A Bonus Day

Happy leap day!  I'll take extra time wherever I can get it . . . a few minutes here, a half hour there.  It all adds up.  I'm almost giddy with delight at the thought of a whole extra day.  Before I head off to make mischief, here's a glimpse at some of the goodies that came out of the dye pot last week.

Pretty pink and a hint of spring.

Enjoy your extra day!

At The Same Time

There's something special about knitting late into the night.  I don't get a chance to do it very often, but I savor the peace and quiet . . . the uninterrupted time.  For me the hard part is knowing when to call it quits.  I find myself muttering, I really should go to bed.  And then I knit another row or another section.

Last night I had such an opportunity.  I was knitting along and could have kept going, but I hit a warning sign.

I had reached the armholes on my modern tunic.  It wasn't extremely late, and I was prepared to go just a little bit further.  I looked at the pattern and saw the instruction Read ahead.  Work on the armholes and the neckline overlaps At The Same Time.  That's all I needed to call it a day.  Too many times I've worked at the same time late at night only to rip it all out in the morning.  Experience is one of the best teachers.

I'm at that point in winter where I'm constantly looking for something bright and cheery.  This week's color inspiration . . . 

Blue as far as the eye can see.

Looking for Traction

Most days forward progress is an elusive goal, so I'm realistic and set the bar pretty low.  If I'm spinning my wheels, it's a good day.  I figure eventually I'll gain traction and move forward.  The last couple days I haven't even been spinning my wheels.  I've been going in reverse.

The website shopping cart had been acting up for a few days.  Then yesterday my bank card didn't work at the ATM.  Something to do with the magnetic strip.  That, coupled with a list of errands, put me over the edge.

I came home and cast on something new.  I've had a few skeins hanging out in my work area . . . just waiting for an opportune moment. Yesterday was that moment.

In all fairness I needed a project that was more portable.  Most of my current projects can only be worked on when I'm at home.  This new project is just what I needed to take the edge off.

Website Update.  The shopping cart is working again.  It's new and improved, and I'm thrilled.  I never thought a virtual shopping cart could make my day, but this one has.

Gradient Update

I'm ready for a new week and am starting this one with a quick website update.  The Gradient Bundles are now available. 

What can you make with them?  Ravelry has all sorts of ideas, or you can probably come up with something on your own.  In case you need a little inspiration, today I'm highlighting one gradient project.

Inara Wrap featuring Iron and Mulled Wine.

Luz looks a little chilly in this one.  "Hurry up, Mom!"

This project is perfect for playing with contrasting gradient colors.

Alternating lace and garter stitch.

Shifting colors trading places.

Hours of knitting fun.

Thanks to Robin, my friend and ace sample knitter.  This shawl is captivating.

All It Took Was an Afternoon

I've been bouncing back and forth between several knitting projects without making any noticeable progress, so it was encouraging to see what happened when I focused my attention.  I devoted an afternoon to one project, and this is what I accomplished.

I constructed two pockets.

I attached them to the rest of the sweater.

From here on out, it's mindless stockinette.  I can feel the momentum building.

This week's color inspiration . . . 

Icy droplets.

Around and Around

This morning I spent a few minutes with Knitlandia, a new book by Clara Parkes.  

Clara is heading out on a book tour, and she started the party last night in Somerville.  This book is a collection of essays based on Clara's travels.  From Taos to Iceland and in-between, Clara reflects on yarn events and knitter gatherings far and wide.  

I could easily be enticed to travel with Clara by reading more of her adventures, but I'll save that for another time.

Today is all about winding.

From the Deep Freeze

This past weekend was made for knitters.  With temperatures below zero and wind chills making it feel much colder, it was the perfect excuse to sit and knit.  Even though I had a date with my paperwork and taxes, I did allow myself a little time for knitting.

Wedge by wedge Diane is getting bigger.  I'm at the point where I feel confident I'll have plenty of yarn to make this shawl bigger than the pattern suggests.  I'll see if that holds true after a few more wedges. 
In fact if I wanted to be certain, I could do some calculations and weigh the yarn to determine how much I'm using on each wedge.

I still have more paperwork to contend with, but there's nothing like Monday to bring me back to reality.  Yesterday I ignored the fact that the hot water in the kitchen was frozen.  I also used it as an opportunity to ignore the dirty dishes.  The water problem didn't sort itself out overnight, and today the situation is serious.  We're almost out of clean dishes, and the counter is cluttered with dirty pots and pans.  It's time to roll up my sleeves and boil some water.