Pumpkin Sunrise

  Good morning! Isn't my new knitting project cheerful? I'm trying to knit a little bit every day but not too much since it's cotton and cotton can be rough on my hands. This sweet little blanket is for our future grandchild. Yup, our son and daughter in law are expecting in early February and we are beyond excited. I made this blanket pattern for my nephew's son and loved it so much I decided to knit it again only in a medium size. I just might knit a small size as well since I bought a ton of yellow yarn. The repeated seed stitch stripes makes for potato chip knitting (just one more row!). What are you working on this week?

  I'm excited that this blanket project is done and folded up tucked in a closet.  I don't know when I will be mailing the blanket to the recipient, I have plans to make a baby sweater too. The blanket  was a fun knit but cotton is stressing on my hands and I had to take many mini-breaks. A knitter does not want to have a repetitive stress injury! This blanket is for my daughter's sister in law in California who is due sometime in March. I will be taking a mini-blog break this upcoming Friday and will see you all next Monday. May your New Year's Day celebrations be filled with goodness and kindness.

  Good morning to all of you! My knitting has been mainly two projects this week. My lovely yoke sweater is so so so close to the bottom edging. I'm less than one inch away - so close to starting the sleeves! I love working on this while watching a movie and having my lap so cosy warm. The baby blanket is making great progress, I'm over half way. Because of the yarn colors you cannot see the blanket pattern except for the seed stitch edging, that is okay.  I like having an 8 row repeat pattern so I can keep tabs on my progress and know that I am inching closer to the end. What are you working on this week? P.S.  I will not be posting this Friday, Christmas Day.  I'll be thinking of you all and wishing you a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holiday.  My celebrations are simplified because it's just the two of us and I want to enjoy the holiday and be present each moment. Thank you for visiting and reading this space!

  Good morning!  My knitting this week has been fantastic. I've been working on a new project, a baby blanket , for my daughter's sister in law who lives in California. The colors in this blanket are soothing to look at and I am enjoying the cotton yarn from deep deep stash. My sweater , gosh I do love it and can't wait to wear it!  I will have to block the daylights out of it to get some extra room though.  (this is what happens when you skip gauge....) I am a bit sad that the color work section of the pattern is over but I am knitting super fast on the plain old stockinette! What are you working on this week?

  How was your weekend? Mine was quiet and steady, just the way I like it. We walked both days getting our fresh air and stretching our legs. I did art journaling on Saturday as well as hot glued some ornaments then stitched them together.  Let's just say I have respect for hot glueing - it is a mess and it's painful when you touch it! On Sunday I started a new baby blanket but I'm waffling on whether I like it or not. The yarn is pooling a bit. I could accept it and say it's artistic expression and leave it be.  I will just keep adding rows and thinking about it.  I like the yarn since it's 100% cotton and the baby is a California baby to be.   I worked on my sweater as well this weekend and really need to check gauge...eep.  If I'm off by an inch I know I can block the daylights out of it.  The yarn is 100% wool and I do not have the grace that super wash gives when it relaxes and grows which is a minor concern. It's wonderful that these are my pressing th

  I finished two projects since I last posted my knitting news update. Sadly I have to guess when I finished these socks ! So let's say sometime last week? I have no idea. But they are finished and they turned out great. I'm knitting a pair of socks for each of the kids and their partners. I am half way done! The baby blanket turned out so nice and because it's all cotton, it's soft and has a cosy feel to it. I'll be wrapping this up for the nephew's baby to be within the next week or so. I have a wee cardigan to go with it, more about that next week. What are you working on this week? Joining Ginny

  This week before the daily rainy days, we were walking our usual daily route. Most of the leaves have fallen but there are some trees that are resisting, mainly the catalpa trees. Maybe we are on our third rainy day, I've lost count. Rainy dreary days are perfect for knitting endlessly. My new planner arrived on Monday afternoon as well as a new fountain pen and new ink. I've been setting it up so that I start in November. This planner is replacing two to four notebooks or loose pages. I am focusing on daily tasks, menu planning, exercising, budgeting and my schedule. Migrating information from one location to another has been fun. Nothing motivates me more than a new system. I'll keep you updated with my progress. The fountain pen is a TWSBI Eco pen  and my new ink is 54th Massachusetts Noodler's ink  which is a blue/black ink - I love it. (I purchased through JetPens this is not an affiliate link) I continue to use my creativity planner as well. That holds my knit

  My coffee table is organized chaos, isn't it beautiful? I had a really nice weekend, did you? I visited with my sister and aunt, made cookies, talk a lot. My mom would always say that getting together and talking was 'free talking' because back then the phone calls were toll charges. Cell phones have definitely improved my quality of life. On our daily walks I've notice that the leaves and past peak, I'm feeling bittersweet about it. I tried to appreciate the fall colors every day and yet I feel like I didn't appreciate them enough. I'll miss those glorious colors. I am looking forward to winter and hunkering down in my cosy house, knitting away. On Sunday I did all those pesky household chores most of the day so that I could sit and knit on that baby blanket which might be done today! Let's hope so - I need to dig though my yarn stash to now find some washable wool for a cardigan. How was your wekend?

  Hello! Another Wednesday and another update on my knitting. First off, is the above featherweight cardigan that my sister started for herself and then just could not knit on. I'm not sure when she started this cardigan but I am guessing years ago. She finished the body and did one meager inch of ribbing. For her Christmas gift she asked me to finish it for her. Super easy to do!! I had to drop down a needle size to match her gauge and I finished the body ribbing. I'm about half way down with the first sleeve. The yarn is mystery yarn, she thinks it's Mad Tosh Lace - I will know when I block it if it grows significantly. I've knit with that wool  many many times. My other project is the baby blanket for my nephew's baby to be that is due in mid-January. How delightful to be knitting on size EIGHT needles, super speedy!! What are you working on this week?

  First and foremost, Frodo is acting more like himself now that he is on some medicines to help him get better. Thank you for all of the well wishes for his speedy recovery, I am grateful.   I started knitting a baby blanket  yesterday for my nephew's baby-to-be that is due in mid-January. This yarn has been in my stash for over twenty years...I love when I use something that has hung around forever. Using stash yarn justifies the collecting of stash yarn. I am on the second sock for my son in law for his hand made Christmas present. I had grand plans of finishing it over the weekend but I didn't.  Maybe by this weekend??  What are you working on this week?

I finished my blush cardigan  last week.  I was pleasantly surprised at how well it fit me AND that I had enough yarn to complete the project.  So nice when the Knitting Gods bless me with success.  It's too hot to wear this sweater but I have something exciting to wear when the weather cools off. I did not enjoy knitting with the cotton, my hands tire quickly since the yarn has no spring.  I truly believe I knit at a slower rate as well. I loved the top down construction and the over all fit.  However I do NOT like how far spaced the button holes are. (they create a gap....).  The button holes are created while knitting the body of the sweater at the same time.  I would have preferred a picked up button band so I could place the button holes exactly 2.5 inches apart. Since this cardigan is 100% cotton I steamed blocked the edges to get them to lay flat and they could be a lot flatter for my taste.  I resisted the urge to use spray starch but I truly wanted to spritz the edges.  Ag

What does a knitter do when she is so close to finishing a sweater?  She works on a shawl of course.  I haven't spent much time on this shawl and yesterday while listening to podcasts I added 6 more rows.  The border is over half way done. Well now, I was hoping that the sweater would be done and I have merely six rows to go on the second cuff.  I just couldn't finish it last night, I was tired and so were my hands (cotton is unforgiving), so today is the day the sweater will be off the needles. What are you working on this week?

Maybe you cannot see it, but I am making steady progress on my pink cardigan .  I'm about over half way done with the body of the sweater.  Knitting with cotton is a little slow going for me since there isn't much 'spring' in the yarn.  However, I dedicate time each and every day adding inches. The gradient shawl in the above photo is my TV knitting which is soft and wonderful to sit, knit and add a few rows during a show.  I'm nearly done with the second section of the pattern and then I'll be doing the border.  So close! I was delighted this week to pick up the books I reserved with our county traveling library.  It's been forever since I've stepped foot into a bookstore or a library.  Curbside pickup is wonderful!  I also check out the ebook library but many of the books I want have a long wait list.  I'm too impatient I guess.  However, I do place holds every now and then.  I'm excited to do a deep dive into that Tasha Tudor book! What have

Good morning!  How are you doing?  Well, my knitting has been keeping me busy and sane.  I am languishing in the wonderfulness of endless stockinette stitching of my cotton cardigan while reading Middlemarch at the same time.  What is nice is sitting outside by the pool while doing it!  Yes, the pool is looking good but it's still too cold to swim in for me.  We did our first 'foot dangle' yesterday.  Brr. I'm also enjoying working on the shawl I started a while ago.  This is my TV knitting project because I can mostly watch TV and only occasionally need to do a lacework row every now and then. What are you working on this week?

This post is brought to you by the color PINK.  (Sesame street reference).  Pink is a color I least knit with and rarely wear.  However I was inspired by my flowering apple tree to dig out some pink cotton yarn from deep stash to start another cardigan .  As always I am wondering if I have enough yarn but I could make 3/4 sleeves.  Ah, the thrills I seek while being home bound. My other new knitting project is a Helen Stewart shawl  using a pink gradient (the last one in my stash).  This shawl will be a holiday gift and I know the recipient will love it.  Pink is her color. Yesterday was a really good day because I started two new projects while knowing full well I have two projects that are close to being finished.  What are you working on this week?

I finished my top and guess what!  It fits pretty okay.  I swear to you I was fretting all the way to the end when I measured and remeasured again and again.  Now the best part is I haven't blocked the top yet so maybe I'll smooth out another 1/2 of wiggle room, maybe. I need to block out that yoke :) This pattern, night sky, was a ton of fun to knit.  I'd say you would have to have lots of experience to knit this sweater.  I also liked the nettle yarn - it was soft enough and I'm assuming once the top is soaked and washed there will be more softening. In other news, I am currently babysitting full days Tuesdays and Wednesdays and will be posting my knitting news on Tuesday late afternoons (unless I forget).  I worked today and I'm exhausted!! Ravelry notes are here

I am swirling with doubts about the above sweater.   My gauge is off (and yes I did gauge before starting).  I am just not sure about how this will fit.  I think I'll be okay but ....what if?  I just keep going as I think about this knit.  So while I was excited to knit and make progress, I'm now doubting my decision. I'll be remeasuring again today.  Sigh.  This is why I prefer top down construction of a sweater.  Bottom up has all the knitting done by the time you get to the armholes.  (and yes, I should have thought of this sooner but you know experts do make rookie decisions it's the spice of life) Worst case scenario --- I rip it out.  I'm not there as of yet. My other knit which is new and not contingent upon gauge is a Christmas gift for my mother in law who has vision impairments.  This bright pink can be seen anywhere and I thought she would love it.  She does like pink but I'm not sure how bright a pink she will favor.  I'm excited abo

Ordinarily I'd start writing about the weather, but I'm tired of this weather.  We had record local flooding in near by towns, I lost my electricity for 3 hours on Monday night (thank goodness it was only 3 hours!)  and now it's raining, again after 48 hours of sunshine.  From now until mid-September, I find myself in an anti-summer state of mind.  I started a new book,  Sing Unburied Sing,  and the first chapter captured my attention and I'm immersed.  The content is hard to read at times but so worth the read.  I know many of you have read this book.  I finished Pachinko, which was a fabulous multigenerational novel. I highly recommend adding the book to your reading list.  I learned a lot about Japan and Korea and realize my knowledge of world history is lacking. I wrote a to-do list for my husband and placed it near his papers.  He's been doing the tasks and crossing them off.  I might have write more lists like that.  All of the tasks have been outsid