by Kat | Aug 4, 2016 | General, Making
Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality. Nikos Kazantzakis
The basket holding the knitting does not seem to be shrinking in volume and reality tells me that I am unlikely to finish my list before the Labor Day weekend is over.
However, I have made a small dent in the things I wanted to get done! And, that feels really good!
Some of the things that remain are there for a reason…
- Pushkinia socks – I am pretty sure that I knit these with needle sizes other than what the pattern called for, but because I am not a genius, I did not write down what I used. Yeah, how smart is that?? Anyways, I have cast on, however the new sock gauge was WAY SMALLER than its mate. So, I need to do some swatching to see if I can get close, and if not – I will frog sock one and start over…This has placed these socks firmly in the UGH column and sadly, off the list for completion this summer.
- Jen Lucas MKAL #1 – what on earth was I thinking knitting this will Dream in Color Jilly…I love the yarn, but it’s lace weight! However, it is staying on the list for completion this summer.
- Jen Lucas MKAL #2 – I am playing yarn chicken with this one, I have a second skein, but I would rather not use it. However, letting it mature in my knitting bag will cause the yarn to mature and be longer (???) Yeah, that’s my story and I am sticking to it! Hahaha
- Nahant – Has been languishing because it is no longer a portable knit (it is over 60 inches long now) and I have an error about 5 rows back that I need to take the time to fix…However, I do not want to rip back 5 rows. It is in timeout right now, but not yet to the UGH column.
- Pincha – sadly was displaced by other knitting and spinning. For me this is a knit that, in order to avoid mistakes, requires me to knit one full feather at a sitting – which is about an hour of time. The weather has been far too lovely to sit watching television, but this is staying on the list because these are the perfect autumn colors!
- Triticum – this is half a front and two sleeves away from seaming and completion…it is staying on the list even though I know it will be a stretch to get it done before Labor Day.
This Summer Knit Along has been very good in for me as it has kept me focused and provided a road map to get things done, even if I have had a few detours along the way!
How are you doing?
by Kat | Aug 3, 2016 | General, Making
Reading has sort of overtaken my time recently, well because GOOD BOOKS! I finished listening to The Book Thief yesterday, but truly – I did not want it to end. What an incredibly poignant and moving story. I sobbed considerably in the last chapters, but still – I did not want it to end.
In an attempt to lift myself from the funk that finishing a book that I did not want to end, I started reading Ruth Reichl’s My Kitchen Year – and it was so delicious that I devoured it in one sitting. I borrowed it from the library, but I promise you, I will be buying it shortly. The recipes look simply incredible, and I think it will be a great thing to cook through the year with her. If you have not read it, you should!
That makes my Summer Bingo Card looking pretty good! I am listening to David Sedaris’ Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, which will get me my first bingo! I started reading To Kill a Mockingbird on my Kindle last night, but I did not get very far. I have my squares all set, but one – and I am saving that for the very end. I will go down to my bookshelves and pick something fun for my final read. Now, will I get this done by the time that Labor Day rolls around, we shall see! I am also working through My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry. It seems like it is not going to be 900 gazillion degrees out today nor is it raining, so I may be able to steal some time sitting under the pergola reading.
On the knitting front, I am almost done with the first skein of yarn for Tales from the Isle of Purbeck and just over half way through the fourth chart. I have one chart to go, and I hope to have enough yarn to knit more than one repeat of it. I would like this to be a big, warm shawl (which it will be, but I’d like it bigger!) This is a fun pattern, and what can I say about Elsawool – this stuff is insanely soft. I have the woolen spun fingering weight dark brown Cormo. Light, fluffy, soft – and it is knitting into a fabric that is lovely. You cannot tell from the brown blob that it is right now, but this is going to be the thing to wrap myself in this fall and winter!
Aside from that, I have been loving my Instant Pot – I made yogurt yesterday and oh.my.gosh. (Topped with homemade peach vanilla preserves it is divine!) And, last night I made beef with broccoli in no time at all (seriously, entire cooking time including resting time – less than 20 minutes). I love to cook, but sometimes standing in the kitchen at the end of the day does not send thrills of joy through my being.
Joining up with Ginny and her Yarn Along today, where you will find inspiration for knitting and reading!
What was the last book you read that you did not want to end?
by Kat | Aug 2, 2016 | General, Words
It’s Tuesday and you know what that means…Carole wants an update my Summer Bucket List to see how I am doing…
Oh boy…
Here is the link to the original post
Now, how am I doing?
Undone:
Done:
However, I need to have a frank discussion with myself about the chance of success for completing the undone. I might be able to get one or two more things completed, but 100% is highly unlikely.
I mean, it is August 2nd and there are only thirty-three days until Labor Day…There is your depressing thought for the day.
You’re welcome.
Did you have a Summer Bucket List? If yes, how are you doing?
by Kat | Aug 1, 2016 | General, In This Moment
It was a full weekend here. Very full.
There was a lovely ushering in of the weekend on Friday, including the new edition to the Happiness Hour – the “Pig Out” Pig plate.
But, the best part of the weekend was the excitement and wonder of seeing Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine on Saturday when they made a campaign stop in Pittsburgh. While it was a LONG day. We got down to the Convention Center just before noon on Saturday and waited in line for about 2 hours before the doors opened so we could stand in another line. In all we waited, standing, for about 6 hours along with about 5000 others (and almost 2000 outside who did not get in). Wall to wall people and everyone was pleasant, polite, and cheerful. The.Entire.Time. It was nice seeing so many young people there, and even nicer to hear some of these young people speak! There was a nice “pre-game” show for Hillary – I got to hear some of the local politicians. And, Mark Cuban was there to announce his support for Hillary – he got the honor of introducing her to us.
It was so incredible to see her, and to be lucky enough to be about 15′ away from the podium so we could get some great photos.
It was a long day, but hearing her speak was worth every single minute of waiting.
Sunday was a bit quieter, I taught a friend how to knit a heel flap and gusset on her first pair of socks! (Thanks, Carole for your fantastic pattern which makes it so simple to teach! I just needed to do a bit of math to adjust to the number of stitches she cast on.) I hope a new sock knitter has been born. She is not a very confident knitter, and I am not quite sure how to foster this in her. She has knit a few top down sweaters (I know… how can she have no confidence??) but she struggles with many aspects of knitting. Anyway, I am hoping that she will gain some confidence in this project.
And, before I knew it, Sunday was over and with it the month of July. I am left wanting to put the brakes on summer and savor the days that seem to be racing by!
How was your weekend?
by Kat | Jul 29, 2016 | General
I learned quite a bit during the 20+ days of Tour de Fleece – and one of the things I really honed in on was how to produce a 3-ply fingering weight sock yarn.
Actual fingering weight – not heavy fingering weight. But, fingering weight that will knit to gauge on a 1.5mm needle!
So, I had this Perendale from Sheepspot hanging around. Only one bump, so I divided the fiber in half and split each half into 3 sections – one for each ply. I almost have ½ of it spun up – so it is going fairly quickly. I am not spinning more than an hour or so in the evenings.
My goal with spin a more “striped” sock yarn – keeping the colorways intact and hopefully very little barber pole effect. I am not sure how much yardage I will get – I might have to figure out toe up socks!
I am also cruising along on Tales from the Isle of Purbeck. I am into the third chart and should be done with this very soon.
Friday Links:
(FYI: there are only 77 days until Rhinebeck, sweater weather is coming…)
Now for a bit of political bragging…feel free to skip if you are so inclined. However, no matter your political leanings, the fact that we have a woman nominated for the highest office in the land is something that we should all be proud of. Bravo America!!
That is all I have for this week – have a fantastic weekend!
by Kat | Jul 28, 2016 | General
We have some much-needed rain in the forecast today – the skies are cloudy and it smells like rain.
It’s the perfect day to make a batch of Salsa Verde and a jar of Sweet Pickles.
And…by week’s end I think I will have enough little tomatoes to make a batch of Roasted Cherry Tomatoes.
The only other thing on my agenda today is a wee bit of letter writing!
What’s on your agenda today?
