Solving the A/C Problem

The company that my DH works for expanded into another building a few months ago.  Because of what my DH does, he needed an office in the new building.  The A/C system is set up so that one thermostat controls the temperature of several offices, which might not be a huge problem except for one thing:  the person who controls the thermostat is ALWAYS cold, so she keeps it set rather high.  In Arizona.  Where it gets obscenely hot.  So, my DH was constantly overheating or battling over the temperature.

Now, I've offered several times to knit something for my DH.  He's only once taken me up on the offer, and that was for a pair of felted clogs, which he still has and are in excellent condition.  Well, he took me up on the offer again, this time asking for a shawl for the woman he's been battling over the A/C settings. 

We immediately went stash diving, and I pulled out some SWTC Vicky Howell Collection Love in the Peter & Mary Jane colorway, as the co-worker's favorite color is red.  I then went in search of a pattern and found the Drops 113-35 pattern from Garnstudio/Drops Design, which was perfect except for the X-O lace patterning at the bottom.  I decided to knit it anyway, omitting the lace pattern at the bottom, and using the amount of yarn I had (10 balls) to determine the length.

It's a simple garter stitch shawl that starts at the neck edge, with a lovely lace border around the perimeter that is created by double yarnovers for the increases.  As with all of the Garnstudio/Drops Designs patterns I have knit, the instructions are clear and error free.  I highly recommend their patterns.

I washed, blocked, wove in the ends, and photographed the shawl, and have sent it off to work with my DH.  I just hope it works.

Pattern Name: Drops 113-35
Designer: Drops Design
Pattern Source: Garnstudio.com
Yarn: Vicky Howell Collection by SWTC, LOVE (70% bamboo/30%silk) in Peter & Mary Jane
Needles: Knit Picks Options US 7/4.5 mm

Digging In The Dirt

When we had our backyard landscaped, all the hard-scape was done, including some raised beds.  I've long been wanting to have a vegetable garden, but the soil quality here is horrendous, so a raised bed was a must.  I knew exactly what I wanted, beds that were 4'x12'x1', and we had enough room for four of them with 3' walking paths between each.

Living in the Sonoran desert, we have the privilege of gardening year round.  Now is the fall planting season, and our grass is in and we can walk on it, so it was time to get started.

I actually forgot to take pictures before we started work on the first bed (we'll be doing one per week 'til they're all done), but luckily we still have 3 empties that are just like the one we worked on, so I'm substituting a picture of one of them.  As you can see, we had irrigation put in the beds to make watering easier, I just needed to add the drip hose and nozzles, which the landscaping crew foreman showed me how to do.

I went to a local nursery called The Avocado to order the fruit trees, and found they also have an excellent soil mix for gardening in this area -- it's used by the local college, university extension office test gardens, and the Master Gardener's program -- at an even more excellent price.  Sold in bulk by the cubic yard, one load is enough to fill one raised bed.  So I went and picked some up, along with the tubing and nozzles to complete the irrigation.  I got home and got to work, putting in the irrigation lines, moving the dirt one wheelbarrow load at a time, and quickly realized this was going to be an all day project by itself.  And then my guys surprised me.  Jay came out, climbed in the back of my truck, and started shoveling the dirt into the wheelbarrow for me.  Shortly thereafter, Scott came out and took over wheelbarrow duty, leaving me to spread the dirt within the beds.  What wonderful help!  It made the whole thing go so much faster, and showed me that it would have taken me at least another day on my own.

So the beds were filled and level, and daylight fading, so we decided to call it a day.  Of course I forgot to take a picture again.  And then the dogs found the new dirt.  When I went out this morning, this is what I saw:

They had turned it into their own little sandbox.  I was not amused.  Keeping them out, it turns out, will be the biggest challenge to success.  Rather than deal with this immediately, I decided that my next step was going to Lowe's for some tools,

 

seeds,

 and plants.

I got home, got back to work, and got everything spread out and leveled again, but this time, I did remember my camera.

Now for the fun stuff -- the planting!  Or so I thought.  I actually got started, too, getting the tomato plants put into the ground.  Turns out I'd messed up a bit on the spacing, and had to move two of them.  More troubling, however, was the fact that I hadn't bothered to place and trim the irrigation.  I stopped the planting and made sure all of the irrigation was in correctly.  Then I was able to get to the fun stuff.

I picked up the book Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew about a year ago in the hopes that I'd someday have my garden.  When the beds went in, I got my copy out again, and started reading.  I decided to go with this method, but have modified it slightly -- some of my plantings are not going to be quite so dense this time around, while some strictly follow his spacing.  Whichever way works best will be the method I go with for future plantings.

Finally, the first bed is all planted and watered!

So, what's in there?  I'm glad you asked!  The 4 plants at the back are (clockwise from the left): Black Prince tomato, Red Beefsteak tomato, Juliet roma grape tomato, and Mr. Stripey tomato.  The seeds I planted are cucumbers, marigolds, peas, green beans, wax beans, basil, oregano, green onions, nasturtiums, stevia, broccoli, spinach, leaf lettuce mix, baby carrots, and a blend of 5 colors of regular carrots. (I couldn't find a link for either the marigolds or the baby carrots, but the labels read: Burpee Signature Marigold Burpee's Mixed Colors, and Burpee Signature Carrot Petite 'n Sweet.)

I can't wait to see everything growing!

Assuming, of course, I can managed to keep the dogs out.  Here's hoping!

Finally!

Well, I've finally finished the deadline project I was working on.  Okay, I actually finished it on Sunday, but it's been busy around here.  I can't share any of the details yet, but boy am I glad to have it done and out of my life!

So now it's time for me to get started on the other deadline project that I have.  It's a vest that I'm designing for a woman, Bonnie, whose husband won it for her.

Earlier this year, I think it was February, Jay's school golf team held a golf tournament as a fundraiser.  Many individuals and businesses donated money, prizes, and/or supplies -- including me.  My contribution was a gift certificate for a golf sweater or vest, customized for the winner.  Well, the man who won it, Bob, decided that, as a thank you to his wife for supporting him in his love of golf, he would give the sweater to her.

Bonnie came to my house a couple of weeks ago, and we discussed the design details she was looking for, she selected the colors she wanted, and she told me the size she wanted it made in.

I placed the order, and it's now arrived.

Aren't these fabulous colors?!?  The variegated yarn is  Knit Picks Stroll Hand Painted Sock Yarn in the Pony Ride colorway, and the solid is Knit Picks Stroll Sock Yarn in the Agate Heather colorway.

Time to get everything balled up and start knitting.

Sideways Folded Scarf

This scarf was another Knit Picks project.  By the way, have I ever mentioned how much fun it is to be able to knit for them?  Getting to try out different books and patterns, not to mention their fabulous yarns, has really added to my wish list...and stash. 

Back to the scarf.  The pattern comes from Luxe Knits: The Accessories by Laura Zukaite.  It's a simple one page pattern that is very well written and easy to understand.  I don't remember there being any errors in the pattern.

It was an easy, fast knit, using Swish Worsted Yarn in Squirrel Heather and Stroll Sock Yarn in Dove Heather on size US 10 (6 mm) circular needles - I used the nickle plated Options interchangeables.  The Swish Worsted is used to work the folds, and the folds are the rows that took the longest to work as you pick up and knit the picked up stitches with the live stitches to create them.

The fabric between the folds is knit with the Stroll Sock yarn, and goes very quickly on the large needles.  The contrast of the lighter and darker yarns makes it lovely, and the wool yarn makes it warm.  It's also easy care because it's superwash.

Details:

Pattern Name:  Sideways Folded Scarf
Designer:  Laura Zukaite
Pattern Source:  Luxe Knits: The Accessories
Yarns:  Knit Picks Swish Worsted Yarn in Squirrel Heather
            Knit Picks Stroll Sock Yarn in Dove Heather
Needle: US 10 (6 mm) circular needles

Busy September

Well, I got back into this thinking I was finally going to have plenty of time to do it.  Was I ever wrong.

Over Labor Day weekend (I hope everyone had a great one!), I spent a lot of time on the links.  My game is finally starting to improve after being wrecked by the lesson I took, but it's still nothing great.  In addition, Jay and I went to a local Christian music festival.

The concerts were free and the acts were generally mediocre, but it was a fun way to spend an evening.

The groups that had the best musicianship were the ones whose style of music was my least preferred. Even so, they definitely had some skill.

The dancers that performed between sets were the best part of the entire festival.  Truly lovely.

Unfortunately, Jay lost his glasses at the event.  Who would take prescription eyewear that belongs to someone else?!?  We did get them replaced, but he's not nearly as happy with the replacement pair.

Jay has competed in 3 golf tournaments for the school team, and has won all of his matches.  Most of his teammates have as well, so they are currently undefeated -- Go Spartans!!

I am fortunate that I have been able to attend them all, and that it's been worth the drive.  One interesting fact that I discovered is that south of Tucson, on I-19, the distance markers and signage (except for the speed limit signs) all switches over from miles to kilometers.  It is the only place in America that I have seen metric used on all the signs.  Guess it's a good thing I paid attention to that portion of math class. ;)

When we bought our home, it came with the "builder's special" backyard landscaping -- there was none. 

To correct this, we contracted with Epifini Landscaping, Inc. to have our backyard done.  Our plan was simple -- a few raised beds, some trees, and a large patch of grass.  Epifini was only to put in the hardscaping, the sod, irrigation, and dig the holes for the trees, and they did an excellent job.  And despite the fact that we were not their only, or even one of their largest, customers, they always treated us as if we were.  I highly recommend them. 

Since we have to stay off the grass for at least two weeks, though, I won't be able to fill and plant the raised beds 'til then.  The trees are on order, but won't be in until at least January, so I'll get to plant them, too.  The pups are anxious to run and play on the grass in the sprinklers, but are being very good about staying off the grass at our request.  Thankfully, there is a dog park in town to run in, and walking trails through the neighborhood.

I'm working on a secret project, and, since there is a deadline on that, it's filling most of my time and is almost completed.  I've also got another deadline project to replace it when I finish, and the yarn comes in.  There are also several fun projects on my needles, but sadly, they are being neglected for the time being.  So, I'll get back to filling you all in on projects already completed...next time.

The Rosebud Shawl

This beautiful Faroese-style shawl features a rosebud pattern framed in diamonds.  Knit from the lower pointed edge up; the construction is unique in working each individual point in sequence -- somewhat similar to the way that entrelac is worked, but keep in mind the similarity is VERY slight.

 

 
Once all the points are finished, the center gusset and garter stitch side panels are worked simultaneously.  The top border is knit in unwrapped short rows, joining the border with the top edge of the shawl.  Wash, block, et voila!  A lovely bit of lace to wrap yourself in.

Although my description of the process is just a tad confusing ;), the pattern is very well written and easy to follow, but there is a little errata for one of the charts.  Once you have the chart correction, you MUST follow the pattern.  Even when you think it's doing something crazy, trust the pattern.  Then you, too, can have this lovely shawl for yourself.

 
Rosebud Faroese-Style Shawl by Margaret Stove is from the book Wrapped in Lace published by Interweave.

Knit for the July/August 2011 issue of the Knit Picks catalog (where it can be found on p. 5), using Knit Picks Shadow lace yarn in the "Nocturne Heather" colorway.

I'm Back

 Welcome friends!

I've really been missing blogging, so I've decided to come back.

I had a busy summer, mostly in ferrying my son about for golf classes, events, and tournaments.  He did very well, by the way, with a ranking of 50 out of 192 (not bad for only playing for 2 yrs.), and winning the Gary Walker Memorial Tournament, as well as the long drive and closest to the hole competitions.  Now he's playing for the golf team at school, and they have won their first match.  I'm such a proud mama!

When not playing taxi, or golfing myself, I've been busy crafting.  And there has been a lot of crafting.  I'll be sharing the details of everything I've been creating in the coming days.  I've also been doing an astonishing amount of reading, and I must say that I love the "Free Fridays" at Barnes and Noble, and I still love my Nook.

We're finally getting our back yard landscaped, which will also be making an appearance here.  I cannot wait to have this done -- it's been 4 years, and that is plenty long enough.

And now that the evenings are getting longer again, I'm anxiously awaiting the return of temperatures that allow me to spend more than 5 minutes a day outside.  Seriously, whoever said "Well, at least it's a dry heat" should be required to spend the monsoon season down here.  Even though it's been one of the driest monsoon seasons I've experienced in the 17 yrs. I've lived here, it's still a very unpleasant thing.  The dust storms have been pretty impressive, too.