Wearing of Sweaters and Socks

With the coming of Eldest from the east, it was a time of getting together for meals.  We met Youngest and Fam at a local restaurant for chow the first weekend of the visit.

Grandbebe Girl First was wearing the sweater -Peasy – Heidi Kirrmaier- (rav linky) which I knitted for her for Christmas, and I am here to say that every time I looked at her, I was filled with deadly and sinful pride.

I just had to keep looking at her.

It looked so perfect, fitting so well, hanging just perfectly.

I will have to knit another something for her soon.

A few days later, Dearest Sister told me (again) how much she ‘loved loved loved’ (and I quote exactly) her Christmas socks, and perhaps she should learn to knit her own…ensuring a lifetime supply of socks in addition to her lifetime supply of dishclothes.  I assured her I would be only too happy to tutor her in the simple complexities of sock knitting.

Then, upon the return of Eldest and Youngest Daughters from visiting Middle Daughter, Eldest told me how Youngest had loaned her the pair of hand knit socks I had given Youngest after the holidays and that Eldest had worn them the rest of the time there because they were the best thing evah! keeping her feet warm and felt so good and oh my gosh why didn’t I make her some?

I assured her a pair for her were onThe List…and in fact…with praise like that…her socks just got bumped way up on The List.

My family…they are knit-worthy indeed.

The Unfeltable Pocket Meets a Good End

(photos by Eldest Daughter)

The Unfelting Kindle Pocket has been converted to a Leapster Pouch for Grandbebe Girl the First.

Youngest Daughter mentioned that perhaps one was needed, and I had this….thing...but it was sort of big and galumphy, being knit on sz10 ½ ‘s and not felting and all.

Perhaps if I lined it?  Which I have not done to knitted items before, but as I am all about learning new things, that is what I set about to do.  First I reinforced the button hole, because…wel...sz 10 ½ needles and aran weight yarn and and it seemed to tidy it up and I like tidy.

Then I looked in my fabric, and what did I find but two blocks of nine-patch that were not used for her quilt.  They were very close to being the right size wide, if just a bit short.  I stitched the blocks together, and added a band to the top of matching fabric to make up the length and the flap.  I whipped the lining to the pouch and tacked the corners of the lining to the pocket.

I found a button, steamed the whole and called it done.  It was determined that a drawstring pouch was required for the game cartridges, and that was handily made from the same fabric as the added band.

She thinks it’s awesome.

I think she is awesome.

Some Thoughts

I was watching an interview with Brian Williams a few weeks ago.  He was visiting with the new Speaker of the House, John Boehner.

I am prepared to take the high road (I almost always am, sometimes to my detriment…).  The Republicans won the House.  They get their turn.  I will try to not be the person that spouts without listening, believing I am the only one who is right, and if I talk loud enough, repeating myself enough times, I will convince others to my way of thinking.

(Actually, I prefer to let them shoot themselves in the foot.)

(But I digress…)

So, with open mind, I am listening to the interview.  I know Mr. Boehner differs from me in his fiscal opinions, in his take on the healthcare issue, and many other things.  That’s okay.  We are a nation of different opinions.

But…

Then…

Brian Williams broached the subject of Mr. Boehner’s cigarette habit.  He is, and I quote, ‘a committed smoker’. He has made a few efforts to stop, but none lately.  Mr. Boehner makes no apologies for is, says that is who he is, and that is that.

Well. Okay, then.

But guess what, Mr. Boehner?

I pay for your friggin’ healthcare.  Well, actually, it is the private payer plan offered to all federal employees, retirees, and their dependents, that subsists of several differents levels of covereage and premiums.  But it is a generous plan of which the government pays about75%.  Oh.  That would be the taxpayers.  Our congresspersons pay the remainder (up to about $300/month), depending on their choice of plan out of their paychecks (which are significantly larger than mine)...again paid by the governnment.  (Which again...would be us.)  To the best of my research, the plans are blue ribbon.

And yet…you want to vote to repeal, albeit symbolically, the healthcare reform bill.

He says it is a 'job killer'.  Because the rise in healthcare premiums are causing employers to not hire or to lay off.

I am casting about in despair at this.  I cannot….I cannot! be the only one that has seen healthcare premiums continue to climb for the 10-15 (at least) prior to the current debate, with out of pocket expenses rising and coverage dropping, totally eliminating any raises we might receive as employed persons.  At least for the 9 million of us who aren't federal employees.

Also.  We have been told there is no end in sight to this rise in healthcare cost.

I think I understand now, though.  As with many people who have nice and safe insurance programs, the thought of rocking their safe and secure boat is filled with all sorts of spooky.

And this man…smokes.  In spite of all we know...he smokes without excuse.  And he is now leading the House Healthcare debate.  I am filled with warm fuzzies.

Or not.

I heard this as I was putting on my shoes to head out the door for work.  And I must say…Wonderful Guy got an earful.  I had words, and they just came bubbling out.  There was no highroad to be taken as I stomped strode walked into the kitchen to fill my travel mug.  I was filled with vitriol.

(Did you know that ‘oil of vitriol’ was what sulfuric acid was known as back in the day?)

Dishclothes

Over the holidays, I gave away my complete stash of hand knit dishclothes.  All of them!

Which is okay.

It is not like I knit as many as my mother knit, when she was in her dishcloth knitting heyday.  I didn’t have stacks and stacks.

And I gave them to those I wanted to give them to.  I gave them willingly. It wasn't forced giving.

But the fact remained…I was out!  So while my primary goal of the new year is to quilt that third grandbebe quilt, I really felt the need to knit a few dishclothes.

Because one never know when one might have a dishcloth emergency.  Someone might need one RIGHT AWAY, and as quick as they are to knit?  It still takes me two to two and a half hours from start to finish.

That’s a long time in the face of a dishcloth emergency.  I mean…people might die, wars could be lost, disaster could reign in two hours for want of a dishcloth.

Anyway.  Since the owls, I have been knitting with nothing but dishcloth cotton.

 It is a functional yarn, certainly.  And I have been using from my stash, which is good.  Unfortunately, my dishcloth cotton isn’t ‘itemized’ in my stash.  It’s more of a ‘lump sum’, so I am not getting to eliminate from my ‘total yardage’ (which is actuallytotal mileage) (Don't judge me!)  My dishcloth cotton now fits tote-ally into a small tote. Ar-Ar-Ar...

And I have a stash of a stack of dishclothes…against any and all emergencies!

The pattern I follow: Four Corners by Abigail – 1870 Pearl (Ravelry link)

(Using a provisional cast-on, short rows, and a kitchener finish, it’s a bit more than mindless dishcloth knitting.)

Snow

First it doesn’t snow. Like all fall, except for just a smattering.
At New Year’s, we got some, and frigidly cold temps. Really cold. Not out of the single digits for three days.

Then in 36 hours, we are in the 50s. For a week. This, my friends is why I love living in this place.

But I get caught unawares sometime. I bopped out of the house earlier than usual day before yesterday out of necessity for work, and thereby not catching the news/weather…sans gloves, because hey! 50 degrees! Warm!

And at lunch time? Snow…wind…and a chill wind…chill.

Next day? Blue skies, sunshine, and snow melt!

Love it.