WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION

This was a peculiar summer for me this year. I usually snap plenty of photos of things that interest me and post to my blog, but this year I seemed to be very neglectful in documenting my knittingcentric life. I don't know why. A busy life, perhaps? Nothing of interest to blog about?

I blame the rain. We certainly had plenty of it, and much more than I really needed to experience day in and day out this summer. Though not clinically depressed, am I the only one that will honestly admit to spending many a day indoors in my pajamas? Sunny days were cherished. And too few and far between the dreary ones.

Today I shamed myself into reviewing and posting those photos taken throughout this past spring/summer. It was good to see snippets of knitting days gone by, as well of those aspects of my world that I enjoy. Begging your indulgence of this heavy pictorial, hope you, Gentle Knitter, find some enjoyment!


HOME SWEET KNITTING:

SCRAPPY CLOTH- DISHCLOTH WAS INSPIRED BY A KINDRED SPIRIT BLOGGER......
I TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND KNIT AN OLD FASHION DISHTOWEL-SO VERSITILE IT DOUBLES AS A FINGERTIP IN THE BATH!

ANOTHER SCRAPPY TOWEL THAT DOES EXTRA DUTY AS A TANK COVER. MIKE EVEN NOTICED! HOW OFTEN DOES THAT HAPPEN?

A MASON-DIXON MOMENT....
WILL LET YOU KNOW IF THIS ADDS EXCITEMENT TO MY CLEANING DAYS!

HAVE I GONE TOO FAR? FLY SWATTERS NEED BALLBAND LOVE TOO, YOU KNOW!


GIFTS TO GIVE TO LITTLE ONES...

BIBS, BIBS, AND MORE BIBS.....MASON-DIXON INSPIRED.


MY "MISS THING" BABY BIB PATTEN. SURPRISINGLY A FEW FOLKS ON RAVELRY LIKED IT ENOUGH TO KNIT IT TOO. I FEEL HONORED.

I LOVE CAMO TOO-FOR BOYS AND GIRLS....



GIFTS GIVEN TO BIG GIRLS....
INSPIRED BY DEBBIE BLISS "HOME" AND JANE BROCKET OF "YARNSTORM" FAME. FOR NAN'S BIRTHDAY IN MAY.
GEDIFRA ANGORA MERINO AND ROWAN CASHSOFT DK.


BEAUTIFUL GIFTS RECEIVED FROM DEAR FRIENDS ...
MY FRIEND ROBERTA SURE SEWS A BEAUTIFUL BAG! VISIT HER ETSY SHOP AT GRAB THAT BAG

MY PAL, MAGGIE, SENT THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK YEARS AGO, BEFORE I WAS READY FOR BEAD KNITTING.....

AFTER KNITTING THIS AT KNITTERS EDGE, I THINK I'M READY FOR IT NOW!

ANOTHER PROJECT WORKING ON IN A KNITTERS EDGE CLASS-THE SWIRL SCARF. SLOW GOING.

AND, YET ANOTHER KNITTERS EDGE CLASS-THE WONDERFUL WALLABY SWEATER. FOR SHAUN. REMEMBER. IT TOOK 5 YEARS TO COMPLETE MIKE'S SWEATER. HENCE THE NEED TO COMMIT TO A WEEKLY CLASS. I NEED THE PEER PRESSURE.

I FINISHED THESE SOCKS SOME TIME AGO AND WEAR THEM OCCASIONALLY WITH MY NURSING SCRUBS. OPAL, I BELIEVE. I LOVE AN AFTERTHOUGHT HEEL, AND THESE WERE KNIT MAGIC LOOP, TOE UP, 2 AT A TIME.

WORKING ON THE LAST AFTERTHOUGHT HEEL NOW.
SOMETHING I'VE BEEN CONTEMPLATING FOR YEARS. A SOCK WEIGHT PATCHWORK THROW CONSISTING OF ROBIN'S EGG BLUE/ AQUA AND BROWN COLORWAYS. A TOTALLY TORTUROUS AND NUTTY PROJECT THAT I NEED TO GET OUT OF MY SYSTEM.
I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT MY YARN ROOM NO LONGER RESEMBLES A DISASTER AREA. PRETTY PICTURES TO FOLLOW AT ANOTHER TIME.

I FINALLY USED THE LEFTOVER EASTER EGG DYE. WASTE NOT, WANT NOT.
WILL BLOSSOM INTO A SCARF SOMEDAY.

SCENES FROM THE BACKYARD...
THIS IS MY OUTDOOR KNITTING OASIS.
AND SCOTTY IS MY LOVING COMPANION.
OCCASIONALLY, KRINGLE IS PERMITTED OUTSIDE TO SUNBATH. WITH SUPERVISION. BECAUSE...

REMEMBER THE DRAMA OF PEEP LAST SUMMER? HE'S BAAAAAAAAAAACK!

I ALSO PLAY HOSTESS TO A DOVE COUPLE. LOOKING OUT MY BACK DOOR.


LOOKING OUT MY FRONT DOOR...
WE HAD TO CUT DOWN OUR THREE VERY OLD, VERY DISEASED SYCAMORE TREES AFTER A VIOLENT STORM KNOCKED DOWN PART OF ONE IN OUR DRIVEWAY. A VERY CLOSE CALL. I LOVED THOSE TREES. TO APPEASE ME MIKE AND SHAUN CREATED THIS PERENNIAL BED. MOST OF THE PLANTS CAME FROM OUR BACKYARD.



KNITTING FOR A GOOD CAUSE...

THIS WAS A CHURCH PROJECT MY KNITTING MINISTRY UNDERTOOK.
SIX OF US EACH COMPLETED 4 SQUARES. I'LL SEW TOGETHER AND ANOTHER WILL KNIT THE OUTSIDE BORDER.
HERE ARE ALL THE HAND KNITS DONATED BY THE OUR LADY OF MERCY KNITTING MINISTRY IN APRIL TO THE SLATE BELT PREGNANCY CENTER.
WE'RE CURRENTLY KNITTING ITEMS FOR OUR OCTOBER DONATIONS PLUS FOR OUR NOVEMBER CHRISTMAS BAZAAR. BUSY, BUSY FINGERS!

MY FAVORITE THINGS...

READING AND KNITTING OUTDOORS ON SUNNY DAYS.


ZUCCHINI PIE MADE WITH BISQUICK.
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT. MY VERY FIRST HOMEGROWN ZUCCHINI EVER!
ABUNDANCE OF CHERRY TOMATOES PLANTED AROUND MY BACK PORCH.

MUG CAKE RECIPE. I THINK MICROWAVE FOR 3 MINUTES. IT'S INCREDIBLE.


FINALLY, TO WRAP IT UP, SOME BEAUTIFUL THINGS TO LOOK AT....







WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?
UM, AS MUCH AS I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE INTERWEAVE KNITS, I CAN FIND NOTHING KIND TO SAY ABOUT THIS PATTERN THEY ARE OFFERING IN "WEEKEND KNITS."

SERIOUSLY. YOU MUST CHECK THIS OUT.

I'M CALLING THIS "LOST WEEKEND KNIT".

UNTIL NEXT TIME, HAPPY KNITTING!