Yarn Along - February 16, 2017

Hello 2017! I’m jumping back on the blogging bandwagon – finally. I read somewhere that blogs are dead. I don’t agree. I still enjoy reading them. I can't handle twitter with all the hashtags. It’s disruptive in so many ways. And Instagram – haven’t looked at that much, but I’d rather have the words please. Love the words!!

I was really hoping to finish my Dovetail Shawl over the Christmas holiday, but I fell short. I had been making estimates, seeing if I could get another pattern repeat out of the Liberty yarn, and I kept doing the math wrong, and ending up with more yarn than I’d expected. The shawl is still getting wider, and ends with a border, so I want to be sure I don’t run out, but I also want to make it as big as possible. With a long weekend coming up I’m hoping to pick it up again and maybe finish it for good this time.

In addition to that I have several other routine projects on the needles, plus a new one – a prototype for a bag – a potential gift for a friend. I wanted to try a smaller version of the bag first to check the yarn and needle size and how well it will full, etc. One night of knitting done, and this project is making me so happy! More on that another time.

As far as reading goes, I’ve just started Hazel Holt’s final book – Mrs. Malory and Death is a Word. Hazel passed away in 2015, and I have read all 21 of her Sheila Malory mysteries. They are so peacefully intriguing. More than solving any of the mysteries, I just wanted to live vicariously through Sheila, with her Aga cooker and cozy house; her trips into Taunton, and to Oxford and the Bodleian. The walks along the sea on gray days….I think I went vicariously to England better with Hazel Holt than almost any other writer, except Miss Read. I’m trying to savor this last book. And yes, I will read them all over again!

See what Ginny and the other Yarn Along friends are up to!

Yarn Along July 29, 2015

Finally taking time to do another blog post and join along with Ginny and the Yarn Along. Summer has been long and busy, and so far very enjoyable.

Last week I had a vacation, which I usually don't do in the summer time. I traveled just a little bit, and got to see some dear old friends, and I'll write more about that another time.

I had ordered Go Set a Watchman, but decided that I needed to re-read To Kill a Mockingbird before I started it. I accomplished this on my vacation, and then I watched the movie again, and watched the documentary about making the movie as well. Harper Lee is my literary focus this summer. I felt a small connection when, reading her biographical background online, I discovered that she did not complete her college education - something we have in common. I've never really had any regrets about that; I discovered long ago that we must all be lifelong students, continually learning and challenging ourselves.

On the needles, I started using my free ball of Chroma from Knitpicks, making a second "Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief". I like this pattern. It really highlights the subtle color changes of Chroma. I'd like to find a US made version of this yarn. I'm really looking forward to trying some KnitCircus gradient dyed yarn very soon!

Yarn Along June 3, 2015

Ok, let’s join in with Ginny and Yarn Along! It sounds like a square dance move, doesn’t it?

This is going to be the honesty edition. I’m sharing what I’m actually knitting, which is this pair of rainbow booties. Looking back at my previous Yarn Along posts, I realize that I’ve shown a lot of booties! Well, they are small enough to be a take along project, and I like making them. They make good gifts, and I’d like to try and have a cache of baby gifts ready just in case.

I thought about showing one of the more complex projects that I have going, but truth be told, I haven’t worked on them in weeks. So, simple is what we’ll stick with. These booties are made from Bernat Sox yarn, which I’ve learned is discontinued. It’s a cheerful rainbow colorway. I have a couple more balls in different colors. Fun!

The book I’m reading – well – listening to – is TheBonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan. A friend gave me the paperback, and I started reading it a month ago. I wasn’t riveted, but I didn’t want to give up on it, since Sally had recommended it, so I borrowed the audio version from the library and I’ve been listening while doing housework. Too early for a thumbs up or down, but at least now I’m making better progress.

This is a difficult time of year for me to get much reading or knitting done. There is way too much work to do outside. I have a few more plants to put in, and I’d like to do some transplanting as well. And brush clearing just never ends! And firewood cutting, and garage cleaning, and mowing, and on and on….

Soon all that will change when it gets too hot and humid to be outside for very long. The local pool, where I spent most of my free time last summer, will be closed this year for renovation. So most likely once it gets hot, I’ll be in the house with the air conditioner on. Then the knitting will start flying off the needles again. For now, I’ll work on my green thumb skills!

Yarn Along, March 4, 2015

Another Yarn Along day, and I feel like nothing exciting happened during the past week. This is when cabin fever starts to set in. I went to work, came home, did some knitting, watched some tv, cooked, played with the cats. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

The calendar turned to March, so the countdown to retirement is now two years and eight months! I need to keep that goal in mind, so I don’t get carried away with my spending. February seemed to have a lot of costly expenses in it. Most were necessary, but I could always try to do better. It’s easy to get carried away buying something that’s needed. I shop at the Co-op and buy some things in bulk to save on money and packaging, and then fall down at the cheese island and buy fancy stuff. It’s even worse if I don’t get to eat it all before it goes bad. And I do like to try new things, and fancy foods, but I need to limit that to one or two at a time, not one or two from every department!

Knitting this week was much more of a thrifty endeavor. I worked on items for my Etsy shop, including this pair of baby booties. A friend had given me some leftover fingering weight yarn, and there was just enough of this dotted white Regia to make a pair of booties. Fun!

While knitting, I listened to “The Blood of an Englishman” by M.C. Beaton, the latest in the Agatha Raisin mystery series. I find that I listen best while knitting. Sometimes I can do dishes and or walk on the treadmill, but if I try to do desk work, or organizing, or computer work, I find I miss too much of the narrative. So I had a nice knitting, relaxing weekend!

Joining with Ginny and the rest of the Yarn Along Gang.

Yarn Along February 25, 2015

I had written a New Year’s blog post all about getting back in the habit of writing more often. Yes, well, that didn’t work did it? So I’ll start 2015 with a Yarn Along post, and join Ginny, and hopefully that will get the ball rolling.

I started this cardigan in 2011! It’s taking me forever to work on because I keep stopping to work on other projects, mostly those that will bring in some money. I try to spend less on my fiber habit than I make with it, and last year I failed miserably, spending almost twice as much! This year I’m off to a little better start, but it’s early…

When I pick this sweater up and get rolling on it, I really like it. I designed the stitch pattern, although it’s similar to some in books. And I used Wendy Bernard’s book “Custom Knits” to come up with the formula and numbers for the cast on, v-neck, etc. The yarn is Lion Cottonease. I was hoping for a light summer cardigan, but I think it might be too bulky for that, although, when I put it on, it doesn’t feel overly heavy.

Over the weekend, I started working on one of the sleeves, and my concern now is that I’ll get in enough decreases before I get down to the wrist. The ribbed pattern is deceptive, and I added more stitches under the arm than usual. I think it will work out all right; I just need to do a little math again to see what I need to end up with.

My book this week is “The Cat Who Tailed a Thief” by Lilian Jackson Braun. I am slowly working my way through this series, and try to read three ‘cat whos’ per year. They are light and fluffy mysteries, and I find them endearing. Last year I fell down miserably in my reading. I only read a handful of books, switching mostly to magazines. I also got stuck on a couple books, and stubbornly refused to give up and start a new one until I finished at least one of them. That finally happened last week, and I’m much happier now!

Yarn Along - June 11, 2014

I really hope this is the last time I show these socks as a work in progress! 

I looked back at my notes - I started this pair on July 11, 2013, and I can't believe it's taking a whole year to finish them. I just kept setting this project aside to work on other more important knitting, I guess. I'll tell you what, when I get them done, the next pair is going to be bright and colorful! I really like this yarn, Cascade Heritage Handpaints, but I've done my fair share of knitting dark brown and black lately, so I'm ready for some fun.

My book is the latest cozy mystery from Hazel Holt, who writes the Mrs. Malory series. I love these books more for their depiction of British life than for the story sometimes. I was really worried that the series had come to an end, because there hadn't been a new book in quite a while, but I was pleasantly surprised to find this one when I checked Amazon recently. I'm trying not to gulp it down, it's a quick read, but I want it to last!

Joining with Ginny...what are you reading?