That Took Long Enough

And I don't just mean the shawl, I mean this blogpost.

I had the most difficult time posting these pictures.

I was determined to take some pictures yesterday after it snowed but there was no way I could do it outside.

Overall I like how my TGV came out.  I would use more yarn next time and make it a bit bigger.

I couldn't take any modeled shots - my selfies were awful.  But I'm wearing it today and it's quite warm. And it reminds me of Spring with all the pastel colors.  

And that's a much needed thing right now.  

Yarn Along

I could no longer resist. I wound up my hand spun to start on my toe up socks. I even started one of my books that I got for Christmas. I'm only on page 5 so I can't give an opinion yet. 

I'm really hoping this yarn wears well. It's kinda thick so I'll be wearing it with my clogs or around the house.

This is my first toe up sock so we shall see if I become a convert. I'm making up my own pattern as I go along (shocking huh).

So what's on your needles, hooks, bobbins and Kindle?  Come share over at Ginny's. 

Weekending

The weekend seemed to go by in a blur.  I really feel like it was Friday only yesterday.  But alas it is Monday and I did have an interesting weekend.

I took an amazing class with Amy King of Spunky Eclectic.  We learned about spinning yarn for sweaters, how to spin it to get gauge, how much to spin, making swatches and samples.

It was an excellent class.  And yes, I already have the fiber and plans for the next sweater.  We won't discuss the one that is on the needles right now.

I went to the farmers market, which I usually forget about on Saturdays.  The baked goods were wonderful.

I stayed up way too late but got some knitting done.  And a bit of spinning.

Started writing appointments in the calendar and realized that April is next week.  How did that happen?

I attempted to start planting my seeds.  Hubby got all my planters ready but I wasn't feeling it.  Maybe Wednesday.  When it snows.

Hubby also caught this from the wood stove.

After listening to him rattle around the chimney all day he just opened the door and hoped he would fly out. He did.  The cat and the dog chased him.  Hubby caught him and set him free.  We aren't sure how we didn't get soot on the walls but we didn't.

So how was your weekend?

I Knit

Back in October a good friend came for a visit.  She was admiring my knitting and asked if I could make her another cowl.  A few years ago I knit one for her and she loved it.  She requested one in red this time.  I told her it might take a little while as I had lots of projects going on but I would get it to her.

Christmas knitting followed, then Olympic knitting and other projects.  In the back of my mind I knew I needed to get that cowl done.  I would fit it in somewhere.

A few weeks ago I got a phone call saying that my friend lost her son unexpectedly.  I felt horrible.  I felt even worse because they live far away and I couldn't be there.  So I started knitting.  I had a design swirling around my head for a couple of weeks so I just started knitting.

I probably did more ripping back than knitting but I thought about my friend through all of it and was praying she would find comfort somehow.

I didn't like the size so I ripped it out.

I didn't like the drape so I ripped it out and used larger needles.

I finally settled on the pattern and although I will  make some modifications, I'm sure this is what my friend was looking for.

Since I can't be there to hug her I'm sending this to hug her instead.

Yarn Along

There's been a fair amount of crafting being done these days.  Not only knitting (which I will talk about in tomorrow's post) but lots of spinning.

The color isn't very well represented.  There's more of a teal tone to it.

I bought it at the New England Fiber Festival two years ago.

I'm spinning it fairly thin and will make a two ply.

When it's all finished it will become another Brickless.

I just can't have enough of those.

So what's going on in your fiber world?  Check out Ginny's blog and be inspired.

10 On Tuesday

This is directly related to last weeks ToT. But it's the opposite. And you know what?  I had to think about this one a lot longer than last weeks!  I guess that's a good thing. I present 10 Things My Hubby Could Do But I Do Them.

1. Dishes. He hates them. But he cooks so I guess we are even. 

2. Cleaning up "those messes". You know - when we were housebreaking the puppy, when the cat gets a hairball, etc. 

3. Be the patient parent. He has no patience for commotion. We have lots. Even though we have an only child we rarely have "one" around. It's my job to corral them when necessary. 

4. Dust. He's allergic. I'm ok with it. 

5. Buy the gifts. I guess it's because my family is larger and they are the ones we usually buy for. But I'm the gift buyer. 

6. Pay bills. Handling and coordinating the finances is what I do for a living. By default it's my job at home. 

7. Chauffeuring the child. There's not much of that anymore but when rides are needed it's usually me. 

8. Fold the laundry. He gets it done but I fold and put it away. 

9. Bake. He's a great cook but I'm definitely the baker. 

10. Make plans. I'm the social director. Somebody's gotta do it!

Join us over at Carole's for the fun!

Weekending

An average weekend

Dinner with family

Checking in on my sick mom

Shuttling teenagers back and forth to keep them safe from St Pattys Day hazards 

Some shopping

Awesome dinner with friends

Some time at the mall 

Getting some zeppoles for early St Joseph's Day

Sitting outside and spinning

Feeling the sunshine on my face

Designing some new knit patterns 

Wishing the weekend was longer

Blog Swapping

So amazing Amanda put together this wonderful handmade swap for us bloggers to participate in.  And you see, I was a bad blogger because I didn't take any pictures of what I sent out to my partner (but Kasey WAS good because she did put pictures up of what I sent her, so if you're curious you can check it out).

In the meantime last week I got this wonderful little package in the mail from Melissa.  And Melissa was perfect for me because she likes to sew - and we all know how much I hate to do that.

It was packaged up all cute and such with a little note.

She has a cute little Etsy Shop too.

A little pin cushion for me to put my blocking pins.

A wonderful smelling sachet!

There were coffee cuffs.  And a nice bag to put my projects in.  It was like neverending gifts!  It felt like Christmas honestly.

So thank you to Amanda for putting this all together and to Melissa for all your generosity.  Nothing like a little Christmas in March!

Ingot

Is finished.

A very fun knit

I imagine if you work on it mongomously it's a quick one too

And what's not to love with all that Madeline Tosh yarn. Yum.

Nicole has asked for one also so I'll have to do some stash diving and see what I have. Or I might have to go to Mr. Yarn.com and see what he has. Oh no - not yarn shopping!  

Yarn Along

I couldn't take it anymore.  I couldn't look at dark winter colors on my needles anymore.  I was good though.  I didn't run out and buy yarn. Remember this?  I frogged it when I got to the border because I didn't like how it was coming out and I knew I couldn't figure out where my mistake was.  I started the TGV Shawl months back and it was sitting in a project bag.  I pulled it back out and started working on it.

I still love the gradient.  It's hard to see anything because it's all scrunched up on the needles.

So that put some Spring in my life and that makes me happy.

This also  makes me happy.

All spun and almost ready to be wound into what  will hopefully be matching cakes for socks.  It just needs to dry a bit more.

Nothing going on with reading.  I seem to be out an about a lot lately (with knitting in hand of course).

Any fun projects on your needles?  Share with us over at Ginny's.

10 On Tuesday - A Love Story

So Carole's prompt today is 10 Things You Could Do But Make Your Spouse/Significant Other Do Instead.  Let us backtrack a few years - 28 to be exact.  When my husband and I started dating  I was 19, he was 26.  He had been living on his own for almost 9 years at that point.  He knew how to cook and clean and do all the household chores.  I knew, ummmm - nothing to be exact.   I'll never forget his face the first time we needed to wash the floor in our apartment - I looked at him and said "how do we do that?".  My parents house had carpets throughout (imagine that - even in the kitchen.  Let's not discuss the mess when the maple syrup spilled on the floor one morning and my mom was beside herself trying to get THAT out of the carpet).

Here he is in Sam's Club trying to convince me he needed to buy another grill.  We have 4.  I think we have met the quota.

Back on topic.......

Over the years I have learned and it's comical to look back at now.  But let's just say there are still lots of things that hubby does and I don't stop him.

1.  Cook.  It's his passion.  Who am I to deprive him? (See picture above)
2.  Clean the oven.  He doesn't want me to inhale the fumes (ain't he sweet).
3.  Mow the lawn.  That's his thing.  I'm perfectly OK with that.
4.  Paint.  I have never touched a paintbrush in my life.  I think he's afraid what might happen.
5.  Wash the car.  OK - so I do it occasionally but he feels guilty and takes over.
6.  Take out the garbage.  Ick.
7.  Kill bugs.  Another Ick.
8.  Grocery shopping.  Before you all say how lucky I am, let me tell you how much more it costs to have him do it.  The chef in him is a little spoiled.  But I'm not arguing.
9.  Laundry.  He washes and dries - I fold and put away.  A team effort for the most part.
10.  Wash the floors.  He just does it better, so why not?

The list could go on like picking up after the dog, cleaning the couches, all of the yardwork...... but you get the idea.  He's kind of cool.  And I'll keep him around for a while.

Weekending

Beautiful weather

Monthly spinning guild meeting

Lots of knitting

Bunches of spinning

Lunches out

Clocks springing forward

Really missing that hour all day Sunday

Dinner with family

Birthdays celebrated

Relaxing

How was your weekend?

Random Thursday

I'm in a random mood.  Ideas zipping through my head - I'll put some down here.  Maybe it will organize my thoughts a bit.  Maybe it will be entertaining.  Maybe it will totally prove I have adult onset ADD (I didn't have it as a child - I was the kid who could sit with a book for hours and be happy).

1.  Ingot is done and is blocking.  I had to rinse it in vinegar about 8 times to stop the yarn from bleeding.  It was ridiculous.
2.  I'm sure the cat is sitting on it while I'm at work today.
3.  I got a reminder today about a sweater spinning class I'm taking with Amy King in 2 weeks.  I'm so excited.  I also just realized that there goes my resolve to not buy any new fiber till CT Sheep and Wool.
4.  I was considering going to see the Yarn Harlot in Brookline on Tuesday night.  I'm not sure if I'm up to battling Boston traffic on a Tuesday evening.  But I really want to see her.
5.  Nicole and I got the Fitbit Flex over the weekend and we are having fun with them.  While she can get to 10,000 steps easily at work it is definitely a challenge for me.  And that makes me go for a walk, which is a good thing.
6.  I'm wearing my orange Brickless today and I still love it.  I want to knit another one.  But since I want it to be teal, I think I will spin some fiber I have and use that - using stash makes me excited.
7.  I am really wanting to knit Viajante - another Martina Behm pattern.  It uses lace weight yarn and I do have some in my stash.  Still pondering the whole thing.  Might be a good summer project.
8.  I think I will plant my seeds for my Dye Garden this weekend.  We still haven't quite figured out what part of the yard I am taking over for this project.  Or how I am keeping the dog out of it.
9.  Did anybody read about this 18 year old who is suing her parents?  Entitlement much?
10.  I convinced my mom to go with me to the new Paint and Vino next month.  She really knows how to paint and does it well so I will probably leave there feeling like a slacker.  We should have some good laughs though.

So what's new with you?

Yarn Along

Sweater knitting is still happening. While I was looking through my project bags to find a smaller one to carry the sleeve I was working on I found my Ingot.

I put it on the shelf and went back to knitting my sleeve but Ingot was on my mind 

So I picked it up last night.  (Are you noticing the ice - we are still in the frosty zone) 

I'll have it bound off today. 

Sometimes you just have to give in to the urge. 

Joining Ginny. Share what's on your needles and what you're reading. Oh yeah - reading. Still listening to Divergent. 

Ten on Tuesday

Some years I watch the Oscars.  Some I don't.  This year I actually saw some of the nominated movies so I had some interest in it.  Here's my thought for 10 on Tuesday.

1.  Love that selfie.  Love how they broke Twitter trying to retweet it.
2.  Jennifer Lawrence was awesome in American Hustle (which was such a way different role from Katniss in the Hunger Games). I was hoping she would win the award for best supporting actress.
3.  I was happy for Lupita Lyong'o that she won instead and loved her speech.
4.  Speaking of speeches I loved how Jared Leto talked about his mom.
5.  Speaking of love - I could look at that picture of Bradley Cooper all day.
6.  Kim Novak -ummmm what?
7.  I got teary eyed when they honored all the people who passed away this past year - especially when the first one was James Gandolfini.
8.  Seriously John Travolta?  All ya had to do was pronounce her name!  But at least we are all getting a good laugh out of it.
9.  Darlene Love - you go girl!
10.  I will have to go watch 12 Years a Slave now.

I could go on and on...

What were your thoughts?  Join us over at Carole's!

Weekending

Well, these are from the weekend but not this weekend. We went up to Gunstock in NH a few weeks ago and I totally forgot about the pictures I took. No skiing for us this time around (we will when we go back in a few weeks). But Harry and Nicole went tubing and had a blast. I tend to shy away from those things in fear of aggravating my back. But I got to take pictures and take in the beauty of the mountains. It was a cold cold day so I headed into the lodge every so often. It was a wonderful weekend away and we are looking forward to doing it again. 

So how was your weekend?