WIP Wednesday

 I realize it's been about a month since I shared my WIPs. To see my last update, please see it here. 

Project Name: Vanilla socks

Started: July 2022

Finished: 

Designer/Source: My own pattern

Yarn:Knit Picks Felici

Colorway: Captain Nemo

Colors: blues

Required Amount: 

Needle/Hook Size: U.S. 1 (2.25 mm)

Gauge: beats me

Made For: Myself

Dye Lots: 18510

I've been working on this while we are in the car and a little bit when I'm watching tv.  I got to a point where I knew I was super close to finishing the first sock, so I concentrated on it and finished it up on this past Saturday.  I brought this with me for the few appointments I've had recently Naturally, I didn't have "extra" time to fill. 

The cuff ribbing is all done and now I can cruise along the leg for a while. 

Project Name: Stars and Stripes

Started: July 16, 2022

Finished: Oh ... I finished it a bit ago.  Sometime in August. 

Designer/Source: Eszter Marjanovic of SubRosa Design Pattern out of Punch Needle and Primitive Stitcher

Fabric: 14 Count Aida by Zweigart, in "toast."
Pattern originally called for 36 count linen, in a light mocha color

Floss: I'm using the called-for colors in DMC

Stitch count: 74 x 122

Size: Too lazy to do the math right now

Needle Size: size 26

I finished the main motif of the chart and realized my aida cloth wasn't large enough to put the border on. Bummer.  If I had turned the aida cloth and worked it the other way, I'm sure there would have been enough room. I'm deciding if I want to put a simple border on it, or not.  Also, how to FFO it?  I was thinking about making it into a little pillow finish. Or, maybe finish it with a hoop? 

Project Name: Edna goes to brunch

Started: early July 2022

Finished: 

Designer/Source: Lindy Stitches

Fabric: 32 count Mint Splash Lugana by Zweigart

Floss: I'm using the called-for colors in DMC

Stitch count: 133 x 96s

Size: 8.3" x 6"

Needle Size: size 28

I am making slow progress on this little cutie. It's the evenweave.  I'm getting used to it, bit by bit, but I still can't go *zoooooooom* on it.  I'm gonna love it when it's done, though. 

Project Name: My First Raglan

Started: Sept. 18, 2022

Finished: 

Designer/Source: Lionbrand

Yarn:Hobby Lobby's "I love this yarn!"

Colorway: Shocking violet

Colors: mostly violets

Required Amount: I bought 6 skeins, to be safe

Needle/Hook Size: U.S. 6 (4.0 mm) and U.S. 8 (5.0 mm)

Gauge: I got 17 stitches over 4 inches; and 23 rows over 4 inches.  Just a little under the recommended gauge.

Made For: Myself

Dye Lots: 202227

I have a new knitting WIP. I started it this past weekend.  The weather is changing and I felt the urge to cast on a sweater. I was scrolling through the Craftsy sweater classes and saw one that I thought would be good for me to practice my sweater-making skills on.  It is a Lion Brand pattern, called My First Raglan Pullover. 

So far I have 11 inches knit up on the back piece. Yes, I'm knitting it flat and will be seaming together. Since I have access to the Craftsy class I'm hoping it will help me through any issues that may arise.

I have to knit until it's 15 inches long and then start decreasing for the shoulders. I've been knitting on this in the mornings, before work, and for a little bit in the evenings, once I'm settled in.  It seems to be going quick.  I anticipate that feeling will last until I have to make the sleeves. I'm crossing my fingers that this time around, the sweater won't stretch out like the grey cardigan did.  People make clothing items out of acrylic yarn all the time, and store bought sweaters are made from acrylic yarns.  What did I do wrong?  Should I be hand washing these pieces like my wool pieces? 

 

Starlink install in the big woods

We live in Narnia, as my son's friend once said. 

On one hand, this is *very good.* Not a lot of people, traffic or planes flying overhead. 

On the other, it leaves us with not many options for Internet. 

We have had DSL since we moved out here. Recently Starlink became available for our area. 

The family has struggled for many years sharing the DSL. Our top speed DSL speed is 11 mbps.  When you have a son who loves streaming and gaming, and then us watching shows online, everyone is unhappy. 

My husband and I talked about it, at length, and decided it was time to upgrade our Internet game. Or, at least try to upgrade it.  We have a lot of large, mature pine and oak trees on the property and I'm unwilling to cut any down just to have faster internet. 

Thankfully, we don't have to do that. 

I placed the order for the Starlink installation kit on Friday, Sept. 2. Over the weekend, or the following Monday, I received a notice that the kit shipped and would be here on Friday, Sept. 9. Wow! The installation kit shipped way faster than I thought it would.  

My husband used last week to research how others installed it, and looked for any tips on the best way to set it up to get the best possible signal. There was no one Internet hub that had all the tips and tricks, so I thought I'd write down what we did, and maybe it will help someone else down the road. 

Friday afternoon the FedEx man showed up and carried out a box smaller than I expected it to be. 

I have never researched Starlink. I didn't know what it was going to look like.  

The satellite is much smaller than I expected. 

I watched the how-to video that was sent when the order for the kit was confirmed. Then I looked at a couple of YouTube videos, to learn what some of the numbers meant when you are supposed to scan the sky and all that other stuff. 

Then I set the satellite up in the driveway. 

After about 15 minutes, like the app says, the satellite settled on a direction.  I did a speed test and was astonished to see what the numbers were.  While the satellite was on the ground and surrounded by huge, mature trees. 

I'm used to seeing a top DSL speed of 11 mbps, and an upload speed of .5 mbps. Not joking even a little bit. 

Wowee!

When my husband got home he went up on the roof and set up a ladder for the satellite to temporarily sit on.  

More speed tests were ran.  We were seeing numbers I never thought we'd see. 

This isn't the highest speeds we've seen.  There have been a few times it was over 200 mbps. 

I thought I took a photo of the satellite on the ladder, all by itself up on the roof, but I can't find anything on my camera roll. Surprisingly, we didn't notice the bright yellow ladder up on the roof when we drove up to the house after making a trip to town. 

Saturday morning my husband and son set up the pole for the satellite to go on. 

In my husband's research, he learned that you can use the top rail of a chain link fence. They are very sturdy and much less costly than something that is specific for setting the satellite on.  We got ours at Menard's and at the time of this blog post it was $19.79 before the 11 percent mail-in rebate. 

Stats on the piece we have: 1 - 3/8" x 10' 6" galvanized chain-link fence top rail. Model number 9900210600. SKU: 1715301.

My husband also purchased from Menard's a RCA 3-foot TV antenna tripod to support the pole. My husband said the RCA 3-foot tripod was very sturdy.

Model number VH130R. SKU 3012956. At the time of this writing cost is $33.99, before the 11 percent mail-in rebate.

So, like I said, on Saturday my husband and son went up on the roof and started setting things up for a permanent spot. 

Thankfully it wasn't raining, like it was on Friday, and it wasn't too warm out. I think they moved the ladder a few times and ran speed tests, to verify things. I was in the house and moving the modem around to a few different spots, to see where we got the best wifi coverage.  Even out in the she shed!  The she shed gets at least double what the DSL gives us.  I was a happy girl when I realized how decent the signal was for out there. 

A different angle so you can see how hard my guys were working, 

At some point my son crawled up into the attic, to catch the cord that was brought into the house via the ridge line, so no holes had to be drilled into the roof. 

My husband cut the rail pipe down to 6  1/2 feet. 

Then we had to figure out how to mount the satellite onto the pole.  Do we wait for the adapter that we ordered from Starlink, or go with something different?  

We went with something different. 

Another trip to Menard's to get a chain-link fence top rail sleeve. 

Stats for this is model number 1715307. SKU 1715307. Price as of this writing is $3.60 before the 11 percent mail-in rebate. 

With this piece my husband was able to secure the satellite to the pole. He had to make a few holes to put screws in to secure it all together.  

I forgot to mention earlier that a piece of cedar was put down between the roof and the pole, so no damage is done to the roof. 

In these last few photos and video you can see just how big our trees are, and why I thought Starlink wouldn't work for us. 

 The ultimate "test" will be when my son's DSL adapter arrives and he can play his online games. 

Here's a final video showing it all off, in all of it's glory. 

I hope this blog post helps someone out there. If you considered Starlink, but was unsure because of trees, give it a go! You have nothing to lose, and you may be just as pleasantly surprised as I was. 

Months are flying by

September is coming. 

September is here. 

How is it that we are already nine days into the new month? 

Once again I've been running on all cylinders, it feels, and not a whole lot to show for it. 

Well ... a few things have happened in the last few weeks. 

The school year started back up. Granted, it's only been a week. We are all slowly falling back into a routine. My son has a few classes and is in a program where he can work during the day, since he's got almost all his credits for graduation.  

My husband's birthday happened. I was very proud to give him a cross stitch I stitched for him. When I saw the chart I knew I had to make it for him. 

This is a chart I found in the Just Cross Stitch magazine. 

Canning season has started.  Of sorts. I decided to can up some of the ground venison from last season. 

It was a two canner day.

I forgot how long it takes to pressure can meat.  I was very glad I had both of them. 

When all done there were 37 jars of ground venison.  Shelf stable and ready to go when I need it. 

Course, after a day of pressure canning we decided to look into canners that will hold more jars at a time, and not break the bank. 

We found one. 

I'm excited to take it out on it's maiden voyage. 

Yesterday Queen Elizabeth II passed away. I decided the occasion warranted my opening my bag of creme caramel tea. I enjoyed a pot, with a few maple biscuits, in her honor. 

Then I found out today that her favorite tea was Earl Grey.  Pity I didn't know that sooner.  I almost had that tea.  I have a lot of it.  I'm a fan of bergamot. 

Today was a rain, dreary day. A thunderstorm started early in the a.m. and the thunder rumbled for hours this this morning. 

In the afternoon I sat and pondered the week, while staring out the window. 

I can feel fall in the air.  Soon I'll have to start tending to fires in the wood stove. 

On August 31 I harvested this beauty. 

My first tomato of the season.  This is the latest I've harvested my first garden tomato.

A month ago I signed up for Britbox and have been watching a couple shows.  I was watching Sr. Boniface Mysteries and just started watching Fr. Brown Mysteries. I already have a gem of a line from the first episode. "God is not your scapegoat."

I've come across a few gems on the book of faces recently. 

I love the baby yoda.

This one I saw in the Backyard Chickens group. It's so very true!

Until next time ...