Garden Planning Decisions

This morning I started telling hubby my thoughts and concerns about the garden.

After listening to me rattle on for a while he said, "I thought we were going to do a raised bed garden."

Um, what?

He want on to agree that we have poor soil and will have to add top soil to make the garden viable.

This all sounded very familiar. In fact, it was what I had decided to do after we nixed the greenhouse idea.

The books had led me astray! All my angst, research, and comparison shopping last night were unnecessary because we'd already decided on raised beds weeks ago.

::sigh::

We then went on to discuss what we would use for the frame (sides) of the raised bed. I had read online that wood will rot, although that seemed to be mainly in Florida, and the pre-fab frames I saw online were a little pricey. (In fact, the cost of the pre-fab frames was a factor in leading me to the idea of buying a bunch of Earth Boxes.)

After tossing around a few ideas, we settled on....cinder blocks. That came as quite a surprise to me. I figured hubby wouldn't want them because he would think it was ugly. He did say I should paint them to dress them up.

Hubby is very concerned that the garden doesn't turn into an eyesore. That is one of the reasons the promise of easy maintenance with Square Foot Gardening idea caught my eye.

But cinder blocks seem the easiest since we shouldn't have to dig trenches to sink them or put in supports. We're thinking we can just plunk them on the ground where we want them and move on. (We could be wrong.)

With all that settled, I can now move onto the fun of deciding just what I'm going to plant and when!
I think I will still use the principles of SFG to organize my garden.

Despite the fact that I'm supposed to start small, I think I will still want to start with two 4' x 4' beds. I really want to try growing asparagus, since it is our go-to green veggie, and it takes several years for it to get established. Therefore, I want to plant it right away.

In the mean time, I might use my current Earth Box for the herb garden. That might allow me to extend the life of the plants by bringing it into either the shed or the garage next winter.

Mint is the other random plant I know for sure I want to grow. I'm concerned about it being invasive. I think I will plant that in the big red pot I bought last year.

There are high expectations for the red pot. It has to be attractive, keep the mint contained, and also have enough room for a big, bushy mint plant.

I have to get mint for my cocktails from somewhere!

Garden Planning Angst

For the first time in five years we have a private yarn, with which we can do whatever we want.

As far as I'm concerned, one activity will be a garden.

It has been longer than five years since I had an in-ground garden, as a result of Samson's antics when he was a puppy. (One year he ate all my tomatoes. The following year he peed on my plants.)

I'm hoping that now that he is older he won't get up to any mischief. Besides, any animal deterrent measures we put in place should keep out a puppy, too!

The problem is deciding which gardening method I want to employ.

Originally, we had discussed getting me a greenhouse. While it might have extended my growing season, and been an easy way to protect my plants from critters, it would have also kept me confined to containers. I wanted to get away from containers and allow my roots to run free!

The greenhouse idea was eliminated when we realized the area we were planning to place it at the end of the driveway is essential to maneuvering the car in and out of the garage.

With the prospect of an in-ground garden before me, I started excitedly making a list of "all the vegetables we eat on a regular enough basis to be worthwhile growing."

That list quickly expanded to 16 items.

I then added herbs, which were another 9 types.

Hubby, knowing what I'm like, suggested maybe I should start small with a few key plants and expand in subsequent years. He made an excellent point, although I haven't actually scaled down my list yet.

Regardless of the number of varieties I was going to plant, I had to plan my garden before we broke ground. To that end, I went to the library (so old-fashioned) and borrowed three books that seemed like they would be good for garden planning.

One of the books was "Square Foot Gardening" by Mel Bartholomew. Within 10 pages I was totally drinking the Kool-Aid on this system. The combination of built in size restrictions and purported ease of maintenance sounded right up my alley.

But then I read about the construction in the book, read a few blogs, and now I'm not so sure. You are supposed to put down a barrier—either fabric or cardboard, from what I can tell—which helps block weeds. However, that will also prevent the roots from running free.

Suddenly it sounds like glorified container gardening, which wasn't what I wanted.

If I was going to stick with containers, I might as well get additional Earth Boxes. My dad sent me one for my birthday two years ago.

That first year I used established seedlings I bought at Lowe's and they grew very well.

The second year (summer 2015), things didn't go as well.

I decided to be clever and start my own plants from seeds. 

But I did not thin them, which resulted in puny plants that never really recovered. The cold, wet weather at the start of the growing season didn't help either.


The combination led to a very pathetic harvest.

If I stick with the Earth Boxes I'll have to be much more careful. Especially if I start from seeds again, which I prefer.

The poor performance of this year's plants is what made me want to get out of containers in the first place, although I think the mistakes are easy to avoid.

But, as I said earlier, I've circled around to the idea of getting more Earth Boxes because they might be a good compromise between a traditional garden and the Square Foot Garden.

I'm not sure what the soil is like in our new yard. The first place we lived down here had predominantly clay soil. It's possible the soil here at the new how will have a lot of clay as well.

I know it will probably be very rocky. We have several large outcroppings around the yard. I'm not looking forward to trying to prep an area for a garden if I'm going to be digging up rocks in the process. For all I know, the top soil isn't very deep.

I'm hesitating over the Earth Boxes because of the cost. On the other hand, it is far less than the green house would have been. Especially when you consider the green house would have required the purchase of containers.

In theory, we could create a Square Foot Garden for less, unless we bought a kit, which is getting into the range of the three Earth Boxes I'm considering.

Another issue is that, really, I can already sense that if I don't go full in-ground, I'm going to end up with a combination. There are crops I want to plant (asparagus) that have to be in the ground. I could buy my three Earth Boxes (for a total of four) and still end up digging up rocky, clay soil to plant asparagus and strawberry.

I suppose I should go run these ideas by hubby to see what he thinks. This blog post didn't clarify my mind as much as I was hoping.

Hanging Row Counter

Not the most exciting post title, but it is terribly accurate. 

I guess I would have to say hanging row counters are my favorite. However, I must be in a minority because they aren't easy to find anymore. 

I have some barrel counters I converted with a piece of yarn and a bead. 

Like so

The problem is the yarn wears out. It can also get caught in the knitting. 

It occurred to me I could use wire instead!

So I fished out the wire I bought during my brief fascination with making stitch markers a few years ago. 

A little fumbling around and Voilà!

A more secure hanging row counter is mine!

I didn't even have to wrap the lower part of the wire. After feeding it through the bead I just jammed the wire up inside the row counter.  

For the next one I convert I'll have to consider putting a bead at the top, too. As it is, the wire ring slips out. However, that could be good if I want to put the row counter on the needle, which I rarely do. 

And here it is in action. 

Yep, feeling mighty pleased with myself. 

Finished Baby Socks and Hat

I finished the baby socks over the weekend. They are very cute. The stripes on the second sock came out very regular. 

I'm sure it would be close to impossible to have knit the stripes like that on purpose. 

I also knit a little matching hat. 

The hat was knit all in one day yesterday. 

Not all in one sitting. I did take breaks. 

Still, I think my gauge got a little loose at the top. It probably isn't noticeable to a lay person, but another knitter might pick up on it. 

Despite that, I'm glad I powered through and finished it. Now I can get back to my other projects. 

Happily, I don't seem to have injured myself with all that knitting yesterday, although my right thumb is a little sore. 

No knitting until tonight so my thumb can rest!

Yarn: Indulgence 6-Ply with Silk in color 12
Patterns: Socks from Sock Wizard software. Hat Ella Rae Amity Beanie, worked in the round. 

Wee Socks

Being in my early 40s, I thought I was past the phase of my friends having babies. 

Turns out, that is not the case. Back in February (or was it May?) I had three friends who had either just delivered or were due any day. 

I felt myself suddenly overcome with the urge to knit them all something. Totally out of character for me! I was a selfish knitter before it was a Ravelry group. 

In the end, I dug out my SockWizard software and had it spit out a baby sock pattern. 

I knit one pair for each person. However, they all looked a little different because I used self-striping yarn. 

Then I went to get cards. Standing in the store I thought, "They don't know each other and won't meet." And I bought them all the same card. 

I did not account for them all posting pictures on FB thanking me. 

Oh well. It was a really cute card. 

That brings us to a week or two ago, when I heard about another baby due in October. Out came the yarn and pattern, which had disappeared from my iBooks after the iOS update, thank you very much. 

The first sock knit up as quickly as I remembered and is just as cute. 

The second sock is having a rougher time. 

There was a party at my local yarn shop yesterday to celebrate one year in her new location. 

I was chatting away, and eating goodies, and didn't realize I hadn't reset my row counter after the cuff. 

At least they are so small it didn't take long to fix. 

I was back to knitting the foot last night when I started yawning my head off. Hubby turned off the TV and ordered us up to bed. 

This sock will be finished today and then it's onto a matching hat. 

In other news, the socks are so cute, the shop owner somehow conned me into teaching a sock class next week. 

On the bright side, I think we're starting with a private lesson for her to see how I do!

Faux Foot!

Inspired by the wooden foot form I saw at Abeja in Washington state and the idea of a custom dress form made with an old t-shirt and duct tape, I decided to try to use the idea to make a foot. 

Mom bought me a few designs from which to select. Originally I wanted houndstooth, but when she saw all the choices I couldn't make up my mind. 

In the end, we decided the argyle was the most appropriate. 

As I started the process I wasn't sure how to proceed. Basically, I got as far as putting on my old sock. 

Happily, my niece sprang into action and took over. She started wrapping it in the way her feet get wrapped for soccer. 

Layers were carefully added in small sections to conform to the shape of my foot. 

She went down to my toes and the up my calf. She said we couldn't go to the very top, but it was close enough. 

Once the entire foot was covered, she carefully cut down the back of my leg. She had to cut down into the heel a little in order to open it enough to take it off my foot. 

How awesome is the finished foot?! It actually looks like a foot. 

I think it's hysterical. 

She put a few handfuls of rice in the bottom for weight, then carefully stuffed it with fiberfill. 

She had to be careful not to overfill it and distort the shape. 

We popped a finished sock on the form and it fits very well. But then it should, since it's my foot!

It was actually a little tricky to get the sock onto the foot, but it probably just takes practice. 

I'll probably have to figure out a way to close the top up. 

Now I have a way to display finished socks. Or even test them as I'm knitting them instead of trying it on my actual foot. 

I'm also wondering whether this will help me embrace toe-up sock knitting as I'll be able to try the sock on the form to determine gusset shaping. 

Fake foot

We are on vacation in Washington state. Drinking ALL the wine! 

These first few nights we're staying at The Inn at Abeja, which is beautiful. 

When we checked in last night I saw this foot form. 

Maybe it's a shoe form?

I couldn't resist trying a sock on it. 

I was a bit surprised by how well it fit!

Then I wondered how the form compared to my foot. 

The width is probably the same, but the toes are longer. 

I guess it wouldn't be a good sock blocker. 

Sweater Surgery

I woke up this morning with a potentially brilliant idea. 

My iPhone suggested "dangerous " after I typed "potentially", Siri knows me so well. 

Anyway, I knit this Buttercup top last Summer. Halfway through I read that the pattern runs large. 

Turns out that is accurate. 

The body fit well, but the bodice was a bit plunging for my taste. 

After all that time knitting, I wore it anyway. 

The problem is the neckline has only grown more open with each wash and wear. Really, it's starting to be unwearable. 

On Wednesday, I was discussing the issue with a lady at knitting group who also knit one and is having the same issue. (Although she used a different yarn.)

She said she might just frog it, and I agreed that might be the way to go. Since the sweater is knit top-down you have to go through the entire garment to reach the neckline. 

Then this morning I woke up and thought, "Why not just frog the problem area?"

I shouldn't have to cut anything since I want to save the "skirt."

Instead, I can find where I joined a new ball after the bodice, pick out the end, and unravel up. 

The skirt stitches will be placed on a lifeline until I'm ready to join the pieces together. I'm thinking Kitchener stitch. 

One potential problem is getting the stitch count of the new, smaller top to match the skirt so I can graft them. 

But, really, if I'm not going to wear it as-is I've got nothing to lose. 

At most, it might end up longer because I have to keep knitting to get the stitch counts to match. 

Ticking Away

Finally have my warp threaded again. Now to sley the reed, again. 

It's a good reminder not to act in haste. 

After my previous attempt with this yarn didn't work out, I cut it loose and pulled it all the way out. 

The next time I saw my weaving instructor she said, "Why don't you try a plain weave instead of a twill?"

And here I am, ticking away at returning to square one. 

Trying a 15 dent reed this time. I hope it doesn't turn to mush like my previous attempts.