Joining Carole & friends for Three Things on Thursday...

1 -- This is the last photo taken with my old phone, a.k.a. Rusty's new phone!

The way it works around here is that when someone wants an upgrade, that usually means me! Rusty had a pretty basic phone and, since he's become more active on social media, mainly wanted a better camera to take photos of artwork.

Anyway, I had a hair appointment yesterday and, nope, I wasn't ready to think about going shorter. Thinned and trimmed and curled! I love a good hair day... especially when the sun is shining!

It's been awful/so rainy around here and, I know you're sick of hearing about it, but the stupid street/sidewalk project in front of the coffee shop is still not finished! It's been dismal, disheartening, depressing... weekday sales are down anywhere from 30-70%... they're trying some new things/promos... chin up & fingers crossed! 

2 -- This is one of the first photos taken with my new phone!

Portrait mode, even. I've got some learning to do!! I've been a Samsung girl for about as long as I've had a cell phone... but that ultra wide angle camera, ease of traveling and connecting with certain family members, more functionality in some apps... led me to go with an iPhone for the first time!

Rusty & I will be on our way to Arizona a week from tomorrow! That trip includes a tour to the Grand Canyon, and it sounds like we'll be driving out to Oatman with Rusty's brother & sister-in-law. I wanted a little time to get used to the new phone/camera before the trip. The Grand Canyon seems like the perfect place to use the ultra wide!

3 -- Autumn.

We had quite a storm on Monday -- sideways rain and wind from the east, then from the south -- it was crazy. Lots of leaves fell, as has the temperature since then. It's inevitable, of course, but the temps are definitely on the downhill slide toward winter. Right around the time we hit our first "high in the 30s" day, we'll be heading south...

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Just a quick housekeeping note. The current Make.Do website expires tomorrow and I've decided not to renew. I will keep the domain and... we'll see. Many good things happened in the past year because of that site, and I thank everyone who ordered yarn or totes or Field Guides or 'zines (there are still some listed, including the sold-out "Florida" issue of Nomadic Knits). Truthfully, it turns out that it's just a bit more than I am able or willing to juggle. When it comes right down to it, given the choice of dyeing yarn/updating the website or hanging out with my kids/grandkids... um, there's no contest! I'll continue to dye yarn now & then, and sell goods at the Make.Do space within Kaukauna Coffee & Tea... you can find me there! I'll also offer up some yarn here on occasion before taking it to the shop, if you'd like.

Joining Kat & the Unravelers today, sharing what I'm knitting and reading.

KNITTING:

There's an FO... it's for Christmas, even!

• Ravelry Project Page: Waving Rib Worsted Cuff-Down Socks
• Pattern: Cuff-Down Socks by Wendy Bernard
• Yarn: Make.Do Realize Worsted
• Needles:  US 6 DPNs
• Start to Finish:  July 4 - August 5, 2019

These originally started as another pair of Tin Can's Rye Socks, but I discovered that I was knitting an adult/toddler mash-up using two sets of numbers... not at all what I was going for!

Mason-Dixon Knitting Field Guide No. 11 - Wanderlust had recently been published, and I decided it was time to try something a little different. The patterns in Wanderlust are all written for fingering/sock yarn and I still wanted to use worsted, so I adjusted needle size, numbers, and the panel pattern repeat accordingly.

These were my first short-row heels, too, and I like them!

Since I was going up north for a couple of days -- driving up on Saturday and back on Monday, 4.5+ hours each way -- I brought four knitting projects. Haha. (I'm not kidding.) I pulled my knitting out only twice -- socks both times -- on Sunday night and Monday morning when it was just my cousin Gail and I, and I knit the entire foot while we chatted.

In the elements. I forgot how pine-y it smells up there.

And, yes, I'm happy that I went. I took a 20-minute car nap on the way up, and wove in and out of downpours all the way home, but in between we had a great time. Good company, good food, boating, lots of yapping.

READING:

Since I last checked in...

The Summer Walkers is still on my nightstand.

I finished my second listen of Lincoln in the Bardo, and enjoyed it just as much if not more the second time around.

On my long drive last weekend, I listened to most of Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb. I'm less than an hour from finishing and there are definitely some things I like/relate to in the story, but there are also some things that I'm not crazy about (not quite eye-rolling, but close...)

MDK Field Guide No. 11 is released today!

WANDERLUST is a collection of sock patterns by designer Wendy Bernard.

Cuff-down or toe-up; plain or fancy or anything in between! There are 13 stitch patterns and the opportunity to make truly one-of-a-kind, personalized socks -- lots of them!

Field Guide No. 11 is on the shelf at the shop, and also available to order online > HERE!

Joining Carole & friends for Three Things on Thursday...

Thing 1: It's Go Time! I mentioned the other day that we published Kate's/the upstairs apartment on Airbnb, and that there had been some interest.

It's been nine days, we've had eight inquiries, and we are so surprised! Of those:

• One canceled booking by a woman whose son attending a nearby university would be recovering from outpatient surgery; upon further review, it turns out a traditional hotel (with long walkable hallways) would be better suited for his post-op needs.
• Two declined bookings: one because the apartment wasn't suitable (she didn't read the listing limitations); the other because of too short notice!
• Two that weren't possible: one because the number of guests suddenly increased and exceeded our capacity; another was a pre-approved request for dates that someone else snagged before it was accepted!
• One pre-approved, awaiting confirmation.

There are two confirmed bookings! The first one is for Monday-Friday -- as in this coming Monday! So we are getting all the last-minute things done. And Kate, in the meantime, is also packing for a quick work/art trip to Nebraska... also keeping in mind upcoming longer trips to the UK & Europe! It's all a little crazy.

The other confirmed booking isn't until mid-April, but who knows what will happen between now & then! We truly didn't expect much until summertime, and then... maybe a family reunion, a wedding. None of these bookings or inquiries are for reasons that had even crossed our minds. So. What do we know?? Haha.

Thing 2: It's Almost Drive Time! I need to get an International Driving Permit (IDP) for Spain... a trip that is coming up right quick! (YIKES!!) I've had my application filled out for weeks, and finally had Rusty take some "passport-type photos" the other night, which I sized & printed, so I could bring the whole she-bang with me yesterday. Then I noticed that they required check or money order, and didn't accept cash... I don't know about you, but I haven't carried my checkbook in a very long time. I needed to make a deposit for work and happen to have my HSA account at the same institution, and they let me draw a $20 MO from there. I happily made my way to AAA and she told me that my photos were too big (even though they were processed to passport specs -- GAH!!). They could take photos there, and I'd have done it... if they'd accept a credit/debit card from a non-member, or I'd had a check with me, or a MO for $32 instead of $20. GRRR. I resized & reprinted photos last night -- and tucked a blank check into my wallet -- and will try again today!

Thing 3: It's Yarn Time! I've never knit a Fade (though I have printed out at least a couple of patterns), but that almost looks like it could be one! I've had some fun in the dye studio over the past couple of weeks. I've made it a point to put "DYE" on my calendar on my days off -- making it a priority on those days, not just a thing I do when I have time. There are a few last-minute tweaks before a website update later today -- shooting for noon CST!

Happy Day!

Variety: YARN

Happy Weekend!

Unsolicited, and a couple of weeks ago already, Facebook presented me with "Your Year on Facebook," and Spotify sent my "2018 in Music" facts... triggering an avalanche of The Best of All The Things, including...

The Top Nine from my personal Instagram:

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Obviously, we had a new baby in the family! In something of a take-over, Malina is the subject of more than half of my photos. Rounded out with some good health news, turning 60, a cool Alabama Chanin-ish shirt made without sewing a single stitch (not that I mind the sewing), designating my sister's vintage Vogue/Rowan sweater as my Rhinebeck Sweater... oh, and there's Ginny! There is a LOT missing from this little collage...

I also ran the Top Nine from Make.Do:

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It's still a pretty small-scale operation, but I've amped it up a bit over the last couple of months... so I even had more than nine photos to choose from!

I also read Carole's Three On Thursday post last week wherein she lamented the onslaught of this type of thing because there is plenty of 2018 left! Yeah, I thought, you're right, but pshaaw... I'm so busy I can barely get a post up right now, much less make it a good one, and that's not likely to change by the end of the year...

And then:

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*It did change!! I'm calling it Top 10!  ;)

New enamel pins of my yarn ball logo finally arrived and I was pretty excited about them, and so were about 35 other people - haha (it doesn't take much at this stage)! Anyway, they are so cool... a substantial but not enormous 1.25" in diameter, jewelry-grade cloisonné, with six colors of enamel and black nickel plating, and they're in the shop! Blog readers can use the code FREESHIP to get free shipping now through the end of the year -- on pins or anything!

Thank you for all your comments, encouragement, and support, and just for continuing to pop by and read!

Shameless self-promotion follows.

I’m having a blast and am humbled by the lovely response to this latest phase in my ongoing yarn-y endeavours! Kate's been encouraging me for quite a long time and, yes, she did sort of smirk when she asked, "Aren't you glad you finally did that?"

I’ve updated online shop inventory, and have added some brand new and a fair bit of OOAK* hand-dyed “Be” fingering/sock yarn!

Use discount code MONDAY for 20% off any online order

Use SHIPFREE for free shipping on orders over $50

Codes valid now through, well, MONDAY (today, midnight CST)!

Oh, and a FREE MINI-SKEIN will accompany every order, while supply lasts!!

It should all work but, y’know, this is all new… so let me know if you have any problems checking out!

*I've never been very good at the color name game... still searching for the elusive inspirational theme that will solve all my problems.

Eight weeks ago, having recently let my WW membership lapse, I was recruited by Kate to join her in a commitment to eat better and lose some weight. So I reacquainted myself with my Lose It app and we started planning & logging (the key to success no matter the program)! We coordinate dinners as much as we can and mostly cook & eat at home! It can be tiresome... sometimes I think we need something new in rotation, and not just a dish, a big new actual palatable, main-dishable ingredient thing... but we're managing. We're not doing any one thing, just buying, preparing & eating Real Good Food.

There's only one scale in the house and it happens to be in Kate's apartment, so once every week or so, on the weekend or my day off, before breakfast & getting dressed, I wrap a scarf 'round my neck and step into some boots (not even bothering to zip/tie) and dash outside & up the stairs in my bathrobe for a weigh-in.

I've lost 10.6 pounds since then. Not setting the world on fire, but that's OK! I've done some traveling, some socializing, some celebrating, and still... my clothes fit better (ok, yes, I'm talking about jeans) and I feel better, win-win.

I don't have any other photos to show today, so you get yarn. These are in the shop now. There's more on the drying rack, and an order arriving at the end of the week!

New thing, sorta scary:

Has a brand new website!

I had a very productive weekend that proceeded at a lovely pace. I did some things that I needed to do, I did somethings that I wanted to do, and I did somethings that flew in out left field. That is my FAVORITE kind of weekend! I feel refreshed.

Also, I slept pretty well.

I spent a bit of time on both days getting my downstairs dye studio in order -- cleaning, assembling a shelf unit, hauling stuff down there & organizing -- and even dyed a couple of hanks. I need to get a feel for the space, equipment, and flow...

I dragged almost everyone down to look at it, and Kate snapped a different view, shared on her IG story.

I'm itching to get back down there, but that probably won't happen until Friday!

As you know, the exciting & long-awaited remodel of KC&T and Make.Do @ KC&T is underway! We can't wait for the reopening and are so excited about all of the updates & improvements!

As exciting as that is, it also means that the shop is closed until approx. December 7th! The KC&T Coffee Camper will be out front every morning 6:30-11am during the closure, with limited menu/merchandise, but we're missing a couple of important holiday shopping weeks, including Small Business Saturday!

In an effort to salvage a bit of the season, selected Make.Do merchandise is... 15% off + $5 flat-rate shipping*

ONLINE ORDERS/U.S. SHIPPING ONLY thru 12/7/17

(*free local pick up can be arranged!)

KNITTING NECESSITIES - The newest tote bag from Fringe Supply! $20

2018 Wall Calendar, featuring a year of illustrated sheep & natural dye plants (they're gorgeous!), from making. $26

Field Guide No. 5 - SEQUENCES, brand new from Mason-Dixon Knitting. $14.95

Also: Field Guides No. 1 - STRIPES, No. 2 - FAIR ISLE, No. 3 - WILD YARNS, and No. 4 - LOG CABIN. $14.95 each

Making No. 4 / LINES. $24

Also: No. 3 / DOTS, $24
No. 2 / FAUNA and No. 1 / FLORA, $20 each

ALL QUANTITIES LIMITED

 Email [email protected] with your desires! Thank you!!

More coloring.  ;)

It's not exactly what I was going for -- it's a bit brighter than I'd imagined! I love it, though. One of those is already wound up because I'm dying to see how it knits up.

There was a little room in the pot so I threw in this hank of bulky SW merino/nylon to soak up the slop. It's already on the needles being worked up into a hat!

It's fun to play around! I'm not always consistent with output -- what with work, family, occasional travel, other obligations, and a bunch of other interests -- but I do sell most of the yarn that I dye. It's mostly through [email protected]&T -- my little knitting corner within Ali's coffee shop where I also carry some tools & notions, patterns & books, other stuff that I like (and from suppliers that don't have huge minimum orders... it's a wee shop!). I'm more than happy to pack & ship if ever there's something you see. Mostly, it's a fingering/sock base -- 75% Superwash Merino/25% Nylon -- but I work with some other bases, too.

I predict we'll have a very mobile baby by Christmas! She pivots when she sits, reaching and scooting... she has to figure out a couple of things yet, like how to get her leg out of the way!

Zoom Zoom!

Like a photo of some slippers in a magazine.

MY photo of slippers I MADE in a MAGAZINE! They asked permission, credited the photo with my name and blogsite, sent me a copy, and EVERYTHING!

The magazine is Mollie Makes, a UK-based magazine for makers, thrifters, collectors, crafters. It was waiting in my stack of mail upon returning from Chicago. So fun!

The slippers are Hopsalots, of course, by tiny owl knits.

I'm quite pleased. I sell both the pattern and the yarn I used, Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller Full O' Sheep, at my *tiny* and slowly growing shop, Make.Do. I hope soon to have some items listed online -- especially some Make.Do Hand-Dyes.

If there's a holiday you observe this weekend -- and even if there's not -- I hope you're having a great one!