Knitting and Reading

Love to knit and love to read.

Still slogging through The 12 Tribes of Hattie.  I want to get it done so I can sell it while the book is still relatively new.

There has been production since I last blogged.  I have finished a dishcloth.  Really, I love to have a dishcloth on the needles, very easy to take with you.  Some people are so, "I'm never knitting a dishcloth" but they are quick and easy doses of success.

Next I have almost finished a Green Bay Packer hat.  All that is left is the tassels.  The yarn is crappy acrylic but it was on sale, it looked like a fun easy knit and it was.

Lastly I have started my 2nd sock.  Actually I had forgotten that I had the one sock done, was digging around and tada, there is was, so might as well finish it.    Love the yarn,  love the color Regalia Kaffe Fassett.

Froze 9 bags of asparagus tonight.  Unfortunately I picked up our Bountiful Basket this past week, had purchased a case of asparagus and didn't get to it until tonight.  It was starting to go bad.  It was a great deal, I would like to buy more case specials like that but not if I can't get to it.  I also got a case of 8 containers of strawberries. Three of those were eaten fresh, I froze 4 bags for smoothies and make 6 pints of jam.  It seems so early to be starting preserving but with the prices I can get the produce for it is well worth it.

Can't wait to see what others have posted at Ginny at Small Things.

Financial Friday

Trying to pack for trip, leaving on Sunday, cannot wait.  Haiti here I come.  I am hoping for a life changing experience, probably have put too high of expectations.  I want to make a difference. Am having a little bit of restlessness.

Anyway money $$$$$.

Paid $300 on Mastercard.  I want to be at my goal of 8700, but I have used this card for a few items for the trip so in actuality I am not going to update the tickler bar until after I get the bill and pay for any charges made this month.

Paid $367.18 on American Express.  Weird number I know.  I charged $167.18 on this card and will not be charging anything else.  Will pay off what was charged and a little extra.

Worked 1 hour of overtime.

Didn't hear from the job I put an online application in for (hate those) ...so very random if you get selected.  But, am going to put in for a promotion where I am currently working.  If I get it I dread telling my boss, like will be so sick and unable to sleep dread it.

This paying off my credit cards is going slow.  There is a big job fair on 04/03 for a new grocery store in town.  That is where I am contemplating getting a part-time job.  $12.50 for cashiers, not bad for part time.  I will get tired but I need to get moving on these debts.  It was so much more fun to buy the stuff than it is to pay it off.  Plus there are things I want to purchase with cash once the debt is under control/paid off.

Only one book on e-bay sold for $34.00, greatly disappointed but my husband is right that it is not the right time. Will try again at the end of the summer.   Huge yard sale coming up this summer too, 1/4 of the garage needs to be cleaned out.

Now the big dilemma is how much knitting to take.  Will I even get the needles on the plane.  We have a 4 hour layover one place and 9 coming back.  If I have nothing to do I will shop which is not a good thing.  So a book and knitting to occupy my time will definitely help.

Financial Friday

Excellent week financially.

1. $40 won at the casino.  You will never hear when I lose because I don't play with my own money.  My husband gives me $40, if I lose it that is fine, if I win I have to pay him the money back and I get to keep the excess.  It is a total win for me.  He likes going to the casino, I go because he wants to. If it wasn't for him wanting to go I would never go.  What a huge waste of money.

2. My son's $200 federal tax return came so he can sign that over since I gave him an advance on it.  That will go directly to credit cards.

3. Payments were made on both credit cards this week -
          $340.13 to MC new balance: $8900
          $375.97 to Am Ex new balance $26540

4. Have listed a book to sell so hopefully that will go.

5. Applied for a different job....not totally qualified but maybe they will take a chance if the perfect person doesn't show up.

6. Had a meeting on my Haiti trip.  Because of donations and fundraising our trip expenses at this point are going to be under $200.  Our minister is pretty sure there will be other donations to cover that, what a blessing.

Other than that which I think is good. Anytime the balance is going down on the accounts it is a good week.

Goals to achieve financially in March:
1. Have MC balance at $8700. (may use the tax return to pay on this)
2. Have Am Ex balance at $25900.
3. Decide if I am going to continue with my cell phone plan.  I hardly use my phone and need to look into a prepaid or some other type of phone.  My son is on my plan also and he hardly ever uses his phone.  It is $115.00 monthly that seems like a total waste of money.

The coordinator in Haiti has certain things, wants so to speak, for the mission groups.  This time on the list is teaching 4-5 older kids at the orphanage to knit.  How could that be more perfect?  Right up my alley although I have never taught anyone how to knit so may need to practice.

Cleaned out the freezer today, what a waste of money.  Threw a bunch of old vegetables out that were very freezer burned.  I really thought I would like a chest freezer but I really prefer an upright.  It seems to me an upright is so much easier to find what you have stored.  This summer I think I am going to sell the two chest freezers we have and buy a nice upright.

Yarn Along and Reading

Still working on the same book, Minding Frankie.  Just not into reading as much as I am enjoying knitting.  Maybe it is a weather thing, maybe it is just a I like to knit thing.  Who knows.

I am trying to get my finances into check.  Love to spend money and even though I realized that I was spending more than I should I chose to do nothing about it and ended up having a balance much higher on my credit cards than I should  have.  In my efforts to not spend money I am knitting from my stash and pulling out older projects that are WIPs.  I wish I was monogamous with my knitting but I'm not.  There are always at least 4-5 projects going at a time.

The project that I have decided to try to complete is a Kaffe Fassett scarf I started a very long time ago, maybe 5 years even.  It is made out of Kid Silk Haze, is fun to knit with but with this pattern you use two different colors and there are many color changes.  I started this as a new knitter and did not weave in the ends as I went.  Now I am maybe 1/4th of the way done with the scarf and have a zillion ends.  There is a border on the scarf so am going to incorporate the loose ends into the border and secure them that way.

The colors are beautiful.

Can you see the haze of the yarn?

This is supposed to end up being 60 inches.  I obviously have a very long way to go.  See those loose ends.  I tucked a lot of them under the scarf.

Pattern:  Earth Stripe Wrap
Yarn:  Kid Silk Haze

No one does color better than Kaffe Fassett.

Check out Ginny every week for her Yarn Along.  Wonderful inspiration.  There are so many talented people every week that post their projects.

Sunday Goals

It is so easy to get distracted.  We went shopping today.  For us to go shopping based on where we are located, the bigger city is 2 hours away.  So when you go shopping, you plan and you shop.  Groceries are so much cheaper when we go to the bigger city and what is available makes you take advantage of the opportunity.  We were driving around going to Staples and a little Fiat 500 was sitting in the lot.  It was so cute, I got so excited we went and looked at it.  Of course it had to be in the perfect color, red; 2012, current; and only 5,000 miles.  You know how you get so excited you don't think logical.  Logical says you are not getting this car, emotion says "oh it is just so cute".   So after thinking, mulling, working numbers, trying to talk myself into it ....I finally talked myself out of it.  Maybe next summer but right now it is the credit cards and only the credit cards that cash is getting thrown at.  I hate when I lose focus.  My husband doesn't help with comments like "it is the perfect car for you".  Yes it may be the perfect car but the timing stinks.  So I'm over it, yeah.

This week has some very specific goals:
1. Decide what I am choosing as my Lent discipline.  I have never really given serious thought about giving something up for Lent as a means of building discipline. This year I will, but I want to decided to either do something or give something up that is going to make me work at it, not just doing something that has no meaning or challenge.
2. Finish the fingerless mitt for my sister-in-law.
3. Finish a knitted frog.  This is one of those projects that has been on my list forever.  I have two arms, the head and sewing it together.  It will take one night to finish it up.
4. I sold four books on E-Bay this week, they need to be mailed.
5. We stocked up on groceries, I need to put them away and reorganize our pantry, it has become a mess.
6. List all patterns on E-Bay.
7. List 3 books on E-Bay.
8. List 3 skeins of yarn on E-Bay.
9. Knit 25 rows on scarf (check on Wednesday, I'll post a picture).
10. Send in Menard's Rebate.

I am motivated to continue to make a little money from E-Bay but also continue to get rid of items.  It is nice to see a little more space where there used to be something I no longer had a need for.

Yarn Along

Finally have finished some knitting.  Have one sock of a pair done that will be a Christmas gift probably for my niece instead of my sister-in-law.

I am also making some quick handwarmers for gifts.  Have one done, am about 1/3rd of the way on the 2nd one. These will be for my sister-in-law.  She is not a person who likes very bright  colors so the grey is perfect.  It is hard when you are a person who loves color to make something on the blander side.  My favorite colors are red and purple, hers would be brown and gray.

I was trying to find the link to the pattern but can't find it, it is very easy.  Knit in the round.  Cast on 55 stitches.  Knit 3, purl 2, repeat.  Complete 40 rows in this pattern.  Knit in pattern back and forth for 10 rows to make the hole for the thumb.  Rejoin and knit in the round for 10 rows.  Bind off.  Weave in ends.  Honestly I don't remember what yarn this is but I think it was probably from Hobby Lobby.  It was left over from making a pair of socks.  There will still be some left over which I think I will probably just start some left-over socks, whatever is left over will be knit together.  Should be interesting what I end up with, interesting or ugly, time will tell.

As far as reading I am still working on Minding Frankie.  It is a good book but I am having more fun knitting right now so it is not progressing very quickly..

I am joining Ginny at Small Things for her Yarn Along.  It is a great place to get ideas, I love to check out what others are making.

Reading and Knitting Yarn Along

Reading and knitting are two things I enjoy the most so participate with Ginny - Small Things in her weekly Yarn Along.

This week has been spent knitting on a plain basic sock pattern.  It is the first of my Christmas gifts for next year.  My goal  is to have a totally home made Christmas which would include knitted items and cooking/kitchen items.  Knowing myself and the way I can procrastinate I need to get going now otherwise it may not  will never happen.

I started reading The 12 Tribes of Hattie but just can't seem to get into it.  So far it is good, but not a "I can't put this down" kind of book where you stay up until 2 AM when you know you have to get up at 6 AM for work.  So far, not that kind of book.  My book club a couple of months ago read Minding Frankie.  It was in December, I was super busy and didn't get it read.  So far a great book so hope to be done by the end of the weekend although it is Super Bowl Sunday and there are parties to go to so it may take a little longer.

The sock I have decided is actually for my s-in-law.  I need to knit about an inch more on the foot and then do the toes.  Am hoping to be done with this by tomorrow, will cast on another and hope to finish by mid February with that one. With that accomplished her Christmas gift is done.  I need to keep plugging away.

The needles I am using are square, I love them.  They seem to be easier on my fingers than round ones. If you haven't tried them most shops will let you experiment before buying them to see if they are for you or not.  The brand that I like is Koliage.  

Yarn Along

I love knitting, and love reading so participate in Small Things Yarn Along.  I think knowing that you are going to post something every week gives that little extra push to get with it and not waste time.

This week I have on my to do list to finish a baby bunting that I made for my grandson, who is now 2 years old.  Why do I do this?  I have a full at least 7 months to prepare, you would think I could get it together but obviously not.  As you can see there is a grand total of 6 buttons to sew on, really I can't finish this in time.  The knitting part has been done for almost 2 years.   So, that is project 1 in the knitting arena that I am working on.  Not that you can really see it in the picture but the yarn is a turquoise tweed with little flecks of yellow in it which is why the yellow buttons.  The yarn has long ago lost it's band so don't have a clue what it is.

What I am currently knitting is a sock.  I always try to keep a pair on hand for a last minute gift, which came in very handy last week for Secret Sisters at church.  My secret sister was someone I didn't know, had never met and had to have the pastor's wife point her out.  It is really hard to choose a gift for someone you don't know but usually something hand knit is enjoyed so made a gift basket of foods from our area, a kitchen dish towel and a set of hand knit socks.  I didn't make the party but everyone thought the socks were pretty cool.

Yarn:  Regia - Kaffe Fassett  The link is to his yarn but I bought mine so long ago they no longer make the color.  Is a nice soft yarn to knit with and I kind of like the stripes, a different background would take a better picture...next time.

The book I am reading real quick is Proof of Heaven.  I say real quick because I am having to use my e-reader, I prefer a book.    Book club is on Tuesday and I haven't even started it yet.  I hate when I forget what is coming up.  Anyway I hear it is a quick easy read, lets hope so.

Knitting and Reading

Joining the Yarn Along at Small Things.  I love to read and love to knit, honestly don't have enough time to do either.

I am just beginning to read The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, it has gotten good reviews so I truly hope it is good.  For a while I read all of Oprah's Book Club selections and then she seemed to go through a dark phase and I lost interest, can only do doom and gloom for so long.  The sweater I am knitting is for my grandson's in Florida, I'm not sure which one it will fit, depends if I can keep gauge. It is the Anchor's Away Pullover.  Have just started the sweater knit from the top down, my first attempt with this technique.  Was able to learn a new skill also the provisional crochet cast on.  Super easy and really easy with the video.

Also this week finished a scarf I have been working on forever, super simple but for some reason took me forever.

 Ignore the pile of ironing in the picture, I know I do, much rather knit.

Isn't this a fun fabric.  It is tecido trico.  The link I pulled is actually the least expensive I have found the fabric/yarn.

Charity Knitting and Reading.

I am joining Ginny at Small Things for  her weekly Yarn Along.

The book I am reading is an excellent book, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.  If you have anyone in your family who is a WW II buff it is an excellent book.  This book has to be done by Monday as I have already listed it on E-Bay.  Nothing like a little pressure.

The knitting I am doing is a premie hat.  There is a great group I belong to through Yahoo Groups, Knitting 4 children.  It is a great group of people, not that I partake is too much of the conversation, but it motivates me to knit for someone other than myself and hopefully be a blessing to whatever child can use any of the hats or blankets that are knit.  One day at lunch I was sitting knitting and a co-worker asked what I was doing, so I told her.  The next thing I knew in about 4 weeks she brought a bag with 3 blankets, then another two months passed and she had another blanket. She didn't even think about knitting or crocheting for charity before I mentioned something about the group.  She had a whole bunch of yarn at home, didn't know what to do with it, so now I have blankets to mail in.  The pattern for the hat is super simple it is a mock rib and eyelet preemie hat, looks like cables but is fake (the kind of cables I prefer).  It is a great road trip project if you are needing one in the future.

Thrift/Estate Sale Finds

This past weekend D, J and I went to a fabulous estate sale. They are always kind of sad, going through someone else's stuff. Anyway I got some great stuff. The first picture is a Martha Pullen Pleater which I paid $7 for, $160 new. I'm not sure if it was every used. The stickers are still on it and the manual and warranty card are in the box.

The second picture is two packets of patterns for the American Girl Dolls. I really don't know why I got them except they were a good deal which is not a good enough reason, maybe I'll sell them on E-Bay. The origami I am going to use for Christmas. At this point I want to give gifts in a package that can be either used for something else or in a package that is recyclable.  Each was $1.

The third picture is cotton yarn. I don't have a clue what I will make but I think I have enough of each color to make something light for a baby in summer. There are four balls of the blue and three of the black/white variegated ( I wonder where the third ball went to, its not in the picture?). Each ball was $.50.

The husband did decide definitely to put his name in for the job. Obviously time will tell the outcome, I am just ready to stay put. If we stay where we are now I want to buy some property and quit renting. We have the money to get started, even though we still have our home in New England which has been for sale for 2.5 years.  I estimate it will be at least another 2 years before it sells.

Currently working on some Christmas Gifts, knitting. Will show pictures as items get finished. The New York Wool and Sheep Festival is this weekend, it will be fun. Right now it is raining so hope it gets totally done with that before Saturday.

Did some shopping at Rite Aid tonight. Spent $41 and will get $47 back in rebates. Bought cough drops, baby medicine, nasal spray, and others. No picture as it is already put away.