Boring Knit And A New Project

In a former post I was whining about a shawl pattern that was so simple that I was bored. When my brain in not engaged it wanders, when it wanders I miss things like yarn overs or knit together's. The pattern was "Dusk" from the book "A Fine Line". I was drawn to the designs in this book by their clean lines. The designs were based on the placement of color values of yarn, and not the stitches themselves.

The directions called for purchasing a lot of different yarns; a dollar investment I did not want to make. However I did have one skein of "Kauni" in a light fingering weight. It is a variegated yarn in long color runs. When my Stitch & Bitch made our field trip to Tucson I found some "Dream In Color" lace weight yarn that came close in weight, color, and texture to use for the center of the shawl.

The pattern is masterful. The usual placement of increases for the corners is marked; a line of stitches flanked by a hole on each side is the traditional method. For "Dusk" the designer engineered the increases so they blended into the pattern.

My finished shawl is 47" square. That pattern is for a larger shawl, and I prefer a larger shawl, but I was out of yarn and didn't want to order more so I could continue with a project that was putting me to sleep.

It is lovely, but I have learned my lesson: I knit for fun first, and product second. No matter how lovely the pattern looks I will not be drawn in unless it will keep me awake. I am very glad I borrowed my friend's book and did not invest in it myself.

Of course once one project came off the needles a new one had to be cast on. I am making another "Hanging Garden" by Sivia Harding. I made one this spring in a heather grey and have gotten a lot of use from it even though it is wool. When I saw the "Lacey Lamb" 100% extra fine lambs wool in purple while on the above mentioned field trip, I knew it was perfect for "Hanging Garden". I have never knit the same pattern twice, but I think the pattern requires just the right amount of attention from me to keep me awake. This yarn is so soft that it is a joy to work on after my two previous projects.

Blocking Knit Lace

I have either been "down" this week or on a roll. I will share the "on a roll" accomplishments over the next couple of days.

Today I will share the process of blocking a shawl. I finished knitting "Miralda's Triangular Shawl" from "Knitted Lace of Estonia" by Nancy Bush. It was a complex pattern that kept me awake, but yet was not beyond my skill set. I chose the yarn, Longad by Evilla, because of the long runs of color. While the color gave just the effect I wanted the yarn was full of debris that I removed both while winding the ball, and during the knitting process itself. Also despite a lot of fabric softener the yarn retained its rough texture and would not be good for use next to bare flesh.

It is not always easy to take a picture of the finished product while wearing it, but I gave it a stab. (You can see parts of my bathroom as an added bonus.)

Knitted lace just off the needles looks like a nest of yarn at best. The finished piece must be blocked to come into its full glory. Blocking involves getting the piece wet, then stretching it into the desired shape and securing it with pins until it dries.

I block on rubber mats that I put down on my living room floor. However being on the floor is a signal to the Boys that I want to play. I am offered toys to throw.

Being a good Doggy Mommy I do play a couple of games of "Throw The Green Monster Stuffed Critter", but that comes to an end. Then Roul goes into one of his many beds and pouts,

and Blizzard is torn between taking a nap, and watching me crawl around on my hands and knees.

When the piece is stretched on the blocking boards it looks like this. At this point you can either see your perfect project, or the errors that you didn't catch. My philosophy about that is "If it looks good for the distance of 3 feet; don't worry about it."

When it is dry the pins are removed, and I rush to take pictures while the project is relatively dog fur free.

Now I just wait for the weather to go below the high 90's.

Chihuahua Race II

Besides the races there was a "Dog and Person Look Alike Costume Contest". Hang on for a cuteness overload.

This lady and her dog were not entered in the contest, they just looked alike. I wonder if the woman looked for a dog that looked like her, or if she changed her look to resemble the dog? Maybe she is unaware of the resemblance. Maybe they are sisters.

This woman took the whole contest thing a little too seriously. Her dog had a change of outfits that were rotated throughout the afternoon. She did not win. It was a very warm day and most of the people did not put their dogs into costume until just before the contest. I suspect that the judges did not reward the woman because of the unintentional discomfort she caused here dog. Not cruelty, she would have been torn from limb to limb in the dog loving crowd, but discomfort. Shame on her.

This little fellow was a mixed breed, but he had Chihuahua in him and Chihuahua people are not exacting. Come one, come all. He looks very sexy in his "leathers".



Hello! This costume was a "no brainer".

This little girl wore a costume as delicate as she was. With the costume on I don't think she would have broken the 3 lb. mark.

Bat Dog; probably more intelligent than Robin as a sidekick.

The winner was "Football Dog". Both she and her owner were dress in the colors of a New Mexico collage football team (I have no idea which one.) The helmet was only worn for the contest.

It was a very good day; the dogs were well behaved, the children were well behaved, and everybody scooped.

Chihuahua Race

Awhile back, before Blizzard came to live with us, Roul and I attended a Chihuahua Race in Las Cruces, NM. It was a charity event held to raise funds for homeless children. You can't have a better mix than kids and dogs.


As you can see from the pictures it was a low overhead festival. It focused on Chihuahua, Chihuahua want-to-be's (any dog that is not a Chihuahua, because you just know that being a Chihuahua is the very best), and families.

This is the start of the race. Chihuahua are very, very fast little dogs and my digital camera could not take pictures fast enough. I was lucky I caught a picture of the last two dogs out of the chutes. Most of the dogs ran towards the finish line, some didn't want to move, and one ran behind the chutes to see what was so interesting back there.

To keep the dogs headed in the right direction a family member was just over the finish line calling out encouragement. In previous heats, after crossing the finish line, a lady gave each of them a treat. These dogs had figured that out through observation, ignored their people, and veered left to the "treat lady". Chihuahua are both fast and smart.

Not all of the dogs ran in the races. This little fellow was content to ride in his Mommy's arms peering over her shoulder. He never moved from there. She told me he was a rescue dog and had never been socialized with other dogs. He did not know how to play, he just knew he was safe in her arms and that is where he wanted to be. (After adopting Blizzard I understand the behavior.)

This of course is Roul. He is a social butterfly; willing to make friends with everybody and anybody. He was not entered in the races, nor did he think the races where such a good idea. Above he is giving me that "Are you out of your mind. I not running on a hot day." look.

PS If you click on the pictures you can enlarge the pictures. I don't want you missing any of that Chihuahua cuteness.

This and that

Things are looking up here. I did have to get that cortisone shot and it is working. I am starting to look human, I expect tonight to be my first good night's sleep in two weeks, and I do believe that tomorrow I will be able to wear proper undergarments when I go out. Yay!!!

The TV issues remain the same. I will tackle it when I more fully myself.

I hope the shelves get painted this weekend.

And I am feeling pretty perky.

I think a blog without pictures is uninteresting; I am a very visual person. Since I haven't been out and about I have no new ones to share with you, but I do have archives.

Today's pictures are of my art work. All of these are based on pictures of people I don't know, but who have fascinated me. One of the antique shops where I bought some of these had them in a basket labeled "Unclaimed Relatives". Here are my unclaimed relatives and the stories I have made up for them. They are all colored pencils drawings on white fabric, appliqued, embroidered, and quilted.

This piece is called "Grandmother's Flower Garden". It's background is a scrap of an vintage quilt top in the Grandmother's Flower Garden pattern. I assume they are husband and wife, and the picture was taken by one of their visiting children. Grandfather is dapper, basking in the attention of his offspring, and Grandmother is a tad wrinkled and worn. She is the one who has been cooking for the last two days, making sure everybody is fed and happy.

This is Ann. I think of her as a young woman who comes from a upper class family who has fallen on hard times. She has been betrothed to an older widower with four children. Because of her family's reduced circumstances this is considered a good match. I have hoped that her sting of pearls, which is broken and in the process of falling to the ground, and the wilted bouquet express the loss of her innocence.

"The Glance". The shy glance, and mischievous smile of this woman endeared her to me.

I hope you have enjoyed my "Reclaimed Relatives".

Good Grief

Good grief, I haven't written for a week! Well you haven't missed anything, it has been a rather blah week. To bring you up to date:

1. The TV set up issues are the same; I need two remotes to work the stupid thing. My calls to the local satellite installer who did the initial set up were answered; several times. I went from person to person who didn't have a clue and ended up referring me to the technical support division of Direct TV. I have yet to contact them; I need to be in tip top shape in both mind and body to deal with them on the phone and me with the TV and two remotes.
2. My renovation work has been limited to one coat of paint on the crown molding, as well as exploration on line to learn how to install it. This may be not such a good idea. Again I need to be in tip top shape of mind and body to attempt this project.
3. I did get one coat of paint on one of the bookcases. That one coat made me realize that because of the bookcase's very dark color three coats will be necessary.
4. I have been knitting on a shawl. The pattern is simple and boring. My brain has fallen asleep and I have made a number of errors that must be either ignored, fixed, or ripped out. For today I am ignoring the whole project.
5. The pressed board desk that was moved from the kitchen to the garage was in my way and I could not find a new home for it. I dragged it to the front yard and hung a FREE sign on it. I was gone in less than a half hour. I do wish they had either taken the sign with them, or walked the 30 feet to the dumpster and thrown it away, rather than ripping it off and tossing it in the yard. Oh well, at least that sucker is out of here.
6. I attended a jewelry party. For those of you who don't know; I worked in both the fine and costume jewelry for years. I don't need any more jewelry. Oh I might have, and on occasion, have succumb to temptation, but that only occurs if the piece is very unique, or a GREAT bargain. Alas the jewelry offered for sale at the party was neither. I felt great gobs of guilt for not buying anything.
7. Most of my week was spent trying not to rip my skin off. My allergies and Mixed Connective Tissue Disease have combined to make my body one massive, red, itching mass. I kept hoping it would get better, but it hasn't. This is its second week and I will surrender to it tomorrow morning if I don't see a marked improvement. I know what will kill it; a cortisone shot. Neither the Dr. nor I want to do that because of the long term side effects of large doses of cortisone on the body. Like Scarlett O'Hara; "I will think about that tomorrow."

Here are some pictures to bring you up to date.

The new TV on the new TV stand.

The old TV waiting for me to find out how to get rid of it. Also the contents of the book case which is currently in the garage waiting for two more coats of paint,


and here is the bookcase.

Here is the painted crown molding.

My Third Hand

There are no pictures today; well there are, but they are still in the camera. Today was spent continuing to move things about as part of my renovations, and I am just too tired to play with both the camera and the computer.


I showed you the media center that needed to be moved. First it had to be emptied, then a place found for all of the stuff I took out of it. I have bags of DVDs and VHS tapes that will either be given away, or taken to Coas, the used book store for credit. There were a bunch of music cassettes that need to be gone through because time is not kind to cassette tapes. My CDs are in a bag waiting for more musical furniture to give them a place to hang out.

My neighbor and his twenty something son will come on Wed. to help move the media center to the garage where it will be used for storage. It is now empty and ready to go, but that means the TV is disconnected. I bought a new TV and a stand for it to sit on. I figured I could assemble the stand, and set the TV up on it in front of the fireplace and then move them where they should be when the media center was out of the way.


First I assembled the table. Because it was very heavy; the box said it should be "team lifted" and showed a picture of two people moving it, I had left it in the back of the car. I unwrapped it while it was in the car, and carried it into the house one or two pieces at a time. A very wise but very time consuming process. Of course that BIG box had to be cut in to medium pieces before it went into the dumpster. The directions were clear but doing it by myself was awkward. I used my shoes to help hold it in position while I was assembling it.


Next came the TV. The directions for assembly were not as clear. Assembling with a black base, a black TV, and black screws was a challenge. Two of the screws had to be placed deep inside the stand almost blindly, and required a long, slender, Phillips head screw driver. Lord knows Ralph left me with set after set of interchangeable screwdriver sets, but not one of them would fit into that slender spot. I must have spent an hour looking for the proper one. I came close with a long flat head screwdriver; it wasn't the right tool and it was not easy to use. I never thought I would have to buy a set of screwdrivers, but they are now on my shopping list. (If I have them I will never need them.) Of course the TV came in another BIG box that needed to be cut up before it could be put in the dumpster.


Now it is time to hook up the TV. I found a new cable for the satellite connection, but it is not long enough for me to connect the TV in it's current position; once it is in its proper position the cable will reach. But that can't happen until I get the media center out of the way. That is OK because when I look at the drawing and read the hook up directions I don't understand one little bit of it. I will attempt it again tomorrow when I am fresh, but if that doesn't work I will have to call somebody who know what they are doing.


I am looking at the media center thinking that I won't have to wait until Wednesday if I put it on a couple of old rugs and slide/drag it into the garage. Hey, it is a thought.


Today I missed Ralph. For almost 30 years we were each other's third hand. We repaired plumbing, painted a barn, laid tile, assembled countless items, hung kitchen cabinets, poured cement, dug a trench for a new well connection, built a summer house, and so many other things. I can do a lot of things thanks to his lessons. He ended up knowing he should read directions thanks to my lessons. I don't mind that it takes longer now, and that I have to be a bit more creative in how I do things, but I do miss sharing the accomplishments.

Birds Of A Feather

As you know from previous posts I have been cleaning out my garage. During the process (still on going) I found a flock of parrots. One of them was worn from the weather and had come unglued from his perch. The other two were fresh from a store in Mexico, purchased at least a year ago but never glued to their perches and put in the garden. One of my goals in the cleaning of the garage is to touch each item as few times as possible. That means that the parrots did not get moved to another corner, but got their feet (or where they would have feet if they were real) Gorilla Glued to their perches.

The above is the older parrot; you can see what at least 5 years of high altitude desert sun has done to his paint. The poor baby has the mange.

This is his brother who was purchased at the same time. They are now back on their double perch in the center of the garden.

This new member of the family now lives just on the edge of my covered porch.

This fellow now lives outside my dining area window.

They are fun, colorful, and have far outlasted any designed for the garden ornament I have purchased. I didn't think they would last a season.

Polly want a cracker?

More Renovation

Hard as it is to believe, yesterdays renovation plans are only the start of a grander scheme.

Below is a window looking out over the back garden. The only other view of the garden is the dinning/kitchen area, facing east. Because of the intense summer sun the blinds on the east facing windows are not rolled up until after noon in the summer. The window shown faces north and has the over hang of the porch to keep it shaded. This is the perfect place to sit with a book, a cup of tea, and watch over the garden and its residents.

However it was being used as a computer space by my late husband. I want to move that computer to the yet to be developed office/guest room.

That will allow me space not only for an easy chair, but also for.....

These bookcases which are in the entry way. Moving these would open the flow into the living area.

But for now my plans will be laid aside. It is time to go to Stitch & Bitch.

Renovation

I am doing some renovations to the house. Right now everything is on a holding pattern waiting on something else. I feel like I am juggling chainsaws and eggs at the same time.

I bought the above miter saw on my shopping spree last week. The only tool I had for cutting angles was a plastic miter box. I need a lot more accuracy if I am to install crown molding throughout the house. A very good miter box was $50, this marvel that does not require me to use a handsaw was $99. It seemed like a worthwhile investment to me. But it sits in the garage waiting for me to make a space to set it up.
Also in my garage is a new TV. My old DVD player no longer works and a new one will not work with the old TV. The TV now has a blue horizontal stripe that appears on occasion. I suspect that the TV is on its last legs. This is a lovely new 32" one (on sale!). I also bought a TV stand for the new TV because the new TV will not fit in my old media center. The new TV table has not made it out of the back of my car for two reasons: there is no room for it in the garage, and it is too heavy for me to move in its box. I will take it out of the box in the back of the car a piece at a time and assemble it very close to where it will be used.

This is the old media center. The new TV will move into that spot but only after I move the media center to the garage where it will be used for storage.

Above is the section of my garage where the media center will be put. It will run perpendicular to the storage on the left of the picture. If you look carefully you will see a large orange box about in the center of the picture. It is a desk that I purchased used and painted. It will go in the kitchen/dinning area where I keep my laptop on a particle board desk that is in deep trouble. This area of the garage will also be my wet studio.



The orange desk is now where it is supposed to be, and I am cleaning out the old desk, determining what will go into the office/guestroom (yet to be set up), what should be tossed, and what should be kept in the orange desk. If I don't finish this job by this afternoon I will have to eat standing up tonight.

The old desk will be offered to my neighbor, who's wife has volunteered him to help move the media center into the garage. If he does not take the desk it will be put in front of the house with a "FREE" sign on it.

This is only the very tip of my iceberg of madness. I will share the process with you as it progresses.

For now I have to work on the mess in the above photo and get it tamed before dinner.

I feel like I should have circus music playing in the background of my life.

Tiffany's Pizza and Greek American Cuisine

First I want you to know that my friend Pauli, and I are not joined at the hip; we have just managed to squeeze in another day together. It all started when our local building supply store failed to have what I needed. Since this is pretty consistent I don't know why I even bother to go there. Maybe it is because I keep hoping I won't need to make the 160 mile round trip to Las Cruces.

In any case I need to go to Home Depot. I remembered that Pauli said that she had errands that needed to be run in Las Cruces. There was no reason we couldn't do our errands together.

Off we went Friday morning. We were efficient, and through; with stops at Tuesday Mornings, Mountain View Co-0p, Best Buy, Home Depot, and Sam's Club, and the U-Haul. My car was so full that had the boxes from U-Haul been 1/8" bigger they would not have fit.

There will be future posts about the supplies purchased during this adventure, but for today I want to share our lunch stop with you.



We ate at Tiffany's Pizza and Greek American Cuisine. Having both been there before we chose to order one lunch and split it. We got the Gyro Plate pictured here. It was more than enough of yummy fresh ingredients.

We did not need dessert, but for their baklava we made room. Again we shared. I did not think to take a picture until there was only one bite left; it was Pauli's and she dispatched it right after I snapped the shot. Then we scarfed up as many of the crumbs as we could. After all we needed energy; our afternoon stops were Home Depot and Sam's Club. They both require a lot of walking and the pushing of heavy carts.

Stitch & Bitch

Once a week I meet with other local ladies for a Stitch & Bitch. The group was origionaly formed for knitting, and knitting is still an important part of our relationship. As time has progressed we have shared so many joys and sorrows that it is our personal relationship that now the real reason we all consider this a highlight of our week

We meet at "The Way Maker" a religious bookstore and coffee shop in downtown Deming. While not one of us is a member of the affilated church they have made us feel a part of their extended family. A few weeks ago they suddenly remembered that they had forgotten to tell us they would be closed the next week for vacation. A neighbor of mine is a church member and a frequent customer; when he came in they got my name and phone number from him and called me at home to tell me about being closed. It was in pleanty of time for me to have the ladies over to my house. For that and oh so many other kindnesses we are apprecitive.

This gentleman is Marvin, he is a regular at the coffee shop. The S&B group sits way in the back of the shop, while Marvin has personal territory at the counter. While he appears to be reading the paper I frequently suspect he is realy chuckling at our fun.

Here is Jane checking in with Marven. We all stop for a word or two each week. Carol is waiting for her cup of tea. The group is just starting to convene.

Before we get down to the knitting we have to unpack our bags and distribute what was promised last week, surprises, and garden produce. Above are they beautiful fresh peaches from Joanell's tree. Peaches like this can not be found at a market.

Here Doreen and Joanell are given a pattern by Pierrette.

Doreen shares books with Joanell.

Carol brought in eggplant and tomatoes in from her garden.

I know it is hard to believe, but we did get settled, each with the beverage of her choice, and some knitting did get accomplished.