Finally Finished Friday

My Rock It Tee is finished and been worn.  I am loving it.

I thought I would have issues with the mohair, and maybe I would outside in the 90 degree weather, but for inside the air condition, it is just right.

Before blocking, I was a bit concerned about the length, but after blocking, it was just the length I like.

I lengthened the sleeves because I don't wear sleeveless, often.

I wasn't sure about the I-Cord hems, and had thought a couple of times about doing rib.  I am glad I opted for the I-Cord now.

This is a winner and I may just have a few teal accessories to go with it.

Episode 43 - Summer Knitting

Episode 43 is up on pjknits You Tube channel.  You can find it here.


So many KALs going on and virtual Zoom Get Togethers.  Thank goodness for Zoom!

Just Some Sunday Stuff

Need a good laugh today?

We had quite the storm roll through last night, which took out a pole a half a mile away and resulted in the power going down about 9 p.m.  The Tall Guy just went to bed, but I wasn't quite ready, and not to let a little power outage deter me, I hauled out this cool light I bought several years ago after Knitting Camp.  I set it up with my iPad close by, watched a podcast until the battery on the iPad was very low and knitted.

Then went to bed.  The power did not come back on until about 11 hours later this morning, but thankfully, we still had some hot water and the weather on the porch was perfect for knitting.  And because I have a few different projects to choose from, I could choose a non-wool project to knit on the porch today.  It was quite pleasent.

Now, that I am back in the house and the power and air condition is back on, sitting here in a sleeveless dress has me shivering a bit.  So, now I am planning what I could knit out of this yarn to wear inside with it.

I bought the yarn in Florida a few years back specifically because I thought it would go with this dress.  I just have never had the opportunity to wear the dress and now that I can, I have pulled out the yarn to figure out what it wants to be.

Stay tuned!  Have a great Sunday!  Catch you on the purl side!

Friday Finds

Technically, these came last Sunday, but -

I do feel bad for the mail carriers that have to deliver on Sunday, but my ZK2020atHome goodie box arrived last Sunday and I have to confess, I was giddy when she delivered it.  I thought it would be at least a couple of days yet to arrive.

Cutely packaged, I opened to all these super cool things! (The sticker peeled off for the back of a note pad I am decorating)

Inside a new mug in purple...I love it and it is a color I don't have yet.  The potter is Deneen Pottery.

A new pin for the collection....

A card that I am going to use on a memory board in my knitting room (when I get the room fixed up the rest of the way and when I make the memory board)

A new waxed canvas bag with special ZKatHome fabric on the inside, made by Amy's Mom of Silver Shed USA fame.  (You know I collect her bags and give them as gifts often, don't you?)

And it has this cool clasp ala MadderRoot bags.

And the yarn.  Now, when the goodie bag was revealed at virtual ZK last week, there was one of three yarns that were possibles.  I have to be honest, it was the consensus of my table mates that we all like the other two better ( and they certainly were more in my palette range), but I have to admit, getting this color way called Rising Phoenix, I am pleasantly surprised how much I like it.

 I am already thinking of possibilities that could go with it and what to do with it, like using it as the color work in a yoke sweater with the base being black? Or an oldie, but goodie shawl from Stephen West called, Daybreak, which I am really leaning towards.

I love mail, don't you?💙

If

it's the second weekend in July, it must be Meg Swansen's Knitting Camp, right?

Well, no, the dang Covid situation has put a kibosh on all my knitting adventures this Summer and into the Fall.

And yes, I, like loads of others are disappointed.

So, for just this moment on Thursday, we are just going to lay here and be sad.

But, tomorrow at least, we can zoom with the 2.75ers.  It will be better than nothing.

Wednesday WIPS

I have two active WIPS, I am working on this hot July day.

I am making a bit of progress on Soundtrack by Marie Greene.  Last night finishing up the last of the soundtracks in Winter Sky.

And today, onto the split for the sleeves, hopefully.

There is some progress on the Rock It Tee.  I am adding a bit of sleeve to it, because if I really want to wear it, it is going to need more sleeve length than a cap.

Stay cool dear readers, it is another hot one today.

How Was Your 4th?

Wasn't this an odd 4th of July?!  Since every fireworks display in Illinois was cancelled, the neighbors every where did not let them stop from giving us a show from the front porch!

And even though I had no business doing it, I cast on a sweater for Winter.  I just could not resist jumping on the Marie Greene bandwagon and casting on her 4 Day KAL with Soundtracks with three of my Knit Wit friends.

And I am using stash yarn from at least three years ago at Stitches Midwest.  How is that for stashdown?! 

Navy and Winter Sky are the color ways from Webs Valley Yarns in Alpaca, and we know how I like my Alpaca.  I won't be using all of my Winter Sky, but am already thinking it would make a nice shawl for Fall wearing.  Hmmm, if I have enough of the navy left, it might just be the ticket for a Fall poncho...

So far a simple, fun knit with slipped stitches that I am liking a lot these days.

 Now, I know that I am not going to finish this in 4 days, because I do have a couple of other sweaters on the needles, both of which I would like to have done this week yet, but this one sure is fun for now.

Have a great Sunday and see you on Monday!

This Is Summer

I think we can say that unlike the wishy washy Spring we had, that Summer knows how it is supposed to act!  With 90's and muggy in Central Illinois for the foreseeable future, you can tell that July is definitely made its way.

One of the fun things I love to do is check out the clouds while sitting out on the porch in the evening, when it starts to cool down to mid 80's.  Tonight's three different views, brought some different clouds all the way around.

And in our back yard right outside the kitchen window, we have been keeping tabs on three baby robins.  It has been hard to see them through our screen and with leaves covering them from view, I could only see an occasional little beak opening, waiting for Mom to come feed.

But, tonight while outside, the leaves seem to part, and we looked each other in the eyes.

I didn't stay long, not wanting Mom to think I was getting too close.

I hope you are having a great start to your Summer, and taking time to check the clouds out.  Catch you on the purl side!

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.