Tag Archives: lilacs in bloom

Whew!

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Saturday, June 6, 2026

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!

A Quiet Sunday before Memorial Day

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Sunday, Mary 24, 2026

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.