Shaping Short Rows On A Vintage Hand Knit Sweater

I've been working each day on my vintage short sleeved sweater. I bought this pattern on Etsy. I love the cut of it and the simple, elegant design. Some knitters find doing stockinette stitch boring. Not me, I LOVE it. I think that  it really shows off the beauty of the yarn. This silky wool is something special. I'm so glad that I used it, and didn't leave it sitting in my drawer.

Before beginning a new knitting project,  I always write out my pattern by hand. After that, I  read through it carefully. I was a little worried about the short row shaping on this one. I've done a different type of short rows on the heels of my socks. They were also in the Old Hollywood Shawl Vest that I made years ago.  These are actually easier. There is no wrap and turn. You just pearl a certain number of stitches to the end, turn the work, slip the first stitch on the knit side, and then continue knitting. You skip four stitches each time. It's an interesting effect. I love the line. It creates a beautiful curve.  I can't wait to get started on the other side!

The woodpecker hasn't returned yet. This is the tree where he likes to pound his beak. He's so cute. I love watching him! There have been several sparrows at the birdbath each day. They really enjoy splashing around it in this hot weather. I watch them as I sit out on the porch, knitting. The cool shade of the trees is so relaxing.



































I bought a new tea at the grocery store this week. It's blackberry hibiscus, and is absolutely divine! It's amazing to me how adding honey to a pot of tea brings out all of the flavors of the herbs. This one is by Choice Organic Teas in Seattle, Washington. It's a delicious blend of hibiscus, rosehips, blackberry leaves, lemongrass, licorice root, spearmint, and blackberry flavor. I think I'm going to drink more herbal teas in the hot water, and less juice. This would be excellent chilled, too.        

Gardening in the Early Morning

Thank you for all of your comments yesterday. I got up early this morning and did some research on the pomegranate issue. At least the fruit wasn't all eaten overnight by rats like it has been in the past. It's now  August, and if I can just keep these pomegranates on the tree until November, I think I will have a healthy, organic, and ripe crop of full sized fruit.

The splitting can be caused by a few different things. Infrequent watering is one. I water on our drought schedule here, which is every Tuesday and Thursday. We are allowed to use extra water for our fruits and vegetables. Sometimes what occurs is that the cells of the fruit develop before the cells of the skin, and then they sort of explode. That's what it seems like is happening these, in the above photograph.

I got out the ladder and picked all of the pomegranates that were cracked or split open. The larger ones are fine. My sense is that I needed to thin the fruit, anyway.  I gave some to my neighbor for her chickens. I'll give the rest to my other neighbors around the corner who have birds.  

My tree is pollinated primarily by hummingbirds. I plant a lot of wildflowers, which attract birds, bees, and beneficial insects. Hummingbirds love tubular shaped flowers, and the pomegranate blossoms are perfect for them. I also trimmed out a lot of dead wood from the inside of the bush. It feels much healthier and alive in there now. It reminds me of a cave.  I'm going to spread some unfinished compost underneath it as mulch. I'm hoping that from here on, the tree will have more energy available to nourish the larger fruits, and that they will grow and develop. We'll see if this theory works.

I have been working on a new vintage sweater. A woman from one of our local knitting groups gave me the yarn. It's silk and wool. I absolutely love it! This pattern has short rows, which I use when I make socks. It's a lot of stockinette stitch, which I find relaxing and meditative.

Here's a photo of the cotton sweater that I knit last month. I didn't check in the mirror before taking this picture, so it's not really hanging correctly. It's very comfortable and fun to wear. It reminds me of a 1930's chenille bed jacket. I also received a photo from my friend of her grandchildren taking a nap with the baby blanket I made. It warms my heart to see them.  How is everything going with you? 

Gardening in the Heat of Summer

We are experiencing the dog days of Summer, here in Southern California. At this time of year, it's usually too hot for me to garden, so I take a break. I'm finding that if I water the fruit trees at night, they seem happier. Something about having their roots cool while we are sleeping seems to relieve some of their stress. On the one hand, the stifling heat is a challenge, but on the other hand, the sun does a wonderful job of ripening the fruit.

The pomegranates are getting bigger. I'm a bit concerned, because many of the small ones are starting to split. I wonder if it's because I didn't thin the fruit? Maybe it's nature's way of reducing the number of pomegranates on the tree, so that the ones that survive will grow larger. I'm not sure. It could also be my watering schedule. I'm keeping an eye on them. The tree itself looks healthy, and I love the size of it. It's just magnificent!

I'm harvesting rosemary today to dry for cooking. It's also nice   in an herbal  tea to mop the floors. I use it all the time is soups, for grilling lamb, and to season baked chicken. I may even make a batch of soap with it! It looks so pretty and natural in homemade soaps. I like the texture and fragrance that it adds.

This is the first year that I have had a couple of limes develop. They are so pretty. It's taken the tree a few years to produce fruit. Gardening and fruit growing requires a lot of patience. The tree is only three years old. I bought it at Costco a few summers ago. I also purchased a grapefruit tree and planted it next to the rosemary bush, in my driveway. I love seeing things growing as I pull my car or bicycle into the cottage driveway when I arrive home.

I've had all kinds of wonderful birds visiting. Yesterday my favorite woodpecker returned to his giant poplar tree. He is just gorgeous! He used to stop at the hummingbird feeder, and hang upside down. Maybe I should get him a new one. I had an ant problem with the last one, and got rid of it. For now, he seems to be munching on insects on the trunk of his favorite tree. There are also happy sparrows splashing in the birdbath, shy mourning doves stopping by for a drink of water, and colorful gold finches snacking on the sunflowers that have gone to seed. They are such a pretty bright yellow, just like the flowers themselves.

Carlie has been helping herself to a drink of water each time I refill the birdbath. She's funny. She acts like it's her own personal  water dish. I have found some volunteer plants, as well. There's a watermelon that came up from a seed in the back orchard, this mystery plant in my window box, and a pumpkin sprout in the front potager garden. I'm excited to see what blooms and develops! How is your garden doing?  

  

Darning Your Socks

Today I've been sitting out on the front porch, darning my socks.  When I was a little girl, my neighbor, Mrs. Hutchinson, taught me how to repair them. She also taught me how to sew on a button.  She wanted me to learn life skills. In those days, I wore store bought socks, and they wore out very quickly. Mrs. H. had a spool of very strong darning thread and a darning needle. She bought me my very own darning egg at the store, and showed me how to use it. I was awestruck. It was easy to do, and I found it rewarding and satisfying. It gave me confidence, and a quiet excitement about the power  of sewing and mending. The only thing was, those old fashioned patches felt hard and stiff. The thread they used back in those days was almost like twine.   

Since then, I have learned how to knit socks, which has really changed everything. It takes me about a week to make a pair. If I focus on knitting exclusively,  then I can finish them in a few days. I don't though, because it's too much pressure and intensity. I buy top quality yarn, and purchase the types that have nylon in them. I find that it really helps make the socks last longer. I save what's leftover  to use for darning, making baby booties, and knitting lightweight lace scarves.

The socks in these photos are several years old. Each year I check them for any small holes, and reinforce those areas. I thread my darning needle, and stitch over and under the threads or bare stitches. It's much easier to do this if you catch it early, rather than waiting until you have a gaping hole. I like using the matching sock yarn, because it is soft, it looks nice, and it blends well. You don't tie any knots, those would feel uncomfortable in your shoe. It's kind of relaxing to stitch up the tiny holes. You're basically weaving. The darning egg holds the shape inside of the sock for you. Some people use a light bulb. I no longer have the brown wooden darning egg that Mrs. Hutchinson gave me, I now use this antique pink one. It was given to me by a knitter who used to attend a knitting group at our local library. It belonged to her grandmother. I think it is so charming and feminine. It's a joy to use; I just love it.

Darning is quick and easy, and it's also very satisfying. After sitting out on the porch and finishing this pile of socks, I will be able to wear them all comfortably for another season. I'm amazed at how long hand knit socks last. They are worth the price, in time and money. I will continue to buy the beautiful, high quality sock yarns. I'm still wearing some of the socks that I made for my mother before she passed away. They are such a luxury. I'm so glad that I learned how to make and take care of them.   

Using Up Those Soap Slivers

I hope you all had a nice weekend. Mine was very pleasant. I finished Rhonda Hetzel's  blogging course on Skype, which I really enjoyed. Skype no longer intimidates me.  I relaxed on the porch with my knitting, and had a nice long phone chat with a close friend of mine in New York. He called me unexpectedly, which was a wonderful surprise. Hearing his voice warmed my heart. It was comforting and relaxing to catch up on each other's lives. I am so grateful for the friends that I have that will still talk on the phone. Some people will only text.

I ordered some gorgeous hand dyed alpaca yarn for a new Etsy order. It's actually for my friend that called. His mom had ordered that dark green throw that I knit recently. He was visiting her when she received it in the mail. He described to me  how happy she was to open her package. "I want one," he confided.  How exciting! He found some gorgeous  colors from my supplier that will go beautifully  in his New York apartment.

 I got the laundry done and hung  it out on the clothesline in the backyard.  I love how the hot sun whitens the sheets and bleaches out the hand knit dish cloths. I made a batch of liquid soap with the leftover soap slivers that I had collected over the past month.. I learned this from Rhonda Hetzel's blog, Down To Earth.  As most of you know, I'm a soapmaker.  I save the scraps from the bath soaps I use. I store them in a recycled cottage cheese container. I also crochet little bags for the tiny pieces of soap. They double as washcloths.

Once I have enough to weigh three or four ounces, I add that to eight cups of water, in a  large pot on the stove. I simmer and stir it until the pieces of soap have dissolved. You can also grate a bar of soap and do it that way. It will melt faster. I like saving the slivers, it's less work. Plus, it feels good to recycle  them. I also collect the bits that I trim off of my soaps that are cut into slices.

After the soap has turned to liquid, let it cool for a few hours. You can store your liquid soap in a recycled milk jug. It's great in laundry, for general cleaning, and to mop your floors. I use this combined with baking soda, washing soda, and Borax to wash my clothes.

How was your weekend? I hope it was enjoyable and relaxing.

Another Day At The Pink Cottage

On Wednesday, I finished the cotton sweater that I've been knitting. Here's a photo of it. It looks better on, but I wanted to post a picture, so that you could see it. The owner of the knitting shop was kind enough to take some shots of me wearing it there, so I'll post those once I receive them. It's such a good feeling to complete projects. I spent some time this afternoon mending the neckline of one of my favorite sun dresses. I backstitched the piece that had come unattached back into place. Even though it's something small, it gave me a great sense of accomplishment. It's a nice feeling to tie up loose ends, literally.

This morning I decided to spend the day as if the Internet hadn't yet been invented. I felt an instant sense of relief. My shoulders relaxed, and I immediately felt more in the moment. After preparing some chicken enchiladas for lunch, I did the dishes  and then had a nice chat on the phone with a lovely dancer friend of mine. We worked together at the MGM Grand Hotel in Reno, 33 years ago. It was a treat to catch up with her. The blue baby blanket that I crocheted is for her new grandson.

It was nice not to feel the lure of Facebook or forums for a day. I reminded me of how life used to be. I decided I would still post on my blog, since I'm committed to writing  on it five days per week. I wrapped up the baby blanket, and sent it and a couple of bars of homemade soap to my friend's daughter. It was supposed to be a gift, but she went on line and paid me for it. She's very generous and supportive of my knitting. So, I thanked her and told her that the soaps were on the house. I sent her a creme soap colored with pink clay, and a shea butter goat's milk soap.

Once I wasn't so distracted by the pull of  my computer, my priorities fell into place. I sent out the package Priority Mail, and sealed the padded envelope with my Pink Cottage Soap stickers. I love that part. It makes it much more personal. I still had some of the cottage stationery that I printed out for free at the library, so I wrote a note of congratulations on that, and tucked it inside the package. I wrapped the soaps in bubble wrap before putting them inside their muslin bags. After writing out the ingredients on the soap labels by hand, I sealed them in the back with tape. I always feel so happy when one of the packages from my Etsy shop is on its way to a new home. Babies are especially fun. They are so pure and magical. How is your day going today?   

Following Your Soul's Plan

When I was a little girl, my dream was to be a professional dancer. I longed to perform on stage and in television and movies. I loved the Rockettes, and would eagerly watch them whenever they were on television. I imagined how exciting it would be to join their kick line. I wanted it so badly, I could taste it. I put my total and complete focus on achieving that goal.

As I spent my life training in the dance studio, I visualized my vision of being a professional dancer every night. I had a poster above my bed that read, "If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it." I would repeat those words to myself, consistently, before I went to sleep. It gave me the strength and creativity to overcome any obstacles. When I needed money to pay for all of the classes that were required to become an advanced dancer, I got work. Whether it was assisting my dance teachers, babysitting, and working as a mother's helper, I offered.  I would do anything: wash windows, walk dogs, clean ovens, fold laundry, you name it.  I found lots of jobs that I could do right in our own neighborhood.

When my mom couldn't drive me to the studio anymore, I saved up my money from working and bought myself a Yamahopper. Because it was technically a motorcycle, I had to get a motorcycle license, at age fifteen. I did well on the driving part of the test, but I failed the written section. (Three times.) I was mortified. I just couldn't visualize the situations that they described on paper, probably because I was so young. I had no driving experience. My need was to get from home to the dance studio, which was just several blocks. The fourth time I retook the test, I scored 100%. I was elated. The real reason I finally passed was that there were only three tests. I had memorized my mistakes on all of them. Thankfully, I could now drive legally.. .my transportation problem was solved. I also no longer had to walk to school. I was the only girl in high school who carried around a bright yellow motorcycle helmet, and rode a moped.

I believe that  determination is the main factor in realizing your dreams. Now, when I want to achieve something, I always visualize the end result. "Press on, Baby, press on," my dance partner Fred Boothe used to tell me. I always went after what I wanted,  career wise. I felt something inside of me that I couldn't deny. I loved the people that I met in dance class. I felt such a strong connection to them. We had the same passion, and it gave us the same joy.  I admired the stars, the directors, and the choreographers. They were doing what I wanted to do, and I never lost sight of that vision.

 I was watching a show with Oprah Winfrey and Gary Zukov on Youtube recently. They were explaining that when the personality aligns with the soul, you become unstoppable. We all see this when people's careers seem to take off, and they achieve enormous success. What we don't see is the years of training, discipline, and preparation that led up to it.       

Blocking a Baby Blanket

This morning I finished the baby blanket. Ah...such a great feeling. For the border, I used some pale pink yarn that I had left over from a baby hat that I made years ago. I wasn't sure how it would look. I like the contrast of the  pale pink on the powder blue. It's nice, because all of the yarn that I used was just sitting in my stash. I still have have enough  baby yarn  to make another one! This one is going to a friend of mine's new baby grandson. She is from a family of knitters.


This morning I took an early morning hike to beat the heat. Later on, I sat out on the porch with a cup of coffee, my crocheting, and the dogs. I love the shell stitch. It looks so pretty, yet it's very easy and repetitive. The shape of it is so soft against the clustered crocheted pattern. After weaving in the ends with a tapestry needle, I filled my bathroom sink with water, and plunged the baby blanket into it. I let it soak for about twenty minutes.

Once I had squeezed out the excess water, I put it into my Nina Spin Dryer. I love this tool. It saves me so much time. It really sucks out a tremendous amount of moisture from your hand knit and crocheted items. Look at all of that water in the bowl! It always amazes me. I feel like having this spinner has really made me  able to produce like a professional knitter. Things dry so much faster, and I don't have to leave them laying out in my cottage for days. I can get things mailed off to my customers so quickly.

I shaped the blanket and laid it flat to dry on an old towel. The dampness evaporated very quickly, in an hour or so. I always wonder if it's necessary to block acrylic. I do it, anyway. I smoothed my hands over the top,  and adjusted the corners. I'm really pleased with how it turned out; the colors work well together. This can be given to a baby boy or baby girl. What do you think?      

 

Playing With Your Dogs

I recently started scheduling a structured play time with my dogs. Each evening, I go out in the backyard and throw them the stick and the frisbee. We alternate, and they take turns. They look forward to it eagerly. I thought that because they were older, they wouldn't be that interested, but they  are. It's like I finally got the message. I think they were depressed that we weren't playing, (even though they get a morning walk every day.)  They absolutely love it. For some reason, I had only associated puppies with play time.Carlie started carrying around her ball, dropping it, and whining. She's very expressive.

I think that animals respond to physical exercise the same way that we do. It gets their endorphins going. I'm amazed at how my two run and exhaust themselves. They are so enthusiastic about it, even though they are older dogs. It's like they get a second wind, and are revved up with energy. I have to be careful not to overexert them, otherwise they get stiff and sore the next day. We do a fairly short session, but I'm consistent, and we do it on a daily basis. I can see how it's helping them to sleep well, and to be more relaxed. It really calms their temperament, and discharges negative energy. It brings out the best in them. I remember how centered I always felt after a good dance class. 

I've noticed that people who exercise regularly are more positive, upbeat, and enthusiastic. They have the self discipline to show up every day and do the work. It completely changes the personality, muscles, blood, and bones. Being outside has added benefits, too. Everyone responds to the beauty and power of nature. Do you play with your dogs?       

Reducing the Number of Knitting Projects

Yesterday I realized that I really need a day of rest each week. I forget to do that, since I'm not driving to teach anymore. I go nonstop with my blogging and Etsy shop, and often forget what day it is. When I was a professional dancer, we always had Mondays off each week. We really looked forward to the "dark nights" at the theater, and so did our tired bodies. As a dance and yoga teacher, I scheduled my classes five days a week. I had my two off days split up, which I really liked. It was a relief to just cook, rest, read, and relax. The body needs down time, so does the mind.

I realized after my last post that I was getting bogged down by having too many knitting and crocheting projects. I looked over the pattern of the knitted knockers, and noticed that I had made an error. I repeated the second row, and you are supposed to alternate the first and second row. So, I ripped it out, and balled the yarn. That's one less project for now. I can start it again, correctly, later in the week. I really breathed a sigh of relief, subtracting that  project.  I didn't realize how those unfinished items were affecting me. It's kind of like having too many pets. I read an article once that said one of the characteristics of bipolar people is that they have lots of unfinished projects. Now I can see why. It's so stressful.

I blocked the pieces to the cotton sweater, and started working on the hand seaming. It's a clever design, with a neck band that you graft with kitchener stitch in the back. I use this technique to seam  the toes of my socks, so I'm familiar with it. I listened to a podcast yesterday while sewing in one of the armholes. That was a mistake. I went on automatic and accidentally did the backstitch on the right side. When I realized it, I felt very disoriented. It surprised me, because I have knit numerous sweaters. I really need to focus on what I'm doing, though. I also misunderstood the pattern, and sewed the front pieces on the wrong sides. It looked correct, but it wasn't. So, I spent a lot of time yesterday backtracking. Ripping out backstitch with this thick and thin yarn is a little tricky, but I did it. I'm not going to do any more knitting until I finish this sweater. I have sneaked in some time on the powder blue crocheted baby blanket, though.  It's really coming along nicely. I am excited to list it in my Etsy shop. I love the pale blue yarn and the clusters in the pattern. The yarn was given to me by a knitter who said that  she didn't need it. It feels good to make use of it and create something beautiful.

Yesterday I mopped the floors with my homemade liquid soap, and then did a rinse with hot vinegar water. The whole cottage has a different vibration when the floors are clean. It feels nice. How about you? What have you been up to lately?

Fixing Mistakes on a Knitting Project

Yesterday I avoided working on my cotton sweater. I had noticed that some of the stitches that I had placed on a stitch holder had fallen off.  I was afraid to see the damage. I was hoping I could just put them back on with a crochet hook, yet I couldn't seem to face looking at it.  I  imagined a big mess, and worried that it would be difficult to fix and understand. Instead, I calmly crocheted the baby blanket. It's simple, familiar, and comforting. I felt guilty about slipping into procrastination and avoidance on the sweater. This is why I only usually have one or two projects. Now I have three, (well actually, four,) which I'll explain later.

At about 7:45 this morning I drove down to the mechanic to drop off my car. He's just a mile from my cottage. He told me to leave the car in the morning, so I showed up a little before 8:00 a.m. They weren't open yet, which surprised me. I drove a little further to the grocery store and picked up some cantaloupe, limes,  and pineapple. I went back, and they were still closed. Fortunately, they have a drop box where you can leave your key and fill in the information on the envelope for your car. I used that and then crossed the street to wait at the bus stop. The bus showed up about five minutes later. There was a big truck blocking the sign, so I walked out on to the highway and waved at the driver. He thanked me when he pulled over to the side of the road. The bus drivers all know me, because I usually have my bicycle. There aren't many  52 year old women in Los Angeles who ride around town on a bicycle and take the bus! Ours have racks on the front that fit two or three bikes. 

Once I got home, I took a closer look at the sweater. I was easily able to fix the dropped stitches, and put them securely on a cable with stoppers. One of my Knitpicks circular needles had come apart, so I reattached it with some Elmer's Wood  Glue. I am going to work on that sleeve again this afternoon. I ran out of yarn yesterday, and tried to cheat by cutting off the long ends I had intended to use for seaming. I tried using them to finish the last four or five rows, but  it didn't work. Instead, yesterday afternoon I went to the yarn shop and bought  one more skein of yarn. I met with a group called Knitted Knockers and learned how to do Magic Loop technique. We are making hand knit prosthetics for local breast cancer survivors. They are quite beautiful. I'll write more about that on Monday. How are your creative projects coming along?   

Crocheting a Baby Blanket

Today I started crocheting a baby blanket for my Etsy shop. I was given the yarn by a knitter who said that she wasn't going to use it. It's powder blue, and it's a huge ball. I wound it by hand this afternoon. It took me quite a while. I was glad I did, because towards the end of the skein, the yarn was tangled. I had to carefully weave in and out repeatedly to keep from cutting the yarn. It's nice to know that I won't run into problems while using it. This is why I never work from an unwound skein or hank.

I'm using a pattern that I found on a simple living forum with a link to a blog. It's a real nice one. It's easy to memorize, and has a nice rhythm. It has single crochets, half double crochets, and double crochets. I like the look and feel of it. Crocheting has always relaxed me. I feel like it's looser, and easier, than knitting. It brings out a different side of my personality. It makes me feel calm and  laid back, (which I'm generally not.)

I watered the plants this morning, washed my sheets, and made an appointment to have my car window fixed. This is my first car with electric windows, and this is the second time I've had to replace one. It gets expensive. It will feel good to get it done, though.  I don't like having things broken or in need of repair. It's depressing.

I almost finished knitting my cotton sweater yesterday, and then ran out of yarn. I only have about seven rows left, but will have to buy an extra skein. At least the yarn shop is near my cottage, and they have the same dye lot in stock. I guess that's why knitters advise buying an extra skein of yarn when you knit a sweater. Once I finish the pieces, I can block them, and then sew the sweater together. How is your knitting coming along?      

Finishing and Mailing Out an Etsy Order

Yesterday I finished knitting the alpaca throw that I have been making for a customer on the East Coast. She also ordered a pair of pot holders, which I had already completed. I had to redo the last three rows of garter stitch, because I didn't have quite enough yarn to complete the blanket. It worked out fine. I blocked it in my bathtub, filling it with clean, cold water. I let the throw soak in there for twenty minutes, so that the stitches would bloom. Alpaca looks so beautiful once it's been blocked. That final step really gives hand knits a professional finish.

After spinning out the excess water in my Nina Spinner, I laid it out to dry on my bed. Alpaca dries very quickly. That's one of the things I love about it. I wrapped both items in tissue paper and taped them with colorful washi tape. I have some that's pink with little flowers on it. It's so cute.

This morning I drove over to the library and printed out the packing slip and shipping label. I included a hand written note of thanks, and headed over to the post office. It's right down the street. I'm lucky that I live just a few miles from both places. I stood in line so that I could get a tracking number. I like to see the item get put in the box. It's such a good feeling to have all of my current Etsy orders completed early and shipped. I got home and had an email from another customer, with a few requests. It looks like my next project will be a crocheted baby blanket! I love making those; they are so sweet. I have plenty of soaps cured and bagged, so that part of the order will be easy to fill. 

What are you doing today? Do any of you work from home or have an Etsy shop?