Queen Bee Knits

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

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.)

Salty Air Tee in On The Round Nimble Sock

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.

A Quiet Sunday before Memorial Day

Posted on May 24, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

It’s the Sunday before Memorial Day and I’m resting up for a very busy travel week next week after a very busy week last week, too. Why did I ever think that being semi-retired was going to mean lots of down time? Hubby’s up on the third floor watching movies on Apple TV (I got a new laptop and with it 3 months free.) I am in my atelier watching my YouTuber “friends” and knitting. Aren’t you shocked!?

Today I’m working on my hubby’s socks. The new Arne & Carlos Socks and More yarn that I bought in Quebec City is quite wonderful and, as always, the vanilla sock knitting is a good rest for my tired brain. I’ve been working on my new 9″ circular needles. I’ve tried my ChaioGoo interchangeable minis and the fixed 9″ circs now and I have to say that I prefer the fixed 9″ circular needles. I think it’s because the cord is more substantial. The interchangeable minis cord is significantly thinner and flimsier thus requiring my hands to do more work supporting the needle tips than is necessary. The fixed circs take less thought to hold onto. And I really do like that the tension is even all around. I’m eager to get these socks finished and knit another pair of colorwork socks to see what I think going forward. I have also tried a couple of methods with the heels. On the first sock I did the heel flap and gusset with my circs … it was a struggle but I did it. This time I slipped my heel stitches on to a single DPN and did my heel flap and turned the heel then slipped them back onto the circular needle. I think that second option is what I’ll do going forward. I still have to use DPNs on the toe decreases, too.

Our house is an absolute disaster, my atelier needs a good vacuum and the laundry needs done. BUT here I am knitting my fool fingers off. Last night I got to the part of the body of my Salty Air Tee where it’s all stockinette stitch, too. The remaining project that requires a lot of thought on my part is the Broadgate Tabard. I worked on it for a short time yesterday when we were sitting on the porch. The light is so good out there, it’s a perfect place for working on the tabard which has both texture and crossed stitches forming a series of Xs across the garment. I may have to go back to working on it this afternoon to see if I can get another repeat of the chart completed before we go away. I know this is not a travel garment.

I am having trouble deciding whether I’d rather try to finish the Salty Air Tee or work on the Tabard. If I finish the tee, I could wear it to Arizona this week. Hmm. Time will tell, I guess.

Meanwhile, the weather is so gross here today. Windy and too cool for being outside. My fingers have been perennially cold today. I refuse, however, to turn the heat back on. I’m a New Englander and I’m tough. (I think.) I do have blankets that I’ve knitted and I may choose to put one around me when I retire to my knitting chair. I went for a little walk around the yard again this morning, though, and the plants are really popping up. I think we’re going to have to move our lone blueberry bush because it’s being taken over by a wild rose. We won’t plant our veggies until we return next week but the gardens are just waiting for their plants and we are waiting for our homegrown food! I’ll leave you with a couple of photos of the yard … gone knitting.

Memorial Day Weekend

Posted on May 23, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

This photo is from yesterday … sorry, I’m too lazy to go back downstairs and then come back upstairs and the view today looks essentially the same. The swim float for the campground next door is in the water and that means summer is on the horizon. We’ve had a couple of hot summery days and now we’re getting more springlike weather again. Welcome to New England where they say if you don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes. It always changes.

With the weather changes, though, the lilacs are blooming and the daffodils are fading. The grass is almost ready to be mowed. We do try to adhere to “No Mow May” in order for the early bugs and birds to have some natural food sources but the grass is getting tall and the side yard is covered, at least half of it, with dandelions. My father would have been out there deadheading them so they don’t spread. I think they’re pretty.

The little cardigan, In Threes, is finished. I bought buttons on Thursday and sewed them on after work. I just need a tag and to trim the yarn ends (I never trim the woven in ends until the sweater/garment is blocked just in case.) I’ll get those things done today and box them up to be sent to Atlanta. Baby Elise was born two weeks early and is a bitty little beauty. She won’t be wearing this sweater for a little while. (And it’s a bit warm for a sweater in Atlanta.) I am really pleased with this pattern and with the yarn I chose. It’s so soft and the colorway is lovely. It’ll be a total surprise to the mom and dad. Tee. Hee.

I made a lot of progress yesterday at work and last night. I got the yoke of my Salty Air Tee finished. I have four rounds to go in stockinette stitch before I separate the sleeves from the body. After that, I have inches and inches of stockinette stitch which will be perfect for plane knitting on the way to Arizona later this week for my brother’s 70th celebration. I am so excited to be with my family!

I also worked on my second sock for my hubby in the new Arne & Carlos sock yarn, Socks and More. I really like the new base, as I have said before and I’m getting more used to knitting socks with a nine-inch circular needle. I am working hard to find the blessings in these needles. I do believe that my tension while doing colorwork on the Escher socks, the second sock, was better than with my DPNs, the first sock. I have since washed the socks and I haven’t yet checked to see how they look now. I did find a couple of sweaters that I have to sew tags into – the back of the sweaters are marked with a stitch marker. Ha ha! That’ll happen today.

My goal is to do some knitting on the porch. I hope the breeze is manageable. At least today the sun is out and it’s pleasant temps. The rest of the weekend sounds less so.

Gone knitting.

Pollen on the Water

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

My hubby was up quite a bit earlier than I was this morning. He saw the sunrise. I did not. BUT by the time I got up, the lake was covered in pollen. You can’t see it here but, believe me when I say, it is covered and my allergies (that my doctor says I don’t have) are going crazy! I may have to close up the windows in my atelier today and turn on the air conditioning to manage my breathing.

Yesterday I was busy! cleaned our bedroom windows and screens, changed the bed and put on fresh sheets, washed sheets and towels, cleaned the bathroom and even made some chocolate zucchini bread to use up some of last summer’s zucchini that I had forgotten about. I’m not sure what else took up the day but when I went upstairs for my meeting it was nearly two o’clock. When my hubby got home from work he wanted to install the air conditioner in my atelier (it was hot, to be fair) so we got that done, too. I didn’t feel badly climbing into bed early last night at all.

I have all but finished the little sweater, a gift for a dear friend’s daughter (the daughter was my daughter’s best friend in high school) who has adopted a baby girl. The baby was born last week and she’s now home with her family. She’s a beauty and I hope one day that I get to meet her. It’s fun to watch the children raising their families … and gives us “old folks” a chance to love our children’s children as we might have liked to love our own children … but we have all grown some in the between years and this older generation has learned more patience, and I am in a much better relationship and in a better financial place so that I can enjoy the kids and the grandkids in a different way. This is not to blame or cast aspersions. We all do the best that we can under the circumstances. I was a good mother to my kids and I will likely be an even better grandmother. I’m proud of myself for what I’ve done, the children I’ve raised, for finishing my college degree later in life, and for starting over at 50 and finding a new, wonderful life.

The little sweater is In Threes. I knit it in Malabrigo Rios in the Melissa colorway. Rios is so soft, it’s perfect for knitting children’s garments for against-the-skin softness. It’s a superwash Merino and as such wants to be knitted with some structure (texture or cables or seams) and it likes to be knitted at a tighter gauge … otherwise it’ll pill before it’s even finished. (Not really but close.) I chose to knit this sweater at a tighter gauge and a larger size. I could have gone down to a US6 but I used a US7. I knit the second size hoping that by fall it’ll be a good fit. Fingers crossed. Since baby Elise’s mother is Melissa, when I chose the color and then looked at the name of the colorway, I had to take a hank or two home. I used just about one hank to knit the sweater … I just have to find some buttons at work on Thursday (that’s tomorrow!)

I have gotten to the toe of my hubby’s first sock and he’s tried it on so I can Kitchener the toe and start the second sock. Yay! I really am liking the new Arne & Carlos Socks and More sock yarn base … it seems softer than the old Regia base. Less coarse. I am knitting this pair in the Yankee Knitter way (which I have memorized) for a palate cleanser and then I am going to start another pair of colorwork socks the yarn for which I bought at La Laine Biscotte in Quebec.

Yankee Knitter Socks for the Family #29 in Arne & Carlos Socks and More

Today I think I’ll finish the sock and start the leg of the second sock but then focus on the Salty Air Tee in On the Round Nimble Sock in the Harbor Colorway. I really want to get this done before we leave for Tucson at the end of the month. I have one hand-knit tee in a linen/cotton blend using Zooey by Juniper Moon Farm and the second one will be a good addition, I think.

I made good progress last week on my second, charcoal gray Easy Folded Poncho by Churchmouse Yarns in Rowan Felted Tweed. I love my orange one so much and when I saw the charcoal … I just had to buy it. I may even make another! The photography of this garment isn’t thrilling as it’s a simple stockinette stitch rectangle but …

Easy Folded Poncho in Rowan Felted Tweed

I have set aside my daughter’s Levitate Wrap until I can have her try it on. I am not 100% on gauge with this garment and there’s mohair involved so I don’t want to have to frog it too much if it doesn’t fit. I’ll get the second shoulder started one of these days and I’ll have her try it on when I head to NYC next month. I’m having withdrawl from seeing my kids and granddaughter!

There may be another Gansey Afghan in my future … orange like my knitting chair perhaps … stay tuned.

Gone knitting.

Sunday At Last!

Posted on May 17, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

OMG! It’s a gorgeous (and warm) morning here on the lake. The first coffee on the porch morning where I can actually sit comfortably in my pjs. Yay! I may be on the porch all day long. I’ll start with a coffee and maybe end with a cocktail. You can believe there will be yarn!

We’ve been enjoying the spring visitors to our yard, too. We’ve seen the Baltimore Oriole, Red Breasted Grosbeak, Cardinals, and our “regular” birds, too. Our Hummingbirds are back, too. The Dandelions have popped and leaves are all budding out. We have one tulip and a bunch of daffodils and the bleeding heart is just about to fully bloom, too. I love this time of year when life in the yard comes back and it’s always a surprise to see what’s come back to life.

I’ve been working on several different projects this week. I’ve been so busy that it feels like I’ve only made a small dent in my knitting but some weeks allow more knitting than others. I’ve pulled out my Broadgate Tabbard in this gorgeous green linen. This pattern, however, is kicking my butt. I seem to have begun the knitting on the wrong side OR added a stitch that I can’t find. I’m going to take it to the porch today for one last chance at figuring it out. If I can’t, I’m going to frog it and start again. The green is a perfect green and I know I’m going to love the garment so maybe a fresh start will make it “easier” after all.

I’ve been working away, too, on a new pair of socks for my hubby. I’m using the new colorway of the new Arne & Carlos Socks and More yarn that I bought in Quebec City a few weeks ago. I’ve successfully turned the heel and decreased the gusset stitches on the nine-inch circular needles that I’m trying to learn to knit with. (Some days are more successful than others.) The new A&C yarn seems like a softer base than their old Regia yarn base. I like it!

I also cast on another tee for me (third photo above). I’m knitting the Salty Air Tee in On the Round Nimble Sock yarn in the Harbor colorway. I love, love, love the yarn color and the feel of the yarn, too. I have gotten to the start of the lace yoke knitting which will be fun and a bit of a challenge (counting is difficult these days) and lots of fun to watch it develop into a pattern. Once the yoke is done, it’s just stockinette stitch around and around! (The color in the photo above is not accurate, it’s a light denim-y blue.)

There’s no photo because it’s literally a huge stockinette swatch but … My “brainless” knitting is another Simple Folded Poncho by Churchmouse. I bought the charcoal Felted Tweed in Quebec City, too. Again, it’s going to be finished and then set aside for the summer … if today is any indication of how warm the summer will be, we’re in for a really dreadfully hot time. It seems we need to get the air conditioners out and into the windows!

I have one more little cast on to make and that’s a baby sweater for my daughter’s best friend from high school who is adopting a little girl who was born this week. I found the perfect yarn for an In Threes cardigan for baby Elise. I hope to have enough yarn to make a hat and mittens, too. They live in Atlanta so that will be perfect for the fall and winter in the south. I love good news!

And I want to make Knitting for Olive’s Swing Skirt for my granddaughter, too. I have the perfect purple sparkly yarn for it. Sized for fall when she goes back to school. The kiddo is growing like a weed and I haven’t been able to hug her (or her parents) in person for way too long. We have a trip to Tucson planned at the end of the month and then I am heading to NYC to see my kids. My son’s had a birthday, broken his leg playing soccer, there is a new grand-dog, and … it’s just been too long for this mama/yaya.

So, with that, I am going to gather my projects and head to the porch. I’ll update my calendar for the week after the sun goes down. The birds and flowers await!

Gone knitting.

Monday Madness

Posted on May 11, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

It’s a beautiful sunny Monday morning and I wanted to show you my baby Rhubarb plant that my friend and coworker gave me last fall-ish. It originally came from their camp which is next door to our house and now a piece of it has returned “home”. I can’t wait until it grows up and we can make yummy pies with it. A celebration of generosity and friendship.

I have two FOs to share today! Yippee! I have completely finished and wrapped up to send the Vanilla Sweater to my college roommate. I’ll stop at the post office on my way to town today. I hope she loves it and loves the fit!

I sewed in my label yesterday and cut off all the leftover bits of long yarn (there weren’t that many because I spit-spliced the majority of joins. I’ve wrapped it in white tissue paper with a yellow QBK ribbon and it’s ready to go. I added a couple of rows of seed stitch to the bottom hem to see if it will stop rolling (mine rolls) and I lengthened the sleeves a bit, too. I can hardly wait to see it on her! This is a wonderful pattern by Corinne Tomlinson of the Wooly Thistle fame and I knit it with the Rauma Finull, a 100% Norwegian wool, fingering weight yarn. The sweater itself is a fairly straight forward top-down raglan pullover with a split hem.

I also finished the knitting on my Hansel Hap (Half) by Gudrun Johnston in Jamiesons and Jamieson & Smith Shetland yarns. I have a small stash of this yarn from a former series of classes that I took where I also bought the yarn packages and then didn’t knit all of the projects. I’ve used up some of that yarn here and have plans for some Shetland-style caps to use up some more of it. Anyway, I loved knitting this shawl. My colors make me happy and I particularly liked knitting with the natural Shetland yarns. The finished hap is quite large but it was a fun knit and it will be a fun shawl to wear when it’s chilly at night this spring and maybe summer. For sure next fall and winter! The shawl is blocking now on our guest room bed where it’ll be for a few more days until the fiber relaxes after it’s good soak. I love how the yarn blocked out – even stitches and soooooo stretchy! I’ve used my blocking wires to pull the points of the border out and to hold the top of the shawl straight.

I’ve been working on my daughter’s Levitate Wrap and once I’ve finished the shoulders, I’m going to put it on hold until I see her to make sure it’s going to fit. The Patagonia yarn held double with the Aerial makes a lovely soft fabric that I think will drape really well. The sweater doesn’t really look like anything yet so I’ll post more later on that.

Meanwhile, I’m going to start a tee and I think it’s going to be a Salty Air tee in some stashed On the Round yarn in a fingering weight. I’m really trying to use up some stashed yarns! I have a denim-y blue colorway and three hanks of it so I think that’ll work. I like the Salty Air and also the Maven top so it’ll be a toss up. I’m not sure what I’m waiting for. I also want to cast on my Broadgate Tabbard. I bought that green linen yarn that I adored on a UK shop owner’s social media … she’s now sold me two sweater quantities of yarn and I have to stop watching her posts! The Tabbard seems like a good summer knit because it’s not to bulky or heavy and I could perhaps see wearing it over a tee shirt or light summer blouse. It does have a textured pattern on it so I will have to pay attention to it until I get the rhythm down.

A quick post today because I’ve got errands to run before I meet a friend for lunch and we’re going to see the Sheep Detectives movie this afternoon.

Gone knitting!

A Perfect Saturday

Posted on May 9, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

It’s been such a good day today. Despite the fact that it’s now nearly 7pm, I thought I’d write about the day and bring you up to date on my knitting. I’m making a lot of progress and it feels really good.

The sun was out this morning and, although it was a bit too chilly to be out on the porch, it was sunny and clear. I always feel better when the sun is out! Today was one of those days. We had our coffee and decided to have lunch at a favorite street-side food truck spot, Ken’s. Really yummy fried seafood. I had scallops and he had clams. We both had french fries. Yum. I stopped by the bank on the way to lunch to make a deposit for work and we may have stopped for me to have some ice cream on the way home. I shouldn’t have but it was way too tempting.

We spent the next hour or two in one of our gardens. We call it “Helen’s Garden” because it was the only spot Ned’s mom seemed to have planted any plants. It had been taken over by ground cover and weeds before we built the new house but we did find some Lily of the Valley there. We’ve continued to try to re-grow Lily of the Valley with no success. Anyway, today we cleaned up the new garden, cut back the hydrangeas, cleaned out the leaves and weeds. It needs some mulch but we didn’t have any today and I didn’t take any new photos. Tomorrow.

I ordered some cedar-based tick and bug stuff (to keep them away) and it’s been in the front hall for days. I spread some of the granular stuff today all around the door yard and the corner of the house where we see little “sugar ants”. With a little time, we’ll see if this stuff deters them. Fingers crossed. AND I finally got the few plants that I had bought for our school event into a pot at the front door. Thankfully, after I got cleaned up, the weather turned and we had some good wind and rain and now all the plants are watered in and the bug stuff, too.

I’ve been knitting away like a crazy woman. It wasn’t very busy at work on Thursday so I had a chance to work on my new pair of socks. I’m knitting a plain vanilla pair based on my Yankee Knitter pattern and they’re for my hubby. I’m loving the new Arne & Carlos Socks and More yarn base. It’s softer than the Regia used to be and I am loving the colorway I chose. He’ll love the socks. I’m knitting again with the 9″ circulars and I’m going to try another forethought heel. I have to search in my (enormous) bits and bobs collection of fingering weight yarns for some heel and toe yarn. (More shall be revealed.) I’m just about at the heel now!

Today I’ve been working on the newest sweater on the needles. This is the one for my younger daughter. It’s the Levitate Wrap and I’m knitting it in Patagonia Organic Merino and Berroco Aerial both in a charcoal gray. Needless to say, it’s one that I’ll have to knit in good lighting. Ha! Ha! I was working my way down the right shoulder and front when my iPad died so I took a break (it was a sign, right?) and started a dishcloth as a palate cleanser. I’ll finish this one tonight.

Yesterday and the evening before I worked on my Hansel Hap Half. I am so happy with this shawl! I can’t think of the last time I enjoyed a project as much as this one … maybe because I’ve wanted to knit it for a long time? Anyway, it’s making me very happy. I am more than half-way around the edge with the border and it’ll be done before I know it. Maybe this week. I am really happy with the colors I chose and also happy that I am using some stashed yarn.

The yard is blooming like crazy! Buds are budding and my (our) daffodils are in bloom. They are such happy flowers. And we have one tulip. Only one. Quite a disappointment, frankly. We did have a bunch of them but the voles must have gotten them. I’d love to plant some more but I’ll have to figure out how to keep them safe from the critters.

And we’ve had some super special bird visitors. Our hummingbirds are back – they arrived Tuesday. I’ve seen a tiny female and a male. My long-necked female isn’t here yet. I hope she comes back again. And we’ve had a Scarlet Tanager and, today, a Baltimore Oriole. We both enjoy sitting in the back yard watching the birds and when the “special” ones arrive, ones that we don’t see often, it’s a special treat. Of course, we have the loons back and they’ve been visiting, too. Apologies for the crummy photo of the Scarlet Tanager … they’re quite timid and I didn’t dare step too far out of the front door.

So, it’s been a good day and we’re having a light supper tonight after our heavy lunch. Of course there’s ice cream for dessert! And tomorrow we have another day and it’s Mother’s Day so I hope I’ll get to speak to all the kids and the grandkids. At least two of our kids have planned dates to come for visits for which we are very grateful. We hope they’ll all get here before the snow flies again.

Gone knitting.

FO Wednesday? Ha! Ha!

Posted on May 6, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

Can you see something is different this morning? LOL. We have a boat next door and it’s not supposed to be there. It must have broken free of its mooring yesterday when the lake was super rough. We had lots of wind and white-tipped waves splashing up onto our dock and the shore, too. The sailboat was there when I got home from work yesterday and my hubby had been over to check it out and found out that it was untethered and yet stuck somehow. Without going “swimming” there was nothing more he could do about it but he was concerned, and rightly so, that it would free itself again and could run into our dock and/or our neighbor’s dock. I called the game warden and my friend who has connection the Christian camp next door and our neighbor on the other side just to pick peoples’ brains … what does one do when a boat is loose? Long story short, it turnedt out that the owner knew the boat was loose, came out in a motor boat to check on it last night before dark and then came and got it this morning. He headed across the lake and south which makes sense. Godspeed!

You guys! I have been a finishing machine! I finished two more projects yesterday!!! I am excited to report that I have finished the Vanilla Sweater for my college roommate and it’s been blocked and is drying. I hope she’ll love it. I am a little bit nervous knitting for other people who are at a distance because I am not SURE of the fit. Little kids are one thing … adults are another. And each of us likes sweaters to fit a certain way. Well, we shall see. When it’s dry, I have to add the label and then clip the ends that are already woven in and then I’ll send it off.

What I like most about this sweater pattern is the ease with which it’s knitted and I have to be honest, I love the wooly wool. I used Rauma Finull again this time in a heathered lavender and it’s a wonderful yarn to knit with. I love that it is wooly and I can spit-splice it when I come to the end of a ball. There are so few ends to weave in at the end. I had to bind off the collar twice; I was a bit too aggressive in the first one, apparently, because it was quite tight despite the larger needle size.

Vanilla Sweater off the needles – pre-blocking

I also finished my Escher socks. Yay! I was ready for these and I have to tell you that they are far from perfect. Far. From. Perfect. Here’s the deal … I wanted to knit these socks on short circular needles but I didn’t have the right size needle when I started so I started with DPNs and knit most of the first sock on them. After I found the right size 9″ circular needles, I started the second sock with them … and oh, boy! What a difference in the gauge/size of the socks. I wasn’t sure the second sock would even fit on my foot but it does. So, last night I finished both forethought heels. Not my favorite heel. Sorry not sorry. I still love me a heel flap and gusset. This heel seems too shallow? I have a knitter who says she knits more rounds before the decreases and that may make it deep enough to make me happier. AND because the gauge is slightly different, the leg of the socks seems a bit different, too. Once they’re dry, I’ll try them on again and measure to see if it’s me or the socks.

They’re very pretty and they have HUGE holes on each side of the heel. I am sure there is a way to “fix” this but I feel like it shouldn’t be there in the first place. Grr. I blocked the socks before I fixed this mess and I’ll fix them when they dry. I have four big old holes to fix. Ugh. Well, they’ll be fine. And they’re finished. Next socks I have planned with my new yarn from Quebec City’s Biscotte … or I may just knit a simple pair. I haven’t really decided.

Still in WIP form … I am still working on the Hansel Hap Half. I have reached the border edging and it’ll take me a bit to get that done and finished and blocked but not too long. It’s a long edge to add a border to. I am still quite pleased with this shawl and I am eager to wear it. What makes me happy about this shawl is that none of it was purchased … it was all stashed. Bits and bobs of yarn that I have purchased over the years now turned into a shawl. Yay!

I think I’ve knitted five “bumps” on the edge and I have a lot more to go. It’s just a bunch of increases and decreases, simple enough but it does take a little bit of attention to stay on track. I think once it’s blocked, it’ll be a good sized shawl and may be the one that lives in my studio for those times I need a little bit of warmth.

I am going to cast on my daughter’s cardigan and a baby sweater for a friend’s daughter (she’s my eldest daughter’s best friend from high school) who is adopting a baby girl around the end of the month. I found the perfect colorway with the mother’s name on it. I knew that I needed to bring it home when I saw this! But on this note, I’m going to go knit for a bit and listen to a podcast. It’s my day off and I’ve not knitted yet … and it’s nearly 5pm! Yikes! Back to work tomorrow.

Gone knitting!

Another Rainy Day

Posted on May 3, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

I went out this morning to take my “photo of the day” when there was a loon just sitting out in the lake … and just as I snapped this photo, it dove and it was too damp and chilly to wait for it to pop up again. Today is a good day for loons. Rainy and gray and damp but a well filler (we live on a well and are already in drought conditions) so I won’t complain … I have given myself permission, after a few crazy busy weeks, to do “nothing”. That generally means doing only what I feel like doing which today may be hanging in my atelier watching something on TV and knitting. I have another two weeks before life returns to “normal” (the boss is out of town for a month, adding to all of our work routines) and I need to stay healthy to keep up with the pace. I’m not usually at the store three or more days a week. None of us are. But when she leaves, it’s either we step up or … I’m not sure what would happen because we always step up.

This is the principal at Maine Arts Academy yesterday letting some of the artists/students add some bling to his face paint. This school, where I’m happily a volunteer and board member, is wonderful. I love being associated with it and truly believe it to be an example for public schools everywhere. Yesterday we celebrated the 10th Anniversary of Maine Arts Academy with a brunch, awards, performances, and heart. It’s been a year in the making but the event went off without a hitch and it was fantastic from start to finish. I think I can speak for all of us that we are so glad to have it in the rear view mirror – all we have left is a review and thank you notes.

I have been having a challenging knitting week. It seems like everything I knit I un-knit. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m inattentive or what but I’ve been making all the silly mistakes. Knitting sure can humble you.

I’m working my way down the foot of my Escher sock #2. Somewhere along the line, I changed from using DPNs to a nine-inch circular needle and guess what? The gauge of the sock has also changed. So, having completed the same number of pattern repeats, I am still an inch shy of where the toe decreases should go. (The circumference is a bit narrower, too.) I like the fabric of the second sock better so I am going to finish it to be the correct foot length and I probably have enough yarn to make a third sock if I need to. I am also going to go ahead and knit the heel of the first sock (probably before finishing the second sock’s foot) and see how it fits. When they say that it makes a difference what needles you use, they’re so right! I certainly know better but I really did want to try the 9″ circs and when I happened to be at a yarn shop that had one, I jumped. Oh well.

I’ve also been working (and reworking) on my Hansel Hap. I stopped paying attention somewhere along the line and worked well past a row that needed to be a “lace” row and it would have affected the pattern had I ignored it and gone on. So, I frogged back a few rows and then re-knit. At the same time, I ran out of one colorway that I was using … most of the way across the second row … and had to adjust that, too. I tried to just change colors but that didn’t work and I ended up frogging back and changing the colorway entirely. Thank goodness the pattern is somewhat flexible with the color order. I am one row from doing the edge border and then it will be done … just in time for summer?

I’ve also been working on my roommate’s Vanilla Sweater and have finished the body and started the second sleeve. I was waiting for her measurement specifications before finishing the lengths of the sleeves and the body but now I’m on the way. I added a couple of extra rows of seed stitch to the split hem in hopes that it won’t roll up like mine does. The color is really lovely and the yarn is so wonderful to work with. I love working with wooly wool and spit-splicing the yarn so there are not too many ends to weave in at the end. This should be finished in the next week or so and blocked and sent off to Connecticut.

I’ve finished the two little purple crowns for my granddaughter and her little friend, Madeline. They’ll be sent off to NYC this week (or if I can figure out a way to get down there, I’ll carry them down.) I’ve also finished a gnome MKAL (mystery knit along). Sarah Schira is brilliant and I always enjoy her gnome patterns. This one is no exception. I am collecting quite a few of her patterns and have knitted a bunch including one in worsted weight so he’s HUGE! I have several that I have never knitted and this reminds me to knit more of them. Maybe I need to collect them all from my atelier and take them outside some day to photograph! Anyway, this one was another fun knit and I do love her – her name is Gneddy, according to the designer. I finally went out and bought a big bag of the poly pellets to weigh their little bodies down so they don’t tip over. I have put beans in before but I’m worried that the organic origin of beans may be problematic over the years. Isn’t she cute?

The day lilies are about six-inches tall now and the forsythia bush is still waiting to bloom. I did a little walk around the yard to see how it was going and the perennials are coming back and greening up. I discovered that our forsythia has sprouted a second plant that we’ll dig out and move after they bloom. They should bloom soon. Meanwhile, the Maple trees have popped and the leaves are opening. Spring is here in Maine and we are so grateful for longer days. (The full moon the other night sure did throw off my sleep! It was a powerful moon, big and bright, it lit up the whole inside of our bedroom!)

The windows need washing (again!)

Gone knitting.

WIP Wednesday

Posted on April 29, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

It’s been a busy week and it’s not over yet! I am missing the sun this morning and the “energy” that comes with it but I’m trying to make it a good day. We had our coffee indoors this morning; between the lack of sun, wind and lower temps it was too cool to sit outside. BUT as you’ll see, our dock is in and summer can begin whenever it would like to!

I’ve been working away at finishing a few little projects and working on some bigger ones, too. My Hansel Hap Half has been languishing in its project bag untouched while I get the Vanilla Sweater for my college roomie finished. I’ll start with the Vanilla Sweater.

I’ve completed the first sleeve and have picked up where I left off at the bottom of the body. I have split the hem and am working my way down the back half. I’ll knit a couple of extra rows so it doesn’t flip up like mine does. One day I may even go back and add a couple of rows to mine. Stay tuned.

I’ve been participating in the Mystery KAL Beary Cozy Gnome by Sarah Schira and we have received the final clue. I was a little bit behind and hope to catch up today but my volunteer job with Maine Arts Academy is taking a bit of extra time this week because we have our tenth anniversary celebration on Saturday. Regardless, I’m doing some knitting and this is so close! I won’t post any photos today so I don’t spoil the mystery part. Stay tuned.

I’ve also been working on my Escher Socks by Summer Lee. I love this pattern and the socks are going to be gorgeous! I am now past the heel on the second sock. I worked on this sock and the gnome all day yesterday (well, as I had time).

The socks absolutely will not match and that’s ok with me. I just started working the second sock where the first sock left off. I think they’ll be even more fun this way. Not everything has to be matchy matchy.

I have two finished little purple crowns that will be sent to NYC as soon as they’re dry. AND I have finished the new store sample for Mothers Day. Both were interesting “challenges”. The shop sample is the Pressed Flowers Kerchief made in a yarn that we “found” in the shop, in kits that haven’t sold. We thought if we could come up with a cute pattern they might sell in smaller kits. This is the pattern of our choice and it’s adorable and a fun knit. If I had my druthers, I’d have made it a little bit bigger but the thing about sample knitting is that you have to follow the pattern directions. Period. No playing with it. So, this is the kerchief knitted to the pattern specifications and it’s a small kerchief. 30 inches long and about 9 inches deep. Big enough to wrap around your head or your neck. The yarn is very soft and it was a fun, quick knit. I am guessing that you could knit two of them from the two hanks of yarn. There’s a lot left over. Maybe to be sure, you could reverse the colors – I keep meaning to weigh the kerchief and the left-over yarn but my husband took the kitchen scale back to the kitchen. Horrors. 🙂

The crown are another laughable story where I initially looked at the shop sample and assumed that the crown was knitted from the band out. I started knitting and the directions were “wrong” immediately. What was actually wrong was my assumption. The crown is knitted from the pointy bits down to the band. I should know by now that when I assume things or think I know what I’m doing is when I make my best mistakes. Anyway, I have managed to finish two purple crowns and they’re blocked and drying. And I am humbled once again.

The plants around the house are starting to pop their heads up out of the soil. I love this time of year! My bulbs are bulb-ing and the bleeding heart and day lilies are growing so fast you can almost watch them grow. We’ve (the royal we) been out raking leaves out of the gardens and trimming back the bushes and trees. We’ve also had some fun birds at the feeder – yesterday I was watching the Hairy Woodpecker, Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, and a few others who never leave. The Chickadee’s call will forever be a sound of Maine to take with me. The loons are back, and little Mayflies, too.

Gone knitting.