Fine!

I looked and looked and looked (and also remembered to look...) and found where to remove the word verification.

I am such a pushover for peer pressure.

Or at least my sister's opinions.

Smarty Pants

County Plus App ($1.60)

Free version - County

My smarty pants phone (Droid X2) has proven to be so very fun.  And useful, to boot!  Which is good.  The phone itself didn’t cost me all that much, but the monthly data charge certainly needs to be justified. In my mind, at least.

Of course, part of the pleasure right at first was hunting for apps to download. Some have remained and some have not.  Some have proven ever so useful and entertaining, and some ever so lame.

I have discovered the FAOTD (Free App Of The Day) that Amazon offers.  I have even become discerning in what of those I choose to download.  I am not all just oooh free!

I have even bought some.  Three, to be exact.  One was on sale for 10 cents.  I know.  The Guy was perplexed to see that charge…

The other two?  Knitting apps.  Go figure.

The one I would like to talk about (and I am not being paid for this) is called County Plus.  It is a row counter for knitting, and while it took me a bit get intuited with the app, I do believe now that it is the cat’s meow.

It allows me to list my projects and keep track of what it is I want to track on each one, with certain limitations.  Am I tracking increase rows on a raglan sweater, or lace repeats?  I can use the settings to count up or down, and mark the row I am on, or the next row.  And I move to the next row with just a screen tap.  So easy!

I am just putting the word out there for something I have found to be worth what I paid for it, but there is a free version for trying before buying, too. I have linked to both through the Droid Marketplace, but both are available through Amazon, too, I think.

I do not know about you iPhoners.  You are a breed apart and hard to understand...

Loopy Ewe Comes To The Fort

I’m not bragging.  I’m just saying.

Also lucky for me?  Loopy is located right out by Lowe’s!  And also Designer Shoe Warehouse, but Lowe’s is what attracts The Guy.  So now I am all ‘heck to the yeah, I'll go to Lowe’s with you!’

Heh heh heh…

My first visit, a scant two days after she opened her doors, I went for a look-see, and also needing something.  Yes…I needed a pair of 16” size 6 circular needles.  Mine disappeared, and I do not know how.  I do not loan them, and I keep my stuff pretty organized, really.  Those of you who know me in real life may or may not be surprised at that.  Perhaps the animals are learning to knit in the round on the sly…hats for the house elves, maybe.

I thought it was humorous, but in a good way, that I was greeted at the door by the store help with 'is this your first time in?'  They had been open two days!! Now I am a devoted knitter, but really...

So there I was looking at  The Wall of Circulars, and there were exactly only one brand of sz 6 16” circulars in stock.  I am not the only one missing these needles, I am thinking.  Whatever…I sprung for the Addis, my only choice.  I needed them.

I also bought some wooden sock blockers, in a small size, with little lamby-kins.  Pretty cutey pie, and also useful!

My second visit was on The Grand Opening, upon which I discovered the sale shelf.  Seriously, though…like I need more yarn.  And seriously again…that did not stop me from buying a skein of sock yarn.  It was The Grand Opening, after all.

In my little city, we have no dearth of bike shops, and we are very fortunate to have plenty of choices in our yarn shops, each offering their own specialty.

Not bragging…just saying.

Quilting Business

I have completed the piecing of the quilt top for Grandbebe the fourth, who turned one year old around Christmas time.  I don’t consider it late at all.

Yet.

And continued, diligent efforts this past month resulted in finishing up the outer sashing, piecing the back, and sandwiching the quilt.

It was basted with help from the Boy Kitty. (not)

Dearest Sister’s efforts in embroidery continue to amaze.

We were able to put together the nine-patches together, during her all-too-brief overnight stay last fall.

There is always a kick when in all comes together so well.

The quilting has begun.

By the by, there is another grandbebe due in May.  And it’s another girl! And Dearest Sister has already planned out and started the embroidery panels for that quilt.

Always behind I am…

(don't forget to click for big...the embroidery details shine)

Weighing the Pros and Cons

Since last spring/summer, I have scoured 3 partial fleeces I bought at local markets that were from coated sheep, and one full fleece that I tracked down from a rancher south of here that raises for market.  That one I had heard about the breed and wanted to try it.  Not a shepherd that practices raising for the spinner, and not a covered fleece.

I completed the carding of these four fleeces the end of January, and just recently weighed the finished batts. And interestingly, I have practiced some record-keeping with these fleeces that allowed me to calculate the percentage of weight loss from pre-wash to post-carding.

Now, a shepherd that raises with spinners in mind will sell, as I mentioned, a fleece from an sheep that has been coated, which means that once sheared, the critter gets a blanket belted on that prevents all sorts of hay, seeds, and debris (common verbage labels this as vegetable matter, or VM) from becoming embedded in the wool and glued to it by the lanolin.  As the wool grows, the blanket is adjusted to accommodate the longer growth.  So there is an investment in both equipment and time with coating sheep.  In addition, the shepherd will sell the sheared fleece skirted, which means all the undesirable portions are already removed…the doodly bits from the behind, the dirty, stringy leg wool, all that isn’t covered and isn’t prime wool.

This all makes for a difference in cost, don’t you know.  Such as this, I paid $25.00 for 10 pounds of the uncoated, unskirted fleece from the rancher, and $46.00 for 2.6 pounds of coated, skirted fleece from a well-reputed shepherdess from the Estes Park Wool Market.  Seems like a huge difference and that for some extra work on my part, a dirty fleece might be a bargain.

Not so much.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

My before and after calculations show, that after my own skirting, and the additional loss due to veggie matter, I lost 66% of the weight of the dirty fleece resulting in a price/oz of  $2.20.  The other in the above example, which is typical of the three coated fleeces, resulted in a weight loss of 23% and a price/oz. of $1.43.  With a LOT less work, and a much better result…I still have debris in the batts from the dirty fleece.

For further consideration, the fleeces considered here were all fairly comparable, and none out of line with the others in quality in manner of luxury or fineness.

I love it when I can put pen to paper and come up with hard facts.  And also justification for paying the price for quality.

Heh heh heh…like I need to buy more wool…I am not saying how many pounds I have waiting to be spun.

I like to think of it as preparing for retirement.

Score!

In my recent knitting activity, I have been frustrated when some of my inexpensive, bought-on-Ebay, bamboo-with-plastic-cables circulars have broken their cables in the middle of a row.

I am nothing if not my mother’s daughter.  I continued on.  And then I super-glued and kept on keeping on.  And they kept breaking.  Some of the more used sizes, I fear, have reached the end of their life span.  The needles are okay for what they gave me…a range of sizes in circulars of 32” that got me by for several years…for about $12.00.  For the whole set.  I am not complaining.  They were not meant for the Loops of Magickness.

They also gave me the time to review what I wanted to Really Have.  And what I really wanted to have is the ‘Berninas’ of interchangeable needles…Addi Clicks by Skacel. (A Bernina is a high end sewing machine...like the Electrolux of sewing machines.) (An Electrolux is a high end appliance...like a Volvo...anyway...)

I found some Addis that a fellow Raveler was selling.  Gently used, a good price point, shipping paid…I forked over some leftover Christmas money to further justify the expense.

My Addi Lace Clicks arrived last week.  Eight sizes of tips, and 5 cord lengths. (Wonderful Guy wonders if I will ever need to buy another set of needles again? I hesitated to answer…because really?  The answer is..probably yes.) I have admired them.  I have petted them.  I have connected and disconnected them.  I have showed them off.

 But I have not used them.  I wonder what I am waiting for….

Maybe for all my other circs to go belly up and I REALLY need the new ones?

Three Months of Knitting

(including Christmas)

Mittens

Toddler's and Children's Mitten, by Bev Galeskas, from Felted Knits, out of Porcupine Alpaca, Louet Riverstone, Paton's Classic Wool, andThirteen Mile Lamb andWool. Hand section is knitted and felted. Cuffs are then picked up and knitted.  I have not heard whether or not they fit or work.  I know they were awesomely cute as knitted!

Hats











Aviatrix, byJustine Turner (Rav linky) out of Bernat Alpaca Natural Blends, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino, Louet Riverstone, and Thirteen Mile Lamb and Wool.  This is an fantastic pattern, well written, and adjustable for several sizes from newborn to young children.

Slippers

Mohair Ballet Slippers, by Bev Galeskas, from Felted Knits, out of Mountain Colors Weavers Wool Quarters and Patons Classic Wool, without the mohair...another absolutely awesome pattern from this book.  I am ready to cast on a pair for Youngest Daughter, who has worn through her French Press Slippers.  I love it when my gifted handknits are loved to death.

Sweaters

Easy Baby Cardigan, by Diane Soucy (rav linky), out of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino.  Both the pattern and the yarn went well together, and worked.  Also washable.  Diane Soucy wins as a designer for me.

Mothed, by Mags Kandis (Knitty.com link) out of double stranded #2 Shetland...I have no more information than that!  Oh, and it's really not Mothed...I didn't really follow the chart.

Socks

A couple of different patterns from Sensational Knitted Socks, by Charlene Schurch, out of Brown Sheep Wildfoote.  Love the socks.  Yarn is very splitty.

 & Bags

French Market Bags, by Polly Outhwaite (Knitty.com link) out of Brown Sheep Lambspride Worsted, Nature Spun Worsted, and Louet Riverstone.  A great pattern with some adaptation.  For me, it was suppose to be a stash buster, but unfortunately, I ended up having to buy yarn to finish.  Whatever, the girls love them.

And this one for me...and Apollo...
Ilene Bag, by Hannah Ingalls, (rav linky) out of Maggi's Linen

That's some of what's been keeping me out of trouble.

Tax Frustrations

For many years, married to the X, our tax situation was complex, being ‘clergy’. It took much record keeping and organization and specialized accounting.  It was always a major ordeal to get things organized and sent off by the ‘deadline’ required by the accountant for the ‘discount’ which was always desirable, because his specialized services were pricey.  Then later, the deadline was extra-speshul for student financial aid purposes.

After The Guy and I married, things were different, of course, but as he was self-employed, there were still hoops to jump through, come tax time.  Still no fun.  Still lots of documentation and record wrangling.

The last 4 or 5 years have been back to the regular world of working for employers who send us W-2s by the end of January.  We buy our ‘tax prep in a box’ and we’re good to go.  This past week I pulled all our crap together, and entered all the data.  I proofed it all last night and e-filed the federal return.  Done and done!

I thought.  About an hour later…ding…an email…my return was rejected!  My employer’s EIN did not match what the IRS had on record for my employer. Which was exactly what was on my W-2...which was what H&R Block downloaded from ADP…which was the same EIN for the same employer for last year…

I called the help line for the tax prep service, who could find no record of my return, or my purchase of their software in their system. She asked me 'are you sure you are using H&R Block?'  Probably a routine question…but... alas, I was very frustrated.  I know she couldn’t see who she was talking to, and just doing her job, but I was feeling patronized and probably am going to have to go back and fill out that customer satisfaction survey.

She told me I had to call the IRS.  Who had closed their helpline 20 minutes prior.

I took a chance and just refilled in the offending blank, and refiled the forms.  Well, when one buys the software, one gets 5 free e-files.  I always thought that was cool, because I don't know, we could help the kids...if they needed it...five free, and I only need one, you know.

Well, guess what.  Those extra efiles?  They are for your REJECTIONS!!!  So far I have chewed up 2 of my 5.  Oh yeah…that customer satisfaction survey is in my sights.

So I went to bed determined not to lose sleep over this.  I had a plan.  I would get up and exercise, get dressed, and call the IRS as soon as they opened at 7A.  If I was on hold, so be it.  I have nothing going on at work and also...it's my employer’s fault!!!  So work stuff!

It worked.  I slept good.

I called the IRS, and they confirmed my rejection for that reasons, after…oh…25 minutes on hold. And then said I needed to make sure my employer didn't change EINs this year.  Otherwise, we would have to mail our forms. 

No surprise to me, my payroll person said no to the change of EIN, and confirmed that my W-2 for this year and last year were correct.  And did I check for typos?  Was the number entered by download or manually?

Uh…yeah to the BOTH!!!

So what the heck? We mailed our forms, and I am not sure what difference that is going to make.  And is everyone else who works for my employer going to have the same issue?

Or…am I just being singled out…

Going Forward

I have been appraising the blog situation.  I started Needles of Iron in January of 2008, and went along quite merrily and steadily for 4-ish years, before beginning to sputter towards the end of last year.

I have asked myself some questions trying to determine the cause of sputtering, if there is a motivation that can spur me on, is there a need to continue, why do I write in this form after all, and do I have something to say.

These are hard questions and not easy for me to answer. I believe come to this.

Why do I share what I share, and why is it important?

I would like to think I have Important Content, but really?  I don’t.  I would like to think I am amusing and humorous but really?  There are those bloggers out there that one should read for that sort of thing.  I don’t have any great insight on knitting techniques.  I just do my thing my way and as for free knitting patterns?  Well, I can only point the direction to those patterns I use.  I can offer some vacation photos taken at really fun places, but these, too, are strictly amateurish!

There have been posts that offer my insights on life and my experiences, and I liked those, but my opinions and experiences are really my own, and other’s mileage may vary.  Other’s mileage undoubtedly varies, and everyone is entitled to their own.  Mostly.

One thing I truly appreciated about blogging is the interaction with other bloggers, and getting to know my internet peeps.  But I noticed this past fall, when I lost the opportunity to comment on other’s blog, that little perk fell by the wayside for the most part, which saddened me, but what the heck.  It happened, and the people in our lives come and go.

My blog has been really great in letting my family know what I am doing to stay busy, and also in making sure they have enough fodder for keeping me humble.  After all, what are siblings for?  I am so pleased that my family takes the time to read my ramblings.  On the other hand, I will say because my family reads, I censor myself!  Maybe that’s a good thing.

So where am I going with this?  What am I doing and why, and am I going to keep going and how?

I am back to where I started…writing for me, about what I want and what I do, but now I am also letting my family know what I am up to.  With some photos thrown in. 

No other pretensions.