Pumpkin Sunrise

  I finished it! After my last post about how to end the shawl and where to end the shawl, I decided to just cast off after doing many rows of the texture stitch. I didn't even do a fancy edging - I didn't have the energy left to choose one and I still had the problem of running out of the second skein of yarn. I used yarn from my stash and made do with what I already owned. I loved knitting this christening blanket . Do you remember me wondering about the blanket size after blocking? Well, after casting off I think the unblocked width was 35 inches. After blocking the width was 51 inches. I was pretty excited about that. I also wonder how big would the blanket be if I continued with the rest of the charts??? How are your projects coming along?

  How have you been? Over here in western PA the heat is back. I switched to exercising in my house in the spring and now more so than ever, I'm glad I did. The older I get the more my body dislikes hot weather. I've been busy helping with the grandkids and of course our son and his wife. My days are full and fun! If I'm not with them I am chilling out getting my energy levels back to normal. I am pleased to report that I'm knitting something else instead of the christening blanket (more about that on Wednesday). I am thrilled to be knitting something different not to mention mindless. Also, I went out of my reading comfort zone and picked up 'Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries' by Heather Fawcett and am thoroughly enjoying the story. It's light, entertaining and amusing. If I like the ending, I'll read the next in the series. We went to my sister's house for dinner last night and was lucky to spy this little fawn chilling out in the late aft...

  Good morning to you! How are you and how are your projects coming along? I continue to work on the christening blanket but barely did one row in the past seven days because I was traveling and after getting back into town, I've been babysitting the grandchildren while my son and his wife set up their new home. There are over 800 stitches on the needles and it's only going to get bigger. However I know I am over half way through based on yardage and where I am on the charts. Even though this is lace weight wool and slow going, I am thoroughly enjoying the process. I cannot wait for this to be off the needles so I can see it all blocked out. What are you working on this week?

  I finished the baby blanket for our grandbaby to be! As you know, I've knit this pattern so many times. I have it memorized and just love the comfort of knitting what I know while watching a tv show. It truly is mindless and fun. It is like comfort food. I did not have the six skeins to do the required repeats of the large blanket, so I did one repeat less with the five skeins that I did have on hand.  I have some red yarn to make a small blanket for covering the baby carrier - I will start that one in a few days or so. What are you working on this week?

  Good morning! How are you doing? How are your projects coming along this week? I have made steady progress on two projects. First up is the christening blanket , I am on the second chart out of five charts (some are repeated...). Yay! As you can see in the photo I found another lace weight yarn in my basket that I completely forgot that I had and I believe when I run out of my first yarn I can use this second skein of wool and it will look nice. I am hoping it will be the edging, but I won't know until I run out.  Next up is the green baby blanket , I am over half way and it's very very exciting to know that. I keep working on this at night while watching tv shows.  I will see you all on Monday morning, I am going to relax and enjoy some days off from my space here.  So what are you working on this week?

  Hello, how are you doing? Our temperatures took a tumble and we were back to being cold and running the furnace. Today though is going to be in the 70s. I've been avoiding being outside due to the high tree pollen count and really miss walking daily outside but those trees will be done hopefully by the end of May. My weekend was really nice. I mostly read books and spent time knitting on the FOREVER lace christening blanket. I am almost done with chart two (out of five??).  On Saturday, my sister and I visited the local yarn store and of course I bought some fingering weight yarn this time in blue. I don't knit with blue very often so I thought that would be a nice addition to my stash. I love to support local businesses and I'm grateful I am able to do that. Sunday was Mass and doing our laundry. I had a very restful Sunday and I'm ready for the week! How was your weekend?

  Good morning! How are you doing and how are your projects coming along? I've been consistently knitting this Christening blanket every day and I wonder what have I gotten myself into because it's going to take a long time to finish! Also, as I previously stated, I do not think I have enough wool and have to figure out a way to ease into another similar color seamlessly when I do run out of wool.  How are your projects coming along?

  How are you doing today? I'm doing pretty good. It's been a busy week and today is a day where I don't have to be anywhere pressing. Of course I might go out but it will be because I want to go out. Before I forget, Happy Easter if you are celebrating! My sister's hosting Easter this year so I get to kick back and relax and enjoy the food. I will see family too! Around here, it will be getting warm and the tree pollen will be at an all time high. I have quit walking outside because of allergies since I can't take anything because of my health issues. I am enjoying doing you-tube exercise videos in my office. They are more challenging than my daily walks! I'm enjoying my lace knitting project that I talked about on Wednesday. It is a fun knit. Also, I had my first contact lens fitting for my 'medically necessary' contacts that will help protect and heal my extremely dry eyes. Once the lenses are made and in their office, I go back and get another fittin...

  Good morning! How are you doing and how are your projects coming along? I started two projects recently. First off, I started a lace Christening blanket and hope I have enough yarn, I have another skein that is close to this color and hope if I run out it will be when I start the edging...We will see! I started yet another baby blanket this one in a darker green and I like it. Babies do not mind the color as much as the like the softness! What are you working on this week?

  How are you? How is your knitting or crafting coming along? I finished this sweet sweater over the weekend and love it! I enjoyed knitting this little cardigan for a family member's baby to be in July. As I have mentioned before this is the 17th time and there will be an 18th time as well and so on. I find comfort in knitting the same patterns over and over again.  What are you working on this week?

  Hello! How are you doing and how was your weekend?  Mine was quiet but productive over all. I worked on many knitting projects and then on a whim decided to knit some dish clothes for Easter gifts. I have left-over skeins from all the baby blankets I've knitted over the years and thought they'd make cute washcloths.  I also on another whim, decided to paint some Easter cards. Surprisingly, my creativity was overflowing. I wrote Happy Easter on each card but didn't photograph that part. Our weather is back to cold and rainy (although the rainy never left us). It's hard to decide how to dress. I don't mind the cold as much as I mind the cloudiness. I'm sure the weather will be warmer after a week or so. Besides finishing a knitting project I also started another baby blanket.  How was your weekend?

  Good morning to you! How are you doing? I have recovered from having family visiting last week and am right back to my ordinary quiet days. Spring is arriving again after being here for a few days then leaving for some frigid weather. Today will be over 60 degrees.  I've been having severe dry eye from my autoimmune disease (Sjogren's syndrome) and it's quite annoying. I did see the eye doctor and have a treatment plan but golly, I want it resolved yesterday. Over a month ago, I started doing some HIIT exercising a few times a week at home to improve my stamina. So I  lined up a bunch of videos that were low-impact, all standing routines ranging 10 minutes to 30 minutes. I expected that I would not enjoy this type of exercising but I have to confess, I love it. I feel empowered when I complete a video and am able keep up with them most of the time. Who knew? I continue to walk daily but the windy days make my dry eye symptoms unbearable. I am considering joining a gym w...

  Good morning! How are you? Right now, early this morning it is snowing! gah. Yesterday, I took a much needed break from my second sleeve (not finished but nearly finished) and started a baby sweater for a family member. I found out there is yet another baby coming in the family and I will be knitting more blankets and sweaters in my future. According to Ravelry this is the seventeenth time I have knit this baby sweater pattern!  I have already bought more yarn for another blanket this time going for a forest green and moving out of muted colors. I am happy to be knitting for babies to be. What are you working on this week?

  Good morning! How are you doing?  My knitting news this week is very little. The baby blanket is almost done which I am excited about. I haven't knitted much this week because of being 'busy'. I've had routine doctor checkups that seem to be bundled all at the end of February and beginning of March (!) and we are looking at houses for our son and daughter in law. When I get home I am just too tired to think straight. Luckily I've got a few days to catch up with my knitting, reading and thoughts before the next house viewing this weekend.  What are you working on this week?

  Good morning! How was your weekend? My weekend was relaxing and calm, just the way a weekend should be. I didn't do much of anything but I did knit and read and doodled. Now that the deep freeze is over, I've been enjoying my daily walks and even hear some birds singing. I like to believe it's a sign of very very early spring. Yesterday we went over to my sister's house for an early dinner. It was nice to be with them and to spend time with them. My sister and I knitted our sweaters together. I'm making steady progress on the baby blanket . I try to spend at least one hour a day working on it. I also worked on my sweater each day this weekend.

  Good morning! How was your weekend? My weekend was nice enough. I went out shopping with my sister briefly on both days and also started doing pesky house cleaning tasks. I used the self cleaning function of a VERY old oven and it worked...I was concerned since it is ancient. My fears were unnecessary - my oven is squeaky clean! My next task is moving furniture to vacuum under them, I need my husband's help with that one, but the task is on the list and that is half the battle. Our weather is finally above freezing and on my walk yesterday, I took off my mitts because I was warm. What luxury! I've been wearing double layers on my walks for so long that I felt light with just regular layers.  I started yet again another knitting project. This one is a baby blanket for a relative who is expecting sometime this year. I'm now up to five projects on the needles, that is my maximum. Anything more and nothing will be finished in a timely manner. How was your weekend?

  Good morning! How are you doing?  We've been so lucky to have snow flurries every single day this week and it's beautiful. It's quite chilly out so walking has been brisk - I toy with not walking outside each day, but then I'll walk a bit giving myself the option to turn around and go home if I am too cold. Usually, I keep on walking. I can tolerate the cold more so than the unbearable heat in the summer. I finished my hat ! I received this beautiful yarn bundle from my sister for my birthday in November. I loved choosing the striping sequence and it was fun to knit little bits of mini skeins. Even burying all those thread ends wasn't a chore but a delight.  I wanted a loose hat (I dislike tight hats, I feel colder in them) and I wanted the hat to be slouchy. I just created this hat out of my head with a slightly educated guess to the size. I knit the length until I felt it was long enough on my head with some slouchiness.  Over all my guessing turned out great!

  Good morning! Boy have I missed you guys. I had a fantastic visit with family and spent some quality time with the grandkids. They left yesterday morning and I put my house back together again once more. They will be visiting again shortly after Christmas for an extended period of time. I am so lucky! My knitting was non-existent while they were here. I continue to work on the second Musselburgh hat for my husband who sees me knitting it but doesn't know it's for him, ha ha ha. I've been feeling under the weather but I am convinced it's my auto-immune disease, so I've been taking it easy, hydrating and keeping my fingers crossed. So far this plan is working! What are you working on this week?

  Good morning! How was your weekend? Oh mine was deliciously cold, brr. Sadly there will be another warm up this week but hopefully that warm up will be brief. I've been loving this chilly weather and the colors changing on the leaves.  My sister had a craft show over the weekend and I helped out (moral support really). I thoroughly enjoyed seeing family, friends and meeting some of my sister's friends. I had a good time and of course got a lot of knitting done.  I've been spending lots of time knitting my granddaughter' sweater - I have to dig around and find the perfect buttons today.  I noodled around Ravelry some more looking for a new project to cast on. Maybe a shawl? I just don't know what I want to knit. But I guarantee you I will be knitting something! How was your weekend?

  Good morning! How are you doing?  As you know, I have scaled back on my holiday knitting and have implemented a slower pace of knitting gifts to protect my hands and wrists. Last year I had an arthritis flare up knitting gnomes which caused a self-imposed knitting ban until I recovered. Knitting is such a lovely way to handle stress and to relax for me. So I've been mindful of what I knit, how I knit and to rest more often all with the goal of always knitting and to not be in a self-imposed knitting ban.  I'm pleased with my progress! I found these little stars on Ravelry and decided they would be a wonderful little gifts for my family. They use up little bits of scrap yarn and you could go wild with the color combinations. I enjoyed knitting them and the pattern was easy to memorize after one little star. What are you working on this week?