Tosh outside ~

Since I had the outdoors to myself while hundreds were inside taking quilting classes, I decided I could also knit on my Tosh shawl. This one required a bit of counting, and so I sat in the sunshine and knit and counted.I made great progress on this shawl and the pattern and yarn are working well together. Doesn't this yarn look stunning in the sunshine and leaves! A wonderful feeling to be knitting on so many projects and feel the progress! Ahhhh, vacation!!!!!

Quilt Class Qiviuk ~

While my sister was taking a quilt class from 8:30 to 3:30, I was knitting outside in the lovely Oregon sunshine. I did many rows on the amazing Qiviuk scarf, and often wonder how I can put it down to knit on something else. The yarn is lovely and soft, yet so thin I get a little nervous that it will break. I always feel so happy, and relieved, when I get to the end of the row and have the correct stitches. Not sure why such a short pattern can be confusing...lots of knit-in-the-back-loop and knit2-together-in-the-back-loop and other many-word-instructions. So far, so good, and the lace pattern looks good!! I emailed my sweet friend that gifted me with this precious yarn to thank her again!

Road trip knitting too ~

Day two of our road trip, and we are still heading south. I'm still making progress on my Track Star socks, but wondering why I thought knitting the heels in the car is really the best road trip knitting. I had the instructions on my lap, in case I became lost on the heel turn, plus I had all the stitch markers (two colors to help with the heel turn instructions) clipped into a big pin so I wouldn't lose them in the car.I did finish the second heel turn, without losing markers or getting lost in the pattern. Hurrah! Perhaps on the way home I'll be knitting on the cuff...so I won't need instructions or stitch markers...true road trip knitting!!

Road trip knitting ~

My sister and I started a road trip, heading for a long weekend away. I've packed many knitting projects in the hopes of knitting a few rounds on all of them.The project for the road trip piece is the Track Star socks, and I had the first heel turned by the time we turned the lights out at our motel for the evening. Pictured here on my Queen Kahuna book on sock knitting - the best sock knitting resource I have! Turning a heel by the first night is a great start to the road trip!

Plying instead ~

Instead of working on the shawl that had mystified me (aka, the Whoops Shawl), I did more spinning. Pretty chicken of me, I know, but the spinning did work out well.I spun enough as a single that I was able to ply in one session, which is always gratifying to see how the colors blend. Some as barber pole, and other match up with the same color. Always a delightful surprise!

Whoops ~

Cruising along on my Celaeno Shawl, beginning Chart B, and the directions seem to be straight forward. Nothing tricky, as I even check to be sure the "place bead" is really a separate stitch, and it is... it is a purl.... I'm knitting along while babysitting, and I have 5 stitches before the center stitch, however my directions are already at the center stitch....bad news here... so I keep going, and by the end of row 1, I have lots of stitches left over.... Perhaps row 2 of Chart B will fix the count, but no.....too many stitches from somewhere.Using the same technique that Annelie used when I messed up my Traveling Woman, I pulled out the needles while the shawl is on a flat surface, and ripped back three rows to where I wasn't messed up.Then put all the stitches back on these lovely needles....making sure to catch each one, and it wasn't difficult, and I didn't even need to breathe into a paperbag this time :)Then recounted to be sure I have the correct amount at the end of Chart A.... and I do now...so, now I need to get back on that horse that kicked me off, and knit row 1 of Chart B again....(perhaps I'll have a cup of coffee first...)

Knitting Tools ~

The proper knitting tools can really improve a knitting experience. A great tool can help knitters be more accurate, more efficient and able to spend more time knitting, and less time fiddling with bits and pieces that do not work quite right. Ask your friends about knitting tools that work really well for them, I'm sure they will have some good recommendations...This wizard of a coffee maker is my newest knitting tool, and a great recommendation from JitteryKnitter. I can now get a fresh cup of coffee (or tea) on a moments notice, any time of the night or day. On weekends, this has extended my knitting time greatly! Hurrah! This picture is the first "inaugural" cup of coffee, in my crazy sheep mug!