Hooray for the big guage!

I'm back in action once again. We went to my sister's for the holiday and had a nice time. We came back a couple days ago, but this is the first chance I've had to post to the old blogorooni.

Before we left, we had some MIL drama - she was kicked out of her ALF for jumping the fence. The gate was locked and she wanted to leave. The fence was about 3 feet high. She's 55 and has dementia, but is otherwise pretty healthy. High cholesteral and a missing thyroid are her next runner-ups for medical issues. She got where she is today (the US) by being pretty feisty, and the feistyness probably isn't going to end anytime soon.

My SIL got in touch with the matchmaker-socialworker and got a lead on another place in our price range, this time secure. We checked it out, and I think the plan is to move her in sometime around the 1st of the year.

But for knitting news......I only brought DH's scarf, my scarf, and the shrug with us on the trip. I got my scarf done. It's cute. I'll get DH to take a modeled shot sometime. I think I have enough yarn to make a little hat that coordinates. I made a good dent in DH's scarf. It's now from my hand to just past my opposite shoulder. Didn't really touch the shrug at all.

And...since we got back I whipped up a pair of mittens for my aunt. I used the Waverly Wool, and I really liked knitting with it. I was able to use size 10 DPN and they went really quickly. However, I don't know if they'll fit. If they don't fit her, they should fit her son, who is a little younger than my monkey. I used the monkey for a model. We'll see. The color is more of an ocean or royal blue. I think the guage was about 3 1/2 stitches per inch, but I didn't really measure. They start with 28 stitches cast on (9,10,9) 4 rows of stockinette, then 7 rows of a 1x1 rib, then 4 rows of stockinette, then thumb increases in the middle of the 10-stitch needle, every round until there are 16 on that needle. Put the middle 8 on a spare needle or stitch holder, cast on two stitches in their place, so that you're back at 9,10,9 on the three DPN. knit away until the fingers are almost long enough. Knit the two in the middle of the 10-needle together, so now you have 27 (or 3x9) stitches. On the next round, knit the last two of the needle together. Do a knit round, then do the decrease round, until there are 5 stitches on each needle. Then skip the knit rounds and do decrease rounds until there are 9 stitches left altogether. Cut the yarn and run the tail through the circle twice and secure. Pick up the thumb stitches. Should end up with the original 8 + 5 or 6 more. Knit rounds until there are 16 rows from the bottom of the thumb (where the original gusset started). *K1, k2tog*, then the next round k2tog around, cut a tail, run through and secure. Make another.

OK. I think we're off to KMart to do my last exchange and pick up some last refills for MIL before Medicare Part D kicks in. I was going to check out the new ALF on the Medicare site, but all circuits are busy. Were they prepared for all of the last minute Part D enrollees??? No one expects the Spanish Inquisition.