A New Start and Pretty Yarn!

Bonjour on a grey, damp Wednesday.  But hey, it's the middle of the work week, so that's good for me.


I ended up ripping out the socks I started in the KnitPicks Chroma -- the yarn is gorgeous, but horrible to use for sock knitting (even though it is billed as that).  Instead I started the Oaklet Shawl with the Chroma yarn (Vermont colorway).  Here's where it is as of this morning (approx. 30 rows).  The yarn is still a pain, but not as large a PITA as it was for socks - lol.

I also wound two skeins of yarn that I bought while in vacation in Maine earlier this year when we visited Good Karma Farm.  (They were at MDSW for anyone who was there.)  The yarn is hand painted and really beautiful.  It's sock yarn, but a little thicker than what I am accustomed to and I believe it is 100% wool (need to look at the label again).

No names for the yarn, but the pinkish one on the left is already on some #1 needles for socks.  The one on the right has a lot of dark blues and greens in it with some lighter shades -- very pretty.  This may end up as socks for my son.
Planning ahead to next week and my girlfriend trip!  What should I pack knitting-wise?  None of the sisters knit and most of our time will be spent going to the spa, shopping and then, when home, consuming wine, cooking great food, talking (a lot), more wine, etc., etc.  I doubt I'll get much knitting done during the long weekend (maybe the early morning hours if I get up early - ha!) and my flight isn't that long.  I'm thinking just a pair of socks to work on.  Small, easy to throw in my purse or carry on tote...and that leaves more room in my checked bag for purchases!
That's it for now.  Hope y'all are doing well!

Monday's Q&A

Wow!  The last Monday of September.  How did that happen so quickly?


Today's questions from KathyB

*Do you work better in groups or alone?

Definitely Alone!  

*Butter or margarine?

Butter…never margarine

*For a day : no phone or no computer?

I guess computer since I almost never get on mine at home…but I check e-mail and texts from my phone all the time

*Gym shoes: wear them out or replace regularly?
Wear them out…I’d rather buy yarn.

*More likely to find in your couch cushions: money or needles?

Neither…but uncapped pens (grrrr) and pencils left by Fletch all the time


*What kind of knitting hurts your hands/arms/fingers?

I was surprised to find that knitting the dishcloths for the exchange bothered my hands…guess I’ve been stuck on socks so long that bigger needles were a problem…and thicker yarn.

*How do you feel when someone asks you to knit for them?

-delighted?
-burdened

Delighted and Pleased!  My son just asked for more socks (just finished his first pair a few weeks ago and he loves them – yay!!)
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*I choose my patterns based on : 
-the designer
-the difficulty
-ability to use stash on hand

Hmmm…the difficulty since I am a new knitter…not too experienced.  But, I enjoy trying new techniques.  I should try to use up stash, but I am so easily swayed by pictures I see of projects in a certain yarn and then I cave….

*I store my yarn in :
-plastic bags
-project bags
-bins and pots and pans

Most of it is in a sweater chest, then there are the project bags and plastic bags and tote bags holding more and more.


*Last company you called customer service

It’s been awhile (thank goodness as there is not so much customer service these days), but probably Verizon…and I need to call them again…

Enjoy the last week of September!!

A Fall Weekend

Bonjour,
What a wonderful Fall weekend!  It was 48 this a.m. when I got up...I had coffee on the patio in pajama pants and a sweatshirt (lovely attire, I know).  It felt like camping.  And the sky:  so blue - only the kind of blue you get in the Fall.  I love it!
So, what did you do this weekend?  Saturday was Fletcher's birthday.  He didn't want to do much - just work in the woods at the back of our property clearing logs and limbs that had fallen over our trail.  Fall weather and working outside are two things he loves, so who am I to argue?
At his request I fixed BBQ shrimp (sorry no pictures, but trust me, this is one fabulous dish) and salad for dinner.  And a cherry cheese pie for dessert.  And champagne, of course, to go with.
I also (FINALLY) finished up his boring tan cotton socks last night.  He loves them and I am so glad to have them off the needles.  Late this afternoon I found a little time to cast on a pair for myself.  The yarn is KnitPicks Chroma in the colorway "Vermont."  I fell in love with the color, but the yarn...so far not so much.

The yarn seems to be un-plying (is that a word?) as I knit.  It is a real PITA.  Have any of you used this yarn?  Any advice?  Thinking it might be better suited to a shawl.  I will try a few more rows and see what I think.

I stopped working with that this afternoon to make a Manon Cake from the blog October Farm - if you love apples, you have to try this cake.  It is SO good (and way too rich, for sure).

Fletch grilled steaks and I broiled asparagus (EVOO, S&P) - so good!  And, I added a Fall centerpiece to the table:

Just a few small gourds and a couple of candles.  I love having dinner by candlelight.

Fletch is taking off Tuesday for a solo camping trip (his buddy backed out...once again...Fletch said he would rather go by himself than be sitting at home thinking about how he could have been camping).  So, I will be on my own till sometime next weekend.  I'm thinking more knitting time, but I'll probably go to yoga too and try to get some domestic chores done.  Right now I need to figure out how to get all the leftover cake into the frig (which is already crammed full of stuff).

Here's to a fabulous week ahead for all of you!

Five Plus Five = Ten

Today's Ten on Tuesday is five and five.  Carole wants to know the five best things from your Summer and the five things you are looking forward to this Fall.
From the Summer:

1. Our vacation to Vermont and Maine this summer.
2. Maryland Sheep & Wool (though the weather was wet and there was a ton of mud!!
3. Our son coming for dinner most Thursday nights and even some of those cool enough to enjoy a fire in the pit!
4. Garden produce – always.  The green beans were not so good this year, but kale was outstanding (and longer lasting than anticipated), great peppers and tomatoes and onions.
5. Plenty of reading and knitting time.

And looking forward:

1. Sisters’ Weekend in two weeks in North Carolina.  Cannot wait to see my best friend and her two sisters…spa day already planned, plenty of shopping, cooking, wine drinking, etc.
2. More fires in the pit!
3. Planning a trail ride (horses) with our son’s girlfriend.  The boys will hike.
4. Hoping for a camping get-away with Fletch…even if it’s just for a long weekend.
5. Fall garden produce – lettuce, spinach, onions, scallions are all planted!!
6. Going to Conowengo Dam with friends to Eagle-watch and hike.

Oooppsss, that's 6 for the Fall, but after all it is my favorite season.


Still warm and muggy here, but there is a definite change in the air and we have started dining by candlelight again!  Love that.
How about you - what did you do?  And what are your plans for Fall?

Kathy B's Q&A

It's Monday!  That means time for another Q&A from Kathy B

1. Are more likely to burn your tongue on dinner, or sit down to it already cold? 

Burn my tongue, though my husband swears the food is always too cool for him….

2. Do you own a pencil?

Yep – I have a bunch of them.

3. When are you most likely to drop a stitch ? : 
during hat decrease?  in a complicated repeat that requires frogging to fix? knitting with zeros...period.

When knitting a shawl with a lace pattern, of course.  I’ve learned to ALWAYS put in a life line.

4. Last board or card game you played? 

Scrabble.  Hive sounds like a lot of fun…may need to get that as a Christmas gift for someone (yes, already trying to come up with gift ideas)

5. Flambeau

 

or Going to Seed. (socks that rock) 

 

Flambeau – looks more Fall-like.

 

6.  SimplySockYarn Hedgehogfibers:

 Skinny Nutmeg 

or Fools Gold 

Skinny Nutmeg for sure – love that turquoise!.

7.  Yarn barn kits

Cabled scarf or 

 

Herringbone

Cabled scarf, but I would make it longer

8. kollage or knitters pride needles?

 

Hmmmm, I’ve never seen square needles – they look cool

 

 

(square needles for sure!) 

9.  Cream, Half and half or Coffeemate?

Only non-fat organic milk in my coffee.  Cream and half and half taste too rich to me and I don’t like Coffeemate. 

10. 

 Fresh Flowers

Walk in the Winter

 (Vesper yarn) 

 

Fresh Flowers, please.  Lovely.