Knitting, Sci-fi and other stuff...

      I didn't have a very eventful crafting week.  My time was limited and I think the weather is affecting my knitting mojo.  I had to work last weekend so my husband picked up the items from the fair along with the help of our daughter.  It looks as though she was supposed to get a first place ribbon for her earrings but they forgot to attach the ribbon, or it was attached and fell off.  I'll get an official notification in the mail with our winnings in a few weeks.       My garden was looking really good, the peppers and carrots had almost completely regrown.  I made the comment to myself Saturday evening when I was watering everything that "oh wow its all looking really good."  My parents came over for lunch Sunday so I took my mom over to see the garden.  We've been busy so they haven't been over since we put in the raised beds.  Well, the joke was on me.  The deer or whatever it is came back and decim...

    The fair was a success.  My items did well and Liara got some ribbons as well.  We went to the parade on Tuesday, then down to the grounds once it was over.  We stopped by one local vender to grab some jewelry, grabbed some donuts from the Donut Diner then went to see how we placed.  Liara entered earrings that she hand-made with clay.  They did not place.  She entered a beaded bracelet that got first. She also entered three of her drawings.  A Pegasus, a bunny and a magical worm.  The bunny and the worm received third and the Pegasus received second.   The bunny is my personal favorite of all the drawings she's done.  There is always a really good turn out in the drawing and photography categories, so she was up against some stiff competition.  I'm really happy she received some ribbons. My items are as follows: Rotini Beanie; First Enchantress MKAL; First. Sunburst Potholder; Second.  Cow and Hen Dishcloth set; ...

      I've had a busy couple weeks of getting ready for the Lewis County Fair.  I dropped off my items this morning.  I got a better picture of the  Hollyhock Mittens . Mal Rios in Sunset I started and finished the  Rotini Beanie : Mal Rios in English Rose This was a fun pattern; not difficult but still engaging and easy to memorize.  The inside looks nice too.  I need to remember to take a picture of it.  I also made a Sunburst Potholder . Peaches & Creme cotton I also sewed a tote bag:  I used fabric from my stash, all stuff I'd gotten from Joann Fabric over the years.  I have a box bag in this alpaca/llama fabric and I tried to use a similar batik for the inside pockets so they'll "match" since this tote bag is for me.  I used the same pattern that my swap partner used to make me a bag in that last swap I participated in.  I use that bag all the time.  The bag construction was not too difficult and the pat...

     I finished my Hollyhock Mittens .  I wove in the ends and got them washed and blocked. This was a fun, easily memorized pattern and bonus, it was free.  I'd be more than willing to do this one again.  I used Malabrigo Rios in the Sunset colorway. Pre-Blocking Next up, I want to do a hat.  I've had Rotini Beanie on my radar for some time.  It'll look amazing in a more variegated skein of Mal Rios English Rose. I used some more Rhubarb from my garden.  I found a nice easy muffin recipe.  They were delicious and my coworkers really liked them.  Both my children liked the muffins as well and I promised my son we'd make another batch.  (He was a little disappointed that I took all but one to work.)  I'm going to double the recipe next time we do it, which will hopefully be soon. That's about it for me.  Work has already been absolutely nuts this week and its only Tuesday.  I would have posted this yesterday but...

      I haven't accomplished much this week.  I was sent home from work Monday and didn't go to my second job Tuesday because of the pesky cold.  But rest and lots of cough medicine is what I needed.       I ripped back on the mitten I had started.  I decided to use the cuff even though it was two stitches larger than the cuff called for in the new pattern I'm using.  I simply decreased stitches on my first plain round.  I finished that mitten except for the thumb.  The pattern is  Hollyhock Mittens  and its free.  Its a pretty simple pattern and I like it.  I'm using Malabrigo Rios.  I'm meeting gauge for the pattern, but I like my mitten fabric a bit more dense than this, so if I ever knit this pattern again, I'll probably go down a needle size or two and knit a larger size.        I finished the dishcloth I started two weeks ago.  It was just a quick round  Pet...

    Just a quick update from me today.  Either my allergies are really kicking my butt or I caught whatever cold my son had.  My sinuses are plugged and I have a horrible headache.  I spent time outside a couple days in a row, so who knows.  I bought some plants on Thursday.  An eggplant, a couple zucchini, three peppers, a spaghetti squash and two more tomatoes.  I planted them Friday and then did some weeding yesterday and also strung up a line for the peas which are getting tall enough to flop over.  We also planted the lilac suckers I had taken from my parents house.  I'll have to take some pictures once the garden grows a little more.     I finally got around to trying on and taking a picture of my one  Shorty Heel Tab Sock .  It fits very well.  I'm really happy with how it turned out. I decided to knit a  Clean Hen Manou  for my second dishcloth.  I nearly did the whole thing in one sitting....