For the Weekend

It's a long weekend, and summer is drawing to a close.  I don't know about you, but I'm ready for fall.

I have a new project under construction.

This should keep me entertained.  What are you working on this weekend?

The color inspiration for this week . . . 

Beautiful blues.

Beating the Heat

We are still under an excessive heat warning, and the oppressive temps are interfering with my dyeing.  I start my day early and cut it short to avoid the hottest part of the day. 

In an effort to still be productive, I've been spending extra time on Ravelry.

It's never too hot to plan new projects.

And Then There Was One

The Crown Wools MKAL is drawing to a close, and I hate to see the adventure end.  I don't have a good track record with completing MKALs.  The clues keep coming and the project falls by the wayside as I get distracted with other projects and more pressing deadlines.  Not this time.

I started with this assortment.

I've worked my way through all these colorful little balls.

And this is the last one standing.

Over the weekend my daughter looked at my lap full of colorful knitting and asked what I'm making.  She had seen the yarn bundle when I started and knew about all the colors.  I started to hold it up and then I put it down.  "Wait until it's blocked.  It's going to be amazing."

Upended

All it took was one phone call to upend my plans for the day.  It's been one of those weeks, so I shouldn't have been too surprised.

I spent the morning formulating a new plan and working on a sock. This is the first of the 2 Color Socks.  Stripes combined with 
lace . . . very entertaining.  Now that I've had a chance to regroup, I can get back to work.

This week my color inspiration is a collection of shipping containers.

Like a crazy quilt.

Silver Lining

My day went sideways from the very beginning, but I found a silver lining.  It started with a visit to my mechanic and a 2-hour wait to diagnose a problem.  Fine with me.  I was prepared.

I'm finishing The Crown Wools clues from last week before the new clues come out tomorrow.  Thanks to my wait, there's a good chance I'll be caught up.

False Start

When I left you on Friday, I had ripped out my cowl.  I was tempted to cross that project off my list and move on to something else.  My project list is long, and I'm easily tempted, but later that day I gave the cowl another try.

This is the Beekeeper Cowl in a different color and at a slightly tighter gauge.  I'm thrilled with the results.  

Just remember, a false start doesn't have to signal the end of a project. Instead it can be an opportunity.  Tweak the details and make it a project you'll thoroughly enjoy.

Another reminder that this Saturday I'll be at Yarns in the Farms, 
10:00-4:00.

I'll have yarn, mini gradient bundles and new samples.  Stop by if you're in the area.

Back to the Drawing Board

It happens.  Sometimes the yarn and pattern I've chosen don't make a good match.  I was working on a cowl last night and had mixed feelings about the project.  Rather than make any rash decisions, I decided to sleep on it.

This morning when I was walking the dog, I had time to assess the situation.  I don't like the way this project is working up, so I'm not going to stay on the same path.  I thought it might be a gauge issue.  I changed needles and worked a little more.  That was better but still not great.  The stitch pattern wasn't showing up as much as I'd like.

Maybe the problem is the color of the yarn or maybe it's the pattern in general, but there was only one solution.

Time for a do-over.  Now I need to decide if I should pick a different color of yarn for this pattern or find a new pattern for this yarn.  Solve one problem and create a new one.

This week's color inspiration . . . a rainy evening along the Charles River.

Dusk and fog.

Under the Wire

I'm having a scattered week, and deadlines are creeping up on me. Today is the last day to register to vote in Massachusetts, and I just helped the youngest of my tribe navigate the registration process. Nothing like coming in under the wire.  

Voting is a rite of passage, and I'm feeling a certain sense of accomplishment that my kids have made it this far.  

A couple random thoughts . . . 

~ Apparently I don't have enough on the needles right now because I cast on a pair of socks.

Stripes are always entertaining.  I'm also in love with this color combination.

~ This Saturday I'll have a trunk show at Yarn's End.

I'll be there from 12:30 - 3:30.  Stop by if you're in the area.

~ If you miss the trunk show this Saturday, the following Saturday I'll be at Yarns in the Farms for another trunk show.

~ Fall is right around the corner.  Back to work on my deadlines.

On a Gray Day . . .

After a busy weekend, I woke up to a gray, rainy Monday.  Instead of crawling under the blankets, this was my response.

A little knitting to brighten the day.

Clues and Labels

I should be labeling yarn.  I'll be at Unwind this weekend and have freshly dyed skeins.  All they need are labels.  Before I forget . . . If you're in the area and you aren't taking classes at Unwind, feel free to stop by.  People will be hanging out, and any crafting is encouraged.

I fell a little behind on my Crown Wools MKAL this week.  My plan was to finish clue 6 last night because clues 7 and 8 were released yesterday.  

I was in a meeting last night, and it wasn't an easy meeting for knitting. I knit at most meetings, but every once in a while it isn't a good fit.  The meeting went late, but I still planned to finish the clue when I got home.

What I didn't plan for was the road construction that had me crawling in a single lane of traffic for many miles.  By the time I got home, I had lost a lot of knitting time, and I was too tired to even pick up my needles.  I'll work on clue 6 today, but first those labels.

This week's color inspiration . . . 

Soft ivory.

Plan B

I keep thorough notes on my dye formulas, but every once in a while plans go awry.  A couple weeks ago I'd settled on a new sample and even had a color in mind - one that I had used for a kit several years ago.  

I went through my notes, found the recipe and paused.  The mixture I was looking at on paper wasn't going to produce the color I had in mind.  I must have tweaked the formula and forgotten to write down the adjustments.

Back to the drawing board.  I went through my notes again and played around with something I thought would be similar to what I had originally envisioned.

Success.  It turns out I like Plan B better.

Hazy, Hot and Humid

Last week I eased up on my dyeing schedule because of the weather, but I can't do that much longer.  The forecast for this week is more of the same, so I'll have to tough it out.

Even though I didn't dye a lot last week, I did get some work done.

The website has been updated with kits for Slow Curves.  This new pattern from Joji calls for four colors.  The colors blend and shift . . . it looks like a great end-of-summer project.  If you can't decide on colors, we have four color combos to choose from.  

Keep cool and keep knitting.

Mini Solutions

I've been out and about a lot this week, but that doesn't mean I haven't been working.  Knitting on the go can be productive.

Mini Solutions Scarf.

This sweet little scarf is a great travel project. 

The pattern is easy to memorize and flexible. 

The size of the scarf is adjustable depending on how much yarn you have.  I used one of these new mini gradient bundles.

I'll have these available next weekend at Unwind.  There are still openings in some of the classes.  Follow the link for more information.

This week's color inspiration . . . 

Fluffy white surrounded by blue.

Knitting Homework

I know the summer is slipping away, so I'm trying to make the most of it.  This week I still have some scheduled family activities running in the background, but I've managed to incorporate more knitting time along the way.

So many projects need attention.  Tomorrow new clues come out for The Crown Wools MKAL, so I'm feeling a sense of urgency with this one.

It's kind of like homework, but let's face it.  Knitting homework is more fun than the homework we got in school.