Gauge, You Are My Nemesis

 As you may or may not recall, I was knitting a vest for Younger Son (for Christmas, maybe).  This vest.  I checked my gauge several times while knitting and I was spot on.   14 sts in 4" and I didn't skooch or push to get the gauge.  I didn't even smooth it out before measuring, just laid it flat and measured without moving the fabric at all.  I thought it looked wide, but then (as I said here) sweaters that are knit all in one piece always look wide to me (and I was getting gauge).  Then I washed it.  

Length-wise it's perfect.  30" just as specified in the pattern.  But width-wise?  It's 62", NOT the 51" specified in the pattern.  And no, I did not stretch it while blocking.  I was trying to make it smaller.  I could feel the wool relax when it hit the water.  And it bled too.   Three rinses and the water was still a bit grey.  The only thing I did not do was wash a swatch.  But I'm not certain that would have been enlightening.  Swatches lie, everyone knows that.  Next time I will though, especially when working with 100% wool.  Post blocking gauge?  11.5 sts in 4".   There is no way I cheated that much when measuring.  Gauge, I hate you.  The boy will wear it, big as it is.  If I was sufficiently motivated I could cut and sew it, but I'm not.  I'll sew in the zipper tell him he can wear it over other clothes (all his other clothes, apparently.)

On to other things, I am knitting the JFY7 Mystery KAL.  I've never done a mystery KAL before.  So far I've been able to keep up with the clues, 

I had to brush away the snow for the picture.  This is my shawl/whatever it is, and here are the twins.  

I've reversed the colors.  I'm working from the center and from the outside of the same balls of yarn.  It's actually working out very well, no tangles so far.  I'm on vacation now through Christmas so I'm hoping I'll have no trouble keeping up.

Not Quite

 

I'm not quite done with my How Cold Is It? (warning: -- link contains a bad word) hat.  I was hoping to finish today, but at least I'm past the random graph and am now doing the decreases at the crown.  This will be a good size (I was worried that it wouldn't be long enough) just long enough to cover the ears and be a little slouchy.  Perfect!  Once it's done and blocked I will attempt to get a modelled shot.  I hope the recipient will like it.  For those of you keeping track this will count as Socks #3 of 13.  Still on track for my deadlines, actually pulling ahead a little once I get the zipper sewn in on Younger Son's vest.  I've also been working on Older Son's jacket as well, and have reached the underarm shaping on the back.  Moving right along.  Since I've decided that I want to do JFY7 3 times, those will count as 3 more socks.  If I get them all done by Christmas I'll be way ahead!  Stay tuned for more exciting knitting highlights.  I'm sure you're on the edge of your seat.

Today I Got Yarn

 I've been away so long.  Not feeling the mojo for awhile, but I've been knitting.  I finished Younger Son's vest and am working on Older Son's sweater (more on those later).

I've decided to do the JFY7 .  I'm making two in reversed colors for my BFF Michelle and her twin sister.  These are the colors.  I'm showing off the buttons because they cost almost as much as the yarn!

I also got yarn and button to make one for myself.

Yarn is Cloudborn Fibers Superwash Merino DK, on sale at Webs.

I'm working on the How Cold Is It? (warning - bad word in the link) hat also.  I'm totally over this. The randomness is a big pain in the butt; I have to count every stitch, every round.  I cast on four times the number for the mitten and I made a chart for "random" snow for the other 3 quadrants.  If I was going to make this again I wouldn't bother and just do a geometric in the other 3 quadrants.  But it looks ok, even if my Fairisle technique is not what it should be.  Pictures tomorrow.

Today I Baked Pies

 

Yum!

They are apple-cranberry, pumpkin, and pecan.  A lot of pies.  But Dave likes pumpkin, and I don't feel like it's Thanksgiving without a piece of pecan pie, and we both like apple-cranberry.  We may have to outsource the eating on some of these.  The apple-cranberry boiled over and now the house smells like a fire in a sugar factory.  Also, I've been supremely unsuccessful at pie crust.  I used to make great pie crusts in my 20s and then one day I just lost the ability to make good pie crust.  I don't know what happened.  Sometimes the magic works...

I knitted a bit too.  I'm knitting the Great Grey Vest for DJ.  But for now, I've got to get to bed so I can get up before dawn and get the turkey on.  

3 of 13

 It's like it's a Borg sweater.  My Little Worsted Sock Arms for Gracie.  

Pictured in daylight for truer colors

This picture was taken earlier today while I had the light.  I've been knitting since, and now the knitting is complete.  I just have to weave in a couple more ends and the sweater is complete!  For those of you keeping track, this is sweater number 3 (the blanket counted as 2) of 13 for the year.  I've completed socks number 1 and 2 already.  My Cold As... hat will be socks number 3.  Which reminds me, though the blanket should have been delivered today.  I'm keeping up so far.  Yippee!  

Baking will commence tomorrow for Thanksgiving.  Think good thoughts.

Something a Little Different

 I'm finally (finally!) knitting a color other than blue (or turquoise, or whatever).  

The artificial light doesn't really do justice here to the lime green and bright speckles of the sleeve color here.  I'm totally enamored.  But it could be I'm just excited for it not to be blue.  When I asked DJ to admire it, he remarked "Well, it's really not very colorful."  Hmph.  

I'm moving along like gangbusters here.  The not having to actually work really bumps up the knitting production.  Although, starting tomorrow I'll have to spend time getting ready for Thanksgiving.  I have my Thanksgiving menu planned, every dish a tried and true tradition.  Because, really, that's what we need in this pandemic year; comfort food.  

Bingeing

 I've spent the day binge watching Call the Midwife and knitting.  I have knitted up one full skein and am on to the second in my Sock Arms sweater for Gracie.

One skein down

I did a bit of cooking, too.  Beef stew and fresh home made bread.  I estimate that I've baked up over 50 lbs of flour during the pandemic.  Anyway, I cook almost every thing, every day.  I just can't get past the image of someone coughing into my food right before they close the container it's in. So now I can't stomach other people touching my food.  I'm hoping this will pass, because I did love going out to eat.  It might take awhile, though. 

Dave continues to be fine and symptom free.  He comes down and picks up his dinners here.  I drop things off at the other house for him (we maintain a safe distance) occasionally for breakfasts and lunches (today I took him some eggs, butter, and ham). [Yes, you can see from that list that I'm a firm believer in the Oxford comma!  Also, you can see from my typing that I employ a double space between sentences, which I was shocked recently to learn was now obsolete.  I'm a dinosaur.]   

Plus Ça Change, Plus C'est la Même Chose

 I impatiently hunted up the correct needles this afternoon (a size 5 and size 7 24" circular) and very excitedly cast on for my Little Worsted Sock Arms and then I realised...

Plus ça change...

It's almost the exact same color as the Big Boring Blue Blanket (currently in the dryer following it's bath).  I even started with a 1x1 rib.  Ah well, I'm past that now and am working on the short rows for the "rounded hem".  At least I have the colorful sleeves to look forward to.

As I was sending emails to everyone at work detailing everything that had to be covered/taken care of while I was out (this is one of the things I hate about taking vacation, there's a ton of this prep work, a million emails to send) I looked over and the rainbow from the beveled glass in my front door was falling on the Decade Socks (still here looking for someone to love them).  The light was so beautiful and mellow I had to snap a picture.

Still Life With Knitting

I told everyone I'm taking a pandemic vacation.  I have all the pandemic highlights planned -- some cooking, a bit of cleaning, coloring, knitting, and binge watching tv.  What could be better?

It's Done

The Big Boring Blue Blanket is done!  The knitting at least.  And the casting-off, which was, as everything with this project, interminable.  After several hours of grafting it's off the needles. I have a few ends to weave and then tomorrow I will give it a bath and a tumble so it will be ready to pack up and mail on Saturday.  I feel so...light and free.  The world seems full of new knitting possibilities. 

This picture tries to give an idea of the size.  I wanted to be generous with the sizing.  I may have gone a bit overboard.

 

This picture shows the tubular cast-on and cast-off.  The latter was new for me. A bit fiddly, but I can't deny it gives a nice finish.

Almost There

 Like all interminable tasks, suddenly the Boring Big Blue Blanket is almost done.  Here it is all set up and ready for the grafting of the tubular cast-off. It's just a bit late tonight and I have work tomorrow so I'm off to bed right now.

Almost!

I will be grafting tomorrow and I'm hoping to get the final ends woven in then a wash and dry and all packed up and into the mail to its final destination on Saturday.  A bit ahead of schedule even!  I'll get a finished picture tomorrow.  Hopefully I'll get the boys to aid me in holding it up.  It's longer than I am tall.  It took just over 20 skeins of yarn.  Wow.  That's a lot of knitting.  And then finally on to something else.  A change is as good as a rest, right?

I've Been Under

 Apologies for my absence. I've been under stress and a bit under a cloud.  Last Tuesday Dave called from New York where he was working and told me he'd been exposed to the Corona Virus by a co-worker.  His employer thankfully let him come home.  Since then he's been quarantined at the other house and I have moved in with the boys here.  It's been stressful for me, I'm a worrier. 

I've not been able to manage much beyond logging in to work every day.  What did I do to cope?  Well, it wasn't knitting.  I've just gotten back to knitting today.  For several days, even the thought of knitting left me feeling queasy.  I did a bit of coloring, I do love to look at the way colors go together and putting them next to each other.

Clearly I like all the colors 

This work was over a couple of weeks, but I did do a little less than half of it over the past week.

Dave is doing just fine, no symptoms and he had a test for CoViD19 which was negative.  His employer has sent him back to work, even though I and the CDC think he should quarantine for another week.  This is how the disease spreads.  Granted, it was a very limited contact and he has been asymptomatic, but still.  The boys and I will stay away from him until next week.  

And I'm not behind on my 13 goals yet.  I have until Thanksgiving to get the Boring Big Blue Blanket done.  I might make it.  The socks are definitely done.  Then on to Christmas knitting.  I'll get done what I get done.

  

I Get a New Hat

 The election has been called.  And since it's all about me...The take away here is that I get a new hat!

I can now thankfully retire my PussyHat. I've worn it exclusively since the Women's March in 2017.  But I do admit that I was yearning for a change.

It's apparently all about the hats here.  Which hat should I make?  What yarn?  Oh, the decisions to be made.  It's a brand new world, I tell you.

I'm Over It

 The appeal of watching for updates on election returns has paled.  I'm pretty much over it.  I want the counting to be done and the election to be over.  But like everything else this year, it's not over until it's over, which is way later than you'd hoped for.

Dave is not feeling well.  I'm a little concerned.  He has some CoViD symptoms (a slight temperature and sore throat).  And he does go out and be around other people, so I'm worried.  He's isolating as much as he can and I'm going to urge him to get tested tomorrow, but he's a guy.  He'll say it's not that big of a deal and he doesn't have a cough, or a high temperature.  Still.  He's staying in his room here, but where's he going to sleep?  

It's still just a big blue blob

Slow Motion

 I've been watching the election results.  I think I kind of like this slow motion election results.  I've been watching a map with information from the AP.  It's kind of nice going this slowly, I think.  I have time to adjust my thinking.  Also, it's just me looking at a map with no one talking.  I can crunch the numbers myself.  I periodically report to my sister, who said I was "becoming a statistical genius".  Well, I said, it is kinda my job.  You would think this slow motion thing would be good for knitting, but not so much.  I didn't get any knitting done yesterday, and only a little today.  Some work on the Big Boring Blue Blanket.  Which had the audacity to shed on my black shirt.

In other news, Dave and I have been watching Hinterland and I noticed this hat. 

Nice hat, I said.  I asked Dave if he wanted one, I told him I thought I could find a pattern, and of course I did.  And it's free.  But Dave says he doesn't like this kind of hat.  Oh well...

I Voted!

 

You can barely see my "I voted" sticker here. Despite stories of other people I know facing long lines, we had no trouble. I was prepared, with my knitting bag packed ready to wait in line. There was literally no one in the polling station when I got there. I walked in, was handed a ballot, filled it out and was out the door. I waited longer in the hallway for the boys to finish up. Even so we were there and back home in 15 minutes. I never even had the opportunity to get my knitting out. 

Post Time Change

 

I'm not doing well with the time change.  The older I get, the harder it is.  I woke up Sunday morning at what I thought was 6:00 AM, and got dressed and came to the Little House (where my coffee is).  Imagine my surprise when I realized it was really only 5:30 when I got here.  I mean, Dave had mentioned it, but it didn't really register, you know?  But there was no going back to sleep.  This morning I woke up at 4:00 AM (really) and finally did get a little more sleep, but I'm still pretty tired.  Maybe I'll get adjusted by the end of the month.

In knitting news I'm still working on the Boring Big Blue Blanket.  I realized today that I have until Thanksgiving to get this done to stay on track for my 13 pairs of socks/13 sweaters in a year.  The hat will count as a pair of socks, by the way.  I've got the socks covered until Thanksgiving.  I just need 2 sweaters (which will be the finished BBBB.  

And I've discovered on YouTube an 11 hour video of autumn scenery with relaxing music.  Very beautiful, and relaxing to knit to.  Once it's colder and closer to the holidays I may switch to the 24 hour fireplace.  All the zen drives the guys crazy, but I find it soothing.

Snow

 It's snowing here.  I've been knitting on the Boring Big Blue Blanket.  I've also started knitting DJ's vest.  This is my knitting while reading at night.  It seems very wide to me, but sweaters that are all of a piece (fronts/back knitted at once) always do. 

In other news, Dave's birthday was yesterday and I made him his two favorite desserts.  Cherry cheesecake and pumpkin pie.  Dave made chicken burritos for dinner (which seemed like a present for me, but whatever.) In a somewhat ironic twist of fate DJ complained to me this morning he thought the pie could use more pumpkin spice. 

 

More Pumpkin Spice

 I was weak.  I bought the Pumpkin Spice bread.  And some Pumpkin Spice cream cheese.  They are delicious together -- I had toasted bread with the cream cheese for breakfast twice this week.  Tomorrow I'm planning on stuffed French toast.  Yummy!  

And lots of baking.  Tomorrow is Dave's birthday.  I'm making two of his favorite desserts.  Cheesecake and pumpkin pie.  Why two?  Well, the man just won't commit.  

In knitting news, there is no news.  I'm still working on my hat and the Boring Big Blue Blanket.  I need to break out of the ennui and get moving on things.  

A Little Bit

 I went back to work today, so there was lots of work to catch up on.  I had to work late.  Also I cooked a big dinner (Pork BBQ, scalloped potatoes, and cornbread -- my man wanted cornbread).  And I got a new Netflix DVD (we're watching Joan of Arcadia).  With all of that I just got a little bit of knitting done.  A row on the hat, and while I'm watching tv some Big Blue Blanket knitting. I also got a little bit of untangling done last night as well.  

The Webs catalog came and when I was looking through it I saw the Dassin Cardigan.  I liked it at first, at least a little bit.  But then when I was looking at it I noticed the garter stitch patch.  

Right there on the butt.  Who would need something to call attention to their butt?  How is that a design feature?  I think I'll pass.

Halfway There

 Today is the last day of my vacation.  We didn't really do much -- there was nowhere to go.  I didn't feel comfortable going to the movies, so we just watched some movies here at home (I Am Not Your Negro and Molly's Game) and some TV (Firefly).  I made a cake, and I knit some:

I'm not quite halfway through the chart.  So far so good a few problems with dropped stitches and a weird knit two together that I have no idea .  It needs blocking.  But at this point I'm pretty sure I will get it done for Christmas.  Now I need to find a knitting while reading pattern for the other house (to knit while I'm in bed).  I think I'm going to take the yarn for DJ's vest.  We'll see.  I DID do some untangling of my tangled skein last night.  It took me about 10 minutes to find the end, but after a bit I'm about halfway done with that.  I finished a book and started another.  Now I'm reading Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier.  I like the first in this series (The Sevenwaters Series), Daughter of the Forest.  It was a retelling of the Seven Swans fairy tale.  I like the retelling of fairy tales as fantasy novels, and this tale was one of my favorites.  The retelling was ok, a strong female protagonist, but that was the original story too.  

My Hat

 I went home last night thinking that I would download the How Cold Is It patttern and start working.  I was wrong.  There was no internet at the other house, so I ended up just reading.  I finished my book (Shatterglass by Tamora Pierce - I was just a little too old for her books when they first came out, and I've been catching up on her body of work recently).  But I got up bright and early and got started.  I reviewed a couple of hats knit in fingering weight yarn, Barley Light and Sockhead Slouch to get an idea of what kind of stitch counts and sizing I needed.  I smooshed them together with the mitten pattern and came up with a plan.  I would do my ribbing on my size 2 needle and then switch to a size 3 (literally chosen because I could find a 16" needle and a [mismatched] set of dpns in that size) and increase a bit for the pattern.  So I cast on 132 stitches, worked 1 1/2 inches of 1X1 ribbing, then switched to a size 3 needle and increased 12 stitches to 144 stitches.  This gave me 4 repeats of a 36 st pattern (the front of the mitten is 36 sts.)  I charted a 36 st repeat of just some "snow" that kind of matched the front of the mitten and will repeat that in 3 quadrants with the mitten pattern in the 4th.  The base of the mitten is a 12 st pattern that I could repeat all the way around.  So here I am, just starting the text/snow part of the pattern.

The only problem is that this requires all my concentration, so no watching tv, no reading while knitting.  Which means that I have to come up with another project to knit while I'm reading in bed before going to sleep (when I usually knit socks).  I'll have to think about it.  I just don't think I'm up to it today.  I would take the Big Blue Blanket but it's like, huge.  Too big to haul the 3 blocks to the other house.  There's a tangled skein I have next to the bed right now.  Maybe I'll work on getting that untangled.

Race to the Finish

 I was knitting away on the second of Dave's Socks.  I was concerned that maybe I wouldn't have enough yarn to finish the second sock.  What would I do?  I didn't think I had another skein in the stash, but I was contemplating a stash dive nonetheless.  I could have weighed the socks and remaining yarn to be sure, but what's the fun in that?  So I kept knitting away, trying to outrun the yarn. 

Here's the sock at 1:00 PM.  The yarn skein is looking pretty deflated.

Here we are at 4:00 PM (after a slightly depressing movie) and I'm starting the toe decreases.  It's looking promising, but we're not completely out of the woods yet.  

Finally, at 5:30 PM.  Success!  There was plenty of yarn, I needn't have worried.  Finished with a week to spare for washing and gift wrapping for Dave's birthday.  For those of you keeping track this is Sock Pair 2 of 13 (it's like I'm the knitting Borg).  Now that I have that done I'm back to working on the Big Blue Blanket.  All is not completely trouble-free though.  I was planning on starting my How Cold is It? hat as soon as I finished these, but I'm awaiting the delivery of my size 2 dpns from Amazon.  But I got the 16" circ so I will be caking up the yarn and casting on tonight when I get to the other house.  Pictures tomorrow.

We Went For a Walk

 A walk in the woods, to be precise.  Dave and I spent the afternoon walking along the GAP Trail in Ohiopyle.

Most of the leaves were down, and it was overcast and cool.  But there was still a little color here

and there

as well as the murmur of the river flowing nearby.

Very relaxing and soothing.  A great start to our mini-vacation.  I knit of course, on the drive and while we were walking.  In fact, the first picture above was taken just after I asked Dave to pull over for a knitting emergency (a dropped stitch).  He was very patient about it.  

And the knitting time paid off.  I've completed the first of Dave's Socks and am almost at the heel flap on the second.

I know.  Dave thought that the first sock looked really long too, but he tried it on and it fits.  (Size 10.5, 9.5 inches long).

Labyrinth

 I'm officially on vacation, until Wednesday morning.  To kick off my vacation right Dave and I went to the Homestead Labyrinth:

I love this place.  I read an article about labyrinths years ago, which said that you should meditate on your troubles on your way to the center, and leave all your cares and troubles there then focus on your blessings on the way out.  So this is what I do, and did today.  One of my blessings was that Dave was patient enough to wait for me to walk through the whole thing twice.  But seriously, it was gorgeous.  I think we're going to go to the mountains tomorrow.  Other plans for our wild four day weekend involve possibly going to see a movie.  I'm not sure if I'm up for that yet, though.  

In knitting news I'm still slogging away on the blanket, and am just about finished with the first of Dave's Socks.  It occurs to me that it would be nice to finish this pair to gift him for his birthday next weekend.  So I think I will pivot my focus there. 

  

You Have To Write It 3 Times

 At Dave's suggestion Chris wrote Graple (sic) on the grocery list 3 times in the hope that it would appear (like Beetlejuice) at the grocery store, and it worked!  However, he did not write molasses cookies 3 times and they appeared too.  So the results are mixed.  Maybe the molasses cookies were jammed up behind the Grape-ple.  Or maybe Thursday is the day to get to the grocery store for all the hard to source items.  There are still complaints about the amount of Pumpkin Spice creamer I've purchased.  And, I saw Pumpkin Spice bread and it was all I could do not to buy it so I could make Pumpkin Spice french toast.  That would be so delicious.  But I realized I would be the only person eating it, so I passed.  But maybe I could freeze it... 

I just counted and I've completed 19 of 22 pattern repeats on the Big Blue Blanket.  I have 3 more to go.  Sigh.  I thought I was closer.  But I will probably get to the toe decreases on the first of Dave's Socks tonight.   

The amorphous blob that is the Big Blue Blanket

And finally, you'll all be pleased to see that I managed to dress myself in matching clothes today.

Even my shoes match!

I Need Better Lighting

 I'm wearing mismatched clothes.  Good thing I never leave the house.

Can you see it?  My shirt is pink and my skirt is red.  Last night when I picked these out I checked.  I have this same shirt in both pink and red.  Sometimes I can't see the difference, especially in poor lighting.  I know this.  So I held them together and I swear that this shirt looked red.  I get dressed in the dark every morning (I get up before Dave and just put on the clothes I've laid out without turning on the light).  So there was no chance to check until after daybreak today.  I blame the poor lighting in my house.  I'm both choosing clothes after dark and getting dressed in the dark.  Like I said, I need better lighting.

Knitting update - still plugging away at the Big Blue Blanket and Dave's socks.  I'm getting close on the blanket though.  Just 2 and a half (or so) more pattern repeats until I'm done.  I can't wait.

How Do You Spell That?

How do you spell a made up word?  My husband made up this word, Grape-ple to describe his favorite beverage (a grape flavored sports drink).  It's grape and purple squished together.  I used to spell it graple, but everyone thought it was just grapple misspelled.  With a - over the a so it's noted as a long a (ā)? So Grāple.  But the guys don't like it.  Maybe Grape-ple is the way to go.  This has come up for discussion because it's been on the grocery list board for a couple of weeks (they've been out) but I have more of a vested interest in it since I had a colorway back in the day named after it:

Which is how I knew that graple just wasn't cutting it.  It's supposed to be the colors of light shining through a grape soda (or sports drink, whatever floats your boat).

Nothing new in my knitting world.  Still knitting the Big Blue Blanket and Dave's socks.  They're not even worth a picture.

Hot Chocolate

 I've taken to having a cup of no sugar added hot chocolate in the afternoons.  It's the perfect thing between lunch and dinner.  A little decadent, but not too much.

Pictured here in the Gaudi mug I bought when we were living in Spain. 

Nothing new, still plugging away at the Big Blue Blanket (well past where I was when I had my big rip), and I've turned the heel and am working down the foot on the first of the wool/cotton socks for Dave.  Ho Hum.  

I've finished all the Murderbot books so far and have pre-ordered the next book, but I'll have to wait six months for that.  I'm reading the 3rd (maybe final?) book in a YA series by Rae Carson, The Bitter Kingdom.  It's ok.  A little angsty, but I'm on hold for a bunch of stuff and it was available now.  In fact I think this was how I got into this series in the first place.  I also got a Spanish cookbook.  Maybe I can recreate some of the stuff we had in Spain.  (Ham and melon?  No wait, I can't get that ham here.  And I'd kill for a good sidra. Whatever.)

My Yarn is Here

 I got my yarn from Webs today.  So to recap, this yarn:

Will be Little Worsted Sock Arms for Gracie.  And this yarn:

Will be (warning - link shows a bad word) How Cold Is It? as a hat for my boss' boss.  And this yarn:

Will be Retrofit for Chris.  Those are the first three up.  I got yarn to make another zip front jacket (Neighborly Cardigan) for Dave and a vest (#289 Men's Bulky Vest) for DJ.  I'll post pictures of that yarn when I'm ready to start the projects.  

And for the record -- this is the knot I (thought I) used that failed for me twice.

I reviewed so I could get it right this time.

My Lost Day

 I was moving along at a good clip knitting on the Big Blue Blanket, and then...

Ack!  A knot I'd tied at the yarn change came undone.  I tried to retie and ladder up, but it was too messed up.  So I ripped back and picked up all the stitches.  The only bad thing was that I would have to redo an interminable cabling row.  But whatever, I was ok with that.  Then I was working across the stitches, getting them all lined up.  I looked down at my work and...

Another knot that came undone!  So I ripped back again, and picked up.  But it was right at the cable crossing, and when I picked up, it was just a mess.  After messing around for a bit I gave up and ripped back past the cable crossing and picked up all those stitches AGAIN.  I'm working through the cable row.  I figure it's a whole day of work ripped out.  And yes, I had tried both of those knots and they were solid.  So I need to revisit my knot technique.  Or go back to knitting in my ends.  Whatever.

Vacations

 Dave is talking about a vacation.  I've been thinking longingly of going somewhere other than this house.  (Also of seeing people other than Dave and the boys).  Dave wants to go to Giethoorn in the Netherlands.  I would like to go to bike the Confederation Trail on Prince Edward Island.  But of course we can't go anywhere until 2022 at least.  

I'm working the heel flap on the Cotton Socks now, and I'm almost done with the Big Blue Blanket.  So much so that I stuck some point protectors on the needle and curled up under it for a little nap this afternoon.  It was very comfy.

What I'm Reading

I'll be honest, I just lost track of time and forgot to post yesterday.  Nothing exciting is going on here, I'm still knitting those cotton/wool blend socks for Dave, and working on the Big Blue Blanket.  I'm currently working on another interminable cabling row.  I've completed 18 out of 22-25 pattern repeats, so at least another 4 repeats.  More if I have enough yarn (I'm pretty sure I will).  The sock is approaching the heel which I will probably start tonight.  Maybe tomorrow.  I think I might measure Dave to determine a good pre-heel length (I'm thinking 5", but that's just on my leg.)  

I'm totally into this sweater:  Mini Unbearable Hoodie though.  I want to order the yarn to make it for Gracie.  Really, though, I have to just cool my jets.  I have a bunch of stuff in the hopper already.  The yarn's not going anywhere.  But she would be so unbearably(!) cute in this thing!  

Anyway, I'm a reader.  I read a lot.  Every day (hours a day).  Between 75 - 100 books a year.  Interesting tidbit, I was watching a news story that was a bio of some political person (I don't remember who) and they showed his home with his library of "over 7,000 books, and he's read all of them."  And I thought, the numbers don't add up.  Let's say he reads at the top end of my range, 100 books a year.  That's 70 years of reading.  He could have been 70, but he wasn't reading these books as a newborn.  

I digress.  What I'm reading currently are the Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells.  I'm on the second book now.  Dave got them on Kindle, but they're available as e-books from my library (I use Overdrive/Libby).  I'm reading the Kindle version because I didn't want to wait for the hold.  Really good.  The first installment All Systems Red won just about every award out there - Hugo, Nebula, Locus, Alex.  I found it in a Nebula winners anthology (it's a novella) and told Dave about it.  He said that he'd gotten it and read it, and bought the next one in the series.  He claims he told me about it, but I don't believe him.  Our tastes rarely align in books, so if we both agree on something it's generally good.  I like fantasy, and I read a lot of YA stuff because I don't like things that are too dark (I read to escape, not be depressed) and YA stuff is what's out there.  That's not really Dave's style.  And even for me sometimes the teenage angst gets to be too much (seriously, how many times must a 16 year old save the world?).  

Thinking Ahead

 Now that I have the Halloween knitting out of the way, I am focused on Holiday knitting.  I admit to ordering a bunch of Yarn from Webs today for sweaters for Gracie and the Guys.  Here are the plans thus far (remember that I may change my mind any minute, I'm fickle that way).

For my boss' boss, a hat in navy (MC) and sky blue (CC) with this pattern on it (warning before you click, there's a bad word) How Cold is It? Yeah, I know the pattern is for mittens.  I'll adapt. It's perfect for him, though, he can't say anything without throwing an f-bomb every other sentence.  I don't know how he speaks to clients.

For Gracie, Little Worsted Sock Arms, I got some Plymouth Jelli Beenz (now on closeout) for the arms and a solid in Encore (Aquamarine) for the body.

Those are the only two that have to be done by Christmas.  The guys have lived with a knitter for all their lives (the boys) and over 35 years (Dave) so they know the drill about belated gifts (see the Decade Socks previously here).  Nonetheless, I'd like to get them done by Christmas, but I'm not going to kill myself.

For Dave, the Neighborly Cardigan in a nice murky blue-grey (the color is called Stormy Sky) that is murky enough for a guy and still light enough to show off the cables.  I also like the Mr. Rogers reference, since he really was our "neighbor".  A 100% wool (so no safety issues) also on closeout.

For Chris, Retrofit in Plymouth Coffee Beenz (again, on closeout) in a beautiful saffron-like color with flecks of khaki and black so he can wear it with both his khakis and black pants.  It will go great with his coloring.  

And finally, my baby.  For DJ, #289 Men's Bulky Vest (what a great name).  He wears a ratty old vest everywhere, I'm hoping to replace it.  I got a bulky 100% wool (I figure I can wash it) that was again on closeout, in a dark grey.  Murky man colors.

You'll notice a trend here, zipper front cardis for the guys.  This is because they all wear zip front fleeces/jackets everywhere.  Ev. ery. Where. All. The. Time.

Tentative gifts are the Mawata Mittens (previously shown mawatas) for my friend Michelle and a hat and pair of fingerless mitts for my employees (no patterns chosen for those) but I'll use stash yarn if I make them. 

Still working on the Big Blue Blanket.  Also Dave's socks (if I get them done in time they can be a birthday gift [the end of the month]).  They'll be ribbed all the way to the foot (then still ribbed on the instep and stockinette for the sole) and I find I'm having more difficulty reading and knitting in the evening than I expected and it's slowing me down a little.  Also the yarn is a little splitty and that doesn't help either.  You can compare to yesterday and see I've gotten a little farther, though.