Sunhat

Okay so my garden got bigger this year. My plan had been to keep it small and tight to the trailer.

The reasoning was I wouldn't be out in the sun as long to water. There is no skipping watering, it is a must. At this stage with seeds just popping open, it needs to be done no less then twice a day. Hot days, 3 or 4 quick hits is the best way to go. The thing is it takes a least 30 minutes for each quick hit.

I have most of my plants in the shade for part of the day, but at one time or other it's sunny. Add that with hanging clothes out to dry at least 7 times a week, and you got a lot of time in the sun.

Now I'm not real fond of wearing hats, making them yes, wearing ...... no. However last fall I got burned pretty bad at a Biden rally. We really had a blast, but I was laid up for a good week with cold wet clothes on my face around the clock. I was lucky enough to get lots of new wrinkles too ; )

Okay with all of that said, I needed a hat to get through this summer. Now there are a lot of sunhat patterns out there I could have gone with one of those, if I could have found one my guys didn't laugh at. As I did still want help even if the neighbors could see me, I was willing to work with them.

DS#1 wanted to know why most had holes in them, that would not keep out the sun. You'd end up with a spotted sunburn ; ) Why not go with a looser weave and cotton.

Okay that sounded good to me, but DS#2 didn't find my first attempt at a brim any less laughable, as it was large and ruffled. I was told the wind would take it in fast order. At this point it was very clear they have spent way more time outside down here than I have.

So no lace, loose weave, cotton yarn, no ruffles, small enough brim to block some sun but not so big the winds get it.

It could be done.

I did make the brim out of acrylic, to hold it's shape better, but as long as it doesn't touch your skin it works.

Fits 22 ½” head
Gauge 4sts.by 6 rows to one inch
Five size 8US dpn needles

Pay pattern can be found on Ravelry

 http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sunhat

It does stay on in the wind, and even though it's not lacy, it's much cooler then the sun cooking your head and face. : )

Pattern book

We've been shopping at our used book store quite a bit lately. I've found this book a few weeks ago. It's copyright is from 1941. Inside it were some hand written patterns, and a few red cross sweater patterns dated from 1942 to 1944.

Talk about history.

I also got some more current books from the 50's ; ) others from the 60's and 70's. Yesterday I got a Vogue Kitting guide from the late 80's, in great shape : )



I got Jorden to let me make him a pair of socks. I didn't get a "done" photo as I already gave them to him. He liked them ( and wears them ) : )
DS#1 and his cotton hat.
I'll work on posting a pattern soon, got to plant a few more things in my garden. So much for smaller garden this year ; )

Another year

Yesterday was my 43rd birthday. We spent it at home working in my garden : )

I got just what I asked for DIRT........ really, bags and bags of top soil.
Oh DH also got me a bush It's a Purpleleaf Sand Cherry Bush
I can't believe he was listening when I said I liked different colored bushes : ) : ) and wanted a hedge that flowered.
He "made" a spot so I could start a herb garden, got me the seeds and dirt. Put a trimming of wood around it to hold in the water. All this after coming home from work, he even worked on my sisters van!!
My guys also helped me all day, we had a cook out and they did most of the work. They did the laundry, watered everything, helped with dishes and cooking, put everything away. DS#2 even cleaned up the bathroom!!!!!
All in all a very nice day : )

We didn't use all the dirt in the garden, so I'm going to be able to give my house plants a nice pick me up too : )

We had a really hard time finding chili plants this year, only got 4 as they were $3. each. I'm trying them from seed also to round things off.

So far the pumpkins are off to a good start as well as the lettuce and tomatoes.

Yo yo Scrubbies

Now add free pdf for purchase  in my ravelry store

So today was a trip to the dentist for DS1, while they try to make the waiting room as nice as possible I would go mad without my knitting. As would happen I found myself without anything on my needles that could be taken along!!!!!!!!!!! So I bagged up some cotton and acrylic, grabbed some needles and ended up with this......

I'm big on scrubbies, so I tend to make quite a few. Trying different techniques, yarns, needles sizes, flat, round anything and everything has been turned into a scrubbie around here ; ) but I must say this is my first yo yo scrubbie.

My boys got the idea to turn it into a yo yo when they saw me working with it, trying to add on a string for hanging it. This is not the first time they have taken a scrubbie and turned it into a toy. Some make great flying disks ; ) They got it to work, not well but it was going up and down!!

So for everyone who wants to make dishes or bath time more fun here's the pattern

Yo yo Scrubby

4 ½” across, 2” tall
19 yards of worsted weight 100% cotton
18 yards of worsted weight 100% acrylic
Size 11 US needles
Thread needle

Cast on 29 sts with acrylic.
Row 1: k1, yo, k3tog, * yo, k2tog * repeat to last stitch, yo, k1.
Row 2: k1, kf/b, k to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1.

Change to cotton, leaving acrylic uncut.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 carrying unused yarn along seam. Switching colors every 2 rows, for a total of 14 repeats ending in cotton. Bind off, leaving tail for seaming.

Seaming
Sew the cast on edge to the bind off edge wrong side facing. Weave in loose ends leaving tail.
With tail, thread through closest edge weaving in and out ( drawstring style ), pull tight to close hole. Turn right side out, using same tail weave open edge in same manner, pull tight. Secure center by stitching through center a few times, weave in end.

Turn on side, tie securely in middle with cotton yarn leaving long end with a slip knot, for yo yo string, making sure both sides are even.
kf/b = knit in front and back of same stitch.

Aprils Here

Wow it's been really busy around here. Hubby had the week off and spent it fixing and building so much around this place it's wonderful. : ) I can't believe how much they got done. He had our boys working with him all week. The winds got nasty a few times but they were able to get things done inside.

We did take some time off ( when it was windy ) we went out to the flea market ( not a real good idea in the wind as it's a sandy field ) then to the thrift store. We found a really cool tea pot. I got a few pattern books from the used book store. We ended up at a indoor flea market where he got me this

It's a huge crystal for my birthday ( coming up ) there are at least a hundred points. It feels amazing. Very cool. Both boys got one as well, a little smaller in height but some really big points.

He also insisted I order the needles I've wanted. A full set of Options Harmony Wood Interchangeable Needles. Sizes 4 to 17 US.

They are sooooooo nice. : )

Well we got all the hemp we need for the hats. Now the making of the pattern. I love this part

Magnet Bed Socks

Now you can purchase add free pdf in my ravelry store

My father has been using magnets for pain relief for years now.

I made him some anklets, but he was having trouble with wearing them at night.

He had a semi truck run over his ankle when he was young ( they had to roll it over his ankle again to get him unhooked from between the tires ) he is very lucky to even still have a foot. They didn't think he would ever walk on it again, but before he was even out of the cast he was up and running. However it did leave him with pain most of the time.

So a bed sock seemed like just the answer. It's pretty basic with a few little changes here and there.

Magnet Bed Socks
Fits men’s shoe size 10 to10½ US.
200yds worsted weight yarn ( I used Redheart Super Saver in black )
Size 6US & 8US dpns. Set of 5 each
24 small disk shaped bead magnets with holes for sewing
Sewing needle ( small enough to go through the beads )
Black thread
Yarn needle
Gauge 4sts. by 6 rows = 1”
Cast on 40
place on four size 8 dpns evenly. Being careful not to twist stitches

Cuff
1 by 1 ribbing for 5”
Knit even for 1 ½ ”
Heel Flap
Knit needle # 1 with sz. 6 dpns, turn and sl 1, purl all the way across needles # 1 and # 4, keeping all heel stitches ( 20 ) on one needle. You will not be working with needles # 3 & # 4 for the heel flap.
Work heel flap for 2 ½ ” as follows
Sl 1, k to end
Sl 1, p to end
End with a knit row.

Round heel
Sl 1, p11, p2tog, p1 turn
Sl 1, k5, k2tog, k1 turn
Sl 1 at the start of each row, knit or purl ( depending on the row your on ) to one before gap, decrease over gap, knit or purl one more stitch and turn.
Repeat until all stitches have been worked ending with purl row ( decrease will be the last stitch )

Gusset
Pick up stitches along gusset ( still using smaller needles ), making one stitch on each side of heel flap ( using the bar between ) knitting into the back loop of all picked up stitches, to avoid holes.
I kept to the smaller needles on the soles and larger on the tops of the feet to give a stronger sole, yet stay a little more “roomy” on top.
After picking up stitches on right side, knit across needles # 2 & # 3 using sz. 8 dpns. Then pick up stitches on left side ( needle # 4 ).
Knit to center of heel using needle # 4, place stitches back on 4 dpns, by sliding the other half of the heel stitches to needle # 1. You should have half the heel stitches and the gusset stitches on needle # 1 ( sz. 6 ). 10 stitches on needle # 2 & # 3 each ( sz. 8 ) and the other side gusset and heel stitches on needle # 4 ( sz. 6 ).
Knit one round.

Start gusset decreases
Knit to last three stitches of needle # 1 then k2tog, k1. Knit across needles #2 & # 3 to needle # 4, k1, k2tog through the back loop, k to end of round.
Knit next round.
Keep decreasing in this manner until you have 10st.s left on gusset needles.
Knit for 6”, switch to all smaller sized needles, knit for ½ ” ( for a total of 6½ “ from end of heel ) this adds to the strength for the tops of the toes.

Toes
Needle # 1: k to last 3 sts., k2tog, k1.
Needle # 2: k1, ssk, k to end of needle.
Needle # 3: k to last 3 sts., k2tog, k1.
Needle # 4: k1, ssk, k to end of needle.
Knit next round.
Repeat decreases until you have 6st.s remaining on each needle. Graft together, weave in ends.

Adding magnets
I used 12 small disk shaped magnetic hematite beads sewn flat onto the wrong side of the ankle. When sewing magnetic beads in make sure to do so individually as well as all the way around each bead. This will assure your stretch ability and keep them securely in place.

Warning : Magnets should not be used with persons with pacemakers or insulin pumps, as well as pregnant women.

Cotton yarn

My Peaches & Creme order came. I got 2 cones and 2 cloth of the month bags.

I also got two 2lbs. grab bags.

I love the grab bags, you never know what you might get ( that's half the fun ) I got lots of black. That's a good thing as I need to make a few more hats. As you can see I got a fare amount of colors as well. They tend to be a little dusty, so I got out my swift and yarn winder. Put them in hanks, wet them down and they are now air drying. When they dry I'll wind them into balls and be good to go, at quite a bit less then I could buy them around here.

Quick Four Leaf Clovers

About 2 1/2”
Size 6us needles. Gauge doesn’t matter.
Five yards of green sport weight yarn. Safety pin and about a foot of ribbon (optional)
Cast on 3 sts.
Knit 6 rows.
Row 1: cast on 4 more st.s, k1, kf/b, k to end.
Row 2: cast on 4 more st.s, k1, kf/b, k to end. (13st.s)
Row 3: knit.
Row 4: k1, k2tog, k to last 3 st.s, k2tog, k1.
Repeat row 4 twice more. (5st.s)
Row 7: knit.
Row 8: cast on 2 st.s, k1, kf/b, k to end.

Row 9: repeat row 8.
Row 10: k1, k2tog, k2, bind off next st.s, turn, leaving 5st.s on the left needle to be worked later.
Row 11: k1, k2tog, k1.
Row 12: k1, k2tog, slide 1st stitch over 2nd stitch, bind off last st.
Row 13: picking up yarn, k1, k2tog, k2.
Rows 14 & 15: work as rows 11 & 12.
Weave in ends, sew on pin and ribbon (optional)
kf/b = knit into front and back of next stitch.

New Yarn for Hats

I got some really cool yarn lately.

I told the guys I'd make them some hats, that they could pick what kind of yarn was used. After reading about the different kinds of fiber, they came up with hemp and cotton. What better reason to go yarn shopping then to make your kids something they could really use.

After some checking on hemp they found out, it has been used for almost ever, very strong, lasts for years, gets softer with washing but stays strong. It's breathable, blocks most UV rays, easy to wash and care for, holds it's shape well and doesn't pill.

The down side it's hard to come by, and doesn't come cheaply at that. Oh and it's a bugger to knit. However worth it.

The pattern hasn't been finished yet, but colors had been picked. Just one more to go.

The cotton was a pick for it's warmth, and durability, as well as color choice and price. So we got these in town. Had a 40% off coupon. So the price was great, with plenty of yarn to make a few hats for everyone.

We also found this

and these in town, I know...it's not just hemp for the hats

I was a little upset with our LYS I had been told by one of the owners that they would order a red hemp yarn with their next order. So I didn't order it with the rest of the colors from the web site http://www.lanaknits.com/

No the LYS didn't get red, I had gone back three times ( each time they gave me a new date when the order should be in ) No more shopping there!

I ordered from http://www.yarnmarket.com/

Found some really nice yarn,

but the red wasn't quite the right shade he was looking for, so still looking............

I found and ordered from http://www.paradisefibers.net/ and got these.

They came less then 48 hours after I placed the order. Very happy : ) : )

with their service. They even gave me a sample of MILK yarn!! Talk about soft, very nice, easy to knit.

They carry the red he wants so I'll defiantly be using them again soon.

The silk is so cool, it's very rustic. That might be a hat too. Ds1 wears one (or a bandana ) at almost all times. The cotton rayon, is mine. I see a very soft shawl or wrap coming soon. : )

Spring

Wow it's been awhile since I've been able to post, so much has been going on.......
DS2 turned 15 last month yahoo : )
We got a treadmill, so a lot of time goes that way now.

Spring has sprung so clean up and prep of the garden has gotten started. Going to do fewer types of plants but more of the ones that went well last year. Roses by the side of our place never stopped growing through the winter, are quite big now. Willows in full bloom, bees love it.

More Mt. Lions and Coyotes in the yard, not safe to go out after dark alone right now. Hopefully they will move on soon.

Made some more socks, working on a pair for Dad right now. He wants a pair for sleeping with magnets sew in. Then a pair of boot toppers.

Working on a few small fun patterns to post soon. In the next few weeks.