Pumpkin Sunrise

I ordered two skeins of Anchor Bay yarn from Webs  for the toddler cardigan, I was delighted to cast on  Wednesday night and have solely knit on this project.  I'd love to finish this cardigan within a week or so.  Easy! How was your week?  Our son has been here for his spring break, so my mornings have been either working or going to the gym and my afternoons have been doing something with him while he is here.  We've had lunch out one day, gone shopping locally and then there is just sitting and talking.  I'm not sure when he leaves, either Saturday or Sunday.  My intention this week has been to 'be in the moment'.  I've been successful most of the time.  Part of the success is to have no expectations whatsoever.  I'm keeping up with the kitchen dishes and am valiantly ignoring the coffee table mess.  (dare I say the mess isn't so bad?).  Okay, I have a confession.  I am yearning for spring - there I said it.  I have been on two walks and

Another project is off the needles and around my neck, just in time too.  The weather is gearing up to be possibly snowy.  However, right now the snowflakes are intermittent.  We are supposed to get 3-6 inches but I'm skeptical. I bought this skein of wool from the  Gurdy run farm vendor at a fiber festival last year while my sister was visiting.  I knew when I bought the yarn I was going to make this cowl .  My knitting process is buy a yarn or skeins of yarn, then find a pattern to go with that purchase.  Rarely do I find a pattern then shop for the yarn.  If I'm shopping, it's through my built up stash. During the soaking and gentle blocking, this wool blend blooms and softens.  Sometimes, the blocking process is my favorite part of the knitting project. I have many many projects on the needles and cannot wait to share them with you in the coming days. Ravelry notes are here What are you knitting or crafting these days?

How was your weekend?  Splendid, I hope.  Mine was quite fun, our son arrived Friday evening without any problems since the weather was questionable.  Earlier in the day, we lost our electricity for six hours, it's been since the beginning of October since the last outage.  So while I was inconvenienced the five month full on electricity days were wonderful.  I pray I get another five month stint. Saturday morning I baked a birthday cake for my husband.  We had lunch and dinner out, unheard of!  My body is begging for regular home meals and yet I resist writing out that pesky menu plan....  Why do restaurants want to use tons of salt in their seasoning.  Ugh.  Anyways, the day was wonderful having the family here.  I appreciate them coming in and traveling and I'm grateful they live where they do so they can drive here and I in turn can drive and visit them.  Yesterday, I started some knitting projects, honestly it was a huge cast on frenzy.  I loved it.  I started a

sock love Earlier this week, the weather was picture perfect - warm air, blue skies and that feeling of spring whispering in my ear as I walked the neighborhood.  So far no signs of early blossoms - I could not find snowdrops or crocuses but then maybe next week they'll appear.  That's if I can find them through the snow we might be getting.  You read that correctly, snow.  There's a slim chance the snow will be a wintry mix.  future sister sweater Thanks for all the sweet comments you left about the shawl I posted about on Wednesday .  My knitting has been fantastic these days.  I've been browsing Ravelry for the next shawl to cast on.   There are so many options and I'm feeling fickle about committing.  The toddler girl I babysit will be 2 years old in a few weeks and of course Easter is fast approaching so I'd love to knit her a cardigan but need to find and purchase some yarn.  I'm looking for less wool more cotton in worsted weight and mini

I did it, I finished the shawl.  I was utterly delighted with the colorway and with the fingering  wool that I purchased at a fiber festival a few years ago.  The skein is a single ply but easy to knit with and has a wonderful hand.   The  kindness shawl pattern  would be a perfect pattern to try if you are a beginning-intermediate knitter who knows all the basic stitches in knitting and can follow patterns. I will definitely make this shawl again since it uses up 400 yards of fingering weight indie-dyed wool - you know the ones that knitters collect, I have them and you might have them in your stash as well. My ravelry notes are here

After a chaotic morning (involving a dog and a cat, ahem...) and after completing the weekly housecleaning chores, I was gleefully sitting with knitting friends and venting.  Ah... How does unloading the complaints make the day better?  I love my friends and I love the slightly relaxed feeling I have whenever I head home.  I should have a knitting meeting daily!  How was your weekend? We've had rain, rain and more rain.  The backyard is soggy and squishy when I take Frodo outside.  Along with the rain has been gray skies - perfect for staying inside and knitting. I decorated for Easter and mindfully thought of how to keep the decorations 'kitten proof'.  I stuffed all the felt eggs and little chicks in a big vase and so far, Holly hasn't discovered them yet.  I feel like I'm winning and have outsmarted a cat.  I finished one project and nearing the end of another project, so as knitters do, I was in my studio winding up all the wools for new project

A few days ago, the weather warmed up considerably and I scrambled outside for a walk in the sunshine without a coat or jacket.  The spring-like day quickly faded to a wintry rainy storm by nightfall and now I'm back with the winter days.  The warmth was refreshing, hinting of days to come.  Can you feel the change in the days? The daylight is lasting longer, the sun when it does peek out, feels warmer at a different angle.  I've announced I'm a winter lover on this space, but maybe I am a lover of all seasons as they emerge.  My stress levels were high this week.  My husband's work stress seeped into my brain and I absorbed it as my own stress.  The beginning of the week was just awful.  Maybe these animals pick up on the negative state of mind and misbehave more. Thank goodness yesterday was a stellar day.  I babysat, decompressed while watching Disney Jr and chatting with a toddler that is emerging with two word sentences (yay!).  My duties were welcoming

All of my knitting projects, two of them are nearly completed.  Usually I have up to four projects going at the same time, so it's unprecedented to have a mere two...I'm enjoying the focus of two projects right now.  The shawl in the above photo is approaching the end.  I'm on the last repeat of the horseshoe lace section.  If I have enough yarn (simply by looking and guessing) I might change the edging and incorporate a ruffle edge, if not, well I'll just do the edging as per the instructions. My cowl should be finished by the weekend.  I'm on the last repeat of the simple design.  As of yet, I haven't had a chance to dive into my stash to start something new.  I'd like to always have a shawl on the needles to boost up my gift pile for the holidays.  I have my sister's sweater to cast on soon - I'm planning sometime in March, maybe or April.  What are you working on this week?

Isn't that sunrise beautiful?  I captured that moment yesterday morning before the snow arrived.  This weekend was another slow weekend with nothing going on.  I'm getting good at that kind of weekend!  Between babysitting, gym sessions and taking care of daily life chores during the weekdays, I'm thrilled to have a slow weekend doing nothing. My news today is the daily walks have resumed! Yesterday and today, my husband, Frodo and I walked the neighborhood, saying 'hi' to neighbors (who were walking as well).  Seems to be the time people crawl out of their hibernation, stretch their legs and see the world.  Both walks were messy and damp but even with a slightly wet miniature schnauzer, it was worth it.  Also I'm hoping the walks will take some steam out of Frodo and make him 'mellow' around Holly (ha!).  this morning and it's all melted now  Today I've been reading and knitting at the same time most of the afternoon while doing

Earlier this week I had the chance to walk around outside with my camera to document the snow before the rain arrived and washed it all away.  Winter holds a special place in my heart, I love it so but signs of spring are arriving and my, that feels refreshing!  Each day more birds are singing and the sun when it is shining feels so nice on my face.  There's been a little bit of a warm up every day and later tonight some snow is forecasted.  All good. Last week, my stress levels were higher than usual worrying about various things that quickly were resolved by the end of the week.  My daily walks have been hit and miss since Christmas, mainly due to the weather or darkness or bear fear (has he left? dare I hope?).   Frodo and I walked with balmy temperatures in the mid thirties.  He was thrilled to be sniffing the neighborhood and I thought all about the pockets of happiness I enjoy that makes life wonderful.  Being in the moment on my walk, feeling the breeze and su

Happy Valentine's Day,  I hope you receive lots of love!  Yesterday I cast on something new, I went into my deep stash and unearthed a skein of wool I bought at a fiber festival a few years ago.  So far, I'm loving the color way.  I present to you:  the Kindness Shawl . My cowl is making slow progress this week.  However, yesterday afternoon I blissfully read my Kindle and added a few more rows while hitting my joy.  Today I intend to do more of the same.  Ravelry notes are here . What have you been crafting up these days?