Oh, Boy! It’s hot outside today. We are already nearing the forecasted high of 94 degrees (Fahrenheit) and we may get higher than that. Luckily there is a bit of a breeze but we’ve got our air conditioners in the living room window and my atelier and it’s pleasantly cool inside. If I had to live without a/c, I’d have to sit in front of a fan without moving all day and I have never been content to do nothing … even if I’m knitting.
So today I sewed a tutu for my granddaughter and her doll, Baby. I brought home two shades of pink tulle from the store (it’s been around for decades) and I’d already planned to cut it at 24″ and fold it in half and put it on a one inch elastic to go around her waist. Today I did the sewing and the finishing. I hope it’ll fit as I’ve sewn it but I can always take the elastic apart and lengthen of shorten the waist band. It looks pretty good, if I do say so myself. While I was sewing, I made a tiny tutu for Baby, too. I think Sylvie will like putting it on and taking it off of her doll.
She was home sick from school today so I showed it to her and I think she’s going to love dancing around. She’s excited to come to our house in a couple of weeks and we’re excited to have her! Her parents, too, of course. It’s so much fun re-living parenting through the next generation. I loved having my kids at home and being with them and I love watching them parent this kiddo.
I’ve spent some time at the desk doing Board of Trustees work today and sent a few emails, etc. Last night my iPad was dead so I couldn’t access my Big Love pattern so I just knitted a new kitchen dish rag. I’m really liking orange, I guess, because the colorways that I chose both have orange in them. Ours are getting pretty tired and yucky looking. I thing they’re ready for the landfill. I’ll get three out of the two balls of Sugar and Cream that I bought and it’ll be a refresh for our kitchen.
It looks like this afternoon is going to be for knitting in the cool. I’d like to make some blueberry muffins but it may be too hot for that. For now …
Today started out as so many have this spring … gray and overcast. Dreary. I had to get out of the house by 11am to pick up my friend, Janna, and get over to Augusta for the Maine Arts Academy graduation ceremony and just as Janna and I left her road the sun came out.
This week our MeAA strings group performed the National Anthem at the Maine Statehouse on Wednesday when the Senate opened and two of our students were pages for the day and then today was graduation. And graduation was wonderful! The student performances were amazing.
This week I have an evening meeting with a potential new board member on Monday, a committee meeting on Tuesday and a meeting at school with the Maine Charter School Commission on our 5-year renewal on Wednesday. It’s going to be another busy week but it’s always fun. So, today I’m getting my calendar ready for the week so I don’t miss anything. I live by my Bullet Journal. I handwrite a calendar that I create every week. It has everything I ever need in it (passwords, income, books I’ve read and want to read, projects I’ve completed for Queen Bee Knits, teaching records, and more. It’s the best way for me to keep track of everything – my knitting business, teaching, workshops I teach, and my calendar for work and volunteer efforts. And it can be creative. Sometimes it’s creative.
This week I also worked a half-day at the store restocking and reorganizing. I taught my three knitting classes on Friday and I baked for the hubby’s birthday. This week was my mother’s birthday (she would have been 93 this year but she’s been gone 17 years) and my hubby’s birthday and my big brother’s birthday so we got to make and receive lots of phone calls celebrating our family. We are shopping for a new bed so we can move things around a bit and we bought a new chandelier for our dining room, finally, to replace the one that we took down 2 years ago. (Yes, we’ve been living in the dark. LOL) Note that it’s been ordered, it’s not installed!
I have been knitting away and am happy to say that I’ve finished Dolores after she hid out in the cupboard for the last seven years and she’s taken up residency in my studio/atelier where she sits in my chair and looks at me with judgement all day long. She’s demanding that I get on with knitting her some new outfits now that she has a face and can talk to me. Franklin warned me, he did!
Last night I finished another pair of socks. I love this pair – in On The Round Signature Sock yarn in the Wicked colorway. I originally bought the yarn because one of my daughter’s friends was having a baby and she was in the Broadway production of Wicked. It was so appropriate, right? I made the baby (now a big kid) a pair of socks with it. But that left a lot of yarn and I decided its time had come and made myself another pair of socks. I used the free pattern on Ravelry by the Crazy Sock Lady called Hermione’s Everyday Socks. I love the texture that is knitted into these socks and I am excited to wear them one day soon.
And what these two FOs mean is that I need to find some more projects! I have been working along in the evenings when we’re watching television on my Jelly Roll Blanket. I’ve just begun another strip … when this one is finished, I may be half way done with the project. It’ll be awhile before it’s really done but it’s a great way to deal with all the bits and bobs of fingering weight sock yarns that I’ve collected over the last 40-ish years. I still have to work on the pink mittens … I’ve got no idea why I am putting this project off all the time. I’ve got to get them finished before winter. They’re so pretty. I guess I just haven’t enjoyed the embroidery. And I’ll need to do some on the second mitten, too.
I have four outfits to knit for Dolores and three stuffed animals that I bought yarn for … and a blanket that I bought yarn for, too. Lots of things that I could work on … so now, what do I WANT to work on?
We woke up to ice skimming the lake this morning. It was a cool 16 degrees on the thermometer but my weather app said it was 12 degrees. Either way, it was cold. I look forward to the ice at this time of year. It’s like my lakeside neighbor said, “it’s another phase of life”.
I’ve been super busy again this week. I’m not sure if it’s the time of year or if it’s simply my life but I’ve been trying to finish up the shopping for Christmas and we sent our our Christmas cards, I had a Maine Arts Academy school board meeting – it ended up being virtual because of the crazy weather – and have had some “issues” to deal with surrounding being board chair and we’re looking at meeting dates/times, trying not to have a quorum at committee meetings to follow the rules, attending a board goals setting training, and there was some work and “normal” life stuff to do at home. Thank goodness my husband doesn’t mind (much) doing the cooking. Add the full moon into the mixture and my sleep has been wonky as all get out! I’m sleep deprived, overloaded at work (we had a roof leak this week in the afore mentioned crazy weather) and yesterday was my Saturday to work.
On Thursday I arrived at work to find this mess (above). The heavy rain and wind had caused the roof to leak (I think) and the spot in the front corner of the store that had leaked before had been totally soaked and one of the tiles had fallen to the floor but not before hitting the bookshelves below it. And the toys we have for our little visitors. And the books in the shelves, the free patterns, etc. I cleaned it up but being there solo doesn’t mean I could do much more than a basic clean-up. Yesterday I worked with my friend and colleague, Carol, and we got to dismantle everything around the leak and make sure there was no further damage. We had the “class” table covered with books, etc. and moved everything around so that area was free of merchandise until the roof is repaired. It took us the whole day to get it all off the table but the front of the store looks great. AND we were both pooped – the store was busy yesterday, too!
What a mess!
I have gotten to do some knitting this week. I finished my pink Lane’s Island sweater by Lori Versaci. I made this sweater in a slightly off-white colorway and I love it so much that I wanted to make another. Part of what I love is the Berroco Remix Light yarn that I used. The weight is perfect for a woman of a certain age who is usually warm and I loved the sweater design from the time I saw in (in horizontal stripes) on the front page of the Berroco pattern collection book at the shop. I made mine in solid colors, my new one is a size smaller than the first and I like them both. I wore the pink one on Friday without even properly trimming the ends after they were woven in. And it still needs a QBK label!
Lanes Island in Berroco Remix Light
I’ve been working on finishing the pair of shortie socks in King Cole Footsie for my granddaughter’s favorite aunt so they’ll be sock twins. I’m hoping to finish the second sock today. Fingers crossed.
Shortie Socks in King Cole Footsie
I cast on a new project (surprised?!) using some Cascade 128 in my stash that has been taunting me. I am knitting a pullover for my granddaughter in a larger size for a future year. Maybe. I got the knitting to the arm separation and didn’t like the fabric with the needles that were called for in the pattern. SO … I frogged what I’d gotten done and went down to a US9 needle and started over. I like the new fabric much better but the size will not be a 4-5, it’ll be a 2-3, I’m guessing which means she can wear it this year and/or next. I also found a hood pattern that I really want to make for her with “fur” around the face. Maybe she’ll put it on and keep it on? I also have a miscellaneous purl bump in the center front of the sweater (who knows why, but it’s not going to last forever and I can cover it with a bit of embroidery). It’s a quick project and the hood will be too.
I want to knit a larger pair of mittens for my great-nephew in Salem, MA. He loves the ones I made him last year (and they have to be a bit too small) so I bought more of the same yarn at the shop and will make a bigger pair with an i-cord string that can go in his jacket sleeves so they don’t get lost. I also have some stashed Raggi sock yarn that is wanting to be knitted up and will be work socks for my hubby. He works outside all year long and he loves his wool socks. He has quite a collection but can always use more. This is a grey/white marled yarn and I think they’ll have blue cuffs, heels and toes. He is likely to get a ball of yarn in his stocking because I don’t think they’ll be done before that time.
I found a lobster tam, design by Mrs. Knitter, in my cabinet. It’s already in progress and I pulled it out because it’s so close to being finished and the kit has to have been in my ownership for at minimum eight years. I bought it at Over the Rainbow Yarns in Rockland, ME and they went out of business in late 2017. I’ll be working on finishing that this week.
AND I will be winding up some yarn to cast on a new sweater … or vest. There was a pattern release for a DK weight vest this weekend and I really like my vests. BUT I bought enough yarn for another colorwork pullover in two shades of purple wool from the clearance section of the shop and I may cast on. If I can get the yoke finished before Christmas, it will be good mindless knitting over the holiday. I’ve also been dreaming of an Alpine Bloom hat for which I’ve purchased my favorite yarn in a light gray and a deep charcoal gray … Not sure which will end up coming first. There is also a gnome KAL happening that I’d like to join and I’ve got the yarn to make a few knitted animals for Sylvie … if I can part with them. So many patterns and so little time. I’ll be taking off a week or so between Christmas and the New Year so maybe I can indulge myself with some selfish knitting after I get gifts wrapped and ready to give.
Queen Bee Knits 