Little Discoveries

You would think after 72 years on this earth

I had these simple discoveries under my belt!

#1 Medicinal Milk Shakes

Yes, there is such a thing!  While I was recovering from my first (and shortest ever) cold of the season, I made a wonderful discovery.  Medicinal Milk Shakes.  I am sure that any flavor would do but for me it was a Chocolate Milk Shake at my local Chick Fil-A drive thru.  I was on my way home from shopping for Christmas and decided to pick up some grilled chicken nuggets - no sauces or breading - just the grilled chicken nuggets.  Yum!  Waiting in line I decided to "balance" my healthy choice by adding a little treat. Small Chocolate Shake.  My head was stopped up tight and mouth breathing was what was left to me - so to reward my mouth for doing double duty with at milk shake!

Photo credit - Chick Fil-A

Discovery - the cold of the milk shake against the roof of my mouth suddenly shrunk my sinuses cavities enough that I could breath normally!  Wonderful discovery - worked wonders.  Try it!

You're welcome!

  😋😋

I am thinking of experimenting a little further ... using milkshakes to ward off head colds!  I believe that in a world filled with useless studies (just listen to the news most nights), this question has never been explored.

I am willing to "take one for the team."


#2 Fatter is better!

This discovery is a little more troublesome.  You would think after 20+ years of knitting, I would intimately understand the importance of gauge and needle size.  Apparently I felt after you passed size US10 knitting needles ... fat is fat no matter what the pattern says.

The third color is a cream and
 not available for pictures as it is on the blocking board.

I finished all the "tiny-knitting-needles-and-skinny-yarns" knitting for Christmas projects. While I was adding buttons, care labels, and sewing all the loose ends, I got the desire to "go-fat."  (And this has nothing to do with the milk shakes, in case you were wondering.)  Weeks ago I picked up two skeins of Bernat Mega Bulky yarn in cream and silver gray at Joann's ...  I was drawn to the big stitches, the softness of the acrylic (they have really made great strides with acrylics) and the desire to have instant gratification project in my near future.  The 'near future' had arrived.

Silver Gray and Plum
Colors are truer to the actual colors.

This yarn is so thick the pattern calls for size US 19 knitting needles.  The largest size I had was US 15.  No matter ... 15 or 19 .... both are fat!  (Knitters and crocheters - I give you permission to cringe right about now!)  I charged into a one skein cowl pattern in this squishy soft wonderful yarn!  So fun!  And as expected I had a finished a cream colored cowl in a matter of a few hours.  Boy, I needed that!!  Start to finish in one sitting.  I tried it on!  Hmm ....  Seemed a little tight. Go figure!  Gauge counted!!  Ha!  A fatter needle was needed, I returned to Joanns to purchase more of the cream -  I would just add to the cowl till it fit better.  Of course, the cream was sold out.  I wanted 2 cowls for gifts so I decided to buy yet a third color (for me) and the (very important) US 19 knitting needles.

This plum one is for me.

What a difference it makes to use the right size needles!  The cowl fits as it is supposed to - with the right amount of ease and drape.  I decided to take the lazy man's way out on the cream cowl and try to block it a bit bigger.  The jury is still out on that effort.  Blocking acrylic usually is not suggested but since THIS acrylic is "hand wash, lay flat to dry" (unusual for acrylic), I am hopeful that blocking adds the needed positive ease.

So lesson learned.  Fat is good.  Fatter is better!

How I wish that was true in my body one other area of my life. 

😏 

#3  Learning from my experiences is not my strength!

This fall while racing to complete my Christmas knitting projects, I fretted internally that I would not meet the deadline.  Retired to me means - a deadline is 'four letter word.'  Deadlines are meant for other people who live their lives by the clock - as I did for so many years.  I cursed my deadline setting.

All that frantic knitting and worry meant that I was done earlier than I expected.  Hence the interest in knitting a cowl, then 3 cowls, and if that wasn't enough ... a man's hat!  This hat is for my son who wears his thinning hair military style - shaved close to the scalp.  He isn't one to wear a hand made sweater, but maybe a hat.  I can get that done before Christmas, right??

The color is called Blueberry! 

And if I am reeeaaallly fast, I have enough yarn for a scarf ... before Christmas!!!

*sigh* Some people just never learn from their own experiences!

The yarn used is one of my all time favorites called Waterlily by Classic Elite Yarns, an extra fine merino wool made in Italy.  It was discontinued years ago, but before it left the market I stocked up and my sister stocked up.  Then my sister moved to mostly weaving.  She traded all her Waterlily to me for my most of my weaving yarns since I am not weaving - well .... not at the excellent level she weaves.  My Waterlily stash is now huge and making this hat has reminded me just how much I love this yarn.  It is soft, easy on the skin for wool and has a lovely bounce back when squeezed.  Stitch definition is perfect.  It boarders on an Aran weight, but can pass for Worsted Weight.  And it has subtle colorations - reminiscent of a kettle dyed yarn.

Why this yarn was dropped from production baffles me!  In all my years of knitting, I have never found a yarn I loved more.

😍😍

My next post will be all the knitted projects I did for Christmas - before they are wrapped.