Bad me! Tuesday, August 9, 2011

1. Bad Me

I have not been blogging... wow, or doing much knitting, either.  I have been cleaning out my office/craft/sewing room, which we call "the cave."  We were audited by the IRS.  Well, we received a letter saying we owed money because we (meaning I, because I am the one who does the taxes) had missed something in our incredibly complicated yearly taxes 2 years ago.  So, since I had to find the form (the IRS was right!  I had missed something), I decided to clean off my desk.  As I was cleaning off the desk, I noticed that there was a spot on the ceiling above my desk.  Not that the papers were piled that high, but I don't look up much in there.  There seems to be something leaking.  The Cave is in the basement, directly below the kitchen, and the spot (it is definitely mold) is right about where the sink is.  That wall also is an outer wall, so it could possibly be something from outside... Like rain runoff hitting the wall and seeping into the foundation?  Anyway, I need to call our contractor friend ZP, and have him come make a hole in my wall/ceiling, and stop the leak.  The desk must be cleaned off for that to happen.

2. Good Friends

One of my good friends from my Disneyland days came up on a flight (she is an attendant), and since she had almost a full day layover, we met in Seattle, and spent about 5 hours together walking around the Pike Place Market.  If you haven't noticed, I wrote a children's picture book set in the Pike Place Market:  Salt & Pepper at the Pike Place Market.  It is one of my favorite places.  Such color.  So many things to see and taste.  It is truly a local spot.  Of course, in the summer it is full of tourists, but that somehow makes it more fun.  We walked a bit, ate lunch, found a coffee shop (not the original Starbucks, it was way too crowded), and had coffee and fudge.  And we TALKED.  It was so fun to catch up.  She has one daughter, and it was great to hear what her daughter (a talented singer) was doing.  I hope they can both come up together and spend more time with our family.

3. Car Talk

My 4th child, James, is soon headed off to Utah to dance with the Utah Regional Ballet and go to Utah Valley University.  We are letting him take the old family minivan.  We took it to the dealer to have its 150,000 mile check up.  $3200 !!!  to fix all of the leaking gaskets and hoses, and put in a new radiator.  It needs new tires, also, and brakes.  That is not a part of the $3200!  But he has to have a car, and this should last him through college, with only oil changes, I hope.  Yesterday, I drove with him to the dealership to drop off the car.  Then, I drove James to the orthodontist to get his braces off.  I dropped him off there, drove home and picked up Luke.  We both picked up James, and went on to the Dentist where the 2 boys had their teeth cleaned.  The one good part of that was:

4. Knitting

At the dentist, I was able to knit a bit.  I have finished the toes of Allie's Rain Socks (2nd try), and started on the ribbing pattern for the foot.  I have a photo of the toes.  I will post it next time. 

5. Roses and Blackberries

I have been working on my Irish Lace Crocheting.  I have finished the motif of the Wild Roses, except for the stems, and am starting the Blackberries.  I am still not sure what I will do with them all.  I can't decide if I want to make a pillow or the "opera bag."  I know I want to make something for my mom though.  I think she would love anything I make from that book.  It is all so cool.

C. A. Losi

I Scream You Scream Thursday, August 4, 2011

1. Allie's NEW Rain Socks

I completely unraveled the rain socks, and am trying them again.  Here is the math using size 000 needles, the beautiful 40" Addi Turbo Lace Circular Knitting Needles. 

Toe to Gusset length

X = 10 1/4 in (desired sock length for size 7)

Y = 47 [gusset and heel cup (75% of sock width - 1)]

Z = 11 (rows / inch)

X - (Y / Z) = 10.25 - (47/11) = 5.977 inches

Total rows 5.977 x 11 = 65.7 rows (rounding down)

Toes = 20 rows

Foot = tgl - toe = 65-20 = 45 rows

I will make the toes, then knit 45 rows, then start the gusset increases.

I'm not sure I am measuring correctly when I make my gauge swatches, but I got the same number of stitches per inch (7), though somehow I got 11 rows per inch!  I am making the wider sock... I just don't believe that gauge.

Last time I knit these however they turn out.  I have other orders for socks.

2. ICE CREAM!

We   (ok, I) bought an ice cream maker :

 I am so excited.  My husband's brother and family just moved from New Hampshire to Tuscon, Arizona, and I wanted a really good housewarming gift.  They have 3 kids:  5, 3, 2.  What could be a better way to deal with their new climate than homemade ice cream?  While I was shopping online, I decided that I wanted one, too.  

Last night I tried to make my first batch.  ROFL.  I used a recipe from How to Cook Everything, Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition: 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food , one of my all time favorite general cookbooks, for Strawberry Ice Cream.  This is the real deal, with 6 egg yolks, and heavy whipping cream.  First, I got the cream too hot and it curdled.  I thought, well, it might still work... so I put it in the machine anyway.  30 minutes later, it still wasn't ice cream, so I decided to actually check the directions.  WOW, you are supposed to actually freeze the machine's mixing bowl first.  Who would have thought...  So I dumped my grayish curdy sludge, washed out the mixing bowl, and put it in the freezer.  This morning I made new cream/sugar/egg mixture, and this time it looks perfect.  It is in the refrigerator, chilling.  When we start dinner, I will take everything out, pour it in the frozen mixing bowl, and by the time we are done with dinner:  Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream.

I can't wait to try it.

3. Walk

I walked 1 mile around our neighborhood today.  I am so proud of myself.  I woke up at 4 am, and thought, o no!  I couldn't fall back asleep but got up about 5:30 and hit the street by 6:15.  When I finished the first block (starting north from our house) and reached our street, I was sooooo tempted to turn down and just walk home, being happy with 1/2 mile.  But I kept on walking and did the 2nd (south side) block, which makes it 1 mile.  Yeah me!

C. A. Losi

OMG! Wednesday, August 3, 2011

I have so much I want to say, but I know that not everyone will want to read all my rambling, so after I am done, I am going to come back and put in a Table of Contents for this post.  Not sure how to make it so you can skip ahead, but at least you can scroll down to a new topic.

Table of Contents:
1. What is Wrong with the Neighbor Kids? - we get egged
2. Walking/Weight - I start exercising
3. Writing - I have ideas for new books
4. Knitting - sock update

5. Sock Knitters Anonymous

1. What is Wrong with the Neighbor Kids?

We were egged yesterday.  I am not kidding!  This has got to be the most annoying activity of the kids in our neighborhood.  When I was a kid (now I sound like my mom), we Tee Pee'd (toilet papered) houses of kids we liked.  Here, when kids are mad at you for what ever reason, they egg your house and/or car.  It started for us when my daughter, Samantha, made cheerleader at the end of her sophomore year.  For the next 2 years, we were egged regularly.  But, Samantha graduated from high school a year ago.  We haven't been egged since last summer.  WHY NOW??  They egged her car, my car, my husband's car, and the garage door.  My guess is that they either never got out of their car, throwing from the window.  Anyway, it was a huge mess.

2. Walking/Weight

I used to be in amazing shape.  About 5 years ago, although I was overweight (about what I weight now in fact) , I worked out every day.  I walked or did the elliptical for at least 1 hour, then lifted weights for another 30 - 45 minutes.  I was walking in our neighborhood also, 3 - 4 mile at a time.  Then I decided that it was getting out of control, and it was like an addiction (also, I did not lose any weight during this, in fact I gained 20 pounds).  I was working with a trainer and he kept saying that once I got some muscle mass (which I did), the pounds would fall off.  BUT THEY DIDN'T.  So I started a diet and completely stopped training.  And I lost weight, but got horribly horribly out of shape.  I gradually gained back all the weight I lost.

Here I am now, overweight and horribly out of shape.  My back aches.  My legs ache.  I have trouble sleeping at night because my hips and lower back hurt.  I have lost 30 pounds this year, and am back to where I was 4 years ago, when I was STARTING to lose weight.  Wow, but at least I am on the way down again.   I have to start walking again or I am a bit afraid that I will lose the ability.  I walk like an old woman.  I am 51!  When I was in Pittsburgh and Chicago, I had to walk and do a lot of standing (we waited in line for 1 1/2 hour for the Sears Tower).  And I thought I was going to die.  When I got back, I told myself that I had started walking, and I was going to keep it up.

On Tuesday I walked 1/2 mile around the block.  This is much harder than it sounds as we live on a steep hill.  It is almost harder for me to walk down the hill because it hurts my knees and hips, than the cardio horror of walking up the hill.  I don't even try to walk briskly.  I am happy that I am putting one foot in front of the other.  Today, I decided to go walk the track at the high school, but it was closed when I got there, so I drove to the grocery store, then walked around the parking lot and did a lap of our little mall, it was about 1 mile.  It took me forever (about 45 min), and I definitely did not get any cardio exercise, but I did it.  My lower back was aching and my legs, too when I was in the grocery store.  I have to keep this up.  I am hoping that eventually, the aching will stop.

3. Writing

I have my 3 books listed on this website, and also some of the books that have my poems as part of their collections.  I have not done any real writing for quite a while.  LOL!  Really, I haven't written since I stopped walking.  I used to walk for about 1 - 1/2 hour each day.  On the walk I would think about story ideas, or the picture book or poem I was working on, and when I got home from the walk, write for about 1 - 2 hours.  I was amazingly prolific during that time.  I didn't sell any of the stuff I wrote, but I was really writing.  I have ideas for 2 new picture books (I didn't come up with them while writing, but while knitting).  I am determined to work on them.  In many ways, I would love to just come home from walking and knit.  But I need to start writing again, and now that I have these ideas, I am inspired.

4. Knitting

Now to the topic that actually fits this blog.  I have finished Zach's Red Hot Socks.

These are not blocked, but they are "ends woven in."  I don't think that I will bother to block them.  I will just wrap them up and mail them out.  I want them to get to Zach in time for his birthday.

I need to take apart Allie's Rain Socks.  There are too many mistakes (they are too long, the heels are wrong, they are knit a bit loosely).  I want to remake them.

I got some new needles in the mail while I was in Pittsburgh/Chicago.  I originally knitted the Rain socks on size 0, but I think I will go down 1 or 2 sizes, now that I have some 00 and 000.  I don't like to have to knit super tightly, but I want the knitting to be tight.  They are Addis Lace Turbos, like the 0 I used when the beautiful wooden needles broke.  They can be a bit slippery, but it's not bad at all, and they shouldn't break.  That is key.

5. Sock Knitters Anonymous

I joined the Sock Knitters Anonymous group in Ravelry.com.  They have a year long challenge that starts on September 1.  I am so excited!  It will be horribly challenging (hence the name) for me, but I am going to really try to do it.  I like socks because they are such short projects.  But I still have to finish up James's Aran Afghan, and make an afghan for Luke!  I can do this all.  But I want to stretch my knitting skills, and also, get to know more knitters.  I need to be more active on Ravelry.  I hope this will force me out of my shy shell.

C. A. Losi

Pittsburgh, PA Saturday, July 30, 2011

Hello from Pittsburgh!

I am in Pittsburgh, picking up my son, Luke, from his summer dance intensive with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School

Yesterday, they had a student choreographed performance which he was NOT in.  His dance was canceled.  But we (my friend MG and I) were able to sit with Luke and watch the other students dance.  A really wonderful show.  The dancing was excellent, and the choreography, the first piece ever for many of the 10 student choreographers featured, really nice.

But before the show...

MG and I had a day in Pittsburgh.  Since he is not particularly interested in yarn (RATZ) and it was hot, humid and overcast, we spent the day at the National Aviary.

First we tried to go to the St. Anthony's Chapel. 

But if you look closely at the sign MG's pointing to, it was closed!

Oh, well.

We had a lovely afternoon at the National Aviary.  I'm only posting 2 photos of birds. 

I could have taken/posted a gazillion photos of the birds.  They were spectacular.  But, since I don't want this blog to be just "Travels with Carol,"  or "Birds Birds Birds," AND since most of the rooms were open flight areas and those birds are much too fast to photograph clearly, I'll just post these 2.

In spite of my bird and dance watching, I was able to get in some serious knitting while relaxing in the hotel before and after.

I have finished the heel cups and heels of Zach's Red Hot Socks!

Here is one heel cup:

The finished heel:

And a view of what the socks look like right now, side and top views:

I have discovered that I totally did the heels cups wrong for Allie's Rain Socks!  I am going to just have to take those socks apart and remake them.  The yarn is simply too nice to waste.

What I did wrong:  When you make a heel cup, you knit 1/4 of the way across the sole, place a marker, then knit across to the 3/4 stitch, place another marker, and then purl back, knit back, and so on, back and forth between those markers each time, wrapping the last stitch,  smaller and smaller until you have built up a small "cup."  So, these directions call for decreasing by 2 stitches each row.  So you knit (or purl) to 2 stitches before the spot where you last wrapped, slip the stitch and wrap it, turn and repeat.  I don't know why I was just sure that EVERY stitched had to  be wrapped.  If  I actually followed the directions, every OTHER stitch would be wrapped.  So on Allie's Rain Socks, I wrapped every stitch, which made for a very defined heel cup:

These are unblocked, but you can see how the heels bulge out.  They are twice as round as they should be!

Oh, well,  I am learning.  And boy am I learning.

So, all I need to do now on Zach's Red Hot Socks is the legs.  I need to simply knit my 4x2 ribbing until they are a decent height, then I think I will knit an inch or so of 1x1 ribbing, and they will be finished.  In time for his birthday, I might add.

C. A. Losi

Going Out of Town Wednedsay, July 27, 2011

I am going to Pittsburgh, PA tomorrow to watch my son dance in the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School's Summer Intensive school performance.  I will arrive in Pittsburgh Thursday afternoon, the first performance is Friday.  That one is a student choreographed show.  The actual school performance is Saturday.  After that, we will leave for Chicago early Sunday morning.   We will spend 2 days in Chicago doing a sort of Ferris Bueller's Day Off tour.  Then fly home Monday night.

This type of trip is so much fun for me.  I have missed my son so much, though I know he has been having a blast at the ballet program.

This is his audition photo this year.  He was 15, and is now 16.  I am so proud of him.  There is nothing more fun for me than watching my kids do anything, but mostly dancing.  So I get to see my son and watch him dance.  2 wonderful things.   Also, I don't know anyone in Pittsburgh, so it is always fun for me to visit a new city.  If I were going all by myself, I would spend my free time visiting yarn shops!  I am actually going with a family friend, who I am picking up in Chicago, and who will be our tour guide for the Ferris Bueller Tour.  Here he is modeling the Dr. Who scarf I knitted last Fall:

Since he will be with us, I will still have a good time, but less yarn shops.  I'm not sure what we will do when Luke is still in class... We will have to figure that out.  I do know that we will see the Chicago Art Institute, and Sears Tower, and eat some amazing Pizza in Chicago!

But though I won't be visiting yarn shops this trip, I will be knitting.  I am bringing the Red Hot Socks that I am making for my Great Nephew Zach.  I have finished the toes - to - gusset  (toes and foot), and am ready to start knitting the gusset increases.

I am not sure if I will have time to work on the gussets before I leave or not.  I enjoy public transportation because it gives me a lot of time to knit.  My plane leaves at 6 am, and frankly, I am just not sure if I will be awake enough to knit without mistakes.  But, wow, I should be able to get a TON done if I can stay awake to do it. 

I will also bring yarn for a 2nd pair of socks for Allie.  I just might finish up the Red Hot Socks.  I hope so.  I would love to actually mail them in time for Zach's birthday.

Someone is Watching... Sunday, July 24, 2011

OK, I'm curious.  Someone is reading this blog.  And by that I mean usually some ONE.  Would you leave me a comment?  I would love to know who reads this (besides me)...

C. A. Losi

Red Hot Socks Saturday, July 23, 2011

I have started the socks for my Great Nephew Zach.  I am using Red Hots Sock Yarn from Sock-Ease yarn from Lion Brand Yarns.  This yarn is not very soft.  I hope the socks aren't too itchy for little Zach.  But they look terrific.  So far I have finished the toes:

A bit more "orange hot" than really red, but I wanted orange yarn anyway.  I love the self striping colors, too.  You can't see them very well in this bad photo, but I'm in a rush and wanted to post SOMETHING.

I am doing my own "pattern."  My niece says that Zach wears size 2.5 which seems HUGE for a 5 year old.  She says, yes, he has monster feet. 

Here is my "Knitting Math" for these socks:

Size:   2.5 

8 2/3  inches foot length

7 1/4 in  width around cuff

gauge: 

8 stitches/in   

10 rows /in

Circumference 7.25 in x 8 st/in = 58  so

100% = 58 I'm going with 56 It's easier if there are even numbers on the needles and when you divide 58 by 2 you get 29.

50% (stitches on each needle) = 28

75% = 42

25% = 14

X = desired total sock length = 8 2/3  8.67 in

Y = # rows in gusset and heel cup (75% circumference-1)= 41

Z = rows per inch = 10

X - (Y/Z) = TGL

8.67 - (41 / 10) = 4.57 inches

4.57 in x 10 rows/in = 45.7 in  rounded up to 46 rows from tip of toe to gusset.

the toes will increase each row so casting on 8 on each needle

12 rows of toes (11 increases + 1 row of just K)

34 rows of foot

This last part in bold is new.   I have discovered a potentially fatal flaw in the socks I made for Allie.  The formula given in Toe-Up 2 at a Time Socks  give a Toe to Gusset  length.  I was thinking:  End of the toe section to gusset!  But on re-reading the book, it is from the tip of the toe to the beginning of the gusset!!!!  O! no!  I believe the socks for Allie are about 1 1/2 inches too long.  Exactly the length of the toe section =(  I will have her try them on after they are blocked (still waiting for my new blocking toys ... I mean tools), and then if they are uncomfortably long, we can decide if I should just remake them.  The pattern is easy, and it took me about 2 weeks of knitting.  I won't mind taking them apart and remaking them.  Or I can donate them to charity, and some person with long skinny feet can have a pair of hand knitted socks!

I tried to check for some rule of thumb for how quickly/slowly to increase the sides of the toes and couldn't really find a nice formula.  One blog I found said that if you increase every row, you will get wider toes, if you do an increase row followed by a straight knit row, the toes will be longer and more narrow.  Also, there was no real formula saying how many stitches to cast on.  So I decided to just cast on  8 stitches on each side.  Then I increased each row until I had 28 stitches on each side.

 

I figured out how many rows of toe increases I was going to use from 8 stitches to 28 is 11 rows (I did one straight row) then added one more straight row, so 12 rows of toes, then subtracted those rows from the total Toe-to-Gusset number.  46 - 12 = 34.  The foot of the sock will be 34 rows.

I am just using a simple 4x2 ribbing for the top.  Because the 28 stitches to a needle is a bit of a weird number for dividing, the actual sock ribbing for the leg, will not be completely even.  

The top (or instep, or front) of the leg ribbing will be:

K K K K X X K K K K X X K K K K X X K K K K X X K K K K

and the back will start with a K then repeat the pattern 4x2 , ending with an extra K:

K

X

X

K

K

K

K

X

X

K

K

K

K

X

X

K

K

K

K

X

X

K

K

K

K

X

X

K

 So there will be 5 knits at the sides, but this will center the ribbing a bit more.

For the foot part, I will do the instep ribbing and just knit the sole.  I think a ribbed sole can feel lumpy.

I am excited.

C. A. Losi