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So much of life is built around routines . . . a certain ebb and flow day in and day out. I have to have coffee first thing in the morning. Without it, I'm lost and stumble through the morning until I get my fix. The caffeine is a definite must, but I think it's just as important to go through the mechanics of pouring that first cup. There's a certain comfort in the ritual.
I don't have a designated laundry day, but I do have other routines. I teach a knitting class on Mondays, but I've felt oddly out of sync because there aren't any classes over the summer. Knit night is on Tuesdays.
My schedule includes dyeing at least 5 days per week, but in the summer I have to make adjustments. Some days I can't bring myself to add to the heat and humidity. That's been the story the last couple days, and I'm anxiously waiting for the weather to break. My routine has been interrupted.
There is a certain rhythm to knitting a heel flap. The back and forth goes quickly over just a few stitches.
I was so mesmerized by these tidy columns that I could have kept going. I don't know what I would have done with a 6 inch heel flap, but it would have been pretty. Instead I caught myself before I went down that road, and now I'm in the midst of the turn. Back and forth, back and forth . . . somehow the same but with a different rhythm.
Variety is the spice of life . . . and knitting. I always have several knitting projects in progress. That way I don't have to lug a worsted weight sweater to the beach, and it keeps things interesting.
The other day I noticed that all my focus projects right now are fingering weight. While I dearly love fingering, I felt I needed a little more balance. And so I started this.
Penny had been hovering near the top of my queue for a while, so it feels good to finally have it on the needles. I'm working with Edna Extra, colorway Tide Pool.
Knitting with heavier weight yarn can be a bonus. The inches are adding up quickly. I like this kind of variety.
Something is in the air. Or maybe it's the impending full moon. My family is out of sorts in so many different directions. First, my son came home from his trip to the Midwest with an ugly summer cold. I can't remember the last time we had a cold this bad floating around, and I'm afraid it's going to run rampant through the rest of the household.
Then, as if on cue, both my daughters are down in the dumps about boys. My advice is to take a break from the boys, but they don't want to hear that. From the endless sneezing to the drama and tears, my patience is wearing thin.
Today I woke up and realized I can't fix these problems . . . they just need time. So I'm turning my attention to something else.
I'm prepping for weekend dyeing - the perfect distraction.
My color inspiration this week is a bowl full of cherries . . . cherry tomatoes.
Assorted shapes and colors.
One of the benefits of juggling multiple knitting projects is that when one creates chaos and confusion, you can simply set it aside and pick up another one. Such was the case over the weekend when my Itineris went wonky. Eventually I did get the wayward shawl back on track but not without a little break from the stripes.
And that little break was productive.
Longjohn Sock by Anne Hanson. This design is knits and purls with a simple 4-row repeat that makes it an easy on-the-go project. The finished fabric is cushy and elastic, and I'm sure this pair will get plenty of wear. The yarn is Lucia, colorway Tomato Soup . . . part of an effort to add more red socks to my collection.
Disregard the healthy weeds growing in the pot. My green thumb is confused.
Since this is the Summer of Socks, I didn't delay in casting on another pair.
Captain Hastings. More knits and purls - this time the traveling kind.
I'm back from the holiday weekend and ready to get to work. My weekend knitting included Itineris. Garter with stripes. It seemed like the perfect combination for the weekend. Sad to say Itineris encountered a slight mishap. Well, maybe not so slight since I had to rip it all the way back.
I didn't let that stop me. I got got back on the horse that threw me and knit my way back to where I was and then some. The stripes are back on track.
Often it seems that as soon as you get comfortable with a pattern and settle in, it's time to move on to the next section. After knitting and re-knitting this part, I'm intimately acquainted with the striping sequence in this design and have committed it to memory. That must mean this section is almost finished.
We have a soggy holiday in our forecast, and people are changing plans to accommodate the weather conditions. The first wave of storms rolled through last night and left many without power. Today is not a good day for a bike ride, cookout or fireworks.
And it's not a good day for the beach. I've already shifted gears . . . it will be a good day for knitting. My Longjohn Socks are almost finished, and I'm considering colors for my next pair of socks.
With the choice of either Beach Bum or Sea Breeze, I'm creating my own beach day.
I found this week's color inspiration at the farmers' market. So striking. Even if I didn't like beets, I would have bought them.
Perhaps colorwork mittens . . .
Between Canada Day and the 4th of July, it doesn't feel like it's going to be a very productive work week in this part of the world. While I'm waiting on return phone calls and email replies, I've hatched a plan for a new booth sample.
I've narrowed down the color selection to five. My job this morning is to pick just one. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe . . .
It was much easier to pick the winners from last week's giveaway. The randomly chosen winners are Nuna Knits and Your Future Rebbetzin. I'm sorry to say I can't find contact information for either of you. Please drop me a note, and we'll work out the details.
I'll be doing this again later in the month. Thanks to everyone who participated. Special thanks to Rhonda for the comment, "Knit like no one is watching."
