Nearly, almost, sort of, in the home stretch

With the Tour de France on t.v. a lot during the month of July, I've accomplished the nearly impossible, I've got this on the blocking board.



It needs trim around the front (page down the link and you will see that Kay of Mason Dixon Knitting made this great i-cord edge that I'd like to try on this, and a zipper, and a collar, but I'm nearly there now that I've decided how to finish it.

Wish me luck!

Joining the sock on vacation brigade

We went to Yosemite last weekend and since I don't have the stamina as my 18 and 20 year olds, I took a sock to work on if I couldn't walk with them. At one point I thought, oh.oh.oh. take a picture of the sock.

Here it is overlooking Tenaya Lake at Yosemite National Park:



TA DA!

Traveling with Knitting

I was sitting on a plane writing this. While packing I considered what to bring, I am going to be gone a week and hope to get some knitting done. I therefore packed a sock, it is small, doesn’t need a pattern yet (it is a knit 2 purl 2 cuff down pattern that I have mostly memorized) and perfect for working on while waiting. I have also packed a lace scarf, that requires concentration, but it is also small enough to be worked on while on the plane, where there are few distractions. I actually like working on lace when traveling because I concentrate so hard that I forget how uncomfortable traveling is and time then flies.

Regarding flying with knitting needles, so far I’ve not been stopped, ever. I have metal circular needles, but have flown in the past with plastic ones and wood needles, short sock needles and long sock needles. Knocking on wood now, but so far so good. Today, while boarding the plain for the return trip, I was surprised to see a woman with size 13 - 14 inch straight needles...they did make me pause...

Sweater Nearly Finished

Okay, I know it looks a little goofy now.


But it isn't quite finished and definitely needs blocking. This is what my cousin John would call my Thin, thick and thin sweater. I started it when I was thinner, then I got a bit thicker, now I'm on the road to thinner (mostly healthier too!)

Finishing

Sometimes it feels good to finish some projects. I will have some pics tomorrow, I have a sweater nearly together, dark blue and the light isn't great so I put it aside until tomorrow. It will need a different neckline and blocking, but it is in the home stretch.

There is something about finishing that just makes you feel darn good. I am mostly a process knitter taking classes, trying new things and finishing things once in awhile, but that is rarely the goal, so that when I finish something I'm always surprised. I was wearing the quartz vest last night and mentioned that I made it, and wow did that feel good.

So now on the needles are a lace scarf, a basket weave scarf, a baby blanket, a sock, a cardigan, a short row scarf and I'm sure some things I've forgotten.

Things I want to try, but haven't started are:

Socks from the toe up
Fair Isle Sweater (using one solid and one hand painted yarn)
A lace shawl (two rectangular pieces joined half-way)
A pair of lace socks
A large afghan
A throw

Is that enough?

Sheep Feet

I am wearing Sheep Feet Socks. I seem to have misplaced my camera so this picture will have to do for now.

I adjusted the pattern a bit and just barely had enough yarn, but I did have enough. On the foot I replaced the lace pattern with a knit two, purl two rib. They fit better and the holes don't make my always cold feet even colder. The yarn and pattern were given to me by Lyn when we were in the Outlandish Swap together. It was my first swap, we traded names, answered questions about Diana Galbaldon's Outlander and then sent knitting gifts to each other. It was very fun and I really enjoyed getting to know the people in the group.

Last night was the monthly evening meeting of my local guild, and we shared our adventures of Stitches West some of us stayed for a couple of days, some just came for the market, and some were there from the moment it opened until the doors closed. At our meetings we shared stories of our days at the event and of events past.

As they say, "A good time was had by all".

Vacations

See this is a vacation photo:

This is why I don't want to knit or work today, I want to be back on vacation. It was pretty there, it is pretty here too, but it is differently pretty there. Okay done whining! I'll run errands and make a fabulous dinner and then sit and knit on anything, a sweater, a scarf, a sock. It won't matter, but it will be fabulous.

What's done

I've hit the knitting doldrums so I thought to give myself a little push I would show what I've finished since I last wrote.

First John's socks, please kindly ignore the different colored toes (ran out of yarn).


Then Grandma's shrug, I hope it fits and she likes it, I think it came out quite nice.



And finally some yarn to choose the next project, maybe one of these will get me out of the doldrums.

See the problem with fabulous vacations is that you don't want to go back to your life, vacation is too much fun. Oh sure, when you are tired walking, wanting to sleep in your own bed it seems like the vacation should end. But then...then your laundry is washed, dried, folded and put away, the suitcases stored, you've slept in your bed...it too gets old and you are ready to go.