The End of February

 Frankly, I am so glad today is the last day of February! And here at Chez PJKnits, the sun is shining and it is 55 degrees.  That alone just makes me smile.  I have said this so many times, I am so ready for a change of the seasons, or at least, a change in our weather.

Yesterday was the final Sunday in February and the final square for the month of my Cozy Memories Blanket.

And this past weekend, we were finally able to celebrate Christmas with the kids and grandkids from Iowa.  We just could not make it happen til now, with the Tall Guy not able to really be around a lot of people, others having Covid, the sniffles and the dang weather!  

It was so much fun, and we got all four grands together for a pic of them in their matching hats and ponchos for the granddaughters.  The smiles tell it all.

My gift from the kids was a new puzzle.

Now, I have a puzzle in our basement that has been there since last Fall that I occasionally work on, but its a tad chilly down there, so I don't spend too much time down there right now.  (Truth be told, my DIL has worked the puzzle more than I have last Fall)

In the last couple of weeks, I saw an ad on Instagram that showed a puzzle table that sits low, kind of like a coffee table.  I thought that was a great idea for a main level puzzle table.  I did not buy it, but did have another folding table in our basement that had adjustable legs.  Ah ha, my own version of a puzzle table.

And now in my knitting room upstairs so that I can be warm and play puzzles.  

What fun!  I hope you all are seeing some early Spring thoughts coming your way!  Enjoy the sunshine!

Finally Finished Friday

The Weekend Ragland from the latest Wool Gathering from Schoolhouse Press is finished. 

My first sweater out of Plotulopi in Gulf Stream color way.

I used EPS the entire way, but also used Meg's recommendations for achieving the A-Line version to accommodate hips and EPS.

I'm pleased with it, but will definitely make a couple of mods for my next one, a tad longer and more ease as I want even more of a sweatshirt style.

A very long term sock WIP is off the needles.  And I mean very long term.  

And from a purchase at 2017 Stitches Midwest and started in July 2018 and finally finished this month.

Gradient Comes This Way, the Wrap version from Magpie Fibers.  Another LONG wrap---

Out of their Swanky DK.  I love this yarn and would love to knit a sweater out of it sometime in the future.

It's been a pretty good month here at Chez PJKnits for finishing.  Lets see if March can keep up!

Episode 73: Yoke Sweaters and Inspiration Pics

The latest episode of PJKnits is up on You Tube and you can find it by clicking Here 

Finishing February

 I am on a WIP Finishing Kick for February--

I will show you all the details on Friday, but wanted to share with you that another very longtime WIP is back in action.

I cannot even begin to tell you how old this is, as I don't have a record of it in any of my journals.  But, we can tell it is quite old, by the yarn and brand (probably bought it from a not so local yarn shop) and the bamboo double point needles.  (I haven't used bamboo needles in forever)

I am dying to cast on a new pair of socks out of some much newer sock yarn, but promised myself I would not do that until all the WIP socks are off the needles.

Stay tuned for progress report...

How Ya Doin?

 The sun is shining, albeit a little windy, but it is going to be around 48 today and the next day is suppose to bring 50's and rain...melt snow melt!

It's Scrappy Sunday and so here we are  with this week's square.

Only one more Sunday left in February after today!  I'm ready for March, how about you?!

A Little of This, A Little of That

 So some catch-up this Saturday in February.

The storm did come, with about 10 inches here at Chez PJKnits, but thankfully, not the ice, the lights stayed on and the sun came out yesterday to melt some away, it is out again today and temps are going to climb in a couple of days, so hopefully some will melt.

(The start of it on Wednesday) 

And I snowblowed successfully again.

While poopooing another round of Winter, I opened my Knitting Journal to the February page, and noticed something I had written at the bottom for February.

Which I did.  I pulled out yarn that I specifically bought for the cover of last year's Spring edition of Pom Pom magazine, and wound a couple of skeins. Found a bag to put the project in and went searching for size 2 16" needles to maybe cast on.

Which I could not find.  Which sent me to my WIPS to see where they could be, which turned into yesterdays organizing project...I'll tell you about that on next week's podcast.  

And again last week, while poo pooing my confinement due to the weather, I decided it was time to pull out my inspiration binder/Pinterest page and buy some yarn for a look I want to duplicate for Spring. (that will be in the podcast as well, but I will also share here later.

The yarn came yesterday, and of course, I had to go look for the perfect bag to hold the project in (thats what happens when you have a lot of bags, you can coordinate them with your project) and all the green things I had nearby.  Doesn't that green, just scream SPRING!

And finally to round off this bunch of this and that post, a look into a kitchenette up in my knitting den.

In the past it was always my yarn winding station, but these last few months, it is also my snack station.

I got the idea from my roomie at Knit Camp, Linda.  Thanks Linda, great idea!  And final side note, see that board across one half of the sink?  That was a board that we had as kids.  It dubbed as a writing board for homework, and for soup when we were sick.

Ahh, the memories!

There's A Storm Comin

 I hope this is the last one this Winter.  Major storm coming to Central Illinois in the 48 hours. Rain, Sleet, Icing, Wind and then lets throw another 5-7 inches of snow on.  I'm just hoping the power stays on.  

But, in the meantime, I am on the down hill slide on this longtime WIP from 2018!  Only 7 rows to go and then this WIP is finished!

Knit On Knitters!!

Happy Valentines Day

The latest of my knitting bags!  

Hopefully, you can view this video.  This was a surprise that my nephew left me on our front porch as an early Valentines surprise.  💙💙💙

❤️

It May Be

 Super Bowl Sunday, but it's Scrappy Sunday, here at Chez PJKnits! 

Have a great Sunday Knitters!!

Unspun Tips in Action

 Last week's episode of PJKnits, we spent some time talking about Unspun Icelandic and I shared my limited knowledge with viewers.

This yarn is fast becoming something I want to play around with (aka I have a bit of it in my personal yarn shop).  But, seriously, I am seeing some possibilities with it, thanks to Denise of Lost City Knits .  I'll talk about those in the next episode.

For this blog post, I wanted to share a couple of my tips in action.  After last week's podcast,  I used some of the tips, not because I wanted to use them, but because I discovered while knitting the one decrease that I thought I wanted to use, the scribbly one, I decided it really wasn't working for me.  I decided to rip it back, and did it successfully, slowly, without nary a tear in the yarn.

I used my 40" , size 3, Knit Pick needles to pick up the stitches, (those were the ones in my upstairs notions pouch). 

No surprise, I only had two stitches that were trying to escape, and they were easily caught before they slipped away.  Ahhh, the properties of a wooly wool.

I had to rejoin the yarn and just slapped the two ends together, rubbed a bit, and off I went knitting along.

I'm back on track today, and knitting onward towards short rows in the neck, and dreaming of my next knit with this unsung hero of the wooly wools!  

Episode 72 Armchair Tote Bag and Unspun Icelandic

 Hi Knitters!

Episode 72 is up on You Tube, and you can find it by clicking here

Enjoy!

This Sunday

It's another scrappy Sunday - 

And it's second sleeve Sunday - 

Hope you all had a good weekend!  We are hopeful here at Chez PJKnits that the next week will bring the last of some daily appointments! 

I Am So Glad

 that this week is over.

The weather had major challenges this week.

Which tested my patience 

and had some not so nice words coming out of my mouth

Had me snow blowing and shoveling about 11 inches of snow over the course of two days, so that we could make at least two appointments yesterday and today.  The other three had to be cancelled.

But, at the end of yesterdays shoveling,  I found this pair of mittens that a knitting friend who has since passed away,  gave me several years ago.

And it made me smile.  Thank you Sandy, I think of you every time I put them on.

Happy Friday Everyone, stay warm and safe!

Are You Tired?

Of me telling you how many wonderful knitting friends I have and what wonderful, caring things they have done for me during the past 1/2 of a year?  If so, I'm sorry, but I just have to share the love I have received from my knitting friends, first starting last June with our son and then continuing on with the Tall Guy's illness.

Prayers, calls, offers for all kinds of help, talking me down, Meals, cards and notes, gift cards to keep  me in coffee runs, meals for my freezer when I couldn't even think about cooking or making a peanut butter and mail that just made my day and made me smile, when all I wanted to do is put my sad face on and wallow.

I am truly blessed.

Anyway, the purpose of this post, to share with you more kindness from my knitting friends arrived in the mail this past week.

From Peggy, who I really reconnected with this past Summer through knitting. Peggy and I knew each other at least 39 years ago, when we met through Old English Smocking.  We both popped up in each others lives a few years back at Knitting Pipeline.  But, we truly reconnected last Summer when she was looking for a local knitting group, and saw that I had been posting about knitting on the riverfront.  She reached out and joined us on Tuesdays and well, she just fit right in.

Peggy is also a podcast watcher of mine and others that I watch.  She is a fantastic knitter too and as it happens made these row counter markers which came in the mail last week.  She doesn't sell them, but wanted me to have one and one to give away through the podcast which I will in a podcast down the road. I wonder which one I will keep? 😉

Then at the end of the week, Kendra, one of the original Knit Wits, who checks in on me, makes a mean chicken salad and a tasty soup and always offers help, even though she works full time and already has a bit on her plate, sent these goodies to me, with a note saying, hopefully, I will be wearing them at knitting functions.  

Oh yes, I will, but also, most days during the pandemic and through the last 6 months, I totally do this.

Yes, I'll admit there are days I don't, but I do try.  I hope you all are well.  Love you, dear friends and readers.