Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Charity knitting

I'm still doing charity knitting. I finished the newborn sweater, hat and bootie set. I ended up making 2 hats because the first one was too big. I'm happy with the way the set turned out. It's killing me that I don't have my digital camera to post pictures. We see Ariane on Saturday so I hope I get the camera back then. I'm supposed to send the set out on Friday but I might delay just a little longer so I get a picture. I was going to scan it yesterday but my scanner doesn't seem to be working. It might be because I need a new black cartridge. With going camping this weekend, I don't feel like spending $30 on a cartridge, though.

I started a cute crocheted sweater pattern yesterday. It's from a 1950 Coat and Clark pattern book. The sweater is a ripple stitch pattern and is working up fairly fast. I'm using baby yarn (probably fingering weight) and a B crochet hook. Rather small but that's not making a lot of difference. I'm not sending that one out until I get a picture. I crocheted a sweater from Red Heart TLC and it worked up fast and came out okay but I think it looks a little thick. It's all done in single crochet which is probably the problem. Double crochet is much airier.

I have to decide what yarn and patterns I want to take with me camping this weekend. I was hoping to visit a yarn store in Geneva but both kids and Scott's sister and brother-in-law are coming to the campground on Saturday to celebrate my 50th birthday. We're also celebrating Sue's 47th birthday. Her birthday is Monday the 27th and mine is Wednesday the 29th. It should be fun. So I don't think we'll get to the yarn shop this time. Of course, neither Sue or I need any more yarn.

Well, I need to get moving so I can maybe get to work on time. Don't be surprised if I don't post until after the weekend.

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Poor baby dog...

Poor Isabella. She's our 2 year old miniature schnauzer. Last month she had a bladder infection and was on two rounds of antibiotics. We thought that took care of it but yesterday there was blood in her urine again. Scott called the vet today and I dropped her off on my way to work so they could sedate her, x-ray her bladder, and take a urine sample. The vet called to say that she had two large bladder stones and needed surgery to remove them. He did it this afternoon. I'm happy to say she's doing well. He stopped by on his way home and gave me one of the stones. Oh yeah, just what I wanted. The other one they send out to be analyzed so we can change her diet and prevent this from happening again. He said she had gone outside to pee and was a little cranky but was doing well. Hopefully we can bring her home tomorrow. Then we have the fun job of keeping her quiet for two weeks. Good thing she's not an especially rambunctious dog.

Well, I got all the ends woven in on the crocheted ripple afghan. Once I wash it, it'll be ready for charity. I have about 2 3/4" done on the hat to match the knitted sweater and booties. I'm hoping I can finish up this set and mail things out on Monday.

I'm not sure what I'll pick up to work on after these things are done. I could start another baby sweater. Or I might start Elizabeth Zimmermann's Katmandu Hat that is being done as a mini KAL on the Knit Baby Surprise group. I think they are going to do another Baby Surprise Jacket KAL, too. I never finished the first one I started last November. This would be a nice opportunity to make something else for charity.

Michelle said that she thought she had the Precious Layettes book and wanted to make one after looking at mine. I say go for it, Michelle. They are quite quick to make and the variations are endless.

Well, it's bedtime. I did get this posted before the end of the day, though.

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Summer's here...

It has been really hazy, hot and humid the past week or so. I don't ever remember having the air conditioning on in June before. Mainly because I hate a/c and don't turn it on until it's absolutely unbearable. And it has been. The flower gardens aren't going to have any flowers left for the rest of the summer because they are blooming and dying so fast from the heat. The heat is supposed to break tonight and the temps should be in the upper 60's for the rest of the week. Fine by me!

Lots has happened since I wrote last but I'm not going to try and post it all. I'll just hit the high spots - we moved Alek to Oswego and Ariane graduated from the University of Rochester with her MBA in marketing. She was offered a full time job with the company she interned with and is now gainfully employed. She leaves for a week in California on Thursday to visit her cousin, Dan. Dan is considerably older than her (he's 41, she's 23) but they're still close. He is a marketing consultant who's done very, very well for himself. Her roommate, Ashley, is going with her. They should have a great time. There will be no digital pics for a while since she borrowed the digital camera to take with her. So unless I can scan it, you aren't going to see it.

I'm still working on the newborn baby set for charity. The sweater and booties are done except for the sewing of the seams. Now I need to start the hat.

The set would probably be completed if I didn't get distracted by a crocheted round ripple baby blanket. I've wanted to try the pattern for some time and finally did. It's quick to do and fun. I think it's done except for weaving in the ends. It should be a good preemie size. I would have made it bigger but I ran out of the purple yarn I was using for the main color. I'm going to try to scan part of it but I don't know how that will work out. And I'm going to send it out before I get the camera back so it won't get posted in its entirety. But I have yarn to make another one so that one should get posted.

I'm also still working on the blue baby blanket in the dishcloth pattern. I pick it up when I want something mindless to work on. I have started on the decrease side so I hope it's finished soon.

After being such a bad blogger this past week, I'm going to try and post every day. It won't be a long post but it will be something new. We'll see how far I get with that. Especially since we are going to be busy or out of town for a good portion of the summer. Ta for now!

Friday, June 03, 2005


Precious Layettes pattern #1 in Patons Candiana with booties.

Cute flower buttons.

PL #1 in Canadiana with hat.

Sneaker buttons. Posted by Hello

Baby knitting

I'm still knitting for babies at the moment. I am making a Precious Layettes pattern #1 sweater in Bernat Softee Baby in the Dreamy Blue colorway. It's medium blue, seafoam green and baby yellow varigated. I'll post a picture when it's done.

I love making the Precious Layettes pattern. It's Leisure Arts book #3202 and all the sweaters are worked from the top down. There's even a Yahoo group called Baby Sweaters that is for people who love making this pattern. I've been a member of this group for about 3 years now. The original pattern calls for worsted weight yarn and size 10 needles. This makes a 6 month size sweater. The one I'm doing now, I'm using sport weight yarn and size 7 needles and it should be newborn size. I have posted pictures of two PL #1's (the 1 indicates it's the first pattern in the book) that I have finished and I'm sending to charity soon. One has booties and one has a hat.

I don't care for the hat or bootie pattern in the book so I keep trying to find alternative patterns. I didn't enjoy making those booties so I'm still looking. The hat pattern was okay but I think it's a little big for the sweater.

I have already left the Charity Knitting group. There was nothing wrong with the people on it but most of the messages were among the long time members about things that didn't interest me. I'm on enough other groups that I didn't need one with a lot of idle chatter.

That's it for now. I'm going to try to start posting more even if they are short posts. We'll see how far I get with that. Especially with the weekend so close. We are moving Alek back to Oswego tomorrow so I doubt I'll post anything then. But, then again, you never know!