summertime and the livin' is easy

no cotton, growing that is, but on the pointy sticks!

summer knitting is in full swing - i've got my second pair of cotton/lycra socks more than half way done - one more pair to go (personal challenge)! on other needles i have a cropped cardigan top in cotton/tencel that feels absolutely dreamy! i am really enjoying fondling it each and every

time i pick it up! i've also started another lace shawl.

the greatest news of all is that i have swatched each and everyone of these yarns (plus several others!) to check gauge! really! i know it is hard to believe but, indeed, i really have been knitting swatches! it's a miracle, lord!!

i have managed to put down the pointy sticks long enough to get out in the garden where june

has been busting out all over!! here are a couple of pictures to put you in the mood!

clematis 'venosa violacea'

hemerocallis

rosa 'lyda'

sooooo inviting that i'm headin' out! over and out!

fini, fait, dessus!!!

stick a fork in it, its done!! and i am finished, done, and over it!! fini, fait, dessus!
this is the aforementioned top that was causing me such consternation in my previous post! observe it is finished!! and after the chorus of "alleluias" all i can say is: "hey, its not half bad!"the major lesson i learned from this knitting adventure was and is: finish your projects in a timely manner especially when they involve a lace pattern that you have drafted and then lost! one must strike while the iron is hot or at least while the brain cells still retain some memory of the pattern. fortunately for me, the yarn i used allowed me to clearly read what was happening as i knit! whew!

the pattern i sort of used as my jumping off point was the 'sleeveless tuxedo shirt' from interweave knits, summer 2007. in reality, the only qualities shared are the name! my changes included:
1. knitting the top in the round up to the armholes instead of knitting a front and a back (that would have involved sewing side seams which is totally unnecessary in my estimation!).
2. adding a lace pattern to the bottom edge and knitting in stockinette stitch (pattern called for reverse stockinette).
3. knitting the lace section as part of the top instead of knitting it separately and sewing in after completing the top.
4. knitting the shoulder pieces as part of the top instead of knitting separately and attaching after the fact.
5. picking up stitches and knitting a garter stitch rib around armholes and neck.

since i did a three needle bindoff at the shoulders i had no seams to deal with - the only sewing involved was working in the ends!! yippee, yippee, yippee! the above picture was taken after it was blocked. the yarn i used was from my stash (yeah!!) and is a combo of 52% silk and 48% wool, sort of tweedy, and was knit on a size 3 needle.

following closely on that top's heels was the 'lotus blossom top' from interweave knits, summer 2006. i pretty much stuck to the pattern as written with the exception of adding an inch in length to the upper body area. loved the yarn, classic elite 'pebbles', and the fact that it once again (dang, i'm good!) came from my stash!!

i'm really starting to feel giddy again - like i've got my knitting mojo back on track!! c'est la vie!

go figure!

"wisdom comes alone through suffering."

AESCHYLUS

sometimes little pearls of wisdom just seem to drop out of the sky! the above just happened to roll by me this morning and i must say, it sure hit the spot today!! my knitting and i have been suffering but i have to agree that i am learning throughout this process and project. 

i am knitting a sleeveless summer top with yarn from my stash (using stash in itself is a miracle!!). one would think that a sleeveless summer top would be a 'quickie' but, alas, it doesn't seem to be the case - it seems to be one step forward and two steps back, as in froggin'!

once again, my lack of attention has caused me grief! maybe i will learn to double check each and every row when knitting a lace pattern rather than every several inches - it would make life much simpler and i would get more knitting done! 

i've also learned that it isn't easy and rarely works to attempt to correct an unintended error by picking your way down only a couple of stitches for a number of rows!! if you find an error in plain, ol' stockinette stitch, it is pretty easy to accomplish this but with a lace pattern - not a chance! since i have tried to do this repeatedly on this top without success, hence the froggin', i hope this is another lesson i'll add to the ol' memory bank! well, at least until next time!!

am i bad?

so, there is this new movement afoot that i think is pretty hot! as you can see by the above logo, it is called "the 3/50 project". the gist of the deal is this: 1) you pick three 'local' (that means locally owned and operated businesses, not franchises or big box) stores; 2) from your three locally owned stores, you spend $50 each month at each store; 3) that helps save three businesses that put their time, energy and money back into the community!

great premise, great idea - exactly what my uncle don harped about year's ago - we need to buy american and buy from locally owned businesses in order to maintain our local economy and our nation's economy! i am really glad that he is taking this whole economic situation in from up above as he would be having a fit and falling into it at this point in time!!! especially the american car situation and the demise of pontiac - his favorite car brand! my aunt and uncle always drove american made cars because don felt that if we didn't purchase our own products made right here in america we were biting the hand that feeds us - who knew that his thoughts would be so prophetic?

anyhoo, here's where i am having just a tad bit of a problemo! my favorite three locally owned and operated stores that i would choose to help save are yarn shops!! go figure! i guess that isn't sooooooo bad a thing, but i had better get knittin'!!

a place of peace and solace!

I love spring anywhere,

but if I could choose

I would always greet it in a garden.

Ruth Stout