A New Day

Thank goodness for a new day because yesterday was a challenge.  I was working away and wrapping up my show prep when the day went sideways in a hurry.  I lost my wallet, one of the family trucks went down (something to do with the power steering, I think) and the hot water went out while we have a couple extra people staying at the house.

Somehow the task of having the truck towed fell on my shoulders, so last night I was outside in the dark chatting with the tow driver.  Did I mention that our street is under construction and closed during the day?  I had to wait for them to open the street before I could call for a tow.  I may have shed a few tears as the tow truck drove off.

But it's a new day.  I woke up refreshed and ready to go.  After I throw a few things in my suitcase, I'm heading to Vermont.

Needless to say my knitting suffered yesterday.

There's a yarn tasting this weekend at Vermont Sheep and Wool.  Also some cool classes, workshops and demonstrations - follow the link. Last night all I could muster was enough energy to start these little yarn tasting swatches before I collapsed into bed. 

A quick announcement for North Shore knitters.  

Romney Ridge is opening a shop in Ipswich.  The grand opening is Tuesday, October 3.  Kelly has put together a diverse selection of products.  Full disclosure: The shop is carrying Dirty Water DyeWorks. Click on the link for more details.

With that I'm off to pack my suitcase.  The change of scenery this weekend will do me good.

I've had a thing for orange lately.  When I spotted this week's color inspiration at the farmers' market, it made me smile.

Bold and bright.

The Shape of Things

When I start a new project, I usually read through the pattern to get the gist of what's going on.  Sometimes I can visualize how things will come together.  Other times I just have to follow the directions and trust that everything will work out in the end.  And usually it does.

When I started Saltwater, I checked the pattern.  Welts with stockinette and reverse stockinette.  I got that part, but I was puzzled by the shape.

Now that I've worked a few sections, I'm getting the hang of it.  See that wing piece sticking out on the right side?  That's where the shaping comes in.  Clever construction keeps me entertained.

We've had a blast of summer this week, but it looks like fall will return by the weekend - just in time for Vermont Sheep and Wool.  This is a charming event held in an enchanting location.  If you're planning to go, follow the link to the website.  There's a coupon for $1 off admission.  Look for my booth in the Vendor Pavilion.

Snapshots from KnitWit

I had a non-stop day on Saturday with a road trip to Portland and back. Yarn tasting, pattern chatter, discussion of yarn blends and colors . . . it was an all around enjoyable day.

Mackworth Cowl.  I first spotted this on Instagram, so it was nice to see it in real life.  It looks entertaining, and I've added it to my list.

The cowl is Dodging Rain Drops, and the poncho is Bibbe.  Both lovely.

If you're in Portland and looking for knitting inspiration, be sure to stop in at KnitWit Yarn Shop.

My Sunday knitting plans didn't materialize quite the way I had hoped.

I'm anxious to add the second color, but I'm not there yet.  Maybe later today . . . 

Ready and Waiting

I have plenty of projects in the works right now and shouldn't consider adding to the mix.  If I were really serious about that, I wouldn't go near Ravelry.  But of course I do pop in now and then to browse.

Lately I've been pretty good at managing the project chaos.  My strategy is I can add to the queue, but I can't drop everything and cast on with reckless abandon.  That plan was working well until the other day when I stumbled across Specklate.

I have a new Lillian Sprinkles I'm anxious to try plus proceeds of pattern sales go to hurricane relief.  It seemed like the perfect match. The pattern hasn't even been released yet.  What could be the harm in just winding the yarn?  Now I have to wait.

This week's color inspiration is a glimpse into the changing season.

From green to red.

Out for a Stroll

Some knitting projects are like a sprint.  They move along quickly and practically fly off the needles.  Others are like a leisurely stroll.  They move at a more measured, steady pace.

I always seem to have a little of both going on in my active projects. After finishing a sprint last week with my Enfilade, I'm taking my Nakarra out for a stroll.

I tweaked this pattern a little and substituted two gradient sets for one gradient and a solid.  I'm making progress and am ready to start the next gradients in the series.  Slow and steady . . . 

A schedule reminder for Portland-area knitters.  This Saturday I'll be at KnitWit with a trunk show.  I'm looking forward to visiting this inspiring shop.  Follow the link for details.

Keep It Local

Over the last few days I attended a couple fiber events.  One was part of a yarn crawl.  The other was a festival hosted by a yarn shop.  Both events were different in nature, but they reminded me of the importance of local yarn shops.

These shop owners provide countless knit nights, interesting classes and overall knitting support.  To top it all off, they foster a sense of community that many of us have come to rely on.  They are passionate about knitting and fiber.  If they weren't, they wouldn't be in the business.  And it is a business.  Shop owners invest in inventory, pay staff people, cover overhead and hopefully have something left to take home for themselves.  

Sometimes the numbers don't add up.  We've all heard of yarn stores closing.  

Yarn bombing courtesy of JP Knit & Stitch

If you rely on your local yarn shop, don't take it for granted.  Don't look for a better deal online and assume your shop will be there when you need it.  Believe it or not each and every purchase, no matter how big or small, adds up to cover the expense of running a yarn store.

Buy local.  Support your yarn shop and your fiber community.

Just a Variation

The other day I started a new project.  I've had a good, long run of 
2-color projects complete with stripes, so this time I opted for 1 single color.  It's time to take a break from stripes, I thought.  I was wrong.

Apparently I can't get stripes out of my system.  I didn't realize it right away, but this time I have a different variety going on with bands of knits and purls.  My streak continues.

This week's color inspiration . . . more tomatoes complete with a cool name.

Orange Russian.

Enfilade

I'm running a little late with this project, but my Enfilade is off the needles and blocked.

I had planned to have it ready for Unwind last weekend.

Instead it will be ready for tomorrow.  More on that in a minute.

This shawl is a fun combination of eyelet stripes and garter stitch.  All you need is two colors.

The yarn is Lillian, colorways Cool Waters and Topaz.

I dropped one of the stripes in the final section.  I had a hunch I was cutting it close on yarn.

And I was.

In other news tomorrow is the start of the Greater Boston Yarn Crawl. Tomorrow I'll be at JP Knit & Stitch from 4:00 - 8:00 with a trunk show including Enfilade.  Stop by if you're in the area.  Be sure to check the Crawl link for a complete list of participating shops.

Snapshots from Unwind

My Monday is operating in reverse.  My afternoon routine was in the morning, and my morning flipped to the afternoon.  Even my morning coffee had to wait until the afternoon.  Being under-caffeinated on a Monday (or any day, for that matter) is not a good thing.

Even though my day is backward, I'm reflecting on a weekend spent with a creative, inspiring group of people who came together and offered an amazing selection of fiber classes.  Here's a look at Unwind.

Fingerless mitts.

Eco print dyeing.

Before.

After.

Spinning.

I fell down on the job when it came to taking pictures because I missed weaving, crochet, double knitting, ice dyeing, hand dyeing yarn and knitting a Christmas stocking. 

It was a fun weekend all around.  Now I'm off to get more coffee.

On the Mend

I'm coming up for air after being out of commission for a day and a half. I was so sick I couldn't even knit.  This morning I surveyed the house and did some quick damage control - trash out, laundry started, dishwasher running.  It's a start.

At my desk the emails have piled up, but I plan to knit a few stitches in between to make up for lost time.

It's tomato season, and I can't seem to get enough of them.  This week's color inspiration . . .

Black Plum.

Second Thoughts

I always keep a list of knitting projects complete with yarn and color. These are new booth samples ready for construction, and the list is arranged in order of priority.  Every once in a while when a project moves into the on-deck circle, I revisit the yarn and color just to make sure.

I'm getting ready to cast on a new project.  Let's be clear.  I'm casting on a new project because I need a little variety, not because I've finished anything.  Yesterday it dawned on me that the projects already under construction and the new one share some color similarities. Maybe it would be better to mix things up a little.

So this morning I pulled some different colors.

I'll ponder these for the rest of the day.  It's hard to pick just one.

Calling all Boston-area knitters.  This weekend Unwind is happening on the North Shore.  Kelly from Romney Ridge has pulled together a collection of fun, creative classes.  There are still some openings. Check it out.

Work and Play

Happy Monday Holiday!  It's Labor Day . . . the last lazy day of summer that also signals the beginning of my busy season.  After a summer filled with plans gone awry, I'm determined to take off most of today. With any luck I'll be able to blow through a short to-do list.

And the rest of the day I can work on these.

Shifting Seasons

The long, end-of-summer weekend is here.  My Instagram feed is full of people enjoying one last blast of summer . . . the lake, the ocean, the campground.  

People are packing up and heading out.  Earlier this morning I saw my neighbors down the street stuff one more sleeping bag in the car before they hit the road.  No adventures for me this weekend.  I'm sticking close to home.

Knitting season is upon us.  The daylight is shorter, and the temps are cooler.  There's a hint of fall in the air, and I've turned the corner with a couple projects.

I finished the first section in my Enfilade and have moved on to a different stripe pattern.  Each stripe is 6 rows, and I find myself 
saying, "Just one more."  And so I knit on.

This week's color inspiration . . . a final glance at summer.

Sun-dappled mauve.