Correct date

You'll notice that my last post is dated Oct. 6th, 2010 and yet I talk about the holidays being over. This is because I started the draft of that post on Oct. 6th, but actually posted it on Jan. 3rd, 2011. Just thought I better clear that up...

A few of my favorite things in 2011:
- recumbent exercise bikes
- the Lendrum spinning wheels and my LYS
- portable greenhouses
- green tea with brown rice
- this
- and this

Still knitting and will be blogging again...

So I got a little side tracked and haven't posted anything in awhile, sorry about that, but I'll try to make it up to you.

A while ago I knitted up these lovely socks, I just love this colorway. I got the yarn from knit picks, but I don't think they have this color anymore.


Tuesday, the cat, likes them too, a little too much maybe...

Here is the lace vest I finished in September.

I have more on the needles, and on the wheel, and once I get a little organized I'll share some more projects.

In the meantime, I hope everyone out there had a nice holiday. Mine was busy, I did get some baking done, all my gifts finished on time, and had a couple relaxing days off work. News for the new year is that I'm expecting a baby in early July. Will I be blogging about it? Sure I will, but I'm not the gushy baby this, baby that, mommy type, so hopefully my post won't be too annoying. If they are you're welcome to advise me to cool it.

Up dates!

Well, I was able to get a little weeding done on my week off, not as much as I would have liked, and there is still some planting to get done, but this will have to do.



Yeah, it's still a mess...

Now it's back to work and wishful thoughts of getting more gardening done. On my time off I did get some knitting done and other stuff, and I also got some relaxing in, and spent time with friends and family, so it was a good week. I'll have some knitting up-dates soon, I hope... and maybe a sewing project too.

Tough to tell the difference

Earlier this year I mistook this little guy for a Monarch caterpillar, but it's really a Black Swallowtail. All spring and summer they have been feasting on fennel, dill, and parsley. We have also seen lots of the adult butterflies flying around this summer, so pretty!








And today I found the Monarch!

I love their little antennae. Now these are the critters I don't mind running into in the garden.

My garden this year

Ah, an early start. Just look at those little guys grow!


There it is! All the little plants tucked in and ready to grow.

And grow!

But wait, what's this?

NOOOOOOOOOOO!

That's right folks. I got a lot of good grub early in the season, but once that July heat set in I kind of gave up. I should have stuck with it, I should have weeded, but that just didn't happen.

I have a few days off this week and I'm attacking it. Weeding and digging. I've got winter veg to get in the ground and I'm ready for the second round. I'll have an up-date later this week.

New hobby, or new passion?

I think I might have to classify this as a new passion, right up there with knitting. Hand spun yarn is amazing. It's not something I can do every night, or something I can spend hours on, like knitting, but I am loving it.

It's relaxing, soothing, and the end results are beautiful. My hands begin to cramp after an hour, and my already bad knee isn't liking the movement of the peddle, but I'm considering spending a sizable amount of money on a wheel of my own, so I know this is a relationship that will be well worth the pain it may cause.

Dear Spinning,
I love you...

Always check gauge

I've been working on a sweater design and when I checked the gauge I did it after washing and blocking, and boy am I glad I did. Sometime I just knit a few rows, check the gauge while it's still on the needles and call it good, but this time I had a feeling it would be better to go all the way.

I'm making a simple lightweight cardigan and I've just finished the back. As you can see from the photos below the piece drastically changes shape after it's been washed and pinned. Before blocking it measured about 14 inches from top to bottom.

After blocking it was up to 24 inches. A little longer than I expected, but I believe that once it's un-pinned it will relax a little and shrink back down to 21 or 22 inches, which will be about right. Although I don't mind long sweaters.

Next are the front pieces, then the sleeves, which are making me nervous, the shaping that is.

If this sweater turns out like planned I hope to write it out and share it. If it doesn't turn out as planned you might find a big red wine stain on it and me in the corner crying...