February 15

Ok, so every day entries are probably not for me. Once a week does actually work much better and I should remember that. I am tempted to blame it on work, but I think it is actually that I don't sit at a computer for hours on end at work, and can't just jot things down on my lunch. basically, when I get home I find that I am better off if I can be present.

At any rate, I was not overly successful in last week's to do list, but I did manage to get some things done.

Perhaps most exciting is that I took a deep breath and laid out and cut the minion PJs.

I knew it was going to be short and a close one, but it turned out ok! I even had to trim the legs a bit (an inch, but still!).

I also got the One direction Pjs made, even though they are still awaiting hemming and the final say on if the elastic is right (I finally got smart and wrote down the measurements....)

I still have more to make. This week I put the butterflies and the dots on my to do list.

perhaps the most exciting though, is that when I took all these pictures on Saturday I was super close to finishing the second sleeve! And now, I have a few more rows until I bind off. Actually I thought I was ready to bind off, but it appears, I forgot a decrease row or something, so I need to do maybe 3 rows (I need to compare sleeves) and then bind off.

Hopefully, I can get the sweater sewed together and get the collar going this week!

List

Every Sunday I make a to do list for the week. On it I put all the "out of the ordinary" activities as well as things that need to get done sometime during the week. It sometimes depresses me how much is on there, because I know that the list represents extra stuff that gets added onto the already pretty full week. It does always give me great pleasure to cross things off.

Sometimes of course, I don't finish everything on the list. Sometimes it is because I can't, due to something beyond my control (Like the week I put "get girls set up with new dr" on the list and it ended up taking two weeks and 5 phone calls just to find out if they took our insurance.). Other times, I just run out of time (like last week's "get new drivers license" because I ran out of time until Friday and I don't know if you know this about Michigan, but it feels like no one actually works on Fridays making that a horrible day to try to accomplish anything).

Last week, I had a huge list and aside from not getting my license renewed, I only didn't do two other things! (A fact I find remarkable).

And it gives me hope for this week. I already have Monday through Wednesday pretty full and Friday is a day off school, and the list is probably just as long as last week.

On the list this week (aside from the boring): Make the One direction jammies and the minion jammies. And I'm off to a fairly good start, as I have the one Direction jammies cut out. I'm a little worried about the minions. I bought a piece of fabric that was just a little shorter than I usually buy. I'm hoping that I don't end up with high water pants, as I will try to shorten them in the cutting stage instead of the hemming stage. Sometimes when I worry about things, I put them off, as if somehow not trying is better than trying and failing.

I feel like I'm off to a great start, I have already done two things...

Feb 6 sleeve

Today was all about housework and errands and the second sleeve.

A photo posted by Jodie (@ja_gardner) on Feb 6, 2016 at 7:32pm PST

Feb 5 picture post

Hoping to sort of catch up on all the stuff I neglected to do this week. So at lunch I did some knitting and finished the sleeve! And cast on for the second... (I find it better not to rest on your laurels). AND last night I got the penguin jammies hemmed. And so today I tool pictures AND downloaded them AND uploaded to flickr so I can share with you. Maybe.

(I very very much need to upgrade my browser. All kinds on stuff no longer works on it.)

So here is the lonely sleeve:

It looks so long and skinny. I think this weekend, I'll block the pieces I have so I can sew it up and see how it is looking size wise. Just in case I need to add a panel of something.

And then the two pairs of jammies that I have finished and have been worn

I think the scariest part of all of this--I'm pretty sure the polka dot ones would fit me. And maybe if she decides they are too short next winter--they will be mine.

Next up are the monkey jammies

My husband finds their lack of pants disturbing. Especially with the caption "monkey business." But I think they are adorable.

Honestly, the three pairs of jammies were on my "to do" list for the week, so I feel like I'm making steady progress as far as that goes. I guess I need to decide which pairs are next. I know Miss Polka dots would like her One Direction jammies, but since the fabric was kind of pricey I want to be sure she's happy with this pattern (as it is a different one--the one I always make for myself actually). I still have minions and butterflies too. Plus some to make for myself--as some of mine are looking worse for wear.

Feb 4 jammies

Just real quick because I was trying to finish the sleeve of the blue sweater instead of writing something. No pictures, same reason.

Sadly, sleeve isn't finished but last night I did finish the polka dot pjs and they got worn to bed! And tonight I told one girl that if she tried on the penguin jammies, I'd hem them and she could wear them tonight, so she took me up on that!

Tomorrow, I am hoping to have pictures and a finished sleeve.

Feb 3--monkey jammies

I should be sneaking in some knitting while I have a few moments because this has been just an incredibly busy week. One thing I am learning about myself is that I do much better at things when I can plan them. What that means is that it probably wasn't the brightest thing for me to undertake a job which tends to call me in at the last minute. Which happened Tuesday.

So Tuesday, when I came home I was exhausted (because the other thing is that a job like mine feels like your first day at work every day--you know how when you start a job and the first week is so exhausting and you've only just learned how to order paper clips?). I was so exhausted, I put on my jammies before my kids did. And I didn't sew, and I didn't even KNIT!

I did however, get irritated at the children fussing at me for daring to ask stupid questions like, "I'm getting takeout for us for dinner, where would you like me to get food from" and "what do you want from Subway?" while they did their math, and so escaped to the sewing room. And I sewed these together:

A photo posted by Jodie (@ja_gardner) on Feb 3, 2016 at 4:17pm PST

I'm hoping to get some elastic measured and some PJs hemmed. But first, helping with said math homework!

Day 1 thing a dailies

So I joined thingadailies and this will be attempting to write something about something I have made (or accomplished towards making) every day in February.

Of course we start February with the busiest day I have had in a long time, with a full day of work plus two evening meetings. So not much is getting made today except goals!

Alrighty then--onward.
I am hoping to accomplish the following in the month of February:
Finish the blue sweater I started for one daughter
Start the cream sweater (pattern undecided) for the other daughter
Penguin pj pants
Dots pj pants (full disclosure these both are sewed and awaiting elastic and hems
One direction pj pants
sock monkey pj pants
At least one pair of pj pants for me (currently I have 4 flannels that I've picked out for ME including Star Wars with REY!!!!!)
mend rainbow socks
mend green socks
mend Felici striped socks

All I can say to that is Whew! Of course some of these are in progress. I have two pairs of PJ pants cut and sewed merely waiting for girls to consent to either let me measure them for elastic or try them on to be sure elastic isn't "pinchy." The sock monkey pants are cut out but not sewed. And I am working on the FIRST sleeve of the blue sweater.

But wait, you say, didn't you just make a bunch of pj pants like last fall or something? And indeed I did make a bunch in fall 2014. And since that time children have grown, and filled out. And one girl calls hers floods and the other complains that they are too tight. So there you go, new pants are needed. Last week I went and bought a bunch at 2.79 a yard, which is a great price and so because most were 2.79, I sprang for one pair of "licensed character" prints for each of them. So I have minions and one direction fabric, although the one direction is cotton rather than flannel. And really I need to turn it ALL into pj pants this month, but listing them all felt very ambitious.

sweater

So let's see, nearly a month has past since I last updated--whoops so much for the resolution to write every week. Although you know just because I blew it once, doesn't mean that I am a failure, I could start again and again and again. I will say that my silence has been due to being very busy and then very not busy but rather very sick. I have recently taken on a freelance style job which you frequently find in schools when someone is absent. I wasn't going to mention it and am not calling it what it truly is just to avoid the inevitable google search for that plus my name. Let's just say I picked up a lot of jobs one week and a lot of germs too and ended up sicker than I have been in a LONG time.

I read a lot while I was gobsmacked by this cold. And knit some, although I found it hard to concentrate on the pattern. I did however, get the two sides of the sweater done!

Not pictured is the first sleeve which is underway. (so far, ribbing and nearly one chart repeat).

To me it looks small, but I do know the lace will stretch. I also know there is a fair amount of 1X1 ribbing that goes around the entire thing---so essentially 8 more inches.

Sort of on a related note: I've been thinking about doing "thingadailies" for February. I know that I can't really finish a "thing" for every day, but you know what, I make things every day. I knit a little every day, I make dinner nearly every day, and Maybe between those and some random other stuff, I can make it work. Plus it would kick me into updating more often I think.

I don't know--would it be boring to see daily updates of a sweater that never seems to progress? Although maybe by then there would be more progression....

Placemats

Christmas is over, kids are back at school. The tree is still up, but probably after this entry, I'll be starting to dismantle it too.

I already shared the knitted project I gave as a gift . It was very well received. And with great surprise, which speaks volumes about my readership.

But I also undertook a sewing project. My mother has moved to a new smaller house this year, and now has no room for a "kitchen" table, so they have started taking a majority of their meals in the dining room at her "good" table. Because of this she asked for a tablecloth for Christmas. Since you know a tablecloth is kind of boring by itself, I decided to make her some placemats.

I used a quilt as you go pattern that I picked up somewhere and promptly forgot where, and some Christmas fabrics I had decluttered from the main fabric storage (and sadly moved to a new place until I could decide how best to dispose of). It was rushed. But the great thing about sewing, is that generally it takes much less time than knitting. And so after spending the odd 30 min here or there cutting strips, I ended up marathon sewing 6 placemats and then sewing binding down. All in about 3 or 4 hours. Most of this time in 2 sittings. But because I usually hand sew bindings down (on the wrong side) I was not done. Indeed, 8 hours of driving later, and I had 5 completely done. The 6th finished in the hotel room. And viola! Placemats.

Also not the best picture. I tried cropping out the hotel floor clutter but iphoto hates me to crop thing--preferring I give you the whole picture. To the end of not allowing me to export in any manner any photo I have dared crop. Try to imagine it without the edges.

It kind of made me sad losing all that driving time to sewing. But on the way home, I knit. (also a little at the family gatherings, but one family has a dog, who isn't used to yarn, and one member of my family feels we aren't paying attention when we are knitting so out of respect to her, I try to limit it).

But! I did make headway on the sweater I am knitting for one of my daughters!

The picture doesn't do the color justice, as it looks a rather plain blue, but in reality is brighter. The pattern is Girl Friday from knitty. I am about an inch (maybe 2) from finishing the back. I'd probably be done with the back already, except I find it hard to follow a pattern (even a simple one like this) when I have a headache, and I have had a headache for the last three days. Today it isn't terrible, so maybe later.

My goal is to finish both this and the other sweater (for the other daughter) by the end of January--so there will be plenty of sweater weather left. We'll see though.

hopelessly behind....

Ok, so I probably should have knocked on wood after that last entry, because I read it and I feel so naive and optimistic! Of course things fell apart!

I did finish the panda PJ pants--trust me they are in the hamper as we speak.

And I did not do any other sewing or knitting. Oh wait that's wrong. I finished the one knitted gift I am making this year. And in the last entry I promised a picture. And I believe in promises. So much so I unwrapped it so I could snap a quick ipad picture.

Shhh somebody's #knitted gift

A photo posted by Jodie (@ja_gardner) on Dec 21, 2015 at 11:26am PST

Don't worry, I had it in a gift bag.

Mostly, I've been decorating and baking. The tree is up! The fall quilts are down and the Christmas quilts are up--including the advent wall hanging that my Mother in law made years ago--that the girls made ornaments for. Of course everyone has been so busy that they are two days behind putting up the ornaments!

And the baking! I have made one batch of pecans, the marshmallows and two batches (first batch totally gone!) of salted caramel. (I'm feeling lazy about the recipes. I've linked them before. googling Oprah Salted caramel should get you that recipe and googling betty crocker peppermint marshmallows should get you that one. Spiced pecans are probably buried many years back in the blog). Tomorrow teacher gifts, filled with those go out. I didn't make any hard candy this year, I doubt we will miss it.

Today in a frenzy of shopping, I bought the last gifts, and all the containers needed for packing teacher treats. Then I came home and wrapped everything. I am still waiting on one gift in the mail, and still in the process of making one gift.

So what still needs to be "done." Well packing the teacher treats, probably one more batch of both caramel and pecans (for US!), and the placemats. I have most everything cut--and so sewing should probably be happening now. I am probably not going to get to the other 4 pairs of PJ pants until after the holidays. (say January) I did cast on finally for a sweater. I am hoping that I won't have to re-cast on (gauge is always tricky with me--YES I did a swatch) and am hoping that as we travel and visit with people this holiday season, I'll have plenty of time to knit.

Progress

I feel like I have made such steady progress that I need to document it here, so the next time I feel slogged down with the soul crushing weight of projects undone, I can look to this entry and think, "ah yes, on December 7 I felt accomplished". Ok maybe not, but onward

First, I totally finished the monkey Pj pants

And I cut out and sewed together MOST of the panda PJs (no picture, you'll have to trust me that all it is missing is a waist band).

I also made not one but TWO rockin Barbie outfits.

The white outfit was fashioned after some music star red carpet outfit that my daughter who is into all things glam found online. It is being modeled by a Barbie with a glitter undergarment of some sort.

I always hesitate to write too much about gifts here, especially when one of the three or four people who read this blog might be the one getting the gift. But I do have to talk about two of them. First, the one I have no pictures associated with. Someone in my life wanted a "thing like you made the girls only REALLY soft". She means a cowl like this one:

and this one:

And since, I have no idea what yarn those were in, and I'm guessing they were probably clearance the many years ago I made them, I just decided to look for some soft and bulky yarn. Along the way, I ran into a store that was selling something like this and by golly it was cheaper than what I was thinking I'd have to spend on yarn. HOWEVER, this didn't happen as I was able to buy some chenille yarn at a pretty low price. I got that cast on (twice) and joined (straight) and knit about 3/4 done. No pictures because most of the knitting was accomplished while riding to a band contest. Pictures next time, I promise. And it is soft.

I also got it in my head to make placemats for someone. I have a pattern for a quilt as you go that starts with a center square and builds triangles around it. I was struggling with colors and kind of feeling like it was a bit old fashioned looking. I also was googling just to see if it was a pattern that maybe I could share here (even though I originally got it maybe 18 years ago as part of a class I took--you never know!). Anyway, I found something I like better. A quilt as you go that uses stripes. I had decided that this would be a scrap only project and was originally thinking blues. And this is where I need to back up a bit.

In 2014, I undertook a resolution that I would get rid of at least 2 things every day. And in the fall--I hit my sewing room hard. Except.... Well I didn't want to just throw away the fabric. And I didn't want to just give away the fabric. So I put it all in a giant tub and planned to sell it. Except I never did. I SHOULD have, after a year, just donated it all. But I'm kind of glad now that I didn't. You see I went digging through the tub looking for blues to use in this project and I found the HUGE stash of Christmas fabric that I had been given. I pulled it all out, sorted through it all and discovered I had a bunch that went together pretty well.

I think I'm going to use one of these two groups (there is only one fabric difference)

I have not quite decided which of these. And I have to see if I have enough batting scraps to make at least 4--although I'd like to make 6.

Yep that's right, I just added a project to my list from last time. And I haven't started baking. That's just how I roll in December (and how I roll right to crazytown).

December goals

I had thoughts about doing daily entries in December as part of the Holidailies tradition. And I started to think about the crafting I want and need to get done this month. I got as far as making a list:

6 pairs of PJ pants (2 for the girls, one for me, one for my husband)
Barbie clothes I have promised the girls--which includes a pants suit and two dresses. (And hey I got one made!)
all the treats for teachers: marshmallows, salted caramel, spiced pecans, possibly hard candy
A scarf my Mother in law hinted she'd like for a gift
And the sweater that goes with this swatch

A photo posted by Jodie (@ja_gardner) on Nov 28, 2015 at 4:46pm PST

It seems like there was something else because my list felt super long, but maybe because I have condensed it here (Like 6 pairs of flannel pants did not get written as: Make panda pants, make matching plaid pants, make penguin pants, make dot pants and make monkey pants).

At any rate, after I looked at my list and all the other stuff that has to happen this month (some increased work responsibilities, plus all the present gathering/wrapping/decorating), I just decided that taking on a daily project would perhaps make me crazy. So instead I'll do what I've been doing--fitting in projects where I can, doing little bits here and there and reporting here as often as I have a spare minute. Maybe I'll even get my act together and do some pictures.

finished object Lap blanket

I always say I'm a slow knitter. And to some degree I am and to a larger degree, I don't spend a lot of my free time kniting. Heck, some people would say, I have no free time. And it is sort of true that I don't have a lot of free time as I have two children that keep me hopping, as well as tons of other things, but as I found out this month, if I make a point to knit while I wait for my girls to finish showering, instead of checking facebook or pinterest I will actually get things done!

What did I get done? Well a lap blanket!

At one point, I realized I was running out of yarn, and I wasn't sure it was long enough. But I had a great coupon and bought another set (for less than $10!) but then I worried that maybe I should just end it there. Usually if I get to fretting about a project, I'll stop working on it for a while. And I did that with this project and decided to weave in the ends, while I thought. And I asked on facebook how long people thought such blankets should be. In the end, I decided to add one more color repeat. And Monday night I finished binding off (and weaving in the few ends that were left). I decided then that I should do a single crochet all the way around because it was curling. After trying several times, and not being satisfied with how a crochet edging looked, I decided to scrap that part. So last night, I declared the project finished.

As you may recall--the blue, green and purples, are all Vanna's choice yarn. And I used just a little over 1 skein of each. The white is Loops and Threads, and is whatever was left on the skein I already had. Probably most of one. I used US size 8 needles, and the pattern is Chevron baby blanket. I didn't modify except to add length.

Now, all I need to do, is write up care instructions and get it delivered!

Next up sweaters for my girls.

blanket progress

The big debate I had today was--write about my knitting or actually knit. And I love the project I'm working on, and it is going well, so writing about it wasn't first priority and then I thought--Hey I can show it off!

As you might recall I am working on a lap sized blanket for a member of my book club who is undergoing chemo. I'm using the Chevron baby blanket pattern. I'm using Vanna White yarn. Which while not the most cuddly, is affordable and washable. I think if I were going to re-do this I'd think about Berroco Comfort or Knitpicks mighty stitch. This is a fun pattern, and I love the colors I picked out. I hope that my book club friend enjoys it as well.

You might also recall, I set a deadline of Dec 2 for finishing. I started it for real on friday last week--ripped it out almost immediately and started over. And took some pictures to document the process.

This is Saturday--after a sleepover in which I knit during the movie and well past my usual 10pm deadline

Two days ago, I posted a terrible picture color wise to instagram.(took it on my ipad)

A photo posted by Jodie (@ja_gardner) on Nov 8, 2015 at 5:26pm PST

Yesterday it looked like this

and shortly before I started writing today:

with my hand for scale

I want to make it longer than the original pattern calls for because I'd like it to cover full stretched out legs. I worried about it being weird shaped given that it is only 28 inches or so wide. But we'll see how it looks as it gets longer. I'm wondering if this is just the first of several of this pattern I'll make, because wow am I really loving just about everything about this project.

feast or famine

I swear my knitting life is feast or famine. Either I can't think of anything I want to knit or I have a bunch of projects or ideas for projects going. The summer of socks was kind of a reaction to that and after doing several plain vanilla socks I feel like I have the knitting feast back.

I finished a small project that is a gift and so I won't say much about it until it hits its recipient. Except that it made me want something like it, so I restarted a project I had finished and ripped out last year.

Then I finally got the girls to decide on colors for the sweaters I want to knit them, and that yarn is currently winging its way here.

THEN, well I started something a little ambitious. Or maybe starting is too strong a word since currently I have 16 stitches on the needle for an informal swatch. If this were a sweater, the swatch would be bigger, but this is a lap blanket and so I just want to make sure that a) I'm in the ballpark for width and b) that I'm going to like the fabric I'm creating.

And yes, I said lap blanket. A lady in my book club was diagnosed with some pretty serious cancer this summer. I'm not close enough to offer to do the things that would be helpful (meals, driving keeping company etc), but I feel moved to want to do something, so I decided I'd knit something. At first I thought hat, but not everyone likes hats. Then I thought fingerless gloves because I understand the chemo centers are cold and I know my friend likes to read. But fingerless mitts don't keep me as warm as I like, and several websites I saw suggested lap sized blankets. So I went looking and found one that I think she'd like.

Ok, it is called Chevron baby blanket and it was the number one pattern (based on popularity I think?) under the blanket pattern in Ravelry. I think it is a good size, although I want to be sure I get the width right because I could add repeats for length. I have not completely decided if I'm using 3 or 4 colors. I have bought three. Or rather I bought two and had one in stash. I am making this in Vanna's choice just because I want it to be easy care. I have a cream (which I owned and is not actually Vanna's choice, but another craft store brand) and a soft blue and a soft purple. I was considering a green. Michael's wouldn't let me use more than one coupon today (although they sometimes do) and so I decided to swatch a little and see if I need more yarn or colors. I can always make multiple trips.

I'd like to finish it before the next book pass which I think is December 2, although at the rate I have been knitting, I might not make it. I'm not really doing any hand knits at Christmas, so maybe this is doable. Plus I knit better on a deadline. Ok I don't knit better, I just decide not to clean and knit instead.

halloween 15

Ok. So at this time of year, I usually take much needed sewing breaks from my making of halloween costumes to blog about sewing on said costumes. This year? Ok this year was both easier and harder.

It was easier because one girl decided to be sadness from Inside Out. And if you follow that link you'll understand the ease of this. We found some blue leggings at Kohl's for $7 and a fleece blue cowl necked shirt at the thrift store ($3!) and I bought some blue and white face paint and a blue wig. Due to my policy on not showing kids faces on the blog, I may not actually post the finished photo here. In essence this costume is more about the face, than the clothes.

But it was harder because the other girl had trouble making up her mind. First she wanted to be a three headed monster, than a princess, then finally a minion. But not just any minion--A cute minion. She declared a need for goggles, a tutu and overalls. I'd love to say that hey I have all that done and am basking slightly in the glow of the tealights in the pumpkins.

No

I have in fact purchased at thrift store a shirt the right color and was told it a) smelled like old man (Before I washed it--I wanted her to try it on so I could return it! if it didn't fit) and b) had a turtleneck. So I washed it and removed turtleneck. Then she said she wanted to wear her blue leggings so ok. But then she wanted a tutu that "stuck out" and overalls with a Grue symbol.

This is what I have come up with:

A photo posted by Jodie (@ja_gardner) on Oct 29, 2015 at 11:11am PDT

I created the overall part, managed a buttonhole! and used fusible web to create a Grue eymbol. She thinks the tutu is too long but eh.

Goggles might be the end of me. I saw a tutorial on Pinterest that used canning lids and wiffle balls, but I thought I'd use very large googly eyes instead. BIG MISTAKE. Those googly eyes are too big for ANYTHING. and nothing I've been able to work out has satisfied her.

So basically I am waiting for her to come home from school and approve the latest incarnation which is a wide mouth canning lid and said eye. She can go as one eye or I can glue a second one on. Maybe. I don't have the rivet tool from the pinterest tutorial I found, and so I bought elmers brand super glue and I'm hoping there is enough surface between two lids to glue.

A photo posted by Jodie (@ja_gardner) on Oct 29, 2015 at 11:11am PDT

So here I am basically last minute (wearing these to school Friday) throwing stuff together. I hate that feeling! But I have a coffee date planned for after everyone is off and I plan on sleeping that extra hour out over the weekend, and come back with more knitting in November!

fall

I used to really love fall, the leaves turning, the apples, the digging out of handknits. This year I find myself hating it: the mornings are darker, the days are colder and I put off digging out the handknits. I'm trying really hard and the days lately have been helping. Spectacular days with colorful leaves are making the morning exercise go much smoother, but still, I'd rather go back to summer. A lot of people hate knitting in the summer, but I love it in part because when you finish something you can put it away almost like a Christmas present to yourself when colder weather gets here. Which I guess is a long way of saying, I pulled me new socks out of the drawer the other day and it made it a little easier to get going on a cold morning.

I finished the last of the "summer socks" and will take a picture later when the recipient can model them. I was very close to finishing them last week right before we decided to go on a short trip. I didn't want to take them along and finish them on the road and not have anything else to knit, so I decided to do that really stupid thing that always gets me into trouble and bring yarn, needles, and pattern and start a new project.

I picked this yarn that my mother in law gave me. She had bought it and a pattern at her quilters lock in. And someone told her they went together. The yarn is Linaza and the pattern is Dragon Hide Mitts. The pattern calls for a DK weight yarn and as I discovered 1/2 hour down the road, Linaza is not DK weight.

So I swatched. And I swatched again. I ended up never getting guage, never even getting close, but getting to the point where if I made a bigger size, i could stand the fabric I was making on size 1.5 US and even then, it was a little airy for mittens. But I started anyway. About 4 rows in, I realized I was doing seed stitch instead of 1X1 ribbing and I just gave up. Perhaps this yarn is not going to be THIS pattern.

But it does leave me at loose ends.

I have the socks that were on the needles done. I have, I think, gotten a little tired of socks, and I'm not wanting to dive into the other sock project I have. The girls have not decided on colors for the sweaters I want to make them--which is getting old. So what should I make?

While I decide, here is a picture of me on a turtle from our trip. My handknit sock is sort of peeking out.

progress

Still moving along on socks. Not much to show, except I'm working on the ribbing of what might be the last of the summer socks.

Not much to say about halloween costumes, blue face paint and blue leggings have been aquired. One trip to Goodwill, and one short trip to Salvation Army have not turned up an appropriate sweater. Still waiting on the other child to stop changing her mind every 10 minutes.

Last week the weather turned slightly nippy (and yesterday decidedly nippy) and when it was highs in the upper 60s low 70s I decided to bust out the shrugs. I often don't really know how to wear them, or which ones look best. But I remembered to take selfies with 3 out of the four I wore. It turned a bit colder before I could get the fifth one worn, and I have no idea why I didn't selfie the other, probably because I wore it first.

A photo posted by Jodie (@ja_gardner) on Oct 2, 2015 at 10:47am PDT

I love shrugs, and I always feel like I never get to wear them, and I guess given that I had exactly one week in which they were weather appropriate, there might be something to that. We may still see some warmer temps, but the key may be to dig them out in the spring.

Progress has been made in these areas!

I finally figured out how to keep the cocoons in the garage wfor the winter, protecting them from mice, but still allowing air circulation. I have a used fish tank and today I bought a wire mesh cover like you'd have if you wanted to keep mice in. I bought it at the pet store and probably paid more than I would had I made something myself, but this fits perfectly. I have moved out all the birch eating ones, and will be moving the lilac ones after the girls have had a chance to help me "arrange" them.

Also! I have yarn and patterns all picked out for sweaters for the girls! Now all I have to do is buy the yarn. And since my LYS closed I don't feel at all guilty about online shopping. Whereas before I might try to order it from the store (because they never had enough of one color) and maybe wait forever.

So, am hoping that next week sees me complete the sadness costume by acquiring a sweater, and pinning down the other girl, ordering the yarn, finishing the sock and moving the rest of the cocoons.

wrapping up the summer of socks

I guess summer isn't technically over, but I feel like maybe the summer of socks is drawing to a close. As I said on instagram; the summer of socks is probably over when you feel the need to wear socks.

A photo posted by Jodie (@ja_gardner) on Sep 12, 2015 at 8:28am PDT

What I feel most bad about not completing is the large scale darning project I attempted. I hate darning, but thought it might be a good idea. In the end, I fixed the worst of my socks, and really what is left are places where some swiss darning or duplicate stitch would work (thin spots). My attempts at it have been less than stellar, and I need some practice. This is always a clue that it probably won't get done.

I did finish the first of the "emergency travel" socks. One of my daughters (the one who is not extremely picky about socks)claimed them.

A photo posted by Jodie (@ja_gardner) on Sep 18, 2015 at 4:50pm PDT

Second sock is underway.

Also in the underway category, Halloween costumes. If you have been following me for a while, you know I like to sew these and I like to get a head start on them, because I am not a big fan of night before runs to the store for blue paint or whatnot. I thought initially that there would be little or no sewing involved this year. One girl wanted to be Sadness from Inside Out. I figured blue facepaint, blue hairspray, blue leggings and a trip to some thrift stores for a light blue or off white turtleneck sweater and presto.
The other daughter wanted to be a three headed.... something. Again, not terrible, wig stands from the craft store, a toy football shoulder pads to attach them, maybe make a garment to cover it all and presto!

The three headed girl wanted to look at patterns. (no sadness patterns this year, still no Olaf patterns) Remarkably three headed girl changed her mind. She decided she'd rather be a princess. Perhaps like Glenda, but more grown up. (she was Glenda in kindergarten). We found a pattern that she liked and bought it (on sale--score!). She wanted to buy fabric RIGHT NOW, but I made her wait until I could read the pattern. This weekend we went fabric shopping. There was talk about scary blood stained lace princess, silver princess, fuscia princess. Imagine my surprise when suddenly she wants to be a minion.

Officially, I have no idea what to do. I gave her a deadline (October 1) and I guess I'm leaving it at that.

As for the future, aside from much shopping at thrift stores, and possibly attempting to make minion goggles from canning lids, I want to plan sweaters for the girls. It has been three years since I made them sweaters, and they have both outgrown them. I made a gray sweater and a purple sweater. The gray sweater replacement will be the same pattern, possibly in gray(!) or maybe pink, or maybe blue or maybe.... (Yes, she wants to be a minion this week). The purple one wants to look at celeb and gossip magazines to find a "fashionable" sweater. I think we will be looking at ravelry--easier to figure out if I can actually replicate. She is thinking a blue green that will "compliment her eyes." Never a dull moment when you live with tween girls.

I'll keep you posted.

peaches, socks, and school Oh my!

I felt like maybe I should title this post "what I did over my summer vacation" because I think that would make me feel more accomplished than a list of things I put off that I need to accomplish in September or even this week.

The kids went back to school and OH the list of things I put off while they were home is long.

Last year I did this whole write an entry every day as I slogged through my canning of both peaches and tomatoes. This year, I finished tomatoes so early. They were abundant this year instead of moldy. And then, peaches started coming in.

So here are the peach statistics so I don't forget. I made two batches of jam, one regular and one peach vanilla. I didn't really have enough fruit for the regular and so it is a little grainy, but the vanilla is OH MY. Then I managed to buy a half bushel of peaches from my regular orchard, even though they technically weren't selling them, And then a few days later I bought another (and they were selling them). So it worked out well and I ended up canning 24 pints of peaches. I didn't do any honey spice because it turns out that I'm the only one who likes them. I actually have enough peaches left on my counter to do another pint, but I think I'm going to smoothie them up instead. Maybe freeze them too.

I have been slowly slowly working on socks. at least the plain socks. until I ran into this

Yarn barf

A photo posted by Jodie (@ja_gardner) on Sep 8, 2015 at 5:02pm PDT

And so now I am busy untangling yarn so I can knit. It should have pushed me to work on the complicated socks, but I am having complicated feelings about them. I'm sure that once the newness of school wears down, and my kids get healthy again (yes, school started yesterday and my kids have head colds), I will not feel like such a zombie all the time and will actually (gasp) maybe even have time to knit during the day every once in a while!

And yes, Halloween is on the horizon. I think I have a plan. One girl picked something I can easily scrounge around at second hand shops and find (she wants to be "Sadness" from Inside Out), and while the other one was more complicated (she wanted to be a three headed... something), she has decided instead upon being a pink sparkly princess. The pattern I bought is a generic Glenda, but we are going to "un-Glenda" it by maybe choosing some fushia and gold or silver. Stay tuned on that one.

And in case you were curious--all the caterpillars are now cocoons! It was a fun process, and now one of my many September jobs is to get them set for the winter, safe so animals don't eat them, and exposed to weather. Then we wait.

Last of the birch eating #cercopia #caterpillars has pupated

A photo posted by Jodie (@ja_gardner) on Sep 8, 2015 at 4:11pm PDT