Happy September!

And Happy Labor Day to all...

It is time for a long weekend as we say goodbye to summer.  We have been busy here at home and our porch is almost done!  We wanted to save the original posts and spent alot of time stripping the paint and we are planning to get them re- painted today.  I can't wait to see them when they are done. We started the project in July and will get the posts painted this weekend.  Daryl wants the decking to weather a bit, so we will stain the floor next summer.  But right now, this is my favorite place to be.. and to knit!

I just finished knitting up a set of hat and mitts for a set of twin girls that are coming in November.  The yarn is an oh so soft merino, silk and cashmire blend.  A bit of lace and a sweet flower wil be adorable on these gals when they arrive.

I also finished up a lace shawl.  This was a project that I thoroughly enjoyed knitting as I didn't follow a pattern and just worked it...  I just knit what ever I felt like knitting at the moment.  I think it came our rather nicely!  And it is larger than most of the other shawls I've make from patterns.  The yarn is a deep beautiful cranberry red, which I prefer over a fire engine red.  I give myself 4 stars on this one.

 

And now, with fall coming, I'm getting ready for a couple of big craft fairs.  I have some felted pumpkins drying after processing them yesterday.  These pumpkins are so much fun to have around to decorate with and to keep your secret stash of chocolate in!

 

We are keeping busy this weekend and I hope you are too.  Enjoy your last days of summer as you prepare for fall.  I'll be looking out for the spectacular color show this fall ... coming to a local drive by soon!

Signs of Autumn

Summer is a short season here in upstate New York and each year it seems to slip by with greater speed than the year before.   Next weekend is Labor Day, marking the end of long days, hot nights, ice cream cones, BBQs and fireflies.

I spent the day yesterday cleaning up the garden, pulling the plants that stopped producing and not too much is left.  I had a rough year with tomatoes this year, with very little product.  And only a few cucumbers, but the beans and peas did well. And of course, the zucchini always does well.  How is it that I can pick all there is one day and go out the next and there is a 2 foot zucchini that wasn't there the day before? Zucchini must have some mighty powerful growing magic.

All that is left are the sweet peppers, some very scant tomato plants and the pumpkins.  The pumpkins.  Well, they pretty much took over the garden this year.  Well, actually, they took over the yard as well as the garden.  A few more weeks and they will be ready!

I will definately miss summer, but I love fall.  I love the crisp mornings and the way the sun changes it's angle.  There is a different light on things in the fall.  The colors explode and the smell of dried leaves fills the air. I love going for a walk and the sound of the leaves crunching with every step.  I love the colors, the smells, the sounds and and coolness.  Yes, we have signs of color already here. 

Of course fall marks the beginning of knitting season (although I do knit all year round).  But something about starting a project in the fall is different.  My thoughts begin to roam as I knit. I think about pot roast, stews and soups and baking again.  Apple pies and apple cider. When my kids were little, it was about getting back to school, getting organized, getting back on schedule.  I love autumn.

I got up early this morning, before the rest of the household and watched the sun burn off the fog.  As I sipped coffee and thought about the end of summer, I couldn't resist casting on this scarf with some gorgeous minimoochie yarn in bright autumn colors.  Every row is amazing as I watch the colors make the scarf come alive.  And every stitch makes me look forward to autumn even more!

Here is to hoping that everyone is enjoying fall knitting projects as much as I am.  Enjoy!!

Warren's back to school sweater

Warren is starting 1st grade this fall.  It is hard to believe, but he is.  He will be going off to full day classes and starting his school career. 

It is cold in those hills in Vermont, so I knit him a classic pull over in DK weight yarn.  Soft, warm and light enough to wear under his winter jacket. 

I found the pattern on Ravelry, and the pattern was an easy knit, with most of it just plain stockinette stitch in the round.  I loved working on this project during the olympics, as I could knit and watch TV at the same time.

Even though it was pretty simple, there is some cable work up the sides and on the yolk, so it wasn't boring.

You can find the pattern HERE on Ravelry if you have a little boy that needs a classic sweater.


Here is the sweater knit in navy blue:

Good luck to my little man in first grade this year!  Grammy loves you ♥

Working Vacation 2012

This summer we decided to have a working vacation.

We started our vacation with a quick trip to Vermont and got to see Warren and take him to the local fair.  He had a ball on the rides and Daryl had fun watching the truck pull competition.

We got back home and set right to work on building the side porch.  Keep in mind that our house was built in the mid 1800's and nothing is square, plumb or level.  So, it has taken a full 6 days to get it where it is now, and probably another couple week ends to get it done. 

But even though it is not completed, I spent the early morning sitting on the porch knitting. I absolutely treasure this time of day, when my family is sleeping and there is no electronic noises through out the house. I sipped some good coffee, listened to the the various birds singing good morning and finished the edging on the baby blanket for grandbaby # 3 (coming in December 2012).

We find out if the baby is a boy or girl on 8/6/2012.  I plan to crochet either pink or brown along the outer edge once we know.  Keep your fingers crossed for a girl! 

Even though I worked harder physicially than when I go to my day job, I had one of the best vacations! It was great to spend time with hubs and work on a project together.

I'll post some pics when the porch is completely done, as there still is alot to do, but for now, I totally enjoyed the half that is done!


And don't forget -  starting August 1 - August 7, 2012, Take 25% off all orders in my ETSY SHOP to help me celebrate my 5 year anniversary!  Just use coupon code: 5YEARSANN on all orders.

Happy Anniversary to Me ♥♥♥ 

And a huge thanks to all of my past customers!  

Ocean Waves Silk Wrap

Yes, another shawl/wrap!  This one is one of my favorites and is sooo incredible to touch and feel.  It is handknit with 50/50 silk/wool in very cool blues and tourquoise.  The center panel has a fun design and the border has tiny sky blue beads at each scalloped point.

I loved knitting this one. Although it looks a bit complicated, the pattern was very easily memorized so no checking off each row to keep track was needed. This one one of my 'on the go' projects and spent many hours in the car while traveling here and there.

 

Lace Shawls

My Latest Shawls~~

I've been having the time of my life knitting up more shawls lately.  I think it has come to be an obsession, but I just can't resist trying new lace stitches and yarns. I've been a cable gal for many years, loving the twists and textures of cables, but my new-found love of lace has distracted me from cable work and I'm starting to feel like I have left my beloved cables on the roadside.

This orange shawl is just bursting with fall colors. 

I used a handdyed fingering yarn that shows off the autumn spectrum with falling leaf designs.  The added bead work on the leaf stems add sparkle, fun and weight.  This shawl is perfect for a quick shoulder cover, worn as a scarf, or can even be worn around the waist (if you are thin enough).  I just love the virbrant colors!

This forest green triangle shawl is knit with my own handspun yarn in a mohair/wool blend.

 

This one is heavier than my typical shawls and is intended for warmth as well as beauty. The mohair gives it a soft halo and a feel that you just want to pet.  The design is simple lace with a ripple edging at the bottom to highlight the beauty of the handspun yarn.

Both of these shawls are available in my etsy shop and are ready to ship. 

I may take a break from shawls soon and work up something using cables this week.  I'm sure it will be like seeing a long lost friend! 

Happy Mother's Day!

I always look forward to Mother's Day, not because I am a mother of 4 wonderful grown children, but because it has become tradition that I spend the day with my mother.  Just the two of us... we go around to the stores and shop for our annual flowers and garden plants, stop off for lunch if we feel like it and the bring all our wonderful finds back to her house and place the flowers around the house.

It truly is a fun day  and one that I will treasure forever.  Mom turns 83 this year and she still looks as much like a movie star to me now as she did when she was 16.

I also like Mother's Day because I usually spend the quiet morning hours in my studio with all my yarns and fibers, a cup of coffee and my computer, just leisurley browsing around and planning my next projects or finishing up my current projects, without feeling guilty that I'm not doing laundry or cleaning. 

Today, I was able to finish my latest shawl (or wrap, or stole.. which ever you prefer) and I am just thrilled as how this turned out.

It is knit with a 50/50 wool/silk and it is just as light as a feather.  The scalloped edges have tiny beads knit in so there is a bit of a weight to keep it from flying away.  I love the basil green color and the rolling leafy design.  I am calling this one Traveling Vines and it is available in my etsy shop.

I'm also working on cleaning up a new (to me) old spinning wheel.  After doing some research, I've learned that this wheel came from Canada and is linked back to the Albion  Hills Farm School. From some forum discussions I've learned that Edna Blackburn  was a master spinner and taught spinning through out her life.  I've actually gotten the address of her grandson and will be corresponding with him this week to find out more!  Here are some photos of how the wheel looked when I received it:

Yesterday, I spent some time cleaning it up and browsing around for some new maidens as these must not have been the original.  I can't wait to get this in working order.. because, as you know, one wheel is just not enough! I will post some before and after photos after it is restored... more to come...

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there and I hope you have a wonderful day.