Winter Beauty

The snow was beautiful while it lasted! It melted and we had a few days of rain.

Snow people appeared.

 

Christmas decorations were sighted.

 

Church was attended. Knitting happened. Some gifts arrived and were opened. It's cold and snowy in SE Washington.

 I received a nylon light cube between these two hats.

 

I need to learn more about photoshopping the resulting images

Tranquility

My favorite winter weather. Quiet, not too cold or windy. 

Solitude with dog

I knit this stocking ages ago for a customer. She sent two stockings back for name changes. This requires surgery.

First, chart out new name
Second, separate name from bottom of stocking. Of course these were top down.
Third, unravel old name
Fourth reknit with new name
Graft stocking back together again.

 

It snowed today! Dog walk time this evening was beautiful, with 25F temps and about 1" of snow. This photo was taken a little later.

Sometimes I Hate living Alone

There are many skills I've been learning that used to be delegated to my husband. Last night the power went out about 8:00 with a bang. It's dark out at that hour, so I went to bed. About 1:00 AM i woke up for a bathroom stop and a big truck was in front of my house. The was a light shining up my driveway and a man on the pole behind the garage. I don't think that is what woke me as he was just finishing up.

When the lights came on a few minutes later, I went down stairs to turn them off. Luckily my alarm clock and answering machines have battery backup. The computer shut off, as did the cable box and DVR. I had to reset the clock on the stove and timers for two lights. I stayed up for a while, having gone to bed so early and went into the bedroom to find the timer light on. Changed that right away. Just had to adjust the current time.

The cable box and DVR got reset this morning, and that went well. They have one of those uninterrupted power supply things that beeped when the power went off. Hit the off switch so I could sleep. (It's in the bedroom, thanks DH!) Stove clock is reset. Just need to reset the living room timer, but that's better done in daylight.

I had another challenge tonight. One of the smoke detectors started chirping. They are wired into the house, but have battery backup. I had never changed the batteries. and they are new enough that I don't think DH did either. It's hard to tell which one is chirping as three of them are in the center hall and the sound travels. I couldn't get the culprit to stop, even with a new battery. I called the fire department, but they didn't have any good ideas. It did finally stop.

I also realized that the furnace wasn't on. The house is well insulated, but 60 F is chilly. Something else to reset. At least I'd done this before, but it's still hard to find the switch.

I used to be protected from these frustrations! Even when I know what needs to be done, I often don't know how to do it and have to learn how. Grrrr!

I've been knitting Christmas gifts.Many must remain secret, but I don't think these recipeients read my blog.

I've been knitting up scrap yarn. I also have 3 hats and a scarf on the gift list.

Christmas stockings have generated some interest. I had a pattern request and someone else seems to have a chart, but wanted to know yarn weight and gauge for a snowman stocking that I did so long ago that I cant find much of a record. Luckily, the original customer wants the name changed and just sent two stockings back to me. I'll scan them and make notes for the future.

It's the holiday season

 

The first Advent candle is lit. I love this church building. It was built about 1930, but I love the old style. I'll try to get a picture of the wood carvings another Sunday.

I'm knitting gifts, but i can't show them yet.

Stockings and stuff

The stockings are finished for this year. The customer ordered another "Santa in Chimney" stocking to be knit after Christmas. A baby boy joined the family since the first batch were ordered. He'll be 2 months old at Christmas, and grandma doesn't want the stocking for this year. Perhaps it doesn't fit her budget.

Every year or so I get to do Christmas stockings on commission. I've knit three or four of the "Santa in Chimney" and "Santa with Tree" ones. They originally were Bernat kits. I have done a couple of other patterns too. Last year I had to do five of the the same stocking. It happens to be one of my least favorite patterns. I don't like the Santa on this one, although I've done at least three versions of the pattern.

I also did a family stocking this year. These are an ongoing series, using the same basic pattern, but no two alike.

 There has been Christmas knitting too, but I can't show that.

One of today's tasks is to write up a sweater pattern that has been waiting far too long. I finished the sweater last summer. Then the hard drive crasheon my desktop. The data was saved and reinstalled on the new drive, but I didn't find the folder with the pattern until yesterday. I had almost finished writing the sweater pattern in one size. When It went missing, I thought I'd have to rewite it, and that never got done. It didn't help that my laptop from work died and needed to be replaced. Again, I had the data backed up, but these things still take time and brainpower. I actually haven't written a pattern for about a year. I designed a couple of things, like my sock yarn sweater, but they weren't the sort of thing that I could work into a pattern.

I'm designing a hat as a gift and will write up the pattern, but don't know it I will knit another version before releasing it. Before I settle in to the computer, I have to go renew my car license plate (if the bureau is open on Saturday) and start the turkey stock from the feast. I usually get leftovers from my daughter, but this year I asked for the bones. I don't know how much meat is still on them, but I also cooked 1/2 of a breast to make sure I had enough turkey this year. I make a lot of soups in the winter, so a few quarts of turkey stock will be handy.

This week I have made a chicken chili which was to be served over rice or couscous. I used up my couscous and mixed it into the chili. The leftovers have joined all the other meals in the freezer. I like to cook up a batch of something on my day off from work and then just heat it up on work days. I had a lot of creamy soup stored up, but was looking for something chunky. The chili has only about 3 cups of liquid in the whole pot.

Thursday, while the cranberry bread, turkey and squash were in the oven, I made a cheesy broccoli soup.Based on evaporated milk, it has carrots and cheddar cheese as well as the broccoli. Yum! The squash was roasted for later use as long as the oven was on. I have a recipe for pumpkin and acorn squash soup to be cooked soon. The butternut squash doesn't have a specific recipe waiting for it, but I have a number of options.

A scarf gift

This scarf is knit from three different yarns, two of them light blue and one striped. I knit a three color seed stitch, starting each of the first three rows with a different yarn and after that, using the resting yarn for the next row. It's a little shiny, so will go to a girl/woman. Don't know who will get this one.

Sewing

The clown costume was delivered and she is very happy. If I get a picture, I'll share. The finished costume has pockets every where. In the pants, in both layers of skirt, and the cupcakes are pockets. The collar and belt are removable. The thing hanging from the sleeve is a sleeve extension. It goes above the elbow and  is held in place by elastic. She wanted the option of long sleeves for cooler weather, although most of her work is done in warmer weather or indoors.

Dreary Fall day

Yesterday was bright, crisp, and sunny. Today is grey, cold, and raining. Very depressing! Yesterday the sunshine called me to work in the yard, but I didn't do any yard work. I had indoor things to do. I started a crock pot of chili early in the day, and after I ate the last of my bread for lunch, I made some potato and rosemary bread in the bread machine.

Today, I finally get to work on the clown costume (a cheerful job). Here's where it stands this morning.

The pants are finished. This is what the bottom of the leg looks like. 

 

The under skirt is now edged. I had run out of bias tape. 

I can see clearly now. The rain is gone. It's lunch time and I have Sweet Potato Chowder all heated up. Comfort food that I made a week or so ago. I lost my   momentum on the project while it was in time out waiting for me to get back to it. The lunch break will let me remember what I meant to do to finish it.

Sleeve extensions are finished, so that she can have long sleeves if desired. 

The cupcake pockets are finished! I still need to finish the collar, the hair bows, and the belt with a big bow. It'll take another day, but I've made good progress.

 This has been a fun challenge, partly because the customer left many of the small decisions up to me. She told me where she saw the major fabric colors were to go, and left the rest to me creative genius.

What can I say?

I've been busy.
I've knit a few Christmas stockings.

 

And finished a sweater from sock yarn leftovers.

I spent a few weeks getting ready for and holding a large yard sale. I'm trying to get rid of stuff so that I can move to a smaller house.

At work, my most interesting project is a clown costume. The customer is a professional clown, so willing to spend money to get what she wants. I have phone pics of that, but don't trust that they'll transfer to the blog without going upside down.

I'll try to post more often. I do well for a while and then life gets inthe way.

Fun Clothes to Alter

This Muppet fur jacket came into my shop last week. I needed to make the sleeves shorter and narrower. It's easy to get inside to the seams, just undo the top stitched seam in the lining!

After cutting the fur, however, my pants looked like this! There are times I hate fur! There is no way to cut it without short pieces making a mess.

The same day, a clown came into the shop with a new outfit that needed altering. I shortened the skirt by 3 inches so that her petticoat would show, and made the sleeves end at the elbow with a ruffle. She has a lime green petticoat and lime green hair.

She came back with fabric for a new outfit. It should be fun to make. The dress int he photo has elephants on it. The new one will have cupcakes.

Things I Like

An interesting building I saw on Coventry Rd.  

My freshly painted house.

Thereby Hangs a Tail

I read a great book today by Spencer Quinn, called Thereby Hangs a Tail. It is the second book narrated by a lovable dog. Here are a few quotes: "We run a detective agency, me and Bernie, called the Little Detective Agency on account of Little being Bernie's last name. My name is Chet, pure and simple. Headquarters is our house on Mesquite Road.."

The story starts with Chet knowing beyond a doubt - "that this guy was the perp. I lunged forward and grabbed him by the pant leg. Case closed. The perp cried out in pain, a horrible, high-pitched sound that made me want to cover my ears. Too bad I can't do that, but no complaints - I'm happy the way I am (even if my ears don't match, something I found out about a while back but can't get into right now). The perp's noises went on and on and finally it hit me that maybe I had more than just his pan leg. That happened sometimes: my teeth are probably longer than yours and sharper too. What was that? Yes, the taste of blood. My mistake, but a very exciting on all the same."

The book is about a kidnapping, abduction, and murder. Another dog is involved.

One of my favorite parts involves Chet being offered a chew strip. "O probably didn't deserve another chew strip for a long, long while, like a day or two. At the same time, I felt this sudden breeze from behind me, surprisingly strong, and realized my tail was wagging."

My own dog is home from the kennel, where she stayed while the outside of the house was painted. I'm a bad Mommy. I brought her home and shortly after, left for work. She was not happy! Very soon, I came back to get my forgotten lunch and she really let me know how she felt. She scolded me and told me in no uncertain terms that she would be the best dog if only she could come along. She even grabbed my leg with both front paws as i left the second time. I'm a bad Mommy for not taking her to work





1

Oh My

The day started out well. I picked a large bunch of flowers that were due to be covered with tarps. They made a nice display at work. The flowers to the right are Black-Eyed Susans and White Cone Flowers. I also picked Daisies and the little purple flower called Zebra Mallow (only one of those). This year's plant is all stem and few flowers. I didn't see it last year at all. I probably should have pruned it earlier in the year, but I just cut back what would interfere with painting.




Crochet is finished for the moment. The back of the vest is done. it's a little oddly shaped, but will have other pieces added, like two front pieces, and will look better then. I'm putting it aside to knit some socks. The pattern is from Cookie A. I didn't feel like designing anything right now. I still have a sweater pattern to finish.

This is what the back yard looked like this morning. There is a picnic table, as well as a patio table and tow chairs on the driveway. With only one car, I don't use that space. The patio table belongs on the porch. All the windows are covered, so that porch ceiling paint will not get on them. I can't use the back door at the moment. The downspout will be reconnected when that part of the painting is done. I'm hearing that they will be finished tomorrow if it doesn't rain. Then I'll be able to reclaim my dog.

The Oh My part
When I got to work, my laptop acted up again. The screen is so dark, I can hardly see it. It may re fixable, appearing to be a setting, but I've had a number of settings go wonky, and I've had enough. I bought a new laptop. I was able to get an inexpensive one, which will run QuickBooks, my bookkeeping program. I'm still setting it up, but once I get the backup restored I can work. There are a couple of other programs to install, but they can wait if needed. I knew the purchase was coming, but didn't need to have it fail and be unusable. Grrrrr!

Bushwhacking

I may have mentioned that I'm having the outside of my house painted. It certainly needed doing. Unfortunately for me, the best thing for my dog was a vacation at the kennel. I miss her!

I found an iPhone app called "Map my dogwalk." It is sponsored by Subaru and is free. I'm using that to track how far I walk. I'm still walking, although alone. This morning's walk was almost 2 miles, then I walked the track at the gym as usual for a warm up before hitting the machines. I skipped the treadmill that was scheduled for today. I figured that I had already walked farther than usual.

Here's a before and after example from the house painting. The scraping is done. The window and trim are aluminum. When the windows were put in, my DH planned to aluminum side the house. It no longer makes sense, since I won't be here long enough to make it pay.

The dormer twin is already primed. It's hard to tell,because the house color is almost white. The front wall below the dormers is already painted. The paint is sprayed on, which is why the window is masked. Makes for a nice even coat with no drips.

Did I say something about bushwhacking? The side of the house to the left has a couple of trees and used to have five Rose of Sharon bushes. When I told Rockie, my neighbor that the bushes would have to be trimmed because the touch my house, he said he didn't care if they were cut down. He hates that variety of bush. I agree that they are a weed. The seeds scatter and grow everywhere. I said I would cut them down. He will pull up the roots. I left about a foot of bush to grab onto when pulling roots. That's a lot less than the 8 - 10 feet high bushes that were there this morning. Out came the saw and the big pruners. I really had fun destroying the bushes. I have two big piles of

greenery tied up waiting for trash day (next Tuesday). You can see them under the tree, to the right. The white things behind the trees are my downspouts. They'll be replaced tomorrow, as rain is expected in the evening.

I had already spent a bit of time weeding in the front yard, and spraying miscellaneous plants that needed to be killed. I finished the day with another "dog" walk before dinner as usual. I was afraid to delay it, because if I sat down, I might not get up. A very productive day, although as usual plans got changed along the way.

A Break From Knitting

I started this shrug in April I think. The plan is to finish the back, and then get back to knitting. I have a pair of socks started, need to do another pair, and get back to Christmas stockings. Why do we think that projects will be done almost overnight? I thought that I could work on this shrug for a day or so and finish the back. Two days later, I've worked from round 8 to round 17, out of 24. Of course, each round is longer. I don't like putting projects down for long, because of the time it takes to find your place and get back into the rhythm of the work. I'm there now and think I will give myself until Friday to finish the back. I will have to move on to the socks at that point, but finishing one piece is a good stopping place.

The yarn is, I believe, British. It's called Crevenna Wool from Tioga Yarns. Oops, the label says made in the USA. The yarn company does seem to have a Native American name, possibly from New York State. It's a fingering weight wool, with a crepe texture, that I bought at a house sale years ago. I had just enough of this color for the project. 

Home life

My life is being upset by the painting of the outside of my house. I put my dog in the kennel for the duration, but I miss her. She really doesn't need to be home when strange men are doing things to her house and I'm at work, so not at home to comfort her. I might have tried keeping her home if I were there. 

Electronics

My daughter Jan fixed my computers and got the printer to work. My son stopped over this morning to retrieve the yoga DVD from the dead player. He was on his way to the motorcycle shop for a minor repair. I'm sure he had a laptop with him, so he could work while he waited. The advantages of a computer based career, sometimes he gets to work outside his office. What does he do? He's a computer geek for Cleveland Clinic, working in the Cadrdo-Pulmonary department. He has a PhD in Statistics. I'm really enjoying having adult children, especially when they have time to take care of me a little. 

Did I Fall Off the End of the Earth?

I had a beautiful post written and just needed a photo of my sweater.That was back in June!

Knitting
I did finally finish the black sweater. I still need to write the pattern. Better do that soon! Oasis Yarns Aussi Wool Worsted. Cuffs, front bands and collar are reversible cables. Hook and eye closure. Right now my computer is not talking to my printer. One of the kids will look into why, and figure out what needs to be done to fix it.


Medical Update
Hearing aids work well. Cataract Surgery was a breeze. I was worried about seeing to sew before everything was finished and healed. Not a problem. I need reading glasses, but have a source where they cost $.88 a pair. I can have glasses to match my outfits, as many pairs as it takes. The store is out of my strength tight now, but I already bought 5 pairs before my second eye was done. All other maintenance on my body is done for a while!

House
Painting the outside starts tomorrow. The dog will be going to the kennel for the duration.

My kids have convinced me that I need a smaller house. Domestic Archeology has commenced. It's surprising how much "stuff" a family can accumulate in 40+ years of living in the same place. I find that most of it has no sentimental value, making it easy to dispose of. This is a two year plan.Right now I'm trying to get rid of at least an extra garbage bag each week.There will be donations, house sale, what ever it takes.

I just finished knitting a Christmas stocking, one of five I need to do this year. Four are for a customer, and one is family.Max is the new stocking. It seems that every year, I get to knit stockings to add to what grandma knit. This is an old Bernat pattern that I've knit twice before.

Miscellaneous
I grew up when life was simpler. When things broke, you got them repaired. They were made to last forever and could be repaired. I really like televisions, computers and smart phones. as well as microwaves and refrigerators with ice in the door. I forget that I didn't grow up with any of these things. We listened to the radio, made ice in trays, and didn't make many long distance calls because they were expensive. We walked to the store, although my mother knew how to drive, we only had one car. When she wanted to go grocery shopping, she had to drive my father to work and pick him up again. Stores were closed evenings and Sundays.

That may explain why I get so frustrated when things break, or just don't work. Right now, my laptop is misbehaving, my DVD player died, my printer may need replacing, and the album my son loaded on my computer won't play on my phone. They all will get resolved, but make me grumble.

On the plus side for modern conveniences, I talk to my oldest daughter who lives in Florida every morning, using my cell phone and blue tooth earpiece. Computers and everything they do is wonderful. I plan to play my yoga DVDs on my iPad. The laptop and printer will eventually be replaced, I hope not this month.

Interesting Book

I've been reading a book called "Napoleon's Buttons - 17 Molecules That Changed History". It is written by two chemists for popular reading. 

Among the stories are: how European demand for the spice molecule piperine (the basic molecule of pepper) not only fueled early exploration, but also inspired the practice of buying and selling shares in the modern stock market. How a minor house cleaning mishap and an exploding cotton apron led to the development of modern explosives and contributed to the photography and movie industries. 

I was particularly intrigued by the chapter on Molecules of Witchcraft. Many of the women accused of witchcraft were herbalists, skilled in the use of local plants to cure disease and provide relief from pain. Some of this would seem magical. Many of these herbs inspired modern medicines. Some of them caused hallucinations (such as flying). Fascinating reading!  I'm glad my kids recommended it.  

A few atoms added here, subtracted there, is all it takes to make the difference between male and female sex characteristics, between a harmless molecule and a deadly addictive one. How that works, and indeed how culture has been shaped by chemistry, is the subject of this wonderfully readable book. 

The Month of Doctors Continues

As I said before I went into radio silence, I went to my primary care doctor for a routine check up. Everything is good. He told me how to find an audiologist, who tested my hearing. One ear needs help, which I knew. It's been bad ever since i can remember, but age has probably made it worse. The other ear is marginal, but close to normal. I need hearing aids!

When I got my eyes tested, I was told that it was time for cataract surgery. I was surprised, although I knew it was coming. Research done, questions asked, and surgery scheduled. The first eye will be done May 28. and the second about a week later.

My son found the name of a hearing aid lab which sells aids more cheaply by cutting out the middle man. I took the results of my test to him and could have walked out hearing better except that there was too much wax in my ears. I was sent home with an ear cleaning kit and went back a few days later to get hearing aids. The unit I got is small and fits behind my ear with a small tube that goes in the ear. They are set up by computer to give me exactly the help I need. Also they are small enough that I can still use my Bluetooth for my phone! I love hands free talking. I also can use the earphones I have for the gym. I'm still getting used to a more noisy world. My brain is starting to filter out unnecessary noise, like the ticking of the kitchen clock.

My knitting guild sponsored a weekend with Sally Melville. I was able to go on Friday night and all day Sunday. I learned a lot. I worked on the black sweater. It is on hold right now, because I am knitting a pair of socks for my son-in-law. His birthday was Sunday and the socks aren't done. I seem to have less knitting time these days. His home is in Florida, but he says he lives in his truck. I might see him again in July if he gets to the Cleveland area.as planned. He and my daughter were here in late April for a visit. Anyway, I won't see him for his birthday, and will send the socks on as soon as they are finished, or save them for July when they come here.

I did finish the shrug. It's a little big, but I think that's all right. It's been too warm to wear it. I've also been knitting on my sock yarn sweater. That cut into sock knitting time too.

It's time to grandkids soccer/baseball games. I can knit during those. It's also time for yard work. Lawn mowing seems to take forever right now. the grass is long, thick and wetter than I would like. The mower wants to clog up. Years of the fertilizer man result in a lawn that looks great, but the thick, vigorous growing grass is a problem right now. I haven't eve n started on the weeds!

Today is tooth cleaning, so the body maintenance continues. I'll stop typing and go schedule my mammogram. That's the last thing that needs to be done for now. By early July when I can get a new glasses prescription, I'll be a new woman. I may only need reading glasses, but we'll see.

Checking In Again

I haven't finished anything since my last post. Sweaters take longer than socks. I'm still working on the  black sweater and its design. The pattern is written for the back up to the shoulders. I haven't knit that far yet. Taking photos of black objects is like a black cat in a coal bin.I lightened the picture considerably and the pattern almost shows up.There is a marker designating the start of the armhole for ease in measuring.

I'm also knitting another shrug, from a pattern DD Joyce sent me. I found some stash yarn that appears to be hand spun and hand dyed. It is two ply and has a slight unevenness in thickness. The color is a little uneven.I washed the swatch twice after the last disaster, The yarn stayed true to size and softened a little. I hope to finish the shrug up this coming weekend, although it is too warm to wear it here.

Yard work has commenced. the lawn was mowed for the first time this year. There still is lots of clean up to do, especially in the back yard where the waterproofing was done.Some of the flowers my sister gave me are starting to come up. I have a lovely blue flower which she says is pulmonaria. I sent her a phone picture.Its in the lungwort family.

This month seems to be doctor month. Checkup time with the primary care doctor. Everything is great! He wishes all his patients were like me. I followed his advice to eat lots of fruits and vegetables and drink lots of water. I also have a hearing test scheduled and my eye doctor says its time for cataract surgery. I find out next week what that entails, although I've talked to enough people to not be worried..Next month I'll have to see the dentist about tooth cleaning. Then I'll be done with personal maintenance for a while.

The class I taught a week ago went well, but we finished in less than the time allotted. The handout was fairly good, but had a couple of typos in it. I got an e-mail about one of them yesterday. I did tell the students about my computer problems,

Knit, knit, knit

I've about caught up on the computer re-build. Just waiting on a replacement disk for one program. There is evidence that I had the disk. I have the installation manual, but the computer is one of many things that got moved during the" great house remodel." The disk should have been in the drawer with all the other program disks, but it isn't there.

I've never done anything like this before, and I feel so empowered. I have, of course, installed programs. All of the important programs have been restored. If something is missing now, I can download it for free. The expensive software is working.

I'm still getting used to a Microsoft Office update, long needed. The disks were in the house, but not on my machine before its stroke. There are things I like about the newer version (2007), and others I'm not sure about. I had to put together a handout for a class I'm teaching Saturday on reversible cables. I had done the research and knit the samples. I hope the patterns I wrote for the swatches make sense.

A lot of other knitting has happened. I knit up the vest "kit" I bought in Tallahassee. I knew that project would be done quickly so that I could wear it. DD Joyce and I split a bag of yarn, thinking we both would make the same pattern. She changed her mind! I have this comfy vest made form Austermann Murano, a bulky yarn. It's hard for me to say if it is flattering on me, but I love it anyway. I just don't like that I look like an old lady. Self timer on the camera may not be the best way to go here.

Last summer I started a baby blanket. A group at my church was doing them for charity. The group stopped meeting for knitting and the blanket sat. It is now done and will go to some baby at some time. It is too small for the charities my knitting guild supports, but would be fine for a stroller or car seat. I used some cone yarn that was in my stash.

In the "Oh No" department, I decided to knit a hat for great granddaughter Rayven. She turned four. Got some stash yarn and cast on. I realized that the hat would fit me, but I finished it up anyway. There was enough yarn for a proper size hat.The larger hat went to my DDIL Peg, who had her head shaved for charity. I took a picture with my phone iof her wearing the hat, but It is upside down when viewed on the pc. So frustrating.

DD Joyce had a birthday this week, and is a big Dr. Who fan. I had to knit the scarf from Knitty.com called Bigger on the Inside.

It's hard to see, but there are fifteen iterations of the TARDIS on the lower border. I called them "Tardi" although there is no plural for something that is unique. I even used the yarn suggested in the pattern, Lorna's Laces Solemate. I have enough left over for a pair of socks, a bonus I hadn't counted on. The first 100 gm knit all the lace and all the Tardi. It's back in the stash until it tells me what it wants to be.

Since DDIL Peg got a fuzzy hat to keep her bald head warm, her daughter needed one too. She also got bald for St. Baldrick's to support children's cancer. Her favorite color is black for clothes.There was some WoolEase and fun fur in my stash. the result is very soft, but I had to buy more fun fur to finish the hat.

I also knit a bulky sweater. You won't see a picture or it, as it went in the trash. There were some problems with the free pattern, and problems with the yarn. The final straw was when the yarn relaxed considerably when washed. It went from a size medium to a XL tall. It just wasn't worth trying to fix. At least I have the yarn out of stash. All of it was inherited from my mom, so I didn't pay for it. It's getting a little easier to get rid of things that aren't working, but I grew up saving everything, because you might need it some day. I'm trying to leave less for my kids to dispose of when I'm gone, but it's a struggle! It doesn't help that there's so much that I'm actually using.