Saturday Stash

Back again.  That was a very quick week!

I thought I'd share one of my particular talents.  I call it horizontal storage - others call it clutter.  But it's really based on the old saying: "Out of sight; out of mind."  I have any number of baskets, lovely hand-knitted project bags in which to store current projects.  But I find that if I put a project away it stays away because I do forget about the ones in the cupboard.  Maybe it's just convenient to forget because I want to get at the next new project made with the latest yummy yarn addition. 

So, if I really want to finish something, I not only can't put it away but I also have to work on all at the same time.  So, a little lace and bead knitting, some socks and a heavy Fair Isle pullover adorn the back of the couch.  With all their attached yarns it looks like a knitting factory to me.  There are also a couple of gratuitous skeins which I want to get at.  Since you've seen most of what is there already, I will just say that they are works in progress. 

A finished piece gets worn as soon as it's ready for the off.  These, my Dublin Bay socks, are so nice.  As comfy as they are beautiful.  Love them.

And, when one pair of socks is off the needles, there is always another to take its place.  This is one of my pre-Christmas yarns - made by the same yarn-maker as the pair above.   I just fell in love with the pastel rainbow of colors.  They are wonderfully swirly and unpredictable when knit up.  As I knit, there are so many different images.  I see a jar filled with layers of colored sand.  A Monet garden of summer flowers. Some times, it's the rainbow sheen on a roadside puddle.  But mostly, they are happy colors which go a long way to banishing winter blahs. These are a gift, though,  so I won't be wearing them.

That's it for today's report.  Back next Saturday. 

Saturday Stash

The weather is beautiful today.  Almost like spring. Well, maybe a little colder but still pretty mild for January.  The fog has lifted and the sun is shining.  The snowdrops are a welcome sight in the garden.  In fact, they make me ant to get out and start doing something meaningful.  But, I don't want to take the blanket off just yet.  January is a funny month and the plants could catch a chill.  So, I'll just stay in and knit.  OK?

I'm still rolling around the beaded the cowl.   You would think on such big needles that the knitting would go quickly but for some reason it doesn't.  After all, there are only 14 beads to put in every other row.  How much could that slow me down?  Lots, apparently.  While putting the beads in is really easy, it will never be one of my favorite additions to knits. Must get it done before the snow melts in Alberta. 

But, neither is Fair isle and here I am doing it again.  So, never say never.  It has taken what seems like forever to get to this point, though.   I bought this yarn over 2 years ago when we were in the South West being awed by canyons.  The sweater is for Anne and she has been waiting patiently while I search for the perfect pattern.  The barriers are many. The first one took more yarn than I had.  This pattern would be a squeaker but I thought I could manage.  As I was getting the yarn out again to wind more for the sleeves, I discovered that there was one gray skein which was actually three in one!  Why I didn't see that before I don't know but it made a huge difference to how I approached the Fair Isle part.  That takes a lot of extra yarn and now I'm not having to be inventive. While there is still the stranded knitting to get through, I can play with the sleeves for a while before I need to get down to colors. 

I had hoped to have the Dublin Bay socks finished but I got stalled at the heel on the second one.  Because...

I was distracted by a friend's new granddaughter and her search for a pink and purple hat.  I thought I could whip up a couple in one night.  Not quite that quick in real life.  Here is one with a tiny piggy tail on top and knit up with the two sock yarns that baby is holding. 

This is number two and I like it a lot more.  The tassel/topknot is more fun and it is slightly bigger.  Also using two varied yarns makes the mix less like stripes.  It's fun mixing the sock yarns just to see what each combination looks like.

And, now, I'm off to set up my quilting frame.  I have an almost-finished quilt for my grandson that I have promised myself will be finished this month.  Onward and upward.

Saturday Stash

Here I am again...as promised.  Making it two weeks into January and I feel as though this blog could work again.  Today , I have two of each: finished projects and on-the-needles.

Before Christmas, I finished a few pairs of slippers in this pattern.  My niece started me on a slipper pattern hunt.  Then my friend, Helen, provided the best pattern ever which I even had in my queue but hadn't gotten round to knitting up.  And, I'm told these are the most comfortable slippers, too. Very easy; use up smaller stashes; and quick to knit.  How great is all that?  So, this is one pair that didn't make it to the donation shelves and stayed at home.

 I also just finished another Sockhead Hat.  So much fun to make and even better when I can use up two different sock left-overs.  This is a purple/gray mix and another with sunset colors.  I like how it turned out. 

I am slowly working my way around Wendy's pretty jeweled cowl.  I can only work on it in the daytime.  Partly for the good light since the beads and the yarn are dark as are our days right now.  But mostly because I'm afraid to spill the beads if I start working on it while watching TV.  They are in what I hope is a hard to tip container but I have visions of them going everywhere.  The yarn looks thin - and it is - but when it gets a good soak there should be a nice bloom  to fill in the gaps. Not a great photo but this is a particularly dark afternoon.

And, because I need some less mindful knitting: Dublin Bay socks.  I love the way this is turning out.  I bought the yarn with discount coupons last fall and that makes it practically stash, right?  I fell for the ragg-type yarn and the gray color.  When it came time to choose a pattern it seemed perfect to use something that speaks of a northern sea.   The lace down the leg is so simple, so elegant and reminds me of Celtic stone-carving.  The eye-of-partridge heel adds to the stone-work textures.  Can't wait to finish them. 

Friday's Shoebox

As you see, I have changed the title of these posts which used to be Fifty Fridays.  I think the numbers were intimidating in a way and it made me feel guilty if I missed a week - or month - of posting.  So, here we have a new title for a new year and a slightly different project. 

Last week, I dug out the box of photos due to technical difficulties.  Like many solutions to challenges, the result was a happy one for me.  I discovered a whole box full of pictures that didn't make it through the scanner.  Some are more recent but most are not.  So, my plan is to dig through this pile and just take a snap of a snap. I think this reflects how I feel when I look at them.  The memories are hazy and need a lot of prodding to get them into some kind of sharpness. 

Last week, I enjoyed the expressions on the faces in the various photos and I have found some more with priceless expressions.  Starting with the old...

This is me sometime before my first birthday.  It's pretty clearly summer and I'm sure those flowers in the long grass were pretty.  I am being held by my Aunt Myrtle who was actually my Mom's aunt.  But how I am studying her so intently.  Have I never seen glasses before?  Is she squeezing me too tight?  I don't know exactly where the photo was taken but I am assuming Pugwash, NS just because that's where she lived. 

And skipping forward to another little one: my younger son when he was very new.  That's his Grampa (my Dad) holding him.  He looks pleased but awkward at the same time.  You'd never know he'd held a baby before, would you?  His big brother and cousin are giving him the once-over and are clearly interested.  But he's not really much of a playmate yet.  I'm sure they were somewhat disappointed in his inability to get up and run with them.  

Decorating note:  don't hate me for the awful brown stripes behind.  Yikes!  It's a testament to my mother's love of what she called 'earth colors'. 

Come back next week....there's lots more in that box.