And Life Must Go On

It's been very busy around here...

I finished my Vortex Shawl and love it! The yarn is Smooshy by Dream in Color in fingering weight ~ 100% merino. The shawl took two complete skeins plus a bit of a third one for the picot bindoff. I may enter this in our local county fair this fall.

Remember the test knit I was doing? Well I finished the pair and must say that I am very happy with them. This is another project I may enter in our local county fair.
June 11th saw our local knitting group gathered out at the MarketPlace to celebrate World Wide Knit In Public Day. Below is a collage of some of the photos that were taken. We had drawings and everyone went home with something new. At the top you can see a photo we took with everyone wearing hand knit socks...isn't that something!

This morning started on a great note! I've been depressed as two of our very good friends have passed on. A good friend in Ireland has a wonderful blog ~ as I read I feel as though I am right there with her. She just celebrated her 5th Blog-a-versary. She ran a bit of a 'contest' and I am one of three winners. What a way to start the day! Thanks Jo...you know I love you.

The day couldn't have gotten any better. A big tree on the neighboring property has finally seen time with a chainsaw. The limbs would sway so much that when we'd have some big winds I was always afraid one would land in our livingroom. The tree looks so much better and we'll be getting more sunshine in our patio (we have an umbrella to put up). I love to sit on the patio and knit when the weather allows.

Test Knitting

Back in April I agreed to test knit a pattern. The pattern is Red Mosaic Sock and as you can tell mine is not RED. I'm using a hand dyed yarn from Anzula with a bare sock yarn from Knit Picks. The pattern will be available in the August/September issue of Cast On magazine.

Normally I would start my toe about two inches from the end of my toe. But in this case I wasn't sure I liked the white toe. So I decided to continue the mosaic pattern all the way to the end. This took a bit of figuring out where the stitches went but I am quite happy with the results.

Now if I could just get the second sock finished.

Beautiful Spring Day and Sock Madness

Went for a walk this evening...

Baby ducks following along by their mommy




Sock Madness started and is now in the 3rd round

First Round ~ over 200 knitters participated from around the world

Pattern Supporters
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20428757@N03/5506802459/

Second Round ~ we're now divided up into four teams, I'm in Team Minnow

Pattern ~ Nornir
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20428757@N03/5556397547/

Third Round ~ 37 from each team participated in this round

Pattern ~ Dangerous Turns

Hmmm

Yesterday I received a knitting magazine...now I need yarn!

So today we doing some research on some items that hubby and I have collected over the years...he has an impressive collection of pen knives that he is willing to part with.

Looks like today will be fun

Hopefully I'll get some knitting squeezed in between the laundry and research

In the knitting magazine there is an Aran hat inspired by the 'pill box' type. It has bobbles, traveling stitches and cables...I've knitted cables before but never bobbles and traveling stitches so I'm anxious to start on this.

There is a Mosaic Yoke Cardigan...I watched as this pattern emerged from an idea to a finished product...this would be my first sweater so I'm excited.

Back to research...

A beautiful day1

Yesterday hubby and I took a walk around the park, it measures a mile and I always feel so much better when we get home.

As we were on the way I snapped this photo...I love taking scenery photos...the sky was so beautiful

Another Super Bowl

The Steelers made it to the Super Bowl but just couldn't get it together. That's okay...at least they made it.

I knitted a few rows on the Vortex Shawl...it coming out beautifully and I love the color (will post photo when completed which should be soon)

Yesterday we spent a few hours pruning the Scarlet Oak tree in our back yard. During the night the wind was blowing something fierce that I could hear it blowing the limbs around the yard. We'll be spending the rest of this week cutting them up in small pieces to dispose of.

But while we were busy so was little Shivers. He was just beside himself. One neighbor has a new chihuahua and the kids were out with him. On the other side are new neighbors and they have two dogs. Shivers ran the length of three fences ~ back and forth ~ countless times....he just wanted to play. He was so tuckered out that when we came in he promptly fell asleep.

Today is a 'day off'...oh, I'll do up the breakfast dishes and finish the linens in the laundry but other than that NO WORK!

Just a few...

This is a neckwarmer...Pittsburgh STEELERS neckwarmer...I knitted this for hubby to wear on our Thanksgiving trip to Washington.




Shivers wasn't too happy...we were spending Thanksgiving with our daughter in Mill Creek, Washington...it snowed and the temperature was 17 degrees...as soon as this photo was taken hubby picked him up and took him in the house...he was happy as long as he was curled up under a blanket in the house




Here's a Niddy Noddy my husband made be from PVC pipe. It makes a one yard hank of yarn. The beautiful grey yarn wrapped right now is Lambswool/Nylon ~ recycled from a sweater purchased at a church thrift shop while in Mill Creek, Washington over Thanksgiving.




Paraphernalia ~ my "Personal Project of the Month"

Some members of our local Ravelry group decided to do a Personal Project of the Month. I enjoy knitting socks so I picked 12 sock patterns and the yarns that I wished to use (all but one skein/hank came from my stash). The patterns and yarns were matched up and then put in 12 separate zip lock type baggies. On the first day of each month I'll pull one baggie and knit that pattern.



Can you see Shivers in the following photo? His nose is poking out under the blanket...he's so funny.