Monday, July 24, 2017

Forgotten Yarn

   I know I started this blog so I would have a place to show off the things I made and donated to charity.  I did post once, some crafty items that I didn't make, but donated.  I'm wondering if I should list any of the items that I didn't make and aren't craft related that I donate.
  Above is a picture of some tops I got for free a while ago.  I was going through Craig's List and saw someone giving away a big bag of shirts.  I saw a few I liked and got the bag.  I have since pulled out the two tops I liked and these have just been sitting around.  I did a second go-through to see if my style has changed enough that I might like any more of them.  Nope, still feel like I would never wear them.
  I had them listed on LetGo for a while and no one has even expressed some passing interest.  I wondered how long I should let them sit, since I've contacted people about items that were listed for over a month.  I decided the other day to list them for sale on Craig's List.  The listing is good for seven days.  If they don't sell in that time they will be getting donated.  I have a pair of boots that I will be doing similar to.
  Now, after all that, back to what I was wondering.  Would it be okay to post those things on here?  I am donating them, but I didn't make them.  I also know that this is my blog and I've gone off into left field many times on here before.

  I was walking through my kitchen and saw a large plastic bag.  When I peaked inside I saw some poor yarn that had been forgotten.  This bag was supposed to also come with me to K&CC.
  I asked Bill if he was shocked that I was getting rid of yarn.  His first answer was that since I said I was going to do it, that he wasn't shocked that I actually did it.  I then clarified that I wanted to know if he was shocked when I said I was going to do it.  He said he was.  Nice to know I can still keep him on his toes.

Friday, July 21, 2017

Because it is Funnier This Way.

  I don't remember if I mentioned it or not, but I started with the small ball of yarn I had instead of a whole skein.  I wanted to minimize the risk of having multiple small balls if I didn't use all 6 full skeins.  This also meant that if I was at the end of skein three and was in the center, then there would be a good chance that I wouldn't have enough.

  I took this picture earlier today.  I am in the exact center.  Once I do the second side of the wedge I am working on, I can start decreasing.  See that small amount of a skein left right below it on the couch?  That is skein number two.  I am passing the center and have not yet even touched skein number three.
  Like I said before, while I was wondering if I was even going to have enough, I was also thinking it was going to be funny if I had a bunch extra.  I could make it bigger and work one or two more increase sections, but I won't because that would make it super huge.  I tried it on by holding it over one shoulder.  It is a very nice size right now.  We'll just have to see how much I have left over once I'm done.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

No Longer Melting

  Everyone was saying that I should call someone to look at our outside unit.  I should probably get someone to check it over at some point, we have been in our house for almost 9 years, but I kept putting it off.
  Bill was in and out all of last night and looking things up on the internet.  I was hoping that since the same thing happened before we left for Scotland (and then magically fixed itself) that it would fix itself again.

  It is bad if they look like this.  The top is supposed to be flat and recessed a little.  He pulled this one out while I took notes about what wires went to what.  Once the new one was in and the emergency pull for the power was put back in, it jumped back to life.

  My plan for my Impulse Scallop Shawl is to try and not run out of yarn.  The pattern says I should use about 1600 yards of yarn.  I have some less than that, but I'm also not using the same yarn.  It isn't even the same weight, so I'm also not using the same needles either.  I have six full skeins and a small ball left over from the cowl I made.
  My plan is to check where I am in the pattern when I get near the end of skein three.  If I'm not at the center of the shawl or past the center, it just might have to be a bit shorter than the pattern calls for.  What would be really funny is if I have a bunch left over once I'm done.

Saturday, July 15, 2017

I'm Doing a Bit Better at This.

  Normally the picture below would be followed by some thing about how I got all this great yarn to use for charity and a story about how I got it.

  This is not a normal post about yarn at all because all that yarn is stuff that I pulled out of my stash and brought to K&CC earlier today.  I had the grand plan to use a lot of the Team Spirit yarn (hard to see, but that is what most of the bag is made of) to make a bunch of different hats.  I managed to make two and while that was fun, I quickly ran out of steam on that plan.

  I also had a mishap with one of them.  I tried to wash it.  I bet a lot of you are either rolling your eyes or sadly shaking your head about it.  The band had become gross and I didn't know if hand washing would be enough.  The yarn was structurally fine, just didn't want to risk anything.

  It took most of the day, but I got that mess sorted.  It didn't help that our AC unit is having problems.  The inside fan is blowing cool air, but the house isn't giving the outside unit enough power to get it started.  Tank loved that the windows were left open all night.
  Somehow through all of that, I got the shrug worked on and finished the body.  Today at K&CC I picked up along the opening and finished the ribbing for the body.  Since Tank has laid on it and chewed on the yarn at various points, it is now soaking in some sudsy water.
  I'm really excited to start the Impulse Scallop Shawl, and hopefully my AC will be back to full strength before it gets too big.

Friday, July 7, 2017

Organizing is Hard Work!

  I have been trying to figure out how to get all of my yarn and other craft items organized and neatly stowed away.  Bill doesn't appreciate looking at bins of it all over the house as much as I would like.
  This means that I have to pull out all the bags and bins that have been just thrown into the extra room haphazardly so I can fit shelves in there.  Then I get to go through the bags and such and put it into plastic bins which will get labels.  I've not gotten very far, but I've already gotten rid of some stuff.

  Look at this wonderful picture Andrea took of my Better Together.  I did the last diamonds in my own way and I like how they came out.
  If anyone noticed, I didn't include the shrug in my last list of things I have coming up.  I'm still not sure if I want to keep going or go back and do it with the stitch I had dropped.  If I leave it in time out for a bit and then look at it later, I think it will help me to decide.
  I've also almost finished one of the wraps I was commissioned to do.  I'm not totally happy with how it came out so I'm trying another similar version.  Luckily I had a lot of yarn to work with.