Sixth time is the charm?

I lost track of how many times I crocheted the border on this baby throw, just to rip it back and try again. Running out of yarn didn't help, either. In the end, I settled for two rounds in the lavender instead of three, but I left the last end to weave in at a later date, just in case I find or buy some more yarn. (Right now I am on a fiber diet.)

Pattern: F870 Shell Flower Baby Throw, by Plymouth Yarn Design Studio
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash in lavender
Needle: I for initial chain, H for the rest
Modifications: see above and below

I had to start with a larger hook to meet the blanket dimensions - I guess I chain tight - but then switched to the H hook for the rest. The pattern was fine until it got to the instructions for the border. Once I started fiddling with the edge, the instructions *almost* made sense. Since the bottom edge already had a row of single crochet, I broke the yarn and started on the side following the bottom. For the vertical sides, I worked 3 sc into each shell row. For the top (and then the bottom), I worked 6 sc for each shell. Each corner had 3 sc. I could not get the hang of the suggested reverse sc to finish, so abandoned that idea.

At one point, I crocheted two rounds in white Modo Dea Washable Wool yarn. It's more of an Aran weight than worsted, also is not plied but braided? I later deemed it too heavy for the Cascade 220 Superwash, which seems a bit light for worsted.

So much anguish over a baby blanket! I did enjoy crocheting something for a change, although my shoulders did not find it much different than knitting. Something about the micro movements really irritates. As long as I can crochet and knit, though, I will continue to do so.

Hip hip HOORAY

This past week marked the one year anniversary of my hip replacement surgery. I think about my artificial hip everyday, not because it bothers me but because it doesn't. There's not too many things I want to do that I can't. I'm back to walking the dogs 2-3 miles most days, I can perform most of the PT exercises for my back, and I can even trim my toenails. It's a miracle.

My shoulders are another matter. The back exercises I can't do depend on having stable shoulders and mine are not. They both hurt but for different reasons. I keep exercising them as best I can, which both helps and hurts. Crochet and knitting have to be limited, weaving too. I hope to have them re-evaluated this winter, but don't want surgery until after next year's growing season. Meanwhile, I soldier on, with the help of aspirin and emu oil.

Crochet: The lavender baby blanket sat on the coffee table for a few days while I contemplated the white part of the border. It just looked wrong. So I ripped it out and resorted to having only two rounds of single crochet in the last of the lavender for the border. I didn't weave in the final end, just in case I find or buy more yarn I can use.
Knitting: No progress on the Lithuanian mittens, as I ran out of yarn... sort of. I've been deconstructing a sweater and using that yarn, but more needed to be steamed to get rid of the kinks. (BTW, steaming works a LOT better than soaking to recover used yarn.) I'm in the decrease part of the slouchy hat, but didn't pay attention to the excellent instructions and had to backtrack a bit. Moving forward there now.

My self-imposed quarantine ends Monday. It hasn't been too bad, not a lot different than regular Covid life other than not seeing my SO; we've kept in contact with texting and Duo. I did more of some things like reading, tried new things like listening to classical music via YT, etc. I held off on starting a new jigsaw puzzle - saving that for xmas, which will be just my SO and me, again. My kids and I usually have a major get-together in May, to celebrate their birthdays and Mother's Day. Hopefully, we will be able to do that in 2021.

Happy holidays and stay safe!

Oh, fudge

Occasionally I get on a baking kick and, if I'm lucky, I am able to give away most of what I bake so I don't eat it all by myself. I wasn't quite to lucky with a batch of Russian tea cakes (a.k.a. Mexican wedding cakes). My SO took some, but my granddaughter did not like them, my daughter is doing a round of Whole30, and my son-in-law doesn't care for sweets. Once I recovered from indulging in all that butter and sugar, I made a small batch of fudge. It is actually too rich for me, but I still can't resist. Hiding it in the refrigerator helps.

Crochet: I finally finished the lavender baby blanket. I used (now discontinued) Moda Dea Washable Wool for the border. Despite its description on Ravelry, it is not a plied yarn. It is also considered an Aran weight. I think it will be okay; separate post with more details to follow.
Knitting: Slogging onward and upward with the Lithuanian mittens. After deciphering the instructions for the decreases, I discovered I will not have to do anything creative to implement them. I'm enjoying the knitting of the 'Graham' slouchy hat - quick and easy. I'm past the ribbing and into the body.

Indiana is still living in Crazytown re Covid. My son-in-law tested positive this past week; his fever broke last night, so he is feeling better. He stopped by my house last Tuesday for a few minutes, started showing symptoms Thursday, so I am quarantining, just to be safe. Or rather, to keep others safe. Fortunately, there is nowhere I need to go - my calendar is wide open until the first week of January. Stay safe!

Puzzled

After months of itching to do a jigsaw puzzle, I broke one out a week ago Saturday. At first, I limited working on it to about an hour a day, but after a while that turned into many hours a day, especially the closer I got to having it finished and off the dining room table. It turned out to be more difficult that I expected - all that black! - but I persevered.

So that itch has been satisfied for a while.

Crochet: I'm still struggling with the border of the baby blanket. I ran out of yarn, fetched a toddler sweater I knit for my granddaughter, with the intention of deconstructing it, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I decided to do the border in white/cream/natural, but the second yarn, while also superwash, is a little heavier than the main yarn. I am 95% sure I have some white Cascade 220 Superwash around here somewhere, but can't locate it. The vague border instructions in the pattern almost make sense, but there seems to be too few stitches in the border on the sides and too many on the top and bottom. It's just one thing after another.
Knit: I reached a decision point on the Lithuanian mittens. Somehow I ended up with an extra pattern repeat in the body. It's only three stitches, but results in an extra vertical ridge, which means that I have an odd number of vertical ridges, which means I will have to modify the pattern to take this into consideration when I start the decreases. Meanwhile, I received requests for more 'Graham' slouchy hats, in "neutral colors" (black or gray), so started one of those. The good news is I have new glasses and can now see the black stitches more easily.

And that's about all I have accomplished in the past week or so.

I read the NYTimes online. Each day they show the twelve states with the highest number of new Covid cases, per capita, from the day before (today Indiana was number four), and the highest average new Covid cases over the past week, per capita (Indiana is the hottest hot spot in the nation). It's crazy, almost as crazy as several of my neighbors who keep flying their Trump flags. Beam me up, Scotty!

Queen for a Day

I'm dating myself by mentioning an old TV show, Queen for a Day. If I were even older, I would mention the radio program. After watching The Crown, I've come to the conclusion that, like youth being wasted on the young, royalty is wasted on the royals. They have no idea how good they have it. I would not mind being queen, or at least a princess, for a week or three: breakfast in bed everyday, beautiful clothes, exotic travel for which someone else does all the legwork, etc. The nannies alone would be worth the effort of attending fancy balls, ribbon cuttings, and state dinners (which someone else cooks!) While jetting around the world on a private plane, there would be plenty of time for fiber arts, too.

Crochet: Judging by comments on Ravelry, I am not the only hooker perplexed by the instructions for the border of the shell stitch baby blanket. I will just have to make up my own.
Knitting: Still trudging along on the Lithuanian mittens; about halfway up the fingers. I had repaired one of my granddaughter's baby blankets, planned to redo it, but she deemed it adequate (plus I think she just wanted the blanket back).

Needle felting: My granddaughter and I worked on needle felting a snowman ornament. The core is made up of styrofoam balls; all I did was help add white roving. She added all the accouterments. (Oh, for cryin' out loud. I didn't get a pic of the finished project, just one of my bandaged fingers. Erk.)

Spinning: It occurred to me that instead of three-plying the 'Jailhouse Rock' singles, I could two-ply, and also two-ply the black merino top, then weave instead of knit something with them. The idea of spinning 8 oz. of black yarn leaves me a bit cold, though.
Weaving: I'm still working on warping the rigid heddle loom. I'm not ignoring it, I'm really working on it, just not yet satisfied with the results. If the warp isn't up to snuff, the weaving will be torture.

I hope you all had a safe Thanksgiving. It was just my SO and me here; dinner took about half an hour to prepare. My kids stayed home, my brothers stayed home, my neighbors went camping to avoid eating with maskless relatives. The numbers of new Covid cases per capita in Indiana is one of the worst in the nation - last week, the local school system went totally remote because there were not enough healthy bus drivers - although the numbers may be leveling out. We'll see if it stays that way through the holidays. Stay safe!

Copy cat

Last weekend I took my granddaughter on a gem and mineral field trip at a local county park (outside, masks, social distancing). One of the other families were all wearing the same hat that I assumed was hand knit. But then I noticed a tag on one that said "CC". I looked it up online and discovered the CC Beanie. Now I am seeing them everywhere, including in the clothing section of Kroger. There are also copy cat patterns avaible on Ravelry with hundreds made. I will probably make one someday, after I get something else finished first.

Crochet: The body of the lavender baby blanket is complete, but I am a bit flummuxed over the border instructions. I'll figure it out... eventually.
Knitting: The thumb gussets are almost done on the Lithuanian Ribby Knit mittens. Knitting mittens on US1 needles is a bit tedious.

Spinning: No luck finding black dyed superwash merino top. I'm debating on how to move forward: 1) buy undyed superwash merino top and dye it myself, 2) go ahead and use the non-superwash black merino top I already purchased, 3) not include a black ply while also deciding whether to ply the 'Jailhouse Rock' singles into 3a) 2-ply or 3b) 3-ply, etc. I'm open to suggestions.
Weaving: No progress on either the sari yarn runner or the warping of the 8/4 cotton.

Indiana is a Covid hot spot and the county I live in is now "red". My SO and I will enjoy our turkey Manhattans and pumpkin pie while "double bubbling." I'm not much for holidays to begin with, and I'm lucky my kids are close enough I see them with some regularity anyway. As far as I'm concerned, everyday should be one of thanksgiving.

Feels like March

It is wet and wild outside today - rain with high winds - which reminded me of March, until the temperatures started to drop. I am not a fan of wind. It is a good day to stay inside, do laundry, read, knit, crochet, etc.

Crochet: Nineteen inches out of 24 are completed on the lavender baby blanket.
Knitting: The 'Past Peak' mittens are done; details here. I am about halfway through the thumb gussets of the Lithuanian Ribby Knit mittens.
Spinning: I purchased some black merino top from Dharma Trading Company only to realize upon delivery that what I ordered is not superwash. The mistake is entirely mine. I posed a question to my spinning guild about mixing superwash plies with non-superwash plies, but no one had any experience doing that. However, a source (local, no less) was recommended.
Weaving: I sent the sari yarn swatch through the washer and dryer with no mishaps. The cotton warp and weft shrunk a bit, which is what I would expect, to create a denser fabric.

I put on my big girl panties and got halfway through warping the rigid heddle for some cotton towels. I have so much 8/4 and 8/2 carpet warp that I would like to use some of it up.

I read the saddest story in the local paper today, about how some people who are donating to a local charity for xmas want to first know the voting preferences of the adult recipients or don't want to choose a child with an unusual name from the giving tree. I'm astounded and shocked and horrified by these so-called Christians who are being so petty and cruel, especially during the holiday season. I only hope the article spurs others to counteract these mean spirited gestures.

Past Peak mittens

When I purchased the yarn I used for these mittens, I thought the tag read "Past Peach" for the colorway. It was August, peach season, so this sort of made sense to me. More recently, "peach" seemed too long, so I thought maybe it said "Past Pear". That made less sense. With autumn upon us, however, the colorway became obviously "Past Peak" as the green leaves gave way to gold and red and orange, fading to brown. I could not find the designer anywhere online, so I'm guessing she gave up her hand dyed yarn business.

Pattern: Basic Mitten by Ann Budd
Yarn: Vermont Farmhouse Designs worsted in "Past Peak" colorway
Needles: US7
Modifications: Used a ribbed version of a long tail cast on; fiddled with the thumbs to make them less pointy

If I were to knit these again, I would go down a needle size, as the fabric really relaxed after a warm bath (sort of like I do). Apparently, I didn't notice this when swatching, although if I had, I might have adjusted the stitch count up, in which case I would be in the same place.

Zoomless

I intended to attend last week's weavers guild meeting. They have been hybrid meetings: some people show up in person and the rest of us watch from afar. However, the person in charge of the Zoom portion came down with stomach flu (not Covid) and there is no backup. The December meeting would ordinariy be a carry-in (that's Hoosier for potluck), but that ain't happening this year. I'm not sure what they are going to do instead.

Crochet: Twelve inches out of 24 are complete on the main part of the lavender baby blanket.
Knitting: I had to take a break from knitting because my shoulders were protesting. So the thumbs on the 'Past Peak' mittens still have to be fiddled with, but I have completed the cuffs for the Lithuanian mittens.
Spinning: I finished the 'Jailhouse Rocks' merino top. Hopefully, I will be able to find some black merino top for the third ply.

Weaving: No progress on the sari yarn table runner. However, I did work up a quick sample to send throught the laundry, so make sure nothing weird will happen when I wash the runner.

I confess to being relieved that the Biden/Harris ticket came out on top; that particular nightmare is over. What really appalls me, though, were the attempts at voter suppression. That is about as un-American as one can get. I am also disturbed over how divided the nation is. Maybe it is time for the United States to split up?

Two degrees of separation

Remember that game with the premise that everyone enjoys six degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon? I know a couple of Hollywood actors, so I probably have that covered, but I've come to think of my nearness to Covid cases in terms of degrees of separation. My granddaughter is quarantined because someone in her class tested positive. I consider that one degree of separation for her, two for me. Needless to say, we did not make it to the gem and mineral meeting this past week, although she remains symptom-free.

Crochet: Work continues on the lavender baby blanket. I've completed about 7 out of 24 inches, then there will be several rounds for the border.
Knitting: I am basically done with the 'Past Peak' mittens except I am not satisfied with the thumbs, so will fiddle with those a bit before I consider this project complete. Meanwhile, I started another pair of mittens, Lithuanian Ribby knit mittens, in gray with some red. 'Past Peak' are worsted weight yarn on US7 needles; Lithuanian Ribby are worsted weight on US1, which is making my hands hurt a bit.

Spinning: Almost halfway through the 'Jailhouse Rock' top. Originally, I wanted to create a two-ply worsted weight yarn, but the merino top would not cooperate. Now I would like it to be three-ply, with one ply in black. The only problem is I can't seem to find any black merino superwash top. I may have to buy white and dye it myself.

My son and his girl friend sent me an Instant Pot for my birthday. I've tried several things in it, but am not sold on its usefulness. For one thing, it does not save on labor - you still have to chop those veggies. Sometimes it doesn't save on cooking time. And the results are not going to taste the same. So far, I like it for hard boiled eggs - so easy to peel, everytime! White rice is just as easy (and tastier) cooked on the stove. Yesterday I tried a pot roast - 1 hour of cooking instead of 4 - but I didn't care for the results. Another angle of IP cooking is it takes some of the enjoyment and sensory pleasure out of cooking. I'll keep trying, though. It might be like shopping at Costco - it takes a while to make it work for you. If anyone has any recipes to recommend, please leave them in the comments.

Stash busting plan

I have a LOT of Cascade 220 Superwash in colors that no one wants to wear anymore. My granddaughter used to love pink, but no more. I knit her a sweater in lavender which she found too hot. Then there are bits and bobs that are left over from other projects. What to do with all that yarn? Why, crochet baby blankets!

Crochet: Started (and started and started once again) a baby blanket that uses a shell stitch.

Knitting: Progress continues on the mittens.

Spinning: Started spinning some Blue Moon Sheep-2-Shoe superwash merino top, in 'Jailhouse Rock' (which I would have named 'Tie-dyed Rainbow'). I'm not making socks with it; I learned the hard way that sock yarn has nylon in it for a reason.

My SO and I have one more pottery class next week; we'll be glazing our pieces. I will probably take my granddaughter to her gem and mineral meeting later that same week, primarily because she earned a badge and I think it will be presented then. The city has okay'd Trick or Treating; I plan to put goodie bags on a table in the driveway for the little goblins. After that, I will curtail my already curtailed activities as Covid cases continue to surge, here and elsewhere. I'm not sure what we'll do about the holidays besides wait and see. Wear a mask, wash your hands, stay home if you can, be safe.

Corriedale Cross

This yarn is from some more of the roving that my fiber blogging friend sent me. The label said "Paradise Fibers Ashland Bay Corriedale Cross". I knew Paradise Fibers is the vendor (and they are still in business), but I thought maybe Ashland Bay was a sheep breed that had been crossed with Corriedale. Not so. Corriedale Cross is a cross between Merino ewes and Leicester or Lincoln rams. Or so the Paradise Fibers website says.

Fiber: Paradise Fibers Ashland Bay Corriedale Cross in ecru
Wheel: Ashford Joy 2
Technique: Nothing special
Spun: worsted, Z-twist at an 8:1 ratio
Plied: 2-ply, S-twist at an 8:1 ratio
WPI: 8-9
Yardage: 304 yards
Weight: 238 grams (8.5 oz)

I started spinning this fiber during a weaving guild zoom meeting and felt a bit flustered. Otherwise, I don't think I would have chosen the ratio I did. The twist is a bit tight, which creates a yarn with high grist. I'm not sure what I'll do with this yarn, but I can almost guarantee that it will get dyed.

Preparing to hibernate

Sometimes I feel bad about how little time I devote to fiber arts these days, but the gorgeous fall weather beckons. There is never a lack of tasks inside or out, but lately I have been out. Soon, though, the garden will be put to bed for the winter. Besides plenty of fiber and potential projects, I have a stack of jigsaw puzzles, a new Instant Pot, and a looming home improvement project to keep me occupied when it turns cold.

Knitting: I am back where I was a week ago, with completed thumb gussets on both mittens.
Spinning: I finished plying the Corriedale cross roving. Separate post to follow.

The spinning guild had another Zoom meeting, with ten in attendance. At the last meeting, I gently campaigned that we meet in-person, but Covid cases in Indiana are surging, so I don't see that happening anytime soon. We are looking for ways to continue in a meaningful way.

Noodles on doorknobs

My granddaughter teased me yesterday about the "noodles" hanging from doorknobs. She was referring to the ecru yarn that I am plying. After steaming the loose skeins to set the twist, I hang them on doorknobs to let them get completely dry before twisting them into a compact skein.

Knitting: Working on fingerless mitts (that may become regular mittens if there is enough yarn). I *was* almost done with the thumb gussets before deciding I was not doing them right (the pattern instructions are a bit vague). So I am back at the beginning of the gussets.
Spinning: About halfway through plying the Corriedale (which I now realize is a Corriedale cross). I was concerned that the twist was too tight, but the result looks balanced.

If memory serves (a BIG if), the yarn I am using for the fingerless mitts was hand dyed using mason jars and a microwave. Being curious, I googled to see how that is done and found a plethora of methods, some using Easter egg dyes, some KoolAid, some acid dyes, etc. There are so many ways to dye yarn, don't let anyone tell you their way the the only way.

My granddaughter is making her Halloween costume - a snowy owl. She is becoming proficient with a glue gun. (Photo courtesy of her mom.)

Don't forget to vote!

Wool hat weather

On today's dog walk, I wore a handknit wool hat for this first time this season. Temps below 40, no wind, perfect for rosy cheeks. I'm looking forward to wearing more wool as fall moves into winter.

Knitting: I picked out some yarn for the fingerless mitts that dates back to the Vermont Yarn Crawl of 2009. It's a bit coarse (Corriedale) and feels like there is still lanolin in it. I knit up a swatch to test gauge.

Spinning: Still working on the Corriedale roving.
Weaving: The sari yarn table runner came off the loom this week. It's quite colorful. I'm still working on finishing the ends (black warp yarn - looks great against the bright colors, but a pain to finish).

This morning I was saddened to read of the passing of Cat Bordhi. She rated an obituary in the NYTimes, which is saying something of the impact she had on the knitting world. I never mastered knitting socks on circular needles, but maybe I should give it another try, in her honor.

Aumtumnal

Sorry for the silence. The passing of RBG left me figuratively curled up in a fetal position. Regarding the rapid naming of her successor, I dissent.

My son and his girl friend came for a visit - a real spirit lifter, as I had not seen them since xmas when she cooked dinner for us as I was still recovering from hip surgery. We masked and social distanced, important since they both work with the public, and visited the mural art downtown for an excursion. Of course, in anticipation of their visit, I did more housecleaning than I usually do, but then we barely spent any time inside, as the weather was gorgeous. More housework means less fiber arts, so not a lot to report.

Knitting: My SO, who has much better color sense than I do, helped me pick out naturally dyed yarn from my collection, to knit a cuff-to-cuff sweater. I have a couple of patterns to guide me, plus some Interweave articles. My primary concern is to limit the vertical stretching.

Spinning: I took my wheel out to the deck for a little spinning al fresco. Still working on the Corriedale roving, almost halfway through the 8 oz. I confess I miss spinning with others, so I hope our next guild meeting is in person.
Weaving: Worked a bit on the sari table runner, but not much.

After spinning on the deck, I tried tinking the perfumey socks I knit for a friend. (She perfumed them, not me.) My plan was to unravel the feet, then make fingerless mitts with them. While struggling with the yarn, which is a bit felted, I decided it would be easier to just knit her some mitts from scratch, using worsted weight yarn instead of fingering. At some point, one has to cut one's losses.

Zooming

My son-in-law built/gave me a cable to connect my laptop to the router and it worked perfectly for this week's Zoom meeting. This one was with the spinning guild. Only a half dozen or so of us showed up - more than last time, I hear - so I encouraged the officers to investigate when we can return to our usual space. I think it would be safe with masks and social distancing, but we also discussed whether we could hold hybrid meetings, in-person AND Zoom. We'll see how that works out.

The weaving guild met this past week as well, in person but in a park pavillion. By the end of the meeting, almost everyone had removed their masks, which I found disappointing. Yes, we were outdoors but groups of people were sitting together at picnic tables. The next meeting is indoors, in a space larger than usual to allow for social distancing. I paid my dues and picked up a program booklet for the year - another disappointment, as there is only one program I am interested in. Maybe this is not the fiber group for me?

Spinning: I spun some Corriedale cross during the Zoom meeting, the first spinning I have done in a while. One of the members talked about a dye project she completed, so now I have the itch to do some dyeing myself.
Weaving: The sari bag project has morphed into a coffee table runner project. I'm not much of a sewist and bags usually need linings. Runners require very little finishing compared to bags. I also started another Agnes Martin inspired piece on the pocket loom.

My eyes look better, almost clear of purple. No weird green or yellow. Once I got the okay from my doctor, I headed back into the yard to move more plants. Today I am resting my weary gardener muscles, though.

You should see the other guy!

No, I didn't get into a bar fight. As I was hustling around the living room, preparing to go to the local farmers market, my feet got tangled up in the dog hammock. I flew into the dining room and bonked my head on the dining room table. My SO came and took me to the ER for a CT scan (all ok), but then the fluids and blood from the goose egg on my forehead migrated to the soft tissue around my (raccoon) eyes. Looks horrible, but no pain. I've been taking it easy since then, until my PCP gives me the okay to resume (ab)normal activities.

Mug shot

Weaving: Although I have been out of commission, before the incident I continued to make progress on the sari yarn bags. Almost done with the first one. I *think* there is enough warp for two. At least, that was my intention.

Thanks for the comments about troubleshooting Zoom. Because I was in the ER literally having my head examined, I did not attend the weaving guild Zoom meeting. My son-in-law thought he had a cable for me, or could make one for me (he's handy that way), but I'm still waiting on it. Maybe I will have it in time for the spinning guild Zoom meeting?

Summertime blues

It happens every August: I am DONE with summer. We had a week of hot, humid weather before it finally broke along with some storms. I hope that is the last of the heat. When the temps cool, I hope I can still fit into my jeans.

Knitting: I've been trying to fix my granddaughter's blanket. She checked out what I have done so far and declared it "too fat" - in other words, the patch is bulky. I have some ideas for reducing the bulk, though.
Weaving: Work continues on the sari yarn bags. In the past, I eschewed using a temple, thinking that it was cheating. However, I am now a convert. It not only helps maintain the width of the fabric, it's a nifty design. Just watch out for the VERY sharp teeth!

The fiber arts guilds I belong to are trying to meet up again. There have been Zoom meetings for the spinning guild; I attended one but kept dropping out. Since the weaving guild wants to try Zoom meetings as well, I'll have to figure out a solution. Perhaps I should use a cable between my laptop and router instead of wifi? If anyone has any experience with Zoom and ideas for solutions for me to try, leave a comment please!

Dog days

Clio is laying in the shade of the arborvitae - she looks dead - while Watson is hunkered down in his favorite spot under some shrubs. I spend a couple of hours on the yard most days, but am feeling a bit discouraged at the slow progress. Eventually, the temps will drop and it will rain. Right?

Crochet: The colors in the hat I was crocheting were pooling so badly, the garment was taking on a camo look. I showed it to my granddaughter - the look on her face confirmed just how hideous the results were. When I tried to coach a comment from her, all I got was "I'm not wearing that!" So I frogged it.
Knitting: A pair of socks I knit for a friend developed a hole. I hoped to be able to mend it, but decided to turn the socks into some fingerless mitts instead. The problem? My friend must wear perfume on her feet. I'm sensative to fragrances and could barely stand to work on these. I even tried washing them, to no avail. Maybe I can work on them outside? When it cools down a bit?
Weaving: YES, I actually sat down at my 24" rigid heddle loom and attempted to continue with the sari yarn bag I had started. This is the project I purchased a temple for, so I tried to get that working. Alas, it revealed that I had lost an entire INCH from the width of the weaving from the get-go. That's what happens when one simply eyeballs dimensions instead of measuring them. So I started the project over AGAIN - probably for the third or fourth time. My self talk is along the lines of "Well, now you know...."

A few days ago, my SO and I planned to visit the Decatur (Indiana) Sculpture Tour, which is outside and goes on all year round, with fresh sculptures installed in the early summer. I even dressed up! But just before we left, I suddenly felt unwell. We ended up on his front porch, chatting away. Just as well, as in today's paper I read about a spike in Covid cases in Decatur. Meanwhile, the work can be viewed online.