Knitting...
The most stuff happened in The Knitting. So I'm pretty traditional in my bind-offs. I usually do a regular old bind-off and nothing fancy. Not the super-stretchy one, not a tubular, nothing complex. I could bind off in my sleep, as a matter of fact. Well. The Close to You shawl (on Ravelry if you're a member) has a picot bind-off. And I'd never done one. And according to my "Cast On Bind Off" handbook, there are TWO ways to do this. One is relatively easy. One is a major pain in the kiester, involving flipping your work twice for each picot.
Can we say, "I'm gonna screw this up royally"??
So I chose the first one, the easier one. It's still a pain in the butt. I can now cross this off the "if I never do it again" list.
That being said, I will want to knit another Close to You because it's a marvelous pattern, and without working on this full-time, since I have 3 jobs, it only took me 2 months to finish it. In my next version, I'm going to "biggen" it. I had 400 yards of hand-dyed, which was given to me as a gift. And this pattern takes 399 yards.
I'm not one to enjoy a game of "yarn chicken" and I was playing it. So I left it as its regular size, and it's not even blocked yet. I'm told it'll be a nice size when it's blocked. Hubby thinks that, in its current state, "it's really tiny." He doesn't get the Magic of Blocking, but that's mainly because I don't block baby clothes or socks. So, meet Close to You, done in Rembrandt Yarns sock yarn. It's the "West Coast Swing" colorway. I did this on size 6 bamboo circulars, with a 24" cable. The pattern specifies a 32" cable, but I couldn't find one in that length... and this worked fine. I had plenty of room to maneuver and the bamboo was nice to hold.
Stitch definition is great with this yarn; it's sockweight, and honestly, I thought it was "too pretty for feet." I wanted to do a shawlette and I looked around for a semi-lace pattern. I didn't want a lot of lace, but I wanted a little bit - a little splash of zing, if you will.
This pattern has actually been done with beads in the lace part. I'm not there yet. Don't know if I will ever be, but I have other shawl patterns that use beads and I'm fine with that.
So that's finished.
I've been doing the "Swedish Death Cleaning" and pruning my yarn stash. Not necessarily ditching things, but there are some yarns that were definitely "what??" purchases, that will end up in the church rummage sale. I have a partial scarf in - honestly - some really cheap yarn, and I'm going to pull it out, donate it to the Prayer Shawl group OR - stick it in the "rummage sale" bin and let it go somewhere else. So THAT will be a project that is UN-done. And happily so.
And then I found some partially completed patterns, like the Chandelier Lace scarf, which for some reason is on TWO circular needles... I have to figure that one out. And this little gem was in the bag with the scarf...
Remember "fun fur" or "eyelash" yarn? Well, this is actually pretty. It's held double, so I've got a fairly hefty scarf going here. Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet. I don't need a fuzzy scarf, so I could give it to someone, or again donate it to the rummage sale. Or I could hold onto it for an "emergency gift." It's always nice to have a stash of pre-knitted things and this would appeal to a couple of folks I know.
It's a little passe in fashion, but for the right person? It could work. I have a "fun fur" shawl - a HUGE one - that was gifted to me (discussed in my last post) which is going to be re-gifted, and I think that's ok. I think that if it'll be worn, I'll be happy. I'd rather it be worn than it sit in my closet.
No. I'm not going to give this to the same person. That would be redundant...
However, THIS project will be done. And then next, the Chandelier Lace scarf, since it was supposed to be a Christmas present. Three years ago.
2017 Christmas Baking...
Hubby started the 2017 Christmas baking tonight. He made the peanut butter kiss cookies. About 125 of them. A/K/A "Peanut Blossoms." Here's my hint for a different twist on these traditional cookies (not traditional as in "granny made them" but in fact, my granny DID make them years ago). The recipe isn't as old as my grandma's Kolachy recipe, but I do remember her making them when I was in high school and college.
Anyway... I add about a tablespoon of cinnamon to my sugar. You know you roll the peanut butter cookie in sugar, right? Well, I added the cinnamon a few years ago because to my mind, cinnamon + chocolate = THE GREATEST TASTE EVER.
And I'm not fond of peanut butter cookies. So this hit of cinnamon kind of takes the peanut butter down a few notches.
Here's the list. Potica is on it, but only as a reminder that we're bringing it to Christmas Eve dinner... I don't have to make that till Easter.
Nobody has ordered any, so I'm not going to make it unless we have a day that we have perfect humidity and weather. Yeah, the dough is THAT finicky.
But mostly, we're doing some old favorites, and keeping it simple. And as you know, the list will change! It usually does, though Kid #2 and I have pretty much coordinated what we're doing so we don't duplicate.
I'm sure I'll dig out an oldie (like the Kolachys or maybe strabas) and do that, just because I'm the only one who does the old-time cookies.
Over the weekend, I'll start on the Annual Ornaments while I do my part of the baking. I found a source for the plaster ornaments, since Michael's doesn't carry the variety I like. They should be in my hot little hands in a few days. Oh, and I'm going to clear off the dining room table to block Close to You. I don't have enough floor space -- at least not where the dogs won't bother it.
16 Days of Activism...
So we've been hearing a lot about the groping/sexual abuse allegations. Even Garrison Keillor's been fired for groping...except that his victim answered an email saying "think nothing of it, I forgive you" -- then she got a lawyer. There are layers here, and I'm not judging. That being said, our women's club, The Zonta Club, is doing an activity for the 16 Days of Activism with "Orange Girls." One of our club members dressed these gals up and we've placed them around town. You have to take a selfie with them, and the person who gets the most selfies wins a prize. This project runs November 26 - December 1 and it's an international activism event to bring to light gender-based violence.
Technically, we don't know who's got the posters. But I'll tell you - and we'll see how many locals read my blog! This one is at my yoga studio, Just Breathe Yoga Studio, in Crest Hill - just outside Joliet, actually. So - if you're local, come out and take a class, and take a picture with the Orange Girl.
And an Ending...
So that funeral I was working on took place. It was beautiful, and the family loved what we did. It was important for us to get this right. Not just because it's the proper thing to do, but because so many of us were close to Judy, and we wanted to make sure her send-off was as perfect as we could get it.
And it almost was. Well, actually, the service went off without a hitch. The music was nice. The readings were great, and the message from her daughter was beautiful.
But I forgot to get a check to pay the priest. Now - wait... priests are often underpaid, especially in small parishes (which we are) and sometimes, people think that doing these things is "part of the job." And they are...when you're the permanent priest at a church.
But when you're a sub, you have to get paid. Yikes, I felt like a fool! But we have it all taken care of and I can breathe now.
Judy will be scattered. She always loved to travel. Rest well, my friend.
Random Picture...
A nearly-full moon. From my phone, so you really don't get decent definition. I swear, my OLD phone had a better camera. This phone is supposed to be "new and improved" but the camera? Not so much. Anyway, it's incredibly bright, and for the past few days, with the spring-like weather (and yes, it's late November...very strange), the skies have been clear.
Tonight, it's a 3/4 moon and stunning. I don't know what it is, but I'm fascinated lately by the sky.
Maybe because I'm worried that with all the crap going on with the Mango Moron, we won't see the sky. We'll be obliterated by a random (or not so random) nuke from North Korea...
Anyway, enjoy this picture. I'm going to brush my teeth and toddle off to bed. Tomorrow is Thursday, and frankly - the worst day of my week because it's where I hit ALL three jobs in one day. Good night, and sleep well!
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