How A Woman Survives

...and maybe some chocolate.  And a few skeins of yarn.

More Knitting...What Else Did You Expect?

       I had promised myself I would start my Christmas knitting on Dec. 1st so this week I've been trying to keep busy.  I made 2 baby animal helmets to send to my cousins' children who are expecting babies in the coming months.  The 1st one, a Baby Rabbit

This helmet went to Bryce Clayton Hanneman who was born on Thanksgiving: 8# 7oz, 21" long

helmet,  made up cuter than the original size one!  It should get to it's destination in Colorado tomorrow.   The 2nd one, a Puppy helmet is

almost finished.  Just have to finish fitting the lining and sewing it down and adding the pompoms to the I-cords.  It looks rather cute, too.  How about those ears?  It will go to another cousin in Colorado sometime this week.  I had to take a break from the hand-sewing.  Boy, do I get cramps in my fingers from holding a sewing needle!  I always say I prefer knitting to sewing!
    In the meantime, not doing anything, not really interested in my library books, I was getting bored so I decided to do a couple more hats for the shop...JUST in case there is a major run on my display during our Open House/Black Friday celebration this weekend I'd be prepared and wouldn't have to interrupt my Christmas knitting. HA! (And remember, the easiest way to get to Cooper Country Crafts due to the construction in Doubleday Field parking lot is to turn off of Chestnut St on to Doubleday Court opposite the Cooperstown Fire station.)

The 1st hat I did was this gray and blue Fair Isle watch cap...with a big blue pompom.  I used the border designs from a Norwegian Fair Isle sweater pattern called Baby Norgi that I found on Ravelry...spreading the motifs out a little to fit around the hat.  It's done with 100% acrylic, KnitPicks Brava Worsted on US's 4 and 7's.  The blue and white yarns were just leftovers...also acrylic.  It is machine wash and dryable...just be sure to take the pompom off first. It will fit a child 6-9 years old.
   Then last night I started fooling around with this

pink heart watch cap.  I was all out of gray so I had to stay with pink and white. That's not a row of tiny hearts above and below the big hearts but a row of single pink stitches that ended up looking like hearts!  I wanted just a hot pink pompom but didn't have enough yarn so I used all the hot pink yarn combined with the pink and white to make the pompom.  (It looks OK but would have been better just hot pink.)  This hat is knit with Red Heart's Soft Pink acrylic worsted yarn on US 4's and 7's and will fit a child 6-9 years old. 
   OK, so I'm prepared for a GREAT Black Friday at the shop but since it's only Monday, what do I do until Dec. 1st?    I was talking to Nancy the Children's Librarian this morning and asked if the library was going to have their free hat give away this year.  (People donate hats that are placed in plastic bags and tied to the fence that runs in front of the library.  Anyone who needs a hat is welcome to help themselves.)  She said a couple of plastic bags have already been put on the fence so I told her I'd bring in some hats later this week.  After Jeff's PT today we went to Walmart and I got a couple of skeins of yarn so tonight I'll start working on Hats for the Library.  I think between now and Friday (Jeff's next PT appointment) I can probably make 5 or 6 and we can drop them off on the way home.  That should keep me busy till it's time to start my Christmas knitting Dec.1st.  Oh, Jeff just asked if I finished the socks I started for his birthday (March 1st) or the ones I started for Theresa (for that favor)?  I think I have enough knitting to do, the question is:  how much time do I have?

Something New

   Today I finished the first version of a baby helmet based on the patterns in the book "Animal Hats" by Vanessa Mooncie that I got thru the MidYork Library system earlier this fall.  I got the book to make the Fox for the granddaughter of a friend but got such

good comments on it I decided to make the Fox, Rabbit and Dog for the shop.  Then this week I learned that 2 cousins were going to have babies...both boys...within a few months and it was suggested I try to make them animal helmets.  
   I started looking for baby helmets and found that 'Ravelry' had several.  I ended up using 'Earflap' by Jane Richmond.  It's a top-down pattern and while the Fox and friends is bottom-up it was easy enough to add the facial features and ears to the helmet after it was knitted just by following the directions for the big helmets.  I even CO the same number of stitches...just on a lot smaller needle (US 1's and 3's instead of 10 1/2's and 11's)...and worked the same number of rows!!  I used US7's and KnitPicks worsted Brava in a light gray for the baby helmet with small balls of left-over white and gray for the features.  When it came time to line the baby helmet I used 100% cotton flannel but I had to improvise the pattern.  It took some time but it worked!  The only problem I had was with the wiggly eyes.  They would not stick to the buttons...even with SuperGlue.  They stuck to my kitchen counter, my shirt, my thumb but not to the buttons!
   Anyway, the Baby Rabbit got finished

and came
out fine,  More than fine, just perfect!  I think it's even cuter than the big version.  The next helmet will be a Puppy for the other pregnant cousin.

I Got It Finished!!

     Well, I didn't think I'd get it all finished but the last sweater and hat were in the dryer and all that was left to do is sew the pompom onto the Norwegian Star watch cap.  And that had to wait until morning!  
    I spent all day doing the pin-striping on my navy and white hoodie.   It's a size 4 and was done on

circular US 5's and 7's with Red Heart worsted weight Soft Navy and White yarns, both are  100% acrylic and are machine wash and dryable.  The hoodie has a Henley neckline with 3 baseball buttons and the sleeves have a rolled cuff.. 

   The cold weather we've been having, with snow and sleet, inspired the next set of sweaters and hats.  That Norwegian Star watch cap that was in need of a pompom was knit on US 6's and 8's using

Red Heart's Light Blue and White.  It will fit a child 5-10 years old.  There is a Norwegian Star cardigan in the same yarn and color combo in a size 4. 

The sweater is a raglan, knit from the neck down.  For some reason the Norwegian Star reminds me of Frozen and the blue and white yarn just adds to it.  This is the first year I've enjoyed doing Fair Isle patterns and I think it shows. These 2 Norwegian Stars came out very well, if I say so myself!  And then there's the size 6 months cardigan and hat I did with Lion Brand's Molaine, a 100% acrylic Mohair-look alike in a blue

and white ombre on US 7's.   I was afraid the Molaine would be too scratchy for a baby so I washed it when it was done and the sweater came out so soft!  I think there's something not quite right with the hat but since was almost 1am when I finished it, I decided just to let it go.  Again, the blue and white carries the Frozen look.  Both of these sweaters have light blue buttons and rolled cuffs on the sleeves.
  And last, but not least, there is this Black Sheep cardigan...another raglan knit from the neck down 

with Red Heart Turqua.  This is a size 6 and is machine wash and dryable.  The apple green buttons match the swatches of green scattered around the sheep and the pink flowers.  If you ever

wondered why it's called A Black Sheep sweater, it's because there is a black sheep on the back alone in a flower bed!  This design was an original from The Yarn Barn in Speculator, NY,  where I was lucky enough to work summer a few times a lot of years ago.  Thanks, Jane! 

  With these finally finished I thought I could start on my Christmas knitting but I found out today that I first have to do a couple of baby hats for cousins's grandchildren due in the next few month.  That won't take long...I hope...and then there's the pair of socks (one is finished) that I owe a friend from the shop for doing me a favor this summer.  I'm just hoping I can get to Christmas presents by Dec.1st!
  Oh, just a reminder, Cooper Country Crafts will hold it's annual Holiday Open House beginning on Black Friday, Nov.29 thru Sunday, Dec. 1st.  There will be refreshments, secret discounts and I'm sure you'll find that unique item for someone special on your holiday list among our hand-crafted treasures.  And a %-age of all purchases will be donated to the local Food Pantry thru Dec. 7th.  Just remember, Doubleday Parking Lot is closed right now due to construction so the easiest way to get to the shop is via Doubleday Court from Chestnut St...right across from Cooperstown's Fire Station.  


Christmas Specials:

These nifty animal helmets are available for kids 6-10 years old.  They are hand-knit with 100% acrylic yarn and lined with 100% cotton flannel.

   And don't forget my original Snowpeople sweaters! These are size 4's and hand-knit with 100% wash

and dryable acrylic yarn but they are also available sizes 2 and 6.  They're just too cute to be called 'ugly' sweaters, aren't they? 
   Both animal helmets and snowpeople sweaters can be special ordered for Christmas delivery in your choice of characters and colors and mailed to your destination.  Prepaid orders are shipped postage free!  This offer is good until Dec. 2nd when placed thru the shop!!

PT Has Started!

       Jeff had his first official PT session this afternoon.  We couldn't get a parking space in the lot closest to the PT entrance so we parked in the Visitor's lot at Valley Health and walked down to the door.  It wasn't too bad...down hill...but going back to the car over an hour later it was raining so we went thru the nursing home.  Got lost, had to ask for directions, finally made it to the entrance.  Jeff sat down and I went and got the car.  I don't think we'll do that again.  Next time I'll let him off at the PT entrance and go park the car...maybe just across the road...just someplace closer/more convenient than the Visitor's lot!  He was lucky to get his 2 appointments next week both scheduled for the afternoon: Tuesday at 3pm and Friday at 2pm.  After that we went to Tractor Supply to get dog food and of course, Jeff picked the biggest bag...53lbs!  I couldn't move it in the cart for the clerk to scan it and when I tried to pick it up to put it in the car...nothing happened!!  Jeff got it into the car and that's where it will stay until I use enough of it so I can pick up the bag...probably sometime  next week!
    Before we went to PT, we went to the Ilion Library.  I had a big pile of books to return...and unknown to me, a bigger pile of books to check out!  I took back all the knitting books I had requested on hats...those animals hats, and Fair Isle knitting as well as the novels and mysteries I had hoped to read.  I've been trying to read regular 'type' books but I've given up.  Can't do it even with my glasses on, so I had a couple of books I just couldn't read.  Before I returned the animal hat book I had copies made of the patterns in case the 3 hats in the shop sell this season.  I also had a copy made of the sewing pattern for the lining.  I'm not sure I made it large enough when I copied it.  The directions said to increase it 200% on a copier but I just drew what I hoped was a grid 200% larger than the one in the book and went from there.  It would have been much easier to use a copier but at 11pm on a Saturday night I didn't think I could find anyplace open with one.  Anyway, now I have copies of the directions and the lining...like I said, just in case the hats sell.  
    We haven't been taking the dogs out in the car lately...too cold...and they've been pretty good about it.  Not too bad with 'accidents' and no one's pulled the curtain and rod off my window lately (Zoey's newest trick).  Today when we walked in...and were greeted by a chorus of barks and bays...the first thing I noticed was the ziplock bag with the potato chips was on the floor instead of on the table where I left it.  No one was able to get into it...or else the aroma of the Queso-flavored chips put them off...I doubt that, both Fanny and Zoey will willing eat handfuls of Queso-flavored chips when I offered them.  After I had poured us cups of coffee I noticed the ziplock bag of oatmeal squares was missing from the table, too.  Jeff suggested I look on his bed...Fanny's usual spot for taking prizes.  And there was the bag, emptied and cleaned of any and all traces of oatmeal squares!  Jeff tried to question them both as to whether any sharing occurred but neither dog was willing to implicate the other.  I guess I'll just have to make another batch tomorrow.  (I used coconut flour in place of half the white flour to reduce the carbs and it didn't change the flavor at all.)
   One of our former neighbors at camp is involved in a secret santa-type exchange that looked like fun so I signed up.  You only have to send 1 $10 gift to 1 person so I thought it couldn't be too bad.  Well, I've posted the notice 3 days in a row on Facebook and haven't gotten a single response.  I'll try again over the weekend but if I don't get a response I'll have to let Suzanne know and drop out.  This is the notice:

"Hoping to get some friends to do this with me! Its such fun and really gets you in the Christmas spirit! Let me know if you want to be in 💗ANYONE can do this with me!! Who doesn’t LOVE surprise happy mail!!??

🎅🏼🎁💃🏽🎄I am looking for ladies interested in a holiday gift exchange! Doesn’t matter where you live in the US - you are welcome to join. You have to buy one gift valued of at least $10 and send it to your secret sis. (Can be whatever floats your boat!) you will then receive 6-36 gifts in return.

This is so fun! My friends actually did this a few years ago and had a complete blastI Really such a fun experience getting a bunch of fun little gifts in the mail from ladies all over the place! 🎁 there is NO pressure, but if you do this but PLEASE PLAN TO FOLLOW THROUGH. That's what makes it fun! I just sent out my gift to my Secret Sister!

Let me know if you’re interested, and I will send you information about your sister. 💃🏽

We could all use some happy mail! Anyone is welcome to join the fun! Just comment “I’m in” if you will follow thru!"

PM me on Facebook or send me an email if you're interested.  I think this could be fun!

Well, the Secret Sister Christmas exchange was declared a scam on Facebook today so I guess that's that.  Too bad, because it seemed a nice and relatively inexpensive way to have some holiday fun.  Too bad some people have to ruin it everyone.  Another friend sent this link www.graydc.com to explain the scam. (9:47 pm, Sat., 11/16/19)

Is It Winter, Already?

   Yesterday we woke up to find 2-3 inches of that wet, white stuff that skiers and snowmobilers love but the rest of us in the Great Northeast grow to hate each year covering what was left of the dead, brown leaves on the ground.  It did look pretty...compared to the leaves...and we didn't have to go anywhere...we thought.  That changed when I poured myself a 2nd cup of coffee and found it was only lukewarm.  Jeff said the cup was cold and the coffee just cooled off fast so I cleaned the coffee maker and tried to start another pot.  The key word in that sentence is 'tried' because the coffeemaker didn't respond to anything.  Pulling the plug out and putting it back in.  Wiggling the on/off switch.  I came to the conclusion the pot had died and put water in a kettle on the stove to boil.  After I poured it over the dry coffee grounds that were sitting in the basket of the newly-deceased coffee machine (making a mess over the counter, but hey, the counter needed to be washed, anyway!) there was a pot full of almost hot coffee...for a few minutes at least.  When Jeff wandered into the kitchen looking for more coffee he questioned why I had done what I did so I told him the coffee maker had died.  He scoffed at that and started checking it out.  Played with the switch, the plug, who know what else because I turned my back to his endeavors about then.  After a few minutes he agreed the coffee maker was dead.  I turned to face him and smiling pleasantly said, 'I don't get to say this to you very often but I told you so!'  I drank instant cappuccino the rest of the afternoon and Jeff drank diet Dr Pepper.  When he had had enough of that he went to Walmart and bought a new 'Mr Coffee'coffee maker. (the old one was a Norleco.  We tend to alternate between the 2 brands depending on the sales at the time we need a new one.)  We do have a Keurig that Jeff's sister gave us but it's a one-cup-at-a-time brewer and we never bought the reusable mini-basket that we'd need to use it.  Jeff found 'Mr Coffee' on sale at Walmart and was instantly interested in the totally automated one until he saw that it also automatically turned itself off after 2 hours.  We make 3-4 pots (12 cups) during the day, 1 with supper and usually 1 more after supper.  That fully automated version would be turning itself off and on so often it would wear out before the heating unit burnt out!  This is a nice version and the price was reasonable...less that $20.  It should last 3-4 years.  Maybe next time I can talk him into a French Press...no parts to heat up.
   Today Jeff had an appointment for a PT evaluation of his left shoulder.  When he had a post-op checkup with his attending MD (after his heart attack and the insertion of the 4 stents) it was noted that he could not raise his arms above his shoulders.  The Attending ordered x-rays and while both shoulders show deterioration and calcium deposits, the left shoulder is in much worse shape.  Today we went to Valley Health for the evaluation.  When we went out to the car this morning around 9:30, the thermometer in the car was at 17 degrees.  By the time we got to Herkimer, it had gone down to 15 degrees.  While Jeff was being evaluated I talked with a man who's wife was having PT.  They live on a farm outside of Little Falls and the temperature when he went to the barn this morning at 7am was 12 degrees.  Come on, folks, this is only Nov. 13!  If it's this cold now what is it going to be like in January and February??
   When we got home, Jeff started cooking a whole chicken (Hannaford had them on sale this weekend and he got 2)in the crockpot.  It will be dinner tonight and then go on to be chicken soup.  Just right for these 'cold, winter days', huh?  I decided to make my cousin Carol Paul's family famous Oatmeal Squares.  It would warm up the house a little to have the oven on and I wanted to try to reduce the carbs and calories in them so Jeff wouldn't hesitate to eat them, too, not that he does but theoretically....  So I used coconut flour to cut carbs...in place of half the white flour, and brown sugar substitute in place of real brown sugar.  I'm not sure it will make much difference health-wise but the oatmeal squares taste the same!!  
   This cold weather has made me start thinking about Christmas presents...what I want to make for whom.  I think I'll do some gifts the same as usual: --------s for ----, of course, he expects them, but then I think I'll do somethings different.  Maybe an ------ for --, --------------- for ------ and a ----- for ------.  That may be it for my 'giving' list.  I do have to do a Yarn Pal box and I just signed up for a Secret Sis exchange, too. I'll take photos and fill in the blanks but maybe not until Dec 26th!

   

Animal Helmets, II

   The Animal Helmets are finished...at last! 

There were times this last week when I didn't think that would happen.  One reason is that bulky yarn isn't my favorite weight to work with and the needles are so big is another!  The old ones I have...straights...are so long I kept getting them stuck up my shirt sleeves! Jeff suggested I buy some new circulars...I already had gotten a new circular 10 1/2's at Walmart but I didn't want to spend $9 for big metal circulars if these hats don't sell.  I  found a pair of straight US 11's...Susan Bates, wooden and 14" long...in the old needle box that Mom and I used.  It came in handy for other things too...like snagging the skein of yarn without getting up out of the chair and reaching the crochet hook when it fell under the ottoman.
   I put the linings in Saturday night and yesterday.  I sewed in all linings to the ear-flaps first and then fitted the helmet linings to the helmet.  That took some time because each lining had to be fitted to each helmet individually and sewed around the bottom of the hat.  Then I tacked the linings to the helmets around the noses and ears.  Last came the pompoms.   I decided to put poms on the dog, too, because it looked unfinished without them.  Jeff suggested I do the black and white poms there.
   I checked the yarn department at Walmart again yesterday and it's still fairly empty.  I think I have enough yarn to do 3 more hats...1 of each...on the off chance that these 3 do sell...so please keep those fingers and toes crossed!  Now it's time to clean house a little (oh, my, did I actually say that?) and then start a sweater or maybe work on socks.  Anything as long as the needles are short, no larger than US 7's and are circular!
   The helmets were just picked up and are headed to Richfield Springs.  Maggie will take them to the shop tomorrow or Wednesday.  Thanks, Maggie!

Zoey saying "Good-bye" to the Animal Hats.