Eggs

                                  This is our first egg from one of our Reds

Jorden was very happy to find it. We have been reading a lot about chickens,eggs and all, most said the same thing the first few eggs tend to be a little less than perfect, missing shells or part of them real soft. Not this one.....it's on the small side but that's it :D
This was the main reason we got into raising chickens....EGGS

It all started a few months ago ......we went to our friends house, who had little chicks in a pet carrier....staying inside until they got big enough for the coop....The carrier needed to be cleaned.....so people were taking turns holding the chicks who were loving it.......
Jorden jumped right in, he had been trying to talk me into getting chickens as long as I can recall....we got him the fish, turtle, water dragon, fire belled toads, cats, dogs, gerbils, salamander, snails and any plant he wanted even some that ate bugs.....but no birds....I could NOT handle birds
I know it went back to my earliest years.....years of my older sister doing anything she could to make and keep me afraid of  any type of bird......from throwing the chicken feed on me when I was 2 ( those dang chickens were almost as big as me and I was way out numbered )
It didn't help that every time we went to our other grandparents place their bird would go after me....sister played a part in this as well......to watching The Birds and having her wake me every few minutes asking what was that on the roof......
The bat that almost got caught in my hair didn't help matters any... nor did the cat picking my bedroom rug to eat it's fresh kill...I woke up to my sister's screams her cat picked her pillow so it could have been worse....she rolled face first into the one her kitty gave her... karma lol
after all of that my parents got a bird when a friend of theirs passed......that had to be the meanest bird alive.....we did not hit it off....he did love his new family when my parents found a better ( no cats ) home for him...
So all these years later I find myself at this get together and Jorden just placed a chick in my hands.....that was it, I was hooked....a week later we had 11......to start

Our friends were very helpful, gave us tips on everything from feeding them to making the coop :D but also showed us how much fun it could be....we love having chickens....
We have learned so much in the last few months, some hard lessons.....don't always trust the person selling the chicks to tell you the truth comes to mind....
we also learned that you can get your chickens to listen to you, come when called,  all of ours like to be held....each one has to be pet or they get upset lol they fly up and sit on your shoulder......yep we don't trim their wings.....we put a top on the coop instead.....I never would have dreamed I would willingly let a bird sit on me let alone five or more lol

I keep coming across different numbers on how many eggs each type of bird will lay per week..... thinking it has a lot to do with living conditions, weather and feed.... looking at the lowest numbers we should be getting over 50 eggs per week hopefully more :D sweet

Keeping scraps pays off again

last night the rain was so soft and wonderful the doggies wouldn't come in lol

I made a necklace kind of like this ( no two alike ;) ) a few months back 

          it took a week to make, flipped on me every time I went to add beads....
this time I pinned it to a piece of wood Brent had left over.....working great so far ( knock knock knock ;)  ) no flipping at all, so easy to see where I'm at :D
      

This is why I never bug him to get rid of stuff .... 

you never know when it will come in handy :D
He's been able to do so much to make things better around here with little to no extra cost :D COOL

August

                                       the first full moon of the month

coming up roses

André's shot of the moon

the rose Jorden just gave me...

 Jorden's take

 André's

Cloth # 14

Cloth # 14
Size 8 US needles
Gauge 6 rows by 4.5 stitches per 1 inch
26 yards medium weight yarn ( blue )
30 yards medium weight yarn ( green )
8 by 8 inches

k = knit
p = purl

Cast on 36 stitches using green yarn

1 ) knit

2 ) k1, p1 to end

Switch to blue

Repeat rows 1-2

Switch colors every 2 rows

Repeat for a total of 13 times

Repeat rows 1 and 2 again using green

Bind off. Weave in ends.

Cloth # 13

                           
Cloth # 13
Size 8 US needles
Gauge 6 rows by 4.5 stitches per 1 inch
48 yards medium weight yarn

k = knit
k3tog = knit 3 stitches together
p = purl
yo = yarn over
(   )x =  repeat directions inside brackets as many times as indicated



Cast on 36 stitches

1-4 ) knit

5 ) k3, ( k3, yo, k3tog, yo )x 5, k3

6 ) k3,  p30, k3

7 ) knit

8 ) k3,  p30, k3

9 ) k3, ( yo, k3tog, yo, k3 )x 5, k3

10 ) k3,  p30, k3

11 ) knit

12 ) k3,  p30, k3

Repeat rows 5 - 12 four more times

Repeat row 5

Knit 4 rows

Bind off. Weave in ends.

Two months ago

 It's been two months now....

We went to the doctor today....

he is happy with the better movement and feeling

he can almost make a fist
needs to work on loosening them up at bit now

Cloth # 12

     











Unblocked in photo
 
 7 ½ by 9 inches              
Size 8 US needles
Exact gauge is not essential to this project
All yarns are 100% cotton in worsted weight
14 yards rose wood
16 yards white
16 yards vanilla

k = knit
k2tog = knit 2 stitches together
p = purl
tbl = through the back loop
yo = yarn over needle


With rose wood colored yard cast on 36 stitches
Knit 2 rows
3) knit
4) k4,  p28,  k4
5) knit
6) k4,  p28,  k4
7) knit
8) knit
9) k4,  ( yo,  k2tog )x 7,  k2tog tbl,  ( yo,  k2tog tbl )x 6,  yo,  k4
10) knit
Change to white yarn
11 - 18) repeat  rows 3 - 10
Change to vanilla
19 - 26) repeat rows 3 - 10
27 - 29) repeat rows 3 - 6
Change to white yarn
30 - 33) repeat rows 7 - 10
34 - 37) repeat rows 3 - 6
Change to rose wood
38 - 42) repeat rows 7 - 10
43 - 47) repeat rows 3 - 7
48 - 49) knit
Bind off. Weave in ends.

Seed bead Skull necklace

  
 Playing with seed beads again :D planning on selling a few...wish me luck 

update now at Pi Pilates

Shoulder Cape

I wanted to make a cape that was warm, but left ones arms free to move so one could still do crafts.....

I made this pattern a while ago, I forgot to get a yardage count on the edging....I've been meaning to remake it, to get the count and do a test knit......don't see having the time to do it anytime soon.....I did use less than half of a skein of Red Heart's super saver yarn......if that helps
It just turned out so comfy I still wanted to share it :D

 

                                                       

Shoulder Cape

Size 10 US circular needles 

Gauge 4 rows by 3 stitches per 1 inch approximately 

278 yards bulky weight yarn

Half skein of Red heart’s worsted yarn  

I used size 11 seed beads strung along the bottom, and a few antique beads sewn on to the trim ( see photo ) this is optional 

one button and size you like

K = knit

Kf/b = knit into the front and back of the next stitch

K2tog = knit 2 stitches together

Pm = place a stitch marker 

Psso = pass slid stitch over

P = purl

P2tog = purl 2 stitches together

Sl 1 = slide one stitch  purl wise

Tbl = through the back loop 

Yo = yarn over needle

*  * = repeat instructions between as many times as indicated 

Notes

It is very helpful to use a different color or type of marker for the center stitch as well as for each side of the cape. It makes the increasing much easier to not only spot, but also to know if you should be increasing  “before or after” the marker. Always be sure to slide your markers along as you work until indicated. You can use small pieces of scrap yarn as markers, just tie them into a loop. You need 4 on each side and 1 for the center.

Cast on 60 stitches with main color

1 - 5) knit to end

6) k4,  pm,  kf/b,  k12,  pm,  kf/b,  k2,  pm,  kf/b,  k8,  pm,  kf/b,  pm using different color( center stitch ),  kf/b,  pm,  k8,  kf/b,  pm,  k2,  kf/b,  pm,  k12,  kf/b,  pm,  k4

7) k4,  purl to the last 4 stitches,  k4

8) * knit to first marker slide marker, kf/b * repeat 3 more times, knit to center stitch marker ( there are no increases around the center stitch marker ) knit to one stitch before marker,  kf/b,  continue in this manner until last four stitches, k4

9) k4,  purl to the last 4 stitches,  k4

Repeat rows 8 and 9 until you have 156 stitches on your needles ( 12 repeats )

Remove stitches markers # 2 and 3 on the first half and # 7 and 8.

Continue in the same manner as before ( doing 4 increases instead of 8 per repeat ) until you have 212 stitches ( 14 repeats )

Lace Trim

Change to trim color

Knit the lace section on the loose side, you might want to go up a needle size if having trouble with tension. 

1 & 2) Repeat rows 8 and 9 from main body of pattern

3) k4,  *yo,  k1 tbl,  yo,  sl 1,  k1,  psso,  k5 * repeat to last 4 stitches,   k4

4) k4, * p4,  p2tog tbl,  p3 * repeat to last 4 stitches,   k4

5) k4, * yo,  k1 tbl,  yo,  k2,  sl 1,  k1,  psso,  k3 * repeat to last 4 stitches,  k4

6) k4, * p2,  p2tog tbl,  p5 * repeat to last 4 stitches,  k4

7) k4,  * k1 tbl,  yo,  k4,  sl 1,  k1,  psso,  k1,  yo * repeat to last 4 stitches,  k4

8) k4,  *p1,  p2tog,  p6 * repeat to last 4 stitches,  k4

9) k4,  * k5,  k2tog,  yo,  k1 tbl,  yo * repeat to last 4 stitches,  k4 

10) k4,  * p3,  p2tog tbl,  p4 * repeat to last 4 stitches,  k4    

11) k4,  * k3,  k2tog,  k2,  yo,  k1 tbl,  yo  * repeat to last 4 stitches,  k4

12) k4,  * p5,  p2tog,  p2  * repeat to last 4 stitches,  k4 

13) k4,  * yo,  k1,  k2tog,  k4,  yo,  k1 tbl * repeat to last 4 stitches,  k4

14) k4,  * p6, p2tog,  p1  * repeat to last 4 stitches,  k4

15) knit 

16) knit 

bind off, weave in ends and sew on beads if you like

I placed the button a bit low, instead of at the collar.....I made a simple crochet  chain stitch loop to slip over the button.