I Don't Know Where Anything Goes.
Still Playing Catch-Up. *Sigh*
This week I will be looking for my next project. This will be a cardigan for a very special friend. I can’t say who it will be but it is long overdue.
Beyond the Basics. From time to time I schedule classes in my Beyond the Basics section for knitters and crocheters that want to learn a little more than basic how to knit and how to crochet. Are you ready to stretch your knitting wings? For these knitting classes you must know how to knit and purl and be able to do so with ease. For the crochet classes you must know how to crochet into your foundation chain, how to chain, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet and triple crochet. Watch this space for the next Beyond the Basics class announcement. You can register for all of my classes on my website.
Sweater Prep: Mystery of Gauge $15 plus materials
May 30 5-7
Your pattern tells you to use the needles that give you gauge. But how do you get gauge? Why do you need gauge? This class will explain all you need to get gauge and why.
Materials and homework to be done before both classes are listed in the Classes section at the end of this newsletter.
Jokes, Sayings & Cartoons.
Maybe I should finish…
Don’t Knit This. I see we are going to need another conversation about gauge. How much time do you spend knitting a sweater? A month? 4 months? Longer? When you’re finished do you want it to fit the person you made it for? If so take an hour before you start to knit a gauge swatch. If you don’t get gauge then change to a different needle size. Do this until you have gauge. Don’t tighten or loosen your knitting in an effort to get gauge. Just knit with your natural tension. You can do this! And remember, I am watching YOU.
Gauge
I Would Help But I Don’t Know Where Anything Goes. When Ken was stationed on a ship he, of course, was at sea a lot. They were not always deployed but they would go out to sea for a couple weeks, then back for a few days, then out again. So for the year or so that they were “home” between deployments, they were gone about 50% of the time. All ships are not equal and some ships stayed home more than his, and some ships were out more than his.
When he was home, I often heard this as I was loading, unloading the dishwasher. “I would help you in there but I don’t know where anything goes.” This, he said while sitting in his comfy chair watching TV oblivious to what the kids were doing.
One time after moving without him while taking care of a 4 year old and a 9 month old, I believe I felt I had heard it one time too many.
“This galley kitchen is tiny. Dirty dishes go in the dishwasher. End of story for dirty dishes.
“When clean dishes are in the dishwasher pull out a plate and open a cupboard. Do you see any plates in the cupboard? No? Then close that cupboard and open another one. Continue doing this until you find where the plates go. When you find it, put the plate IN IT! There are only two cupboards where there might be dishes. The others are for food.
“You can do this!”
Grudgingly he got up from his chair and never tried that excuse on me again. It was good while it lasted though…about 3 years! Lucky for him I didn’t push it until I was a little overwhelmed. Lucky for him it took 3 years.
Food and Water Needs: Preparing for a Disaster or Emergency. Prepare an Emergency Water Supply
Store at least 1 gallon of water per day for each person and each pet. Consider storing more water than this for hot climates, for pregnant women, and for people who are sick.
Store at least a 3-day supply of water for each person and each pet. Try to store a 2-week supply if possible.
Observe the expiration date for store-bought water; replace other stored water every 6 months.
Store a bottle of unscented liquid household chlorine bleach to disinfect your water and to use for general cleaning and sanitizing. Try to store bleach in an area where the average temperature stays around 70°F (21°C). Because the amount of active chlorine in bleach decreases over time due to normal decay, consider replacing the bottle each year.
Note: Alcohol dehydrates the body, which increases the need for drinking water. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/foodwater/prepare.html
What’s on My Hooks & Needles? I have finished the knitting on the child’s sweater. Last weekend I picked up grosgrain ribbon and the most adorable buttons. OMG so cute. I will work on sewing those on today and tomorrow. I also cast on for a new child’s sweater. Ken chose this pattern. It has anchors on it.
I have finished the pair of socks and cast on for another pair. These socks have cashmere. Who will be the lucky recipient, I wonder.
Currently on my needles are my mitered squares afghan from left over sock yarn and my purple cashmere merino pullover. All of the fancy work has been done. What is left are miles and miles of Stockinette Stitch and I need to reknit one sleeve. But I am actually considering that I might frog it. It is ¾ completed but I may have lost interest in it.
What’s on your hooks and needles?