A Few Sheep Shy of a Farm

Sorry for the lack of posts lately.  There have been some things going on that I have needed to take some time to deal with, nothing serious, no one is ill or anything like that, just some family stuff that  is too much detail to post about . . . though I can tell you its a bunch of ick!

All this life stuff has been seriously eating into my time to work on stocking the new site for the shop, has almost completely wiped out my knitting time of late and has even left me a bit low on sleep . . . not a good combination!

lack of sleep + lack of knitting = one cranky mama!

IY Site redesign

The work on the new site design is creaping along . . . I’m hoping to get to add some of the products to the new version today and I believe Daisy is working on setting up the shipping stuff.  I’m hoping to have the site functional if not complete by September IY’s 3 year Annivarsary! 

Knitting

I haven’t done much since last week, though over the weekend I managed to get 6 whole rows of Fern done! That is the most I’ve done in a stretch on this sweater since I started it!!! Of course, its only about an inch worth but its something.  And since I’m knitting the front and back at the same time its sort of a double something, right?

I also did about an inch and a half on the Prairie Blanket yesterday.  I had a rare hair appointment and was out for 4 whole hours! Of course, the only place I got to go afterward with my fabulous new hair was up to Topsfield to the Coop for more chicken feed! Oh well, it isn’t like I have a glamorous lifestyle at this point!

Chickens

They continue to grow, and they eat more and more . . . they are up to about a 50 lb bag of feed in a week to 10 days time now! Thats a lotta scratch

They also really enjoy their kitchen scrap treats, bits of fruits and veggies, some bread and pasta that sort of thing.  They go on a bit of feeding frenzy when I bring it down.  And they can’t wait (but may have to) for their run to be built so they can spend their days outdoors! They are almost big enough to let them loose, I’m just worried they are still a little too small to fend off our cats! I want the cats wary of them before I go turning them loose . . . I don’t think Mimmo would like having the cats bring him a chicken . . . ya know?

Bathroom

We heard back from the concrete folks.  They are going to do the right thing regarding our floor with bad batch which is great . . . now Dom has to go in an chip out the top couple of inches of stuff to get ready to pour it again.  He’s also ripping the siding off that part of the house, partly to put in the windows, and partly because it needs replacing anyway . . . but now he’s thinking he may replace the whole outside wall in that portion! And that we may be without a wall there for a couple of days depending on how it goes! Talk about a can of worms!

Seriously, I’d like a finished functional bathroom, with walls and a floor before the snow flies!

And on that note . . .

I have a migraine today.

We were suppose to go to playgroup this morning but that just isn’t going to happen . . . not when I can’t see properly out of one eye and the noise of one toddler is killing me . . . not a chance.

 MIL agreed to take him shopping with her so I can go lie down, which is where I’m headed next.

 Yesterday I managed to dye some yarn finally, got a small amount done so I’ve got yarn for some orders that have been waiting and for two of my test knitters.  As soon as its dry I’ll be able to send it out, probably Monday.

I’ve also made progress on the little guy’s socks.  He wanted to try the second one on when it was only 4 rows in and then didn’t want to give it back! He really does seem to love his handknit socks.  I’m currently working on the heel on the second sock so I expect to have those finished in the next day or two depending on what happens with this headache.

I’m also starting the socks for my Hogwarts sock swap pal.  The yarn is dyed, and I wasn’t sure at first that I liked the color but once the yarn had dried and I got a better look at it while winding it the other night I’ve decided I like it a lot.  I’m going to knit both socks at the same time to see if I can get them done quicker that way . . . . and have them actually match.  If I can function well enough to do math later I’ll try to cast them on today. 

Chicken update

Progress continues on the coop, if I can I’ll take some photos later today.  This really is going to be a “castle” as the little guy keeps calling it! Yesterday the roof went on, nice shiney new shingles that were actually given to us by a friend who builds houses and had them leftover from a project. 

The other day they got a window so now there is some nice morning light coming in and at some point I’ll do something about getting them a second one so they will get some better light over the winter, we’ve got a few leads on some windows being given away so I may pick up a free window or two.  Afterall, it is a chicken coop so it isn’t like they need to match or be fancy, right?

Next it looks like they will get roosts to perch on.  Dom found a great design on someones site where the whole thing goes together rather like a trellis but is connected to the wall (at an angle) by hinges so you can just lift the whole thing out of the way to shovel it out.  It looked very convenient and not difficult so that is what they will be getting.

Once that is done and he finishes discussing the messed up concrete with the guys from the maker of it we’ll be back to work on the bathroom for a while.  There is so much left to do in there and it would be good if it were finished before the weather really turns . . .

Ok, I’m going to lie down now . . .

If I could just stay off this computer!

I came to that realization the past few days when I managed to not be online all the time.  I’ve finished the first of the Tofutsies socks and I’m going to start the 2nd one in a few minutes.  I’ve turned the heel on Mimmo’s first sock and I hoped to finish it tonight but since some little guy keeps getting out of bed  . . .

Back to knitting

but its feeling more like September every day! Something in the air and or the light now makes it feel like the beginning of fall to me.

Its funny, every year when this mysterious change in the air happens I start feeling like doing a bunch of things: The urge to bake things and make stews begins, the urge to fill the pantry with canned and dry goods (did you know I’m part squirrel?) and the urge to fill our drawers and closets with warm hand knits!  Yes, its still nearly 80 degrees here today but there is just something different, something fall like happening.

I’ve been working on darning my socks. I haven’t worn them all summer, partly because of the weather and partly because they needed darning.  I’ve got 4 pairs back in the drawer and another 3 that need work in places. 

I’m also knitting a pair right now.  I’m using Tofutsies Yarn and though I like the texture of the finished portions of the sock; this yarn is a bit splitty for my liking.  I prefer to be able to knit without looking at every stitch but this yarn requires a slower speed and more care than I tend to want to give it.  The sock itself is a basic Stockinette Stitch sock with a purl seam stitch down the leg and a few decreases at the ankle.  I’m about to Kitcheners the first toe closed and cast on the 2nd sock. 

Of course, if I really want more socks in the drawer it might make sense to go ahead and knit the 2nd Moss Rib Sock and the 2nd Stained Glass sock from my own patterns. I’ve got one of each done and could have the 2nd of each done fairly easily. And heck, its been a while since I did the first ones so it won’t feel like repeating the same pattern  . . .  perhaps I’ll get to them sometime soon.

I’ve also just cast on another pair of socks for the todder. He kept trying to take the one I’m working on and saying it was his so I thought perhaps I’d better start another pair for him.  He came on a “field trip” out to the stash in the “barn” and chose the color himself.  I’m knitting them in Knit Picks Simple Stripes in Blue, red & yellow (it totally reminds me of crayons) and they are working up very quickly.  I’ve got just a few more rounds to get to the heel on the first sock.  He keeps asking to wear them! Gotta love a boy who asks for handknit socks!

I’m itching to start the socks for my Hogwarts Swap Pal.  I’ve got the design all picked out but I’m waiting to hear back from her as to her color preferences. I’ve got yarn that looks like the colors in the 4th movie (I watched it again the other night) but they aren’t the same as the book colors . . . I think they will make for pretty socks but they are more burgandy and marigold yellow than scarlet and gold . . .  so we’ll see what she says. 

I think the next socks I start for me will likely be in the yarn I received from Cathy-Cate the other day. I love the colors and I’m eyeing a couple of different stitches for a sock pattern so we’ll see what I come up with there.  I really want to get myself to finish the pair I have on the needles before I start either of the other 2 pairs . . . . as we all know I have a tendancy to just keep starting things without completing them. 

Which reminds me: Remember the Knitpicks socks I started a while ago? Yeah, I haven’t touched them in months.  Funny thing is they are pretty much the same colors as the socks I’m knitting now.  I know I have one of them finished and I’m pretty sure I started the 2nd one.  I can only hope that I kept good notes on what I was doing so I can pick them up again easily. 

Hmm, that means at the present moment I have no less than 4 socks that are waiting for partners.  If I can just get on the ball and do the 2nd socks on each I may just wind up with plenty of socks for this winter afterall.

I’ve got a bunch of design ideas I’d like to be working on but I’m thinking I need to hold off a little and  finish 1 or two of the bigger projects I already have started before I start any other big projects so I’m hoping to work on the shawl and the baby blanket in between sock knitting. 

Sad news

My MIL’s cat, Misha, disappeared about a week ago.  Mimmo really liked her and would chase her around and call her.  She was the only cat he called by name.  We had heard a cat fight (or something) late at night around the time she vanished; we now suspect a coyote came and took her away.  There has been no sign of her for about a week so we are pretty certain she is gone.  Too bad, she was a decent cat as cats go.  MIL really misses her but says shes done with pets. 

Chicken update

The flock is loving the new coop.  Dom has made a wall inside the coop so that I have a small storage area for supplies and a space that I can stand in and work in without birds in my face.  This will be especially important when the weather turns cold later on. Being able to go inside and shut the door and still have room to turn around is going to be really nice come winter. 

There are still a bunch of things that need doing: Trims to close the last few gaps and prevent drafts, roosts so they have a place to sleep other than the floor, The door that will go on the inside wall (currently a piece of plywood held by a cinderblock), the roof needs shingles (currently a tarp in case of showers), the little hen door that will  ultimately go to the as yet to be built run, a little roof over the hen door to keep out the rain, windows to be installed . . . and probably a few more things I haven’t even thought of yet.

As it is, they are enjoying being able to get a bit of sunlight through their door (its covered with chicken wire) and by having the big door open they get a nice breeze through and some fresh air.  The only thing is they really, really want to be outside foraging.  Any time you go near them they all try to make a break for it.  They really want their run to be done so they can play outside! I’m hoping that will happen sometime in September so they can enjoy it for a while before the weather turns.  Honestly, I’d let them out (I think they would go back at night) except they just aren’t big enough to fend off the cats yet.  Cricket, Isabelle and every other cat in the neighborhood would be over to have chicken dinner. 

Bathroom Status

We are waiting to hear back from the folks that make the cement. In the mean time it looks like Dom is going to try to chip out the bad stuff sometime this next week in prep for trying again.  We’re hoping to get a better batch from them this time. 

Since we’re doing the bathroom and needed to buy fixtures and tile we decided to go ahead and take advantage of the “tax free” weekend this past weekend to do a bit of shopping.  We also decided it would be a good time to replace our 14 year old refridgerator with a new one. 

 We lucked out actually.  By opening a new store account at the big box store we saved an additional 10% off everything we purchased.  And the tile was on sale for another 10% off.  The fridge we picked was marked down on clearance by $300.  We had already selected which fixtures we were getting and faucets and such so it was easy to get those together.  Since we were purchasing a large appliance they were planning to deliver it and we were able to get them to delivery everything together (and for free) and they delivered it on Sunday!

Actually, Sunday morning they called to say that the fridge had 2 dents in the side of it.  After discussing exactly where they were and what our options were, we wound up with an additional 20% off the price.  The dents are on the “inside” as our fixtures are arranged so it really isn’t noticable . . . and for the price well worth it.

And one of my favorite features is that the water/ice has a child lockout feature! This is a good thing since somehow, despite us not having water in the door on the old fridge, our little guy has learned at other people’s homes how to work it.   Nice to know that I won’t have a wet floor constantly.

We managed to do the shopping and arrange everything except the delivery before Dom had to leave for work on Saturday morning.  However, he didn’t know until later that day that everything was being delivered the next day! I spent the remainder of Saturday doing what I could to get ready for everything to arrive.  Once the old fridge was as cleared and empty as it could be without the new one to put things in, I went about moving things in the barn to make room for the bath fixtures (we aren’t that ready yet) and then trying to secure the entrances to the chicken coop enough for them to be moved into their new home at least temporarily on Sunday morning.  I managed to get screen over the door and on Sunday Dom boarded up the small door that will ultimately let them into their run.  So sunday we were able to move them to their new home even though it isn’t quite finished yet. 

Oh, and did I mentione we also had company for Sunday dinner and Dom had to completely take appart the back door to get the fridge in! Today he finally got it put back together all the way and managed to finish the main door on the chicken coop so they are safe.   Crazy few days.

“A stitch in time, saves nine”

I’ve only done a little bit of knitting the past few days but what I have been doing is Darning Socks! Here are the directions that I am using. They are very well written directions and easy to follow.  While I think it is a good investment to take the time to darn your socks, having already invested so much time, money and effort in them, it is time consuming and can be a little tedious.  My biggest piece of advice would be to watch your socks carefully and darn them at the first sign they are getting a thin spot.  It is much, much easier to fix when something of the original stitches remain and a lot harder and more time consuming to recreate stitches that have become a hole. 

These are the very first socks that I ever knit.  They are done toe up with a short-row heel (I was originally afraid of the whole heel process) and this is the first time I’ve had to fix them. The sock on the left had a huge thin spot and a whole and took hours to fix as I had to virtually knit a new heel for it.  The one on the right is thin in  a couple of places so I’m working on it now to save time later.

Actually, I have a lot of socks to darn.  Virtually all of the socks I’ve knit for myself now have either holes or thin spots.  I’ve decided this is due to the nylon area rugs we have in 2 rooms and my inablity to keep slippers on my feet.  So now I’m going to spend time the next few days (or weeks?) to fix all my socks before the weather gets colder.  Fun, fun, fun.

Handpainted Yarn Swap Surprise!

I finally got a chance to go to the post office and look what was waiting for me:

And this is what was inside:

Cathy sent me this lovely package! The yarn is Knit Picks Merino/Silk blend which she dyed in lovely shades of blue and teal.  I love it! I don’t know how she knew that Merino/Silk blends are my favorite but she got it just right.  I can’t wait to pick a pattern and knit up some special socks with this yarn! (And I’ll have to try hard to remember to wear my slippers!) And she included a lovely note, chocolates! YUM! and Stitch markers (can always use more of these!) and even some handmade lotion which I can’t wait to try.   Thank you so much Cathy!

Here is a closeup of the yarn:

Isn’t it pretty?