Finish-up-itis!

I have not been running in my usual way.

Start one sock and one sweater,
Knit until done,
Repeat.

No, I signed up for four classes, had three things already on the needles, so I was actually scrambling to find more needles to start more things.
Totally non-monogamous knitting and not what I was doing for the past year and a half. But you know what?
I actually got three sweaters finished and am thinking sometimes we get stale and need to shake things up a bit.
I am sewing up the side seams of the summer cardi today. It's been blocked, so will be wearable today. Teasel is waiting for the sleeve ribbing and I have just a tiny bit of yarn left, so hopefully I will get another skein on Saturday to finish.

February Lady sweater is done as I stated in the last post.

On Saturday, I have the lace cardi class so I think I will cast on in the next few days to get a jump on this.
Also, since I've been aching to start a lace project, I think I will begin Romi's Seven Small Shawls to Knit. I would love to knit all seven of them this summer. Perfect summer knitting, I'm thinking. Socks have been my go-to summer knitting, but I seem to be giving them a little rest.

I have yarn and beads for the Celaeno ( a blue/purple mix) and a MadelineTosh dark green for the Elektra which I am planning on starting today. There is a boatload of MadelineTosh fingering at my LYS, so I will check out the colors and see if any of them are suitable for any of the other shawls.
Yesterday it was 41° in the morning, we had a thunderstorm with torrential rain about noon, and it went up to 81 ° by the time I went to pick up the kids. It's warm again today, so things are bursting with color in the garden. It is way too wet and muddy to even think about working in the garden, I'll just enjoy the warmth.

Here's some red, white and blue color peeking out in the garden.

Blue pulmonaria or lungwort (a really bad name for a beautiful early perennial)Red rhubarb, hopefully the bunnies will leave us some.
White magnolias that just don't last long enough. This is a tiny little tree (may grow bigger some day) but it is flowering beautifully this year.

It's Raining, Again!

It's raining and cold, dark and miserable. It snowed (yes a measurable amount) on Monday. Blah, blah, blah!

When I saw how late Easter was this year, I thought no problem having an outdoor Easter egg hunt. Now it doesn't look too promising. We'll have it but the kids are going to have to wear boots and winter coats, I think. Bummer.

I finished the February Lady Sweater and am happy about the color (green with yellowish bits) perfect for a springtime wearing. Because the yoke is in garter stitch and loosey-goosey, I added a grosgrain backing and backing buttons for a little more support. This will be worn buttoned and I really thought it needed a little help. Even though for most sweaters, it isn't always something I add. Very happy with the fit, yarn and color. Whoo Hoo. Sometimes sweaters just don't look the same on you as they do on the young skinny models.

Color

It's been a little warmer and sunnier out. On Wednesday I actually took my knitting out on the patio and sat in the sun to pick up stitches for the sleeve of my February Lady Sweater. Thursday the grands and I played basketball in the back yard. It was so warm we actually had to go in to cool off. Hot weather will be upon us quickly and with it all the garden clean up that needs to get done. Not complaining a bit about that. Just can't wait!

Here's a little color until the real stuff appears!

My LYS got a shipment of MadelineTosh DK weight yarn and I scooped up four skeins to make the little Goodale sweater.
Talking about color, I am alternating the skeins as there is a huge difference in colors from one to the other. I have two skeins that appear very light and two skeins that are darker. But I am loving the way they look alternating.

Wednesday Sock Update

My sock knitting seems to have stalled and my hope is blogging about my sock knitting on Wednesday will prompt at least a bit of knitting through the week.

My plain sock is almost to the heel on the second sock but the Clerkenwell socks has been totally ignored. I do know why. The cable graph is the kind that my mind can't seem to get around. Occasionally I have this problem with a graph even though I usually prefer them for any kind of cable or lace knitting.

I actually took the time to write out every line of the graph but I think I have to do this again, since I took a look at it today after not working on the sock for a few weeks, and I totally can't understand what I wrote. Doh!

So that will be in the works today. Probably a better use of my time instead of knitting as I am still having problems with soreness in my right hand.

I'm on jury duty watch this week. My number hasn't come up as yet. I am in the 1000's and they called up to 600 yesterday, so I will probably have to go in tomorrow or Friday. I hate the sit around and wait aspect and not knowing how to plan the week. Every one is in the "I'll call you after 6:00pm to see about kid watching and Weight Watcher meetings" mode. Plus there is snow forecast for the rest of the week, so that means schlepping around in boots and gloves and such. Ugh.

Took a look at the Clerkenwell pattern and think I am going to modify it. Make the plain part with cables rather than the curlicue cables in the front. I just don't think they will be worth the effort with this dark blue yarn. Plus this will motivate me to restart knitting them. Love the colorwork.

More Slips and I Don't Care

So New Year's resolutions have gone out the window and I don't have even a little bit of regret.

I bought new yarn, started new projects, signed up for another 4 classes and I am very happy with all of my decisions.

I blame it on the miserable non-spring we are having. Cold, cold snowy days. The robins and mourning doves are looking at me with miserable expressions, although I noticed an incredible chorus of beautiful bird-song this morning when I let the dog out.

My class project is going well. I have just the last half sleeve to knit. I put the back and front together and I think this is going to be a really nice sweater. Easy knitting! The class is going to meet on Sunday to work on the sweater some more, even though the class is over, so I will save the remainder of the knitting for then. We have a very nice group and we are all taking four more classes together, which will extend into June. There is a tee top, a lacy cardigan, a shawl and a ruched top that I am looking forward to making.

Of course, all the knitting on cotton that I was doing in an attempt to get the back and front put together before the last class and trying to get some more done on my February Lady Sweater gave me a sore hand. I think I knit all day last Wednesday because the snow storm we had ALL DAY LONG was making me crazy. Plus I didn't have to go out at all, kids had off and mom was home. I don't think I moved out of my knitting chair the entire day.

I gave my knitting a rest on Sunday night and Monday , too. But I really want to get back to my February Lady sweater soon. I love the yarn, the color and the way it is working up.

I just need to repeat "I will not overdue" take breaks and make sure I do some stretching.

Instead of knitting while I watched the kids yesterday, I took along some blocks to put together for the Cream Bedspread.

Here they are blocking. I have enough done to put another row together and it is really beginning to look like I am at the end of a very long tunnel.

Or at the very least, I can see the light far off in the distance. Once these four blocks are put together, I will have three more rows of four blocks to go. Sixteen blocks per row times 3 rows is 48 more blocks to sew together. But if you look at what I have already sewn together, it almost looks like a bedspread.

I think I will continue to do the sewing up as I stay with the kids. That will give me a definite time frame to work on this and get it finished.

I had to order two balls of Wool of the Andes for my Fair Isle cardigan that weren't in stock when I placed the original order and decided to add some of the new Aloft

yarn from Knitpicks and OMG, is it wonderful. So soft, and the colors are lovely. I haven't tried to knit with it, although my fingers are itching to start.

I really need to knit some lace, so pulled out the Juno Regina and some lace yarn and put it in a project bag. Not sure when I will start this, but the call of the lace is very strong.

Spring?

We are having a snow storm. Not a little spring snow. Nope this is the nasty, snowing-all-day, blowing-all-over-the road, have-to-shovel-the-driveway, all-after-school-activity, middle-of-January type of snowstorm. Because the grands have half a day and their mom took off, I don't have to go anywhere, which is great!

Ironically, I am using this free time to work on the pretty green cotton sweater I am knitting for my Sunday afternoon class. Just doesn't seem like there will ever be a warm enough day to wear this!

The patio is filling up again.

But it made a pretty pattern, didn't it.

Preparations

Getting ready for the arrival of DD#1 with the 4 kids and husband and dog. They are coming on Thursday and leaving on Friday. We are having a St. Joseph's table on Saturday with a niece and nephew's family. 24 people for dinner. Wow!
I have already made the sauce and lentil soup. I am making pizelles today and cleaning bathrooms and such. We will make the artichokes on Friday, cleaning and stuffing 24 artichokes should go quickly with the four of us doing it. That is, assuming I can find 24 artichokes at the grocery store. Cooking all of them will be a bit of a challenge, but I'm sure we will figure it out. Fritatta, con Sarde (sardine sauce), St. Joseph bread, hard boiled eggs for the plain sauce, cream puffs and sfinge for dessert. Should be good.
Not much knitting going on but a lot of cooking, eating and visiting!