Queen Bee Knits

Knitting, Living, Loving, Baking, Tips, Tools and Idle Chatter

Losing a Dog – Empty Dog Beds

Posted on July 19, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

Yesterday was the fifth anniversary of losing my Lola, the shitzu who was my heart dog, my one and only sweet girl, the dog who carried me through some of the most difficult years of my life. I had to get out of bed because she (and my second shitzu, Boq) needed to go out. They needed me to get them groomed, fed, walked … and when all else felt like it was falling apart, they kept me going. One day at a time. Until life felt good again. The reminder that it’s been five years knocked me off my feet yesterday and I miss them both just as much today as I did after they died. They were the best little dogs ever and I am so grateful to them for helping me through.

And then we lost the BBD a couple of weeks ago. He was my hubby’s boy although he always came running to me when he was afraid of the thunder. LOL And now we are thinking about how to store the dog beds that have been on every floor of our house forever. I’m ready to wash and store the one in my atelier because I need the space. Hubby’s not ready to store the one in his man cave, it’s still too fresh. It doesn’t feel right. We’re figuring it out but, gee, it sure feels bizarre to come home to an empty house and to not have to rush home to let a dog out or to think about hubby traveling next month and I’ll be here absolutely alone for the first time since we built the house.

Dogs become part of the family and in so doing become a part of your heart. We’ve been lucky to have a few great dogs and a few great grand-dogs, too. And when they leave … it’s crushing. So, we choose to honor them by living on. I don’t think we’ll have another dog for a bit. I might be able to live dog-free forever but I have a feeling there’s another dog in our future. In the meantime, we’re getting up in the morning and choosing to fill up our days with joy, love, service and gratitude (and cry when we are feeling sad.) It’s all a part of the “cost” of loving a dog.

I’m continuing to get healthier and stronger and add a bit more “stuff” to my day. I’m knitting again, too. Yesterday I cast on with the Wooly Thistle in their 2026 Sock Sprint. I am knitting the Lochside Socks in John Arbon Textiles Exmoor Sock in a really lovely shade of green. The sock pattern is simple enough, a 2×2 rib and then a broken rib to the heel flap. I’ve got a bit to go before I get there but it feels good.

I’m knitting with my Signature DPNs that I collected a set of ages ago. I have to be very careful with these needles because they’re needle sharp. Truly. (Ask me how I know!) Anyway, they’re coming along nicely and will be good to work on when I don’t want to think too hard. I am going to be pulling out my Broadgate Tabard again, too. I’ve got the back finished and am working on the front and it’s time to get this project finished up. I don’t have too much more knitting to do on the front and I am eager to wear it! I still love the green linen and I think it’ll be a wonderful garment. My brainless knitting is the Easy Folded Poncho and when I don’t have the bandwidth to count stitches, I grab this. It’s just a simple stockinette rectangle and I’ve got about another twenty inches or so to knit before I can block it and sew up the seam.

Some of my leftovers went home with my daughter to NYC for a crochet project and that has inspired me to look at my stash and to purge some yarns that I don’t really want to work with. I’ll be taking one bag of yarns to the store on Thursday for the give-away pile. We have a lot of yarn in the office that needs to find a new home and maybe when the boss is away we can find a suitable person to take (at least) some of it! I also have to look through the bins and baskets in my studio because I know I have several “sweaters’ worth” that I don’t even count as part of my stash. I even have a few hanks that I can return since I’ve finished projects and don’t need the extra hank or two. Yay, me!

The good news is that if I’m cleaning up and cleaning out, I must be feeling better!

Gone knitting.

Can We Talk – About Sock Rulers?

Posted on July 17, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

This has been a beautiful day! I managed (with some little breaks) to sit on the front porch knitting for most of the day. The perfect spot for me as I continue to rest and recuperate, and I am starting to feel better.

I’ve been working on my shortie socks, the second pair that are “my design” which means I am using several patterns all mashed up together in one pair. I really like a heel flap and gusset so I’ve borrowed that from Yankee Knitter and I like a plain vanilla sock which I’ve adapted from the Crazy Sock Lady. AND I love the Coop Knits Socks Yeah! sock yarn. I think it may be my current favorite sock yarn. Anyway, as I was knitting away on the foot of the sock, I pulled out my Polka Dot Sheep sock ruler. It’s like a slap bracelet so it rolls up small. The outside is plastic and, as such, is the biggest issue I have with the ruler in general. It’s sticky. It sticks to the yarn and I have to finagle it into the heel and foot of the sock and then maneuver the sock in order to get an accurate measurement. Not my favorite tool but it travels well due to its compact size.

It does have a couple of measurements that are nice to have: shoe sizes for children, women and men and on the reverse side are inches. For my size, a woman’s 9.5 I can knit to the mark a bit past the size 9 and then start the toe.

The other Sock Ruler I have is what I would call the “original” which is a flat plastic, one-sided ruler that fits into the sock smoothly (much more smoothly than its counterpart). It’s marked in centimeters and inches. Simple and efficient. The only drawback is its size. It’s pretty big and rigid so it needs to be flat at the bottom of your knitting bag. (I have the adult ruler and the child/infant set and they’re all the same, just different sizes.) This is my prefered sock ruler because I like the way it fits into the socks and makes it easier to measure the foot lenght.

There are other sock rulers out there and if you ask me they’re all about the same. Some are made of a “wood” product, too. My concern is that this material won’t slide smoothly into the sock as the Polka Dot Sheep one doesn’t. I will keep choosing my OG Sock Ruler which you can order here or purchase at your LYS.

And, I’m happy to report that I have a FO! My second shortie socks are finished! Ta! Da!

Now to get moving on finishing Sylvie’s purple sparkly swing skirt!

Gone finishing.

Alone Again … Not so Natural

Posted on July 14, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

I am sitting here on our side porch this morning in a sweater, without much energy, watching some weather roll in and thinking about being here at home, totally alone. I think this may be the first time I’ve been alone in our house (forever)? Our Monk has passed away, our company has headed back to NYC and my darling hubby has gone to work. It’s just me. I am recovering from (or living with, I haven’t yet decided) pneumonia and have taken the week off. Presumably, I’ll start to feel much better having finished one antibiotic and nearing the end of the second one. I’ve also been started on a round of steroids to help the inflamation. As a generally healthy person, all these meds are not my happy place but I’m doing my best to listen to the docs and this week I am resting.

I’ve done precious little knitting ,or anything if I’m being honest, for the last week. On Thursday I went to our local walk-in clinic and I’ve been slow-moving ever since, choosing to rest instead of taking a “cocktail” cruise, going to bed when Sylvie did, having a nap each afternoon and doing a lot of sitting (without knitting!) I’ve still got pretty low energy and for now I’m just succumbing to it. Giving my body a chance to heal. But it sure feels unnatural and I’m struggling with the empty house.

So many memories were made! Strawberry picking at Stevenson’s in Wayne, Maine, canoe, paddleboard and motorboat rides around the lake, a future quilt design during naptime, Brendon and Sheldon both signed their Broadway show posters all these years later (Kate’s sending me a photo of both of them with their posters). I finished the knitting of the skirt I’m making for Sylvie and I’ve measured her belly for the elastic. Hoping to make it “adjustable” so it’ll fit her for awhile! Uncle Sheldon and Tye paddle boarded (as did Raisin and Kate), I did a few rounds on my shortie socks, Poppy (aka my sweet hubby) and I got to meet and love our newest grand-dog, Raisin, and our “Eagle Island” eagles didn’t disappoint. I believe we have two eaglets on the island this year! We (I mean my daughter for the most part) made strawberry ice cream two ways, strawberry cake, strawberry muffins, strawberry jam, raspberry ice pops, raspberry ice cream, raspberry cake and I’m sure I’m missing something. We have frozen strawberries in the freezer to make more yumminess in the future when I’m feeling better. I’ll take a strawberry cake or two to the beach in September!

I’m going to do my best to ignore the urge to clean up and straighten up at least for another day or two. I haven’t even ventured up to my atelier instead choosing to watch a few shows on my iPad in my bed. Someone said that the steroids may give me super powers … not so yet. I’m happy to sit and think about maybe knitting. I did thwart a total disaster in our closet this morning when the dehumidifier didn’t shut off and leaked water on the floor and rug. And in so doing, watered my nearly-dead front door planters. What’s a girl to do?

Gone resting.

It’s Been a Minute …

Posted on July 3, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

It has been a minute since I last blogged. We’ve been overrun with our family visiting and it’s been simply wonderful. My hubby’s girls and their husbands and our grandson arrived for a visit about two weeks ago and were here for ten days! We spent lots of time together at the lake with side trips to the coast and to LL Bean. Such fun to reconnect after a bit.

The kids helped repaint and repair our old bridge across the creek (and dug out a bunch of leaves) and repainted some of the porch furniture which was really needed. And now we’re all spruced up and ready for the Fourth of July and round two of family visits … there will be a few this summer and we’re totally thrilled!

While the kids were here our dog, Monk, suddenly started to be really limpy and we got some horrible news at the vet on Tuesday afternoon. One of the lumps on his hip was likely affecting his gait and may well be cancer eating his spine. We brought him home but knew what we had to do and on Wednesday we said farewell to our good boy. Our lumpy, bumpy, humpy Big Brown Dog will be waiting for us with The Littles in heaven. The house is way too quiet right now and we likely needed a few days to be sad (and wash the sheets, remake the beds and get in some provisions.)

I’ve been knitting very little for the last ten days. A few rows or rounds here and there but nothing of note. I’m way too cognizant of spending time with the family and the grands when they’re with us. Screens and yarn can wait. Suffice it to say that I’ve had yarn in my hands each day but no real progress has been made. I’ve been working away at my granddaughter’s skirt, a second pair of shortie socks for me with leftover yarn, and a couple of rows on my Easy Folded Poncho.

I finished a little hat before the kids arrived and I knitted a new store sample while they were here … This is the Buoy Kerchief by Elizabeth Smith and it’s a part of her new collection. I was privileged to be given an advance copy of the pattern to make a store sample. I love the Berroco Pima 100 cotton yarn and we have tons of colors at the shop. The pattern is a simple kerchief in two colors. A fun knit! I’m not sure the hat will fit the granddaughter’s head. It came out way too small but I have more of the slubby neon yarn and I’ll make a bigger one for her while she’s here. I also have a multi-colored pompom to put on the top. Things happen. (See me shrugging my shoulders.)

So, that’s it … I have to run and get some food in my belly, vacuum the second floor and then shower before the family (round two) arrives.

Gone knitting.

A Day Early – WIP Wednesday (on a Tuesday)

Posted on June 16, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

I woke up pretty early this morning but I felt rested. Finally. Yesterday was a rough day energy-wise. Today is much better and I have been able to finish up the cleaning up before our family starts to arrive at the end of the week. The bathtub is scrubbed for our grandson’s baby behind, the house is vacuumed and floors and bathrooms scrubbed. The porch cobwebs have been knocked down, the windows (outside) washed and on and on. It’s a heck of an undertaking but it needs to be done at least once a year. LOL

I had a lovely call from my son today, too. Yesterday we had a facetime call from our granddaughter and her dad. It all makes our lives so joyful when we get calls from the kids. I can now say that I understand how my in-laws and my mom to a certain extent felt when we didn’t call them enough. I refuse, however, to complain to the kids or grandkids and I vow to call them when I miss them. I know the kids are all busy with their work lives and personal lives and I need to make an extra effort on their behalf because I know they’re not “ignoring” us on purpsoe. Heck, our lives are still pretty busy, too, and we have some weeks where we don’t even get to call them. I hope they all know (I think they do) that we love them more that they’ll ever know. And they will understand that statement when they are in their late sixties. (Damn! I’m in my late sixties! How did that happen!?))

After all the work we’ve been doing around the house … and for most of the afternoon yesterday, I’ve been knitting and working on my WIPs. I’ve made some good progress on my socks this week. I have reached the toe of the second sock and I will finish that today and, I hope, will get the heels in or at least on needles to be stitched. The most difficult thing about afterrhought heels for me is getting my stitches all from one row onto my needles. I tend to “drift” up or down a row. I am hoping that this heel will be a bit “tighter” than the forethought heel on my last pair. They turned out fine in retrospect but I had a gaping hole at both sides of the heel that I had to fix. We will see what happens when I don’t have any waste yarn to compensate for. Will the holes be bigger? Smaller? Non-existent? I’m hoping for the latter.

I have done several rounds on the granddaughter’s swing skirt, too. This is pretty boring to knit as it’s all stockinette with increases every seventh round. My mind tends to wander so my increases aren’t all perfect but they aren’t noticeable and that skirt will be swinging to much when she finally has it on, nobody will be able to see the stitches anyway. I can’t wait for the outfits to be put together with this skirt!

Since I last posted I haven’t made a lot of progress on my tabard or my easy folded poncho. And my daughter’s wrap sweater is still in time out. I really need to get back to that someday soon as she may be coming up in July if she can find a few days away from work.

I had a very good mail day yesterday, my new knitting bag arrived from Maika Bags. My bag is their Essential Tote and I love it. I went back and forth with wanting a bright, colorful bag and decided I would use a more neutral (dark) bag more so I bought their Nochi fabric print and I love it! The inside of the bag is as good as the outside. It has a sleeve so I can hold it on my suitcase when I am traveling and it has enough inside pockets so I can carry my notions and projects and my laptop or iPad in a padded pocket, too. I currently have four projects in it … and there’s room for my water bottle, too. It has handles and a shoulder strap in vegan leather so I can wear it across my body if I choose to. My knitting bag gets pretty heavy sometimes!

And now I’m going to sign off and find some yarn to play with.

Gone knitting!

A Busy Sunday After a Long Week

Posted on June 14, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

I had a three day week at the store after a busy day (volunteering) at school. My body would have liked to take the day off today but we have company coming at the end of the week and our house is a “disaster”! I just put the Christmas village away (and still have other boxes to put in the storage area) but it’s not in the living room any more. Even our granddaughter thought it was crazy that we still have a Christmas tree (it’s a small one) up in June.

I did sleep late this morning and we had coffee on the porch with a breeze so it wasn’t too hot. After coffee I took a spin around the yard a pulled some weeds. There are a lot more out there to be pulled. My peonies are blooming. They’re so tall this year and they’re less plentiful as last year but they smell so sweet. Our wild roses are also in bloom. One of them has gotten so big that we’re going to cut it way back after it blooms and hope it’ll come back. The vegetable garden just needs for me to take a “few minutes” to plant the seeds for peas and beans. I cut back my crazy big plant again and have begun the rooting process. And while hubby washed the outside of the porch windows, I vacuumed the downstairs and mopped the floors. I’m now all cleaned up and I’m ready to knit!

Top left, I am making good progress on my Easy Folded Poncho in a charcoal gray Rowan Felted Tweed. This is a great project for when I am tired at the end of the day or when I want to knit and visit with friends. I have inspired several knitters and friends to make this pattern because it’s a great piece to wear in the spring and fall. I will now have two.

I’m also making progress on my fabulous green Broadgate Tabard. I’ve gotten the knack of the textured pattern and I’m just knitting along at a fair pace. I need to get to about 14 rows fewer than the back (it’s finished) before working on the shoulder shaping and then it’ll be time to put it together. I’m excited to wear this piece over a tee shirt or a blouse. And I still love the green!

My second sock has been coming along. If I was to spend any length of time sitting and knitting, I’d get the sock finished. It won’t take long but I haven’t been focused on the socks. I do love the colors I chose and the pattern is really cute. I might make more shortie socks to wear with my sneakers this summer. There are so many good patterns out there!

And finally, I haven’t worked on my granddaughter’s swing skirt for several days. I find the sparkly yarns a bit splitty and this pattern is simple enough that it is almost boring … I am continuing on because I know she’s going to love it. Purple (and pink and blue) are here favorite colors and a bit of sparkle will make it a favorite.

I’ve put my daughter’s wrap cardigan in time out for a bit while I work on other projects but it’s still sitting out there. I need to finish the second shoulder and then wait to see if it’s going to be the fit that she wants. I’m not going to be eager to frog the mohair! Hopefully it’ll be all good. Fingers crossed anyway.

I’ve got so many things that I want to make. Several hats, mittens, and more sweaters, of course. How lucky I am to have time to knit and a decent stash to feed the addiction. LOL.

Gone knitting.

Needle in a Haystack

Posted on June 8, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

Home is my favorite place to be. It’s a glorious blue-sky morning and I was glad we got to have coffee on the porch today before we hit the dirt. Hubby’s taking the dog to the vet, grabbing some chicken wire and getting our boat serviced, I’m headed to Augusta for a meeting and then back to clean up after being away for a couple of days.

I had the pleasure of traveling with friends to Compton, Quebec this weekend so that we could attend Julie Asselin’s Needle in a Haystack event. This is the third year, I think, and despite foul weather (it was damp, windy and cooler than we’d have liked) it was a lot of fun.

On the way to Quebec we stopped by the Wire Bridge in New Portland, Maine. I hadn’t ever visited this historic landmark and it was fun to see!

I booked an airBnB in Compton and we were the only inhabitants of the house with access to the common living room. It was quiet and clean and very pleasant. We found Erabliere du Village in Compton where we had an early dinner and a late breakfast the next morning. The food was simple and delicious and an incredible value.

Needle in a Haystack is a community event with some vendors, all Canadian indy yarn companies, dyers, makers of yarn-related accessories and an opportunity to taste the cheeses at the Fromagerie la Station on whose land the event happens. Because of the weather we huddled in the two barns to get out of the wind. My friend, Michele, from Montreal and two of her friends and our friend Cindy from Northern California were all there and it was fun to sit and knit with them, catching up on the years between our visits. There is something so sweet about the people I’ve had the luck to connect with over yarn and needles over the years. There are some people who are extra special like Michele and Cindy. I am grateful for their friendship! I am also grateful for the women I’ve met at the store who are willing to get up and go when I come up with a crazy travel idea. Knit City, Needle in a Haystack, and there will be more to come! I am so glad I threw my Easy Foldover Poncho into my suitcase at the last minute … I really needed it (and could have worn a true sweater!)

I used a lot of self-control and only bought three hanks of yarn from a delightful shepherd who was knitting such a pretty sweater with her own sheep’s wool … the sheep, Gordon (Sir Gordon Ramsay) is an Olde English Baby Doll Southdown sheep in a natural colorway. Gordon’s wool over the years has gone from quite dark to lighter and I bought a shade in the middle. Leystone Farm is in Pontiac, Quebec and the wool was milled in Manitoba. I think it’ll make a really fun vest or sweater and the memory of chatting with the woman will linger every time I wear it. I’m really excited about it – and it’s so soft and wooly!

My friend Cindy felt badly about our long, never-ending winter gray weather and she gifted me some sunshine! She even makes the beautiful stitch markers! I will be so happy to use all these sunshiny knitting tools and will remember her every time I use them.

And I made some new friends while waiting for my turn at the porta-potty!

A fromagerie needs milk, right?

Gone knitting.

Whew!

Posted on June 6, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

Today I’m heading off to Compton, Quebec for A Needle in a Haystack, a fibery event in a field next to a fromagerie. That’s about all I know … except that now I know they have a rainy day plan and I’m grateful for that.

Meanwhile this week has been super busy at home and at work. The store has been receiving new boxes of yarn and we are trying to find places for it to live. Carol and I spent the day Thursday reworking the sock yarns to add in a dozen new colors of Cascade Heritage and Heritage 6. When we were done, it was gorgeous and organized in weight-order (fingering … sport … worsted). My classes yesterday, with the exception of the morning class, were smaller than “normal” but it was a pretty day and the weather reports for the weekend aren’t promising. I’d have been planting my vegetable garden if I’d had my druthers.

I’m making such good progress on my tabard! I have reached the twenty-one inches for the front piece and now have to work the shoulders. I am not going to knit a big turtleneck, I will instead knit an inch or so of ribbing and call it done. SO … I think I’m going to start the back and get it to the neck shaping, if there is any, and then finish the front. I still love the green and I’d have said I wasn’t a green girl. I can’t wait to wear this “vest” and I hope I love it as much as I think I will. (I’m also eager to block it out to see how the size changes. I may put the front on holders and wet block it to see what happens. Stay tuned.

Broadgate Tabard in gorgeous green linen

And I have a FO! I have finished my Salty Air Tee by Samantha Guerin. I adore the color and the yarn that I used from Rachel at On the Round in Thomaston, Maine. The Nimble Sock yarn is so round and squishy and the colorway, Harbor, is the perfect grayish-blue. The size I chose is the perfect size and I am thrilled with the final product. I wore it yesterday and it was very comfortable, not to warm, draped well and fit was just what I had anticipated. The pattern was well-written and a relatively quick knit considering it’s a fingering weight yarn on US4 needles. I will wear this shirt a lot!

Salty Air Tee in On the Round Nimble Sock

So, that leaves a few projects on the needles and I’m planning to take a few with me to Canada today. I have my Easy Folded Poncho (miles of stockinette stitch), and I cast on a skirt for my granddaughter yesterday that is also a bunch of stockinette … but with increases every six rounds. She’s going to love it – it’s a deep purple with stelina sparkles and it will twirl! Pattern is Olive’s Swing Skirt and I’m using Plymouth’s Electra Light, a stashed yarn, that was on the clearance rack at the store.

I’ve also started a new pair of socks, shortie socks, from the Summer Lee Sock Project book. I’m playing with carrying the contrasting color on these socks so I don’t have a bunch of ends to weave in and so far, so good. This pattern uses an afterthought heel … I’ll report my thoughts when they’re done and I can wear them. I still like my heel flap and gusset best of all but I’ll keep an open mind.

My daughter’s Levitate Wrap sweater/cardigan is still in time out awaiting a try-on. I had hoped that I would be able to squeeze in a trip to New York City before our summer family guests arrive on the 19th but I’m not sure it’s going to work out for me. Boo. I will see some of the kids starting in mid-June and in early July and I hope that I can get into New York to see the other kids, too. It feels like it’s been a really long time since I’ve seen them. Not sure what that means for this “old” person who is “semi-retired” but I have been so busy and my calendar is way too full. Even for sitting on the porch and enjoying the hummingbirds!

I have been enjoying the yard and watching the flowers grow. The lilacs are gorgeous! I brought some indoors and they only last a few days before wilting. I don’t know how to make them stay beautiful … they make the whole downstairs smell wonderful! Our first iris are blooming and the day lilies are coming right along. They typically bloom around July 4th.

And I baked! I made my hubby’s birthday requested scones. I make the Levain Bakery recipe and they are delicious every time. We love, love, love them and because they have oatmeal in them, they’re heathy, right? I also made him a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. I’ve frozen half of the cake, cut in pieces, and the leftover frosting. He’s a happy man. This was making up for his birthday cake out of a box. Horrors! (Not really, it was delicious!)

I’ve “wasted” a lot of time writing this and I have to focus on packing my knitting and being ready to go … gone knitting!

ME, MA, AZ, MA, ME

Posted on June 1, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

We had a wonderful whirlwind trip to celebrate my big brother’s 70th birthday in Tucson, AZ this past weekend. We dropped the dog at the kennel and headed down to my brother and sister-in-love’s in Marblehead for the night on Wednesday and then flew to Phoenix on Thursday (it would have been our mother’s 94th birthday). Drove to Tucson and stayed with my sister and brother-in-love in their home in Oro Valley. I’d never been there before and it was so much fun to see where they live! If you haven’t been following me for a long time, you may not know that I grew up as the oldest of three kids and when I divorced and moved to Florida my mother’s cousin told us that my mother had had a baby boy on her birthday in 1956. I searched for him and found him in 2008. We met for the first time in 2009 and met his sister/our sister the following year. It’s not often that you gain a couple of wonderful siblings at age 50! I was blessed to add two and it’s been a pleasure every time we get together! Anyway, we stayed at Charlotte’s house and gathered at my brother’s VRBO rental for meals and visiting every day. My heart is filled up again! We celebrated my hubby’s birthday on Friday and my brother’s on Saturday. Yesterday we flew back to Boston, slept one more night at my brother’s and then came home today. We will sleep really well tonight!

We took a drive on Saturday morning to the Arizona – Sonora Desert Museum and walked around their zoo-like campus for a couple of hours before the big 70th Seinfeld-themed birthday bash. I was in awe of the landscape and the creatures! The cactus, especially the Saguaros were so much fun to see. My sister feeds the birds so we got quite a treat watching their different birds … the quail babies were so stinking cute! And we saw a squadron of Javelinas. With a baby! The guys were sorry (a little bit maybe) to not see a Rattlesnake in the wild but they saw one at the museum. I chose not to go in – I tried but couldn’t get past the door. I’m way too terrified of snakes.

It was a wonderful trip! My younger brother and his wife and my hubby and I travel so well together and we’re already talking about another trip out west in the spring maybe. As we all get older it’s difficult to be so far apart!

While we were traveling I finished my Arne & Carllos socks for my hubby’s birthday gift. He wore them home today! I’m really pleased with them … but I should have made the legs longer so I would have used up more of the yarn. I have quite a bit left over. I really love this new iteration of this yarn and I’ll be buying more (after I nibble away at my stash a bit more). I also hope we’ll get some of it in the shop where I work.

I also finished my Salty Air Tee! I’ve got it soaking right now and can’t wait to pull it out and wear it … maybe this week! I am really happy with the pattern and the garment. I love the On the Round yarn that I used, too. It’s got a really soft hand and the yarn was round and squishy and the colorway was perfection. It was also a rather quick knit! The lace yoke wasn’t difficult at all and I would say it would make a good introduction to lace knitting in the round and lace yokes. I made no modifications to this top … well, I did lengthen it a bit because no woman my age should be wearing crop tops! Ha! Ha! (Color isn’t photographing the truth, this appears to be more gray. It’s a medium blue in real life.)

We arrived home today with the grass ready to be cut again (it was a rainy weekend) and the lilacs in full bloom and smelliing absolutely perfect. Our first yellow iris is about to pop open as are the purple ones next to the lake. The weeds are already winning the battle and after the suitcases are empty the laundry will be a maximum capacity again, too. There’s always lots of stuff to clean up when you come home again but this trip was so worth it!

On the flight home I started a new pair of socks and worked on my Broadgate Tabard. I’ve nearly reached the end of the second repeat of 52 rows on the first side of the tabard. It is becoming easier to remember and see the pattern/texture. I’m doing most of the “cables” which are really mostly crossed stitches without a cable needle and that makes it so much smoother knitting. I don’t love knitting with linen yarn but this colorway is still the apple of my summertime knitting eye! I love it. The photos are not impressive so I’m not going to post them … scroll back a post or two and there’s a photo … It still looks the same just a little longer. New socks pic coming soon.

Gone knitting!

Back to Work!

Posted on May 26, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

We had a glorious morning this morning with coffee on the porch and a comfortable temperature. This is the time of year we love every second of living here. We had some good rain over the weekend and while I’m sure it dampened many ceremonies around the country on Memorial Day, we were happy to have the days to rest and relax and contemplate the real meaning of the day – hint: it’s not the barbecue or parade. And with fifteen soldiers recenlty killed in Iran, it gave me more reason to be thoughtful and grateful for their sacrifice.

I made a few discoveries and I made some blueberry English Muffins. My hubby told me that some of the seeds that I brought back from NYC (my daughter’s family had organic veggies from their CSA and for some reason I needed to bring them home and try to plant them) were growing! I am thrilled to show you my mystery veggie babies. I have no idea what they will grow up to be and that’s part of the fun. Maybe peppers or squash? Time will tell. Next week we’ll be planting the vegetable gardens and I hope they’ll take off.

And yesterday I decided to make the blueberry English Muffins the recipe for which I printed ages ago. It was a simple process but the recipe was not the best. It said to add 1 cup of milk and a cup and a half of flour and said it would be a shaggy dough. Soupy isn’t shaggy so I added what probably amounted to another cup of flour (and the dough was still sticky.) After needing for five minutes it was a bit better but still a little sticky and I went ahead and cooked them up anyway. And, Ta Da! They are nice and light, the crumb is good and they taste really wonderful with some Bonne Maman Wild Blueberry Jam. (Bonne Maman is delicious and they do good, too.) Mark it as a success! I’ll make them again but we have six or so in the fridge.

Broadgate Tabard in Antigone by De Rerum Natura

In the early afternoon when I was sitting out in our dooryard, I worked on my Broadgate Tabard. I’m starting to get the hang of this pattern’s zigs and zags. It is not a quick knit and requires some concentration and counting but I am going to love it and the color is extraordinary. I saw this pattern on Millie at Tribe Life Yarn in the UK on social media. I looked for a yarn substitution so I didn’t have to ship from the UK but I couldn’t get the green color out of my mind. I put it on the back burner for a time, too. Finally, I bit the bullet and bought the yarn. Millie has recently sold me more yarn and that’s another story … she wears such colorful knits and they’re so unique and some of them I simply “need” to have. (I have two hanks of hand-dyed silk mohair waiting to make me a sweater from Tribe, too. Oops!) I knitted on this until my iPad got too hot (we were sitting in the sun) and I had to take it inside and let it cool down.)

I had a customer call to ask about a sock yarn last week and she said it was the roundest, squishiest sock yarn and she loved it so much but couldn’t find the label. I immediately thought it was On the Round but texted her a photo of several different yarns before she confirmed the OTR. I know this because I’m knitting with OTR Nimble Sock on my Salty Air Tee. I have really enjoyed this knit. The lace yoke was so much fun to knit and for a fingering weight yarn, it seems to be moving right along at a good pace. I might be able to get the body finished tonight but I don’t think I have time to finish the sleeves and block it too before I leave for Arizona tomorrow afternoon. I’m going to try. I think this will be a super fun to wear tee this summer. The body is fully stockinette stitch so it’s good for knitting with friends or late in the day when I’m tired. And I love the colorway, too. I will knit more in this yarn – it helps that the dyer, Rachel, is a delightful human.

Hubby’s A&C socks are coming along as well. I have gotten to the foot so they should be able to be finished on the plane on Thursday. I will probably have to take another sock project with me because we also have a drive from Phoenix to Tucson and back. I don’t expect to do a lot of knitting when we’re in Tucson because we have a lot of celebrating and visiting to do but the travel time is great knitting time. But you probably know that, right?

We went for a little walk with the dog this afternoon and there were several natural treats along the way. Lots of Lilies of the Valley right next to the road and we even found a couple of Jack in the Pulpit plants. I’d like to go back and dig some of them up and transplant them in our yard away from the edge of the street where they’re likely to get squished by cars passing on the camp road. But alas time is not on my side as I have a trip tomorrow … and laundry and packing to do. I pulled a few little flowers to make a little arrangement for the kitchen window sill.

Gone knitting.