What's Next?

Veronika is on the table downstairs blocking.  Kane, the grand dog has went home and I'm kicking around doing some swatch knitting this afternoon, watching my beloved Cardinals that are now out of the running for post season play their last game of the season.

Susan and Sally Rainey, aka The Rainey Sisters published a sweater pattern a week ago, Pickpocket.  I got a bit of a sneak preview at Knitting Camp last July and since I am into My Sweater Project for Fall, their new pattern hits the bill!

Their Pickpockets were knit out of Brooklyn Tweed Shelter yarn.  As it happens, I had purchased a sweater quantity of Shelter that had been earmarked for The Weekender.  But, when I got the new pattern, saw that it was knit out of Shelter, well, I figured I might just as well use mine for Pickpocket.

The problem was that Pickpocket has a neck trim and pockets that need a contrasting color and I did not have one in Shelter.  Consequently, I headed out to Ravelry and searched on projects that were knit with two colors.  And narrowed the search down to where one of the color ways was the one I had a sweater quantity in, Tartan.   I filtered out those that I did not want around my face or were too limiting when it comes to what I could wear it with.  

This contrasting color has been harder than one would think.  Here is what I ended up with.

The sweater yarn is the lower left.  The lower right is Cinnabar, a orangey red.  I like this one, but I am wondering two things, is it too limiting?  And even though neither of them are Christmas colors, I am wondering if it is a bit reminiscent of Holidays?  The top right is a black.  I am more inclined to it right now just because I think the pockets out of the two of these will show well, but black is not the greatest for me around my face, but it is just a small bit.  The top right is a deep blue, but not enough contrast.  

Now, the smart person should swatch a pocket or two from the pattern and then make a decision, right?! 

But, then that darn Brooklyn Tweed introduced three new colors this week.

And I think I need order all three and maybe a cranberry to try, WHAT?!

So, now dear reader, you know that I don't know what is next for My Sweater Project, I think I'll go with the red.

Catch you on the purl side.

Beautiful Weekend - Just Need More

Not a typical weekend for us here at Chez PJKnits.  Both days were drop dead gorgeous and the sky was critically clear (not a cloud in the sky).  The Tall Guy said Saturday seemed like Sunday, probably because I stayed home to get ready for our guest who was coming to stay with us a week.

He was up on Sunday at 4:00 a.m., but that is okay, because that is the Tall Guy's normal getting up time.  We wanted to take him for his early morning walk, because we both work, and figured we would see what it was like.  We both decided, he is not going to get an early morning walk, it is just too dark in our neighborhood before the Tall Guy leaves for work, and I cannot handle him alone on the long walks.

He is a husky and by design, he is fast and likes to go after animals.  These pics show him patiently waiting for the chipmunk to come out of the tree he chased him up.  The chipmunk did not come back down, but he'll be keeping tabs on him whenever he goes out.  And I am okay with that, because this is the same chipmunk who nabbed one of our baby cardinal birdies out its nest a few weeks ago.  And frankly, he is way too close to the rodent species that I dislike.  Funny thing, when I was younger and we would go to Minnesota, I love watching and trying to feed the chipmunks.  Yes, I have gotten older and like them not at all.

So for the next week, this lovely will be getting lots of attention from us. This should be very interesting.

And on the purl side, I finished my Veronika Cardi today!  It made me so happy to cast it off this afternoon.  Later this week, I'll block and maybe sew it up so it is ready for wearing.  

The weekend is over, but it looks like there is some nice weather sticking around, and I'm going to take advantage of it during my lunch hours this week.  Just need to plan my what the next project is going to be.

Have a great week!

You Have To Watch This Interview

You have to!  Susan Rainey, my friend from Minnesota, was interviewed by Kristy Glass last Summer and it is on You Tube.  Susan is a knitter extraordinaire!  If you know her, you already know that, if you don't, you will understand.

The You Tube link is here:  Kristy Glass Interview with Susan Rainey

At Last!

It was a long Summer wasn't it?!  Here in Central Illinois, we had as many days of 90s in September as we had in June and July.  But, this morning it was 52 degrees and I was a bit chilly!  So, even though we may have a couple of warmer days, I am hoping and thinking that at least the 90's are gone and we can finally

And with it being chilly this morning, all of a sudden, my fingers need to get to knitting for the so many projects that need to be accomplished.

I am happy to report that I am finally on the back ribbing of Veronika.  I am hopeful that tomorrow I can finish it and then get it ready for blocking next week sometime.  And then onto a couple of quick seams and it will be ready for real Fall weather.

Then, I will be ready to work on the next sweater mixed in with a Christmas stocking, a baby blanket and a Hospice blanket I am wanting to knit on.

What fun knitting is right now, and we have so many choices!  Happy Fall!

Summer Is Not Over Yet

Saturday Knitting with the Peoria Knit Wits.  I am challenging myself to wear all the Summer sweaters to Saturday knitting before the Fall weather really sets in.  This gem is 5 years old and I love that it has all the colors in it, just choose a tank a go!

Lately, I have my knitting in my lap as I go to and from work.  But, this Saturday, it was very much used as I had to wait 20 minutes for a train.  Might as well keep the hands active while waiting for the s-l-o-w train.

Saturday afternoon brought the launch of The Rainey Sisters new sweater design out on Ravelry.  Pickpocket launched and I celebrated with a new found wine at Krogers and thinking about what I will knit my Pickpocket out of.

The bottom yarn is the Shelter from Brooklyn Tweed that originally was set out for The Weekender.  I'm using it now for Pickpocket and have ordered three contrasting colors to choose from for Pickpocket.

I've got a plan for The Weekender if and when I still want to cast it on.

I am finally done with the back of the Veronika cardi!  It is so long now, that it can keep me warm in the A/C whilst knitting it.  Some decreases yet to come and then onto the other front.

Veronika is to big to take to work to knit on during lunch, so I'll have to decide from my list what is next on tap that can go with me.

So much knitting going on this weekend!  Have a great week!!  Catch you on the purl side.

Episode #14 - No Self Control

My 14th Episode is up on You Tube, please take a look at:

pjknits on You Tube, Episode 14

And the show notes can be found in my ravelry group, pjknits.  You can find the group here:

pjknits Ravelry Group

Please join the group and tell me what you think about all kinds of things.

Making Deals

So many knitting deals I am making with my knitting self.

If I finish my Christmas sock then I can start knitting a Halloween sock.  ✔

So I cast it on!

Finish one skein of yarn on my Veronika,

then I can knit a skein of my Turtle Dove yarn.

Thats the deal I am making with myself for knitting this week to keep me from disliking the drudgery of the same stitch.

Do you ever make these kinds of deals with your knitting self?

The Best Weekend

We celebrated this amazing Mother-in-Law's 90th birthday.  Her official birthday is today!

The grandkids were here with there Mom to celebrate.

And there were puppies to pet.

And faces and t-shirts to lick. 

It was the best weekend!  Happy Birthday Rosie!

Last Week Was A Good Mail Week

Kate Davies, Handywoman came in the mail.  It is not a pattern book, but rather her sort of memoir since her stroke at such a young age of 36 and how she dealt with it and her knitting.  I am enjoying the read, taking it slow to absorb.

And some Halloween sock yarn and a bag to hold them in while I knit them!  Yarn is from Knit Style Yarns and I cannot wait to cast it on!

Have a great week ahead!  It is beautiful here in Central Illinois!

Finally Finished Friday

Just one little ole thing, but it is done and has me in a bit of a sock finishing knitting mood.

The first sock I knitted back in December of 2016 when I had foot surgery.  I only needed one sock that Christmas, so I never finished the second one.

But, because I ordered a Halloween sock yarn I had to finish my Christmas one first!  The pattern is Susan B Anderson's afterthought heel sock pattern.  It was nice to try, but I am going back to my regular heel flap sock that I have been knitting for years for me.

I'm all set now for this Christmas and I'll be wearing two socks!

A Totally Knitting Weekend!

It was the best long weekend!  I managed to do almost all my laundry on Friday night so the weekend was clear of that pesky job.  I celebrated a Knit Wit's birthday on Saturday evening, so we didn't knit on Saturday morning which is our norm.  Which meant I didn't have to get moving out the door until later in the day, and I could just sit back and knit the day away.

Going into the weekend, I sort of had a plan as to some things that I wanted to cast on for the weekend, and so I prepared them.  Three out of the four I cast cast on, the fourth was put on the back burner, because, well, I've got enough on the needles.

Over the three days, I've made some practice on my Veronika, the pjknits KAL.

It was a hot weekend, but there was a bit of nice breeze on Sunday night, so I did get to knit a bit on the porch.

And finally, yesterday, I made into the back of Veronika.  It will be a while before the back is completed, because there is quite a bit of knitting to be done.

I cast on Turtle Dove out of Woolfolk Luft.  It really could have waited for the cast on, but I was kind of anxious to cast it on.  I've used Luft before in a cowl, but this time am doing a sweater, and like I blogged about before, it is not my normal sweater, but something totally fun.

And the last thing I cast on was a cowl for Baby Boy B's fiancée.  It is going to be just a fun knit and it is yet to be decided if it is a birthday present or a Christmas present.

There were several other things I was just dyeing to cast on this past weekend, but I'll save them for another weekend, long or short.  Have a great knitting week!!

So Many Yarns, So Little Time

My personal shopper brought this yarn home from Indy a couple of weeks ago.  It is Universal Worsted Mist so it has a bit of heathering in it.  While, it is not going to work for the baby blanket, I had originally intended on knitting out of it, I will use it for a second blanket for our granddaughter that is going to be born in December.

I like knitting a second blanket for my grand babies so they can use it for day care.

 As future blog posts will show, I am going a bit out of my wheel house this Fall.  This Woolfolk Luft yarn in a dark brown is so not me, and neither is the pattern I bought it for.

But, I think this sweater will be fun to knit and heck, I'm going to wear it.  The pattern is Melissa's from Espace Tricot.  I used Luft last year to knit a cowl for the 40 Cowls project and I've wanted to knit with it again only in a bit larger project.

I've got two other yarns coming in the mail, hopefully, next week, one is for Baby Sweet Pea's Baby Blanket, the other for yet another sweater.  I've got a lot of knitting to do this Fall, so I'd best be at it.

Hope you are having a great weekend and having some fun with your knitting, I sure am!