Another week in the bag and this one brought our first 90+ degree days. If this is a taste of what is to come…sigh. Honoré commented yesterday on my “summer sweater” and it not being very wearable in 90+ degree weather. And that would be true if it were wool, but it is linen and yes, I can and will wear it all summer long. Sorry I did not get a photo of it yesterday, but it was exactly what I hoped it would be! Light, airy, and so comfortable! I finally added my modifications to the project page if you are interested.
It was a week with lots of reflection and inward looking… and listening. So much listening. And that is where I am going to start this post.
And this is a fantastic 8 minutes and 33 seconds. Thanks, Casey Neistat!
Get Going —
Katie gave me the inspiration to cast on my Mystery Shawl. I did start. I am on Clue One. Clue Three is out. I am not stressing about being “behind” (okay, maybe a little especially when I have this list of things I want to knit and wear yet this summer!) what yarn? I am using Jill Draper’s Ansel in Forget Me Not 1 and 3. And this yarn… oh my. It is scrumptious. I just love woolen spun yarns… and this one is perfectly done.
And then Julia Farwell-Clay had this temptation this week! Oh boy. WANT!! I am planning on this to be the perfect August Knit, you know for those days when the constantly running AC makes the house feel like a deep freeze and a nice lap full of wool is just the thing you want!
Inspiration —
This year I have been spending time reading poetry. Each month I try and find a “new to me” poet and settle in with their words. It has been inspiring in ways that I never imagined. And these days poetry becomes more and more vital to my day. I am in awe of poetry writers and their ability to put their words and feelings on paper. I think it would be so much fun to take a poetry class… and perhaps a socially distanced poetry class!
Finally, open your eyes —
Yesterday’s episode on The Slowdown was brilliant, go listen… it will be the best 5 minutes of your day! (and it was the perfect thing to have listened to before seeing this:
“I can’t breathe.”
“I don’t care.”
Six words that say so much. Because of cameras, the world is finally seeing in vivid detail the brutality that Black communities have known for generations. Derrick Scott’s family deserves justice. https://t.co/cetEZUWQTd
That’s it for the week, I hope I shared some things that will make you stop and think, some resources to help us all be better, and a little knitting… because sometimes it is the only think keeping me (somewhat) sane.
Starts with a trip down the loveliest rabbit hole!
Clara started it, but that led me to this and this and finally this! These kids… PURE JOY (and you can believe me when I tell you that because joy has been a scarce commodity in my life these days!!)
Perhaps, a trip down a rabbit hole is the perfect thing for today since I spent much of the weekend with things on repeat!
I could not get enough of this and I listened to it several times on Saturday and again on Sunday.
Which led me to “Google” Pádraig Ó Tuama and I discovered he has a twitter account! (My twitterverse just grew infinitely richer!)
Ode to Patrick Swayze
‘the perfect proletarian / butt in the black pants of you’
I finished Clue One of the Genius of Romi! My brain loved every bit of everything I thought I could not understand – that is until I broke it down and just did what the direction said to do, and not worry about that next step until its turn. (I am knitting this with a heavy-lace weight yarn and a bit of a smaller needle than the pattern calls for, but oh my do I love this start!)
I also did some “repeats” knitting and finished a long lingering UFO* (I saved the pattern in 2015 and I think I cast on shortly thereafter, but never started a project page.) Today, a good soak and some blocking to reveal the beauty! (My yarns are about a half a ball of Zauberball Crazy – in the colorway that the designer used, and almost an entire hank of Lorna’s Laces sock yarn.) There was something entirely satisfying about knitting alternating repeats of welts and wedges.
I hope you enjoy these rabbit holes! Happy Monday!
Joining with Juliann today to share an update on my word!
Over the years, I have tried a number of different crafts – cross stitch, embroidery, weaving, spinning, sewing, and knitting to name a few. But, in all things focus is important. and this year as I unpack my word and apply it to my life – I have come to the realization that more is not better. All is not needed and I don’t need to worry about FOMO at all. Knitting and sewing are more than enough to keep me occupied and happy. I don’t feel the urge to try every latest thing that comes along.
Yet even knitting and sewing do not mean successful projects if you do not have focus. And, I have come to understand that not having a focus means projects that seem like a great idea at the time, might not be so great in the end result. And so, with my thoughts on focus this year, I have been more mindful of what I am making. I have spent time thinking about my wardrobe and the things that I wear all the time. I have pondered my perceived “holes” in my wardrobe – which has resulted in actual planning in my making. Having a focused plan has shown me areas that I can perhaps try some new things as well as making more of my favorite pieces. Having a focused making process has also had an unexpected effect as well! It has buffered the desire to cast on a new project or rush out to buy some fabric to sew up something that caught my eye!
My in depth look at my wardrobe showed me that a few things would be a nice addition so when I saw Mary’s Screen Door, it was the perfect fit for a “hole” and I cast on, sans guilt!
And, this focused way of thinking has expanded beyond my closet to the lingering, unfinished projects on needles in various places. Are they something I am going to actually need or wear? It is a freeing way to think about things, because I really don’t want my making to be without vision and that has given me a much better focus!
It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powered gold over the grassy hillside. – Maude Hart Lovelace
Despite the volume of rain we got last week, I did manage to get outside with the camera and practice a bit more! I am looking at things differently as I contemplate images. I am learning lots from Carole and Vicki and I am so thankful to them and their brilliant photos that inspire me to get better!
If only that tremulous drop of water was more in focus!
It is amazing what just a tiny movement of the camera can do
I think early morning photos after it rained might be my favorite thing of all and the light is wonderful! This waning rose turned out wonderfully – not perfect, but I really love the image. Rosy reds are so hard to photograph, but early morning light gives the best possible conditions to try – and try I did!
The focus was not perfect, but that mosquito!
I also love the “surprises” I get when taking photos. These tomato blossoms are a perfect example of that with the fly in from a mosquito! I am glad her attention was focused elsewhere and not on me!
Color, water, definition… and one wee bug!
Finally, this little zinnia (I think? I am not sure, Steve’s mom gave us some “left over plants” she was not going to use) Anyways, the color is so wonderful and I love how it turned out – although trying to focus on something so low to the ground was a challenge.
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and that your week will be full of good things!
More learning over the past week in regards to my camera and macro settings. For this Perfectionist, the struggle is real in the learning curve. I took many photos, but few made the cut.
This Week’s Winner:
A million maple “helicopter’s” means a million baby maple trees are growing all over my yard. This is the true Yin and Yang of life – yes, they are fun to photograph, but the weeding…oy. However, this photo won the week because I think the colors are extraordinary. Not perfect, still lots of room for improvement, but to me it is a most pleasing photograph!
The Runner Up:
This just unfurling Dianthus caught my eye this photo of the dozen or so I took was the best. If only I had noticed when I was photographing it that the yellowish “dash” above the anther was a tiny bug! He might have been too small for my lens to capture, but it would have been fun to try!