Checking In

Hello out there?  I don't have much to report.  Not that there isn't a lot of things going on in my life, but rather most of them are more of the personal nature, and it just isn't appropriate blog post material.  We are going through some changes here.  I am adjusting. 
I have been bound and determined to learn to knit socks.  They are a bit of scary thing to me.  I am trying to figure out which way I am most comfortable knitting them.  I did my very first pair, using double pointed needles.  I found that very awkward.  I made a lot of mistakes,  But I did it.  I frogged the second one, and so, I only have one, ugly, house sock to show for it.  I didn't even take a photo, it is not very pretty!
The second time I wanted to learn to do magic loop.  I used a good tutorial, and purchased the pattern to follow.  I followed it exactly, and a sock was made! 

I used a Knit Picks cotton/linen blend, and I didn't care for the texture of it.  It doesn't have the stretch and give that a sock should have.  So, I didn't bother making the second sock. 
Then, I saw a technique using a very small 9" circular.  I ordered my circulars and two sets of dpn's from Hiya Hiya, and was going to join in on the sock KAL with The Grocery Girls on Ravelry.   Do check out their podcasts, they are such great fun!!  I cast on, and I found the needles so terribly slippery.  I was using fingering #1 sock yarn.  It felt like dental floss and toothpicks in my hands.  I had to frog it.  I set out once again, this time with a dk weight yarn, and size 4 needles.  Back to magic loop.  I am cruising along just fine.  I think my friend was right.....stick with the dk and sport weight yarns, and slightly larger needles, until I am very comfortable with sock making.  And so, that is what I will do.

This is a Merino Wool/Acrylic blend.  It feels good in my hands, and has plenty of stretch.  I am making this pair a full size sock.  Not an ankle sock.  I think that my preferred set of tools for sock making, will be magic loop.  Kind of strange at first, but I do like it a lot.
My house is in total disarray.  Erika and Noah have moved out, and into their own cute little condo, leaving me with two rooms to do something with.  First things first.  Pull the carpet and pad up!

I was going to paint the two rooms myself, but I just don't have it in me right now.  I will pick paint colors this week, and get someone out to paint.  The carpet should be here in the next 10 days. 

We are going with the lower left seen on sample board.  When my son Drew moves out, we will order the carpet to do the rest of the rooms.  Ours, his, and living room.  And I have decided I will be moving my sewing room back into Drew's room.  It is the largest in the house, still in front of house, with good natural light.  And I can have a living room for entertaining once again.

My girlfriend gave me a huge stack of her old knitting magazines.  I am having fun going through those!
Haven't been sewing a quilt lately, but I do have a quilt in the wings, ready to begin!  I have been doing a lot of machine embroidery.  Most of which I cannot show, as they are gifts.
This was a small tote bag I did for my Mom.

I had an old high school friend contact me to make a hat for the upcoming arrival of his new granddaughter.  He sent me the colors of her nursery, and I came up with this.

We are getting ready to bring the boat up to Big Bear Lake for the summer.  We are so eager to be spending time up there.  We will be bringing our new trailer up for a week in July, as well as several weekends.  We also have several other small trips planned throughout the summer that we will be taking it on. 

My garden has done absolutely awful this year.  I have had  what I think is bunnies, eat most everything to the quick.  Despite fencing, and chicken wire on gates, something has destroyed almost all of it.  I have kind of lost the desire to work it now.  I do have pumpkins going, and looking good, as well as tomatoes and a few other things.  I will keep those going as long as I can.  I also planted lots and lots of flowers from seed, and none of them came up. 

My other things are blooming beautifully in the yard though.

I have been hooked on a PBS series that I am binge watching on Netflix called, Call The Midwife.  I am two thirds done with it.  I don't know what I will do when it is over.  I have enjoyed  it so much!  It has been a wonderful escape for me lately, during a not so great time in my life.

That's all I've got.  To be honest, I have thought seriously of ending my blog. I don't seem to have the traffic I once did, and I don't really feel I have much to offer right now.  We shall see. 

Tootle Loo for now.

XO  Kris