It's Vegas, Without Having To Leave Your Home

Ebay is a very strange place. Buying or shall I say bidding can be a weird experience. Seems if I have interest in something so will somebody else. I quickly learned the thrill of sniping.

Selling is the weirdest of all on Ebay. Trying to figure out what someone else might want, is a practice similar to a call to Psychic Hotline. Not, that I have wasted my money on a call. It's a lesson in futility.

Just when I think about throwing the towel, that's when somebody pops by and purchases something from the store. There's no predicting what, when or how much. I thank the goddess of small enterprise as I process their order and rush it out in the mail.

On the knitting front: I finished the Faroese Shawl this morning. The beads came in the mail Monday. I bought them from eBay seller Crafts by Kathie. I also bought some size 11/0 silver and white ab. Now, I'm dying to start something in Peyote stitch as well. *sigh* Finish one thing, start four new ones, that how it works.

The beaded edging on the shawl was a practice in tedium. So tedious, it annoyed me, which is saying something, because I usually love tedious projects. 555 stitches bound off with 111 tiny beads was a little beyone tedious. Almost beyond my level of patience which wasn't very high as it was. After four attempts it finished just waiting to be blocked, maybe. I'm thinking I'll probably use it so often there really isn't any need to torture it on the stretching block.

Three skeins would have been plenty to do this pattern. I did three extra repeats to the main pattern, still didn't start the fourth skein until I had six rows left of garter at the very end. Looking through Knit Picks catalog, it seems to be a pattern for them to call for more yarn than similar patterns would call for. I might think it's a bit of scam going on. When you think about it, if you have a skein or two extra, it would cost about the same to mail it back to them, as you would get reimbursed. So why would one bother? I mean you would lose money to send it back. Yes, it's better to have too much than too little, but just enough would be better. I'm just not trusting their guestamates again, is all.

I didn't want this blog to be about my chronic pain. Unfortunately, it's such a major part of my life it's hard to leave it out. I just noticed that I started this post on October first. It's taken me this long, in brief sessions to sit and type this week. I made about four attempts. Last week was a terrible bout of flu, this week my back went totally out.

I don't want sympathy. God, that's the last thing I want. But, since I'm obviously going through a bout of having more bad days than good, it's here. Hopefully, another chronic pain sufferer will find me and either understand, or take courage to keep on, keeping on. It's really hard some days when it feels like be run through a threshing machine ass backwards. Or waking up wondering when the trombone machine came crashing through the bedroom and ran over you. That was Monday and every morning there after this week. No matter how bad it hurts, I always go to bed hoping and praying the next day will finally get better.

I always have hope.

Speaking of hope, hopefully tomorrow I will feel like posting pics, I'll have plenty.

I haven't been feeling well for like two weeks. It's been more like just depressed and really stressed out to produce. Last week, I seemed to be pulling myself out. Then came this past weekend.

I think a flu bug found me. Just me. Nobody else has had it. I hope. I still have to call DD and make sure she and DGD didn't catch it Sunday. It was awful, dizzy, super fatigue, and I couldn't eat or drink anything. I slept more on than off from Friday night til 6am Monday morning. I was so sick, I didn't knit, or cross stitch all weekend.

I'm still feeling a dizzy and fatigued, but atleast I'm able to eat a little bit. I really don't eat all that much to begin with. Think I'll find my vitamins and start on those.

Finally got past the point of rippage on the Faroese Shawl. Just twelve rows of garter stitch and bind off. I still haven't started on the fourth skein.

I also dyed four skeins of fingering weight merino for a sweater. I made this sweater several years ago out of Red Heart Baby Soft. But since, I want to publish the pattern, I knew it being made out of that yarn, it wouldn't fly. Then, I was going to knit it in Koigu, but could never get the color I wanted.

So, I dyed the yarn the colors I wanted. I already cast on and started the ribbing. Except, now I can't find the original sweater. I last saw it last year, when I pulled it out of the daily clothes pile and was going to start writing the pattern. I put somewhere safe. Of course, so safe, I can't find it. So, might just have to make a new pattern, so the old sweater will come out of hiding.

To Heck With A Title

Really? Um, somebody is in a bit a mood, now aren't we? Yeah, I am. I've been in the worse funk all week. Lowest of lows. So, Friday, I take take three hours and write a post about it and how I'm going to try to pull myself out of it. (I didn't write for three straight hours, I left to do other things and came back. Back and forth) Only when I finished and tried to post, the internet connection fell off the face of the earth taking my post with it.

It gets worse. I go to calm down and work on my shawl, only to find a huge whonking error I did at 2am the night before. So, while I'm trying to fix it, stitches are falling off the needles, next thing you know, I'm ripping out the whole lace border. Take a deep breath and head to the shower. Only, Psycho Cat Ewok just left steaming pile of crap in the tub. By then I was screaming incoherently, with tears streaming down my face. Poor DSO was running from computer to tub, trying to fix everything for me. Except for shawl, that was beyond his capabilities.

I got myself into a bad rut. Staying up later and later every night trying to get stuff dyed, then sleeping to late in the morning. Then feeling guilty not getting much done during the day so I would stay up later. Round and round I went, til I burned right out. I'm a little better now.

On to knitting content. The shawl was almost done. I have a crappy picture of it pre-rip out. The pattern I feel calls for too much yarn. I think it can be done with three skeins, with some left over. Because I'm short, 5' probably. I was 5'1 1/2" pre disc injury, but with two in the process of collapsing, that 1 1/2" is probably long gone.

The pattern states the longest section will 30" when finished. We measured, and that comes between mid thigh and knee. Not wanting to look like I was being swallowed by the shawl, I used one size smaller needles for the body.

First skein knitted 144 rows, second skein about 75, so I figured the third skein would knit about 37. I added three extra repeats to the main pattern, because the smaller needles was making it a little too short. Also, I hadn't even finished the second skein at that point. The lace border is about 20 rows and then another 20 rows of plain garter stitch.

I have to show you this. This was more fun than a swatch should be. I dyed it to resemble Koigu KPPM 405. That's a color that every time I tried to buy some, it's all sold out. So, I made one for me and one to sell on eBay, and another turned out too dark and it will be for sale as well. (click for bigger)

If it doesn't sell in auction, it's going to take a walk over to my stash bin, rather that being relisted in the store. That's all I'm saying. LOL

Knit on. I'm going to go continue trying to de-funk myself.

Busy, Busy As A Bee?

I kinda hope there aren't any bees around, being I'm allergic. But, if they come to help wind yarn and thread, keep their little stingers to themselves; I won't shoo them away. Real help, not like the kind the cats are giving. "Oh, that big tangle of yarn/thread is attacking Mom! Let's get it!" (pounce)

The sale I had on eBay went well. Not as good as I had hoped, but better than I expected. So, I'd say I'm ahead of the game. DBF and I discussed it, and decided to do it again lasting til September 18th. He upgraded me to a store. So now, to start contacting manufacturers or mills about buying in bulk. Hope we raise enough money to do that soon.

I'm a little disappointed the thread is going better than the yarn. Just a little, I like dying the thread better, it takes the dyes clearer. My mom wants in as a silent partner. We spent three evenings driving from store to store buying crochet thread. Have to find a manufacturer to buy it in bulk.

What's hard with the yarn is trying to figure what colors other people want. I know what colors I like, but it's hard to guess what will sell. We had 35 hits on eBay through my blog. (Yeah, having a store, it tells me that too. LOL) I know you're out there, maybe reading, could you please a comment about what colors you like? Threads sizes, sock yarn, worsted wt yarn? Please.


It's really good that things are picking up. Makes me feel productive. Almost like working a real job. Except, you know the showering, dressing and long commute to a business every morning are skipped. Well, not so much the not showering, that would get smelly, but I can do it on lunch break. Imagine skipping the showering and dressing part, and telling your boss you're going to do it during lunch break.

I miss nursing, though. I miss the people. It really lifted my spirits to help someone, with the little things. Like a water glass was set across the room, where they couldn't get it. Because, they couldn't get out of bed and walk. Bringing water to a thirsty person, while silently cursing the aid that left it out of reach, made a difference. That's what I miss, being able to make a difference in someone's life.

On to knitting stuff. I haven't made much progress on Mom's Soleil.
I have a little bit more on the shawl. I'll take that picture next time. I've been mostly knitting swatches for sock yarn. Those are simple scans. (click for bigger)

I was tagged for a Meme by Knitting Nurse. It was 23rd post and 5th sentence. Ahem. I don't have a 23rd post yet. I suppose if I was a good blogger I would have by now. LOL But, I digress. So, I did 5th post and 23rd sentence. The beauty of being long winded, I suppose.

I try to leave screaming kids at home, so they don't destroy the nerves of other people. That's me alright, I can't stand screaming kids in stores, mine or others. Tiny babies are alright, they can't help themselves. But temper tantrums, no way, I'm outta there.

Watching all the victims of Katrina, makes my heart just break for them. I know what it is like to lose everything, or almost everything. The things that can't be replaced. Pictures, photo albums, ornaments and trinkets. Patterns that are out of print. Finished projects. I bet some of them were knitters, quilters, crocheters, cross stitchers, etc.

Sure, if they can get the same patterns and materials they can make them again. But the chances of that on some things are slim. The memories attached to those items wouldn't be same. Possessions with memories attached to them. Those are the "things" that are the hardest to lose.

I'm donating 10% of this sales profits to the Disaster Relief. Probably, Salvation Army, as they have been a help to me in the past. I'm also going to go through some of my stash and see what I can donate of that. There is a thread on a message board I frequent, 123 Stitch, a member is going to the shelter in Terrebonne Civic Center. Many of us are sending her supplies to take with her. If you would like to donate you can e-mail Nona La at aamcn@cajun.net. She gave me permission to post her e-mail address. Even a skein of yarn and some knitting needles or crochet hook could make a world of difference to a fellow stitcher who just lost everything.

Until next time, happy needlework.