Camo Cotton Cloth

Nothing fancy about this 100% cotton camo washcloth, but I like it anyway. It's made using the basic corner to corner method starting with casting on 4. I used size 8 needles. I was hoping to get 2 cloths out of the one skein, but that's not going to happen. The variegated Sugar'n Cream is only 3 oz vs the 4 oz of the solid colors. I used 1.7 oz making this almost 11 inch square cloth and therefore only have 1.3 oz. left.

I cast on 4 as mentioned above, knitted 2 stitches before my yo (yarn over). The label suggested size 7 needles. So maybe if I make one a little smaller and use smaller needles I can get a 2nd cloth? I knit until I had 55 stitches before starting my decrease cause I wanted it sized for a man.

For fun I figured out how many rows and stitches. So, adding 54 + 54 =108 plus the middle row of 55 stitches =109 rows, but then you substract 8 (cause you cast on 4 and bind off with 4 stitches still on the needles), and you're back down to 101 rows. Funny, never really thought about this before, but a group of us were talking about how good it is to have a quick, fast project. Adding the stitches now that's a different story. Adding 4-5-6 etc until you get to 54, then multiplying that by 2 (2 halves), and adding 55 the middle row you get 3,987 stitches. That seems like a lot of stitches for a quick easy project doesn't it. I was surprised. Anyway...sometimes a person's mind wonders. This is probably more then anyone wants or needs to know about the knitting of a corner to corner cotton washcloth...but there you have it.

This will packaged with soap and other personal care items and donated to Bridge and Beyond next month, as 100% cotton will be our focus for the month of June.

Let me Quench your Thirst

Nicely chilled Martini's anyone? The martini on the left is a Dirty Martini with Vodka and olives, and the martini on the right is Gin, a dry Gin Martini with a twist for hubby. He likes Bombay. My favorite Vodka is Rain, but that's not easy to come by. We can't get it here, so often instead I use Belvedere.
Though sometimes I prefer a Lemon Drop Martini with a nice sugared rim. I make a good Martini if I do say so myself. We've gotten so were disappointed when we order one out, and find ourselves saying they're not as good as mine. lol You really need them to be ice cold, which in a busy bar is hard to do. I chill the glasses in the freezer and really shake the shaker which can give you very small little ice crystals...nice! Now that, quenches your thirst.

What type of Martini's do you like? Do you make them at home or order them out?

**This is my Q post Z-A challenge.

Whoa Nellie, it's Wednesday

Well, I've made lots of progress on my Poodle Blanket. Believe I've completed 4 sections since my last post and picture and am at the writing of this (scheduled ahead a wee bit), almost at the half way point. Hopefully, by the time you read this I will be on the decreasing half vs the add a stitch half. Somehow, mentally that always makes you feel you're closer then you really are. After all it takes the same amount of time to do the 2nd half as it does the first half...or does it? You do perhaps spend more time on the first half decided when and where to change colors which is less of an issue the 2nd half....though realistically this one isn't x number of rows and it's not precise. No need to do that really with the yarn. I named this one Poodle Blanket since my last post because the colors make me think of the 50's and poodle skirts. And black and white saddle shoes. It's made with 2 different skeins of JoAnn's Sensations Rainbow Boucle. This yarn is listed as a bulky yarn and that always surprises me as it's very light weight to work with. It suggests size 10 needles on the label, but I grabbed size 8. To me 8 is the average, the one you use the bulk of the time with knitted worsted which is what the yarn seems to me like. It might go faster though with size 10.
I've made no headway with the red scarf for The Red Scarf Project since last time. Since it's a long way off, I've laid it aside for awhile. Likewise, the pretty blue with the long 300 stitch cast on..I've not done anymore on it either.
Instead I decided to cast on this pretty yellow butterfly washcloth. I needed a little project to tote around and this seemed like a good idea. The problem I'm having is the cotton fiber does not slid nicely on my Denise Needles. I probably should have grab some old metal needles for this project. It's fine for the regular knitted rows, and or even the regular pearl rows; but the rows where you're purling a purl it seems very tight and hard to move and is hard on my hands.

Both the yellow washcloth and the pink poodle blanket will be donated to those in need at Faith Mission, through Bridge and Beyond.

I've asked several people in their blogs, but haven't yet received a reply...so will ask here. Does anyone know how to make those little graphs you see on people's blogs that show percentage done on any given project? I've wondered that many times and would like to add a couple here, I think. I've seen them on RAV. as well, but am more interested in posting those here on the blog. Please leave your instructions in the comments. That way, others who might be interested will also see them, and I won't delete them in emails or have to go sort through to find them. Thanks

Who is She, SANDY, that is?

Sandy of Sandy's Space, who is she? Well yeah there's a little ditty of a profile on the blog, don't we all have that. (pretty typical picture of me, preparing pasta and wine at hand....I'm sure there's yarn laying somewhere too)

Well, Sandy's a 60 year old who sometimes feel 60 +, though is lucky enough to usually feel much younger. I don't get hung up on age, or birthdays, they're just numbers after all. Numbers don't mean much unless we place great importance on them.

I'm married and when June rolls round this year will be celebrating 39 years. Neither hubby or I have been married to anyone else. We met in high school, though we only had one date then. We were friends, lived on the same street even. He worked with my younger brother the summer after high school and that's when we started dating. Unlike kids today we didn't know and date each other for eons and eons before getting engaged; nor were we engaged for YEARS earning our millions, buying everything on our list before getting married. We dated about 9 months, got engaged in the fall and got married the very next June. We had a very small outdoor wedding. My Mother made my dress and the dress my SIL, Jan wore who was my maid of honor. Though I guess technically she was my matron of honor since she was married. We had one used car between us, and somehow managed. Hubby was working full time evenings, and went to school during the day, while I worked day shift at a local hospital. We were happy, don't think we cared our furniture didn't match, or wasn't new. Don't think we even realized we didn't have much. We were together and that's what mattered to us.

We were married a good long while before we had our one practical perfect daughter. We never vacationed without her, and in the early days we camped mostly because that was affordable, and because we like being outdoors. We hiked, cooked out, and enjoyed lots of family time. We had one TV, and later when she needed one for school 1 computer.

I love good wine, quiet time, pretty scenery, computer time, and naturally knitting and crochet time. I go no where without a project in hand. You never know if you'll have time to do a row or two. I learned to crochet and knit when I was very young. Mom taught me to knit and a lady next door taught me to crochet. I really didn't do anything with either craft until after I was married though.

I'm not an animal person. Many animals scare me. I've always assumed part of that came from being attacked by a large dog when I was a kid. Also, probably too the number of people I saw badly mauled when I worked for a plastic surgeon from their family pets didn't help. Though we had dogs when I was kid growing up, and hubby and I had 2 cats when we were younger.....so, we have had pets; but not now.

I love to travel, and almost always visit historic locations when we do travel. I love learning who was there before me. I enjoy doing genealogy, though due to library cut backs don't do as much of that as I used to. I like spending time in and photographing gravestones for the same reason, to learn history and genealogy. Most cemeteries are such peaceful pretty places, it's also a good place to walk.

I began this blog back in August of 2005, though blogged in other venues prior to that. Some of you might remember aol had blogs, though I couldn't get anyone to blog with me then. Everyone I knew that had aol was afraid to blog. I blogged for awhile on msn spaces and yahoo's 360; until both became irritating with things not working. That's when I found a home here on Blogspot. I didn't blog as much then as I do now, and have deleted all my earlier blog posts here. I now have 3 blogs here on blogspot, Traveling Suitcase, and Bridge and Beyond. Obviously Traveling Suitcase is a travel blog, Bridge and Beyond is dedicated to helping homeless through knitting and crocheting. And now, perhaps you know a little bit more about me, the lady called Sandy.

This is my S post, Z-A Challenge

Oddball Baby Blanket now a FO

FO Friday post

Cupid, the Oddball Baby Blanket is now complete and will soon be on it's way, traveling once again. It will be heading to Minnesota, and after being wash on it's way with many others to a hospital for babies in need. I blogged about this blanket, the process and the purpose for my WIPW HERE.
Here's a close up of the border which is comprised of a row of sc, followed by a row of dc cross stitches, followed by a row of shells made with 5 dc. I believe it does pull the blanket together a bit, not as much as I had hoped. I see the yellow (Xanthic), but the blue speaks aren't as visible as I would have liked. I like it better finished then when I began, but it's still not a favorite for me.

Items to work on: Afghan for Bridge and Beyond, Washcloth for Bridge and Beyond, Scarf for...maybe myself?, Scarf for Red Scarf Project, but have the urge to start something new....I'm seeing and hearing some yarn calling out to me. And, it's calling pretty loudly, so don't know if I'll be able to pretend I don't hear it much longer.

**Z-A V post is HERE
***U post is HERE

So much more then a Washcloth

A washcloth, really...you're blogging about a washcloth? Yes, I am. The finished washcloth in pretty spring colors was a gift. I belong to Oddball, and in fact blogged about in yesterday, (scroll back for the post). As we send around our knitted blankets that benefit charity; we generally include (though it's optional) a little gift for the next person doing the knitting. I got this wonderful washcloth from Cheryl. Cheryl is a fellow Ohioan which is cool, and if you've not used a hand knit or crocheted cotton wash cloth, you really don't know what you're missing. They are fabulous.

Hand knitted or crochet washcloths are both new and old. They are new and or retro, because; they really are quite old. People used to make these all the time, and suddenly they've become popular again. People in the crafting communities have decided maybe Grandma knew what she was talking about after all. They're very nice on your skin. They can be made square or round, some folks like to use them in the shower and some in the kitchen. There are several brands of 100% cotton yarn, but probably the most common and widely known and used is Lily, the original Sugar'n Cream 100% Cotton made in Canada. The new larger skeins are normally 3 oz, and measure 150 yards.

If you like to use body wash, you truly only need a dab if you use one of these wonderful cotton washcloths.

The 2nd one pictured, The camo one that's on the needle, well... I decided after getting Cheryl's gift I hadn't made one in awhile and nabbed some camo cotton. I'll be making as many as I can from the one skein and all will be donated to Bridge and Beyond.
Bridge and Beyond is one of my other blogs that focuses on helping homeless and those in need. Please hop over, always love visitors. Homeless people live in the elements. Do you have any idea how good it feels to take a bath, a shower, to wash up? To do that with a hand knit or crocheted washcloth is something easy to do at our end; and very meaningful at the other end. Skin tired, cold, wrinkled from the elements deserves to be washed with a hand knit especially for you cloth. Hand made shows them someone does care. We knit and crochet to warm those in need through Bridge and Beyond.

A simple washcloth with a bar of soap, is so much more then a washcloth and soap.

**A-Z Challenge W post
****V post CLICK HERE