Almost there

Well, I tinked the February baby sweater Friday night and started the whole thing over.  Deciding how I was going to make it my own was the time-consuming part.   (Pictures if I can get my card reader to work.)  In the end I decided on the garter stitch yoke then stockinette for the body with a horizontal rib row evenly spaced.

I’m now ready for the sleeves on circular needles to avoid sewing any seams.  I need to figure out how to do the underarm join so I don’t have any gaps.

Technical question:  How do you avoid gaps when joining thumbs and/or fingers in gloves or mittens?  It would be the same technique when joining the sleeves.

Please leave a comment on your favorite technique.

Mr. Aitch and I are getting ready to head out on the Harley for a little ride.  We’ll be back by mid afternoon.  Now if I could figure out a way to knit while on the back of the bike…

Interesting few days…

I was a bit MIA for a few days but I’m home now.  For the past few days I have been in Morgantown, WV; Springs, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; and the hospital. 

Mr. Aitch wanted to go out to dinner last Friday.  Outback Steakhouse.  The closest one is in Morgantown, WV.  Only 68 miles away.  We took the Harley and it was a nice ride and dinner.  Not crowded at all when we got there but there were people waiting to get in when we left.  Good timing! 

Broken Stork Scissors

 

Saturday morning I went to Springs on my Suzuki to see the Scissors Guy about fixing my stork scissors.  The original pivot had been riveted and screwed and he said he couldn’t repair them.  I appreciated his honesty.    

Saturday afternoon I seamed one shoulder on the Lace Hem Topping.  I don’t like how it’s turning out.  lengthening the body by an inch and shortening the armhole by an inch helped with the fit.  I really want to get this finished.  For some reason this isn’t going as smoothly as I anticipated.  I am short row seaming challenged.  

The stitches are twisted so I took a break and made these

Lampwork stitch holders

 

Knit Picks Ms Ida Chain Link Mittens

 

Sunday we made a quick trip to Pittsburgh.    I took some yarn and a new mitten pattern to work on while Mr. Aitch drove.  (I even bought the recommended colors.)  In my haste to pack something  small to knit, I forgot one set of needles and didn’t get the project started.  As soon as we got home, I found the size needles I needed and put them in my knitting bag. 

Monday became the most interesting day and I’ll explain in a later post. 

Water in the basement

We had a line of thunderstorms roll through yesterday afternoon which forced allowed Mr. Aitch and me to do some water removal or rather water squeegee-ing.  Is that even a word?  Anyway the drain outside our basement door was shut (defective, more likely) and the door just wouldn’t hold the EIGHT inches of water that accumulated outside.

The concrete stairs outside act like a waterfall and channel the rain to the drain.  I braved the torrential downpour with a screwdriver and released the drain cover.  I understand the concept behind this drain cover so stuff doesn’t go down it and clog the drain but anything more than a nice gentle rain, and the thing acts like a plug.  Poor design.  Or maybe it wasn’t designed for where it is at my house.  We really need to get this issue resolved if I want to turn part of the basement into a craft/sewing/knitting/painting area.  Water has its place in the world but not running across my floor.

Whatever.

Fortunately I had the foresight to place all the “good” junk up off the floor by using those foam-type shipping supports (that come around various computers, monitors, TVs, aquarium supplies, and furniture) under everything to keep it dry.  It was still a mess and some things were not on said foam-type supports.  So some things got wet.

Because of this wet mess, I decided I’m taking all the old but still wearable clothes that have been in a holding pattern in the basement to Goodwill today.  They were in plastic bags and protected.  It’s something I’ve been meaning to do but never got around to it yet.

And what does one do with old motorcycle helmets?  Is there a motorcycle helmet grave yard?

The Lace Hem Topping is slowly but surely coming along.  I have the back finished to where I think I need to start the shoulder shaping but I’m not going to do any more until I get the front done to the same place.  This way I try it on (sort of) and get an idea if the armholes are too short, too long or just right.  Then I will finish it.

It’s the right thing to do

“If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.”  Emma Bronder Kreidle, my grandmother.  

If you have been following my dilemma about the Lace Hem Top here and here, you know I am not happy with the armholes.  I tacked a few stitches together under the arm and shortened the shoulder by a half-inch on both the front and back thinking it would fix the problem.  

There are no shortcuts to doing something right.  I’ve spent too much time knitting this only to have it second-rate.  I would always look at it thinking I should have…  

So I ripped it down to the beginning of the armhole shaping and knit another inch before I start the armhole shaping for the second time.  Then I will make the armhole an inch shorter.   

Second attempt

 

It’s the right thing to do.  Right, Gram?  

On another note the thermometer already says it’s 89 degrees and it’s only 9:00 am.  Gonna be another hot day.  

Mr. Aitch and I “planned” to ride our motorcycles to the Farmer’s Market in Springs, PA this morning to visit a scissors repair man.  

Broken Stork Scissors

 

I have a pair of stork embroidery scissors and the pivot broke many years ago.  I didn’t want to throw them out so I finally found someone fairly local that would take a look at them to see if he could repair them.  Not sure if we want to ride 40 miles one way in this heat.  It just might be too darn hot.