What Do You Look For In a Post or a Podcast?

 That is the topic for Episode 168  of the PJKnits Podcast today.  You can find it my clicking here

A New Cast On

Several years back, and I do mean several, my oldest grandson, requested a knit from this book.

It took me a couple of years to knit his sister's pig, and almost as soon as she received it, he did mention if he was next.  And of course, I said yes, (that was at Christmas) and since then he has asked once about it.  So, I decided last weekend, it was time to get it cast on.

I wish you could really see the sparkle in the yarn, it is there, albeit pretty subtle.  

I also pulled out the skeleton head stitch stoppers for the end, thinking it is very appropriate for the Death Star!

I'm hoping to have it done for his birthday the middle of October, so I better be working more on it!

Clowing Around

Musselburgh Number 20 - 7 for this year is finished.  I am playing around with the Artistic Yarn by Abi subscription box this year for my Musselburghs.  I just love opening up a new box every other month, seeing what the yarn is, but also the fun stuff in the box. 

And the accent colors that come with it.  I am pretty sure her intention is for these to be socks, but, I can knit a hat so much faster than I do socks.

For the most part, these hats are not for me, but, rather for fun holiday parties where family can choose a hat from my finished hats.  I had better get moving on them if that is my plan for this year. 

This Is How It Starts

 When getting ready to do a PJKnits You Tube video, there is a bit of planning.

First I plan it out on paper, I may make a couple of versions, depending on the topic.  The morning of the taping, I will line up on my couch the assorted things I want to talk about, before finally making their way to my table to podcast from.

Today's Episode 167 is pretty much all about some Winter Sweater WIPS that I brought out to start knitting on one at a time.  You can check them out by clicking here

And stay tuned here, in the coming weeks, I'll be showcasing them here and on Instagram!

Birds As A Source For Sweater Colors?

Recently, I've been watching a lot of Wild Earth Safari on You Tube.  Not that I am ever going to go, nor do I really want to, but I do enjoy watching animals and animal behavior in the early mornings or late evenings.

What I have discovered is how much the birds in Africa have me looking at their colors for possible future sweater color combos.

I am seeing combos in them that I never would have thought would go together, while also finding out about birds a world away.

But, also colors I never would have put together, like these below in the Merops.  Beautiful green, orangey red and brown.

It is funny how sometimes, the color of the same bird comes up differently on the tv screen, but also gives color thoughts too.

This Blue Waxbill intrigues me with the sort of light turquoise and gray/brown combos.

So many color thoughts and more just keep coming.

While we are on the subject of birds, I finally found a hummingbird feeder that is bee proof and ant proof this year from Chewy. I have been having a hoot of a time watching a couple of hummingbirds come all hours of the morning into evening.

I, also, am paying attention to how long the water is out there and changing it often.  

Funny how the little things bring moments of Joy.  I hope you, too, are finding those moments.

 

Summer of T- Shirts

 I do love a good knitting tee shirt and when it is hot, isn't it the perfect top to wear when a knitted sweater just is too much?

Here are just a few of the collection I've accumulated over the years.

This one is so me. And I don't apologize for it, nor can I be shamed about the amount of WIPS/Unfinished Projects I have.  It's just me.  And a gift from my friend, Norma, many years ago.

Norma gifted me a lot of knitting t-shirts over the years.  This is another one.  And again, me and maybe you reader, especially if you are retired, and knitting is better than almost any other task I could do.

This t-shirt I bought.  So appropriate during the pandemic when we all were doing and exploring via the internet new things in knitting and in crafting.  And we made it to the other side and still knitting, me exploring avenues in knitting that I never thought I would.

Last, but not least of my t-shirts, this is another one I bought for myself.  Yes, I am a Grandma of five now, but, I don't think my knitting reflects the stereotype of Grandmas of old knitting.

Do you?

It's Summer Outside, But, I'm Knitting Winter Inside

 Yep, put my last Summer knit WIP away today and now it is all about Winter knitting!  In today's episode 166, I've started thinking of sweaters I would like to do and some swatching too.  You can hear all about it, by clicking here

Spending Time On The Porch

 I cannot believe we are at that time of the Summer already.  Kids here go back to school in just 9 days and my grandson starts kindergarten this year.  I cannot believe that is happening either.  It makes me a little sad, because there will be a lot more structure in his life, and less time for on the spur of the moment fun things.

But, with all of that, also comes Fall and then Winter, which I know I am rushing, but I am already working on my Winter knits, I have had enough of Summer knitting.  There are so many knits for the next season that I want to show here, but, that will wait for a couple of posts down the road.

What I am doing right now, is spending as much time as I can on the front porch, whenever I can, dodging hot hot weather when I can, and taking advantage when I can.

This weekend, I've played around with some swatching while casting on a new sweater.  Long story, short, it didn't work out like I wanted to, but it did provide me with a gauge swatch for what the yarn was always intended for.  

Except, I cannot restart it, until I finish one or two other color work projects on the needle.  Casting on a third, just to see it set there or take away from the other two, just doesn't get any of them finished.

It was nice enough this morning to turn the air conditioning off for a bit, and after I got some cooking done, I headed out this afternoon for a cuppa and look at the Anniversary Edition of Laine magazine I picked up at my local yarn shop, The Fiber Universe on Friday.

I've earmarked 4 or 5 that I would love to knit for this next season, mainly because they fit the kind of sweater I like to wear, and the yarns or rather the alternative yarns are easy to get via the United States vendors.  For now, they are on the wishlist, we will see what becomes of them.

Despite, it still being Summer and the weather can attest to that, I think I am done with my Summer knitting (only one Summer WIP still on the needle from 2025, I think I will bring it back out next year when I head to Florida and work on it then.