Stagecoach; or, I’m starting another Boyland Knitworks sweater

Happy holidays, dear readers! Did everyone have a nice Christmas? Big plans for New Year’s Eve? It’s been all quiet here in the hinterlands of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, including the weather. Still no snow yet or predicted. After the mess of the last several years, this calm trend is very quiet. I am suspicious…

Knitwise, we are entering the interesting part of the year – at least, for me. This is when the carefully chosen and yarn-procured projects I make for myself happen. Without further ado, let’s dive into the mess!

First, I finally finished the skeleton socks. My normal timeline for socks is anywhere from 1 – 2 weeks – these literally took me a month. I don’t know why it went on for so long, but they’re done and I’m glad. They came out better than I imagined, and I’ve already washed them and worn them. Kinda want to make some more socks now…LOL!

At last!

Second, Metropolis by Tanis Lavallee was such an easy and fast project that I see another one of her projects finding its way into my knit schedule. This cool turtleneck took me all of 2 1/2 weeks to make. Bulky weight yarn is such a time-saver! It’s a comfortable fit and because I used acrylic, it’s way easier to care for and the total cost for the yarn was about $30. I have threatened to make this change from wool to acrylic for a bit, but finding decent, consistently available yarn in the colorways and weights that I want can be challenging where I live. In any case, I will be curious to see how long this sweater lasts because I’m going to be wearing it A LOT.

It’s all acrylic, baby

And here we are with Stagecoach by Boyland Knitworks. I must admit that I have had an extremely difficult time finding a DK weight yarn that fits the gauge – 17 sts over 4 inches on US #6 knitting needles. That seems more like a gauge for worsted. And with the suggested yarn costing $30 a skein, I had to rethink my options. Anyway, 3 different brands of wool yarn later, I still had no luck even when I used a larger needle, so I chose the next size up for a yarn and settled on Lion Brand Heartland and I still had to use a US #7 knitting needle. Yikes.

That’s supposed to be a square

The best I could get

So far

I hope it comes out the way it’s supposed to. You know I’ll be telling all of you how it works up, hopefully within the next month.

We’re Ready For Winter

Well, hello! Has it been since March that I’ve posted? Tempus fugit. In the meantime, I hope you all have been well and happy.

As my month of selling at Bierwagens is over, I’ve started making stuff for myself as I do every year at this time. I know, most knitters create for other people, but call me selfish because I want to wear what I make! I am currently working on a pair of socks using the basic construction from my Cozy Fireside Socks pattern and using the chart from Tellybean Knits “Boneyard Sweethearts Hat”. I realize most people associate skeletons and ghosts with Halloween, but I am determined to make these, and I love them!

One down. Not happy with the tension. Using light fingering weight yarn is definitely a challenge with stranded knitwork.

And speaking of Bierwagens, I must admit the most serendipitous thing happened my first weekend there. None other than Ashlee of @ashandherknits popped into my little stall with her husband and mother-in-law. I was over the moon! I mean, what are the odds? She really is sweet and considerate. I also discovered that she’s been working on her masters for teaching while working on her sweaters. That is truly commendable.

They bought hats – whee!

She really does have that star quality!

After that visit, the rest of the month was a bit flat for random Instagram celebrity appearances! That, and the weather rained me out for another couple of weekends. Not my best turnout. It happens.

Contrary to my “linear projects” timeline, I am also working on a sweater, “Metropolis” by Tanis Lavallée. I have a sleeve and the turtleneck parts to finish. It went so quickly because it’s a chunky weight sweater and I am grateful for that. I am also using plain old acrylic so I can throw it in the washer and dryer – yay!

BTW, I finished the Caitlin Hunter “Caribou Hills” in plenty of time to wear it. I get so many compliments on that one and I am proud that I made it.

Finished in April

As for the cookbook, I currently have 46 solid recipes. I realize that this will be a few years in the making. Coming up with unique ideas that are also I.C. safe is a challenge. I also have been working on revising old classics and making them safe. I want the food to be tasty enough so it won’t seem like a restricted diet, just different. I also realize I will have to include a few mushrooms in some offerings because that is a thing…and I’m not too keen on mushrooms. Do you think anyone would notice if there weren’t any? *sigh* It will be worth it. I’m considering starting a YouTube channel featuring me making food from the cookbook. Should I wait to be closer to the publication date or should I start now? I would really like to hear some feedback on that.

Garden Chicken Stir-Fry

One of the many blessings that has happened since my last entry isn’t so much a personal one, but it felt like it, nonetheless. The wildfires were muted this year as opposed to the last several years. Yes, there were some big fires, but nothing like we’ve seen recently. Now this is when it gets personal – the fires that did happen weren’t anywhere near my neighborhood. My family and I were not in an evacuation watch zone poised to flee at a few moment’s notice, not choking on thick smoke, not dealing with fine ash on every surface, and not waking to hazy, amber-hued mornings that turned into sickly puce days.

Beautiful blue skies all summer

I was able to get out and do some plein air painting

So with Christmas, and winter, around the corner, I must admit that I’ve been lazy. I normally have all the holiday cheer out and flashing by now. The lights still aren’t up, the garlands are still in their storage bins and my little nativity set is not gracing a side table. In my defense, there are a few random decorations out. At least the autumn wreath and Halloween skeletons have been packed away!

But most importantly of all, we now have a snow blower and a cord of wood. I wish there was a way to insert animated fireworks because that’s what it feels like! We are experiencing a rather wet, not snowy, cold season so far, and being in the middle of an El Niño here in Northern California, we may not get enough of that white stuff to use our very expensive appliance. We don’t mind. Snow will happen again eventually, and we’ll be ready.

Until next time, dear readers! See you in the funny pages.

From Drought to Flood, or; Would You Make Up Your Mind?

The last few weeks have brought torrential rain to California, battering our coasts, and flooding our lower valleys with apocryphal amounts of water, water, water. Up here in the Northern California Sierra Nevada mountains, our dams are overflowing, and our rivers are engorged. A state of emergency has been declared for California because as saturated as we are now, more rain is forecasted. I wonder if this is a new normal, and we won’t have to worry about water rationing this summer, or is this merely a freak stop-gap? I suspect the latter is the case. Minus my young adult years in the military, I have lived in California my whole life, and for as long as I can remember, water has always been an issue.

The top image was taken from a different angle, but you can still discern the similarities and how much more water there is.

All but one of the rocks is underwater. I know, it is a different angle, but trust me, it is the same area.

I don’t mean to sound like I’m complaining because California needs this water, but not all at once. I mean, this summer we were battling wildfires fueled by such paltry precipitation of the 2021/2022 rainy season. Now we need to build an ark!

Walking backroads that are cut off to vehicular traffic.

But I did not go to the river just to take pics of floodwaters; I brought the doggies. We went on a pleasant walk and made some discoveries, so it wasn’t all bad.

As with all disasters in life, they rarely come in singles. Last week the heater died, so we’ve been using wood we had to chop up from the trees that toppled during snowmagedden last year to feed our wood stove to keep from freezing. (Hm. That is rather serendipitous!) There are people coming out tomorrow to fix it. I’ve got my fingers crossed that it will be a simple fix and not an outrageously expensive replacement. Visions of moving from this paradise/hell are dancing through my head yet again..!

Which makes for a great segue. My socks pattern, Cozy Fireside Socks, is now available. All the testers on FB have gone quiet, so I’m going to post it here in the hopes that I’ve got it correct. I’m pretty confident it is because I had to test it on the second sock! So without further ado, here is the link to the pattern for the Cozy Fireside Socks.

Still working on the modified Ghost Horses Sweater by Caitlin Hunter. I predict it shall be finished in another week…give or take. I’m happy with it so far and want to finish it quickly so I can show it off. As for my next project, I have decided I’m going to take a chance on another designer for my fair isle pullovers. Gasp! No, I haven’t fallen out of love with Boyland Knitworks; I think I’ve bought just about every pattern she’s published. I just want to mix it up a little. And yes, I’ll post about that when I get to it.

So here’s to fervently hoping you’re not floating away or freezing to death! Stay safe, everyone.

More Fair Isle

As New Year celebrations have come and gone leaving us with the rest of winter and only Valentine’s Day to break it up, I am diligently working on yet another Boyland Knitworks creation, Ghost Horses. And as follows my modus operandi, I am modifying the design. You may be wondering Why bother with purchasing the pattern? Answer: I’m not that good! LOL!

I won’t be doing fair isle for the whole sweater – pretty much done with that. The colors I am using would make that too overwhelming.

Even though I have mentioned that I don’t do well with resolutions, I thought I would give it yet another go in 2022. Seems the thing to do. Last year about this time I posted on Facebook that I was going to endeavor to knit or crochet every single day, even if it was only a few stitches. And yes, I did. Don’t know if it’s actually a resolution in the true sense, more like a goal. A minute accomplishment, but one I am proud of.

Yup, this is STILL not done. My excuse? Fingering weight k2 p2 all the way.

As for actually finishing certain projects (see above), that remains to be seen. By the time I complete this baby I will have gained back all the weight I lost – no! This was started back in March of 2021 and I gave myself two months to a year to finish. I had no idea. I CAN do a sweater in a month, just not this one, apparently.

I did finish my own design, fair isle socks. Fairly proud of them and waiting to hear back from testers before I post the pattern. I will let you all know when that happens!

Basic photoshop fun was had with this image!

So do you, dear reader, have resolutions for the upcoming year? If so, what are they? How did you come to make them? What was the driving force?

Fair Isle Mania

Hello, dear readers! How is everyone? Have you all hung up your Christmas lights, put up garlands, the tree, the nativity scene, the international nutcracker collection, the second tree, the elf on the shelf, sent out cards, baked cookies, bought presents, wrapped presents, sent presents, organized wassailing events, Christmas parties, had your first anxiety attack? As happy as we would like to believe this time of year is, the happiness is crammed down our throats and we cope with it in our own individual ways. I still look forward to this season because I love all the lights and colors. With only one adult child and no grandchildren, present giving is simplicity in itself. My daughter has already sent me a link to a desired gift and we’ll almost be done with presents. There are some benefits to being older, not many, but you may as well run with it! Also, the cooler weather means I get to wear my knit and crochet beanies, mittens, cowls, scarves, pullovers, and socks and I get to listen to Vince Guaraldi’s Charlie Brown Christmas ad nauseum.

Since it’s just the two of us, we have a very small tree.

The nativity for toddlers. Never upgraded that. I like it!

Retro mid-century modern – yea!

The scrawny little tree

The unfun part

Holiday cheer aside, I am currently looking to improve my fair isle skills. I have gone online and checked the Craftsy website looking specifically for classes that improve fair isle techniques, and I was happy to see Mary Jane Mucklestone as one of the instructors, but I wasn’t able to find exactly the course I was looking for. YouTube is littered with fair isle how-to videos, but again, they’re aimed at the basics. I have investigated the jacquard stitch, but that’s a whole separate layer of fabric. wah. I imagine I will ultimately try it, maybe on a beanie because that’s my go-to item, but I’m in no hurry. I think I want a special fair-isle magic wand that makes muscle memory and special understanding just click.

This is Unbearable Hat by Les Garcons. Lovely pattern! I know, I beefed about this one last post. I seem to have a recurring theme here…

I am writing the pattern while I knit this sock, and I’ll post it here as soon as I am done. I may not be happy with all aspects of my knitting, but I still write a mean pattern!

In the meantime, life continues here on Hayford Hill as we deal with aging, retirement (OMG – already?) and all the physical and mental issues that go along with that. I still walk my dogs whenever I can

Nothing like walking in the rain in December.

Until next time, see you in the funny pages!

COVID & Crafting

Time and tide wait for no man…or woman. In this instance, it was my time to deal with covid. *sigh* I truly believe that every human being will ultimately contract covid if they live long enough. Vaccinations, boosters, and isolation are all helpful, but not too many of us want to be hermits. Therein lies the rub; if we all become hermits, airborne diseases would become dormant or disappear. I’m no epidemiologist, in fact, I’m barely literate, so this is just talking hyperbole here, but it’s a thought.

As the disease coursed its way through my body, I was wracked with a mild headache and a slightly sore throat. Oh, and some sinus congestion. Ok – “wracked” is not the most appropriate verb there. “Annoyed” would be better. My husband, from whom I contracted this, had a really tough 24-hour period of severe cold symptoms. I’ve never seen so much mucous. I tried the isolation route, making sure he had everything he needed and using the phone for communications. I slept on the guest bed in another room. (Note: I deeply apologize for all the guests I’ve subjected to this torture device! A bed-topper is now a huge priority for me.)

Casa de Covid room service

After some rest, he was better, which was great, because by then it was my turn. I do have to admit the onset of the disease started alarmingly. I had an hour or so of convulsive shivering; I felt so cold. My teeth were chattering and clacking and my whole body was bent over. When I became aware of that, I would straighten up for a moment and that seemed to help….until the shivering started again. I took a hot shower and then went to bed. When I woke up the next morning, I felt like I had a cold, so I checked, and there were the two lines.

Awww nertz!

At least I got to sleep in my comfortable bed again!

With some downtime in my immediate future, I used it to finish the Blue Jean Baby Poncho that I had started several months ago, but it was pushed to the side as the Bierwagens Pumpkin Patch month-long event was approaching. I was a bit optimistic in that post, as I thought it could be whipped out in no time. Well, it probably could have, however, I put it aside, and now it’s finished. Ta-da!

I sewed up the front a little higher than was suggested in the pattern. It felt more comfortable for
me that way.

And another little project that I’d so callously ignored made its way back to my attention and was finished. I love this pattern, but I need to work on my fair isle skills, in particular, hiding the floats and stretchability of the finished product. Not happy with this, but I’m keeping it anyway.

The Unbearable Hat by Les Garcons. I’ve got to figure out a better way to do my fair isle!

So even though I finally contracted the dreaded COVID-19, the variant I had must have been a mild one, or perhaps the vaccination and boosters helped. I didn’t lose my sense of smell or taste, I was just tired, but not too tired to get some crocheting and knitting in!

Have you got covid? How was it for you? Did you get vaccinated and/or boosted? If so, do you think it made a difference? Or do you think the subsequent variants are losing the “oomph”? Do you think that everyone will eventually get covid?

Until next time, dear readers, stay healthy.

Yarn Thoughts

Hey, hey my crafty readers! I’m going to rile the feathers of some of you out there today with this post. Not with malice aforethought, but with careful consideration and preference.

Over the years I have discovered something truly tragic and erroneous about our yarn crafts. With cooler weather staring us in the face – (well, for some of us, it’s down the street, peeking around the corner) – many of you will be lining up your knit and/or crochet projects for the season ahead. As you pore through the plethora of patterns you purchased over the summer or saved on your Pinterest boards, the culling will begin. Some patterns will have you scratching your head as you ponder what you were thinking when you bought it, others will make your fingers tingle to feel needles clacking in your hands. Once you have decided on the projects, the search for the perfect yarn will commence. For most of us, there will be a compromise. Not having an unlimited budget for the yarn, we still opt for wool, usually larger company wool so it is somewhat more affordable. The atelier shops online with their lovely, squishy skeins of yarn are usually reserved for the smaller projects such as socks, mitts, or hats. Usually. Every so often we’ll splurge on an especially pretty sweater, cardigan, duster, what have you, but by and large, we’re looking for a bargain.

I can almost see you, dear reader, nodding your head in agreement and thinking, “Yes, we’re with you. What’s your point?” Well…….I truly hesitate to say this, but IthinkI’mgoingtoswitchovertoacrylics. There! I said it. I have spoken yarn heresy! But before you press the comment button to tell me how wrong I am, hear me out. I shall start with the projects that made me change my mind.

It began with my first top-down sweater project, Zweig, a lovely knit lace and fair isle sweater created by Boyland Knits. It took me a year of on-again/off-again knitting. I loved it. I finished it in May, and by sweater weather season, this beauty had been ravaged by moths. I had to throw it away.

My first major heartbreak!

Next is the maintenance of it all. Handwashing and laying your work flat to dry in the winter (when you’ll be wearing these beauties) means taking up a lot of real estate on my kitchen counter or table for days. I don’t know about you, but that’s not a viable option, especially if you’ve got more than one item drying. That makes it untenable. Then there’s the storage issue. After the moth incident, I am careful now to pack away all my wool sweaters in the only appropriate bag I’ve got.

Really?

Granted, these reasons alone may not have been compelling enough for me to switch out as I plan to do unless I hadn’t used acrylic as a last-ditch effort. While making my very favorite sweater of all time, Halibut, another Boyland Knits creation, I was truly strapped for funds. As it happened, I found some compatible acrylic yarn buried away in some sad neglected corner of my closet. It had been gifted to me by a friend when she moved and had to do some serious stash reduction. I went ahead with the project and have been seriously pleased with the results. But the best part of all for me is when it comes time to wash it and store it. I throw it in the washer and then the dryer and smush it all up on a shelf, just like the rest of my clothes. I am more inclined to wear it not only because I love the design, but because it’s just so easy to care for…or not care for, however you want to look at it. It’s not an heirloom that I fret over when I’m wearing it because it cost so much to make, it’s a living, wearable piece of art.

Crammed in the corner by the high-maintenance yarn sweaters!

So smack me down if you must in the comments, but know that after I use up my pretty, squishy, and expensive wool yarn that I did buy already, it’s going to be acrylics for practicality. At least for a while.

In the meantime, here is a freebie pattern for mittens that you may use whatever type of worsted yarn you want!

Click here for the pattern

Enjoy!

Gearing Up and Another Freebie

Hello, once again, dear readers. As summer draws to a close, many of us here in Northern California are waiting with great anticipation for the first rain that always comes with the cooler weather. So far, the fires in the general area have all been stopped with no building damage or loss of life – thank God. There has been only one smoke-filled day this season; otherwise, it’s been wonderful. That’s a change from the last two years when we experienced months of choking smoke during the fire season. Meanwhile, we still have to finish out August and most of September for a relaxation of fire vigilance. Only when Placer County allows fire days are we assured that it would be highly unlikely for a raging inferno to start. Fingers crossed that our luck holds this year.

As many of you who read my posts consistently throughout the year may remember in October and November I find local crafts fairs to sell my goodies and enter those that I can afford. Some are worth the money, and some aren’t. As always, I will be at Bierwagen’s Pumpkin Patch in Chicago Park every weekend in October.

Opening weekend 2021

Delicata and acorn squash, among others

Pleasant fall scenery for my lunch walks

Getting the inventory nice and plump throughout the year was my goal, and I believe I have accomplished this. I absolutely hate knitting and crocheting while I’m under the gun; it’s no fun. I now have enough for my opening weekend and perhaps the next, depending on the crowd’s mood. With historically high inflation rates hitting most of us hard in the pocket, I may have enough inventory for the whole month. In any case, I am looking forward to it. As you can see by the pics, it’s a country thing.

Part of the fun of selling your wares in an open market comes from getting ideas about what to make. There are perennial favorites, such as the Fringed Palindrome Cowl that will always sell, but you want to mix it up. With that in mind, I whipped up this fun and tremendously easy beanie with the beginner in mind. Presenting (drum roll) the Chutes and Ladders Beanie. As with most of my patterns, this is an adult size. To modify for size, go up or down by sets of 4 stitches.

Whips up fast and made with super bulky yarn so it will keep you warm

Hope you use this pattern for your next mini-project.

No News is Good News

It’s mid-July here in the Sierra Nevadas in Northern California and all eyes are scanning the horizons. Wildfire vigilance is on high as we all watch for any puff of smoke or an errant lick of flame. As I’m sitting here on my deck, enjoying the cerulean blue of an undisturbed sky my thoughts are not of the light fluffy variety; more along the lines of “where’s the next fire and how quickly will it be doused”? Yes, there have been some large fires so far this year, but all have been contained, the Rices, Bridgeport area being the largest at 904 acres with 13 structures destroyed. Right now as I view YubaNet.Com/fires, it looks like all is quiet on the western front.

I would like to think that the lull is a combination of a cooler than normal start to the summer, education, brush and forest clearing, and just plain reverence for the magnitude of a fire that’s gone out of control. Still, I also know there are people who are pyromaniacs and also people who just don’t give a hell that they’re destroying not only the environment in general, but the habitat of the wildlife in the woods, and the homes of humans, and endangering lives. But I guess that’s all in a day’s work for an asshole who enjoys it. Good job.

In the meantime my reputation as a knitter is growing. I live in a small community and I’m being tagged in Facebook groups when people need help with a project or restoration of a beloved item. I generally don’t mind helping people, but I’m actually afraid to be considered an expert when I know I’m an advanced beginner. In these two instances, though, I didn’t feel that I could actually say “no”…

The Christmas sock was for an overwhelmed young mother, the restoration was for a woman whose mother had knit the mitts and has since passed away.

Life goes on. Here are some random pics:

Miss American Beauty

Investigating the kiddie pool

Plenty of thorny blackberry bushes around!

Double Delight

Chrysler Imperial

As there isn’t a whole bunch of light on my lot, the roses and anything else I grow tends of be on the reedy side…except for the damn blackberries!

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.

House Hunting, More Burn Days, and Still Knitting!

With fire season just a few months away, I’ve decided to look elsewhere to live. I love my house on Hayford Hill, and this is not a decision I really wanted to make right now. Fact is, we purchased this house when we had an adult daughter living with us. Since she’s moved out, we have rooms that are literally unused. Not empty, because she left most of her stuff, but yea. Not being used. I go to the jack-n-jill bathroom every so often and flush the toilet just to make sure it’s working! This is also a bad time to buy, but as we’re selling, hopefully, this will even itself out. Both my husband and I are veterans, but using that program can actually be a detriment. The last time we were house-hunting, we kept losing the bid because nobody wanted to accept the VA terms because they didn’t understand. Our realtor has assured us that she gives a crash course about the greatness of VA loans to other realtors since they are greatly misunderstood in the industry. With this approach maybe our bid will not be shuffled away so quickly. We’ll see. Thanks for your service, veterans – unless you want to buy a house. Grrr. I wouldn’t be surprised if nothing comes of this, but we’re qualified, have a great realtor, and we’re just waiting for that special house to pop up.

In the meantime, I have been cleaning up the yard. If we stay here or not, I want the pine needles cleaned OUT. I swear I’ve been doing this forever… Some areas have been neglected for at least a decade because there were trees choking up the area. We cleared those out last year, and now we’re cleaning. Well, I’m cleaning while my husband goes to work. Because it’s been so long, the needles are matted and thick, so a square foot yields a lot, and that makes for slow progress. I won’t let that happen again no matter where I end up – promise!

Taking a break with my cuddle-bug, Peanut.

Found this gorgeous specimen underneath all the pine matting just before I was going to rake it away. No, I don’t eat mushrooms, and I wouldn’t arbitrarily eat one as they can be deadly. Anyone know which type this is?

When I’m not perusing the real estate websites in the evening, I’m still working on the Tecumseh Sweater. We’re just about to start the body ribbing and we’ll begin on the sleeves next. It won’t be ready in time for me to wear it soon; most likely I’ll be wearing it in late October or November. *sob, cry*

Yes, putting the sweater on to take this picture makes for many dropped stitches!

After working so hard on something, not being able to experience the gratification of using it is rather disappointing. That’s what I get for working out in the damn yard instead of working on this!

Wish us luck in our house hunt and hopefully, I’ll have an update in my next post. See you in the funny pages!