Good Morning!
Whew! It is another brisk morning in Eastern PA. I let Mabel out at 5:15 and when I got up and let her back in at 6:30, her coat felt like ice. It is just 20 degrees out there according to my computer. but, I've a cup of coffee to sip on as I type and soon I'll be warmed up.
It's Wednesday which means Unraveled Wednesday and time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk all about making and reading. Fun topics and always filled with inspiration. Fortunately for me, there has not been any unraveling this week. Rather both of my knitting projects are moving steadily ahead. Route 66 Sock #2 is now past the heel and the gussett decreases and knitting down the foot should be smooth sailing.
A bit more knitting was accomplished on my Hitch on the Move as well.
This is an easy knit to memorize and even as the rows get longer, it seems to go fast. The one thing I am not thrilled about is how it looks where the two colors join. It seems loose to me. Those of you who have already knit this pattern (Kat, Bonny & Kym), do you have any suggestions or tips? I've been trying to pull tightly on the Knit 2 together stitches where the colors join, but that doesn't really appear to help.
So far, 2024 is shaping up to be a memoir reading year for me. Which is fine - I've always enjoyed that genre. I am so very happy to say that I finished and returned The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz. I could only give this book 2 stars. I was so thrilled to have removed it from my house that I didn't even bother saving ANY of the recipes LOL
Now I'm in the midst of House Lessons: Renovating a Life by Erica Bauermeister (author of "School of Essential Ingredients" and "No Two Persons"). This is her memoir of buying and renovating a house in the Pacific Northwest and boy was there a lot to do! The house had previously been owned by hoarders and entailed first hauling away a ton of junk. I'm a little over halfway through and finding it a good read.
Fletch and I are continuing our nightly reading of The Ride of Her Life and enjoying it very much. Last night's passage included a marriage proposal from a Wyoming rancher! I've moved up to #7 in the queue for The Berry Pickers and I'm hoping that comes to me soon.
Yesterday I did manage to get some chores done (both bathrooms have been scrubbed, towels washed and rugs washed as well and the larders have been restocked with groceries). Today I will reach out to our tax person. I also have a retirement lunch today! The girls (my peers at work) are taking me to Nectar - a great restaurant in Berwyn. Looking forward to that!
Happy Hump Day and Happy Unraveled Wednesday!
I'm sorry The Sweet Life was a disappointment. Who would have thought a memoir about food and Paris could be bad? It's chilly to start here, too, this morning, but it's supposed to warm up to the upper 50s today! Here's hoping you get some warmth and some sunshine. Enjoy your lunch out!
ReplyDeleteretirement lunch for the WIN!! Love the colors you are using on your shawl.
ReplyDeleteOh, happy retirement lunch, Vera!!! What fun! (I'm so happy for you. You're going to love retirement . . . ) As for your Hitch on the Move . . . my "joins" also looked "loose" -- but as the shawl grew, I found it looked more like a design feature. I "embiggened" your photo, and I think it looks much like mine. (I can send you a photo of mine if you want a comparison.) I'd . . . keep going. Love the colors!
ReplyDeleteOkay... my thoughts on "the join" on Hitch on the Move... The pattern was written for DK weight yarn, I believe, and thus... a thicker yarn will have less gappy-ness in the join area. I knit it with light fingering and I did note a bit of a struggle to tighten up those k2tog's. It improved a bit in the wash, but there remains a clear difference in those stitches. It is not at all noticeable when wearing it though! It is most obvious when laying flat and looking at that point in the fabric. And I love wearing it... everyone comments on it when I wear it!
ReplyDeleteYou'll soon have a delightful pair of socks finished, and your HotM is looking good. I know what you mean about where the colors join, and I'm afraid I don't have any tips for a tighter join other than pulling the k2tog tight like you're already doing. Your joins don't look loose in the enlarged picture. Even though I thought some of mine were, they seemed to get better with blocking. Enjoy that retirement lunch!
ReplyDeleteKnits are looking great! Hope you have a wonderful lunch!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful time at your retirement party.
ReplyDeleteWhat a very pretty shawl--don't worry about a little gap on the join-once washed and blocked and worn it will be fine! Have a good time today!
ReplyDeleteHitch on the Move is crazy cool. I've never seen it before. I'm not even sure what it is. I'll have to go look that up.
ReplyDeleteOkay....looked it up. Wowza. That's one stunning shawl.
Happy retirement party!
K2Ts are always a rather unattractive join, and no matter what I do, they look...like a join. Pulling them tightly can cause the join to look sort of uneven, too, at least for me. I find that once you wash and wear, it stops looking so awkward. Remember, only the knitter really sees it. Most people think it looks like a pattern.
ReplyDelete**Retirement Lunch**! How wonderful and fun! I know you'll enjoy it.
Hope you had a lovely retirement lunch!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you didn't like the book--I think you might have picked it up because I liked it? I'm definitely going to read House Lessons. And have a great retirement lunch! I was just back at my old job and someone said "did we not give you a retirement party?" and I just rolled my eyes.
ReplyDeleteReplying to myself--I got a deal on the kindle book last September so now will put it at the front of my TBR pile!
DeleteEnjoy your retirement lunch!
ReplyDeleteI adore everything that Erica Bauermeister writes ... and House Lessons is simply wonderful. also YAY for all the forward progress on the knitting!
ReplyDeleteHow awesome to have a retirement lunch, soon you will be able to slide into the lovely joys of being retired . Love the shawl you are making ☺️
ReplyDeleteI hope your lunch was both tasty and fun. I love your sock yarn such pretty colours.
ReplyDeleteI hope you had fun at lunch. The socks will be finished in no time. I don't have any advice on the shawl although I do like the colors. I enjoy some memoir so I may look for the one you mention.
ReplyDeleteRetirement lunch party sounds like a great time. They will all miss you!
ReplyDeleteLove your yarn bowl, its a gorgeous colour
ReplyDelete