Cold Cup

Did you know that Caribou Cold Cups are fantastic for Gin & Tonics? Yep, uh huh.

I also love my little OFF Clip On thingy. After being someone's dinner for the first 5 minutes I was out here, I was forced to dig it our of last year's summer bin. My legs got a little chewed on, but this little baby seems to be saving my after work rest on the deck.

Off to knit a gusset.

M

WIP Wednesday: Birthday Socks

Irony.

 

Now that its been 80 and Sunny in MN, I've almost finished yet another pair of wool socks.

 

That I won't wear until September.

 

Please excuse my chubby legs in this photo. That's how we Pasty White Girls look in May. I will not allow my legs to be photographed again until at least July. I promise.

 

 

This is my Birthday yarn, Cascadia by Yarnarchy. Fun colors, yummy base yarn, quick stockinette stitch sock in just my size.



 

I'm hoping to finish them in the next few days, but may have to put them on hold so that I can spend some time on the golf course. Our son competes today and tomorrow in the Section golf tournament. Hopefully he makes the cut and will play again tomorrrow. Looking for an individual berth to the MN State Golf Tournament. So Excited!

 

Joining Ginny and Tami today.

 

Happy Hump Day! Later!

 

M

 

Lace is a leap of faith.

Knitting lace is truly a leap of faith, like having a baby.

You spend months nurturing something you can't really see...

When you're done it looks a little shrivel-y and wrinkled.

And it takes a while before you truly grasp it's beauty.

Little deep, huh?

M

FO Friday: Becoming ...what?

My kids gifted me two skeins of this beatiful Becoming Art yarn in the Blue Moon colorway last year for either my Birthday or Mothers Day. I love every colorway from this dyer and the base yarn is just delicious. Flows through your fingers like butter.

The base color is a deep megenta/purple with flecs of lemon, tangerine, and lime. Mmmm...

Don't you love it when knitters equate colors with food? Can you tell I'm starving this morning?

I always have photos of my knitting - while drinking coffee. My most favorite time to knit is Saturday and Sunday mornings, in the quiet serenity of my house while Big Daddy and Little C are still asleep.

I laid this out on the floor and its HUGE. Love it. Not quite sure why I don't have a photograph of that...I must have been in awe.

The pattern is Simple Lines by maanel. The lace pattern on the bottom edge is what I liked best about the pattern, but ended up running short on yarn so omitted it from the shawl <<pout>>. As my yarn ball dwindled, I repeated the eyelet row a few times and used a stretchy bind off so I can really open it up when I block it.

Thank you so much for your prayers and well wishes for my brother. It is very much appreciated. His condition, situation, and circumstances have not changed but we continue to hope and pray he makes it through this trial with dignity and that he receives the health care he so very badly needs.

Have fantastic Memorial Day weekend Friends!

Later,

M

WIP Wednesday: Minty Socks

My Minty Socks are almost finished!

I took a quick pic this morning on one of the landscape rocks outside the building where I work. The light is a little wierd, but I didn't have much time.

I snapped this one last night whil out on my front porch. Was nice to have a few quiet minutes until Big Daddy came home. Thank goodness for Kinky vodka.

My apologies. I'm not feeling chatty today at all. We have a bit of a family crisis on our hands that involves my brother, and I'm trying to work through a bit of guilt and helplessness. For a control freak like me, prayer is often not enough. If you believe prayer has power, please pray for him to have strength. He needs it. He is in a terrible mess.

Linking up with Ginny & Tami today. Looking forward to seeing what everyone has on the needles.

Later,

M

WIP Wednesday: Socks! and a Mothers Day gift

My husband adores me. I know this. He tells me this.

He just doesn't appreciate 6-8 (well, maybe more) knitting projects strewn all over the house every day of the week.

This little baby is the solution to his problem. Because, of course, the problem is HIS. ;)

Ironically this Pier1 gem was delightfully gift wrapped for Mother's Day in some desk blotter paper that I've been coveting saving since about 1986. You know, for the leather edged desk blotter I don't even OWN any more? He's awesome. Why keep looking at it? What are we going to DO with it? Lets wrap her present in it!

Okay. WIPs. Here we go.

I'm back to my "Finish Four" goal.

I have two shawls and two pairs of socks on the needles. Lets talk about the two pairs of socks.

 I bought this mint & loden yarn on clearance at my LYS for MAYBE $5 about 3 years ago. There was no label on it at the time. I'm not thrilled with how the yarn striped vertically down the leg of the sock, but I LOVE how springy and squishy the yarn is. These socks will be TOAST-Y!

You can even see, on the leg of the sock, up by the first orange stripe on my notebook, where I spilled coffee on it last Friday.

Lets just say I was carrying too many things on my way out to the garage and poured coffee from my travel mug into my knitting bag.

Shhh...I won't tell if you won't.

My Knitting Buddy bought me this skein of Cascadia From Yarnarchy.

The colors spoke to me, and I love, love, love these socks!

Size 1 needles, plain 64 st socks, 2x2 rib cuff, heel flap, etc.
 

I love close up photos of heel flaps. Have you figured that out yet?

And the CUTEST stitch marker EVER! Also hand made by my Knitting Buddy. She's the best.

Hoping all you Mommy's had a fantastic weekend. Looking forward to what is on everyone's needle this week. Joining Ginny and Tami as usual!


Later!

M

WIP Wednesday: Tangerine Arabesque and I'm old.

You must understand I rarely wear the color orange. Recently only a cream-cicle colored v-neck top has snuck itself into my wardrobe. My pasty white skin tends to get washed out by many shades of orange.

This yummy skein of tangerine lace weight yarn was another find in my Mother's stash. (Again, no label) The Seascape stole I initially started looked really weird. The flowing watery pattern just didn't look right in orange.

I love how the zigs and zags of this Arabesque look like shriveled up panty hose before blocking. Knitting lace is really magical. One must be very patient.

When I first printed the pattern I laughed...loudly.

I turned 44 yesterday and my eyes are slowly failing me. I had to blow up the charts a little bit on my copier, just so my head didn't explode trying to follow the original.

Remember my comment about patience and knitting lace?

The bulk of this project is a repeat of the same 46 stitch chart. It is knit twice the first time, 4 times the second time around, and 6 times the last, for a total of 101 rows. Very easy to follow, but yikes. One must be truly patient. I'm an office supply junkie, so the orange highlighter was my weapon of choice.

With 15 rows left in repeat #3 I feel like I'm on the home stretch. 

With 346 stitches and counting each row takes quite a while.

I took a few minutes yesterday to pin it out a little so you can see the pattern. Very out of the box for me. I love it.

Family and friends gave me the royal treatment for my BDay yesterday.

Big C drove home from school to surprise me with a visit last weekend. Best gift ever.

I am so very blessed.

Cake from the girlies I work with.

This little flower is so cute. And yes, I ate it.

 

A kitchen chalkboard message from Big Daddy.

 And best of all, mushy words and chocolate.

 Even Google knew it was my Birthday. That creeps me out.

 

Thanks for stopping by. I know it was a lengthy post.

Joining Ginny & Tami today. 

Later!

M

 

 

FO Friday: Socks for the Bear & Aubrey Sweater

You may remember this kid. He LOVES wearing hand knit socks.

I had some extra unidentified yarn in my stash and started another pair for him. My memory escapes me more and more as I age, and I have no idea what yarn this is. They flew off my needles Easter weekend. A simple 40 stitch sock, 3X1 rib, 20 st heel flap, etc. Easy peasy.

Not a lot of pictures, but he was a very happy boy.

Also a follow up on this sweet little sweater. I knit it for my Great Niece, Aubrey.
K was thrilled to receive something new for her to wear on Easter Sunday.

We Aunties fight over her at every family gathering. She is a very popular little lady.

Have a fantastic Friday friends!

Later!

M