a day away and another hat.

I was not going to jump on the mask train but along with the extended order came the mandatory wearing of face coverings. Might as well make some pretty ones. They aren’t medical grade so I don’t have to pretend they are anything other than pretty mouth coverings. I can make them in cotton or any of the blends or acrylic. 

I did have some sales. A pleasant surprise. If you feel the need to go shopping – here’s my shop.

I was going to take a photo of all my needles. They were all in one place for a hot minute but I packed some of them away and don’t want to pull them out until they are at new place. I had to select a different sleeper sofa. Mr. Honey took measurements and it won’t fit through the space. Picked put a smaller one that costs more – sigh.

Moving is not for the faint of heart. I hope I am doing this again any time soon. Unless I can find a way to be younger. A younger me can handle it.

 

 

 

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We Got It Good

For the record, for the people who may be reading this in the future. For me, who may be reading this in the future – at the moment, the entire world is facing down a pandemic.

Coronavirus or Covid-19, is sweeping the world causing illness and death. Entire countries are telling citizens to keep six feet apart from each other, only leave the house when necessary. There are no sports, no Disney World, no movies, no casual shopping. USPS is open. Restaurants are carry out, pick up or delivery. Churches – most of them – are holding services online.

But We Got it Good. 

I say this though there is an incredible amount of suffering going on. People are not working which means people are not making money, Which means people cannot put food on their table. Schools are closed. Food banks which normally serve 300 a day, are now having 2000 day show up. The food banks are having financial trouble meeting that need because no one is working to contribute funds to food banks and stores are having to limit groceries for those who can still go because certain items become hoarding targets. Bread, eggs, rice are all a crap shoot.

But we must have it good because we can do this.They suggest we wear masks in public. Some places it is mandatory. And we are worried about catching this disease and passing it on so we wear them. And then drop them on the ground when we leave the store. Litter? Nope. Got to rush home and get inside before something gets infected. Someone else will take care of that.

This isn’t the only place. We humans are leaving these things by the roadside. Because we can’t discard them in the house or even sneak them in a neighbor’s garbage can in the alley.

Because the world is sheltering in place, the environment gets a break from us. Pollution levels in the air have improved, animals are roaming more freely around the national parks and other places because man is not there to observe and interfere. The seas are catching their breath because we are not there to empty it for our food. 

But we’ve found a way to trash it still.

We Got it Good personally. I can sit here and have a rant about what other people are doing. My stocks took a hit but I think the bank account is fine and our fridge has food. I’m thinking about how to rebound my business when this is over and wondering if I should jump on the making masks train. No.

There are lessons. I have to make sure I learn mine.

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Yes and No


Has there been progress made in the move? Yes and No. There’s nothing new in the studio but Mr. Honey and his brother have done the floor in the living room and the hallway. I’ve also done my first product shots at new place.

That’s something like progress. The floor is gorgeous. He and his brother left it covered in sawdust and I got out the vacuum and the Swiffer and it cleaned up great. It’s even more gorgeous than the photo. 

There are boxes in the dining room/kitchen, bedroom and studio but they can’t be unboxed because there’s no place to put the stuff in the boxes and that’s because we haven’t moved the furniture. I didn’t know moving companies were considered essential so I didn’t even think about scheduling them during a Coronavirus pandemic but they are working. Now the floors are done, we can seriously think about doing a shift from living at the house and coming to the condo to living at the condo and going to the house to get it ready to sell.

It’s not quite real yet. I’ve spent time in the studio and even in its present state, I find it comfortable. I like the bathrooms – better than the one in the house. But I still can’t imagine us being here. I think the shift will help with that and get me in the mindset of saying good-bye to the place I’ve lived the in the longest.

In knit news, like I said, I took some photos at new place.

These are not edited but they came out fine. There’s a small patio area – not even big enough to be a patio – can’t set a chair out there though you could get a small gas grill there. But it will work well for taking photos.

Though these have yet to be put up for sale, you can find the available market and beach totes right here at designbcb.

I also completed a hat and a pair of mittens which I will happily share once I get pics of them. 

I also had 3 sales – 2 patterns and 1 order for a hooded scarf. That’s always good news. 

So, not in the condo but getting closer. Decisions made and more packing to do but knitting goes on. Hopefully, there will be more to share next time.

 

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Baby Steps

This is being done in baby steps. Though we do eventually have to move in, and Mr. Honey says we will be in sometime next month, we are still in the baby step phase. I have a feeling once the floor is in the living room, the timeline will be accelerated. 

I moved the yarn from the other wall to where you see it. The closet is almost full with bins and bags but there is room for more and there is more coming. The two stands have functional drawers. I have two pieces of sculpture I imagine on each one. The room isn’t as narrow as the photo makes it seem.

I also originally thought the sofa bed would go along the wall where the yarn is. I really need to measure to see how much space is there.

In knit news, I’ve completed several of the market bags. They’re in the shop. Don’t they look colorful? I don’t know if the coronavirus thing is stopping folks from buying. I sold a couple of patterns. Guess being on quarantine gives you time to do some things. Shopping is one of those things. I’ve been to the store a few times and there have been people out. It’s not as crowded as I’ve seen it.

I’m also working on some cowls and hats. I think it will be fun to join working with the new space. But there is also sadness at leaving the house. I’ve lived in this house longer than I’ve lived anywhere.

The condo is our last place together. There’s so much emotion tied up in all of this. Happiness will be at the end of all of it but getting to that point is not coming as easily as expected.

I need to take some living room photos. The flooring is probably coming in next week. This is a good time to get the flooring done. My brother-in-law will be over and he and Mr. Honey will be doing the work. I still have a cough so I will staying away from there while they are working for my sake as well as theirs. But I want to do a proper before and after so tomorrow will be that day. I would go now but it’s snowing. Don’t feel like going out in that. I’ll get there. You know, baby steps.

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Almost There

Almost There. The studio is coming along. My Fire tablet can’t take a good picture or I don’t know how to use the feature to take the best shots.This is the etagere that will hold ten bins of yarn. Right now, it is sitting in the corner by the closet but after putting the table and chairs in place, it is going to move across the room and kitty corner to where it is now.

It is going to be a comfortable room. I enjoyed sitting in it yesterday. The sleeper sofa which may end up on the opposite wall, is 6 ft long. Mr. Honey thinks the wall itself is about 12 feet long but I’m thinking more like 9 or 10. I need to measure to make sure. In my mind’s eye, the sofa is along that wall when you walk in the door looking at this wall here. Can’t really picture it the other way.

The studio is not the only thing that’s almost there. If you recall from the last post, I have 10 projects going. That is now down to 7. There are a few other finishes on the horizon. Just a couple more and there will be enough for the next Look Book. There’s also a free pattern coming, too. Now that the country is on lock down or lock out, my life will not change at all. I will still knit, go over to the condo and work on the business side of life.

But I am of the vulnerable class and I did have a small case of flu last week. It is the first time I’ve been grateful for having the flu shot within the last year.

I’m gonna try and take better pics. I’ll use the phone.Take care of yourselves and each other. See ya soon.