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This time of year brings longer daylight, and I've been feeling the effects. The sun rises early and so do I. There's a certain hush early in the morning, so I go about my business without interruption. Usually that means dyeing.
This was first out of the pots this morning, and now I'm just waiting for it to dry. Since I got such an early start, I finished my daily dyeing quota by noon.
I dyed this yarn with a specific project in mind . . . it won't be long before I'm casting on.
My daughter ran a half marathon over the weekend. Since I had built in waiting time, I made the most of it.
Suburban Wrap. This is my half marathon. I want to be at the halfway point by the end of the holiday weekend. There are twelve sections. I'm almost finished with number six, so it's looking good.
This shawl feels like it's flying off the needles. That's a good thing because I'm coming up on a deadline. The design features a lot of variety, and that's one of the elements to keep things moving along.
Calendar Highlight. Next weekend I'll be on the road for the Maine Fiber Frolic. This is a lovely festival with a nice mix of vendors. The used equipment area is always full of interesting items at bargain prices. If you make it to this event, be sure to check it out.
It's a long holiday weekend here, but I swear some have been on vacation since Wednesday. I'm not traveling this weekend, and I'm not sitting for hours in bumper to bumper traffic. But I do have plans.
It's been one of those weeks, and I lost a couple days along the way.
In addition to other things, I lost knitting time, and the holiday weekend will help me catch up.
So far this project is all gray, but there's another color waiting to jump on board. I'm easily entertained.
Speaking of gray, this week's color inspiration is a variation on a theme.
Misty gray.
After a whirlwind weekend that included graduation festivities and shows on Saturday and Sunday, I woke up this morning feeling a bit groggy. I'm not sure coffee can save me today.
Congratulations, Luz! It was a long road with some bumps along the way, but you made it. Perseverance will serve you well in life.
There are so many things that need my attention this week, but today I'm going to catch my breath.
And I'm going to give this sock on FlexiFlips some attention. I'm determined to feel more comfortable with these needles. Practice and perseverance . . . important life lessons.
I have so many sample ideas swirling around these days, so it's encouraging when another one comes off the needles.
Aeque. This bandana shaped cowl is a fun, entertaining project, and it's easy to wear. The pattern is designed to be knit with five small amounts of yarn, and I've created mini gradient bundles with several color options.
I'll have the sample and bundles at Inman Eats and Crafts this Sunday. If you're in the area, check out this celebration of Inman Sq.
Also on the weekend schedule . . . on Saturday I'll be at Coggeshall Farm for the Rhode Island Fiber Festival. Follow the link for details.
This week's color inspiration . . .
Lilacs in stages.
After last weekend it took me a couple days to pick up the pace on my knitting, but today I'm off and running.
Right now I'm fixated on these mini gradients, and I have a couple projects lined up. To add to the fun, my deadline is tight. These little balls will be with me wherever I go.
I'm easing into the week after a busy weekend in New Hampshire. I love vending outside because the light is great even on a cloudy day. This time Mother Nature served up a bit of rain and steady wind - all very manageable.
On Sunday I had the luxury of roaming the grounds for a bit while another vendor watched my booth. First stop was the John Crane exhibit of various sheep breeds from around the world. It was truly fascinating.
Next stop was Green Mountain Spinnery. John partnered with Green Mountain to create five limited edition yarns based on his research.
These yarns are truly unique. Each blend is a combination of different breeds, and the label includes a list of the breeds. If you're interested in this project and the yarn, Green Mountain will have these yarns listed on their website.
As always it was great fun to see familiar faces and make new connections.
Special thanks to those who stopped by with projects for show and tell. And now I'm off . . . more coffee and planning for the coming week.
I made a run to New Hampshire this morning and got my booth situated.
It's like camping . . . sort of. And yes, the sky was that blue.
If you're looking for me this weekend, the booth is in the grassy triangle between the Fleece Barn and Commercial Building 2. It's also directly across from the bathrooms. We have a little rain in the forecast for Saturday but that won't matter. It's going to be a fun weekend.
This week's color inspiration is all about water.
Blue and gray.
Another project off the needles and blocked.
Lovella.
This project has plenty of variety.
Garter stripes with a bit of lace. Interesting shaping with increases and decreases. Never a dull moment. The only modification I made was a yarn over after the first stitch on every row. Then at the end of the row I dropped the yarn over to create an elastic edge.
The yarn is a DK blend - Wineberry and March Sky. The finished shawl is substantial but easy to wear.
Look for it this weekend at New Hampshire Sheep and Wool.
After a productive, balanced weekend with time for both family and work, I thought I had found the right mix. Apparently it was just a reprieve because Monday is turning into a juggling act.
First things first. I thought I had a relaxing morning ahead of me, so I started the day with a few rows of lace. What could be the harm in that?
This is a long term project with no immediate rush, and it felt productive to establish the lace pattern. While I was knitting, I thought of a couple more things I need to do today. Suddenly my relaxed schedule is out of whack. Time to pick up the pencil and create a master list.
Confession. I've spent a fair amount of time on Ravelry this
week . . . probably too much time because I got ahead of myself. In my mind this project was almost finished except for the bind off.
In reality I'm not quite there. This is Lovella, and it's been great fun. The first sections combine two of my favorites - garter and stripes. Now I'm decreasing and working a little lace. This part is moving right along, and the rows are getting noticeably shorter. The bind off I visualized isn't too far away. That's a good thing because I have a list of new projects I need to cast on, and it's pretty long.
This week's color inspiration comes from the grounds of Connecticut Sheep, Wool & Fiber.
Festive stripes.
A while ago, I signed up to participate in a focus group. I don't know why I add to my chaos. This is a busy time of year, and I have a full schedule, but the topic was interesting, and I couldn't help myself.
The day for the focus group rolled around, and I went prepared. It was supposed to take most of the day, and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for some light knitting. Notice the emphasis on light. I'm not talking complicated cables or intricate lace. Simple knitting that I could do with my eyes closed. Maybe I could even finish something. Wrong.
The group tasks involved extensive note-taking. I can juggle a lot of things, but I still haven't figured out how to use a pen and knit at the same time. Add intense concentration to the mix and even simple knitting was out of the question.
The black marker indicates where I was at the start of the day. I managed to work a few rounds here and there on breaks but not nearly enough to finish this hat. The focus group was a good experience, but when I got out after 11 hours, my mind was twisted like a pretzel.
I needed to decompress and casting on a new project seemed like the perfect solution.
Plus it was a good opportunity to use my new toy tool. This is a yarn ball holder from Hansen Crafts. I'm still experimenting, but so far the yarn flows without a hitch. I'll give an update after I've worked with it a little more.
