BAKTUS

BAKTUS

Yesterday it was so hot here that I did nothing but knit all day. I started a Baktus. What is a Baktus you ask? It is a knit scarf that uses up left over yarn. Baktus is also a character in a Norwegian classic story for children.

I happen to be using my LANG Jawol Superwash wool for socks, I have about 400 yards of it so this should be enough. I sort of like the way the yarn is striping, but I am a little worried about keeping the pattern when I add on the other half of the scrap. We will see how it turns out soon.

I also worked on my Gail Nightsong Shawl. It is such a difficult lace pattern that I really need to concentrate on only it while I knit or I will end up having to pull out the rows I completed. This was the case yesterday, I put in 1 lace row, then the purl back row, then started the next lace row and discovered I had too many stitches. I ripped it out and redid the rows and went to start the next lace row again and found a lack of stitches, so I again ripped out the rows and decided I would turn off the distracting television program (Design on a Dime) and started over. This time I completed the three rows with no problem...whew!

Oh, by the way, that cupcake I posted about previously was out of this world delish! Too bad I just started a diet, I guess there will be no more cupcakes for me for awhile.

Progress!

Let's See What Has Been Going on in Debbie's Life...

Yesterday I finished a blouse, and it turned out really cute. I made it from the fabric I purchased for $1.98 a yard at Jenny's Fabrics. The total cost of the blouse was around $6.00, I love that!

Today I went to Aroma's Coffee & Floral Shop to meet with my "Knit Biddies" and had a lot of fun, there is a picture of them above my ramblings here. Click the link on Aroma's to see what people are saying about our great Wednesday morning meeting place.

Today I also went to the Post Office to get my Passport so I can go to Costa Rica in September, that is if the Passport arrives in time. I was so shocked when I saw how much they charged for the four little pictures for the Passport, they were $40.00. That is absolute highway robbery!!! I was so distraught that I had to fork out so much money for those photos that I really needed something sweet to quite my nerves, are you buying this line? I went to The Cake Cottage Cupcake Shop near the USPS. I ordered a coconut cupcake, see the picture? I have not tasted it yet but will let you know how it was when I do.

While at the cupcake shop I noticed on their door that the Baker, (Susan Carberry), for the shop will be on TLC on August 31 at 10:00pm Pacific Standard Time to compete in the "Ultimate Cake Off" competition. I tried to get out of them if she was the winner, but their lips were sealed as she is under contract and cannot disclose who the winner is until after the show airs. It will be fun to see if she wins.

Allie's potty training is done and she is finally starting to get used to Buster, even though she still keeps her distance from him most of the time.

I made another bag. It is much larger than the other bags I have made in the past, but I like it better because it only uses a quarter yard of each fabric where the other bags used a third of a yard of each fabric. I also was able to put a pocket on the inside of the bag to hold my notions in.

I have mastered the cast on for toe up socks, I am truly an expert at this cast on as I had to redo my sock so many times to get the gauge correct, and I am now almost to the heel on my first one. By the way, knitting socks on two circulars in the toe up method is sooooo much easier than on double pointed needles. Next time I knit socks I am going to try doing both socks on the two circulars at the same time.

I had a garage sale last Saturday and made a little money. Woo who, money is always good!

I suppose this is about the extent of things for now, not too exciting lately but at least I am slowly getting things accomplished.

I wish you all a great week!

My Monday

My daughter moved back home a week ago, and she brought my "grand dog, Allie" with her. Allie is a teacup chichuaua who has only lived in a small apartment for the last year and a half of her life. My daughter trained her to a "Potty Mat" as she had no yard for her to use. Well, there is NO WAY I am having a "Potty Mat" sitting out in my house when there is a perfectly good yard for her to use, so over the last week I have been on potty training duty as my daughter has been working.

When Allie first went into the yard she was terrified of the grass, the wind (seriously), flys and bees, and any noise she heard. I sat out in the yard with her for 2 hours for her to become accustomed to the smells, textures, bugs and wind. Yeah, it worked! She now loves the yard, and she is really taking to using it as her bathroom instead of my floors. This makes me very happy!

Buster is not so happy though, he is a bit jealous because his momma is spending time with someone other than him. I am really making a huge effort to keep him happy and secure by spending so much time petting him and talking to him, but he is still jealous. He wants ALL of me, and does not want to share with Allie. I have posted a picture of his typical look over the last few days, he looks so left out.

Tonight Buster and Allie actually played together, sort of. She is really timid with him because he looks like the "Incredible Hulk" to her (she told me this). She likes to hide under my computer desk when I am on the computer, of course Buster is at my feet also. Tonight she was swatting him with her tiny paw, and then he would try to crawl under the desk (which he is too big to do) to get to her to play. It was pretty cute.

Anyway, they are wearing me out! I have not achieved anything over this week. Well, that is not exactly true, today I got ONE bag made, and pulled out 30 rows of lace on my socks because I knit them wrong (probably due to the dogs interruptions) but that is all I got done. Tomorrow I will achieve more...I will, I will, I will!

Good night all, sweet dreams!

My Saturday Excrusion

Today I spent my day revisiting a wonderful fabric shop I used to work at in 1982. I did not get to visit with my old boss as she now only works on Mondays and Fridays, but I did get to buy some awesome fabrics for two blouses, and two project bags, as well as notions (Notions and Patterns are always 20% off) for under $25.00.

For anyone interested in going to this store here is the information: JENNY'S FABRICS, 8984 Warner Ave, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, (714) 847-2202.

Wednesday's Fun Project!

My friends and I meet every Wednesday to knit and chat, we have so much fun together. For this week we were able to talk our friend Cally into teaching us how to make her great project bags.

I love the two bags I made! I already have my projects in the one and the other is waiting for me to pick it up and put my knitting in it.

My friend Cheryl's bag turned out so adorable also, she has an Airedale and the fabric has Airedales on it. I have linked her bag on here for you to see, actually you should read her Blog as it is very fun and interesting.

Some of us were a bit challenged in the sewing department, don't worry Stephanie I won't mention any names. There was an excuse offered as to why this person was unable prepare for our class. The excuse was that her dogs ate the instructions for the prep work of the bag, the only problem is the accused dog is a teacup chihuahua. LOL We did not buy it! Anyway, Stephanie was our hostess with the most est, so in the end Cally made a bag for her.

Susan made a really cute bag too, although I have no picture of it. Poor Judy was not able to sew her bag together because her sewing machine was on the blink, she spent the whole time trying to get the tension corrected and finally gave up.