Thursday, May 25, 2006

House destruction - fourth decade

Finally the electric company dug down the power lines. Three weeks late! They nearly refused - on discovering that the junction box (or what ever) was less that three feet from the gas meter. My superhero husband got out electrician on the phone, talked the electrical guys into coming back in an hour and showed up to supervise (we contracted the electrician ourselves and the contractor was rather nervous about handling it - since it wasn't his people). So in the end it all worked out. But I was on the road when he called me and didn't find out what finally happened until 3pm. I was a little stressed out.

I talked to Liz' school principal yesterday - during my brief periods of cellular reception. She's attempting to find a solution for us. But there are some problems with state guidelines and she wants my guarantee that Liz will be back to school by July. I tried to point out to her that we were certain Liz would be back June first and look how that turned out. I'm hopeful.

We still can't find Liz' glasses. I had them three weeks ago for all of 20 minutes. Now they are gone. Her father has gone back to the house 3 times and brought back three old pair. I finally called my mother and am going to fax her the prescription and they are going to go and buy her new ones. Which means the old ones will turn up next Wednesday. Fine - she'll have an extra pair.

I couldn't find my lace book - and I was quite whiney about it. I finally ordered one and it shipped Tuesday. Of course Tuesday afternoon when I stopped to grab my sergier to loan to a friend I found it - where the serger book was suppose to be. I didn't find the serger book.

I bought a cute baby sweater pattern and yarn. I also bought some lace weight merino. Since I'd found the lace book and I'm going to make something. I am also going to order gossamer and cobweb for Sharon Miller's Wedding ring shawl. I have found more than a few items I 'need'.

I have nearly finished the front of my new tank top. I have taken out the collar on my father's sweater. I am planning on sewing with Mary on Monday and I will haul my parents cardigans to be to her house and sew up the seams there. That just leaves the knitting and that shouldn't be too bad. I don't have any idea where the buttons are - but I can guarantee you that the minute I buy replacements they will show up.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Knitting - What's that?

Oh there has been knitting in my world. I've started two modular knit projects. But since I'm not in my own home with DSL I can't upload pictures. So there are no pictures.

There are rumors that they can't remove the roof until June because Xcel won't move the electric until the 24th. They can cash our check two weeks ago - but they can't get the work done. I still don't think I should have to pay for it until they show up to do it. They are holding up the whole project. Everything else is ready to go. And you can guess how much they care. The contractor was talking about cutting in the new windows later this week and next week. At least he's attempting to move ahead as much as he can. I appreciate that a lot. I have to order the new front door tomorrow. It sucks that I'm not getting the door I want - but I'll live with it.

I'm ordering lace yarn (cobweb and gossamer) next week (maybe). I'm also ordering the J&S I forgot to order last time. I'm going to take the advice in Sharon Miller's book and buy enough for several projects. I will calculate what it would cost to buy the recommended amount retail and spend the same amount on the J&S site. That should give me a metric buttload of lace weight wool.

I saw some really lovely lace patterns at the Fiber Fair but I didn't purchase any. I have enough projects in the works at the moment. But I do have a new wish list now. I really wish I could find my other lace book. I'll have to replace it soon. This will be very annoying. I hate to buy books I already bought.

I have to answer some emails this afternoon. I will probably head over to the local coffee house and use their free wi-fi. Assuming I can get it to work. There are no guarantees. I attempted to use the free wi-fi at the hotel this weekend and failed utterly.

Go over to Giovanna's blog and see a picture of my baby (the yellow one - not the green one). I miss the little feathery dusters. They appear to be doing well at her home - I saw them last week when we went for lunch. I'm really lucky to have someone I can trust to see to their well-being.

Monday, May 08, 2006

I finished the sleeve on Mom's fair isle. There was much rejoicing. I hauled my sewing machine to my SILs house so I can sew it up and cut it up. Once the sleeves are attached to the body I'm sending it and a ball of yarn to my mother and she can put on the button bands! Or not - I'll probably feel guilty if I don't do it myself.

I now have to finish the knotwork sweater and I have finally completed something. I also have some blackwork that she was promised and that I should finish ASAP but it is hard and has lots of really little stitches.

I have enough left over yarn from three other sweaters to make another one. Plus I took apart one of the kits that I bought, subtracted some yarn and added in others to get a colorway more to my taste. I've brought those two out with me and I plan to finish knitting one of them while I'm there.

But this week will have to consist of finishing my dress for this weekend. I have to do the buttonholes by hand and that will take some time. I also have to finish up the buttons but that won't be so bad. I think it should take about 5-10 minutes to sew a buttonhole and there are only like 60 of them. That's only two or three days worth of work. No problem.

I think I'll break out the blackwork!

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Moving

I HATE moving. I'm not actually moving at this time - but it feels like it. We are doing some remodeling. I have to clear out the main floor of our house. Everything has to go into the basement/garage. I spent HOURS last night (with a friend) cleaning my daughter's room and packing stuff. We filled as many bags of garbage as we did boxes of stuff.

After I nearly finished her room and washed the dishes I spend an hour knitting another band on the redo of Mother's sleeve. I then took out that row (because the gauge was off) and reknit it. I have three (or maybe four) bands left. I will then sew up said sweater.

I had planned to go to my SCA meeting tonight but then Mike came and took my car. The brakes on the truck are still not working. It isn't as though I don't have enough things to do at home. So it isn't such a deal - just very disappointing. I hope to have all the upstairs done, except my bedroom, tonight though. Then I can spend Thursday sewing up the buttonholes on my cote. I still have to take out and redo the sleeves. Happy Happy.

Monday, May 01, 2006

Cool News

My mother just called to let me know that she won a free sweater kit from Philosopher's Wool! *

That is so COOL!

*Actually - even more cool - they are refunding the price of the one she bought. You bought two to get your name in the drawing and if they drew your name you got the price of one of the kits back.

Hay is for horses

I spent most of the weekend hanging out in a horse barn with my mother. If there had been riding involved it would have been perfect. I did get a pair of boots that fit my feet. What, you ask, does this have to do with knitting? Absolutely nothing, but I have size 6.5 W feet and I can never find shoes that fit (except for Birkenstock) and I was so excited. I'm still thinking about buying another pair! I almost went back on Sunday to get another pair!

Secret Pal 8 signups ended yesterday. This should be so much FUN!

I worked on the reknitting of the sleeve for Mom's cardigan. It is almost half done. I had to redo the same pattern all weekend because I just couldn't seem to get it right. I finished that pattern last night. I dug out the left over yarn, which I will need, and am ready to make progress tonight. I have to empty out a couple of rooms first, but I intend to get a pattern or two completed.

There was some stash enhancement this weekend as well. I got a sweater kit from Philosopher's Wool and no trip to the Cities is complete without a trip to a yarn store. I bought some wool to dye and a skein of sock yarn, Liz got a hedgehog pattern and Mom bought yarn and a pattern to make a sweater.

We dyed some sock yarn using kool-aid, I dyed some yarn using my acid dye (I'm not sure if I like it). It maybe make an appearance on Ebay. Some of the colors are great but over all I'm not sure I like it. I think I prefer the appearance of pot dyed colors over the appearance of the steam dyed colors. Pot dyed colors have a softer blend. I may have to run to the yarn store and pick up another 3 skiens and make a pot dyed batch to test this in theory.