Let the past sleep, but let it sleep in the sweet embrace of Christ, and let us go on into the invincible future with Him. (Oswalt Chambers)

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Chat Back for Janaury 10

Answering questions from comments and email.

It's a lovely January day. Weather report at end of post.

Megan asked . . .
I was wondering this morning if you and your dogs are still able to get out in the evenings to go to doggy school during the winter?

Here's Pappy looking out the window to check the weather to see if a trip to doggy school is going to be possible.

In Michigan we're prepared for winter. We have snowplows. We have road salt. We know how to drive on ice and through snow.

When the weather is severe, I try to use good judgement on if it's safe to drive to doggy school or not. Most times we go and all is well. Sometimes we just have to stay home and the dogs pout.

So far this winter Sunny has missed two classes and Pappy hasn't missed any.



Dorothy asked . . .
Are you getting something "trumpety" from Dave??

Yes, brother Dave has created something beautiful and trumpety for me. I'll be sure to post a picture when it arrives.


Kathy B asked . . .
Do let me know how you like the camera. I'm on the prowl for a new one. Happy New Year.

This is my third Canon digital and I do like it.

My first Canon, a Powershot A70, is five years old now. I still use it occasionally when I want to take pictures someplace that might be dangerous for a camera - like outside in a snowstorm.

My second Canon, a Powershot S3 IS is the one I use for zoom shots of the birds and most of my knitting shots, although I've started using the new little SD770 for some of the knitting pictures. The S3 IS is too big to carry around in my purse, which is why I wanted the new tiny camera.

I'd been looking at smaller Canons for months, ever since I saw what my brother could do with his SD1100. I just didn't want to spend the money. The new little SD770 measures 3.5 inches x 2 inches and is 3/4 inch deep. It's easy to use, takes great pictures, and I love it.



Susan asked . . .
What suggestions can you give for knitting socks that stay up? Do you have a secret? My son who is in the Army loves the Olive Drab socks that I knit for him, but he says they slide down. Yikes! Any advice?

I hate baggy socks so I have lots of advice.

I'll make this answer a separate blog post hopefully nest week.


Dorothy asked . . .
Any progress on Chenille?

Chenille has been gathering dust since I finished the back in October.

The love is gone. The problem is the yarn. It's not as nice as the Knitpicks Andean Treasure alpaca and I've discovered I don't look all that great in pale pink now that I'm almost white headed.

The jury is still out on if I'm going to frog it or not. Meanwhile, it's in time out.


Kathy B asked . . .
Do you know of a nice basic pattern that isn't in a book, that I can start knitting my gansey ? I would love to order a pattern, Im looking for a basic botttom and a not too complex top portion, knit in the round.

I don't have any individual gansey patterns.

Knitting Ganseys by Beth Brown-Reinsel sells for about $16 on Amazon. I highly recommend it for all knitting libraries. It does have three adult gansey patterns as well as all the information to vary them for your own unique design.

All the patterns and techniques in the book are seamless, knit in the round, bottom up with simple knit/purl motifs on the top.



Sue asked . . .
I love the Kaffe Fasset socks. And Opal is the nicest sock yarn. Did you find the KF yarn splitty?

The KF yarn is just like the other Regia sock yarn if you've ever used it. Tough but reasonably soft and not splitty at all.

Like Opal, Regia can be thrown in the washer and dryer so a gift recipient will (hopefully) actually wear the socks.


Kathleen C asked . . .
when you say the hemp blend softens up do you mean the way linen yarns do? I hesitate at hemp because it does feel so stiff and scratchy, but so does linen... until you wash it a couple times. Then it's heavenly soft! And drapey... almost too drapey. Does hemp get drapey?

I don't feel experienced enough with hemp and linen to answer this question.

The Coto Canapone, 52% cotton, 48% hemp, softens up nice when washed. I'm hoping Carrie's February Lady Sweater doesn't soften up too much or that worsted weight lace is going to bag all over.

My Coto Canapone gansey sweater is knit tight. Although it's not as soft as a cotton/acrylic blend I've used (Comfy from Knitpicks), the cotton/flax is holding its shape better, has better stitch definition, no pilling, and it's comfortable to wear even in hot weather.


Sheila asked . . .
If you can't be cranky with your blogger friends, where can you be cranky?

I'm tired of my own weather whining so this is not a whine. This is reporting.

We have over a foot of new snow and it's been coming down hard and heavy ever since I got up eight hours ago.

When it finally stops snowing tomorrow, the temperature is forecast to hover around zero for the first part of the week. Translation: Nothing is going to melt and it's going to be too cold to shovel unless we want to have heart attacks.

We keep having our worse weather on the weekends. I suspect tomorrow is going to be the 4th week in a row I won't be able to make it to church. I can't remember ever missing four weeks of church in a row.

This is turning into a whine, isn't it?

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