I finally did it. I changed my viola strings. No  ridge popping! I get so stressed changing strings. 

I will be ready to with serious playing after they settle down. 

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I was going to give my viola another go tonight, but I decided to let the strings rest. I would have to keep tuning them while playing. I did tune them.

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I have heard of that with a guitar. I don't think I want to do that with my viola, though. I can just tune periodically during the day and maybe run a couple scales I know. It won't take long before they stay tuned long enough to get through a song before needing retuning. 

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@Gordon Shumway and @ELCBK Interesting question, Gordon. At the time I had heard about that, I was trying to learn classical guitar. I think I was thinking nylon when I heard about it.  But I wonder if I thought that because I was playing on nylon strings. That was a very long time ago. Ok, ELCBK, nylon or steel strings?

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ELCBK said
@Mouse - 
🙄 How's your practice coming along, today?  

I had an appointment late this morning, so I will be practicing layer this this afternoon. I am getting more enthused and hopeful with playing, I was really struggling for a while, just getting motivated.

The talks with Gordon, bowing help, and other posts have been very helpful. I have the bowing tips from Gordon printed and on my music stand.

I do go to Violaman and do my blog there, also. It is very peaceful and I can think about what I type, which is almost what I type here, but here, with the idea of being engaged; but over there, not so much to be engaged, but to think, although I do love the occasional comment from the couple members. 

Let's face it, a lot of what is mentioned here is way over my head, 😂, so I spend most of the time on my blog here and on Violaman. I just do not have music training. Other than liking music, and no particular style, and wanting to be able to play my violin, viola and cello, I have no music background, have no desire to play in public (as you know), and have no ability to play with others or the confidence to if the opportunity arose.I just enjoy this in its simplest form. 

I kind of wish my neighbors had not texted me last year. I was out on my deck playing my regular songs I play on my violin. When I was done they texted and thanked me for the concert. They were out on their deck. We are not right next door like neighbors are in towns where houses a butt up to each other. There is a lot with a drive leading to a farm field between us. Anyway, now I know they can hear me! I did not know they were out there. I don't know if I will do it again, should the weather permit. It is too hot and muggy, not much rain. 

Get your knitting done?  I've seen some wonderful color pattern-work done on knitting machines, but I always think it takes more time to set up than just knitting with my circular needles.

I just received some yarn to finish a cardigan. The back is done. I had some of the yarn I started with, but was short of being able to do an entire sweater. I knew the company still made that color and style, so I was able to order more.

I don't get too fancy right now. The sweater (cardi) I am doing is being made with multi-color yarn, so it is colorful. The only thing I have ever swapped colors out with is a hat. I want to try an intarsia pattern on my next go round. 

It doesn't take much time to set the flatbed knitting machine up and once set up, you just leave it up until you need to take it down. The problem is, the metal bed ones are very heavy, 40 or so pounds, so if I want to use one of those, I need Jer to set it on the table, then I can set it up. 

I am using my plastic bed, LK150 right now. My granddaughters will be visiting the end of August and we are turning my knitting room back into a spare room, with a section for my machine knitting. I want to try another cardi, so I simply set it up and am using a yarn suitable for that needle size. If I din't get it done in time, I can scrap off where I stop and remove it from the machine. I can very quickly take it down and put it away. I would leave it up, but if the girls decided to take a peek while they are in there, they could very easily get caught by a hook, not good. It is unlikely, but I can't see risking it. So, I will take the machine down. They will be spending the night here one night during their visit, and that is where they will be sleeping.

We just have to order a new mattress and box spring set and the room will be done. I was not sure I would be able to put it back to a spare room and still do my knitting machine in there. After some measuring, and remeasuring to be sure, we found that we could multitask in there, and still have plenty of walking around room. 

The metal beds are either standard gauge (small needles) or bulky (larger needles ) Plastic beds are mid-gauge. Pretty much covers the mid way size yarn that fits the standard machine to the lighter weights heavier yarns that are used on the bulky. Instead of different size needles, like in hand knitting, the tension settings take over to represent different size knitting needles, basically. But the yarn can't be too skinny or thick for the size of the hook at the end of the knitting machine. Therefore, not all standard or bulky yarns will work well with the midgauge. For some reason, back when knitting machines were actually being made, the midgauges machines were made as plastic bed machines, and not as heavy duty, not sure why. Works out well for me, the plastic beds are lighter in weight, and are not like the plastic knitting machine toys. 

I really like using them, and still have not done anything fancy, confidence thing. Also, nobody around me does it, so I am winging it, with the help of a wonderful forum and a friend 4-5 hours away. I gave her my aunt's machines when I helped my cousins out with finding a home for them. I could have sold them to who I gave them too but I didn't buy them and she is a really wonderful experience machine knitter, just too far away. My aunt would be happy knowing they went to someone who will use them, and can take them apart to deep clean or fix. 

The two of us chat back and forth on that knitting machine forum and I get help that way, but I am needing it less and less, so we just get silly. I think it is a confidence thing holding me back, now, and the fact that I don't want to waste yarn by messing up, 😂.

It is way faster than hand knitting and not as hard on my fingers. I have been working on a pair of hand knit socks for 2 1/2 years. Love the color, can't wait for them to be done, but the knitting hurts my finger joints.

I don't want to turn this into a crafts forum, or I would post some photos of the cardi back and lk150 to show you. 

I have those circular machines  Sentro and Addi. You actually can do flat panels and sweaters, but the tension is not done by tension dials loke flat bed machines. It is controlled, for the most part, by your hand guiding the yarn through. Plus, it all gathers in the middle and if you don't watch it, and roll up the knitting, it will push up and pop it all off the hooks.

I made some hats with the circular, but they are so loosely knit, and I was making tension, that they really are not warm. I could have ccintinued and fifured out a better tension, but I found a good place to set up my flatbed knitting. Now the circulars are collecting dust, and taking up room, 😞. I might give them anither go, but finding yarn that will work them is hard, and I am tired of getting yarn that simply does not work well. I will probably stick with the flatbed. They are more interesting, anyway. You don't just turn a crank round and round, 😂.

You getting the rain we're having?
  

We got a little rain, not a lot. My daughter is getting slaughtered with rain and t-storms where she is, rather not say here. One of her cats is scared of the thunder because it has been so loud.

Most of the storms heading to this central part of the state are going north to Canada. My cousin is probably getting them. 

That said, that northern cold front is suppose to open the door for storms to make it to us from the south snd west in a day or two and last for three days. We have heard that before, though. Our yard is cracked. I water my plants all the time, but the hummingbirds seem to be feeding closer to their nests. Haven't seen any for a few weeks, 😞. Maybe if it ever settles down weather-wise, they will return. I looked up why and the info said when it is hot like this, they may stick to closer food sources. I like the flowers, anyway. 

Well, that was a book. Time for lunch, then some viola. 

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Will do Gordon.

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