Productive Week

It's been a rather busy, and productive, week.  In some ways.  In other ways, I feel like I've gone backwards.  That striped top in the Panama?  All those little operator errors that were driving me crazy...I finally got the back off the machine and let it sit.  Mmmm.  Looked a little big!  A pre-wash measure showed that indeed, I got a different gauge than the pattern.  You know the saying, "To save time, take time to check your gauge"?  I'm not sure how my machine could be so different from other machines :(  The back is almost large enough to be the front...except that it's two inches too long below the armhole, and about two inches too long above the armhole.  I did wash it, as the yarn fluffs up, but haven't re-checked it.  I don't think it would have shrunk 2-3", if anything, it would be bigger.  So that project is on hold.

I have a sundress I bought last summer that had a flaw in it.  It was too big, and a maxi dress, and because of where the flaw was, it needed a complete re-fashioning.  My first vision didn't work, so it's been like cut and paste trying to get it to fit.  Not quite finished.  All that SHOULD be left to do is sew the straps on, but I like having a helper place them for me.  I have another sundress that is a maxi, and even in my highest heels is too long, so it needs a hem on the serger.  Well, I'm hesitating to do it, even though I know it SHOULD go fine....

I finished weaving in ends and washing the pink granny square blanket that I hated, and I did get that diagonal garter stitch sweater taken apart and a new version started.  Even though it's garter stitch, it feels really great to have that going on.

On June 10 I had a big family party, and my SIL had a silly little "argument" with our niece about her leaving her clothes laying around my house (she had been dressed up when she came, then went in the hot tub, then changed again....).   SIL put on her grey cardi/shrug/bolero sweater and we "Oooh-ed and Aaaww-ed" over it, her asking if I could make one, me pretending to check it out.  Yes, grey is a fabulous and versatile colour....We were doing it to annoy our niece, but I thought, I really could make her something.  More on that later!  LOL.  I'm waiting for pictures.  The first attempt didn't work (yarn shortage) but the end result was worth it.  So worth it that I made one for myself in a different yarn, and started another for another niece.  And there's plans for even more of them!

Earlier in this week, I realized that I didn't have any black shorts for an outdoor concert last night, and we've been having super hot weather.  I did have a black skirt, but it just wasn't "right".  So I had to go to Value Village where I found a great skort (my first!).  Only to find out, on the way to the concert (in the middle of a horrendous thunderstorm which ended up cancelling the concert), that the mark I thought was dust was actually a change in the texture of the fabric.  Argh.

While there, I did get some more yarn!  I don't understand how they bag up yarn.

One bag--two balls--of Lopi for $2.99, one bag of three balls of Patons Decor for $3.99, one bag of one ball Decor and one ball Classic Wool for $1.99 (someone must have thought wool from Iceland was worth more?), and one bag with two balls Classic Wool and one ball Impeccable, for $3.99.  So, according to the bag with Decor and Clasic Wool, the yarn should be $1/ball.  According to the Lopi, it's $1.50/ball.  According to the 3 ball bags, it's $1.33/ball.  And it's not like I'm comparing Red Heart to Classic Wool.  And why couldn't they just pack the Decor (4 balls of bright pink) in one bag, and the Classic Wool (3 balls of the jewels colours) in another bag?  And toss that Impeccable (a weird bright green) into it's own bag.  I'll use that for more charity hats.  The Decor will probably go to charity hats and scarves (but not mitts).  I think it's too bright to use in one item though, LOL.  The Classic Wool and Lopi will probably become felted slippers; I was thinking the other day I need to handknit a pair of the Fiber Trends clogs again; the machine knit ones are a good substitute, but don't last too long.  All this yarn was 30% off with my Summer Saving card.  I also bought a dress for re-fashioning.  Can't buy fabric for a dress for $6.66!

Yarn In:  1028gr + 12 838r = 13 866gr
Yarn Out:  10 945gr
Balance:  2921 gr more In than Out
Costs:  $10.25 + $289.96 = $300.21/179 days = $1.68/day