On the Porch

We finally had a break in the weather over the weekend. What a relief!  I took advantage of the comfortable temps and spent some time on the porch.

The last few days I'd been mulling over a project with this combo.  Since I'm wrapping up a couple other projects in the next day or so, I could easily justify starting something new.

The dye pots are calling.  I'm off to get this work week started.  

The Lazy Days

I had to abandon my dyeing plans for the week.  We're in the midst of a heat wave, and I couldn't bear the thought of adding to the humidity with pots of steaming wool.  I plan to get the dyeing operation up and running again next week, but until then I have extra time on my hands.

My days have hardly been lazy.

I'm finishing the armholes on my Weekend Slipover (Ravelry link).  All that's left is the neck edge and blocking.  It's time to think seriously about a new project.

All the Barbie hype probably influenced this week's color inspiration.

Pinks, of course.

Making Time

Sometimes I need a few quiet minutes to sort a pattern and get organized before I can continue knitting.  That's just what this project needed.

This morning I was up early before anyone else in the house.  I decided to take full advantage of the peace and quiet.

This is Fetching Fern (Ravelry link) in case you're interested.  The bottom hem was in two pieces ready to be joined.  The pattern instructions are very clear.  I just had to make time to read the details and assemble the two pieces.

Now that everything is joined in the round, I can continue with effortless knitting.  And I have another cowl project to be my companion when I'm out and about.

Walk Away

This week is off to a shaky start.  I'm having some tech issues and just spent way too much time trying to solve the problem.  I'm at the point where I'm tempted to throw things.  That's when I know it's time to walk away and take a break.

Instead of hurling electronics out the window I thought I would share some cheerful knitting.

This sweater is knitting up quickly.  Since taking this picture I've separated the sleeves and the body.  Now the rounds will fly by.  My tech problems persist, but at least my knitting is on track.

Out and About

I'm on the go a lot these days, and this project is my companion.

DRK Everyday Cowl (Ravelry link).  I'm using Lucia DK in Cool Waters.

I have a couple sweater projects I'm really enjoying, but they're not portable any more.  I always have a project with me when I'm out and about, and this cowl is the perfect size.  A few rows here and there . . . they all add up.

This week's color inspiration . . .

Bright sails on a grey, hazy day.

Starting Fresh

A valuable skill for knitters is realizing when a project just isn't working.  It could be the yarn or the color or the pattern.  Or a combination of all three.

The trick is learning to recognize early on that you're headed down the wrong path.  If you have an inkling that the project isn't working, don't knit for two more nights with the hope that it will get better.  Chances are it won't.

I started a new shawl project the other day and had knit on it for a bit.  Probably about six inches worth.  I wasn't smitten with the project, but I didn't despise it either.  I was feeling very ambivalent, and that's a bad place to be.

Knitters always assess projects.  It's easy to keep knitting if the project is fun.  It's a no-brainer to rip it out if you can't stand it.  It's the in-between space that makes it easy to convince yourself that a few more rows or another night of knitting will make all the difference.

I made a decision to call a halt to this project.  Knitting time is precious, and I have a lot of projects on my plate. I don't have time to waste on a project that's going to be a slog.

I feel relieved and excited to start a different project. Maybe I'll use this yarn or maybe I'll opt for a different color.  It doesn't matter.  I'm starting fresh.

Unfinished Business

I have projects in various stages of being finished.  One needs a bind off, another needs the ends woven in.  And don't forget the project in the other room that needs blocking.

In the midst of so much unfinished business, I did manage to wrap up one project.

I don't have all the photos yet, but here's a little tease. More to come.

I found this week's color inspiration on one of my daily walks.

Orange with hints of yellow.

Looking Ahead

If all goes according to plan, I'll bind off my sweater project today.  I'll still have some finishing details and I'm sure those will take longer than anticipated, but I can definitely look ahead.

I'm ready to go as soon as the needles are available.

Extra Motivation

We had less than ideal weather this weekend.  Instead of doing something fun outdoors, I turned my attention to knitting.  One project is off the needles and blocked. More on that another time.

And I made good progress on this sweater.

I'm working on the body - heading for the bottom ribbing. I'm not quite sure about the length, but I'm not measuring just yet.  I'm trying to avoid the knitting black hole where I knit and knit and knit but it never seems to get any longer.

There is a bit of extra motivation with this project.  I'm itching to start the next sweater in my queue, but it calls for the same needles.  I can do a bit of needle juggling at the beginning, but I can't get very far with the new project until these needles are empty.

I'm off to knit a few more rounds.  And maybe then I'll measure.

Stockists

We've had a few hot days, so I've kept the dyeing to a minimum.  Instead of standing over steaming pots, I've been catching up with a few things at my desk.

I just updated the stockist list on our website.

There are over a dozen shops that carry our yarn.  If you're traveling and visiting yarn shops, you might find our yarn along the way.  See the website for a complete list.

If you'd like to see your local shop carry our yarn, have the owner contact us.  This is a slow time of year for many yarn shops.  Don't forget to support the local shops.

This week's color inspiration . . .

Lacey white.

Confirmation

I'm trying to make sense of this crazy week.  It's an unbalanced mix of work and holiday.  My stubborn work ethic won't allow for a full week of vacation even though I cranked out extra work heading into the holiday.

Rather than take time off, I've settled on hybrid work days where I try to knock off early.  I'm having limited success with this model.  I'll see how the rest of the week goes.

I did accomplish one thing over the weekend.

I finished a couple swatches.  I had a hunch which yarn I was going to choose before the bind off and blocking, but it's always nice to have my ideas confirmed.