T&T: Makeshift Stitch Markers

If you’re like me, you despise the little round, plastic stitch markers they sell in the hobby section of the store. I cannot stand the things. I don’t like how they attach, not to mention, they just look and feel cheap. I refuse to use them, even though, yes, I do own some.

So what do I do for stitch markers when I need them? I use makeshift ones, that’s what I do. I use safety pins. They come in all sizes and different colors or, as my husband is threatening to do, you can spray paint them. I use large safety pins as stitch holders and smaller ones as stitch markers. Saves me a headache, and they’re quick and simple to use. They’re also small and easy to carry plenty of. I just pin them to my crocheted hook case, which makes toting them around really easy.

I tried making myself a stitch marker, but the fasteners I bought aren’t quite right and they ended up catching on the yarn. Since I can’t find the type I’m looking for as replacements, I’ve given up on that idea. What’s left of the supplies I bought to make stitch markers will be used to make myself some bracelets and maybe some necklaces, because I really like ones made out of beads, and I bought some rather nice beads.

So, if you find yourself in the same boat I did and don’t like those cheap things from the store and maybe never thought about safety pins, give them a try.

WoW

I am floored by the amount of traffic this here little blog has pulled since I opened it up to the public. Who’d have thought a sleep mask pattern would be so popular? Then again, I am sometimes easily amazed and amused. :p

I’m still working on the pet taxi pattern. Unfortunately, life seems to keep tossing things my way that interfere with getting it done. I have it partially completed, but still have quite a bit to do on it. Why’s it taking so long? Well, for starters major fit of insomnia and it’s quite hard to count stitches and such when bleary eyed. Two, I have a book I really need to be working on and can’t seem to focus on the darn thing. Three, it’s summer break and wow, do I need to find something for the kiddos to do to occupy their time. The youngest can drive a person batty in minutes! And four, I have a new baby in the house who needs a lot of attention. No, not a “real” baby. A “fur” baby. Penelope is settling in nicely, but I want her to be VERY social so that requires a lot of one on one time. Add in all the aches and pains I’ve been dealing with lately that the meds don’t seem to be taking care of and well, life ain’t so easy right now or crochet friendly. I do have it all bundled up in a handy, dandy backpack and within easy reach for whenever I do get a moment to work on it, though.

I’m updating the Screen Protector Alternative post today. I’ve played around with it some more, and thought I’d share those results. I’m also going to add to the Robe Belt pattern a bit, to add some variation to it for those whole like a bit of flair to things. I’ll work on writing up a few or my more simple patterns sometime or another and try to get those posted as well. As I said before, there’s just a lot going on now that summer is finally here. Have I also mentioned that I don’t handle the heat well? It plays all kinds of havoc on me and adds to the number of meds I’m required to take, as if I really needed to take MORE.

Some time soon I have to sit down (on the floor *pout*) with the 8y/o manchild and build a Hot Wheel city out of Legos with him. I did promise, though all I can think right now was what in the world was I thinking when I agreed to this? Although, I do enjoy building with Legos, it’s just super hard on me to get on the floor or rather back OFF the floor. Getting down there is a bit too easy from time to time. He’s excited over the prospect, though. Building with Legos is one of his favorite things and he’s come up with some quite interesting concepts lately. He LOVES to build space ships and airplanes and for a ADHD/borderline Asperger’s child, he does some pretty amazing work. His artistic side is really starting to express itself, too. My whole front porch and front of the house is currently covered in brightly colored side walk chalk in the form of arrows, signs and of all things, alligators. He also has a rain gauge right outside his bedroom window. It really wouldn’t surprise me if he turns out to be a weatherman when he grows up. He LOVES to watch the weather channel, though he used to call it the “Whataman” (weatherman). He’s just too cute.

We’ve downsized the zoo. It was taking over and we simply didn’t have the room for that much stuff in here. Currently, the 40 gallon fish tank is leaned against the kitchen wall. What happened to the fish? We turned them loose in my FIL’s pond. They were all bream, so it’s not like I condemned them to certain death by agreeing to this. Shadow the Crawdad is now safely tucked away in the cichlid tank, where he seems to be doing well so far. However, they did kill a smaller one a few months back, so we’re keeping a close watch on them just in case, although they are fewer in number now than they were then. Trilby & Penelope’s cage is now occupying the space where the 40 gallon was. Not a lot more room in here, but it is easier to get around and feed everyone now.

And I suppose I’ve rambled on enough for one post. Happy crafting!

Heather

T&T 3: Losing Count

Ever have problems remembering what number line you’re on when crocheting? I have a hard time counting rows when it comes to single crochet and frequently forget how many rows I’ve already done or which one I’m on, so I’ve devised a plan to help me keep up better with how many rows I have going. This can work with crochet or knit or anything else where keeping track of rows is necessary.

Materials Needed:

Pen or Pencil

Notepad or scrap piece of paper

Each time I start a new row, I put a line on the paper. When finished, I count the number of lines to see how many rows I ended up with. This is very helpful when trying to write out a pattern and exact numbers are needed. For any rows after that, you can either continue with the one line per row method or switch to numbering the paper and crossing off each number as you complete the row (example: 23 rows; number the page 1 – 23 and cross off as needed). It’s saved me a lot of headaches when it comes to keeping up with how large a project is getting, because there are distractions all over the place around here between the hubby, kids, and the wide assortment of pets we have running around.

Hopefully, this will help a fellow count loser in keeping track of what he or she is doing.

T&T 2: Cage Alternative

As I mentioned in the previous T&T entry, a good portion of the cages marketed and sold for guinea pigs are really too small for them. Remember, they are quite large for being little critters. When we got Trilby, she came with a small cage with a ramp up to a second “floor”, however, the ramp was too steep for her, IMO. Frankly, there just wasn’t much room in there for her. Did we buy another cage for her? Nope, we used what we already had here at home.

Trilby’s cage is now a converted large dog kennel, and it works perfectly for her. The openings between the bars are too small for her to try to make an escape through, and the bottom is large enough for her to run around in. It’s roomy enough for her tent and tunnel I made her, as well as her food dish and the hay rack hubby crafted for her from a piece of an old bird cage we no longer used. Soon, we’ll be adding a second floor into the cage with a ramp that doesn’t require her to climb a steep incline to get to the second floor area. We were planning to do that this weekend, but ended up far busier than anticipated. But I promise, she’ll get her renovations soon. I currently have a pink receiving blanket tacked up with paperclips to one side of the cage (where the hay rack is) to keep the mess down in the floor. She tends to get messy when deciding which piece of grass/hay she wants to nibble on, even if it’s in the bottom of the pile.

For the bedding, we opted to use a bath mat, which works great. It’s soft on her feet, and you can either use a small brush and dust pan for quick daily maintenance or pull out the large tray in the bottom of the cage and shake it off into the trash or as hubby does, out in the yard. It takes him less than five minutes to do this each night before bed, and while he does this, I have one on one time with Miss Trilby. Replace when done, and you’re good to go. We wash it one to two times a week, depending on how big a mess Trilby decides to make. No more buying expensive bedding. And for those who don’t know, pine and cedar bedding material is not healthy for guinea pigs. If you must buy bedding, use the recycled paper type. A mixture of 50/50 water/vinegar is great for cage cleaning. Non-toxic to your beloved pet, and it helps wipe out any odors (though we haven’t noticed any) and germs present in the cage.

As a secondary mat, I have cut a piece of felt to size, wrapped it in another fabric and topped that with a piece of fleece. As soon as we can get the sewing machine figured out (sewing is so not my forte), we’re going to stitch the whole thing together. This mat will be used when the other is in the wash. I also plan to make a smaller version to fit into the cage she came with for when we go on vacation. I don’t think a few days in the smaller cage will hurt her, so long as we take her out regularly to play with her. This cage will work whether we decide to take her with us or leave her with my parents to “pig sit.” I plan to make several of the smaller mats, so they’ll have plenty while we’re away, not that we’re planning to go anywhere anytime soon. But still, it’s worth being prepared ahead of time.

Guinea pigs are remarkably clean for being a member of the rodent family, though I try really hard NOT to think of Trilby as one of those. A few minutes a day, keeps things from piling up and makes overall upkeep that much easier to take care of. I’ve also taken a large, empty fish food container and use it to keep her pellets in on top of her cage for easy access. Whenever needed, I just refill it from the bag, which is kept in a large plastic container with a lid in the kitchen.

There are many alternatives out there to the traditional cage. Do a quick google search for guinea pig cages and see what pops up just to get some ideas. Have fun. Be creative. Make your own cage. You’ll have loads of fun, and your guinea pig will thank you for it.

T&T 1: Keep It Fresh

A couple weeks ago, I got a guinea pig. This was a first for me, since I’d never before owned one. I spent days researching proper care for these adorable little critters before we ever brought Trilby home. I learned the majority of the “treats” marketed for guinea pigs and available in retail stores and pet stores are, in fact, not healthy for guinea pigs. Most cages marketed and sold for guinea pigs are too small. I also learned they need a constant supply of grass hay, in order to keep their teeth down.

Grass. I can do grass. I have a whole yard full. Whenever hubby mows, I collect the clippings and lay them out to dry, then store them away for future use. I also put some into large zipper bags (gallon size) and place them in the fridge, because Trilby LOVES fresh greens, but she won’t eat lettuce or anything else like it. No fruits or veggies for this girl, much to my dismay. I guess she’s picky. I’m constantly going out to pick dandelions, clover and just regular ole grass for her, which she loves. She’ll even whistle when she wants more, which is too funny.

I’ve found that by placing the newly cut grass, clover, or whatever into the bags and putting them in the fridge they stay fresh for quite a while (okay, I’m not sure how long beyond a few days because that’s about as long as it lasts before I have to refill them for Miss Piggy). So, if you have a guinea pig and want to treat it with freshies (as we’ve started to call them around here) now you have some hints on how to go about it. She still gets a constant supply of Timothy Hay, which she eats, but she does love her freshies.

I made her a fruit/veggie kabob earlier tonight, in hopes maybe it was the presentation putting her off, but thus far, she’s not touched it beyond sniffing it. I used a bamboo skewer and after I put the fruit on, I cut the sharp end off then poked it through the cage bars in a corner to elevate it off the cage floor. It had carrot slices, blueberries and strawberries, but so far, I’m having no luck getting her to eat anything but her pellets, fresh grass/clover/dandelions, and her Timothy Hay. We’re going to try using the dehydrator on them next to make veggie and fruit chips for her and see if she likes it that way any better. But that’s for another post on another day. Now I’m off to write up T&T 2: Cage Alternatives.