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.

The Animal Hats...Update #1

   The responses I got to the photos of the Fox Helmet I made for Maggie's granddaughter has encouraged me to make some of those animal helmets for the shop. So I've been busy knitting and I have 3 critters growing in my project bag.  
    Of course, there's another Fox. All the parts for the fox are finished and I just have to sew the hat together.  I tried something different when I knit the ears and I think they look a little different...even better, maybe?  I was able to find black bulky yarn at Walmart this week and the outer ears is now done with that.
   The 2nd critter in the bag...and the 1st new one...is the Rabbit.  I got the last of the gray bulky

Rabbit Helmet waiting for its' lining (11/1/19)

yarn  Walmart had on display and a pale pink for the inner ears and nose.  It took a couple of tries with different needle sizes to get the nose and cheeks to look right.  (Jeff says he's never seen a rabbit with a pink nose.)  The eyes may be a little too high but this is the 1st one and once Super Glue dries...that's the way things are!     edited 11/1/19
   The 3rd critter bears little resemblance to the picture with the pattern. 

This helmet needs a lining, too. (11/1019)

That hat wasn't a helmet but a skull cap and I really like these helmets with ear flaps much better.  Anyway, the 3rd critter is the Beagle.  Zoey was nice enough to pose for it most of last night...I studied her ears...their shape, where they're attached to her head and how big they are...as she napped in the chair next to me while I knit.  This beagle isn't tri-color like Zoey, more like Snoopy ...black and white and I'm hoping at least one person looks at it and yells out "SNOOPY!" (or at least thinks that!) If that happens then I know my design is spot-on!  Don't know if it looks like a beagle but this one does look like a dog!  Jeff still wants me to try to do a tri-color one but I'm not that good!  edited 11/1/19.
   All the animal helmets are hand-knit on US 10 1/2 and 11 needles using Lion Brand's Hometown USA,  a super bulky 100% acrylic yarn that is machine wash and dryable.  They are lined with 100% cotton flannel fabric.  The eyes are wiggle eyes super glued onto flat buttons that were sewed in place first.  All 3 helmets have I-cord to tie their ear-flaps together.  And the Fox and the Rabbit have a yarn pompom on the the ends of the cord to represent their tails.  (The beagle has just the I-cord.) The patterns are all based on what I found in the book "Animal Hats" by Vanessa Mooncie that I got thru the MidYork Library system.  Of course, I made 'adjustments' and 'alterations' to the directions but that just makes these hats more original.
   Since Walmart had such a poor display of bulky yarn the other day I made sure I got enough so I can make another of each of these 3 critters in case they sell quickly.  (Keep those fingers and toes crossed, ok?)  I think they may make cute Christmas presents and I know one young lady who's getting one for her birthday. (Maggie's granddaughter's, Nora, birthday is tomorrow and I didn't know that when I made the hat for her!)
   This posting was edited and added to on Sat., 11/2/19.

A Fox For A Friend!

   My college friend, Maggie Schanz, has helped me a lot this fall.  She's been stopping regularly to pick up hats and mittens, and sweaters to take to the shop AND to bring me big bags of yarn that she finds at the thrift shop.  She is really keeping me going!  Maggie had mentioned how much one of her granddaughters like foxes so when I saw this helmet I decided to make it for her.  It was really a challenge.
   

I found the pattern in a book called "Animal Hats" by Vanessa Mooncie, that  was in the Midyork Library system.  It is knit in 100% acrylic bulky weight yarn on US 10 1/2's and 11's.   The ears are done in 2 pieces with the outer ear knit with a lighter weight yarn (I used worsted) and sewed together and sewed onto  the head.  The nose is knit in the same yarn as the outer ear.  The eyes are flat wiggly eyes super glued on to a flat button that was first sewed into place.  (I even used a black Sharpie and outline the wiggly eye on the button.  That made it stand out more!)   When the helmet was all together I lined it with cotton flannel.  The pattern called for using fleece...or even knitting a lining...but I thought the flannel was nice and soft and didn't add too much weight to the helmet.  (The helmet unlined was heavy enough!) And since I know there are 2 Singer sewing machines in this house but couldn't tell you where, I realized flannel would be easier to sew by hand.
   I had to enlarge the lining pattern.  The pattern was drawn on a grid of 3/8" and the directions said to enlarge it to fit or use a copier and enlarge it 200%.  I just drew a grid of 1" and drew on the pattern.  Then I held my breath and cut out the pieces from the flannel. (I wasn't sure what I was doing so I had bought 1/2 yard and the clerk at Walmart didn't like the way the last clerk had cut the flannel so she gave me a nice 'healthy' 1/2 yd.  When I got the lining laying flat to the curved inside of the helmet I stitched it around the cast-on edge.  That took a couple of times (stitch it around, rip it out, re-pin, restitch) to get it right!  Then I had to cut and sew the linings for the ear flaps.  In the end it was all nice and flat and snug to the helmet.  
   The pattern called for an 8" twisted cord at the end of each ear flap but I decided to make I-cords

instead.  I picked up 3 stitches from the cast on stitches in each ear flap and worked my I-cord from there.  (That way the I-cord was part of the ear flap and wouldn't have to be sewed on.)  The white pompom sewed on the other end of the I-cord represents the white tip of the fox's tail. I hope the pompoms hold...mine tend to explode!
   Maggie stopped over this morning after her husband's PT at LF hospital and I gave her a bag of hats for the shop and this hat.  She was surprised and pleased!  She gave me a bag of yarn! 
   (It looks like a Fox Helmet will be going to the shop next week...and maybe a Rabbit and a Beagle.  The Fox got a great reception on FB and gave me the encouragement to make another...and it's friends!  Too bad they'll miss Halloween but they'd make great Christmas gifts!)  10/29/19

Knitting and Old Friends

   I had a really nice visit with an old friend, Maggie Schanz, on Friday.  She stopped by to pick up a bag of hat and mittens to take to the shop for me.  She surprised me with a bag of yarn that she got at the thrift shop...I think its the SPCA shop in Cooperstown.  It's not the first time she found yarn for me there but this time it was the best!  That teal 

ball of bulky yarn is definitely calling to me...'make 
me into a hat!' it's saying in case you don't understand yarn.  I went on Ravelry.com today and found a pattern for a child's tam that called for bulky so I think that'll be my next project. I think I'll use the outside color from the Sweet Roll in the bottom row on the left for the band.  It matches almost exactly!

  But before that, this morning I had cast on for another child's watch cap/Fair Isle hat, this one with hearts worked in around the hat.  I'm using another one of the Premier Sweet Rolls I got yesterday in my order from Herrschner's.  This one is called 'Bubble Pop'.

The hat is finished. 

I just have to decide if I want to put a pompom on it...probably...maybe just pink and white?  Then it will be time for mittens.  These sets will fit 3-4 yr olds.  I'm enjoying  working with this Sweet Roll yarn.  I like the feel and the way it knits up. I'll post a photo of both sets when they're finished.
   Maggie brought Jeff a sugar-free apple pie that we're both enjoying.  I noticed that a 'large mouse' had taken quite a hunk out of it for his midnight snack last night.  She also brought a bag of apples.  I think I may have to make an apple crisp.  Yesterday I made a carrot cake because I found a Duncan Hines box mix on sale at Hanneford's last week.  I was a little disappointed.  The cake didn't rise very much.  Jeff said my 9 x 13 cake pan is really bigger than that (it is) but other cake mixes fill it up.  I think the 'large' eggs Jeff bought weren't really 'large' at all.  Oh, well, we're eating it any way.  In fact, between the carrot cake...with cream cheese frosting, and the apple pie...that's about all I've eaten today!  Oh, yea and a big bowl of Cheerios for breakfast.  Go near the cake and both dogs materialize by your side.  (Last night I used the cake with a nice dollop of frosting to give Fanny her Benadryl.  Zoey got the cake and frosting without the antihistamine.  Since that was just after I had to take another tick off of Fanny, I felt she deserved a treat.  Zoey felt she did, too, just on general principles.)  
   My hat and mittens were greeted warmly at the shop.  Hope they sell quickly!  I'll probably mail the 2 or 3 sets I get done this weekend.  Oh...I was surprised in the shop...one of the knit toddler dresses I did sold yesterday.  I really enjoyed those dresses.  One was pink and one yellow.  The yellow one sold.  At last...something besides a hat sold!