Queen Bee Knits

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

Another Rainy Saturday with “Nothing” to Do

Posted on June 7, 2025 by Queen Bee Knits

We had coffee on the porch again this morning. It wasn’t a gorgeous morning but we appreciate any time we get to spend out there in the peace and quiet. No loud boats full of tourists from away and not even any fishermen this morning. And then it started to drizzle as it has done on the weekend for what seems like every single weekend since the snow melted. (I’m sure it hasn’t been every one but, geez!, it sure feels like it!)

I’ve been straight out this week and it made the time pass very quickly. I am home this weekend with a very long list of to-dos and I hope to reclaim some time to really focus on getting some of my knitting projects over their humps … most of my WIPs are in a place where I need to pay attention and I’ve been too tired at the end of the day this week.

SO, I’ve paid quite a bit of attention to my Jelly Roll blanket. I’ve managed to start another column of knitting and that makes me, most likely, about half-way finished with the project. I still have a ton of bits and bobs of fingering weight sock yarns so I guess this either has to be much larger than I really wanted it to be or I need to stop knitting socks. We all know that the latter won’t happen so I will have to find more sock yarn scrappy projects to use up all the yarn I’ve collected over the years. It’s not the prettiest blanket to be sure but it’s going to be useful and warm for someone. AND, bonus, I think it’s going to be washable on cold/gentle setting.

And I’ve finished Dolores and her shawl (I haven’t knitted her hat yet, but I may … or may not) and she’s been sitting on my extra chair in my atelier with a whole lot of attitude demanding that I make her some new clothes. So, I started her first outfit from a kit that I bought in “ahem” 2017 or 2018. It’s designed by Franklin Habit and it’s hilariously sparkly silver and purple and it will become a dress, if my understanding is correct. I’ve gotten to the short rows at the bottom of the underskirt which I need to pay attention to so I don’t make mistakes. It’s a hoot.

I think this will be what I pick up first today.

I started a pair of socks the other day for some “brainless” knitting. I can knit this pattern with two hands tied behind my back. The yarn was given to me so I have no idea what it is other than to report that it’s lovely and soft. I think they’ll be for my middle daughter who likes my hand knit socks and will take care of them and she likes darker colors. The colorway is glorious despite being dark. It reminds me of cathedral windows or stained glass in many ways. Don’t ask me why. I am in the process of knitting the heel flap on the first sock and am close to turning the heel.

I’ve got to pick up the pink mittens again, too. AND my Big Love cardigan. I need to get some major time with the Big Love so that I can bring it to work with me and work on it while I teach.

This week I finished a second Love and Light and hung it up in our granddaughter’s little sleeping nook. It’s plenty of light for her room and it dims to 20% when she’s sleeping. We haven’t made any progress with the mattress support. That’s next and then I can make her bed. Love and Light is a quick and fun project knitted with fairy lights and big DPNs. It’s a hot mess until you’re finished and stretch the wires out ever so gently teasing them into shape. I love making them.

I also cast on my All About the Ruffle Shawl yesterday. I have two (and one on hold just in case) hanks of Emma’s Practically Perfect Sock yarn in a dark teal colorway called Harbor. I cast on and it’s perfectly boring with a ton of garter stitch and increases on the right side. I am going to be increasing for ages until I get to somewhere around 400 stitches if memory serves and then the magic begins.

On the home front, we ordered a dining room chandelier this week. Our dining room table has been in the dark for over a year since we took down the heavy beam light that my hubby designed and we decided after almost 10 years that we didn’t love it and then we couldn’t find anything we both loved. The new lamp is more his choice than mine but I am tired of looking and wanted to get it checked off my list of to-dos. Now he has to move the box and install the light. Maybe tomorrow.

I did a deep clean in our room the other day. Moved all the furniture and vacuumed up umpteen spidery webs. Now if I could just figure out how to wash the windows over our bed without having to go outside with a ladder. I know I won’t survive the climb up the ladder … on the dirt … on the hill … by the creek … there must be an easier way, right? We are in the process of finding a new bed for us and moving our bed to the guest room and the guest room bed to the guest cottage that we are going to rent out when it’s done. The bathroom is being updated/cleaned up/refreshed and then it needs a good cleaning and a kitchenette and we’ll be ready to go. (By then it’ll be too cold to rent until next summer.) We also have to paint the outside of the building. Hmm. Anybody know a reasonable painter?

Gone knitting.

What a Wonderful Week!

Posted on June 1, 2025 by Queen Bee Knits

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?

Gone knitting.

Happy Easter

Posted on April 20, 2025 by Queen Bee Knits

I wrote 2024 for a good part of the week … is this a Freudian faux-pas? I may be in denial or I may be overworked and stressed. Not sure which is the most accurate statement or if it’s a combination of all of the three. LOL. Regardless, it’s been a crazy busy week and I am glad to have “nothing” to do today on Easter Sunday. None of our kids live close-by and they’re not able to travel to be with us so we are going it alone again and I have such mixed feelings about being along on holidays. This year it just wasn’t possible for us to travel because of my work schedule. So we will tough it out and maybe we’ll go out to the local nursery and buy some pretty flowers … time will tell.

I worked two extra days this week at the shop because the boss is away. Tuesday was Thursday and Thursday was Saturday and I have no idea what to say Saturday was but I taught the second half of my Colorwork Workshop which included a crochet steek reinforcement and cutting a steek and then adding button bands to the “swatch” so it can be used as a coffee cozy. I had fourteen students and it went quite well. I’ll add this to the classes that I can teach in my list of possible workshops/classes. It was fun to meet the new people who I didn’t know before, which was the majority of the class. AND one of my students went to my high school so it was very fun to reconnect (and we will be getting together again.) After my workshop I stayed and worked at the store. Have I said how much I enjoy the customers at the yarn shop? That’s the best reason to keep working for a small family business.

I finished one sock and will start a second one today. Little socks for my little peanut. Purple is her favorite color for now. This colorway is purple but called “red onion” and I think it’s a perfect name. I am making these little socks 5.25 inches long and hope someone’s little feet don’t grow too much before sock season starts again.

On Friday I finished the embroidery for the pink mitten that I started ages ago. I don’t love working with the fabric that the embroidery pattern is printed on, it’s sticky, but I can now finish the knitting and wash the fabric off and decide as I knit the second mitten if I want to duplicate my efforts on the second one. They may look really odd if I don’t embroider the second one, too.

I’ve cast on for the Big Love cardigan with Berroco Pima 100 … what a bizarre start to a cardigan! You knit two pieces of the collar starting with a provisional cast on and then you pick up stitches for the back and the shoulders … this is a first but I will prevail. I’m trying to find something relatively simple to take with me when I fly to California at the end of the week and so far I’m coming up empty handed. I guess we will see what progress I make and then I will decide.

Last project this week and the one I keep picking up is my Little Tern blanket by Tin Can Knits. This, as I have mentioned before, is the second Little Tern I’ve knitted and I am loving it just as much this time despite my big faux-pas. I didn’t remember until I had nearly finished the knitting the first skein of yarn that I had bought an extra skein “after the fact” and so I didn’t check the dye lots before I started knitting. Needless to say, I have three skeins of one dye lot and one of the other. I had “planned” to use the three original skeins for the body of the blanket and use the last one for the lace edge. Ha! Ha! When you plan … God laughs. Guess which skein I grabbed to start this project? Yup, the odd ball. AND there is a definite color change but I am just going ahead and finishing the blanket because it’s beautiful and I am beautifully human … and I am not pulling out a full skein of work for this! I have yarn for a purple Little Tern in my stash and I will (hopefully) remember to check the dye lots when I start that one. Fingers crossed.

So, today I hope to 1) spend some time on the porch in the sun and 2) go buy some primroses or pansies at the garden center and 3) knit a little. Tomorrow I have to go to the bank for work but I am not going to work today.

Happy Easter to those who celebrate! Gone knitting.

WIP Wednesday

Posted on January 15, 2025 by Queen Bee Knits

My amaryllis is in full bloom this morning as it has been for a few days. I’ve been ignoring it despite its beauty and it probably needs water. I’ll get there, I promise. BUT it’s a glorious sunny day today and I don’t have a meeting until 2 so I thought I’d take a few minutes to write about WIPs (Works In Process, Muffin). I have several and a couple of FOs, too.

I’ve finished a couple of projects and one has been sent off already. I finished the pink sparkly blanket for my granddaughter’s baby, Baby. She requested the color and the “spahkly” and what kind of a grandmother would I be if I didn’t knit what she really wants?! Ha! Ha! The blanket should arrive on Friday and I hope I get to see her open it. Thank the heavens for FaceTime!

I have also finished knitting two tams for a long-time customer, Judy. I think I’ve knitted twenty of these tams for Judy over the years. The pattern is no longer available on Ravelry (not sure why, but I had to reach out to the designer for a copy as I’d cleaned out my paper patterns in favor of electronic copies on Ravelry. Thankfully, she was kind enough to email me a copy.) Anywho … the hat is the Quick Lacy Slouch hat knit, this time, in Berroco Vintage Chunky. One black and one a dark navy blue. They’re drying as I write after wet blocking.

The little red square is a sample for the store for our Valentine’s knit kit. We will have a crochet kit, too, but I am not a confident crocheter so one of our other “girls” has made the sample. I’ll put them together this week at work. Tomorrow.

Last, but not least, my daughter sent me a stocking that was made for her ex-husband and I’ve removed his name from the stocking and some evening soon I’ll be adding her dog’s name to the stocking so she can still use it. This was a kit by Accessories Unlimited.

Not really knitting but I also finished a puzzle this week. I was sent this for Christmas and while I don’t get the gaming part of the puzzle, it was a challenge to make and has an extra bonus – when you finish the puzzle you switch the three sections around and there’s an extra section to build. It was fun and I got a sticker that says …

OK, it’s WIP time.

I’ve got a Hoodola on the needles. Using stashed yarn by Berroco, a discontinued yarn, Inca Gold. It’s a DK weight combination of merino and silk so it’s really wear-it-next-to-the-skin soft. I didn’t swatch for it so I hope I have enough to cover my huge noggin. I do have a skein or two of a dark green if I need it for the cowl or the cinch. It’s a very clever design with an applied icord edge and a seamless cast on that starts at the top of the crown of the head, if that makes sense. I missed one of the decreases on one side so I’ll have to remember to add an extra decrease at the end to make the stitch count right.

I still have a pair of Christmas socks on the needles. I’ve finished one sock and have begun the second … working my way down the leg of the sock. This is my go-to project if I am walking on my walking pad or in a meeting because I really don’t have to look at it for the most part.

My other WIP is my New Year’s cast on which is Winter’s Finery by Rosemary Hill (Designs by Romi). I love her shawls and this is a special skein from when I went to Knit City in Montreal and the dyer is a friend of a friend. The colorway is perfect for this shawl. You’ll see!

Other WIPs that I haven’t really done anything with for a while are as follows:

Honestly, the only ones I really should count are the ones I plan to knit and that’s the first two. The pink mittens I bought the kit for the embroidery at Knit City and I’m not enjoying the embroidery … it’s way too fiddly. BUT I’ve gotten too far to go backwards, I think, so I’ll finish the embroidery on this one and will likely NOT embroider the second mitten. I do want to wear these because the color is lovely. (I don’t really NEED a new pair of mittens, but …) Second is the gift bag that I am knitting as a swatch for a class that I took in Shetland colorwork and color choices, in particular for that style of knitting. I loved the class but I haven’t begun to make progress on the project. I really need to pick it up … but the holidays weren’t a time when I had the head space for stitch counting. Now I think I’m ready.

I’m going to frog (rip it, rip it!) the next two. One is the sweater I wanted to knit in a 3T size for my granddaughter for next winter. I’ve adjusted the needle size and the sweater is coming out too small so I will frog it and work on it later in the year. I have the same yarn in pink, too. AND I’m going to frog what little I’ve done on the Three Season Cardigan that I started ages ago. I love the yarn but it’s a bugger to frog. Regardless, it’s been sitting on the needles for too long and I fear for my tension. Frog I must.

In the queue are a couple more (mind you, these are all in project bags around my atelier and they’re starting to bug me. So I have to make some tough decisions. All wound up and ready to start is a Cardoon by Isabell Kraemer in two shades of purple. If I would just cast this on and get through the yoke, it’d be a quick knit. Alas, I haven’t. Next is a new idea, Bang out a Sweater month is February so I found this great orange (ginger colorway?) yarn and I want to bang out a Bolin cardigan by Norah Gaughan which I will cast on on January 31. I will finish it in February. I will! Next up is a pair of fingerless mitts to replace my daughter’s favorite pair, Chivalry Mitts which have a “L heart T” on the gusset. The T is gone now and she needs a new pair for her new life wherever that leads. She’s doing really well and I’m so proud of her. These are a priority. The yarn is currently sitting on my desk. Next, I have yarn for a hat or headband for my daughter’s friend, Sheldon. I made him mitts for his early morning runs for Christmas and he’d like a hat. He’s a very knit-worthy person (and he “stole” the socks I knitted as a wedding gift for his husband when they divorced because Sheldon loves his hand-knit socks.) On my windowsill is yarn I pulled out of my stash to make a gnome. I’ve bought the pattern and it won’t take long but it hasn’t been a priority so it still sits on the windowsill. AND not pictured is Doris. She’s hidden away in my cabinet, mostly finished and just not put together. Poor Doris. One day, Sylvie will love to have her to play with and I think Doris will like being played with. She’s naughty like that. Doris, that is.

Gone knitting.

Snow Machines have quilted the ice-scape – out my atelier window this morning

Mother’s Day / Mothers’ Day 2024

Posted on May 12, 2024 by Queen Bee Knits

Saturday May 11, 2024 – Canada Goose Family

I didn’t get out this morning to take a photograph. Not sure why but I didn’t so here’s a photo from yesterday that seems appropriate for today. Mothers/’s/s’ Day. Maine has been experiencing the Aurora Borealis storm that much of the northern part of the country has been but we’ve missed it at our house … the first night because we were too tired to stay up late and last night because of thick cloud cover. Maybe tonight it’ll happen for us?

Today is Mother’s Day (singular) in the USA. A day to honor our mothers when we should be honoring them every day since they gave us life. But I learned something today from Heather Cox Richardson about the origin of Mothers’ Day. Professor Richardson says that Mothers’ Day (plural)

… “actually started in the 1870s, when the sheer enormity of the death caused by the Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War convinced writer and reformer Julia Ward Howe that women must take control of politics from the men who had permitted such carnage. Mothers’ Day was not designed to encourage people to be nice to their mothers. It was part of women’s effort to gain power to change society.”

You can read more here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-11-2024

I’ve been receiving HCR’s Letters From an American since its inception and have learned a lot about the history of our country and how what’s happening today fits or doesn’t. Today’s post talks about Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic and who hoped after the Civil War to have women keep their new role as participants in national affairs. But the 14th Amendment established Black men as citizens and didn’t specifically mention women. Howe had an abusive husband and if she left him, her children would belong to him. Her activism lead her to believe that mothers were the only way to stop war; wrote an Appeal to Womanhood Throughout the World, organized a Woman’s Peace Movement and Mothers’ Day events to encourage women to speak up and speak out because she realized that a woman’s life didn’t have to revolve around a man, that they should share human rights and responsibilities equally with men. A fitting reminder today that women must make their voices heard and they must have the same rights as men.

I thought I’d update you all on my knitting WIPs. They only seem to be growing and not much is being finished. I seem to have a case of castonitis. (For those non-knitters, it’s when you start a bunch of projects which in knitting is called casting on.) I have cast on another Emotional Support Chicken and a sweater gift for a sweet mother-to-be and I have two more sweaters for little people that I want to knit and bought the yarn for because I don’t have the right yarn … of course.

I have two FOs. One is a bit older than the other but I’m showing them side by side for the size difference. On the left is my worsted weight ESC and on the right is the DK weight ESC. The one on the right will be going to my granddaughter. I will likely be knitting another one because we’re doing a window display for the summer … a chicken coop. Ha! Ha! We’ve asked our customers to participate in a Chicken-along, we stole the idea from Franklin Habit who is doing the same, and we’ve asked to borrow the chickens for our window. I hope we’ll collect a few! This pattern is so much fun to knit and there’s an equally charming crochet pattern. I made the first one just for fun and then made a second one who’s gone to live in Florida with a dear friend and the third I made with one 50g ball of Plymouth Dream Baby Paintbox. I used the same pattern as the worsted weight chicken and a US3 knitting needle. I love her!

Remaining on my needles, however, there are several active and several passive WIPs. The active ones, ones that I will actually pick up and work on over the last couple of weeks are coming first.

In the order in which they appear … My Jelly Roll Blanket is half-way up (down?) the third strip. I was working on it while on a zoom meeting with my friends from college on Friday night and did something screwy and had to frog a few rows, and then a few more, reknit a few, frog a few … not sure why I couldn’t get the stitches back on the needles successfully, but there you go. Today I was watching an Arne & Carlos YouTube video and got it fixed and then continued knitting almost to where I had originally made the mistake. I think I’m going to like this crazy patchwork-y scrap buster!

A new cast on. I have a young woman in my life who I mentored when we both lived in Florida and she was a student at my local school. I fell in love with her as a ten-year-old and love her still today as a young woman and soon a mother of three boys. I cast on this sweater to send to baby #3 who is due in a few weeks. I’ll have to head to Target or somewhere to find a little something to send to the big brothers, too. The sweater is an oldie but a goodie – it was in a magazine in 1982 and is out of print but we have a very poor copy of the pattern at work and I’ve used it a few times. I’ve chosen Cascade’s washable/dry-able acrylic and wool blend Pacific Print to knit the Zip Up A Baby Sweater. Since the yarn is multi-colored, I decided to do the plain front and sleeves rather than the cabled one. The yarn is busy enough!

My second pair of Hermione’s Everyday socks are coming along slowly. I finished the first sock and have started the second. This yarn was deeply stashed ages ago but it was calling my name. I love this pattern and even mentioned it to a customer at the store on Thursday who was going to knit her first pair of socks. (I didn’t suggest it as her first pair. I suggested she use the Yankee Knitter sock pattern for her first pair and when she’s ready, she can branch out.) Anyway, the socks travel with me to work and when we’re out and about.

I’m knitting a little cotton sundress for Sylvie. I couldn’t resist this dress when I saw the pattern and I am loving it. The pattern is Sunbeam Kids Dress (on Ravelry) and I’m making slow but sure progress. It’s still too cold for Sylvie to wear it so I’m ok here. I suspect she won’t be wearing it for a while since our weather has been so bizarre. I am hearing rumbles that we might get snow next week? Are you kidding me?

The Oorik Tank Top (vest) has been languishing in the project bag. I have exactly one sleeve opening to finish and I haven’t touched it. I think it would take me less than an hour to pick up the stitches around the steek and knit a few rounds of ribbing but I haven’t done it. No reason, no excuses. I’d like to say that I will finish it this week but I’m not a liar. Ha! Ha!

And last but not least, the Fiddlehead Mittens. I’ve started the first lining and have reached the thumb gusset but I’m more interested in knitting baby sweaters than knitting mitten linings apparently. So it goes. They’ll get done one of these days. I’m working on keeping my sanity and not fretting about not finishing things. It’s all good.

I’ve still got the pink mittens and Three Seasons Cardigan in “time out” and they’re not really even on my radar right now. My knitting mojo has been a bit “off” and I’m trying to just go with the flow and knit what speaks to me. There’s a time for everything in its time.

We celebrated Mother’s Day here with a trip to our favorite Longfellow’s Garden Center in Manchester, Maine. We bought some new compost and soil for the new raised garden bed and we bought flowers to fill the window box and the bee pot in the door yard.

The term door yard is used a lot here in Maine and it helps me because we two main doors in our house – one at the lake side of the house that leads to the porch and the other at the back of the house that we go in and out of from the driveway and yard. We aren’t sure which is really our “front” or “back” door so I’ve decided to use the “door yard” for the (technically) back door which is the main entrance door that would typically be termed the “front” door. It’s confusing. But they’re pretty and cheerful now and let’s hope the weather stays reasonably warm because some of them need to be hardened off and some are already. If it decides to snow, I’ll pull them in. Let’s hope it doesn’t snow.

Gone knitting!

WIPs and Ice Out

Posted on March 17, 2024 by Queen Bee Knits

This morning we had ice from shore to shore except for a bit of water around the edges. It was raining again and the wind was blowing. I knew things were about to change, I just didn’t know how quickly they were going to change. it’s now 12:22pm and the ice is all gone from the lake but for a few “cubes” around the edge. It’s really amazing how the process of ice out happens. Today’s was the fastest change-over that we’ve experienced in our eight years here. Not long ago there were two big Bald Eagles out on the ice near our “sunken island” and then down across from the music camp. Now they’ve got nowhere to land.

While all this excitement has been happening outside, I’ve got a lot of WIPs inside. AND i may have added one more this week.

Oorik Tank Top by MaryJane Mucklestone in Jamieson & Smith 2-ply jumper weight

My Oorik vest is ready for steeking. Steeking (Muffin) is when you cut the knitted fabric to create an opening and in this case, the steek will open the arm holes and the v-neck. I’ve not ever steeked a garment before so I am really excited to do it. My friend and co-worker, Glenda, has knitted the same garment so we are going to get together and reinforce the steek before we cut it and then cut it. After that we will finish the ribbing on the arms and around the neck and they’ll be finished. Yippee! I got this yarn and pattern in 2017 before I had a child to knit for … some things take awhile but are so well timed! Stay tuned for pictures of the process.

Ruby Ray the Mega Ray in Loops & Thread Sweet Snuggles

I have finished the main part of the top of the mega ray that was requested by my daughter. It will be a very soft toy for Sylvie if this YaYa can get it finished. I am going to aim for that today but I also have a few things that I need to bake for the week so we’ll see how far I get. Next up is the head of the ray in the blue yarn and then the belly will be next with the cream colored yarn. I also have to find some safety eyes.

The other WIPs that I’ve been working on are as follows:

Fiddlehead Fern mittens: I’ve finished the first mitten and have cast on the second but haven’t gotten very far on the colorwork. This is a pattern that I have to think about (or I am apt to make mistakes) although once I get started, it’s likely to go very quickly. I love the way that the handspun yarn that my daughter gifted to me is working in this pattern. The solid color is some left-over Patagonia from another project. It’s truly a pleasure to work with these yarns and these mittens are so pretty. Now that it’s spring, I’ll probably not get a chance to wear them until next year … unless I gift them or sell them before that.

My daughter’s Christmas socks: I’ve put these aside several times because Christmas. I have some time, right? But socks are almost always on my needles and before I started the next WIP I’m going to talk about, I was thinking that I’d try to do another year of 12 pairs of socks in a year. I have a friend who’s doing 24 pairs of socks in 2024 … not sure I could or that I want to do that. Anyway, the pattern for the Christmas socks is Yankee Knitter #29 Classic Socks with a modified heel. I’m using the Crazy Sock Lady’s heel from the Hermione’s Everyday Socks pattern. The heel is sooooo pretty! I’ve completed the first sock and have cast on and started the 1×1 ribbing at the leg.

Last active WIP is the one I cast on on Friday (or was is Thursday night?) and that’s the Jelly Roll Blanket. I’m knitting this pattern with the modifications that the Crazy Sock Lady made, using 2 strands of fingering weight yarn held together for a DK weight yarn. I’m knitting on a US6 needle and I’m having trouble putting this one down. I started the second strip last night. I am using all odds and ends of fingering weight yarn that I’ve used in projects over the last 40 years and I’m (sort of) randomly pulling little balls out and either knitting until they’re gone OR for about eight inches. One of the strands will be the white/natural yarn that I bought when I thought I was going to try to dye yarn. Ha! Ha! That ship has sailed. This seemed like a way to unify all the bits and bobs AND use up some yarn that has no real purpose in my stash. This one may take years to complete or may be the only thing I work on over the next few weeks/months. Once the blanket is finished I think I’ll have enough yarn left to make a Sea Glass tee, too.

Not shown here are a couple of other projects that are in time out. I have a pair of pink mittens that need to be embroidered before they can be finished. I found the embroidery hard on my hands – the stabilizer with the pattern printed on it was tough to get the needle through – so it was set aside. I still want to make the mittens so I have to get the embroidery done. They’ll be beautiful.

I’ve also got a sweater that was begun and soon set aside. The pattern is the Three Seasons Cardigan. It’s an all over cabled cropped sweater. I may be lengthening it a bit … or not. I bought the yarn that was suggested because I loved the sample. I am making size 5 I believe and I know that I’ll love this sweater. I just have to commit to knitting it and I will. Soon.

I have a few other WIPS, too. Yes, I know there are a lot. I’m reminding myself here how many things I have going on at this point in time as much as anything. And for now, I’m going to head to my orange knitting chair and get started working on knocking the WIPs list down by one.

Gone knitting.

How Today’s Going

Posted on November 15, 2023 by Queen Bee Knits

Today is my last day at home before returning to work after having some cruddy virus-type thing. I’m still coughing and stuffy but I do think I’m on the upswing and am feeling much better. My sweetie not so much. Today’s been one of those days where your plan just keeps falling apart.

I always spend a few minutes at my desk in the morning to have a look at what I need to get done that day, if I have any meetings, etc. Today I got myself ready to start the day and headed downstairs to fold the laundry. When I went into the bathroom I noticed that the toilet seat needed attention so I cleaned it up. The sink also needed attention so I cleaned it and the counter. Finally, it was time to fold the laundry and put it away. Done and dusted. I thought I’d make granola next and walked by my purse in the front hall which reminded me that I had wanted to changing purses so I went into our closet and found that my two vintage Coach purses at the bottom of the bin were moldy so I grabbed the shoe polish and the purses and went out into the kitchen to clean and polish them. My purses look brand new after more than 40 years and I switched my stuff from my “fall” purse into the oldest and smallest Coach purse that I have. I bought it on sale at Lord & Taylor in Manhattan when I lived and worked there. It was my first ever Coach purse. After putting the other purses back in the closet, I got out the makings for granola.

And while the oats, etc. were toasting, I remembered to catch up on my Wovember posts on Instagram.I know that committing myself to these monthly postings is going to be tough but I try it again and again. I was really behind … like 5 or six days behind. I’d thought about the posts and had taken some photos but needed to take a photo of the afghan that my grandmother’s friend Ruth gave to me as a shower or wedding gift the first time I was married. Ruth is my knitting hero. She could knit while drinking coffee, smoking a cigarette and watching TV. The afghan remains one of my favorites despite the acrylic yarn. I noticed it needs some repair – it has a few pulls – and I’ve added that to my mending list. I wrote my post while the liquid part of the granola was melting and then put the granola together and back into the oven.

I had emptied a bottle of fizzy water and hadn’t refilled it so I did that, put away the dry dishes on the drainboard, cleaned up the kitchen and washed the top of the island (I had to scrub a bit of shoe polish off.) Meanwhile, I’d forgotten to eat breakfast so I grabbed the last of the baked oatmeal out of the freezer and popped it into the microwave. See how it’s gone? I’ve made headway into the day but geez, there’s a lot of side trips! Ha! Ha!

Look how happy my houseplants are! I am thrilled to see the show they’re putting on this year. My Thanksgiving Cactus is in full bloom. It’s absolutely covered with flowers. The second one, is blooming too but nowhere near as fully as the red one. Our orchids are STILL blooming. They’ve been incredible and in nearly constant bloom for months. Yes, you read that right, MONTHS! My father would be so proud of me and I know that Helen is smiling.

I really am knitting. I’m endeavoring to design a Christmas sweater for Sylvie. She’s a year old but she’s a peanut so I’m not sure what size to knit but I’ve just begun and am hoping it’ll fit! I’ll write the pattern down when it’s done … maybe … but I think it’ll be cute and different. I’ve got the body done and am knitting the sleeves. Since they’re little, they won’t take a lot of time. The Yoke will be worked pretty simply with raglan decreases and then embellished once the sweater is knitted. I’m not going to share any more photos (the one below was posted to Instagram) until it’s finished but there are hints on my Ravelry project page.

I’ve set aside my pink mittens with some of the embroidery done and some yet to do. I’ll get them finished when I am done with Sylvie’s sweater. They may travel with me for Thanksgiving. We shall see. I’m continuing to work on my Nancy’s Vest slowly but surely and mostly in the evenings when I am too tired for colorwork and design work. I’ve got five of the seven button holes knitted so I’m making progress. I hope it’s going to be long enough … it looks like it could be really short. If that’s the case, I’ll rip it out and start again. I am trying to take my own advice and trust the pattern.

My gray socks are still on the needles. I found a dropped stitch way back and pulled it up as far as I dared. I’ll secure the one stitch when it’s finishing time. I’ve already added a stitch so that my count is correct. They’re for me so it doesn’t really matter if they’re perfect. Well. they’re perfectly imperfect.

My studio and home are a mess and I can’t leave for Thanksgiving before it’s cleaned up a little bit. Guess we’ll be vacuuming and dusting this weekend. Holiday travel is not my cup of tea and I’m trying to get myself into the mindset that what happens happens. We are so fortunate to be able to travel and to be invited for a Thanksgiving visit. Our generator is in good working order should we lose power and we have Tom coming to raise our guest cottage sometime during the long weekend so he’ll check on the water issue (we’re waiting on parts so it can be fixed.) Monk will be happy to see his friends at the kennel. We have everything that’s within our control done. The rest is up to the universe.

Gone knitting.

PS. Two more thoughts. First. I went to the doctor because I wasn’t feeling well on Thursday last week. When we bring our dog to the veterinarian, they call to see how he’s doing after the visit. I’ve heard not one word from my doctor. Second. The weather is really feeling wintery now. We (the royal we) covered the garlic with straw and it’s time to cover the Rhododendrons that we’ve been nursing for years. They’re getting a bit bigger but the weight of the snow (and the workers) may hurt them. Guess it’s time to put the life jackets and oars away, too. The dock’s only been gone a month or so. An extra thought. Be kind. Everyone’s fighting battles these days. Politics is ugly, war is ugly, and it’s difficult to wrap my head around the things people say to each other. What we can all do every day is to be kind. It takes so little effort.

Easy on a Wednesday Morning

Posted on October 18, 2023 by Queen Bee Knits

It was a calm, peaceful morning here on the lake today. All I could think about was how lucky we are to live here where it’s calm, quiet and safe. How lucky we are to live in this country, too, despite the chaos in politics. But the people who live in the middle of war zones around the world … my heart breaks for them and especially the children. The children are bearing the burden of the choices made by adults. My heart is so heavy.

And when I become overwhelmed by the chaos and death and destruction of innocents, I cast on. I’m not sure why and I sometimes (OK, often) wish that I could make that finishing but that’s just the way it is. It’s how I make the world seem less out of control. I have two pairs of socks on the needles, two sweaters, and I have been sewing, too – both hand sewing and making garments on my sewing machine. I am feeling quite pleased that I have finished a few things … most of which are for my granddaughter’s birthday … and I have a couple more to start for my travel this week and next.

I’ll be casting on the Framework Mittens by Knitted Bliss. I’ll be knitting it with two yarns that we bought this past spring at Knit City Montreal. They were the special show yarns: Akara BFL Fingering 2-ply in the Spring in Montreal colorway and La Bien Aimee’s Kumo in the color Alba. The first yarn is a light pink tonal and the suri/mohair is a darker pink color. I think they’ll play nicely together. I bought an embroidery pack from Knitted Bliss, too, at CKM23 and the plan is to embroider flowers on the mittens when they’re done.

I’ve bought some yarn to knit a new vest (or three). The first one I am going to attempt is Andrea Mowry’s Tessellated Vest. I bought some navy blue Patagonia by Juniper Moon Farm for the main color. I told you I love this yarn! The pattern calls for two additional yarns to keep it interesting – and I’m going to attempt to do that with a skein of Feederbrook Farms Entropy DK and two of Lana Grossa’s Silkhair Haze Melange. The Entropy DK is multicolored and visibly twisted and the mohair is also a navy blue/black. I hope this won’t be too busy on my body. If it is, I’ll frog it and knit it differently … I haven’t decided what that means exactly but I need a navy blue something vest-y.

I’m wearing the heck out of my Emsworth vest. I wore it yesterday, in fact. I knit it in the charcoal gray Patagonia and it is great to throw on over a blouse and a pair of jeans. I spent the day yesterday with my friend Lori and we were both wearing vests with a blouse … she designed hers, though. Maybe she’ll let me test knit the one she was wearing! Goodness knows I have the yarn.

I’ve been busy cleaning up and organizing today … and I keep getting distracted. This post was NOT on my to do list for the day. But I’m trying to listen to my body and my soul and do what feels good and right. So, here I sit. I still need to finish the laundry and wash my office window … which means clearing everything off my desk and windowsill. I won’t even show you a picture of the chaos on my desk!

Gone knitting.