Doing the Finished Sweater Happy Dance!

Yep, it is done, finally. I am posting two pictures as I couldn't get the front view to look very good.

I actually didn't have any problems setting in the sleeves, I had a horrible time with the neckline and the darn buttons. I couldn't manuever the sweater to keep the buttons in place and straight. I finally got an ispiration and I told Jack I was "Wiley E Coyote SUUPPPPEEERRR Genius." (do you remember the Roadrunner cartoons when he used to say that when he would come up with an idea for getting the roadrunner?) Anyway, I took my embroidery thread and instead of splitting it, used the whole strand, wove it through the four button holes twice to make is strong, then left a tail. I positioned the button, used a crochet hook to pull the tail through the knit stitches then secured them through the back. That way they are fairly straight. I also had a heck of a time with the neckline, but got than one all figured out too. As for the neckline, I had an unravel problem and don't you know it was in the front, but I figured out how to get it straightened out and finally got the stitches picked up and knitted. A tip for those of you sweater novices, use a crochet hook to go under the bound off, or whatever stitch, wrap you thread around the hook and pull through. Now you have your picked up and knitted stitch. Do 4-5 then transfer to the needle you are going to use. I find the crochet hook works easier than trying to get the needle underneath in tight spots.


I now can go on with getting my own stuff knitted. I will be anxious to see how the peach sleeveless comes out. It looks pretty on the needles.

Sounds like it is raining and so it is treadmill for me today. I missed Friday's, Sunday and Monday walking so I am behind and need to get my behind in gear if I want to show a loss of some kind on Friday. I have to average 2 lbs a week to be able to get in my capris and pants for vacation. Not one pair fits and I have like 10 pairs of capris, 4 of bermuda style shorts and 3-4 cotton or linen style pants. I found some gorgeous tops in a couple of the large ladies catalogues that I may get and this to die for pants set. My handbag should be here today so I am going to have Jack hide it so I won't be tempted to use it before vacation.




I have everything done on the car but the tires and I am waiting for my 2 new rims to come in before I take it to get tires. I am a little bummed because we paid $25 to get the current tire patched on Sunday. I guess when they took the tires off to look at the brakes they found a nail in the tire. It isn't surprising out where Jack works, but it is irritating to have to pay money right before they are being desposed of. Better that then a flat on the side of the road though.




Everyone have a spectacular day. I am going to hop up and do some chores before Jack gets up in just a few minutes.

Donna

When is a sweater not a sweater....

When the knitter has been stalling putting it together! I have got it pressed now so I have no excuse not to sew it up. I just want it to look really nice so I am nervous about putting in the sleeves so I have been stalling. I do have the first sleeve finished and I don't think it is too bad for a first attempt. IT has a bit of puckering, but I think I will get better with each sweater I do. I also want to make Jack's birthday present (his new I-Pod) a little case for him to put it in so it doesn't get scratched, but before I do that or knit on other stuff, I want to get the sweater finished up.

This weekend was a whirlwind of errands and car repair stuff so I did get to walk on Saturday, but never made it out yesterday. I cleaned the downstairs though and walked all over nasty Walmart to get a tv they had on sale for the guest bedroom and stuff to clean the leather and such inside the car. When I was still working, I kept the car spotless, but Jack has slobbed it all up with spilled drinks etc so it is a mess and I am going to try and get it cleaned up today. It is supposed to rain this morning so my nice car wash will go out the window. I will probably just take it back tomorrow and redo it if the rain passes out of our area.

I have to go and order the rims this morning than wait until they come in before I go and get new tires on the car, I think they said about 3 days. We will then have it in great shape to take to Indiana the end of next month for the shower. I am so glad Jack decided to go with me. It is a long drive to do by yourself, about 10 hours of straight driving not counting restroom, food, and gas breaks, etc so it usually takes about 12. I am going to make sandwiches and take the little 100 cal snacks instead of fast food stopping on the trip. It will keep up in our points. We aren't going to eat out all three meals while we are up there either. We can get a few supplies and eat at my son's house as much as we can.

I bought me some new sandals/shoes for vacation. I had bought a pair of white Clark sandals, but wanted at least one more pairs so I bought these from Land's End. I now have different styles for different outfits. The whole thing with Vegas is walking all the time so you have to have decent shoes to do so and they are all good supportive walking shoes.

I guess I better get going. Jack will be up in a minute.

Have a good start of the week everyone and keep dry and warm!

Donna

Busy, Busy, Busy

I was on the run all day yesterday. I got up and walked and it was really tough yesterday and I am not sure exactly why. My gluts hurt most of the day, but I figure they got a good workout and were just complaining!

We dropped the car off at Firestone on Friday night and they called Saturday morning to say how much it would cost. We got a quote of $900. We then had to go commissary shopping, which is always fun, but it went ok, came home, unloaded and put away then headed back out. We got a bite to eat at taco bell, staying within pts, went to Circuit City, that was a bust. I didn't want to go in so I sat in the car and listened to music. Jack was in there at least half an hour just to buy a wiring harness to replace our factory installed tape player with the CD player he had installed in our old car and took out. Well, he has to take the car in so they can look and see which harness to sell him. It is going to cost about $50 because the guy says Jack needs two! For some wires, for crying out loud.

We left there and went to Hub Cap Annies to order 2 new rims for our car, but their wholesalers are closed on Saturday so that was a bust. I will have to take it over there on Monday and order them. We were running two for two in the we can't help you department. Then it was back home to wait for them to call and say the car was fixed. At 3:30 they hadn't called so Jack called them. They had it done! Sheesh. Wonder how long it had been sitting finished. Well, we got there and the bill was $1100. Being a big mouth witch I raised cain because they originally said we only needed front shocks that we had an air system in the back (the tech never looked at the car, but went by the fact it was a Grand Marquis and I guess GM's and Lincolns have this system in them. Nope, ours has shocks, but they never called to verify that we wanted them to go ahead and replace the back ones and it would cost another $200. I hate to say it, but Jack is a big wimp. I know he doesn't like it when I interfere, but he was going to let it go and I wouldn't. I said we at least deserved a courtesy call and it was wrong of the tech to assume in the first place so the guy took $100 off the bill. Jack would have paid the whole thing and not said a word.

We took the rental back to the condo and parked it in the garage as we were going to buy a tv to replace the one we had in the guest bedroom (I gave that one to Thomas as his little tv went phlewy and hadn't been replaced) We went out to Walmart and I bought Jack a late birthday present. We had just had open heart surgery around his birthday and never got a present. He had bought me a gorgeous, diamond, ruby and sapphire ring for my birthday and he got nada because we couldn't afford anything right then. I bought him an IPOD, which he had been drooling over and we went to pick up the tv and they didn't have any at that store. I wanted this 20 incher that was on sale for $90 so we have to go and get it later because we are taking the car back to Firestone this morning and letting them do the brakes. We were going to have Midas do them, but Jack can't do it until Saturday and I don't want to sit at Midas all day on Monday so we are just going to pay the few extra bucks and have Firestone do it.

Oh, we did get the car washed and vacuumed inbetween there somewhere too.

I didn't get to knit one stitch yesterday. I need to get the house cleaned and such today so I doubt I get much knitted today either.

Time to go back to bed now as I am

Donna

All quiet on the midsouth front...

All the bad weather went away by mid morning and though it is cold, it is dry and the sun is supposed to be out today. Looks like I am going to have to go out and walk in about 30 degrees this morning so I will have to bundle up. I don't think I am going to do the "monster" as I call the street next to the condo. It is usually the way I walk, but the street goes straight up a hill and is a killer. I am going to do a longer flat walk this am.

I found a couple good articles on seaming. I am nervous about putting the sleeve seams in. Can I ask a seriously stupid question? How can you tell a raglan sleeve from a regular one? I know what a sweater looks like that is raglan sleeved, but I don't know what an unsewn sleeve will look like and how I tell the difference since the pattern doesn't say.

I just got a Judi Dench movie from netflix called Mrs Brown. I am anxious to watch it. I believe it is about Queen Victoria and her relationship with a servant while grieving for her husband over a long periond of time. I can't wait to watch it, but I have tons of stuff to do this weekend still so don't know if I will get the time. My knitting is going to suffer until then.

My poor baby. He felt so bad last night. We just laid around all evening. I am sure his little gums are sore especially having a tooth pulled. We can dope ourselves with meds they come out of their anesthesia and have to deal with the pain. The dr gave me spray to put on his gums today and then start using in a couple days to brush his teeth with.

I am going to give a big to Jack for losing another 3 lbs this week! He told me he can button his jeans without holding in his breath and tie his shoes without it cutting off his air!

On to morning chores and my walk. and Tide Waits for no Man,(John Skot) so better get a move on.

Donna (hey, they're WW chocolates!)

YIKES THE ICE!

As I left to take Jack to work we started with freezing rain/sleet. I almost slid off the road about 2 miles from home, then I couldn't get across my deck as it was solid ice. When I finally got to the back door, the heavy storm door wouldn't unlock no matter what I did so I had to try and get back across the deck, walk all the way around the building to the front door, then I couldn't get the front door open! I finally got it open and am ok, but man is it nasty out there. I hate driving in this weather and I am now stuck. We have to pick up a rental car we have reserved today, but they said by noon the temp will be up so that it will melt. Thank goodness the dog's vet is a half block away on a city street so I am getting ready to take him as the city streets aren't bad it is the interstate such that is up in the air and it freezes.

I have weigh in today but it is at noon. If it is still nasty I probably won't go, but hopefully it will move through and the temps will rise to clear it up a bit.

I have all the parts to the sweater finished so all I have to do is press it and sew it together. I am a little nervous about setting in the sleeves, but I will just have to go slow.

I bought our airline tickets last night so we have those for vacation as well as our hotel reservation. Once we get our tickets I always think the vacation is a go!

I bought myself a little present last night. I was watching tv waiting for CSI to come on (which, btw, I am mad because they killed off Mike and I liked him) Anyway, I was channel checking and saw QVC had Maxx of New York handbags on. Big mistake gals! I love handbags and own about 50. I found one almost immediately and came right downstairs and ordered it. Now to tell Jack I spent over $100 and bought a handbag. He thinks women should have one in black so it goes with everything! No Way!

Well, I am going to get Fortchy over to the vet before it gets too much worse. (11:00 AM, they just called and said Fortune would be ready at 11:30 and I ask her the total and she said $285! They are charging me $160 to pull a tooth! They quoted me $121 and I am going to read them the riot act and ask what the heck they would have done if I had gone to pick him up and I didn't have enough money? They never called and said anything about extra work needing to be done. I am furious and I plan on letting them know it.)

Everyone stay warm today!

Donna PS: 12:38 PM Because no one called me they cut $75 off the cost. The dopey girl that quoted me originally just quoted the cleaning, not the anethesia and stuff that goes with it. He also had to have an absessed tooth pulled and they didn't call me about it either. I was nice enough, but I made it clear I was unhappy. Also, I had WW weigh in at noon and I am down 7 lbs!

Here's my Fort Knox!

His favorite place to snooze is in, under, or over the sofa pillows, which I made, btw! Mardi, I am no competition for your sewing prowess, I made these using Stitch Witchery! From the comment lionspaw left, I guess I will be glad his teeth cleaning is only $121!

I am almost through 2 weeks of WW and dang I had better see some lbs down this week as I worked by off. I have a friend who is around 380 lbs and lost 8 lbs the first week and 1.5 the second and doesn't exercise. Sheesh! I am about 30 lbs lighter and walk a mile everyday and can only eek out a lb. I am not complaining exactly, just a tad frustrated. We shall see what happens tomorrow as it is weigh in. My dear sweet husband is down another 2 lbs so I am thrilled for him.

I have the rest of the sleeve to finish then I am done knitting my dd's sweater and can put it together. As this is payday week, I do all my shopping, errands and such tomorrow and Saturday then clean the downstairs on Sunday so don't know if I will get to it until Monday, but I am going to try. I want to get it done. I see that I have 2 skeins of the camel left and part of another. It looks like I am also going to have extra with my peach sleeveless sweater so I found this super easy no button cardigan and I think instead of using the pattern they have for the body of the sweater, I will do it in straight stockinette stitch and put in some camel stripes or even use bigger needles and combine one strand of camel and one of peach and make myself sort of a set for vacation. It can get a little cool in the evenings in Vegas and a sweater would be nice.

We got Flags from Iwo Jima last night and I am anxious to see if it is as good at the Letters from Iwo Jima, which was superb. I am on a long waiting list for Elizabeth I so it may be awhile before I get to see that one. I am anxious to see it though. Has anyone seen "The Queen?" I hear Helen Mirren is pretty spectacular in that too.

Jack will be up in a mo' so I better go. Have a great one today!

Donna

It Costs How Much?????

When I had Fortune get his yearly exam and his shots a month ago, the doctor wrote that he needed his teeth cleaned. I figured it would cost me about $60 or so. They had stamped on his sheet that February is Pet Dental Health month and it is 15% off dental work and cleaning so thought I would go ahead and save some money and get it done. He is 6 years old and hasn't ever had it done so I thought it best. I called the vet's office, told her who I was and what I wanted. She asked me how much Fortune weighed and I said 12 lbs. She excused herself and came back on the phone and said with the discount it was going to be $121!!!!!! Dang, I am glad I don't have a St Bernard or something I would have to sell Jack!
So, to the "dentist" he goes on Friday morning. He looks way too happy about spending my money!

I ripped out most of the sleeve for dd's sweater yesterday. I didn't feel I had the increases evenly spaced so I will try again today I guess. I just want to get it done and sewn up now. The problem is purling an increase. I am having problems with that one and may end up having to increase on a purl row so I am going to have to work on it.

I get magazine as I am an and they had a great article in there on Helen Mirren. I guess she was a pistol in her youth and did lots of roles other woman wouldn't have touched. It said she is just a bit of a rebel with a refined manner. I guess the costumes she wore for Elisabeth the I were so heavy they damaged the muscles in her back so now she is on muscle relaxers to help with that. The things you do for your craft!

Not much else going on in my world today. It IS 52 degrees out at 3:30 in the morning, but the is supposed to bottom out this morning to around 38 for a high. It is better than the below zero temps some are getting so I won't complain.

Remember a week from today! Do something special for the one you love!

Donna