Monday, February 29, 2016

On the Fence

I've been working on this for months;  or rather I worked on this and since November, it has been languishing.  I quit when I got fed up with all the 'at the same times' in the instructions.
I could probably have this done in  a week.  I have lost the love. 
Another pattern has sent its siren song.  

To rip or just start the new pattern and see if I love it as much as I think I will.
I want a vest, not a summer tank.  It takes DK yarn-just what I am using.
You see my dilemma!??

Friday, February 26, 2016

Cast On

I love how changing the yarn creates a whole new shawl with the same pattern!
I am knitting with my own hand dyed/hand spun Cormo in the Normilintu pattern on size 7 needles.
I finally reached the first patterning area!

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Quilting Adventure!

We enjoyed a visual delight at the AQS Quilt Week in Daytona.
We topped it off with lunch at Applebee's afterwards and for dessert, we went to JoAnns.
What a great day!

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Little Bird


Another shawl hit the finish line! 
There are so many ways to wear it! 
It is light weight and drape-y.  Just right for a Florida accessory.
The Nurmilintu wasn't as hard to block as I feared!
The yarn is a thin cotton/acrylic boucle' .
It was knit on #5 needles with Queensland Collection Uluru yarn.
It was a great knit.   
I got a bit nervous on the bind-off because the yarn was getting short!  I ended up with only 30" left!
That was too close for comfort! 
The pool warmed up enough for Bill to take his first swim of the year!
(80* is too cold for me to join in!)

Thursday, February 18, 2016

A Done Deal!

Off the needles and flung to the floor in exaltation! 
I soaked it with citrus acid so none of those colors would run and run the color definition! 
Yes!  One shawl off those needles and in the finish queue!

Stats:  Hansel Half-Hap Shawl
Hand spun and Hand Dyed Coopworth Yarn
Size 8 needles


Monday, February 15, 2016

Slow Starts

I am knitting again on the Nurmilintu shawl.  It is pretty easy knitting so it works great for knitting while chaos is going on with family here! 
Kai enjoyed taking a bath in the sink-he is so cute to watch dip his head under water and he thoroughly enjoyed himself and so did we!

Friday, February 12, 2016

Endurance and Expectations

It was a grueling week of health tests in Jacksonville M-T-W this week.  The drive was hard, the testing was barbaric and the drive home exhausting.  (Thank you, Bill, for chauffeuring me, and keeping me emotionally supported through this hurdle!)
No, we did not learn anything new.  I am done talking about my health with 'HealthCareProfessionals'  just for the record.   
We did like being by the ocean each time but it was too cold to enjoy any up close and personal beach time. 
I did finish the hat for David.  What a good knit.
UNLIKE the Mystery KAL shawl....I ran out of yarn 4 critical rows before finish.
When I get done being mad at it, I will rip back the hundreds of stitches several rows to make my own grand finish because I can't just bind off now;  it would look horrid after all my hard work.
Oh, well. 
My little orchid that got attacked by some pest while it was outside for the summer still managed to produce three lovely blooms right on schedule!   I so enjoy them and it was just the kind of beauty I needed right now! 
This is another great therapy-Georgia Peaches!
(Bruce flies in later on Sunday!)

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Snatches and Snuggles

I'm squeezing a bit of sewing-this is for the new color this month:  brown and pink. 
I have two of the 9 blocks done. 
Another hat with the color change yarn for first grandson. 
Some soap going on- 
Two loaves in two days!   
Here's the snuggles!  Will came for the weekend to give the new parents a bit of rest.
I get to do something creative when he is out for a tractor ride with Grandpa.
The rest of the time, I am on playmate mode!
I love it!

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Celebrate!

Today Bill and I picked up my parents for a lunch date at Musselwhites in East Palatka to celebrate Dad's 83rd birthday!   After a delicious lunch with riveting conversation, we headed home for some afternoon game time outdoors on the patio for Cribbage, Wahoo and a card game called 3-13.
It was a wonderful day and way to usher in a new year for Dad.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Re-Do and New Do's

We have been having a bit of trouble with our oldest cat spraying (peeing) in places where he shouldn't-mainly in my house!  We caught him spraying my wicker basket of shawls.  I'm Not a happy lady.
Shawls have to be hand washed and blocked until they dry. 
In my haste to get them all done, I washed these in the same basin.  The big one on the right which I had previously dyed, bled onto the two light colored shawls.  Oh, bother!
I blocked them out and will now have some mottled shawls.  Since the cat has had a good trouncing, so far so good on breaking him of this nasty new habit. 
I took some time to finish the January blocks for the RSC2016.  I hate to be behind.  I am now caught up on this group and for the MKAL shawl! 
These are the colors I have picked out for the February blocks according to the challenge. 
One pair of Grandma Socks for oldest grandson finished! It is a joy to knit with hand spun!
We had to go to Jax Beach for another doctor appointment today.  The beach therapy after the appointment was foggy!
It was a bit warmer than our last visit but still not as warm as I like.  It's okay, I have to go back to this same office three times next week! 
         
The waves were very subdued and we couldn't see very far.  I looked for shark's teeth but didn't find any.  There is always next time....... 
Today's car-ride knitting:  a hat with the color change yarn for oldest grand daughter.
It's funny, I found that the edge wants to curl a bit this time.  I didn't have any problem with that on the first three hats.  A bit of investigation shows that I placed the color change yarn on top of the yarn change each stitch for the first row.  When I changed it to being on the bottom of the color change on the other hats, no curl.  Note to self for the next hat-pay attention to which yarn is the MC and keep it on top for the stranding.  This hat will get a good blocking to flatten it out....no tinking this time around!
The colors have more contrast this combination and if I can get some more sunshine when I'm done, I will get a picture of the alternate colors!

PLANS AND REVISIONS

I knit the sleeve (top up) and realized that I would prefer the sleeve line up with the same color of the body. See how the shading of the  ...