Sunday wonders - K

K is for Kinks.

There are kinks in the garden to help the baby squash ...

on parade...

by the seaside - whorls of wood...

or man-made. These rings are filled with cranberries.

 Some have a musical name like these fiddle-heads...

 While some bring a blast of music from the past.  Enjoy!

Saturday Stash

It's Saturday again!  You wouldn't think that a retired person would get excited about weekends, would you?  But this is when I scramble to get projects finished...not always a successful scramble as you saw last week.

Today I can report that I have finished last week's projects.  Well, OK...just two of the three since the Year of the Dragon cardi isn't comfortable having her picture taken.  She's still blocking, you see, and doesn't want you to see her deshabille.  But the first Little & Easy pullover is all done.  I think it's  so cute.  Just imagine the cushiness of that garter stitch...it's so cozy. 

And the Pink Nantes Beanie is finished too.  Naturally, we are having a stretch of warmer weather and I'm not feeling the need for a hat at all these days.  Just typical.  But I really like it.  It's an easy knit that just looks complicated. If you can follow a chart and make a simple cable and  yarn over then you can make this one.   Oh, and I do still have enough of the never-ending pink yarn to make a pair of mittens.  I'm debating full or fingerless at the moment.  I have a wristband knit on the first one and then  stalled with indecision.  Once these are knit up I can totally cross this yarn from my inventory. Or will Rumpelstiltskin spin some more while I'm not looking?

I loved that baby pullover pattern so much that I made another one in a bigger size.  I was scrambling this morning to get the knitting done.  Couldn't quite get to the finishing.  But that didn't bother this claret version one bit.  When she saw the camera, she popped on a vintage button to distract from the un-seamly bits and posed prettily.  I love those nifty short-row sleeves.  I'm making it again...did I mention how easy this is to knit?  And, best of all, I crossed off another line on the list. 

Next week, I promise to have the red cardi finished.  I have no knitting projects on deck so I'll have to go looking for yarn and patterns again.  That's all part of the fun of stash-busting.  Must remember to stroll through my Ravelry queue, though.  I find that if I don't do that now and then I forget what's there.  I'm sure there'll be something interesting.

Real mail!

And it's just what I needed.  Well, I was expecting this package to come but not so soon.  I only ordered it on Tuesday.

These are sock blanks.  You all must know by now that the word 'challenge' is written in neon and really spells FUN to me.  I absolutely can't resist.  So when I saw these advertised  I thought:  "Hey!  This looks neat"  and resisted because I wasn't buying any yarn...right?

Then, in January the ad came round again and Deb told me that you'd all love to see what I did with this.  Now I'm seeing those big neon letters... and I fell right into the trap.  And not to do things in a small way, I ordered six.

For those who don't know what I'm talking about let me explain.  Undyed sock yarn has been knit up flat on a machine creating a long piece of knitted fabric  - enough for a pair of socks. Right now it reminds me of long underwear...really!  The knitting is unfinished so you can grab an end and unravel the fabric and reknit the yarn.  With me so far?

Here comes the fun part.  I can dye the flat fabric before I knit it up.  I can draw pictures or write poetry in dye and have it knit into the sock.  Of course, you can't read it or see the picture anymore - it's all just colors.  But that's the challenge:  how to do this to create the most effective sock result.  Or do I care?  Is the medium  the message?

You'll have to play along with me.  But not  just yet...I'm busy with some other stuff.  It may even have to wait until the weather's better. This project may be best done outside...it sounds gloriously messy.  And did I say that I have six for experimentation.  What would you do?

Chattin'

It's time to head off to Patrice's place to chat with all the folks who gather for a chat. It looks like the weather will be nice for a walk over to her place.

But before I go, I remembered that I promised to share the finished mat with you.  It is now bound and blocked - sounds like some kind of torture - and ready to be brilliant on a dull day.  I present  to you, "I Heart Colors" :

And now back to the chat.  There's a lot going on today and I'm a little late.  All that binding and blocking.   Let's jump in...

Joyful Keeper asks, "What makes you smile a happy,content smile in the course of a day?"  Oh, so many things.  A hot cup of tea just when I need it.  Sitting quietly with a good book.  Knitting, knitting, knitting. Just looking into the  garden makes me smile - even in winter.  Choosing colors for a rug.  The birds at the feeder.  My life is pretty great all day long. 

My Kid's Mom asks, "Are you married, single, or divorced?" Happy partnership.

.Empty Nester asks, " Do you have any home remedies for allergy or the common cold?"  I am fortunate enough not to have any allergies so I'm no help there.   A cold is something I avoid as much as possible and when I do get one it's rare these days.  But, I would like to have tea with lemon and honey when I do get one.  Some chicken vegetable soup would be nice, too.  


Stephanie asks, "How many different addresses did you have growing up?"  My family had seven different addresses before I was nine.  In that time, I went to two different schools and it would almost have been three but I was just shy of the cutoff date to start.  Then we bought a house and I lived there until I left for university.  My younger brother and I are the only ones who remember these first houses.  The other kids were too young or not around until the last one.  I don't actually remember the moving part at all (except for the last one) but it may explain why I have a need to stay put in a house.  The idea of moving fills me with dread. 

I've just recently realized_____________________. That I have to get back to my rug hooking.  It makes me happy to play with colors and designs.  A medium that lets me draw must be good...primitive rugs suit my kind of drawing. 

Come and join the party on the porch...just visit Everyday Rurality.  It's a fun midweek break.