Not A Typical Halloween

Blustery, Cloudy, Cold.  Seems more like mid-November than Halloween!  At least we are not having any snow or rain.

Sported my Unwind Halloween Shawl today out for knitting and then to the dentist.  A busy day for sure.

My version of Trick or Treat to myself.

 

A Wet Weekend

 Fall has definitely came to chez PJKnits.  Cooler temps and for the last few days rain and clouds.  So, it was a good Sunday to sit back, with a cuppa or pot, some podcast watching and some catching up of knitting.

I have a couple of projects now that need to have ends sewn in and blocking to do for them both, but decided I had better get caught up for Scrappy Sundays for October since this is the last one this month.

I cannot believe Halloween and the end of the month is just a couple of days away!  Where oh where did the year go?!

Finally Finished Friday

 Last weekend, I finished up the friend to friend shrug by Leslie Friend.  This is the second time I knit it and this one was for one of my daughter-in-law's birthday last Monday.

The first one I knit was out of an alpaca yarn that was a gift to me and in my color for sure.

This one I decided to knit out of the yarn the designer actually designed it in, Lion Brand Hue+Me by Two of Wands.

This one is much thicker and more substantial than mine in Alpaca, but I think it will do the trick.  It was a quick knit and well, it is in the color way macchiato, I mean, what a perfect color, right?!

My intention is for her to have it for work this Winter when she is doing charts at her desk and may be a little chilly.

I loved the simplicity of the knit, and I may knit another down the road for a gift, should the need arise.

Mail Call Monday!

 Look what the mailman brought this morning!

From fellow knitters and podcast watchers Teresa and Patsy!  They found it at an event they went to and thought of me!

How Sweet and aren't knitters the best?!

This afternoon, I took advantage of the 70s again and did some knitting on the porch.  It was a bit windy, but when the sun is shining and there is clear skies and warm temps, I just have to be out there.  Especially since early early mornings have been a bit chilly to sit out and a knit.

Hope your new week is as sunny and fun as mine is so far!!

Did Not Go To Rhinebeck

No, I did not go to Rhinebeck this weekend, and given the weather out that way, I’m glad I wasn't.  Yes, it has been on my bucket list, but never managed to make it happen.  And of this posting, I’m ok with taking it off the list. 

This is what my Rhinebeck looked like at the start of the weekend, just missing my cuppa!

A Friend to Friend Shrug in process for one of my daughter-in-law's birthday next week!

And progress on my Turtle Dove Cardigan which I finally made the split for.  Now inches of stockinette til I reach the rib at the bottom.

What did happen this weekend was a celebration of one of my knitting friends 50th birthday. Friends from Chicago, Kentucky and Virginia came to celebrate. It was a fun time with food, drinks, desserts, knitting and coffee.

Our version of Central Illinois Rhinebeck!  

 Episode 104 is up on You Tube, Show Notes, will appear there later this weekend.

You can find it here

And there was a special guest, and a new giveaway!

I've Been Getting Some Good Mail

 Today, 

They had me at the front cover sweater.

And I've got serious FOMO from a couple of weeks ago, and definitely putting this on my bucket list for the future.

Back in September the latest issue of Schoohouse Press' Wool Gathering came out and this was the cover sweater.

But, of course, I had to have this exact yarn in this exact color for my sweater to be.

I've got some knitting to do this season and next!  Happy Knitting!!

There Is Some Knitting Happening

 and some sitting and knitting on the porch,

just not early in the mornings, since it has been a little cool early and the sun not always wanting to make an appearance until later in the morning.

I've been working this last week, on the Gramps sweater for my youngest grandson.

Tried to get him to let me see how it fit but, he wasn't having any of that, so I bought a long sleeve shirt in his size and knit the sweater to fit.  Now, it just needs the good fairy, to come and sew down the pocket, sew the buttons on and weave in the ends.

Why is this the hardest part of the sweater to do?

But, that isn't stopping me from moving on or is moving back to knitting on some sweaters for me?

The Turtle Dove Cardigan is not a hard knit, but I can't wait to be able to split for the sleeves and body, so there are a few less stitches on the needles.

Hope wherever you are, you are getting some knitting done on some sweaters too!!

What Have You Been Knitting On Lately?

 Me, I've been doing a bit of knitting lately, but not getting anywhere very fast.

I had this great idea, to spend a day on each of my sweater projects each day. 

Started out like gang busters, with the Turtle Dove Cardigan out of Cascade Cantata that I bought a year agoish over in Indiana.

I like knitting on it and its cheery color, but, I do have to keep track of the rib and when to knit or purl into the back loop and the increases.

Next up this week, the Friday Tee.  It is on a finer needle than the Turtle Dove and doesn't require as much thought as to where I am on it, now that I have split for the sleeves and am knitting forever on the body.

I just wonder if I shouldn't put it to the sidelines and concentrate on some other wintery sweaters, then pick this back up come the new year, say, when I am in Florida for a couple of weeks?

Then, I will have a nice new Spring sweater to wear under my jacket.

To be continued...

It is back to more like Fall weather here at Chez PJKnits, after having a a definite return of Summer and AC for a few days.

Just Having A Bit of Fun This Monday

 

Blue skies on my walk this afternoon.

Enjoying my knitting, the marker, the bag, just everything about it makes me smile.

And the season here at Chez PJKnits.

Finally Finished Friday

 This WIP has been on the needles since November 2019.  Finished the Trio of Cables Blankie last week after a series of some Zooms and then decided to do a hat from the leftovers.

Still have a bit leftover, but I'm calling it done.  Now to wrap up for a friend of mine who is having a girl next month.  Just in time!!

The End of Summer

Tomorrow is the end of Summer 2023!  Which means it is the end of a KAL I've been doing once again this Summer, the Summer of Shawls.

I only finished one shawl, my Halloween shawl, but, I did bring out some of my faves from years past.

You can see them on Episode 103 on the pjknits You Tube channel, by clicking here

Now, lets look toward Fall and some more sweater knitting!!

In Case You Missed It

 Mail Call - 

The last of the Les Garcons' Mysterious Tropics 3 months of sock yarns

The last of the three months came a couple of weeks back and here is the reveal.

I have to admit, the mysteries were not what I was expecting, but I am happy to try some new to me yarns for socks and possibly other things.

Finally Finished Friday

 The Unwind Shawl by Tracie Millar is done and ready for Fall wearing.

I am loving everything about this knit along with the Neon Unicorn Yarns I used from PYS, circa 2016, sadly she is no longer dyeing.

Hope you are having a wonderful Fall weekend!

Fall In The Air

 Fall is definitely in the air here at Chez PJKnits, the AC is off and I wore my Autumn League down to knitting today, and it was the perfect sweater to wear.

I knit it out of the actual yarn it was designed in, Lion Brand Cotton Jeans and I am so glad I did!  It was fun to knit with and feels so nice on.

The only downside is once you finish with the neck detail, it is all knitting.

But, well worth it after wearing it today.  I hope you are having a fun time with your knits, the wearing and the knitting!

Episode 102 - Knitting Podcast: Why I'm Not A MAL Knitter, maybe

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

Are We In Retrograde Or What?

I am so in cast on mode when it comes to sweaters.  So when this happened early this morning, I calmly put it down for later at the riverfront to start pulling the yarn barf apart.

 With a little patience (not my normal level, cause normally, I might do a little snip snip with it or throw it across the room, tangling more), I finally got it back to a nice tidy ball.

Hope you are having a good start to your weekend, cooler temps and lots of knitting!

And onto the possibility of a sweater to come.