# Home Run



## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I've been rather preoccupied for the last week.

I've spent three full days and a couple partials, amid hauling cattle residual from the sale barn in my ample spare time. 
(I haven't washed my hands, again, in hot, soapy water so often since I assisted the delivery of Rachel.  )

Now, just to get things all out in the open.....
no patterns, color schemes, measurements or opinions were solicited, visited, committed, executed, sought nor violated in the manufacture of the hereinafter-referenced and haphazard creation.
I just used a bunch of stuff (misc. yarn colors in mostly wool and mohair)
and got to work.

A day's work.....cast 80 stitches on a size 13, 20 inch circular for the K2P2, then switched to a 15 in 32 inch and increased to 100 stitches for the body.









A closer look. Note that I've split the body-front from back- to facilitate sleeve holes. (It came burning hot into my mind when I picked up the front stitches on my first balaclava that I could master sweater sleeves....)









Working that awesome chunky neck (all 20 inches) in 40 stitches (I K2tog every five or six stitches upon reconnecting the front and back above the shoulders until I reduced the number to 40).
I was a little panicked when I got to the neck, cuz all I had was a 16 inch size 15 or a 24 inch size 19. I thought I wanted a 17......but I bit the bullet and started in with that 19. Wow. JUST the sort of t-neck that I like to see.









Close up. 










Sleeves were next. I actually had the presence of mind to knit several new strands (skeins) several inches in from each sleeve hole before knitting the shoulders and neck on up. 
Shown are the colors I used on the sleeves, the hole, and a beautiful, finished sleeve. Just like the neck, the sleeves are a perfect representation of what I've always liked to see.


















I picked up 52 stitches in the sleeve hole, making the finished sleeve a little more bat wing than not. My next sweater may be a little more pronounced in that regard.










The holycowawesomeIreallydiditmyself finished sweater.










I started out with some light green, white, cream and natural wool for color.....then worked into less green and a little pink, then all pink for the chest....then a pink/peach for the neck, with a bright yellow mohair skein thrown in at the last. The sleeves are largely pink with white, then pink/gray at the cuff. I worked a reduction into every other round from the shoulder to the wrist and finished with 28 stitches of K1P1 for the wrist.
The whole sweater is knit with 5-7 strands, throughout.
The size 15s were just big enough. I'm looking forward to a full set of seventeens.....
The bottom turned out a little tight knit, but will serve very well as a tougher cloth for outdoor wear. The upper is as soft and elegant as I could ask.
I finished it late last night.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Now, for the home run.

Rachel has been mildly interested in the project from the start.
She would feel a portion of it and comment on the softness, etc. as the work took shape.
She claimed, long ago, that she really didn't like wearing sweaters....so I was somewhat gratified by her casual interest.
This morning, I gave it to her.
The first thing she did was comment on how heavy it was. 
Then she sat on the couch in silence and fondled it for about half an hour.
*wipes a fatherly tear*

This evening, she came downstairs wearing it proudly, put on her large farm coat and went out to milk in the zero degree weather.

I caught a shot of her getting a drink from the fridge.










.......and then asked her to model a bit.....










She _loves_ it. :sob:


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

o



m




g.


What a beautifully designed and executed sweater...even if it was all in your head.
Stunning. Gorgeous. And if I wasn't sooooo impressed, I might just have to almost hate you for it, but I just can't. Wow!!!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Fantastic FR! It is beautiful and so is your daughter. I bet Cyndi feels like a proud mama


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

....and I have not even mastered a pair of socks yet. 

I'm speechless! Rachel looks wonderful in it. 

Well done!


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

I
I
I
I can't talk................


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Why are any of you surprised by this? 

Of COURSE he knit a beautiful Homerun sweater completely backwards and with no pattern and a pile of balls of yarn strung all across the kitchen table on cuphooks.

Try to keep up here! Forerunner is a gifted artist.
I (for one) am not the very least bit shocked by it. 

Beautiful color combos too.


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## menagerie momma (Sep 29, 2008)

WOW. I cannot even comprehend. You are truly, truly gifted. Awesome work!

Jessie


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

What everyone else said! 
I am beaming with pride for you!!
What a moment to cherish..... forever.
I think I'm gonna cry now.... lump in throat. Wonderful job, Forerunner.


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

I am sitting here feeling like I am back in kindergarten in the knitting school. WOW!!!! I am very impressed. The sweater is beautiful and your daughter is beautiful and the 2 together are VERY BEAUTIFUL!!! GREAT JOB!!!!!!!  :clap: :goodjob:


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## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Absolutely amazing. You are a genius, and your daughter is very very pretty, looking so comfy in dad's custom sweater.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

That is so Wounderful, Beautiful, and the Best story. What a Dad! You should be so Proud. It's Just Great to read this, this morning!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Well...... I was amazed.

Still am. 
I learned an awful lot putting that together.
I learned to relax my tension to compensate for a needle one size too small. 
I learned that (to me, anyway) picking up the stitches from deep inside a well knit sleeve opening is the strongest and tightest way to attach a sleeve.
I learned that needle size is EVERYTHING when dealing with multiple strands to accomplish thickness without stiffness.....
.....and I learned that the possibilities truly are endless.

......and....I think..... I learned..... that, deep down, GAM really thinks I'm a pretty cool kid. :lookout:

WIHH...... I truly know not from whence it came, but come it did.
Oh....and as for tooling..... as per your mention a few weeks back, I have accumulated quite an assortment of Addi Turbos by now, with more on the way. I don't need anything smaller than an eleven..... and see myself hovering around the 17s for the most of my work.
15s accomplish an awful lot, though.

Alas.....in the throes of withdrawal, I had no choice but to cast on again and make my dear niece, Taylor, a pair of my custom, super chunky leg warmers.
In my (meager) defense.... her Grandmother put me up to it. (not that I needed much prompting)
I just bound off the second one three minutes ago.
Three wool strands and two mohair on a size 15 by 16 inch.










Now that I do super chunky sweaters..... I'm floundering in style and color choices to choose from next. The sky sure is the limit.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Oh absolutely, I think you are the bee's knees.
You mean you couldnt tell? 

I am almost afraid to say anything to you lately, lest you break into rounds of sobbing. 
I know I am a mean one. Believe me, I have heard that plenty. 

I will try to be nicer from now on. <try!>


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Well done, Tim, well done indeed! Rachel is stunning in her new sweater. I really do like how you progressed the colors throughout the sweater.

Now, think back to this past June when you couldn't spin anything other than chunky yarns .... and think how much easier it might be to knit with just one or two strands of your own chunky yarn ...


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

You do this ... out of your HEAD?

Wow. Totally cool. You rock, Forerunner.  I think you are cool too.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Is FR the new Elizabeth Zimmerman?????


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

All I can say is WOW! Wonderful job, and I love the way the colors change!


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Great Job! You must like a challenge. That is how all of us make our first sweater, as a major challenge. I don't know if you made it easier or harder by not following a pattern (I make up my own patterns, too). Congratulations!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Well.....as mentioned, after tackling tube scarves, legwarmers, and balaclavas..... I never did feel the sweater to be a challenge.
I cast on with the intent of making something a little less elegant and colorful, though, having two big balls of that greenish mohair that ended up running a bit thin sooner than I had envisioned. But, alas! it was no biggie.... it came to me that the pink/white might follow the green/white with some degree of eye-pleasing smoothness, and I had lots of pink wool and a little mohair. The solid pink for the chest just kinda morphed into it's own, and then I had a couple peach skeins that just begged to be incorporated toward and into the neck. The yellow was another afterthought, but it didn't take long after starting in with the peach for that thought to come. Peach and yellow were Wendy's "happy colors", and it doesn't take imagination to see why.
As for the sleeves....well..... by the time I was into the neck, I was well aware that I was really onto something, but knew that sleeves could make or break the garment due to the obvious custom nature of the thing. It immediately came to me that the sleeves could be done in such a way as to overshadow any hint of "offness" that the sweater might have expressed as a result of it's having been knit-from-the-hip".
I set to work digging through the stash to find pinks and whites, and found everything I'd hoped for in equal amounts for two sleeves. I'm deeply gratified with the way the sleeved turned out. Color, texture, shape and style all really compliment the whole of the finished product.

In all seriousness, if you can K2P2, knit a tube, break your tube into halves and then reattach further up..... make quick decreases (though I have different shoulder plans for the next one) then rib a turtleneck, bind off, pick up stitches...... you can knit a sweater any old time. 
I did nothing fancy for the arm/shoulders.....just straight 100 stitches until I got to the neck, then a straight knit out from the shoulder with all of my reductions in the sleeves being made under the arm. 
The only investment of effort was time.
I _can_ see my next one taking three days instead of four......

Say GAM...... how's that pattern sweater you were ripping out coming along for yuh ?:hysterical:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Forerunner said:


> Say GAM...... how's that pattern sweater you were ripping out coming along for yuh ?:hysterical:


 I'm really sorry about that. 
My carnal nature just totally got the best of me there.





















:hysterical:


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Yeah....

but can you make a sock? 
C'mon hot stuff.. impress us..make a sock.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Well, if I do..... it'll be thick. :bouncy:


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

If he can make a sock just like 'that' and as quick as he knits, well, I think I'm going to just cry! :sob:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

nevermind,


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

:bored:Yeah, itâs EASY going through life breaking all the rules. Now, letâs see him do the KAL and FOLLOW that pattern! Weâre waitingâ¦â¦â¦â¦.you donât want to let the ladies down now do you??? :stirpot:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I'm not bound by rules.
I follow my heart. 

Every one of you should do the same.


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

Must be tough having a heart that would limit you like such, not to do KAL with pattern. Dear fellow, I follow my heart as well, STRAIGHT into uncharted territory!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I'm with Jdog on the one FR. I'm not limited to just patterns, in fat I have learned so much from patterns and following instructions I can do just about anything I want without a pattern. But there are so many beautiful patterns out there, why would I not want to try them.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Couldn't agree more....... following your heart has nothing to do with _not_ following patterns to accomplish your goals....it simply means following your heart, wherever it may lead.

......and, GAM......it's all in good fun.

*kicks toe in dirt, absentmindedly*

I _am_ deeply honored by your first response/reprimand to others for being surprised......even though I was surprised, too. 

I fear that reality has caught up, though, and I'm going to have to set my knitting aside for a few days and make some things happen out of doors.:grump:


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

Drats, all attempts failed. :grumble:
I know following patterns has nothing to do with your heart! 


Here SILLY, let me make it really, really clear for you to understand. :hammer:

Ahem, 
FR, will you please do the KAL, please please pretty please?
Iâll even buy your thread, and maybe, if youâll be really sweet, we can get GAM to be your partner, MAYBE, MAYBE, BIG MAYBE, we ALL want you to come join us, 
ya BIG DOPE! GGGGGGGâs :frypan:

But, then again, maybe youâre afraid you wonât be able to follow the pattern and youâll come crashing down from that there tight wire youâll be up on. Hmmmâ¦.maybeâ¦..? Hmmmâ¦..âHot Stuffâ? Guess if you canât stand the heatâ¦â¦..you better not play with the FIRE! :flame: 
Itâs ok, you can just stick to the haphazard knitting, and patternless sweaters and stuff. :yawn: Thereâll be another KAL some other day, when youâre readyâ¦â¦.. :bored:

Me, Iâm moving on to bigger and better things. Besides, I seem to be âintoâ the texture and eye-candy stuff. Once I get those patterns down, Iâll be running my fingers down all sorts of chained and cabled garmentsâ¦â¦â¦..Awwwwhhh Iâm taking this fiber rush all the way baby! :rock:












:hysterical:
As if he didnât know, we all knew, it was all in good funâ¦â¦â¦..turns to GAM :gossip: and snickers, how could he have thought we didnât know?!?!?! GAM Iâm eagerly awaiting while you plot your revengeâ¦â¦â¦.
ound:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Ummm....... the Fairview Sale Barn is calling.........

:run:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Ah, I love this place.

I am not plotting anything. I do knit from the heart, and also often work w/o a pattern. 
In fact, I just finished a hat made from alpaca roving I got from springvalley and spun into a 3 ply worsted yarn. 

Here it is.










An astute friend pointed out to me that I look very much like ******, when I wear it.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Forerunner said:


> Alas.....in the throes of withdrawal, I had no choice but to cast on again and make my dear niece, Taylor, a pair of my custom, super chunky leg warmers.
> In my (meager) defense.... her Grandmother put me up to it. (not that I needed much prompting)
> I just bound off the second one three minutes ago.
> Three wool strands and two mohair on a size 15 by 16 inch.
> ...


Awesome work! :buds:
Will you adopt me? I will be daughter, niece, grandma, mother, sister, brother...whatever...I would just like to be one of your chunky-knitting-item-inheritors.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

LOL GAM! I sure wish I had your hat pattern. 
You and ****** are cuties!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

How flattering. 

Can you see yourself in 6 pound legwarmers ?


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

GAM, Wonderful hat... And it really made me laugh as I was wondering if you meant Whitney Houston... until I scrolled down. Then I almost wet myself!!! LOL!!! Beautiful job on the hat! Hope it keeps you warm. I love alpaca!!


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## JuliaAnn (Dec 7, 2004)

FR, the color scheme on the sweater is wonderful! Looks like rainbow sherbet to me. You are extremely talented. I have noticed that people (men in particular) who are very mechanically and technically inclined are often able to do other things as well, such as knit and sew. I believe it has something to do with being able to mentally visualize the way things go together. My dh can sew amazing tuck and roll auto interiors, for example. He even bought his own heavy duty machine about three street rod projects ago, so he could do his own upholstery work.

Anyway, I bet your daughter hangs on to that sweater for the rest of her life, and passes it down to her daugher some day. It's a beautiful sweater, and I hope you post pictures of your next project too. 

And here I can't even knit a sock...


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Well, I wouldn't fret that sock thing. They seem to be at the top of the food chain around here. My advice to beginners is throw the pattern away and start with something simple....like say a full length, cabled sweater coat with a super chunky lapel and hood.


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## luv2farm (Feb 15, 2008)

..........:croc: uuuuuhhhhhh.....I come down here to really brag on myself because you all have encouraged and inspired me to pick up my crocheting again. I was wanting to share my GREAT SUCCESS :lookout: .... I MADE A SOCK....just one......a sock, and I was gonna post a picture. Yeah for me!!! :bow: 

But after reading this......forget it :croc:


:bow::bow: Congrat to Forerunner!!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

C'mon Stephanie! I want to see your crocheted sock!


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

Forerunner said:


> Well, I wouldn't fret that sock thing. They seem to be at the top of the food chain around here. My advice to beginners is throw the pattern away and start with something simple....like say a full length, cabled sweater coat with a super chunky lapel and hood.


OK! I'm on it! ...............




















NOT! :hysterical: 

_need to master socks, need to master socks, need to master socks_


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## luv2farm (Feb 15, 2008)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> C'mon Stephanie! I want to see your crocheted sock!


Well......I might post a picture of my sock......BUT i ain't gonna put it on this thread with Forerunners sweater :hand: There always has to be a smart elick in every crowd :lookout::lookout: and I aint sharing by 15 minutes of fame with HIM !!!! :whistlin:





Just kidding Forerunner......It is a BEAUTIFUL sweater!! :kiss:


I'll put my sock up this evening.........maybe......:gaptooth:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

My, but the emotional roller coaster this forum can be so quickly reduced to....


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## katy (Feb 15, 2010)

Ya did really, really good Kid. Hats off to you. And I for one accept your challenge to throw away the patterns and strike out on the adventure.

My hat is finished and I see a tube in my future for learning and experimenting. Thanks for the pics FR, and Rachel is beautiful, along with sweater. Congrats. :lonergr:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Tubes really are what it's all about.
I'd never conceived of knitting so without seams until Cyndi and I first sat down and discussed possibilities/concepts as I learned knit and pearl, but, once that is mastered, whoohoo! Same with "picking up stitches"....I'd only conceived of sewing several pieces together....which would be OK if done very well, but picking up stitches allows for all sorts of, and, to me, more uniform and tightly knit opportunities.

Now, to get over this winter bug and get back to work !


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

Forerunner said:


> Now, to get over this winter bug and get back to work !


 YES, everyone PLEASE say prayersâ¦â¦â¦â¦.FR and his sons are deathly illâ¦â¦â¦â¦..:shocked:
If I had to put my money on it, Iâd say Mono:run:, yep âthe kissing diseaseâ! 

Hmmmmâ¦â¦wonder whatâs been going on over there??? :teehee:
Hope you all feel better soon........only way to get over MONO is to get lots of rest!!! :kiss:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

FR and son hope you two get better soon. Sending healing thoughts your way.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Hmph.

Thank you, MW.  We pulled all the stops and opened a mason jar of chicken broth last night, so.....

It's really not quite as dramatic as it gets made out to be.
I even fiddled around with balling up a few hanks of nice wool this A.M.


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

Forerunner, hope you are well SOON!!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Tim, I hope you and boys feel a lot better soon. Vit C & D, Echinaccea, Zinc, are your friends. Lori, Rachel & Lily are doing okay?

Just another wonderful thing about knitting, you can do it while you're resting from illness.


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## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

wow, just awesome your sweater. i think i need some legwarmers too. very inspiring.
i'm not a big pattern fan either. if you know the basics, (lieke not forget the hole for the neck,) anything goes.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Bumping this thread up for fun. 

Almost a year later now. Amazing, right?


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

Thanks so much for sharing this with us. I am just totally speechless...........................


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

*kicks toe in dirt*

Aww, shucks...... ya'll just make an old man blush.

(forgive my slight southern accent...I've been in Texas the last two weeks helping Ernie build a house ), without a pattern :thumb: )


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Glad you are back now Forerunner. 
I was starting to wonder what happened to you. 

Housebuilding in TX w/ Ernie? That sounds like quite a time. :gaptooth:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

http://bunkerindex.blogspot.com/

:huh:

Suffice it to say that we rapidly gained a grand lot of notoriety with the county commissioner and the lumber yard of choice. 




eep:


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Lot of talent there, you could build anything. very nice and hope ya all get to feeling better.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Forerunner said:


> *kicks toe in dirt*
> 
> Aww, shucks...... ya'll just make an old man blush.
> 
> (forgive my slight southern accent...I've been in Texas the last two weeks helping Ernie build a house ), without a pattern :thumb: )


I saw Ernie's posting as it was happening (as it were). When I saw FR there, I kept going back to see if that cabin had one his hoodie's knitted on.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

Forerunner said:


> http://bunkerindex.blogspot.com/
> 
> :huh:
> 
> ...


Good for you and Ernie!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

See? I am such a poor internet stalker that I didn't even know about Ernie's big move.
Now it is making more sense why you ended up with some of his sheep.
I needta pay more attention. :teehee:

How did you like Texas?


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Funny how the details all tie together, huh. 

Texas was interesting, being my first time, but certainly holds no mystery for me like the north woods, Appalacians or the western Rockies

Funny thing..... Ernie found out that Texas has changed drastically since he left there some years ago. Bureaucratic requirements there are as draconian as Illinois.

Seems there is no place to run from our problems, these days, save straight through them, head down and charging.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I havent found any way to run from MY troubles, thats for sure. 
Still, sometimes a change of scenery is what is called for. 

I wish his family all the best making a fresh start. 
Whenever I have done that, I always learn and grow from the experience.

Now, back to the kntting.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Knitting. Yes. 

I got home just tonight....... to mud and drizzle.
Looks like tomorrow will be all fiber. :bouncy:


I still say we need a fiber plunge emoticon....kinda like the Nestea&#8482; Plunge of the eighties......


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I never met a lumber scrap, or bent nail....that I didn't like. :thumb:

Grandpa always said, in re construction on the homestead....... "Use lotsa nails".

Price on those little dickenses sure has gone up since _I_ bought any new ones. :huh:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Pitchy said:


> Lot of talent there, you could build anything. very nice and hope ya all get to feeling better.


Thanks, Pitchy. 
After seeing your progress here I dare say that it would be quite interesting were you and I afforded the opportunity to combine forces. With your abstract creativity and knack for moving parts....combined with my bent toward precision and tendency to go to extremes.......


:run:


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## 3ravens (Mar 16, 2006)

Hmmmmm, Jules Verne, Rube Goldburg, and a dose of the mad scientist from Back to the Future..... Wowza! :shocked:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Now just what is _THAT_ supposed to mean ? :indif:











:gaptooth:


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Forerunner said:


> Thanks, Pitchy.
> After seeing your progress here I dare say that it would be quite interesting were you and I afforded the opportunity to combine forces. With your abstract creativity and knack for moving parts....combined with my bent toward precision and tendency to go to extremes.......
> 
> 
> :run:


Yep


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