Progress Report Advent 2024

 This week I started working again on the Advent Kit that I bought in 2024 from Cornbread and Honey. The good news is that I am working on it again. The bad news is that I probably will not be done by December 2025. I working on this with on this with Tunisian Crochet on a size H, 8 or 5mm, on fingering weight yarn. That being said, I am 4.5 mini skeins in.  The oak pattern that I designed has 6 mini skeins followed by a white section, repeat once and add the last 6 mini skeins.  With a crochet boarder in white.  

I am getting a lot of nice compliments from complete strangers.   That feels really good.  I also did the next 2 Russian joins so I won’t have to weave in any ends. I can also use all the yarn with less waste.  

A Progress Report

 

 Last night I started a new pair of Maxi Fingerless Gloves, by Sheri Karobonik Designs.  Tonight I finished the first glove, Except for seaming.  I have started the second glove and I’m Two rows in.  

As you probably guessed I gave up looking for my lost gloves.  I am trying something different this time.  I am using my Maxi Fingerless Gloves pattern, but am doing stocking stitch in the garter stitch section.  I am really liking how it’s turning out. I’ll have to see what they’re like when they’re seemed up, and I tried them on. Although, as with most patterns, I had a small difference of opinion with a designer on one section and I think I’m going to leave it there just because it’s a cute addition to the design. If I like it, you’ll see a new pattern soon. If you’re adventurous and have the skill set, go ahead and order the maxi fingerless glove pattern off of ravelry. You will find it under Sheri Karobonik designs.

A Busy Time

 We seem to be in a cycle of replacing and repairing things around the house. The latest thing that was about to die was the air conditioning unit. It was 16 years old. So I think we got our moneys worth from the old unit.

We did a lot of research into air conditioning units and installers. We learned some new things along the way, such as when they say an air conditioner is so many tons. What it really means in the original meaning was how many tons of ice would it take to keep a building in England cool for a day in the summer. We also learned that our old air conditioner use the old ser Ratings. The new ser Ratings are much different. We landed up getting a Lennox air conditioning unit from Costco.  It was a mid range unit. Not the best and not the worst unit, but it suited our needs. The new air conditioner is now fully installed and running well.

What we didn’t realize is the day that we picked in advance was going to be the hottest day of the year in Tucson. The outside temperature reached 112 Fahrenheit. The inside of the house got up to 85°, despite pre-cooling the house to try to keep it cooler. I went out after lunch to find some cool places to knit.  

First, I went to Bird House Yarn on 6th Street and Tucson Boulevard. Birdhouse Yarn is under new ownership. The new owner is Sarah and she has done a lovely job with the shop. I even signed up for class next month. Tunisian Crochet in the round. If you haven’t been to Bird House Yarns since the change of ownership, I would highly recommend a visit. There is a lot of dyed in Arizona yarn from independent artists. The store has a nice layout with yarns group by weight.

I then headed over to Grandma’s Spinning Wheel on Tanque Verde. What I did didn’t realize as I had it down sixth Street going east was how much road construction there really was. I would probably avoid sixth Street and fifth Street until the construction is over.  I spent the afternoon knitting and catching up with friends. Around dinner time I went next-door to the pizza place and got a nice sub sandwich for John and I to share. Then I headed home. I took a different route home mileage wise. It was a little longer drive, but time wise It was really shorter. In avoiding Grant Ave, I cut At least10 minutes off my drive time. With less traffic too. 

John also repaired our shower door. Cleaned up a pack rats nest by our back door.  I on the other hand went through 5 drawers, getting rid of clothes that were too big. Yeah me! Filling up 3 bags for Bookman’s. Then repeating the process on Friday.  

I nearly forgot to mention that I started trying to get back in some semblance of A fitness level. In the last 12 days, I have exercised 10. I have not done that since I got sick last March. Hopefully, it will have some positive effect on my life and my body.

Should I Write the Pattern?

 I think about this a lot lately.  It takes so much time and energy to write a new pattern and everything that goes along with it being a one woman show.  The only pattern that I have ever exceeded the cost of the yarn was a washcloth.  The cotton yarn was on sale for $2.50 USD.  The pattern sells for $5.00. I have sold less than a dozen patterns since I listed the Cactus Washcloth on Ravelry.com more than 10 years ago.

I designed it to based on a saguaro cactus in my backyard.  I initially used it to teach a guild class. Then I figured I had put about 60 hours into this washcloth. So why not try to recoup money for some of my time and supplies? The money made off the pattern was less than $60. After supplies they came, my profits were less than $57.00 in “profits” after 10 years. I also made less than $1.00 An hour for all the work. That is my best selling pattern. Most I have not even recouped the cost of the yarn.

I’m thinking about this now, because I’ve designed an easy to make pattern whilst doodling with yarn. The pattern can be used for Yarn tastings, leftover yarn from other projects, or one skin of yarn. Please let me know if you think I should write the pattern. Is it something that you would buy? Is it something that Yarn store Owners would consider selling by making a kit or selling the yarn and pattern together. I know people love free patterns. But the time spent, and the expense, it just does not seem right to be given away my intellectual property like that. I’m not sponsored by any Yarn companies. I pay for all my Yarn. I take all my pictures. I type and edit the patterns. Since I’m running on a lot less spoons I used to, is it really worthwhile? 

Please note that this is a first draft and changes will be made for the final version. I usually just doodle out my first drafts and decide whether it’s worth while to do a second draft. I also edit the patterns like writers do. 

A Hiccup

 I think I have had a hiccup on the road to recovery.  I personally think the stress of my mom being in hospice and dying shortly after has set my bodies systems off kilter.  I kept my to do list to five activities today. It took me till 9 o’clock at night, but I did finish everything.

I spent a good part of the day resting. Which everybody who knows me, knows it’s not a good thing. I am not a person who’s meant to sit still. I did finish a book today, My Korean Grocery Store. A book that I highly recommend.  It was hard to put down. Then I started another book.  Then I spent some time on untangling some yarn. I also spent some time working on an oak knitting project for me. There will be no pattern written. I am just doodling with yarn and color.  An oak knitting project is a one of a kind knitting project, not to be duplicated ever.  

My Weight Loss Journey

 I find sometimes on a journey I have to stop and weigh things out.  Today was one of those times.  I was at the supermarket of all places when this thought occurred to me.  I was busy picking up distilled water for the roborock, yes it takes distilled water.  The water in Tucson is notoriously hard. Tucson water is full of minerals. My husband has found that using distilled water decreases maintenance time.  

The 1 gallon jugs of distilled water weigh in at approximately 8.34 pounds which is equivalent to 3.785kg. Meaning that picking up 2 at a time is approximately 16.68 pounds or 7.57kg.. if I take the amount of weight I have lost over the last several years, 50 pounds, that would be equivalent of 5.99 jugs of water.  Rounded up to 6 gallon jugs, you just know that they would unceremoniously kick you out of the supermarket if you ask for .99 of a jug of water. That I determined was an awful lot of weight. Just lifting 2 made me think how lucky I was to lose that much weight.

The weight loss has changed the way I move. The size clothing that I wear. My entire appearance. My weight loss journey is far from over. I did however, hit a major bump in the road when I got sick in March 2024. Like the fact that I have been doing a lot of resting at times. Certain medications can make healthy food taste absolutely horrible. More take out food than is healthy. The overall lack of spoons. I have only lost about 5 of those pounds since I got sick. My body has taken the time to make some other adjustments besides weight. This has lead to dropping 2 dress sizes since I got sick.  Remember that inches are just as valuable as pounds in a weight loss journey. 

I made major lifestyle changes. Adjusted the way I view food. By eliminating most processed foods, I did not have to weigh or measure my food or count calories.  The book and program that I use is called “A Pound of Cure” by a local Tucson Doctor, Matthew Weiner M.D.. I personally did not use weight loss surgery. I save surgery to keep my hands useful.  The book can be ordered online.  

I made this decision along with a doctor that I was seeing at the time.  If you like the information and the lifestyle changes in the book. Please ask your doctor to read the book and work with your personal physician. I am not giving medical advice.  I am giving you a peak of my lifestyle changes and sudden realizations that I go through at times.

The Upside of Losing Things

 There is always an upside of losing things in my house.  The first is I tend to find a lot of things to recycle. The second thing is that I find things I have lost and given up of ever finding them again.  So today’s tally is pretty good with one exception, I still have not found the missing gloves.

I did find enough old paper work to necessitate doing 3 rounds of shredding old paperwork. I really hate getting behind on that. 

I recycled a batch of old magazines. If they are 2 to 3 years old and full of current events, the events are not so current. 

I added to our perpetual Goodwill box.  Always a plus. 

I  also found an old knitting tool for my newest student. I also found a small magnet board for putting patterns on for me. 

I also found 3 lost weaving magazines. One even explains how to set up a little loom for inkle weaving. All dated from 2016 to 2022. I did say they were old. They still look new. 

Most importantly found my knitting book from Cat Bordhai.  Unfortunately I did not have the necessary skills to take her classes when she came to Tucson. Now that I have the skills, I at least have her last book “One Dozen Magical Momo Cowls”. I can now also read the charts from the book. The book also includes a detailed explanation of how to do a möbius cast on . I might even try to make one for an upcoming fashion show. 

I would like to leave you with a thought. May your deep cleaning time always be filled with adventure, wonderful finds and a slightly cleaner house.