It was a bit cloudy and very dramatic when I went outside to take the photo this morning. It’s now, three hours later, sunny and gorgeous outside. Fall has taken hold and the temperatures require a sweater which makes this knitter extremely happy.
I’ve been working on our family Christmas card this morning. Hubby’s computer is old and we have trouble with it … it refused to do our taxes this year and it’s getting grumpy about media transferrals … but it worked out after a few tries and I’m going to hit the order button later this morning after hubby sees it.
I’ve been having a lot of fun with my gnome KAL and I’ve been keeping up with the clues. I won’t show photos of my WIP (except for the first one that gives absolutely nothing away) in accordance with KAL rules. Suffice it to say that piece 1 is sitting at the bottom of my gnome gnitting – yes, intentional spelling – bag and piece two just keeps growing. Sarah is brilliant the way she creates these patterns and this one is another unique construction. I appreciate that I have gazillions of bits of leftover sock yarn that I can use up when I knit gnomes even though the “collection” doesn’t seem to diminish much.
I have cast on two new projects, finished one and cast on another. I have a customer who calls annually to order hats. The same hat every time in the same colors for the most part. This year she wants two navy and two black. I’ve completed one navy and started a black one. They don’t take long to knit but I’d love to get them off my to-do list. I love checking off a list!
I have cast on the first Christmas knit. Someone (Sylvie) requested a pink and purple stripe elf hat this year. I just realized that I should have added “fur” because I have some furreal that’s white … I may frog what I’ve done and reknit the hat. Anyway, she’s getting what she asked for and I will be knitting a sweater to match. Maybe also with fur (on the collar and cuffs?)
I’ve been trying to make good progress on my daughter’s Levitate Wrap sweater and I have made progress. I’m still a little bit worried that it’s not going to be as boxy as I think she wanted it to be. Nevertheless, I’m continuing with knitting one sleeve as the pattern requests and re-working the border around the front of the sweater. The border is lovely, double knit, 11 stitches, applied as you go to the front of the sweater. I’ve reached the middle and expect to have it almost to the bottom of the second side today if I don’t spend too much time writing or baking. The good news is it’s really starting to look like a sweater now. Progress!
I’m going to sign off here and go bake some granola for my kids. Two of the three have requested my granola and if I make it for two …
It was a bee-utiful morning albeit a bit chilly for sitting on the porch … 38 degrees! We have pulled out the plants in the veggie gardens, cut back our wild rose (It’s grown way too big for it’s spot), and we are pretty well ready for whatever the weather brings. We’ll keep the cushions outside for a bit longer just in case there is a good sunny morning but daylight is shorter on both sides of the day and my SAD is starting to kick in. Time to get out my sun lamp!
I have an FO that I promised in a prior post to show you and to talk about my mods. I have finished and am wearing my Make Mine a Double by Milli from Tribe Yarns. The pattern was included with the kit I ordered and this was my backup colorway. I really wanted the bright pink that she was wearing when I first saw the sweater but it’s been sold out and I was too eager to make it to wait. Typical knittier. I ordered two hanks of the ArtYarns Double Mohair Ombre yarn and the pattern came with. The yarn is exquisite on it’s own. Softer than I had imagined and the color is magnificent fading from a deep chocolate brown to blues to beigy-taupes to peachy cream.
Make Mine a Double … at least this shows the color changes!
I had planned to make the medium-large but after getting most of the yoke finished and connecting the body/separating the sleeves, I was afraid it would be too tight so I frogged back to where the sleeves were separated and added another increase round so I was at the XL size. (After finishing the entire sweater I still have ample yarn left over.) The result is a boxy fit but I think it’s good and the sleeves are a little long but I’ll be wearing this as a “dress” sweater to work, etc. so I’m happy with it (and I can always frog back a bit and shorten them if I change my mind. Frogging mohair isn’t always a fun thought.
I cast on a new project. I signed up to do the Sweater Weather Gnome KAL with Sarah Schira. The first two pieces are mystery pieces and I got them done to the last bit without problems … but jeez! Picking up the 48 stitches around the edge was quite a process. I pulled my stitches out more than once in part and in full but I finally got them all done and I’m ready for clue #3. I won’t show any photos because it’s a mystery KAL and I don’t want to ruin the surprise for anybody who might be knitting along, too.
I’ve been working on my daughter’s Levitate Wrap and it’s coming along. I did frog the entire front edge when I got to the end of it because I missed one sentence of the pattern originally. That was that it should be a provisional cast on of the 11 sts. Oops. I couldn’t figure out any way to unknit the cast on edge of double knitting to make it work and decided that time-wise, it’s easier to just frog it and reknit it. So, I’ve done that and I’m working my way back around the front right edge/neck/left edge … and then I’ll be on to sleeve island before I do the bottom edge. I can see the forest through the trees at this point. I’ve worried that it’s too cropped but I measured 18″ from my neck and I think it’s going to be find once the bottom edge is added. (Cross your fingers.) Interestingly, one of our sort-of-local yarn shops here in Maine is making this sweater as a knit along. They’re all using much heavier yarns which is interesting. I’m not sure how they’re getting gauge but it’ll be interesting to watch their progress, too.
My socks are also coming along. This is the second pair of Reverie Socks by Summer Lee that I am knitting and this time in stashed gray sock yarn. It’s still an enjoyable lace pattern with a little bit of columns of twisted stitches and it’s easy to memorize for the most part. I recommend this pattern! I am also a shorter leg convert. At least for these shoulder seasons where it’s not super cold or hot and some skin can be exposed to the elements. I’m knitting the 72 sts. size and the fit is perfection. I’ve got the first heel turned and I’m ready to pick up the gusset stitches next.
I’ve got four hats to knit as a commission for a repeat customer. I picked up the yarn at the shop earlier this week and applied it to the credit that I have after returning unused yarn from previous projects that I wasn’t going to use. If nothing else, this was a good reason to go through my yarn stash and clean it up and clean it out. I found quite a bit of yarn that didn’t have any friends left over! I’m requiring myself to get the Levitate Wrap close to or done before we head to NYC for our granddaughter’s 4th birthday party. It’ll be a very (too?) quick trip and I’m already struggling with having not enough time to eat up my little love bug. I may have to take a bus home and let my dear hubby drive home alone so he can go to work … TBD.
The equinox has passed so it’s officially fall in Maine! I am departing from my norm of posting a photo taken on the day that I post and am posting a photo from the evening a couple of days ago. It was the most spectacular sunset sky we’ve had in ages. It seems that it was all over the country, too. My kids saw pink skies in NYC. It just reminds me of how lucky we are to live here!
It’s been a busy week (again) and I have been working on a whole bunch of stuff, some old and some new, so I’ll try to share it all … if I can remember!
I cast on Gnettle of Gnumpkin and Gnettle by Sarah Schira in advance of the new KAL that she’s started called Sweater Weather Gnome. I have tons of little bits of fingering weight yarns and it’s the perfect place to find colors for gnomes. As an aside, last week when I cleaned up and cleaned out my atelier I pulled out a bunch of gnome colors for the fall. I plan to knit Gnumpkin, too, just not right away. I have finished Gnettle’s body and am working on her legs and feet one leg is partially done. These are so much fun to knit and my hat’s off to Sarah for designing these brilliant characters. One foot to go on the first leg. I love her already.
I have finished the body and I am so close to finishing my Make Mine a Double pullover sweater. I tried it on at work on Friday and I think I will like the fit (and I’m glad I went up a size). The sleeves are both partially done because I decided that I wanted to go back and forth with the last hank of yarn so the sleeves were almost the same and mostly in line with the body of the sweater color-wise. I am happy with the way they’re turning out and hope I get to some cream before they end. I may have to bypass some beigey brown to get there but I’m going to make it happen. I can even wear the sweater this coming weekend if I get it done.
I finished my striped socks and have cast on a pair of gray ones. I found an almost full ball of gray sock yarn in my stash and decided it needed to be knitted up. I may give this pair to my daughter who likes to have handknit socks. I am going back to the Reverie Sock pattern by Summer Lee because I liked knitting my pink pair and thought I’d repeat the joy. I’ve already caught myself missing one yarn over but I’m knitting on. Perfection is not my goal … joy is!
As I’m writing this morning we are waiting for the “huge” Nor’easter to hit Central Maine. It’s not done much for us as yet. I was hoping for a lot of rain at minimum to make us feel better about heading into winter with a full well. I guess tomorrow is the day we’re forecasted to get a lot of rain but I wouldn’t be surprised if we get some today, too. It’s dreary and cool enough to be wearing a sweatshirt. My hubby is entertaining his camp friend this weekend. Last night another camp friend joined us for dinner and the three hadn’t been together for 53 years. They enjoyed visiting while I was at work yesterday. The “boys” are upstairs watching a movie and I’m happily ensconced in my atelier! After working the last three days, I’m happy to be home and knitting today. I’ve paid to be a Shetland Wool Week virtual member and I’ll join the opening ceremony at 2pm EST. I’m working on getting an idea of what it’s like to be there with the thought that I may like to attend next year. I’m even considering casting on a SWW hat in honor of the occasion. I may choose to knit my sleeves instead.
My friend reminded me that today is the Winter Solstice. Christmas really snuck up on me this year but I think I’m ready. We have simplified again this year. No real tree, we have a small-ish tree that I had to find new lights for but it’s lit and it’s fun to see in the living room. I also set up my Department 56 village for the first time in a long time and it’s a really fun, festive decoration. I did get out and buy some Poinsettias for the dining room table and one for my atelier. I also forced a few paperwhite narcissus and an amaryllis. They’re blooming now and two of my orchids are pushing out bud spikes, It looks like we will have orchids blooming again in the New Year. I’ve got to keep the humidifiers running if they’re all going to live for a long time.
I’ve finished all of my holiday knitting except for my hubby’s Christmas socks. He’s gotten yarn in his stocking before and I will be able to knit them out in the open once he knows.
FO first! This is the Jamberry Cardigan by Birchtree Knits. I knitted a size 4 in Berroco Vintage DK. I like the Vintage product for its washability. My daughter has asked for sweaters that she can wash and dry. Sylvie has been living in her other purple cardigan (at least the last time I heard) partly because she can put it on all by herself and she can button it up by herself, too. I hope she likes this one, too. It looks huge but she’s growing up so quickly!
Today I ran to town to get some last minute goodies for stockings. When I got home, it was time to get cooking. The kids all want my granola so I made a double batch and will divide it three ways. I also made two quiches (one sausage and one veggie) with shredded potato crust like the ones I made for Thanksgiving that were a big hit. Earlier in the week I made two different kinds of cinnamon rolls – one with nuts and one without – for my Friday morning knitting class’ holiday celebration. They were delicious (and I did make cream cheese frosting for them, too.) I made chili for dinner one night this week, too. I don’t cook much these days, my hubby cooks more than me, but it was good! I just wish I’d made corn bread to go with it. Next time.
I’ve been knitting every day. On my needles, I have a Stockholm Slipover in stashed yarn. I am really happy with the way it’s knitting up and I am almost down to the ribbing which means there is a bit of stockinette and some ribbing at the bottom, around the sleeves and neck and then I can wear it. I’ve also cast on a Musselburgh hat in a pink HuMade yarn that I got a Knitty City when I was in the city a while ago. I’m holding it with a strand of Berroco Aerial mohair/silk. I think I’m near the end of the increases and ready to hit the round and round of stockinette stitch.
I cast on the Broadgate Tabbard. I may set it aside for a bit though because it’s really a spring and supper project; I’m knitting mine in a stunning green linen that I bought after I saw it on Ravelry or Social Media. I’ve never worn a lot of green but this one just got stuck in my head and I had to buy it. I think I may knit an afghan for my brother instead. And a hood for his wife. They’re both very deserving and never ask for anything. I have green yarn for his blanket and a neutral deep beige/brown for the hood. Hmm. Maybe the hood will be my next cast on. I also want to finish the Noah the Horse that I have mostly made. And some pink mittens that need to be embroidered. I won’t go down that rabbit hole again. That kind of embroidery on knitwear isn’t my bag, But I do want to finish the project.
I have SO many projects that I want to make. And so much yarn that I have bought in anticipation of the projects. Ha! Ha!
It may not be “official” but winter has descended on Central Maine! We had our first measurable snow fall this past week and have had several flurries. Snow overnight has “covered” my car. Yesterday we had the pleasure of watching a group of Bald Eagles and a crow eating something out on the ice. There were five or six eagles and our trio of eagles but only one was allowed to eat with the eagles. Mother nature may seem cruel but the circle of life is so evident here.
I’ve been busy without much of a break. School (volunteer) work has been active and continues to head in a positive direction. I’m heading to school tomorrow night for the winter recital in Maine Arts Academy’s newly finished recital hall/performance space. I’m excited to see my first performance there. I’ll also drop off my donation of books for the library and a donation for the law mower fund. (Charter School funding is not the same as the rest of public schools. We don’t get the school funding from towns that traditional public schools get which continually have us looking for money for basic needs. (Maine Arts Academy is a public charter school for grades 7-12 which means we accept all students who apply until our classes are filled. We have to follow all DOE standards of education, graduation, and in 2026 will have to have all our educators certified (we were allowed to have experts with a proven record of their expertise teach in the Arts areas. No more.) Can you tell I’m passionate about our school?
But I was going to write about my knitting and what’s been happening that keeps me busy. I’ve been pulling out Christmas decorations that I’ve not pulled out for years. Our fake tabletop Christmas tree lived on our stairway landing between the second and third floors for ages but we put it away last year. I just pulled it out of the closet and half of the lights are out – and nothing I do seems to fix them. SO …. I’ve pulled the lights off and need to find a new strand of lights. Where, if not shopping at Target or Walmart, do I find short strings of small lights? I need to give the tree a shower, too. It’s so dusty! I also pulled out and went through my Department 56 collection and put up my Dickens Village. I’m so happy to see it again! We’ve had it lit up for about a week and we’re really enjoying it. I have some random mismatched pieces that aren’t Dickens and I’m not sure what I’ll do with them (they apparently have no value today despite being very collectible 20+ years ago.) I also found a bunch of Swarovski crystal figures that my ex collected and gifted to me. What will I ever do with them?! AND I have a full box of Halloween light up houses. They’re still taped up since our move to Maine. Guess they can go, too, hun?
Much to my husband’s chagrin, I haven’t been doing any baking at all. I keep thinking about it but I haven’t made it to the kitchen yet. Maybe today. I was going to go to Costco for provisions but we have a meeting at 1pm and I won’t make it back in time if I leave now. Wednesday.
I have been knitting wonderfully irrelevant things not related to what I have to get done for Christmas – and that’s quite limited this year.
I have been working on an orange poncho called the Easy Folded Poncho by Churchmouse Knits. I made mine in Rowan Felted Tween because I have this wonderful pair of boots and thought an orange poncho to match would be fun. I finished it this week and wore it to a funeral mass on Saturday and I was very happy with the result. I haven’t got a finished picture of it yet (I forgot.) But it came out very well. I chose to not add a cowl neckline to it because I don’t love stuff around my neck anymore. It was a good choice (and I have plenty of yarn to add one if I change my mind.)
Easy Folded Poncho by Churchmouse Yarns
Blocking the stockinette rectangle was a royal pain … because stockinette stitch naturally rolls, it needs to be blocked with blocking wires and it’s such a large piece (50 inches by 22 inches) I didn’t have a space to block it that wasn’t my studio floor. AND I didn’t have anywhere to pin the wires so gallons of water, some air-dry clay and a bag of unwrapped Christmas gifts worked as weights. Once blocked, you fold it in half and seam one side all but about twelve inches for the neck. It’s quite smart, really.
City Lights by Dina Mor
I have also been knitting the perfect black hat. I saw this one one a podcast and knew I had to knit one for me. I found sequin yarn in Marblehead at Thanksgiving and last week I bought some black alpaca and black mohair and the hat is knit with all three strands held together. The pattern is the City Lights Hat and it says it’ll fit an 18 inch circumference and my big fat Rockwell head is more like 23 inches. SO … I went up to a cast on of 96 stitches which means an extra 4 inches. Hopefully it’ll fit when I’m done (as you can see from the horrible selfie, it seems to be working.) The sequin yarn I found has tiny sequins on it which I love because they’re very subtle and I’m not really a sequin kind of girl. I have a few more rounds to go and it’ll be done. On Thursday at work I’ll have to buy a big black pompom for the top.
Thompson River Socks by Carolyn Kern
I’m working on a pair of Christmas socks for my hubby, too. It’s a tradition. I always put a pair of new socks in his stocking. These may or may not be done by then. I’m trying to keep them a secret but he hasn’t been working (his boss keeps calling it off) so I only have Friday to knit. This past Friday I worked on them for quite a while and then noticed I’d skipped a round somewhere in the chart and I had to frog back (rip it, rip it) several rounds before it was ok. I am now re-knitting them and have reached (almost) the end of the heel gusset. I’m knitting the Thompson River Socks in Raggi yarn that I’ve hoarded for all these years waiting to make a pair again (since the first pair was not perfect but that’s a long story.) These socks are toe up (not my favorite) but goals have been set ages ago and I’m meeting them this year.
Sylvie’s Jamberry sweater has been sitting in the project bag completely ignored. Maybe today I’ll get the duplicate stitching finished on the yoke and block the sweater. It’s going to be adorable and I have a feeling she’s going to love it but I am not a fan of all the duplicate stitch and wish I’d just knitted it in. (I wasn’t paying attention to the pattern, I guess, and I never read the pattern all the way through. Oh well. I just need to do it.
Nuuk Gloves by Pernille Larsen
I am working on a pair of fingerless mitts. A kit that I bought at a new yarn/needlework shop that the “girls” and I visited a few weeks ago. It’s a kit they put together for a pair of Nuuk Gloves by Pernille Larsen out of Knitting for Olive worsted weight wool and mohair (two strands held together.) The first glove is finished except for the thumb and I will work the second one to the same point and then add both thumbs together at the same time. The color is a new one for my pallet but I like it a lot. Not sure who they’re for but they’re going to be warm.
Stockholm Slipover by Petite Knits
I still have Noah the horse in a project bag in my atelier. And the Jelly Roll blanket. And the pink embroidered mittens. BUT I chose to cast on the Stockholm Slipover by Petite Knits. I’ve been wanting to cast on for this for a long time and I thought I had stashed yarn to make it and then doubted myself and then found the yarn again and dove right in. I am knitting with a fingering weight (EYC Tenderfoot) and a lace weight mohair which is actually a suri alpaca (Halo by the Alpaca Yarn Co) held together. The fabric is dense and on gauge so it’ll be a warm vest. I am choosing the rounded collar and if I like it I may make the v-neck, too.
So there you go! I’ve been gifted so many days of life so far and am grateful and hopeful that there will be many more. I lost a college classmate this past week and two of my friends/coworkers lost their mothers. Both lived long lives. But this reminds me that there is no generation between me and death. I am one of the old folks now. (I still can’t believe it and don’t feel like it!) My tea bag gave me a good message the other day and I wanted to share it here as a reminder – it may be my theme for the next year.
It’s a glorious sunshiny day today and the house has been warmed by the sun to a nearly-too-warm 75 degrees at 9am. I can’t think of donning a sweater this morning, at least not downstairs. When we built this house, making it year-round-living-friendly, we had no idea how much passive solar heat we’d be getting but it’s incredible! The entire downstairs is warmed by the sun on days like this. Way past the temperature at which the heat is set.
I cast on a new project yesterday. I got a round and a half knitted before I had to run to work for a few hours and then got the balance of the ribbing done last night. As I was about to change the needles for the body of the hat, I decided that I’d like to knit a folded brim on this hat. I have a ton of yarn, way more than the pattern calls for, and I’d like to see how the fit and style change with a folded brim. SO … I have another couple of inches to knit in 1×1 ribbing before I head on to the chart. I am knitting the Alpine Bloom Hat in Juniper Moon Farms Patagonia Organic Merino. I’ve chosen two shades of grey – Anthracite, my main color, and Light Grey, as contrast color. I love to knit hats and have knit many for myself that end up being given away because I hate myself in hats. We’ll see how this one goes.
I have several other WIPs on the needles in various states of completion. I am about twenty inches of stockinette stitch into the Easy Folded Poncho that I’m knitting. This is a perfect project for those times when my brain is exhausted but my hands want to have yarn in them. It’s boring, frankly. But the color is wonderful and I hope I’ll love the poncho. I’m knitting this in Rowan Felted Tweed and I have to say that I do love this yarn. It’s particularly wonderful when paired with a silk mohair but this one is only the Felted Tweed and it’s lovely, too, on it’s own.
I have a Jamberry Cardigan on the needles for my granddaughter. I am now finished with the first sleeve and have started the second. It won’t take a lot of time to finish the sleeve but once I have knitted the button bands, there’s a bit of duplicate stitch before it’s complete. I love the way this sweater is knitting up and may use it as a basis for her 2026 Christmas sweater. But that’s a long way off. Let’s not go there.
While my FOs aren’t shown here at their finished state, you’ll just have to believe me. They’re finished. Off the needles. AND the little purple socks (they’re the second pair for Sylvie in this yarn and are quite a bit bigger than the first pair!) and the Musseburgh hat that I made as a sample for the store is also sent off to her. The hat wasn’t getting any attention at the shop and the yarn is no longer being sold wholesale so, off it goes to keep a little head warm! Yesterday I looked for alternative buttons for the little sweater that we’re sending to our grandson for Christmas. Hubby liked the ones I have at home better. Today I’ll sew them on and this gift will be finished and ready to wrap and send. Yay! I also finished the embroidered snowflakes on our granddaughter’s Christmas sweater and sent that off to New York City yesterday. That’s three FOs, ladies and gentlemen! Yay!
So, the remaining WIPs are the Jamberry cardi, Noah the horse, Easy Folded Poncho and now the Alpine Bloom hat. I’ve also had a request from my S-I-L for a baby blanket for her brother’s partner who is having her first grandchild in early December. I’ll buy yarn for that on Thursday when I’m at work and get it cast on. Now mind you, that’s my “active” WIP list. There are others in my atelier that I’m not going to mention here because it’s a little bit embarrassing. LOL.
I’ve been working to get another request from my eldest for the wee Sylvie – a yarny something to keep her hair clips and headbands on. She sent me a photo of a pinterest unicorn and that’s what I’m attempting to duplicate. I’ve got all the yarn cut and I’ve got a unicorn head template. I just have to cut the cardboard and put it together.
Hubby and I went for a drive to the local apple orchard and the garden center and I had to pick up some Paperwhite Narcissus bulbs and my annual Amaryllis bulb. I’ve gotten them all put into containers with pea gravel and water and now we wait to watch them grow. The Amaryllis is already sprouting leaves after 48 hours. I love watching bulbs grow and they add a nice pop of color to the winter in Maine.
I had a great mail day last weekend! I “had” to buy this one skein of self-striping sock yarn and add it to my stash. Must Stash Yarn does the most incredible self-striping colorways and I had a bit of trouble figuring out which ONE to buy. I ended up with this one and I’m so happy. I’ve also pre-ordered a couple of skeins from Lola Bean Yarn Company … I am looking forward to seeing that and playing with them both after the holidays are over.
Life is good here in the woods of Maine. We sure are feeling grateful for the place we live. With all the upsetting news lately, it’s good to be able to unplug and feel at peace at home.
It was a gorgeous crisp morning on the lake this morning. Hubby was off to work early and I saw the baby loon and a parent (heard them, too) and saw a flock of Canada Geese heading south. It’s so much quieter in the morning now that the summer visitors have left and schools are in session. I spent most of the day yesterday in meetings representing the board of trustees at Maine Arts Academy. I’m so proud of the progress and growth the school has made.
On Sunday my hubby and I took a Sunday drive thinking the weather was going to be rainy. We were wrong about the weather but we had a lovely day on the coast. First stop was the Cashmere Goat in Camden, Maine. I hadn’t been there since before they moved to the new (now not-so-new) location and I was pleasantly surprised by the quantity of yarn they had in their space. I was pleasantly greeted, and happily offered use of the restroom. I did see a couple of samples that I have to make for the grands. A lobster sweater by Whitney Terrell, a Jamberry sweater for Sylive (I bought the Vintage DK yarn to make it) and there was an adorable colorwork hat made in Malabrigo Rios in Christmas colors …CUTE!
Next stop was Belfast and we tried a new-to-us restaurant, Must Be Nice Lobster. I had a lobster roll and the hubby had a crab cake. Both were pretty good. Because he’s a trained chef and I’m a pretty good eater, we are perhaps more demanding of quality than most. We sat outside in the shade with several other tables. The waitress never did bring ketchup for our fries but it was a serviceable lunch. AND then off to Heavenly Yarns and Fiddleheads. I bought an “In the Garden” skirt kit at Fiddlehead to make for the granddaughter and a couple of hanks of Ultra Alpaca Light from Heavenly Yarns for a Fishbones hat (Mary Jane Mucklestone’s pattern). Heavenly Yarns is under new ownership and it’s still a lovely store to browse. They have a yarn line called Helen which I assume to be the former owner’s work. A nice wooly wool and lots of lovely totes and baskets. I particularly love their logo tote and would have bought one if I needed one more tote. I do not.
I’ve been working almost monogamously on my Vanilla Sweater and have finished the body and am ready to pick up for the sleeves and head off onto sleeve island. I am eager to try it on, too. Maybe today. I am still loving the sticky wool which is already softening up as I work it. This is the perfect sweater to wear on cool mornings.
Yesterday I picked up the Sorento cardigan that I am making for a client and finished the back and the second front. I love the color of this little sweater, too. I will split the second hank of yarn today and knit both sleeves at once so they’re the same and both done at the same time. My goal is to send it off to my client by the end of October if not sooner. I have chosen a couple of different buttons and we’ll see what we think when the knitting is done.
When we were at the beach I had my daughter try on the fingerless mitts that I started for her last fall/winter and she liked the fit so I will finish those, too. I hope to deliver them when we are in New York to help with babysitting. One fingerless mitt shouldn’t take too long, right? The challenge with these is that she really wanted black and blue so my “old” eyes need some bright light to work on them – in the morning!
Today I’m off with “the girls” from work to Thomaston, Maine to visit Rachel Jones at On the Round. Rachel has moved her storefront to Thomaston and we decided we needed to head over to Carol’s part of the state for once. I’m looking forward to time with friends and another adventure.
Our day began today with a cup (or two) of coffee on the porch. In the sun. With a blanket wrapped around my shoulders. But, boy! Did it feel good to be outside in the sunshine, fresh air, and peaceful surroundings. It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to sit on the porch and we were really grateful to spend some sweet time outside. But when the wind came up out of the north it was too chilly.
So, we came inside and got our morning started. I had some work errands to run, a trip to the post office and the bank and the store … and my dear hubby decided to come along for the ride (and to see our new Reny’s.) We even went to the Early Bird for breakfast/lunch and he grabbed a couple of limes at Buddy’s IGA.
Home again, I went indoors to get the (forced) tulip bulbs that had been purchased at Costco a couple of months ago with the idea that we’ll put them in the ground now that it’s warm enough. The bulbs were mushy but we put them in anyway … maybe a couple will come back and maybe not but ashes to ashes. Hubby went out into the yard and I went into the kitchen to clean up and after a few minutes heard hubby huffing and puffing by the front door. When I asked if he was ok, he said, “No. Fire” and I looked outside to see a fire that had escaped the fire pit and was burning the lawn and the little hill up toward the guest cottage. I ran to get a bucket to help augment the hose and we decided we needed to call for help. 911. We kept dumping water and hubby was hosing down the woods and by the grace of God or some higher power, we managed to get the fire out before the fire department found us.
The vehicle you want to see and DON’T want to see in your dooryard
The fire department checked it all out, poured a little bit more water in the woods around the guest cottage and deemed the fire out. Needless to say, we have learned a valuable lesson and have been educated, too. The new fire code says that a fire circle any larger than three feet by three feet needs to have a burn permit every time. Ours is bigger than that. We also cannot burn anything other than fire wood (lumber, old chairs, etc. that hubby has been burning for decades are now not allowed.) AND we have learned to get the hose out to the fire pit BEFORE he starts a fire. The outside water hadn’t been turned on yet and that delayed his water response that allowed the fire to “get away” from him in a very short matter of minutes. We were both very frightened and, needless to say, that won’t ever happen again. (And we need to make a donation to the fire department, too.)
We were so grateful that we were able to manage the fire enough to get control before the fire fighters got here and realize that it could have been so much worse. It nearly was. We are grateful for the extra long hose that we bought, grateful for water in our well and the water in the lake that I used as a bucket brigade (we will be building a more stable “step” or two down to the lake so that we can access water by foot before the dock is installed) and very grateful for the Belgrade Fire Department from both Belgrade Lakes and North Belgrade who came to our aid.
It was a calm day today but too dry and the leaves from the fall aren’t raked up and served as fodder for a very quick little fire. I guess we will be cleaning up all the junk wood that hubby would like to burn but can’t now and taking it to the dump. Time to rake up the leaves, too.
You can see the black char from the foreground to the fire pit and it stretches up to the side of the guest cottage. This was more excitement than we ever needed today and we don’t need any more thank you very much.
What a beautiful thing to wake up to snow-covered trees this morning. Yesterday was a mixed bag of precipitation but starting at about 5pm, it snowed. I’d say we have about three inches of wet, heavy snow on the ground. AND we have no more ice on the lake! During the night we may have gotten some wind which would have demolished what thin ice was left as it got dark last night. This morning there is no more ice. Warm weather can’t be far off now!
So, over the last few days, I sewed on the buttons and tried on my finished Bolin cardigan. This sweater was the featured design in MDK’s “Bang Out a Sweater” this year. I really liked the look of it and took a special trip to Freeport, Maine to buy the yarn. I was determined, I guess. But this is what the sleeves looked like when I tried it on …
The sleeves were way too long. I would have had to fold the cuff fully over and that’s not what I envisioned for this sweater. So I pondered solutions. First I tried to unravel the yarn. If you have ever worked with mohair, you know it’s fuzzy and sticky and difficult to frog back. I struggled with finding the woven-in end and pulling that back … it wasn’t going to work for four inches of knitted and blocked fabric. So, the only other solution I could think of was to cut off the cuff and another two inches of fabric and then re-knit the cuff. I certainly wasn’t going to wear it as it is and I had invested so much time and money into the garment, I had to try to fix it.
So. I cut it.
I started by measuring where I needed the sleeve to be before I cut it. The pattern said 14 3/4 inches from where I picked up sleeve stitches. I shortened it to 14 inches because I’d rather knit more than have to frog more or cut more. And then I carefully unravelled all the way around and placed my stitches on smaller needles. Once the cuff was amputated, I found the start of the round and adjusted my stitches and then I tried it on to make sure that the cuffs wouldn’t make it too long again. (Duh! Why didn’t I do that the first time?!) Once satisfied that I wouldn’t have to adjust again, I re-knit the cuffs and bound off. Twice. Now the sleeves are a good length and I can wear the sweater – I may wear it today, in fact. It’s rather cropped but I hope with a dress or a tunic it will be wonderful and today it’s cold so the warm sweater will be welcome!
Phew! Crisis averted.
I also finished a little sweater for my great-nephew to send off to Massachusetts. I knitted the Knitting Pure and Simple Baby Pullover #214 with a Sirdar Snuggly Aran yarn and it’s really cute. I blocked it and trimmed the ends and packed it up and mailed it off yesterday. I also finished a little Newborn Vertebrae cardigan for my bonus daughter’s nugget-to-be. Since she won’t be finding out what the baby’s gender is, I (or rather my hubby) chose a very neutral yarn. I had to buy a second ball just to knit the ribbing around the opening so I will probably knit a hat and mittens, too. The baby is due in late August so I think warm hand knits will be appropriate for Colorado weather. Apparently I sent off the pullover without taking a final photo and the cardigan is blocking as I write so this is the unblocked version.
I’ve also been working on the workshop that I’m teaching Saturday morning and I’ve gotten the patterns and hand-outs copied, and knit three pieces from different parts of the pattern for my demonstration purposes. One part is what the students were to knit for “homework” before the class so I can show them how to cast on the steek stitches and join it into the round to prepare for the colorwork. The second is so I can show them how to hold their yarn, one in each hand, for knitting colorwork and how to catch floats. And the third, I still have to finish, will be showing them how to reinforce the steek before cutting and finishing. I have to reinforce one side of the steek and then I’ll demonstrate how to do the other side and how to cut it.
I did block the sample so it will lie flat for me (and my students can do that, too, before the second class if they so choose. Not sure I love my color choices, there’s not quite enough contrast, but it’s just a sample for a class, right? I’ve also been collecting my books and things that I’ve knitted in colorwork so I can show the class all different kinds of colorwork … Intarsia, Stranded, Norwegian, Mosaic, Fair Isle, etc. So, except for finishing the third sample, I am well-prepared for my class on Saturday.
So now I have to decide what I want to knit next. I’ve got a bag of cotton yarn to knit a Big Love cardigan or some red linen-blend yarn to knit a Patti tank. I have swatched for the Patti and figured out how to compensate for my gauge being “off” but I think the Big Love might be another swatch I need to try. I’m having lunch with my knitting friend today and we’re going to knit a bit after that so I have to decide because tiny toddler socks aren’t what I want to be knitting today. I also have my pink mittens to embroider on and finish up. They’re part-way embroidered and I decided that embroidering on my knitting with cotton floss is not my jam. So, I may finish the first mitten and just make the second one plain. OR I may take the embroidery out and just knit the mittens. The pink color is perfect! More on those decisions later. Gotta run and get some more coffee.
The sunrise this morning was unremarkable because of the clouds. Lots of gray today but yesterday when we arrived home after a week in New York City babysitting for our granddaughter, it was a glorious sunny day. I always go through a bit of a depressive episode when we leave the kids in New York. It takes me a couple of days to recalibrate myself to being just me, just us, in Maine, away from the hustle and bustle and constant business of the city. Today is a little bit difficult but the last week was truly wonderful fun.
My eldest daughter, mom to our grand, is in San Diego opening a new play called Regency Girls and her husband had to be in Las Vegas for a work event so we were called to spend a week with our granddaughter. We have learned we walk more and move way more when we’re in New York with a two-year-old. Ha! Ha! And we did. We went to the playground, played in their courtyard, made lots of lego buildings and stacked blocks (and knocked them down). Read books, colored with Dot markers (they are very satisfying) and generally had a blast. We made challah one day and Sylvie was a big helper, mixing, punching down, helping to roll and braid the dough, and brushing on the egg wash
She may be only two but she’s talking a blue streak, sings all the songs, has some crazy one-liners and is fiercely independent. Yesterday she went off to school in black and white plaid pants and a rainbow dress with two differently colored socks but she got dressed mostly by herself … and the curls!!!
Hubby and I are getting used to living in the city and have found the grocery store, a mailbox, the local bodega for newspapers and quick purchases, and we even found Target this time (to buy some cards.) We are becoming accustomed to having noise outside the windows 24-7 and sleep through it anyway. We loved being able to drop the trash in the chute in the hallway and compost and recycling are an easy elevator ride to the basement. (B is for basement we were told!) There are three great playgrounds within a few minutes walk and we didn’t even stroll around the park!
I got a bit of knitting done and realized that a linen tank that I want to knit is going to need to be re-sized because my gauge is way (way!) off. I think I can knit it a couple of sizes larger on a much smaller gauge and it will work. I’m crossing my fingers. I have 8 balls of Chai by Berroco in a pretty red colorway that I’d like to make a summer top in. I saw the Patti tank and thought that would be great but I don’t want it see-through. I’m way beyond that age! As is my habit, I started the tank with the suggested needles and then measured my gauge after a couple of inches and it was nowhere near the gauge for the pattern – 4 or five stitches per inch – it was closer to 6 1/2 stitches per inch which would cut the finished measurement by almost 4 inches in total. Not ok. SO …. I frogged it and went back to Bristol Ivy’s way of swatching to see which fabric I like after I knit and block it. I’ve tried the US6 and US7 needles on 35 stitches. I’ve got to knit a bit more on the larger needles and then I’ll bind off and block it to see if the gauge changes. That will determine my preferred fabric and then I can figure out how many stitches I need to cast on to make the tank fit the way I want it to. More on that in a later post.
Meanwhile, I have finished a little sweater for my new great-nephew. I used a Knitting Plain and Simple pattern (#214 Baby Pullover) and a Sirdar Snuggly Aran yarn. The yarn is super soft and easy care for the new mom who also has a two-year-old. It’s adorable and just needs a little wash and block to be ready to send to Massachusetts.
I don’t want to show the finished version just yet … Baby Pullover #214
I also finished the knitting on my Bolin cardigan before we left and, despite the fact that I wanted to wear it, I didn’t have time to sew on the buttons and it wasn’t quite dry before we left for New York. It is now, though. I’m planning the button sewing today so I can wear it this week. I love the fabric, it’s so soft. We’ll see how I feel about a cropped cardigan when I get dressed one day soon. I hope that it’ll be ok with a long tunic and jeans or leggings. Pictures soon.
Socks- On the Round yarn, Yankee Knitter pattern
I finished the On the Round socks while in New York and left them there for Sheldon, one of the “kids” in our extended family in the city. He’s definitely knit worthy! I loved the yarn and hoped they’d be for me but I made them a little bit too long and they’d have fit my hubby but he didn’t love them. Sheldon’s feet are the same size as my hubby so he was the winner!
I cast on a little sweater for our newest grandchild (arrival late August.) We don’t know if they will be a boy or a girl and won’t know so I let Poppy choose the colorway and it’s gray with specks of color. A little Vertebrae cardigan for newborns. This baby will be living in the Denver, CO area and will be born in A/C season and will likely spend lots of time outdoors. We can’t wait to meet him/her!
Baby Vertebrae in Lang Bebe 200
I have made some progress with this cardigan and have finished one sleeve and am nearing the end of the second sleeve. I’m going to be playing yarn chicken with the edging around the fronts. OR I’ll have to buy another ball for the last little bit which means there will be a matching hat and maybe mittens for the first cold snap. This yarn is so soft and quite wonderful to work with. The pattern is one of my favorites for new babies because they spend so much time against a human body, they only really need a sweater on their little backs. This one is perfect. And the yarn is machine washable. (The green and blue cords are “knitting barber” cords like these. I have several sets for holding stitches. They’re great knitting tools!)
I didn’t have a chance for my daughter to try on the fingerless mitts that I’m making for her. I have a wee bit of concern that they’re going to be too big and I’ll have to start them over again so I’m not knitting any further until she tries them on. The next chance I’ll get will be late this summer or early fall when we’re at the beach. I’m just going to put them in time out until then. Meanwhile, I’ll finish the embroidery on the pink mittens I started forever ago and get those done.
In a week I will be teaching the first of two parts of a workshop on colorwork knitting. I’ve got to get a couple of examples together and knit a few swatches so I can demonstrate at different times in the workshop. I have a big group signed up and I’m excited about the interest. Our knitting project will be a coffee cup cozy knitted in the round and then we’ll cut a steek to finish it off. But it’s a great, worsted weight “swatch” to learn the techniques and to get knitters ready to knit a colorwork project with more confidence.
The ice on our lake is thinning rapidly. We’ve had a typical mix of Maine spring weather while we were away and with a couple of warm days, the ice wlll be gone from the middle of the lake. We will be watching for “ice out’ (when a boat can navigate from one end of the lake to the other) this week. I’ve not looked at the weather report but we’ve had a report of the first loon sighted at the north end of the lake … they always seem to know when they can come back to the lake. Before we know it the hummingbirds will be back, too.
