Several Weeks of crochet and HOT temps!

 Crocheted 🧶 Cardigans

With Google is not allowing me to upload my photos.  I am not sure I can even put up links to the photos. You must give them permission to certain cookies where they get to track your activity. I guess they have to make their money somehow, but I already find them a bit too invasive.

So

Goodbye.

DOING BETTER - A LITTLE ACCOMPLISHED

 CARDIGANS

I am not sure if these have been posted before. I didn't find the finished photo of the first cardigan, but will search again later.  

All of these are the Pistachio pattern by Michele DuNaier.  The sweater pattern is for a boy, but I don't put the collar on so I can use it for a girl. I had a hard time with the collar, but that is ME not the pattern.

These are all made with one of the Stylecraft yarns, DK weight. The top one is the only one I have finished the past week. The rest were from before. 

I need to redo the finishing on the one below as the button edging isn't good. Too wide.

Tomorrow is supposed to be the last 100 degree temps for many days. We will be in the 90's. Fires in Oregon have tainted the skies so hard to breathe. I have been keeping the dogs inside. We had a weird thunderstorm and huge winds, some up to 50mph down some mountains. It raged through her and only lasted for about 45 minutes and cleaned the air for a bit. Nice!

We will be in the 90's for a week, then back into the 100's.

BUMMER DAY

 OUCH!

Seems that my arthritis is really acting up. I think this is the worst ever. I was trying to take a nap (and did eventually) and not only were my knees hurting but my elbows were aching something awful. Hands and feet swollen, ankles hurting, hip throbbing. Mercy, I'm getting old and decrepit. Everything hurts. My neck is even creaking.

I finished a little cardigan in a bright teal called Empire by Stylecraft. I suppose it has become obvious that I bought a LOT of their line when I was making the mosaic afghan for my niece....who didn't appear to appreciate it or even like it. That's weird to me

Anyway, I will take photos and post later. I need to do something for the pain right now. Ordered some Glucosamine/Chondroitin as read it helps. I use it for the dogs, so no reason I shouldn't use it, too. Not the same kind, though. (Looks like Google is demanding access to my computer now to let me post photos. This may spell the end to my blog. They are already invasive enough.

👎

My wildflowers are blooming profusely and I was going to post photos, but all of a sudden Google won't let me post unless I allow them cookies....ALL cookies, even though it says "only necessary."  I don't know what changed with them as I haven't changed a thing. Just makes the day a bit more of a bummer for sure!

Girls Cardigan

 Rainbow Colors

Pistachio Gelato Jacket, pattern by Michele DuNaier

I finished this before the last one I posted. I missed it in my photo library when posting before. I really love the bright colors which is a change for me.

Again this is Stylecraft Baltic Swirl in Meadow. There is another color called Tropical flowers which doesn't have so much orange or any real yellow or green, that I like, too. It has a softer look.

When using a J or K hook the yarn crochets up to be very very soft, and makes a dense enough fabric. If using something along the lines of an H or I hook, then I find it too dense and not as soft, although still quite nice.  

I'm making a blue cardigan in Stylecraft Batik DK in storm. This time I am using a 7.0mm hook, one up from the K which is 6.5mm.  It is still a very nice fabric, so it is a test to see what size it might be.

ANOTHER PISTACHIO JACKET

Finished another one...made it with the buttons for boys. I wonder if it matters these days.

The two blues are slightly different as are the two greens, and it is edged in a blue green similar to the blues.

The poppies are finally blooming. The temps turned to the 100's for this week and likely for the next two weeks. That's a bit too hot, and there will be no rain. Makes for a hard time for the farmers.

The pink/white one looks SO delicate! I'm so glad these are self sowing!

The two red poppies are slightly different.

There are a few other flowers that I'm not familiar with. Some are red, which is great as it lends some continuity at a lower level. My California poppies are blooming en masse now, so may bloom out soon.

 

Finished!

 

I even put the buttons on the correct side for a boy! I think it is a tad longer than it is supposed to be, but it is what it is. I took out one row of the chartreuse green around the plackets. Made it look to girly and want this to be a boy sweater.

Flowers

I'm happy that some of the dianthus are starting to bloom! So far a lavender and a pink. Looks like a few of the larger poppies will be blooming in a week or so.  Our temps are going to reach over 100 come Friday and remain well over for at least one week, maybe more. I hope some cooler air from Canada gets pushy and makes its way down here.

New Project

I'm starting one of the Patty Cake baby sweaters in Meadow, a color in Stylecraft Batik Swirl. It has too much orange in it, yet I hope it will balance out with all the other colors. The green isn't that great, either. Frankly I am finally starting to tire of making baby clothes. Might see about scarves when I get my second wind.

Happy Fourth!

I have stocked up on food and dog treats so we shall be snug. Hopefully there won't be too many bangs and explosions. We have a huge contingent of PTSD Veterans in the area, as well as this being a big dog and cat community. Some people don't understand just how upsetting it is for pets and pet parents,  and we anlso live in a fire area which makes it doubly dumb to set them off.

According to the city, only certain specially approved fire crackers can be used after tonight. None of those that can cause fires. Since when did any of those who use those things ever pay attention to the rules of law?

WIP

NOT FINISHED YET

This is one of the Pistachio tops designed by Michele DuNaier.  I am nearly finished with it, but thought I would post what it looked like a couple of days ago.  Right now there are yarn ends everywhere for me to weave in as on the arms I had to cut the colors to come out somewhat similar to the body. Not exactly (by any means) but it will be okay. I just hope it looks "boyish" enough.

I love the yarn. It is Blue Ocean in Stylecraft Batik Swirl, 20% Wool, 80% Acrylic, 200 g./601 yards/550 meters. It is machine washable, and you can use the dryer on a cool setting. 

SOFT!!

I have several little balls of the yarn each in a separate color of one of the stripes, so I think I will fashion something out of them. Not sure what, though.

Gave the blanket I made to the grandmother. Turns out it is her son's first child, not her daughters. He is married to a lovely lady from Bulgaria and I guess at some point the two are planning on taking the baby and moving there. That will prove hard on this grandmother, I'm sure. They already live in South Carolina which is far enough away from here.

TOMORROW!

I'm going to clean up my crafting area for the next few days and figure out what I want to make. I need to divest myself of the piles of yarn I am surrounding myself with around the chair! I'll have Matt or Dana, my trusty helpers, take what I won't be using any time soon to the basement.

BRODIE

I have been feeling particularly emotional this past week about the loss of my dog Brodie two years ago. I think it will haunt me to the end of my days.

 

This and That

 Summer is coming!

The neighborhood is changing, people moving in, some moving out. Some minor construction going on. Usually I think of Spring as the time of rebirth, but today seems more appropriate as the weather is fine, flowers are coming up, and my neighbors have beautiful flowers in planters on their porches. Unfortunately I haven't spent the money yet to do my planters. Soon. Hopefully.

I did plant seeds of wildflowers. Some poppies. Little by little they are starting to bloom.

The Snake River as it runs through Idaho.

A happy hopping, bobbing robin in my back yard while I am watering the yard!

My three lovable giant breed dogs lazing on the back porch while it isn't hot yet.

The poppies that self sewed from last years flowers. Seeds my brother gave me for my birthday.

This fellow was flying over a neighboring town.  I have seen him (or someone like him) before when I first lived here.

A pitiful selection of flowers, for sure. Compared to what I once had in my last three houses, this looks like a desert.  I know it will take time (and money) to get it into ship shape. Right now I have cut out old bushes and am trying to kill off the remnants of those before I plant anything else. 

I really have my eye set on replicating what I once had...iris, peonies, lilies, tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils among others.