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Tuesday, June 25, 2019

A Man Called Marco

One of my all time favorite instrumentals, featuring the AMAZING Marco Pirroni !!


Saturday, June 22, 2019

Replacing Pets?

I know someone (that used to go to my church) and I am still Facebook friends with her. 

She has a thing for Great Danes.  She had one that lived a pretty good long life (for a Great Dane), then about a week later, she had a new puppy (Maggie) to replace her.  Also a Great Dane.  She recently died and from what I can tell it was some kind of heart problem, she had surgery, while her owners were hiking through Europe (which they do about 2 or 3 times a year).  So it seems they were not even home when their dog died. 

She was only about 4 years old.  They got back from Europe and a couple of days later, they now have a new Great Dane pup (Molly). 

I am not saying that people shouldn't get a new pet after they lose one, in fact, I think it is great to give an animal a good home but I just don't understand how someone can move on so quickly.

I guess to people like that, a dog is a dog and not family.  I still tear up when I think about Thatcher and even after 14 years, I am STILL not ready for another dog.  I miss him so much and barely an hour passes when I don't think of him. 

How you you just replace a pet the next day after losing one?  It is something I just don't understand.

Saturday, June 1, 2019

Pretty Pastels Dishcloth with Instructions

I saw this pattern and decided I wanted to make it for the annual dishcloth swap. I usually knit the dishcloths for the swap because I like knit cloths better but...in last year's swap, I received some crocheted cloths and I really liked them - they have a bit more scrubbing power and are strong and durable to I decided that I would do crochet cloths this year.

I saw this pattern called Pretty Pastels Dishcloth and decided to make it.  I bought the book on eBay for $2 and was almost ready to go except I know the pattern contained an error (as noted on Ravelry).
However, I searched all over to find it and even sent messages to a couple of others who had made it and no one had the errata (what they call errors in the knitting/crochet world) information.

So I just decided to follow the pattern as written and see if I could figure it out myself.  Well...I found the errors - there were more than one and thought I would share it in case others wanted to crochet it too.  I hope this will help.

I found out AFTER I bought the book, that the pattern is now free and can be found HERE.  The pattern in the book is slightly different than the free pattern but I think the free pattern is a little clearer and since it is free, I am referencing it here instead of the version in the book.

Section 1:  Work just as stated in the pattern

Ch 3. 
Row 1: (right side) Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in last ch, turn. 
Row 2: Ch 1, working in back loops only, sc in first sc, 2 sc in next sc, turn. (3 sc) 
Row 3: Ch 1, working through back loops only, 2 sc in first sc, sc in each sc to end, turn. 
Row 4: Ch 1, working through back loops only, sc in each sc to last sc, 2 sc in last sc, turn.
Rows 5-18: Repeat Rows 3 and 4 seven times
Row 19: Repeat Row 3. (20 sc), Do Not break yarn, turn.


My Notes: At the end of section 1 - it should look like this.  The book says turn 90 degrees and work on straight edge - well as you can see, there are 2 straight edges - it doesn't say to turn 90 degrees clockwise or counter clockwise so how do you know?  You don't but the using the photo below, I indicated the direction on how you should continue to Section 2.


Section 2:  Work just as stated in the pattern

Row 1: (right side) Ch 1, working along straight edge at right angles to last row, work 20 sc evenly across, turn. 
Row 2: Ch 1, sc2tog over first 2 sts, working through back loops only, sc in each sc to end, turn. 
Row 3: Ch 1, working through back loops only, sc in each sc to last 2 sc, sc2tog, turn. 
Rows 4-19: Repeat Rows 2 and 3 eight times
Row 20: Ch 1, sc2tog, Do Not break yarn, do not turn

My Notes: At the end of section 2 - it should look like the photo below.  The pattern says do not turn but you HAVE to turn to continue. Again, the books says turn 90 degrees but you don't know if you should work down the straight side or the slanted side, Logically it seems you should work down the straight side, as before.  I indicated the direction on how you should continue to Section 3.


Section 3:  Here is where the errors start - Row 1 is okay as written

Third Section:Work as given for Second Section. Don't do this! If you do, your decreases will be on the wrong side and your dishcloth will suddenly look all wonky.  Instead....

Row 1: (right side) Ch 1, working along straight edge at right angles to last row, work 20 sc evenly across, turn. 
Row 2: Ch 1,  working through back loops only, sc in each sc to last 2 stitches, then sc2tog over last 2 sts, ch 1 turn. 
Row 3: Working through back loops only, sc in each sc to last 2 sc, ch 1, turn. 
Rows 4-19: Repeat Rows 2 and 3 eight times.
Row 20: Ch 1, sc2tog, Do Not break yarn, 

My Notes: To ensure the decreases are in the properly place, you decrease at the end (not the beginning of row 2 - so don't just repeat Section 2 as the pattern states, it is wrong.  Your cloth should now look like the photo below. I indicated the direction on how you should continue to Section 4.


Section 4:  This section doesn't have an error per se, but it isn't clear as written. 

Third Section:Work as given for Second Section. Don't do this! If you do, your decreases will be on the wrong side and your dishcloth will suddenly look all wonky.  Instead....

Row 1: (right side) Ch 1, working along straight edge at right angles to last row, work 20 sc evenly across, sc in last sc of Row 19 of First Section, sc in next st of Row 19 
Row 2: Ch 1, working through back loops only, sc in each sc to last 2 sc, sc2tog, turn. 
Row 3: Ch 1, sc2tog over first 2 sc, working through back loops only, sc in each sc to end, sc in each of next 2 sc of Row 19 of First Section, turn. 
Rows 4-19: Repeat Rows 2 and 3 eight times, Do Not break yarn, Do not turn.

My Notes: The part that I think is confusing in the book is that it implies you continue to work in the first 2 stitches of row 19 of Section 1, The free pattern is a little clearer in that what you are doing is actually moving up the rows on section 1 and joining section 4 to section 1 as you go - you just keep moving up.  When you are done with Section 4, your dishcloth should look like the photo below.  Now continue to the border (if desired).  


Border:  This section doesn't have an error, work as written.

Rnd 1: Work 20 sc along each side of Dishcloth, having 3 sc in each corner, join with sl st in first sc. 
Rnd 2: Ch 1, *3 sc in next sc, sl st in next sc; rep from * around, join with sl st in first sc.
Fasten off.Weave in all ends.

My Notes:  I recommend the border is added since it gives it the completed and finished look.  It works up quickly.  When you are done, the dishcloth will look like this.