The End of the Rainbow

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Rainbow Hugs
CO: Nov 13, 2008, BO: Nov 15, 2008
Pattern: Top Down Raglan Baby Sweater Very easy pattern to follow, easy knit.
Needles: US 9
Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Mexicana (2+ skeins)
Modifications: Larger needle and ww yarn to fit 3 year old. Alternated two skeins once bodice was finished to avoid pooling of colors. Added an Afterthought Pocket ala Elizabeth Zimmermann. Was a little nerve wracking to cut the yarn but once I got going, it worked well.
See it on Ravelry.

Netflix has several knitting DVDs available: I Can't Believe I'm Knitting, Knit Fashions in Motion, Knit Stitches in Motion, and No Rules Knitting at the Teen Cafe.

Why we knit, Reason 2, 345, 434.

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Keep the "We" in "Yes, We Can"

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Distinguish between Wants and Needs: You will save a ton of money if you don't mistake wants for needs. Needs are pretty simple to identify--those items that are necessary to sustain: Shelter, food, clothing, transportation. Wants are those things that enhance or possibly improve our family life. A car is a need. Unless necessary for your business, a $40,000 Sport Utility Vehicle is a want, even if a lot of people don't see it that way. Have you ever heard (or said) "I absolutely need...?" when the actual meaning was "I really want?" This is not to suggest that you shouldn't be able to have the things you want--only that to delude yourself into believing that a want is a need--and busting your budget in the process--is a recipe for financial disaster.

Shut vents in unused rooms. This isn’t advisable if you have forced air heating, but shutting vents in unused rooms can save on your heating and cooling bill. I had friends in MN that moved their bedroom downstairs in the winter and closed off the entire second floor.

Buy generic over-the-counter medicines. They are exactly the same as their branded counterparts and cost less. If in doubt, check the ingredients lists the next time you're at the drug store, or ask the pharmacist. And keep an eye out for other things. When I was using benedryl as a sleep aid, it was cheaper to buy the exact same thing as an antihistimine than as a sleep aid.

Watch less TV. Okay, how about watch fewer TV commercials. If you are watching live, then mute it during the commercials, or get up and leave the room while they are on. The less time spent with "someone" suggesting or insisting you "need" whatever, the less chance you'll give in or sit on the pity pot cuz you don't have it. If you're watching a recording, fast forward through the commercials.
Powdered Detergent

2 cups finely grated soap, 1 cup washing soda, 1 cup borax

1. Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.

2. Use 2 tablespoons per full load.

Remember I said to use white vinegar in the final rinse in your laundry? Here's why: Most commercial distilled white vinegars contain 5% acetic acid--that's CH3COOH for anyone scoring at home--and have a pH of about 2.4 (that's on the acidic end of things); most laundry soaps have a pH between 8 and 10 (on the basic end). So the vinegar helps neutralize the pH (neutral water occupies the middle of the pH scale at 7), wash the soap out of the fabrics, leaving just your clothes' fluffy goodness behind.

A Navy shower is the term used for a water-saving technique that was started in the Navy to help save precious freshwater aboard ships. The basic idea is to hop in the shower, get wet all over, turn off the water while soaping up, and then rinse clean. The small change in routine makes a huge difference: a regular shower can use as much as 60 gallons of water, while a Navy shower can check in at about 3 gallons.

Cheapest gas in your area? It's gone below $2/gal in some places here. What's the cheapest in your area?