Time

Feeling like there was a lot of it,

then this sweater seaming is taking way more of it than I expected.

And this machine knitter's KAL

in which I am behind ,

amazingly became caught up in only a few hours!

(I had knit it so many times in my head

while reading the directions over and over when I didn't have time

to be knitting it,

must've paid off because it went along so easily!)

And it was tax day--always a good slog of your day.

All in all, it was a wonderful day.

And just like that *

this month is history..... 

A Date!

 The sunshine sets off the beautiful blooms on the ground orchids--it is thriving!

 Yesterday, Bill and I enjoyed a very leisurely lunch on the river this afternoon--

how nice to enjoy each other's company, the perfect weather and the beauty of the river.

 Do you see what's on the fallen tree?

 He wanted to enjoy the sunshine, too!  (a three year old gator)

 We watched the wildlife on the river and even the odd boat or two;

there was even a group (fleet? ) of four KrisKrafts--they were beauties!

 Once home,  I tackled the last touches on the knitting machine for this sweater.

I have just tacked the critical points to help seam it up.  

I hope to have this finished by the end of today--

well, at least all seamed up so I can do the bit of garter around the neckline.

Top, Cat, View

Sometimes you just need to bury your head in the sand....

(this is Sissy, not Lena)

 And other days, you feel you can run like the wind!

Will got his day on the pier;

 what a difference a few days can make!  

The waves were 2' high and the wind was strong!

 This is what a nor'easter can do to us!

 Here is the full view of the Fringe tree-radiant!! 

And a full view of the new sweater 

just before I left the house wearing it on its maiden appearance.

Speaking of appearances--

this is the same cat that was sleeping in the first photo

except here, she photo bombed me!

And this is what I managed to pull off yesterday while I made use of several small time slots--

the flannel quilt top is pieced, trimmed and will now await its turn on the frame.

Fllittery

I knit a sleeve and ripped out a sleeve-

got the numbers corrected this time around.

I need to finish this little boy sweater, too!

But I am behind on a new KAL for machine knitting!

And I did finish the rest of the rows for the flannel quilt

but need to connect them.

But I am doing work on the second owl quilt.

And I have to go to the doctor's office which messes up all momentum.

Nera of Berroco Estiva

This title sounds like the heroine of a French Novel

but it is the name of this sweater!

The rib took a long time but it is a good finish

to this casual cardigan.

Now about the fit.....
it feels good on, the fabric is a nice weight
but it will take a bit of adjusting to the open neck and swing-ish front!
I will like it, I 'm sure.

Stats:  Lion Brand Cotton Blend yarn

just over 2 cakes in the Indigo colorway

A hand knit pattern , Nera, converted to machine knitting.

This is a paid for pattern from the Estiva Pamphlet by Berroco.

A New Tank

 Running full steam ahead! 

 A great way to head into each day.

I wanted a t-shirt kind of tank and found this pattern from KnitPicks.

I even had the linen yarn to start it;

the rest of the yarn will be arriving soon.

Look how pretty this quilt became once through the washer and dryer!

A Bit of Rib

• 
•  The body of the Nera is completed;  
• the sleeve seams were sewn and I knit the front band.

And now for the ribbing on the hem-all 6" of the ribbing!!!

The cuff to cuff knit sweater is not my usual choice for a sweater but I think I'm going to like it!

A Northeasterly Wind Blows

The blanket grows and is so interesting to knit, 

it almost does each row all by itself.

It was very chilly this morning (42F)

and I thought it was perfect weather to knit on the blanket!

Right now it is 12" x 48".

Who's Done?

 The Shop Hop Owl Quilt is finished, that's who!  

I even did all of the free motion work adding detail quilting to the owls after the fact!

How cool is the backing?

My neighbor , Millie, who I did the shop hop with found this fabric

 and there was enough for me!

This quilt was a ton of fun and we will be looking forward to next year's hop!

The quilt is 40" x 50".  It's a keeper.

Blank

Blank is what you get on your blog when you fall asleep like this without posting first! 

 I pieced a few more rows of the girl's flannel quilt; 

I think I am at the halfway row now.

 I am working across the other front on this cardigan-

soon a sleeve will appear!

 I'm also starting a KAL today with the Knit it Now website;

I have the information I need from this swatch to knit the whole sweater 

and know how much yarn it will require, too.  

Very cool information to mine from a swatch!

 I rarely wear a hole through my sock heels but this pair did on both heels at the same time!

I ripped out above the hole and below it so I have some mini skeins for my sock blanket!

And in the background are some of the postcards I have been coloring--I work a bit everyday.

The Fringe tree is in full bloom-

it smells wonderful and looks so fairy-like, too.

Each bloom is about a 12" high so it is very showy!

Roars like a Lion

So you take a schematic of the garment you want to knit,

you plug in the gauge you figured out from your yarn

(considering how dense or open you want your knit fabric to be)

and then you do a little simple math.

Now that is the part that 90% of the people back away from figuring out their own yarn choice 

for ANY PATTERN they like!

Why?!  

I think the understanding I have gained this past year has made me a better hand knitter

and a better machine knitter.

I am working on a pattern now--it is a hand knit one in a fancy yarn that I am not going to buy.

I am substituting it with Cotton Blend from Lion Brand.

I haven't used that yarn before but I think I'm going to like it for this sideways knit cardigan.

(Little Guy isn't feeling well and took a nap--I went in for a creative hour and produced this!)

More to follow

--Explore Your Own Knitting Adventures

 is something I am going to blog about

each week.  

Stay tuned

Oh, yeah-

Happy Spring!

Say's Who?

 Well we don't have lilacs here in northern Florida, but the Chinaberry tree is now in bloom

and let me tell you how sweet this large flower is to me!

 Each little floret is like a little orchid bloom but the smell is sweet and almost fruity.

 It is listed as an invasive species mostly because each of these berries left from the Fall,

will drop soon and they have a HIGH propagation rate--a grove can appear if you are not a careful gardener! 

 I love the shape of this tree and the open and airiness of its structure;  

it is not leaving the yard in my lifetime!

 Another tree that Bill has been nurturing is called the Orchid tree! 

 It will grow to 30' even though it is now only 36"!  

Not much in the way of aroma but the large flower sure is beautiful!

And look who visited today just to pick a bouquet of all the purple little blooms

growing wild in the back of the property!

(Ella with a handful of Bay Lobelia)

Quandary--

To me the first day of Spring is the Vernal Equinox, 

March 21.

Imagine my angst when I read that not only is the vernal equinox today, so is Spring!

From the Farmer's Almanac:

Traditionally, we’ve celebrated the first day of spring on March 21, but astronomers and calendar manufacturers alike now say that the spring season starts one day earlier, March 20, in all time zones in North America.

When Is The First Day of Spring in 2019?

In 2019, we greet spring with the Vernal Equinox on Wednesday, March 20th, at 5:58 p.m. Eastern Time.

When is the First Day of Spring in 2020?

Believe it or not, we greet spring in 2020 on Thursday, March 19, 2020! Even earlier!

How could the first day of spring change from year to year?

There are a few reasons why seasonal dates can vary from year to year. The first is that a year is not an even number of days and neither are the seasons.

I am sticking to traditions and not going to be affected by any facts.

So there.

Happy last day of Winter.

What if?

 I made a swatch for a new machine knitting project;

one for a little boy this time to give equal time to that gender's charity box!

And then I didn't use the swatch information at all and just followed the directions

(novel idea for me!)

as written for a baby sweater out of worsted weight yarn.

It will be a surprise for me to see how big it is when finished!

I have a irritatingly bothersome painful case of viral conjunctivitis and have one working eye,

Do you know you need TWO eyes for depth perception?!  

I reach for the yarn and miss the proper spot to work the ribbing stitches on this bottom band

 and it took way longer than it needed.

I will plug along all week and try to get a section (front, front, sleeve, sleeve) done this week and then put it all together this Saturday.  It's good to have plans.....

Which Way Did She Go?!

The Northeasterly project is going well!

I decided to work the second column 

from the end of the first;

turning the corner and heading straight back down

instead of binding off and going to the bottom to work up again.

Hanging out in bed all day with a cold

gave me a lot of knitting time.

Think about the silver lining people!!!!

(Sock yarn doubled,

#8 needles,

columns 4' long)