My dear friend Patsy, who is trying with all her might not to laugh in this picture, came over yesterday to make tamales with me. We now live in the same town, which makes our friendship even easier to enjoy. When we get together it doesn't take long for the decibel level to rise and when we were at the same church in downtown Chattanooga, we were known by some as the Cacklers. Patsy is responsible for giving me inspiration and permission to remake my kitchen in the previous house and I am so grateful, because I'm sure that new kitchen did the trick in selling that place. So yesterday, as we were cleaning up the tamales mess we made (very YUMMY, by the way), I groused a bit about my refrigerator which has given me fits since we moved in. (First world problems). The icemaker never made cubes, just crushed ice which if we aren't very careful, shoots out ice all over the place. The cold water feature was only ever room temperature, but the worst part is that the three drawers just never slid right, and after taking them all out and repositioning them, nothing changed. The drawers just fall out of their slots and it is a struggle to get them back in place. Adding to that, the storage is scant, which is because it is not standard depth, but counter depth, making it difficult to get all the usual stuff I store into it.
Arrgggh. Patsy and I talked about the kind of fridge we liked best and we settled on freezer on the bottom which I had several times in previous homes. At that point I was already tipping over the edge in deciding to get a new fridge. A minute or two of shopping onlne and I found the right one and showed it to Dave who nodded in agreement. I ordered it and it is coming today!!!
I've had this exact model in my downtown Chattanooga house and left it there...well, I had to sell the house didn't I? I loved the fact that a whole gallon of milk will fit in that bottom door rack. And everything moves around to suit my desires. NO stupid ice in the door and water spigot taking up space in the freezer. Just open the bottom drawer that has the icemaker with nice cubes in it, and we're done. ha! Thanks Patsy for again being in cahoots with me!
++++++So happy about the election! Waiting was agony, but it looks so close to being over. Yay!
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OK Now, it is Friday and time for a new knit. This is the new version of the Diamond Patch Jacket, which in this iteration is knit upside down from all the previous models. What??? After making 22 of these from the bottom up, I realized I could improve on the construction and cut out the annoyance of having to sew parts together at the finish. I hate that part! Also, I figured out how to add a button band that doesn't pull up and distort the fronts, just lying flat as it ought to. Yay!
The diamonds face downward in this version, which probably doesn't matter to anyone. No side seams to sew because the whole body is knit in one piece. The sleeve cap is put on waste yarn and then picked up at the end and knit in the round downward to the wrist. Side slits are built into the design which is really easy to do too. Loving the fit of this model. And now I am going to actually write out the pattern and offer it for sale on Ravelry, just to see if it floats. Let me know if you want to be a test knitter and I will send you the pattern for free (when I finish writing it!).
This model is now available since I got the pattern figured out. The yarn is Noro Taiyo, 40% Cotton, 30% Silk, 15% Wool, 15% Nylon and Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Superwash, 50% merino, 50% wool, with mother of pearl buttons. The cost of the yarn makes up the majority of the cost to make it available to you. The size is 44", and is about 26" long. $150 plus free shipping. Email me at fibermania at gmail dot com. SOLD
What brand is the fridge- I love everything about it :)
ReplyDeletehttps://www.lowes.com/pd/Whirlpool-22-07-cu-ft-Bottom-Freezer-Refrigerator-with-Ice-Maker-White-ENERGY-STAR/50161487
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one who will not have ice & water in a refrigerator. We use so little ice, I don't even use the freezer ice maker. IIRC, those are the bits that fail the most often. I have a few Rubbermaid covered ice trays. We had to replace our 17 year old Kenmore about a year ago, went with a very similar Whirlpool as yours. Even better, the shelves and drawers from the old one were exactly the same as the new. Since the appliance dealer was going to trash our old one, I kept some of the inner bits for the new one. Yay for extra door bin, shallow drawer, and shelf. Good news that your new one is being delivered so soon, I hear some have to wait due to supply issues...
ReplyDeleteI think I have that same fridge and I love it. You're lucky you could get it so quickly; we had to wait several weeks!
ReplyDeleteThe photo of Patsy makes me smile! I've moved far from my dearest friends, and miss having someone to giggle with. I'm glad you're going to write up the pattern; I'll buy it when it gets to Ravelry. Dot
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about the enormous waste of space most ice and chilled water makers take up. I looked around until I found a Fisher and Paykel one that has a completely flat water hole in the outside of the door which takes no space at all inside, an ice maker in the top lower freezer which makes Ice according to the weight in the bin, so if I store the frozen peas in there, I don't loose virtually any storage. And between the two bottom drawers is a flat shelf that holds my packets of pre-rolled pastry. Definitely better than my last fridge freezer.
ReplyDeleteWe've been watching your Election with our mouths hanging open. This morning someone put up a video of previous election's concession speeches. Going way back. How different they were from this year! We wish you well, peace, and good health.
I really love the color of this jacket - I am a bluey-aqua person.
ReplyDeleteI would love to test your knitting pattern. I have knit for decades, but I do need very clear explanations about the directions and step by step instructions. I am not a "recipe" kind of knitter because I do not understand what to do unless it is written in the directions. I could never write my own knit patterns because I don't know when to increase or decrease or how much to do so. I have been frustrated by so many knitting patterns because the writer assumes I know, when I don't. I have knitting friends too that have knit also for decades and are like me that need good instructions. So I might be the kind of tester you need, because if I can follow your pattern, then I am sure that others can too.
ReplyDeleteGreat! I am excited to have you try this pattern for me. I am taking step by step photos currently of the sample I'm knitting.
ReplyDeleteTo get you started you will need around 600 yds (each) of two different yarns, preferably worsted, aran or dk weight wool or wool+other fibers. One should be variegated or space dyed. The difference is in the spinning. Spun variegated is a more gradual transition of color. The needles would be appropriate to the yarn, but I use US7, US 8 or US9 for mine. I also use a 16" circular for the sleeves, plus matching dpns.
Let me know when you have the yarn and I will get you started. It will be a knit along with me, and if you will be so kind to offer questions/suggestion about my clarity, that will be fabulous.
That is very like my current refrigerator (GE 25 years old) that is being replaced with a Kitchenaid. Unfortunately the Kitchenaids are out of stock. My Friend just bought that exact refrigerator and they delivered it in a week. Lucky you. I love the bottom freezer drawers and wouldn't have anything else. I also do not like dispensers in the door. I choose the Kitchenaid because it comes without an ice maker and I don't use ice so it just takes up room in the freezer drawer. My only disappointment is is only comes in stainless steel.
ReplyDeleteAmana makes a similar model as Amana, Whirlpool and Kitchenaid are all part of Maytag.