Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Ten on Tuesday

My mother, my sister and I up on the farm in VT.

The Ten on Tuesday Topic for 6/28 is 10 Favorite Things About the Fourth of July.  We really don't celebrate it like we did when I was younger.  But, here are some past favorite things.

1)  Fireworks on the beach.  My parents have a cottage at a lake and when I was a kid, some of the parents used to shoot them off over the lake.  Now, at home, we have neighbors who shoot them in their front yard and they are going to start a fire one of thes years.  Last year they must have hit their truck as the alarm
went off when no one was near the car.
2)  Parades - I used to go to VT to visit my Aunt and Uncle and their town, Cabot, had a parade every 4th.
3)  Sparklers - used to love these.
4)  A day off from work, always enjoy that.
5)  Seeing the flags lining the streets in the small towns.
6)  Food - Hotdogs and Hamburgers - seems to just say 4th holiday. 
7)  Fireworks at other places - In VT, we'd go to see the fireworks.  Fun to watch the kids "oh" and "ah" at them.
8)  Fireworks on TV - now I usually watch these if I remember.  Not a fan of the big bang fireworks.  I like all the colors instead.
9)  Ice Cream - not just for the 4th but seems to go with the holiday.  Especially the ice cream truck treats.
10)  My Aunt's b-day was the 3rd so that was another thing to celebrate around the 4th.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Ten on Tuesday

Picture is Ann Hood at Knitting Camp a few years ago signing The Knitting Circle.

The 10 on Tuesday Topic for 6/21 is 10 Books You Would Recommend to a Friend.  Added a bonus 11.

For knitters:

1)  Maggie Sefton, any of her mystery series starting with Knit One, Kill Two.
2)  Debbie Macomber - the A Good Yarn, etc series.
3)  Sally Goldenbaum - Death By Cashmere and Patterns in the Sand, I think there's a new one also.
4)  Ann Hood - The Knitting Circle

Others:

5)  For Vampire books, any of the Charlaine Harris, Sooky Stackhouse books.  I have all 3 seasons of True Blood on DVD waiting for me to watch them.

6)  For Quilters, any of the Jennifer Chiaverini books.  I don't quilt but I really like them.

7)  Gregory McGuire - Wicked - The Life & Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.  My favorite of his books.  I've also read Son of Wicked, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister and A Lion Amoung Men.

8)  Diana Gabaldon - Any of them.  I usually warn people, they are long. 

9)  Kate Morton - The Forgotten Garden - loved this book.  Also liked The House at Riverton.

10)  Tatiana De Rosney - Sarah's Key
11)  Pamela Schoenewaldt - When We Were Strangers

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Summer Mystery Shawlette

This is the Summer Mystery Shawlette by Wendy of Wendyknits.  It was a fun knit.  The yarn is Arucania Ranco Solid.  Nice yarn, love the color.

Now on the needles is a LOVe Shawlette by Knitspot out of The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga.  Love the yarn, it feels wonderful to knot.  Also knitting a Tomato sweater out of Reynolds Saucy, not loving the cotton, my hands hurt when knitting it.  It was my work knitting last week. 

Friday, I started a Scalene scarf as part of The Loopy Ewe's Camp Loopy 2011 project one which has to be finished by July 15.  I hope to finish it before Knitting Camp which starts July 7th.  I'm using two different colors of Malabrigo worsted and love it.

Still deciding on Knitting Camp projects but will most likely be the Tomato sweater for at least a few rows a day and still planning to bring Hamamelis or maybe another 2 color shawl as I have a skein of purple left from the Japanese Garden Shawl and I bought a matching skein of Lime Green to put together to make a kind of wild colored 2 color shawl or scarf.  Maybe a pair of socks, too.  They are ready and waiting.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Japanese Garden Shawl

This is the Japanese Garden Shawl by Wendyknits.  Not a good picture, it's been dark and dreary when I am trying to get a decent picture of it.  It was a fun knit.  The yarn is some Heritage Sock in Purple.  I had two skeins so will make another shawl or something with the extra skein.

The Summer Mystery Shawl also by Wendyknits is done and blocking.  I have started a LOVe Shawlette by Knitspot out of some Sanguine Gryphon Bugga in Chickweed Geometer Butterfly, a pretty orangey color.  I plan to start a Tomato sweater by Wendy Bernard out of some Apple Green Reynolds Saucy this afternoon.

Work knitting may go back to the Morehouse scarf.  I do have a baby sweater to make but haven't started that yet.  My Vacation is a few weeks away and I am mentally trying to figure out what to bring for my projects.  I usually bring an easy project and then a harder project and then an extra project or two just in case the main ones don't work out.  Last year I brought along a Hamamelis shawl by Kristin Kapur and didn't do a thing so that is still waiting for me so that may be one project I bring.  I also have a few of her other shawls queued up so that may change.

Sunday, June 05, 2011

Gilet court d`'ete' top down cardigan FO

Gilet court d`'ete' top down cardigan out of some Cascade 220 Heathers in Purple.  Very hard color for my camera to capture.  The Japanese Garden Shawl is also done and a similar color.

Work knitting has gone back to the Morehouse Knit/purl scarf.  Home knitting is now the Summer Mystery Shawl by Wendy from Wendyknits.  It's a fun knit in a happy spring green color.  I also want to start another sweater out of a bright Green Reynolds Saucy.  Maybe next week.  Once as I get a little further along on the Shawl I plan to bring it to work for lunch knitting.