A Little Yarn On The Side

Work is crazy-busy, but I did get a break yesterday and was able to finish a shirt I've been working on for me  I'm really excited about this one, because it's the first time I've done more for a shirt than embroider a pocket.  My old machine just made too many mistakes to risk more, but since I had extra fabric in case I had issues, I decided to add embroidery to the yoke and the cuffs: I know it's customary for the embroidery to be right-side up on the cuffs, but then my hummingbirds would be upside down to ME, so I decided as I would be the one seeing them most and it's MY shirt, they're upside down so they're right side up when I view the cuffs.  AND THE EMBROIDERY TURNED OUT PERFECTLY!!!  I'm so excited.  If it weren't crazy-hot, I'd wear this shirt today. I'm also making the same shirt for Andy, with just a bit of approved embroidery on the pocket.  I staggered the shirt steps just a bit between the two sizes so I would...

There has been crafting!  Like every red state that reopened quickly to save the economy, coronavirus is surging here, so we're both fortunate that our companies are both still having employees work from home (though I have to be out and about some for work) and we go out as little as possible. Our county FINALLY has a mask mandate, which is helping, but gyms and indoor dining are still allowed, so we're not exactly protecting our citizens as well as we could.   I made a new shirt, which is NOT made of plastic or vinyl, no matter how it looks. Venus has been helping me on my Irish Moss sweater, which is down to just seams and the collar, but I think I'm going to run out of yarn and this particular colorway is out of stock right now, so I've put it aside again.  As the dye lots will probably vary, the best place for the new yarn is the back of the collar, so I'll probably have to rip out what I've done so far, start over with the new yarn, then switch t...

The new job is going well, but busy.  Idaho had shut down, reopened, and after reopening bars, is having huge spikes in coronavirus.  Lots of Fox News followers here, so they flip between the virus being some worldwide hoax against them or Trump, masks either don't let oxygen through OR won't stop virus particles--the really idiotic going with both--and certainly, not following protocols.  Idaho has also had funnel clouds, an earthquake (with hundreds of aftershocks), flooding, and the mountains are getting snow today.  Our new term is "disaster exhaustion."  Thank heavens for crafting and kitties!

Idaho got it's first confirmed corona virus case Friday, and we're already at 9 confirmed cases with at least 37 people being monitored.  Most cases were from people bringing it in, though I think 4 cases are untraced and are all in a pretty small population base, so it in the population in general in some areas.  Being a state that loathes government, the governor is leaving everything to counties and cities. so things are uneven and confusing with some cities acting quickly to stop the spread and others still pretending it's a hoax, so I'm sure THAT will turn out well.  Andy's company and my new company have already sent everyone home to work, so it's nice to be part of organizations taking this seriously.  Meanwhile, Andy's Valentine's Day shirt is finished except for some hand stitching and buttons.  Clearly, not exactly on time.  I'm still on the Spicy Spiral marathon, and will be frantically finishing this one for a charity auction f...

And we're already into March. WOW. Updates in no particular order: * I was offered a very exciting job on Friday and also had an interview for another great job that morning, so it was a REALLY great day.  *  Charlie has now experienced catnip: * My parents are moved into their new house and are loving it.  Their housewarming gift is in progress: The colors are a bit more subdued than the picture.  For the most part, I like my new phone, but the picture colors are overly intense.  *  While trying to find fabrics that I thought would work for the fall colors they wanted, I found some fat quarter sets on clearance, so I'm on a Spicy Spiral binge, this being the latest:  Charlie is helping:  *  We're gone through so many gifts lately that I've been working on bowls as well,  including working out some new shapes: * I finished the socks I was working on, and immediately cast on a new pair: because self-patterni...

I'm not sure I'll have a prouder accomplishment all year--or a more surprising one.  I think I have a few fingerprints left. Andy is gone for the weekend, so the kitties and I are having a crafting weekend.  With their help,  I finished the first project of the year. The colors are a bit more subdued in real life, but I don't know how to reduce the intensity of this cell phone's camera.  I also cut some more strips for other projects, and wound another Hank from Hell:  A couple years ago I bought some Feza Rio that was on clearance, and for a cashmere/merino blend, it's not at all soft, and until this yarn, I didn't know one could hank yarn badly, but there does seem to be a way to do it so unevenly that permanent kinks are put into the yarn, and if that weren't enough fun, rather than being normal human beings who tie the ends into the threads holding the hank in place, these deranged maniacs tied the two ends together and snipped off the end...