Lots of Knitting Going On

Baby knitting continues.  My neighbor who became a grandma for the first time in January is another grandbaby arrive in April.  I made another baby set for this little one and will gift it today at the baby shower for the new mom.

Like the previous set, this one is knit out of Encore worsted.  This time in colorway Light Yellow.  The sweater is the CocoKnits baby sweater pattern I learned at Vogue Knitting Live. Instead of doing the lace pattern on the body, I found a pretty stitch from a stitch dictionary and added it at the bust line.  I think it adds a cute detail.  The hat is another Debutante.  I think this will be my go to baby girl hat pattern.  It works up quickly.

The  Bengal Double Brioche House Socks were finished a few hours before the Super Bowl.  It might have been a bad omen, but I had trouble with the second sock.  First, after I got all the way through the heel flap and was working the gusset decreases, I realized I didn't change needle sizes after the brioche as I should.  I ripped all the way back and started over.  Then after working the heel, gusset and the foot, before I did the toe decreases, I realized I skipped a couple gusset decrease rows.  I had to rip back to the gusset, knit two more gusset decreases and then redo the foot.  It was frustrating to say the least.  And, as I said, it may have been an omen for what the game was to be.  The Bengals played well, but didn't have luck, and maybe the refs, on their side.  The Rams won the game with a go ahead touchdown in the last minutes of the game.  I won't say anything more because I think it was orchestrated to be that way.  The game was in LA and it looked like a classic Hollywood ending.

Fiber Optics, a yarn dyer from the Cincinnati area, released a special Bengal colorway this year.  I snagged myself one.  This colorway was a revamped version of an old Bengal colorway from 2010.  I had bought that original one years ago, caked it but never did anything with it.  Here are both, 2022 on the left and 2010 on the right.  2010 is more brown and black, whereas 2022 has more orange and a few notes of green.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do with these yet, but I'm thinking they may make a nice faded sweater.  I'll have to watch out for ideas.

Now that my time constrained projects are done, I got back to a WIP that was waiting on the sidelines for a while.  This is Waverly by Berroco.  I am making it in Berroco Providence.  I began this last year.  When I picked it up, I wasn't happy with how tight my stranded colorwork was.  I decided to pick up a row of stitches above the ribbing and rip back.  I am now reknitting the colorwork using a needle one size up from the called for size.  Once the colorwork is done, I'll switch back to the smaller needle.  Well, at least I hope to remember to switch back.  As noted above, I have a problem with remembering to switch needle sizes sometimes.

I also have Chaika by Cafe Midori on the needles.  This is being knit in Rowan Pure Wool Worsted.  My enabler and I picked up this yarn from the discount bin at a LYS on LYS Day last year.  Cindy had this pattern and told me it would be a good one to do.  It's a quick knit on US 10 needles.  Like most Cafe Midori patterns it is oversized, which means for me it will be a more normal fit.  The pattern comes in several sleeve options.  I plan on making the long sleeves with tight cuffs.  I think I want to add a little length to the body.  I don't want a cropped sweater.

After I get these  sweaters for myself done, I need to start looking through baby patterns.

My first grandbaby is due in September.  The baby is a boy.  I definitely will make a CocoKnits sweater.  Just need to find a nice boy hat.  Trisha has given me a whole list of things to make for the little guy.  I need to work out a game plan soon.

 

Some Knits to Begin With

Like many knitters, I made a list of things I wanted to knit in 2022.  I had a plan to finish up a couple current WIPs and then cast on some sweaters that I've been itching to make.  All of that quickly went by the wayside.

My neighbor texted me on January 3 to tell me that one of her daughters had a baby girl.  I knew the daughter was expecting, but the couple didn't reveal the gender of the baby until the birth.  I dug out a half finished sweater from the CocoKnits class I took last year and finished it.  I had enough yarn left to make a little hat to go along with the sweater.  The gift was wrapped along with a book and taken over to the grandparents house for delivery.

This particular neighbor has another daughter expecting a baby.  This baby is due in April and I have been invited to a baby shower for the mom-to-be.  I'm working on another sweater and hat set.  Stay tuned for a picture.

I grew up in Cincinnati and have always been a Bengals football fan.  I've endured many years of disappointment, watching the other team in the division go to the Super Bowl.  Living in central Ohio, the Bengals have always taken a backseat to the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburg Steelers.  The one local station is notorious for not broadcasting the Bengals games.  They'll show rodeo or drag racing instead.  Anyway, that will hopefully change now that the Bengals are in the Super Bowl this year.  I had a Bengals t-shirt but gave it to Blake.  Since I don't have any other Bengals gear to wear, I'm making myself some black and orange house socks.  I need to devote some time this weekend on finishing them before the big game next week.

I jumped on the Starry Light bandwagon and bought some fairy lights and US17 needles.  This was a quick project.  I would have gotten it done in one evening, but I didn't have the right wire to use to shape the star.  Overall it's not a hard project to do, as long as you don't expect fairy lights to behave like yarn.  It is definitely a project you need to do sitting at a table.  I can't imagine how it would work as TV knitting.

I have other projects either completed or in the works, but I don't seem to have pictures of them.  So I'll just sign off here.

 

Bye Bye 2021

 Another trip around the sun is about over.  This year brought many highs and lows.

January brought a continuation of the insanity that was 2020.  COVID was still running amuck and Trisha and Craig's wedding scheduled for February 14 was cancelled.  After some back-and-forth with venue, they were able to reschedule the event for later in the year.  However, they decided to get married as planned in mid-February.  During the month Ed, who had been out of work since September 2020, starting working full-time again.  But I, at the end of the month, had my contract with the state cancelled.

Since I wasn't working, February was dedicated to giving Trisha and Craig a special wedding.  Chairs, tables and other party supplies were borrowed from a friend and craft stores were scoured for decorations.  Their wedding turned out perfect and they went to Jamaica for their honeymoon.  

It felt like half the month of March was spent in doctors' offices.  During a routine eye exam I learned I have glaucoma.  After several tests, I fortunately learned that there is no damage yet to my vision but I will have to use eye drops every day for the rest of my life.  My mom had glaucoma so it wasn't that big of a shock.  Later in March Blake learned that he developed another pilonidal cyst and was going to need another surgery.

April was a low key month.  Still out of work, I spent a lot of time knitting and sewing.  I also made a few bucks being a guinea pig for a couple studies a the Ohio State University Optometry Clinic.  Ed's work was really crazy (asked to work 24 x 7) and he was very, very stressed.  He did manage to sneak away on a few weekends to go fishing.

Blake graduated from the University of Cincinnati, after 5 years and many major changes.  He landed a job in March and was already working full-time by the time he received his diploma.  A week after his graduation, he was back home do have the cyst removed.  This time, the wound was left open and I had to do wound care daily until it healed. Since he was not cleared to drive, because he was not allowed to sit, I chauffeured him back and forth to his appointments with the surgeon.  At the end of the month, when Blake was finally able to sit, we got together with some friends for a night of cards.

Fiber festivals made a comeback in the spring.  My enabler and I hit several, including the Mid-Ohio Fiber Festival on June 12.  A couple friends from my previous job and I got together for dinner.  I had been over a year since I had seen them in person.  It felt so good to give them hugs.  Trisha and I took a quick trip down to Nashville and enjoyed some mother-daughter time.

Life seemed to be getting back to normal in July.  Some of my siblings and I were able to get together over the July 4th weekend.  My friends and I had several social outings together.  I looked like things were turning a corner.  I received word from my vendor that a proposal that I was included on had been awarded and it looked like I would be working again soon.  Since I had been putting off buying a new car, the news prompted me to trade in my old CR-V and get a shiny new one.

August brought another reunion, but under some very unfortunate circumstances.  Someone I had worked with at Battelle had passed away suddenly.  I learned of the passing from my former boss, who I hadn't seen or spoken with in about 20 years.  We have traded a few emails and Christmas cards through the years but had not talked in forever.  After the viewing, he and I talked for a couple hours.  It was like time hadn't passed at all, except we both looked a bit older and had put on a few pounds.  When it was time to go, he and I gave each other hugs.  I cried when I got back in my car because I'm not sure I'll ever see him again.  He had been my boss for 10 years, from about 1991 to 2001.  He was there during the years I had my babies and was the most supportive person.  We had a good working relationship.  I was his project manager and he was my administrative manager.  He always gave me the best advise and supported me in my career like no one else.  I've always loved him like a big brother.

September brought my oldest brother, Joe, to visit.  I took him on a train ride and to a baseball game during his stay with me.  I was told later by another brother that he talked about the weekend for a few weeks, telling everyone about how much he liked it.  Later in the month, Ed and I got away for a quick trip up to Michigan.  It was nice to get out of the house for a few days.

Mid-October brought all of my siblings and I together for my niece's wedding.  Luckily Maria and Tom didn't have any of the postponements that Trisha and Craig had.  It was a beautiful evening with a fabulous view of downtown Cincinnati.  During October, I was busy going to physical therapy for some back issues that developed in September.  During the last week of the month, Ed had surgery to replace his right shoulder.

I finally returned to the workforce in November, after many, many delays.  It wasn't full-time, though, since I had to chauffeur him to all of his appointments. Ed's recovery was slowed by a couple factors.  First, the surgeon said he bled a lot during the surgery, which caused a lot of bruising along the joint and across his chest.  Second, he had much more swelling.  Probably because of the bleeding. Plans for the postponed celebration for Trisha and Craig ramped up. Honestly, there wasn't much to do since we had most of the plans settled earlier.

December was mainly focused around the wedding.  I got my Christmas shopping done early thanks to online sales.  My decorations also went up much earlier than I usually like.  Right before the wedding my best friend's father passed away.  Ed and I took a quick trip to Cincinnati to pay our respects. The wedding was perfect.  Everyone commented on how beautiful it was.  Christmas ended up being low-key.  The plans to get together with my sibling on Christmas evening got cancelled because my sister who was to host came down with COVID.  We spent another relaxing Christmas at home.  I'm not complaining.  Squeaks didn't seem to mind either.

2021 was an interesting year.  The world changed in many ways and so have I.  Throughout the year I participated in the Bible In A Year podcast by Ascension Press.  While I didn't listen every day, I did catch up occasionally and was able to end on time on December 31.  I can tell being present with God's word changed me.  I think I'm a able to handle stress a bit better than I had.  Bad news doesn't seem to overwhelm me quite so much. And I've seen proof of the power of prayer.  The podcast is repeating during 2022.  I plan to follow along again.  I'm sure there is more to gain.

Here's to a bright and blessed 2022!!

Beautiful Wedding; Beautiful Couple

 It's all over and it was beautiful!  Everything was perfect, except the weather.  But the weather was perfect for taking pictures.

The rehearsal was on Friday at noon.  After we practiced the ceremony a couple times, we all gathered at a restaurant for a big early dinner.  That evening, Ed and I had a small party at our house for our family members that were staying in town Friday night.  From my side one of my sisters and her husband and one niece and her husband were able to make it.  It was the first time I got to meet my niece's husband, who happens to be very nice.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures while they were here.  I was too focused on being in the moment, which isn't a bad thing!

Trisha and a few of the bridesmaids spent Friday night. Early Saturday morning, the ladies who were doing the hair and makeup showed up.  I made a brunch for the girls.  Then it was off to the venue about 1:30.

The ceremony and reception was perfect.  Everyone told me how beautiful everything was and how good the food tasted.  We are still waiting for all of the pictures from the photographer, but here are few.

We came home with half of the bottom layer of cake and two trays of leftover sweets.  As a result I did not bake any Christmas cookies.  I felt overloaded with sugar, but now that Christmas is over, I'm craving a cookie or two.

Christmas plans changed.  We had planned to go to Cincinnati Christmas afternoon to have dinner at my younger sister's house, but she and her husband and boys tested positive for COVID.  We ended up staying home and had a relaxing (sort of) day at the house.  It was relaxing for me once I got the dinner prepared.  After getting the news that the plans with my siblings was cancelled, I scrambled to put together a turkey dinner for my family.  I got the last fresh turkey at the grocery store, which I consider a small Christmas miracle.

In the afternoon, we took our time opening gifts and then watched football.  Honestly, I like being home and not rushing off to Cincinnati for the evening.  It is so much more relaxing.  

Squeaks agrees.

I didn't get all of the handmade gift done.  Ed's socks have about 4 inches to go on the second sock.  Blake's quilt needs the binding and Kristin's needs quilting and binding.  Blake is leaving tomorrow to head back to Cincinnati.  My goal for today is to finish his quilt so that he can take it with him.

Time to get moving if I'm to get it done.