Pumpkin Sunrise

Our weekend was quite busy.  On Friday night we went to our VERY last high school band/chorus concert.  We have been going to band/chorus concerts for 10 years!  I am sure when our son is at university he will be participating in music or theater so there will be more events to come.   Prom was on Saturday, again the last one!  Pictures were at our house and the two of them were so nice looking in their tuxedo and dress.  Of course there were more pictures at the country club with all of their friends. Once the happy prom couple went inside to eat, us "old" folks went out to dinner with friends.   Sunday was relaxing and peaceful.  I went to church, did some laundry and emailed to friends photos of the concert and the prom.  Weekending with Amanda at Habit of Being

Well well well I was so sure of myself.  I posted yesterday about this shawl and then blogger had a big hiccup and removed it.  So now I am left to blog again about this shawl  but with a slightly different twist.  Yesterday I spent about 1-2 hours trying to fix a "tiny" mistake without ripping out.  I did it twice, each time thinking I was successful and then when I would look at it again after a mini break and doubt my handiwork.  In the afternoon, once again starting the pattern I STILL had a mistake.  So today I knit backwards six-seven rows. Why does knitting backwards take so long?  I really did not want to take it off the needles since alpaca is slippery and I knew the stitches would be lost.  So I am glad to report that I have fixed the problem and I only have three more repeats and then onto the next chart!  (unless I make another mistake) As for coffee......I used the four cup maker that is my daughter's and it makes me love my old coffee maker eve

As stated in a previous post, my progress has been somewhat sporadic due to being busier with life.  I am not complaining at all.  I will have all of this coming school year to myself and my hobbies.  Anyways, the swallowtail shawl  is working up quite nicely.  The yarn is Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace  and I am really enjoying working with it.  There is not much sheen from the lace but I will wait until washing and blocking to make a final judgement.  I have only four more repeats of the budding lace pattern and then I get to do the next chart!  I really like that the designer included charts in the pattern.  For some reason I assume I have the six row chart memorized and then always find a mistake.....so far I have not had to rip out rows yet.   Can you believe that my coffee maker has died this morning (thankfully after half heartedly brewing)?  I have had this coffee maker for six years and have loved it so much that I went on Amazon and bought the EXACT same one.  So

I just bought these two books yesterday and can't wait to start them!   The Help has been on my list to read since it came out last year.  I have been waiting patiently for it to come out in paperback.  I think I read that there will be a movie sometime soon.   The Dirty Life is another book that I have seen on this yarn along that has been on my list.  How exciting to find it displayed at Barnes and Noble!   On the knitting front, I am working on my sleeves for this cardigan , and I am working on this shawl .  I haven't made much progress on either.  I think I will blame it on my daughter who moved back home last week from university.  We have been taking walks and shopping and just plain talking.  My knitting sits beside me somewhat neglected. I am okay with that, before long August will be here and we will be driving two kids to their universities.  Such exciting times for them and for us! Check out Ginny's blog- Small Things for more knitting and reading

I've successfully finished the body of the valley cardigan !  At first I was worried about the hand dyed look since there is quite a difference in shades of color, but I really really like it now that it's all knitted up. This project has taken me quite some time and I think it is because I keep starting other projects and placing this cardigan aside. I love to start big projects but my attention span seems to waiver. Yesterday I casted on the first sleeve (after a six day break....).  I did decide to keep to the original pattern and make the cuffs for the sleeve.  I'm quite excited knowing that I am very close to the end. A dear sweet friend gave me a knitting present, which is the best kind of present to get.  The last photo is a fun tape measure (or is it a measurer?), I think she bought it at a yarn shop near or in Ithaca NY.  Not too sure about that.  So of course I am looking for things to measure ;) 

This weekend was quite eventful.  Our daughter graduated from university on Saturday.  The ceremony was held outside and we lucked out having sunny skies and mild temperatures!  Our son missed most of the graduation because he was at district tennis playoffs for singles.  He unfortunately (or fortunately) lost the very first match.  This meant that he was able to whip over and catch the very end of her graduation. We also attended a luncheon for top honor graduates.   Sunday was relaxing and peaceful with walking, talking, knitting and being together----a perfect Mother's day :) Weekending hosted by Amanda at habit of being .

I casted on for the swallowtail shawl yesterday and so far it is a really fun pattern.  I chose lace weight yarn .  My sister is using fingering weight yarn, I have no idea what brand or color.....yet.  Anybody and everybody who is interested in knitting this shawl with us is more than welcome.  The pattern can be found here .  The yarn that you choose is pretty flexible-lace, fingering or DK/sport.  Also in the pattern the designer gives you approximate yardage needed.  I am always thrilled when a designer has charts included. I seem to knit super fast with a chart.   Today we will be moving all of our daughter's "stuff" from her dorm room back home.  That means that my clean house will be a mess.  Now by clean I mean uncluttered.  My house could always use a dusting or a sweep up.  I am looking forward to her being here and going on outings (she is always up for a car ride!).  She has her last final sometime this afternoon and then she will be done with und

I sure am glad I did not reveal what I started two days ago with this brown alpaca silky lace because it went into the frog pond.  I cannot really pinpoint why I was not thrilled with the scarf, but I just wasn't thrilled.  So this beautiful yarn will become a swallowtail shawl .  I do believe my favorite sister (and only sister) might be joining me for a little knit along!  I need to call her and confirm that.  I think it is a tragedy that I have not knit this very popular shawl and that needs to be remedied. And speaking of favorite sisters, last Thanksgiving for either my birthday gift or for a Christmas gift, I cannot remember which one since I opened both, she gifted me this super lovely Madelintosh merio light skein.  I am happy to say that it will become another traveling woman shawl .  I have knitted this before and blogged about it here .  I thoroughly enjoyed this project and I ended up giving the shawl to my step mother for Christmas.  So I really need to make one tha

I am still reading Water for Elephants.   I am find it interesting especially since my son really enjoyed the book.  We frequently have similar tastes in novels.  I was doubting the similarity when I first started reading and then last night the plot thickened! So I must say it is too soon to give an opinion, I need to finish the book!  On my needles is my cardigan  which I just blogged about here . The progress is slow and I am getting a little impatient to have it finished. I am also working on a scarf but will post about it tomorrow if I do not rip it out first.  I am feeling quite wishy washy about whether I want to continue knitting. Today I have a lot of errands to run.  They should not take me long to do.  All of the regular tennis matches are finished.  Now it is just practices the next two weeks for district play offs.  May is such a busy month with tennis, prom, and end of the year banquets at the school.  It always flies by! Joining Ginny for her Yarn Along.

Finally finally finally!  I am on the front shaping.  I thought I would never ever get there.  I love knitting on tiny needles (these are size 4) but at some point during a big project, like a cardigan, I think I must have lost my mind to make a sweater with a small gauge.  And yet I want to make another featherweight cardigan , go figure.  Since the front of this cardigan  is a deep v-neck, the shaping is going at lightening speed.  Before you know it I will be posting about the sleeves. I just could not resist a picture of Frodo with his new hair cut (can't tell because of the big old mustache and beard he sports).  In this picture he was being nosy.

On Saturday, daughter and I went to a local craft fair in town.  They block off the main street and vendors display their items for sale.  There are also lots of non profit groups with kiddie games and information.  Of course there are food vendors selling everything that is not healthy in a diet......but it sure does smell so good!  I forgot to take pictures while browsing the vendors.  I did managed to buy a jar of homemade jam and a bar of homemade soap.  The first three pictures were from the town.  Can you believe they had donkeys?   The last picture of the dogwood is from my front yard.   This week our daughter moves back home from university and we will have both kids home until mid to late August.  My house will be so much more messy and disorganized.  However, August will be the very first time both kids are off to college and we will only have Frodo.  I feel like I have almost completed my job as a parent. Are we really ever completely done?  I am looking fo