I'm Still Knitting Tees This Summer

Just because I'm knitting Shawls of Summer, doesn't mean I have given up my knitting of tees.  Au contraire, I am having a blast knitting on all the Tees, but also, looking at all the shawls that I want to knit.

Yes, you can do both!

I have been wanting to knit the Rock It Tee by Tanis Fiberarts since it first came out.  The stripe effect is using a finger weight for one stripe and then a mohair for the other stripe.

When we were down at The Fiber Universe a couple of Tuesdays ago, it was my intention to get a mohair or Suri Alpaca to go with a yarn from my stash.  I even had one in my hand, but turned around and saw these newbies on the shelf, and well, they spoke to me.  I knew that I had to have them.

They are both the same color way, Under the Sea.  The one on the left is the finger weight and the one on the right is Fairy Floss in a mohair/silk.

This first part of the knit is back and forth, and for me it seemed like it was going to be forever, until joining in the round.  I started out knitting it on a size 4 needle because I have such narrow shoulders in comparison to the rest of my body.

I was super excited when I finally got to join in the round and do some stockinette.

I switched to a size 6 for the next four to five inches for the bust, and then went  to a size 7 for the hips, which is my usual way of accommodating the shaping that I like to use on a lot of my sweaters where there isn't any shaping.

I have been fully into the virtual version of Stockinette Zombies Retreat since last Tuesday night, and even though there have been tempting things to knit on while at the retreat, my only project has been my Rock It Tee.

I wonder, and I am becoming a monogamous knitter?

Nah, I don't think so!

Virtual Retreating

Just a quick pop in this Sunday morning to say hello.  I have been pretty much on Zoom since a little get together last Tuesday night with my table mates from the Zombie Knitpocalypse.  We were all sad that we could not be together, but wow, what a weekend. 

Despite having to do it all remotely, new friends were met.  There were hour long zooms with designers that I found to be so enlightening and made me want to design something.  There was a podcaster meeting done virtually that I hope, for me, added some subscribers, a virtual 5K, virtual Bingo, a key note speaker and yesterday, virtual shopping.

But, best of all was getting together with my table mates where we virtually hung out, knitting, drinking, laughing and talking.

It was a wonderful time!

It's Summer 2020

It's Father's Day
I think I get my craftiness from him.

It's the start of the Shawls of Summer, also known as Summer of Shawls depending on how it comes out of my mouth, and you can see Episode 42  here!  as I kick off the season on the first day of Summer.

Hope you are having a great start to your Summer!  Knit On!

Episode 41

Debbie and I got together last week on my porch to podcast.  You can find it here

Don't be surprised to see more of us now that I am retired!!  

Summer Fun Along

How are you spending your Summer, despite it all?

First, I bought some tiki lights so we can sit on our porch at night and not get bitten up.  I will keep you posted on how well they work.

Today, the Tuesday Fiber Universe group got together on the Riverfront since the shop is allowing only 3 in at a time.  It was a beautiful day by the water, under the shade trees with the breeze coming in from the river.  Not bad at all.

We had a couple of newbies drop by today to sit and watch us knit and then they napped next to us.
I think we may have bored them.

Our friend, Becky had show and tell, a modified dress for her niece.  I cannot give you the details, since Becky doesn't do Ravelry, I can just say she used the inspiration from a dress she knit once before and a calendar page from one of the knitting box calendars some years ago.

And keeping with the theme of the 4th of July, I am knitting my own little 4th of July sweater, Shelley Summer Top out of Cascade Sunseeker from my stash of many years ago.

It's a pretty straight feather and fan pattern, with a sparkle to it.

I am having so much fun with my knitting this Summer, now that I am retired, and since I am not using the mouse and keyboard as much, my hands are so much improved.

And being today with friends, knitting has been the best day since I retired.

Finally Finished Friday Or Not

Two Summer tops to add to the collection.

Two Summer tops that are finally finished.

Two Summer tops that I like, but don't love as they are now and will
a. require some fixing
b. were knitted with the intent to wear under a couple of jacketsI have


First up, My Boy Lollipop.  

Yellow Jacket and my Bed of Roses stitch marker necklace

I was hopeful that with lengthening both the sleeves and the body that I could wear it by itself.

But after a couple of hours, it wanted to fall off the shoulders and would be totally ok, with a couple of adjustments that I will be making.  Otherwise, I love the fit of this one!

Second up is Big Wave.  Another only to be worn under a jacket or light sweater.  And I purposefully, chose the color to go with this jean jacket I have had in my closet forever.  The stitching and buttons are on point with the coral color of the tank.

You can tell by the arm hole on my Manny that there is no way this gal is wearing without a jacket or light sweater. And the neck as is, I am afraid will start to droop, so I am going to pick up around both the arm and the neck and pull it in a bit.

As a knitter, I can make these work to my advantage, to make them just right.

To be continued...

Onto The Next

I finished my My Boy Lollipop and as soon as I get it blocked, I will blog about the finished object.

In the mean time, I pulled out a WIP of a Summer tee, that I started last year, but just ran out of time to get it done by the time the leaves started to turn.

It is going to be the perfect knit to replace My Boy Lollipop for knitting on the porch in the early mornings and evenings, as it is pretty easy to keep track of the increases.

The pattern by the way is Sugar Maple.  I plan on knitting elbow length sleeves to cover my arms.

But the real plan all along was to wear it with a pink jacket that a friend gave me after she retired.  I did a bit of playing around with the ensemble that I would like to wear with it, even though, it is a long way from being finished.

Yes, I am becoming one of those ladies who has to have a purse, nail polish and maybe even shoes to match their ensembles!

Have a great Wednesday!

The Real First Day

Today, is the first Monday, the first real work day where I don't have to go to work=the first real day of retirement and the first day of June.

I still woke up at the same time, but immediately grabbed a cuppa and we went out to sit on the porch to listen to the birds and watch a bit of sun come up and then immediately go behind the clouds.  It's a cool day right now at this writing, and cloudy, but I don't mind at all.

Since walking out the door from work on Friday, I have already been starting planning and a bit of cleaning/reorganizing.

Friday night, I started setting up my sewing room downstairs, pulling things off of shelves and doing a bit of sorting.  I have not had my sewing machine set up in over six years, and I am looking forward  to doing some sewing for me ( I used to sew everything for myself except for underwear) back in the day.  And before I went to the College to work, I managed a quilt shop, so I have a quilt or two that I would love to work on.

In my sorting, I came across this wall hanging, that was part of a round robin quilt that a bunch of us were doing.  The only thing it needs is the binding sewn down.  What a find!

Another hobby I used to be obsessed with before knitting took over my life was cross stitch.  I have a cabinet downstairs devoted to cross stitch kits, floss, and everything else associated with it.  So it should not be a big surprise to anyone, that there are UFOs in that department, now would it?!  I pulled this one out of a tub, and immediately knew I wanted to add it to my little room I am carving out for needle working, knitting and blogging.

Over just a couple of days, I have accomplished so much, some cleaning, some finally putting things away, some rearranging, and it just feels so darn good. There is a lot more to do, but it will wait. After 26 years at the College and a total of 47 years, for the most part, of working pretty steady since I was 15 years old, I deserve this.

Tomorrow, since we are into June and Summer temps are on the horizon, I am going to start blogging about Summer Tees.  I so anxious to start some tees that are all the rage right now and build up my retirement wardrobe.

Have a great Monday all, please be safe and stay healthy out there!