Saturday, February 24, 2007

Smoky Sky for Saturday



Hi, sorry to have been among the missing. I really wasn't, I just couldn't think of anything to say. Fortunately, this pic was really taken on Thursday. A planned grass burn that got a bit carried away with itself. No structures, or people or animals were injured. It did, however, impact my work as I spent a lot of time taking pictures outside. Grass fires=spring in Oklahoma. The wind today is a major problem. Wayyyyyyyyyyyy windy, but clear and in the 50s.

And while I've been gone, knitting has been happening. Behold Monkey #1. It still needs one more repeat to finish the leg. I can't tell you how much fun I am having with this pattern and this yarn. Dave..you really outdid yourself this time! I'm not going to set any speed records, but that's ok, because that just means I get to enjoy them longer. Hopefully this evening, I will get that last repeat done, and then start Monkey #2.

There's been other SUKCC going on also. I've been made aware that the hat I made for The Girl using some sort of cheap camo yarn has become a pawn in a power struggle between her and her older brother. So I thought I should make him one even though it's not really cold enough now to wear it. But I didn't have any appropriate yarn. Only worsted I had was turquoise. Or just left overs from other things. And since I've been without transportation, shopping wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Yes, I could have ordered something, but the night I decided to do it...I wanted to start it RIGHT THEN. I'm like that. So delving into the good yarn stash, which is mostly sock yarn, I realized I had some lovely varigated browns dyed by the infamous Dave. And, it was already wound into two yarn cakes. So...using two strands of sock yarn I started this hat. 2x2 ribbing and then plain stockinette. Hopefully it will fit him. As soon as it gets a bit bigger, I'll check it and try to figure out how far to go before the decreases start. And it's really really soft and pretty.

Today though, it's going to be sewing time. Way back some time ago, I stitched together some precut squares to make a summer quilt top. It wasn't quite big enough but I put off buying more squares because other things demanded my check book. This week, though, I discovered that the place I'd ordered them before Fat Quarter Shop had them on sale. So I ordered some and very quickly they arrived in the mail. And this morning, several more rows have been stacked for sewing. Originally, I tried to make sure that there weren't like colors touching. This time, I dumped them in a sack and just picked them out randomly. The colors and the simplicity of this quilt (in my brain, at least) sing to me of summer naps with that soft, soothing fan noise.

And there's another sewing project that I haven't quite figured out yet. I want to make a bag for my swift. Since it has to stay in a small closet, I don't want to risk damaging it by it tumping over. And besides...the fabric is here. I don't know what it was supposed to be originally but I think it will work well for this.

There's yarn in the mail, or so I'm told, so it's all quite exciting around here. And once I balance the checkbook and pay the latest batch of bills, I may have to go back to Walmart because I discovered an ever-so-cute Rubber Ducky bathroom trash can LOL

But, wait! Really important news! My vehicle is running again!!! I asked my friend Richard to call the mechanic and see when he could get to it. (Mechanic talks over my shoulder. If there isn't a male standing behind me, he talks to the wall! But he's very good and reasonable and I have other wars to fight). He said that it would be Tuesday or Wednesday before he could start it but in the meantime, could Richard check the solenoid which is somewhere under the car. This had been discussed before, but apparently, if it goes out...it goes out. The car isn't going to not start one day and start the next. But Richard checked and guess what. There's a wire that goes to it, and it was barely connected. Apparently on the days it wouldn't start, it had wobbled itself away from contact. And then, maybe because I was stomping and cursing inside, it wobbled itself closer and would start later. Until recently when it wouldn't even try. He tightened it up and so far, I have driven home from work and to the store this morning. And, on the way home I discovered that gas has gone up 20 cents since the last time I bought any. :-( That's just not fair!

Now off to the sewing machine. What are you going to do today??

8 comments:

KatyaR said...

Great looking sock--I have that same yarn, and I definitely need some inspiration--maybe I see a pair in my future! We could be twinsies!

Hope the orchid's doing well . . . .

Anonymous said...

I love how that yarn is knitting up! Great sock!

I think a swift bag is a great idea. :D Ya know, I'm starting to think that we all have yarn in the mail. *L*

I'm so glad the car is up and running again!

Sara said...

Well, you are wound up this morning! The socks are gorgeous!! That pattern is incredible...

Scrap quilts are my most favorite quilts...and I'm all for throwing the pieces into a bag and pulling out a scrap...they always turn out so cool...

A bag to hold the swift - quilted of course...that sounds like a great idea...(reminder to self - add that to list of projects!!!)

Hey, at least the mechanic doesn't talk to your tits!!! I hate it when they do that - I usually tell them they don't know how to talk back...

Me - I'm knitting this week-end...

Sheri said...

The sock looks great! I'm undecided on a pattern for that yarn but need to find something soon, I have no "easy" on the needles.
Have a great weekend and I'm so glad you have your wheels back!
Sheri in GA

Anonymous said...

I am in love with the cabled sock. It's beautiful. (I'm all about the cables, even though I don't do them often enough.) And great solution to make the boy a hat of his own in the brown. Hate that you mentioned it's in the 50's, when it's been 18 degrees most of the day.

Ann said...

This made me sit at my computer and laugh outloud Hey, at least the mechanic doesn't talk to your tits!!! That Sara, what a hoot. Let me know when the tits start talking back.

I love those socks...what a great pattern. You are waiting for Dave yarn too???

I wondered where the heck you have been!

Susan said...

Katya..it's really a fun, fun knit and it's been a long time since I did 'twinsies' so I vote that you do it. So far the orchid is hanging in there. The blooms are still there, so I hesitate to repot it yet. Glad to see you didn't blow away today!

Cookie, I love looking forward to packages. Almost as much as I love to open them *G* Still have to start the swift bag. A nap took over my brain LOL. It's sure fun to know that if I want to go somewhere, I can!

ROFLMAO Sara!!! I guess there's not that much in that view of me! This guy, I think, is just kind of shy. I first met him through TG's softball games. He's always there with his wife and kid. And talks..over my shoulder hahaha! And always a good thing to have a list of projects!

Hey Sheri! Thanks! These are such a fun knit. And not hard..if you can count LOL which is sometimes a problem for me.

Dave, they really aren't cabled although they look like they are. Just a combo of k2t, ssk, k and p and YO. It amazes me though how someone could actually figure all this out in order to come up with the pattern. I'll trade my 50s (they're gone now though) for some air that isn't brown with dust.

Hi Ann. Nope, I have a Knitpicks order in transit. I need to use my swift! And I need to experiment and Wool of the Andes seemed just the ticket, and oh so affordable. Next order will have some dyeable yarn. I also feel like making a mess *G*

Laura said...

You too? I found my dyed reject yarn, am making another cat bed from it, and realized, I miss dying a lot! A trip to Walmart for Lion Brand's real wool stuff fixed that.

Thanks for the long post, totally enjoyable. :)