YOP update 8.30.16

I'm late posting this because this weekend we were doing some serious cleaning. I wasn't feeling well Saturday so just my husband cleaned but I did a lot of work on Sunday. We pulled out boxes and bags of things that had been undisturbed for a very long time. I found clothes I used to love that look like they would fit a child now. I ended up having an asthma attack from all of the dust we stirred up and had to retreat from the room for fresh air and my inhaler. We pot a hepa filter in there and let that run for a while. Our vacuum also has a hepa filter too and that actually worked faster. I'm so glad to have more room now.  I really don't miss those boxes stacked up in my way all the time. We are planning to replace our carpet with hardwood floor sometime soon so we have to be ready for that. We will be going through one room at a time purging extra stuff and moving some to other areas. I was really wiped out after cleaning so much though and ended up sleeping for most of the last two days. Hopefully I'll start to feel better soon because Thursday (Sept 1st) is our 25th Anniversary. My husband has the day off and we are hoping to be able to spend the day together.

I am still working on my meandering rib scarf by Lion Brand Yarns and amazingly I've gotten somewhat comfortable with the pattern. I can even watch tv or podcasts while working on it now and only mess up every now and then and have to tink back a little. I started to use a counter on my phone called "Knit & Crochet counter" and it is so much easier to keep my place in the pattern. I was using a sticky note but if it fell off I would get mixed up.  That app is for ios phones but there are some others that work for Android on this page and they work with Ravelry.  This one is a free app.

I didn't take a picture of my scarf since it still looks the same as my last post but it is longer. The last time I measured it was about 30 inches long. You can see in the picture from the app above that I've done 9 repeats (24 rows) plus the 7 knit rows I started with. The big number 1 is showing that I'm now on row 1. The little 222 in the top right is the total number of rows worked although I think it is one row off. I can fix that. Someone asked what yarn I'm using and it is Wool-Ease by lion brand yarn. The color is Gray Heather. I get that yarn at my Joann's store. I really like that yarn and there is a nice range of colors. I don't think I'm going to make this scarf 130 inches long since I don't think my husband would want a scarf that long.  I'll probably just make it 5 or 6'. I just finished off the first ball of yarn so I think maybe 1.5 more balls should be all I'll need.

I did break the needles I was using somehow.  I have the boye interchangeable knitting needle set and they seem to break too easy. I'm not even sure how it happened. The cord just dropped off and I wan't torquing on it or anything. I'm just knitting back and forth on this scarf and the cable is 20 something inches so plenty of room. They always break off at the threaded area where it screws into the cable. That is the third time that has happened and it is getting really hard to find the replacements. I think I need to invest in a better set but just don't know which set to get. I have to get something that has no nickel plating since I'm allergic to nickel.  Dianamcheck recommended Knitters Pride Dreamz Deluxe IC set. Does anyone else have a set of interchangeables they like?  Or a set you've used that you didn't like for some reason?

Here is a cute picture of Buddy the Beagle Baby to make you smile.  He is sleeping with his head propped up on my Kindle and actually stayed like that for over an hour.  I often find him laying on a book like a pillow but this is a first.

YOP Update Aug 21

It is raining again so I've been sleeping a ton and just hanging out in bed.  I used to love the rain but that stopped when I started having fibromyalgia pain.  I can still see the beauty in it at times though. It intensifies the colors of everything and perks up the plants and trees.  I love watching the birds play in the water.  I try at least to see past what I feel.

#1 recovered MIA WIP - meandering rib scarf /lion brand yarn (originally started 11/2014)

Anyway, I stalled on my scarf because I found an error - well an entire row that was wrong so it made a line.  I tried for two days to ignore it and just keep going but I just ended up not wanting to work on it anymore.  My oldest son (19) told me no one would notice and certainly not his dad who it is for. Still, I knew it was there and it haunted me. I finally pulled the whole thing out and started over but I still wasn't happy with it so I tore it out again. Then I decided to go down two sizes to size 4 needles because the yarn seemed kind of thin for worsted weight.  I was much happier with the look of the stitches but it made the scarf so narrow. I decided to rip back yet again and add some extra garter stitch on all the edges. I started with 7 rows at the bottom and now there are 5 stitches on each side.  I really wish I had added a couple more rows at the bottom but I'm going to leave it this time.  If you look at my last post you can see what it looked like before.

I decided to try knitting in my lifeline with my boye interchangeable needles since they do have the little hole for tightening but it is only big enough for size 10 thread.  Can someone who has the knit picks needles tell me if the hole is big enough for a thin yarn (not just thread)?  I like to put in a lifeline at the end of a pattern repeat.  I'm just a little past 2 repeats in that picture.  I really don't like using thread though since the loops can pull the thread down.  It doesn't help that the thread I used is so light colored.  The ball is actually a variegated purple with some really dark purple but the first part was light and I didn't want to waste too much. Anyway, I was watching TV last night and totally messed everything up so I ripped back to the lifeline and it was almost as difficult to get the loops pulled back up as if I'd not used a lifeline at all. Next time I think I'll find something thicker and use my darning needle.

Oh, I almost forgot!  I'm inserting this part in here hoping to get some feedback.  I need to get a swift and ball winder.  Does anyone have any recommendations?  I want to get something that will last me a long time.  I was looking at the knit picks ball winder and swift on amazon.  Does anyone have any experience with that brand?  I'm hoping to get it for my birthday since I just bought my first thing of yarn that looks like a twisted donut.  If you have had a bad experience please tell me about it.  I want to avoid any hassles if possible.

I was planning to do a little cross stitch yesterday that I bought on ebay for a gift a while back.  One of my brothers finally got married (They have been together for a long time).   My SIL's name is Joy and I saw this simple cross stitch kit that says "Share Joy."  I thought that would be a nice Christmas gift for her to keep at her office (if she wanted to).  It is a chalk board look design with black fabric and white thread and it had a butterfly in the design top center which I loved.  It also comes with a white filigree easel frame.  But, when I took it out of the package and sat down to start working on it I realized it wasn't the right design!  I didn't even notice when I first got it in the mail and I already left good feedback.  It is too late to try to get them to fix it.  I really need to pay more attention when I first get things.

It is the same except it says "Grow Love."  I went back on ebay and looked at the listing again and the title and description were actually right but the picture was showing the Joy design.  I did look it up and found another one even cheaper and that one is on the way.  I will go ahead and make this one for someone else.  I do like the design but I will wait until later to work on it. Maybe it will stop raining.

Buddy the Beagle Baby has been so cute and I love him so much.  It is so hard to imagine what life was like without him now.  He is very different than my other beagle, mostly because he is a puppy and my other dog was very old but also because he loves to snuggle and play with toys and fetch - things my other dog didn't do.  Blue (girl) was always an easy going dog who liked to chill in a sun-ray or snuggle in blankets but she got too hot if you laid next to her.  She wanted all the blankets and your pillow but you had to go lol Buddy wants to sleep as close to my head as possible and sometimes on my face.  He will snuggle his little muzzle right up in the curve of my neck with his soft ears falling forward.  He will sleep with me that way all night long now and doesn't get up and wander around as long as I get right up with him in the morning.

He did find some gum last night though.  Someone didn't throw their gum away properly and he found it.  I noticed when he jumped up with me to sleep that he had nice fresh breath lol  He was chewing away and it was so funny.  I didn't notice him drop it on my chest though and my shirt was very close to the same color.  I looked for the gum but didn't find it and figured he just swallowed it. When I woke up and went to the bathroom I saw it plastered to my shirt.  I sure am glad I cut my hair short or I'd really have a mess. There are also a few spots of it on the sheet and some on his foot. So now I have to see if I can get that out of everything.

Anyway, I hope everyone is having fun crocheting or knitting or whatever you do.

YOP Update

Today I am contemplative and moody - don't know why.  I also can't seem to spell today... or type. What you see has been severely edited.  I guess it's just another manic Sunday.  

Anyway, some stuff's been going on around here.  I'm not even sure where to start.  Well, how about the fact that the sun came out finally.  It's been raining a ton... I'm pretty sure it's been 40 days and 40 nights plus a few afternoons.  I'm thinking Noah forgot to invite me into the ark.  That must mean I need another beagle puppy - a girl to go with my boy. Too bad my husband wouldn't buy that story. Anyway, my fibro-riddled body feels a little better this morning and some of my lilies have opened up!  

Speaking of Buddy the Beagle Baby, he has been learning some tricks!  He learned "sit" really fast but the others not so much.  He just finally learned "lay down" and "leave it."  He also came to me right away when I said "come."  The best thing though is that I just got a potty training bell.  I have only had it about a day and a half and this morning he rang the bell.  It was kind of funny because it is so new I hesitated a minute thinking "what the heck is that noise?"  lol  Well, only a few seconds and then I somehow FLEW over there and let him out.  Not only did he go pee but he also went poop which he usually prefers to deposit in my entryway whenever it is raining and/or wet out.  I was so SO happy!  Oh, and Buddy also has a new confinement space.  He does not like our wall (Mexico did not pay for it btw)

Oh, and I made a tumblr account.  I used to have one but never really used it much.  I tried to sign in but it said I didn't have an account.  Boo.  Oh well, I started over.  My new account name is DJCstitches (which I'm pretty sure is what my old one was) and I have no friends. That is very sad so please be my friend if you tumble with tumblr.  

I want to say THANK YOU! to all the people that gave me advice for fixing the snag in my Frilly

Dress (baby dress) and helped me decide on which color to use for the trim.  I did decide to go with the Caron Simply soft Party in purple sparkle.  The baby this dress is for has a darker skin tone and I think the color will look perfect on her.  I'm really hoping I will get a picture of her in the dress that I can share.  I am currently working on adding the trim edging to the bottom of the dress (pictures of the top are in the previous post) and I've already used up one whole skein of the purple sparkle (while marathon watching the 9th season of Criminal Minds). After I saw how that was going to look I really fell in love with it.  It really sets off all of those ruffles.  I do think this dress is more of a 12 month size and not 6-9 months but I'll find out once they get it and try it on her.  I am sure I have enough time to whip up a matching flower headband.  Of course I already added one to my list of projects.  Oh, and after adding the edging to the straps thay are less stretchy.  It really helped to stabilize them some but I will probably still add some ribbon or fabric

Update: You won't believe this but I can't find my second ball of that dark purple Caron Simply Soft Party ANYWHERE.  I got half way around the hemline and ran out.  I have turned the living room upside-down and now I'v sent out a text-plea to my hubby to grab a ball for me on his way home.   

Second Update: I got it!  Hubby made a special trip by Joanns to get it for me and bring it home BEFORE he went to play golf.  Isn't he the best?

I finally got a new set of size 9 needle tips for my Boye Needlemaster knitting needle set. I think it was back in January when I broke mine. I was knitting and got up for some reason and laid my project down on the couch (which will never happen again).  When I sat down I folded my leg underneath me like I always do and my knee pressed down right on one of the needles and snapped the threaded part in the cable.  I've actually done that once before and quickly was able to get a replacement cable and needle tips. This time however I could only get the cable. The other replacement parts were no longer on amazon.com and the whole Needlemaster replacement parts section on their website was gone.  I was freaking out thinking they were discontinuing the set all together.  I have been watching for them on ebay and etsy ever since.  I finally found a store on ebay that had them plus they have other brands, sock boards, crochet hooks, pattern books and some cross stitch kits etc.  The seller is super nice too because I accidentally ordered some connectors for the knit picks needles instead of the Boye and they were kind enough to fix that for me.  I have some OCD issues so it has been driving me insane that I didn't have a complete set.  It made me not want to knit at all and when I did finally make a washcloth I used straights instead. It is so nice to see my set complete again!  (I do realize there is a size 2 missing but it is actually attached to a project with a stop on the other end of the cable).

Okay, so I know I had more things that I intended to add here but I forgot what they were.  I guess I will save them for later since this is long enough.  I hope everyone had a very productive and fun crafting week.