Pumpkin Sunrise

I wish I could squeal and ooze on and on about this sweater.  I LOVE it.  To be honest I was skeptical about even liking it.  I'm  not a shrug wearer and I tend to knit traditional cardigans.  This sweater is the exception.  Maybe I created the perfect storm pairing a wool/silk yarn blend with this pattern.  Whatever the reason, I love the drape, the swing and the fit. Just so you know I am getting relaxed and comfortable with each of you.  I did not edit out my neck wrinkles, but I wanted to.  I am just thinking it's me and who I am. If you are on the fence about whether or not you want to knit this, I say do it.  Trust me, you will love the results. I will be knitting another one of these but with longer sleeves.  Not just yet, but I am thinking about the idea and in a darker yarn color.  Ravelry notes are here

Weekends are for memory making,  relaxing and enjoying quiet moments of our days.   If you would like, please share your weekend moments  in the comment section with a link to your blog. My weekend was nice  -I saw the heron (again) and managed to snap a really nice shot with the iphone.   -on our walk on Saturday the fex ex driver stopped to give Frodo a treat because he loves dogs.  I love knowing and seeing that most people in the world are good -made chicken noodle soup that was mostly vegetables -had a lovely visit with my daughter and her boyfriend -my daughter and her boyfriend became engaged over the weekend (YAY!!) -bits and pieces of wedding talk mixed with ordinary talk, how sweet and so much fun -there was church, lots and lots of laundry Today I am faced with a long list of to dos, a messy house that needs to be put back together again. How was your weekend?

As quickly as life becomes overwhelming busy and full, a lull appears and days are slow, easy and kind to me.  This week has been kind.  Each day was mindful and purposeful.  The weather has been mild and reflects early autumn, chilly mornings followed by a sun that tries to heat the day.  Our daily walks after dinner as slowly coming to an end as the sun sets earlier each day. The salads that I craved in March are giving way to warm piping hot soups. Menu plans are altered to reflect the seasonal shift.  I have an acorn squash in the frig with my name on it and I've already stir fried some sliced brussel sprouts in olive oil-yum! Since August was the month of relocating kids, my yoga routine slipped away from me.  I am reinstating that little bit of time for myself and my joints and muscles thank me.  Surprisingly, I haven't lost much of the flexibility I gained.  Again, a kind week. If you were to snoop on my iphone you would find many many photos of the leaves turni

I know, I'm late to the reading party of this book but hey, better late than never.  I started this book a few days ago and immediately fell in love with Gilbert's writing style and the rhythm of the plot as the introduction of characters unfolded.  Have you read it?  I'm glad I started. My knitting has been almost the same, the striping of my fair isle hat is coming along nicely.  The lack of significant progress, I'll blame on the busy week for my lack of time to knit.  I am nearing the finish line of my Hitofude , fingers crossed I have a finished post next week.  I also finished my imagine when shawl and had every intention to write up a post BUT the shawl ran small so I am in the middle of blocking it to gain some growth.  I'm a bit grumbly about the blocking of garter stitch, I tend not to block that stitch pattern so as to retain the squish factor. What are you knitting and reading this week? Joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams

I am still knitting the skirt portion of the hitofude cardigan .  I think I just might be finished by next Tuesday if I continue to have the time I think I have to work on it. As you know I'm loving the knit and yes, the lace pattern is quite easy to memorize! Oh to have the skill of knitting while sleeping and driving and cooking :)

Weekends are for memory making,  relaxing and enjoying quiet moments of our days.   If you would like, please share your weekend moments  in the comment section with a link to your blog. This weekend was: -busy-a bit of traveling and seeing family, some I haven't seen for over fifteen years -eating in the car while trying not to drip food on dress clothes, quite the challenge but the challenge was met -once again spending time with my sister, an outing, a knitting bag purchase (vera bradley tote) -convincing my husband that I did indeed need another bag.... -quick stop at my dad's and capturing the sunflowers sunshiney smiles :) -returning to list making and plotting out the week -digging deeply into the freezer for some chili to eat on Football Sunday -wishing I was watching ANYTHING but football How was your weekend?  I'd love to read all about it.

This fern is growing in a spot that it shouldn't be but no one has pulled the plant and so it grows.  I walk by the fern daily and mark the new shoots when they appear.  No matter what, roots are established and more green appears. I tend to not be a philosophical sort of person, I leave that kind of thinking for my husband.  When we first met, we were eating french fries on a date and he asked "do you wonder why we are here?" and I responded seriously "Do you mean here, in a Wendy's restaurant?".....Yeah, I'm that kind of deep thinker.  However, this week has been a reflective week for me celebrating life and its seasons, of people who have left us and of new beginnings. And how life goes on, no matter what.  I've walked my wooded neighborhood, enjoyed the blue heron who returned once more after a couple of weeks of absence.  Kim did a beautiful blog post about blue herons .  I wonder what my blue heron is messaging to me? The mums in th

This week I started something new , because well, why not?  Sure I have lots of projects on the needles and I thought let's add one more.  I've been lovingly imagining my jaggerspun  as a fair isle hat but so far haven't found THE pattern on ravelry that made me all giddy inside.  So I decided to design my own hat.  I remembered this fair isle book and in the back I have on hand tons and tons of charted patterns.  I think this will be fun to pick designs out! My reading is the same, I'm nearly finished with Blackberry Winter  and have enjoyed the plot.  I also love that the setting is in winter, a spectacular season! What are you knitting and reading this week? Joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams

I am making slow and steady progress on my Hitofude , I love how the skirt of the shrug is growing and I daydream about casting off and blocking this beauty.  The yarn has lots of spring so I have a feeling once the project is soaked I'm going to see more of the lace design!!

Weekends are for memory making,  relaxing and enjoying quiet moments of our days.   If you would like, please share your weekend moments  in the comment section with a link to your blog. My weekend was quiet and slow going.  Saturday greeted me with drizzle and rain and cool air.  Oh that felt delightful, to wave goodbye to hot and humid.  I browsed a bookstore and flipped through some magazines, window shopping can be fulfilling plus I saved some money in the end.  Yes, I walked out without a purchase in my hand. We had stir fry and I cobbled together some bok choy, mushrooms, asparagus, snow peas and tofu over buckwheat noodles.  Each time I create this dish, I become more successful at it. We are hooked on Mad Men now....didn't take long :)  We are approaching our one year anniversary of cutting the cord to satellite services (no cable either).  My husband misses the never ending sports shows but overall we have been quite happy with Netflix and Hulu plus and

Since last November, I've been on a yarn diet of sorts.  I looked about my studio and saw lovely yarns I've bought.  Skeins and skeins sitting and waiting to be knit into a new project.  I've made a conscious effort to not buy yarn unless I am unable to find a suitable substitute in my studio.  The challenge was fun and I did dig through some old skeins that have made me a happy knitter and a thrifty one since I was knitting from the stash. Fall arrives gently during September, I love the shift in the light, the air and the leaves dropping.  With this change comes an overwhelming urge to purchase new yarns.  I decided to place on hold my thriftiness and indulge in some decadent purchases.  Ah, I do love to buy yarn almost as much as knitting the yarns. First photo , second photo and last photo .  If you know me well, you know I have no specific plans for any of these skeins.  I just succumbed to their beauty :) The new to me mohair fiber will more than likely

My sock blanket is growing and growing!  But slowly....I love knitting it now that there is a chill in the air, a tiny chill but still a chill to love.  I have so much leftover sock yarn that I haven't reached the bottom of the bag. I'm continuing my hitofude cardigan that I posted about yesterday and my imagine when shawl . I rotate between all three projects as my mood changes.  I am having an urge to cast on the fourth project just to have one more option, but what? For my reading this week, I started a new novel called Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio.  This novel is captivating and she shifts from present day to the past during WW II.  Oh how I love the past!  In the evening I relax and do a mini time travel. What are you knitting and reading this week? Joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams

I've made significant progress on my hitofude cardigan , the sleeve section is completed and so is the one by one ribbing.  However I was zooming along with my knit, gleefully watching Madmen and trying to see what the fuss was about that show and I made some kind of mistake.  You know the one where you cannot figure out at all. My penance was to UNKNIT about four rows, oh the agony and horror!  Unknitting is the saddest of sad events and yes, I know I could have taken the sweater off the needles and ripped quickly but then I would not know where I was on this tricky pattern. Unknit I did, and fudged, yep fudged so that the lace design matched up to the back and added two stitches here, one stitch there discretely.  I have no idea what I did wrong, but I'm blaming it on watching tv and the Madmen series on netflix. Today, I am on track and working on the skirt of the cardigan.  All is lining up as it should and I think my fudging is nearly invisible, mission accomplish

Weekends are for memory making,  relaxing and enjoying quiet moments of our days.   If you would like, please share your weekend moments  in the comment section with a link to your blog. On Saturday, my daughter and I drove to the northern part of Pennsylvania for the Endless Mountain Fiber Festival .  I did not attend last year and cannot remember why, probably because due a schedule conflict.  This year I cleared the calendar and made the long trip feeling lucky that my daughter was my driving buddy and yarn enabling buddy. I enjoyed the festival but boy oh boy was it humid and hot.  I enjoyed seeing the animals and of course the wools and fiber set out for all to see and touch. I also met another blog friend briefly.  I was nearing the end of my stay and feeling a bit unwell from the weather (does not go with RA).  I memorized her face from her blog and promised her to carry a red jacket.  Luckily my face recognition skills are excellent and I saw her firs

September has been for me a month of contrasts.  Yes it's still summer but you know keep down that fall is around the corner.  The black walnuts are sprinkled on the roads and I believe that the squirrels sit up in those trees and try to pelt me as I walk by.  Frodo would love to catch a squirrel, I think it's on his bucket list.  By the way, he's feeling much better now.  I babied him, tried to help him up and down on the couch and took it easy.  He appreciated the effort and now is back to running and chasing that favorite frisbee. September is a shift in the light in my house.  I walk by and see the shadows dancing and have to take a photo.  The house has been quiet and clean, instead of piles of books I see empty surfaces.  I've tidied up corners and spaces, thinned out papers, and made new lists for fall of what I'd like to accomplish. September starts as summer and ends with fall.  Each morning I'm greeted with mist, you know the kind that m

I have three projects on the needles this week and each one is a delight to pick up and knit.  First off is the imagine when shawl .  The knitting is easy because of the garter stitch but I have to pay attention to where I am on the pattern so I cannot knit this while watching a program.  I've tried!  Next off is my Hitofude cardigan that I posted about yesterday .  This knit is a tv watching knit so far and even though the construction looks complicated I think there are only little bits that can be challenging.  Last but not least, I'm still plugging along on my sock blanket .  This is a soothing knit and I love to pick it up and put it down-a non stressful knit.  The progress is slower since it's growing in size. I am nearly finished with Eleanor and Park .  Oh the sadness of this story....I tend to put it down when the emotions run high.  I know that the ending is bittersweet.  I highly recommend the book and I know I'll be reading more of her novels. What a

So here I am ready to report on my first official week of progress of this fabulous knit.   My Hitofude  is comping along nicely.  I am still on the sleeve section, about half way through.  The stitch pattern is easily memorized and I find that I pick this up to knit while watching a tv show. Care to join in the knitting fun?   Steph and I are knitting along, and prodding each other along to knit and finish this unique design.  When do you start?  whenever!  When do you finish?  Hopefully sooner than later.  Care to share?  post a comment on either my weekly post or Steph's weekly post .  We are having a loosey goosey knit along!! Eep!  I just saw Steph's progress......I need to get knitting!!

Weekends are for memory making,  relaxing and enjoying quiet moments of our days.   If you would like, please share your weekend moments  in the comment section with a link to your blog. This weekend was the weekend that began our household of two and I enjoyed the new beginning.  Fall for me is a beginning because of the school year starting.  Just like school children, I have some new notebooks and some new pens to use!  On Saturday, I gathered up all the clothing donation bags that were tucked into many closets and brought them downstairs to one location.  Completely cleaned all nooks of the guest bathroom (kid bathroom).  The pantry had a mini redo on it's lower shelves.   Oh the knitting that I did while not moving "stuff" around.  I worked on all three projects at some point or another.  Talked to the kids, listening to their life adventures and am grateful that I can imagine them in their new towns and apartments. Yesterday, I worried a