Happy Holidays

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No, I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth, or died, or stopped blogging altogether. I don't even have a good excuse for my long absence.  I simply fell out of the habit of blogging, and even having good material to share didn't motivate me to do so.  Why the sudden return then you may ask?   It is all about the timing.

So far December has been a bit of a roller coaster for my family, filled with ups and downs.  Right now we are having a bit of a down turn.  It started when my son came down with a high fever, which turned into strep throat and a bad sinus infection.  My MiL came down with pink eye while helping me keep the kids seperated.  I got both the sinus infection and pink eye, then DD came down with the sinus infection.  The bad news is that I look like I have been punched in the face due to the combo of red eye and dark circles from lack of sleeep.  Also, this is my first ever bout of pink eye, and it is more unconfortable than I expected.  On the plus side the kids are far more doscile than normal, and Ihave gotten some knitting done while sitting with them.

Up-cycled Play Pants

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After my mosquito fear mongering a few days ago I decided to make a few pairs of play pants for my son (otherwise know as a human mosquito magnet).

I make these pants from up-cycled men's dress shirts I find at thrift shops.   A men's size large is usually big enough for a full length pair of kid's size 2T or 3T pants.  The material is light weight, still fairly durable, highly washable, and cheap.  Best of all, my kid's think they are comfy, and the elastic waistband is easy for them to take on and off for potty breaks.

FO - Dashing Mitts

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Pattern:  Dashing by Cheryl Niamath, size small Yarn:  Cascade 220 in Black Needles: US 7, 4.5 mm Made For: Fire Beard Notes: As I stated in Ravelry, I was not convinced that these mitts would fit when I started this pattern.  Fire Beard is in no way small, but according to the pattern, he needed the smaller size mitts.  I eventually decided to trust the designer and cast on for the smaller size, which ended up giving Fire Beard a very snug fit that he really likes.

Despite the fact that these mitts use less than one skein of worsted wool, these took me FOREVER to knit.  I just didn't find the pattern that interesting, and I kept putting the mitts down in favor of more interesting projects.  As a result, a project that should have taken me a few nights took months.

Dengue, West Nile, and EEE on the Rise

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Fellow Floridians, and travelers to tropical and sub-tropical climates, mosquito borne illnesses are on the rise in both animals and humans.  In the past few days the 2nd Floridan of the year died of Eastern Equine Encephalitis.  This person was from a county very close to my own, near the Florida Georiga border. These illnesses are very dangerous.  Please take precautions when mosquitoes are about to help prevent the spread of these diseases.  Follow this link to learn more about mosquito borne illnesses and prevention.

What is a Sloper or Block?

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When a dressmaker wants to make a fancy pattern using the flat pattern method they usually begin with a sloper or block.  A sloper is a basic pattern without seam allowances, made to fit the measurements of the person who will be wearing the fancy pattern.  Once a sloper is perfectly fitted it can be used to create a lot of different clothes by changing the details, like the length, or neckline, and adding fancy stuff life ruffles.

Why would a knitter care?

Knitting schematics are basically flat patterns.  If a knitter has a perfectly fitted sloper, and knows the measurements of that sloper, then the knitter should be able to adjust the measurements of the knitting pattern to match the measurements of the sloper, and get a perfectly fitted garment.  Interested yet?

I am currently adjusting a pattern to fit me based on  a sloper, and I plan to tell more about it once I get a bit further into the pattern, so stay tuned.

Fun, and a little Sun

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With heat exhaustion, and being carried away by rouge bands of mosquitoes becomming real possibilities, I had had to get creative at play time.

The first solution; and large high powered fan pointed directly at the play area.  Benefits; a constant stiff breeze makes the temperature feel like it has dropped about 10 degrees, and the mosquitoes seem to be blasted away by the breeze (on the other hand the dragonflies like it, and look like they are playing a game of chicken with the fan to see who can get the closest).  Drawbacks; high powered fans can mangle little fingers, so I can't relax for a second out there, and our daily thunderstorms mean dragging the thing inside and outside every time we use it.

The second solution; and indoor chalk playground.  Benefits; central air, and no mosquitoes, need I say more?  Drawbacks; chalk has to be scrubbed off the floor, and my kids draw all over the floor.

Do you have a creative way to keep cool and have fun?  Tell me about it.  Leave a comment .

Visual To Do Lists

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I started drawing to do lists for my kids, because they are not able to read yet.  My reasoning was that they would be able to recognize the task I drew on their list, and then perform it.  I found very early that my ability to draw had deteriorated to the point that the kids often had no idea what I had tried to draw.  I was not deterred however.  I continued to draw to do lists, and they have become more recognizable over time.  I have even started drawing them for myself.  Here is an example;

While I won't be exhibiting in a gallery any time soon, I am enjoying drawing regularly for the first time in years.  Give it a try.  You might enjoy it, get your kids to do their chores, and become a better artist all at the same time.

FO - Handspun Cloche

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Pattern: Madge by Jillian Moreno

Yarn: Handspun by the Gadabout Knitter.  The fiber is by the Yarn Wench in Wild Rose.

Needles: US9, 5.5mm

Pattern Modifications:  Added rib band to lower edge of hat.  Otherwise knit as written.

Gadabout Knitter gifted me this handspun over a year ago, and since I had been trying to find the perfect pattern for it.  I wanted a pattern that would show it to its best advantage, as it was truly beautiful handspun.  I believe the beauty of handspun lies in its imperfections, as opposed to the cold perfection of machine spun yarn.  When I found the Madge pattern, I felt it could do justice to the yarn.

The hat created by strictly following the Madge pattern as written was very shallow.  I had expected this, as many knitters on Ravelry had found their finished hats short as well.  I decided to lengthen the hat, by adding a horizontal band around the bottom of the hat, similar to that on the Side Slip Cloche in Boutique Knits.  I knit a 1x1 rib band slightly longer than the circumference of the hat, then increased the ribs to create a ruffle.  I picked up the stitches of the band before the ruffle on the underside of the band, knit the band a bit longer, then recreated the ruffle.  I don't know if this was how the ruffle was knit on the Side Slip Cloche, because I have never seen the pattern, so it may have used a different method.

I love the way this hat turned out!  It is one of my favorite knits to date, and I would not change a thing about the way it turned out.  I am already thinking of knitting a 2nd for my daughter.

Success in the Garden

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My daughter and I were shocked yesterday when we found these giant cucumbers hiding in the back of our cucumber patch.  They had survived the early plucking most of our other cucumbers have suffered, because they were nestled behind and under the bushy leaves of the plants.  The size of these makes me wonder how much bigger they would have gotten had I not discovered them.

These beauties are Burpee's burp-less variety, grown organically.  The sandy soil they were planted in was heavily amended with compost, and planted throughout with marigolds.  So far these plants have flourished with little care.

Our dinner was graced with these beautiful Roma tomatoes, also picked from our garden.  This is the first year I have successfully grown tomatoes in my garden, and I couldn't be more pleased.  So far the only pest I have encountered is stink bugs, which are more annoying than harmful.  Blossom end rot is a bit of an issue when we get excess rain, but it goes away pretty quickly (I think the raised bed they are planted in helps).

I found this bizarre little creature crawling on my foot while relaxing in the yard the other day.  I have no idea what it is, but I find it's hot pink legs and wings intriguing.  Do you have any idea what this thing might be, besides an abomination?

FO - 75 yard Malabrigo Fingerless Mitts

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Pattern: 75 Yard Malabrigo Fingerless Mitts, by Jeanne Stevenson Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted in Velvet Grapes (approx. 63 yards used) Needles: US 7, 4.5 mm Notes: The yarn used in this project was left over from the Pauline Bonnet.  I was worried through most of the knitting, that I would not have enough yarn, but I ended with an excess.  I could easily have embellished the mitts as I had the Pauline Bonnet with the left overs.

Additionally, the mitts turned out rather big for my hands (women's size small/medium in gloves).  Firebeard could, if he so desired, wear these mitts himself.  Had the mitts been knit to fit me, as intended, even more yarn would have been left over.

If I make these mitts again, I will reduce the size significantly.  I might also increase the length of the cuff, as it is rather short.

I would consider knitting these again, if I had about 70 yards of Malabrigo leftover after a project, as this pattern gives a very practical use of a small amount of yarn.  However, I will rewrite the pattern to fit my hand first.

FO - Pauline Bonnet

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Pattern: Pauline by Kristen Hanley Cardozo Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted, in Velvet Grapes (approx. 70 yards of the single skein used was leftover after completion. Needles:  US 7, 4.5 mm Size: L/XL Notes: Pauline is a pretty, yet simple knit bonnet.  While it is not a complicated kit, it's construction is interesting, and it did not leave me bored.  The main portion of the bonnet was knit during a long afternoon, the remaining embellishment worked in spare moments during the following days.  I found it difficult to find a round surface the correct size to block the bonnet on, but it was eventually accomplished.  The embellishment was blocked flat, then added to the hat.  It has since curled up, and it may become necessary to sew the embellishment down in additional places.

The hat is very comfortable and warm.  It's low sides cover my ears, keeping them far warmer than traditional beanie hats.  In addition the Malabrigo is extremely soft, and a joy to have next to the skin.

In conclusion, I would heartily recommend this pattern.

I have several other FOs awaiting their own posts, so you are likely to see a few more posts of this type in the future.

Back Home

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My family and I have been home for a few days now, but only today  have I begun to feel like my brain is working again.  We visited the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina.  The temperatures were in the 70's, the wind was gentle but constant, and despite the near constant rain the humidity still felt low.

We came home to, "air you can wear."  The humidity was so high that you could actually see faint traces of water in the air.  It is hard to explain this phenomenon, but I will try.  It is a bit like a fog that is unable to burn off, even in the full heat and sun of midday, and a haze hangs over everything in view.  It feels like a steam room, or a bathroom after a long hot shower.  Like a thick wet blanket wrapped tightly around your body on a blistering hot day.  Muggy does not begin to adequately describe what the air feels like.

Today, even though the temperature was 95 degrees farenheit near my house, the weather was pleasant.  The humidity had dropped to around 50%, and there was a breeze that, while still warm, was cooler than the surrounding air.  Sitting under the shade of a large oak tree this afternoon, I felt as if I could think for the first time since leaving the mountains.

As you can probably tell, visiting North Carolina is like taking a breath of fresh air for my family (almost literally).  I had planned to tell you in detail everything about our trip, but as they say, a picture says a thousand words.  I think these pictures tell more eloquently of our trip than I could.

Beautiful isn't it...

By the way, I have a freebie planned that was inspired by this trip. I hope to get it up tomorrow or the next day (fingers crossed), so keep an eye out for it.

~Gerwerken

Everything Gives me a Rash Deodorant

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Every deodorant we have come across so far gives Firebeard a rash eventually.  So far it has not mattered wether the deodorant is a major name brand, hypo-allergenic, all natural, or even organic.  They have all eventually given him a rash.  As a result I began researching natural deodorant ingredients to find out which ones might be the culprits.  Through my research, and a bit of experimentation, I believe I have now come up with a recipie for deodorant that won't give Firebeard a rash, and STILL WORKS! I decided to share this recipe with you in the hope that it will help others out there who get deodorant rash.  Enjoy, and please let me know if it works for you!

Everything Gives Me a Rash Deodorant

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbl coconut oil
  • 1 tsp shea butter
  • 1 tsp cocoa butter
  • 2 capsules vitamin E (optional preservative)
  • 1/2 cup + 3-4 tbl corn starch

Directions:

  1. Melt solid/semi-solid butters in a double broiler (or microwave)
  2. Stir in liquid oils
  3. Remove from heat, and mix in 1/2 cup cornstarch
  4. Add up to 4 more tablespoons cornstarch to reach a firm consistency

Put this mixture into a container of your choice, (I used an old deodorant holder that I had cleaned out), and let it cool to room temperature before you use it.  Ta-da!  No more stinky, rashy pits.

So why no essential oil or baking soda?

I did not include baking soda because it has a slightly basic Ph, and human skin prefers neutral or slightly acidic Ph.  If you have very sensitive skin, the basic Ph of baking soda can irritate it.

Likewise I did not include essential oils because they can be irritating to sensitive skin; however, some are gentler than others.  Lavender is generally a good choice for sensitive skin, and tea tree oil, and neem oil will help keep stinky bacteria at bay, but try them in small amounts at first.

Perhaps I should also post the recipe for the deodorant I have made for myself as well, as I have insensitive underarm skin and my recipe is a bit different.

I will be taking off for memorial day, but with luck I will be back by Wednesday with more crafty goodness.

Sheep Herding at the Highland Games

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The Highland Games were over a month ago.   I found them very interesting, and intended to tell you all about them as soon as they were over.  At least I have finally gotten to them.

My son enjoyed the actual games, wondering if he would one day be able to participate in the feats of strength.  My daughter was captivated by the bouncy house.  Firebeard looked for kilt accessories, and made sure I didn't try to sneak a highland cow into the back of the car (they are soooo cute!).  And I watched the sheep herding until the rest of the family threatened to drag me away bodily.

Here are some more pictures of the sheep herding....

FO - Blued Steel Socks

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It occurred to me that this craft blog has not seen enough crafting lately.  Don't get me wrong, there has been plenty of crafting going on, just not enough showing up here.  So here is the first of the back log....

Blued Steel SocksPattern:  Universal Toe-Up Sock Formula by Amy Swenson

Size: US Men's Size 12

Yarn:  Cascade Yarns Heritage Paints

Needle Size:  US 2

These socks were knit for my husband, who has very big feet.  Knowing my tendency toward 2nd sock syndrome (and knitting a 2nd large plain sock seems like torture to me, halfway through the first), I decided to try to knit these at the same time.  I knit these 2 at a time on magic loop, and I felt the knitting went very well.  I did have some trouble when it came to the heel however.  I couldn't seem to knit the heel neatly, even after several attempts, and finally decided to make an afterthought heel which turned out well.

By the way, you can see how well the Cascade yarn has held up, because I forgot to take pics of the socks right after they were completed, and the above pics show several month of wear.

AC Cave

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Even though our temperatures have been approaching the 90's (the 30's Celsius) for weeks now, it has actually been really comfortable outside.  The mornings have been cool, and the air has been dry.  There has also been a cool and frequent wind tempting me outside at every chance.

This is all very unusual for Florida, and we have been taking advantage of it by keeping the AC off, and windows open.  This unusual practice even gave me a treat when woken in the middle of the night by my son - I found the entire house smelling of flowers.

Yesterday evening saw this practice come to an end however.  With temperatures bordering 90 degrees F., humidity near 50%, and cool breezes nonexistent, the AC was turned on.  Alas, I knew it had to come to an end, but fresh memories of this brief time have me dreaming of cool mountain air, and wool sweaters.