Black Mamba

Looking for a quick project? I just knitted up this bracelet from a kit I ordered. It's called "Black Mamba" and is available at Cattail Knits, an Etsy store. I love it! Quick, super-easy, and quite elegant.

Vitamin D comes not just from sunshine

It comes from this! The Vitamin D Cardigan, designed by Heidi Kirrmaier, is finally done! I (almost) wish the weather would turn nippy, so I could toss this on of a morning. Madeline Tosh Prairie is perfect for this. So happy!

Is it cotton candy?

This looks good enough to eat!

But it would taste terrible. Finished 310 yards of 2-ply handspun Romney. More to come.

15 Hexapuffs made in New Harbor.

Done! Again.

"Summer of..." MKAL is done, washed, and blocked!

Done!

Not with blogging. With the Dragon's Egg Socks. Phew! Lots of work but worth the effort.

Dragon's Egg Socks are done. Finally!

Dorky "pose" for Dragon's Egg Socks

Now I can work monogamously on Clue #7 - the final clue, which finishes the MKAL - of The Summer of..., a shawlette that I started way back on the solstice, while in Chicago for my son's wedding. This final clue demands a total of 53 repeats of a 12-row pattern, worked over 18 or 19 stitches, depending on the row, with several beads worked in over the course of the pattern. As I write this, I've completed a measly 15 repeats. My hope is that I will have this completed, washed, and blocked by the time I go to the the last (for me) Monday afternoon Knitters' Group at the Bristol Area Library.

Summer of...MKAL edging with beads

Unblocked. Difficult to see the beauty, but it's there.

Once I complete this, I'll eagerly cast on for the Craftsy Silk Curved Scarf, a class I signed up for last month. It began, officially, on August 2, so I'm quite behind, but the socks ruled over all, recently...and the MKAL is now of utmost importance on the list. Here's a photo of the luscious silk I'll be using for the class:

Artyarns Regal Silk

Last but CERTAINLY not least, the teeny little project bag I've been using during this idyll. My sister Rebecca gave this to me for my birthday a few years back - she purchased out in Oregon awhile ago. I love this bag, for several reasons: the size is perfect for socks or a shawlette; the logo, "Knit Happy" makes my heart sing; I love the color yellow; my sister is so dear to me. She is my hero.

Am I The Only Person Who Still Balances Her Checkbook?

Rabbit, Rabbit!

It's August 1, 2013. I said "Rabbit, Rabbit" before saying anything else, went down the stairs backward, and balanced the checkbook. Not far off, either!

The Rabbit/backwards stairs thing is a superstition we've had for years in my immediate family. Most months we miss part - or all - of it, talking to each other before saying the magic words, or running down the steps without a thought. When we do manage to remember, it seems like the coming month will somehow be just a little bit better. When I say "immediate family", it's really just Abe, Zig, and me. Stuart's outgrown the tradition.

Here's a link to a bit of information about the practice. I particularly like the part that mentions FDR as a fan of the weirdness.

...and it's still here!

Gorgeous day. Beautiful place. So lucky to be here.

5 mile walk starting at 7:00 am, a bit later than usual, but sleep was so delicious. The cannon fired at 8:00 as I was heading back.

At this point in the vacation, the days begin to blend together, in a delightful way.

Knitting continues on the "Summer of..." MKAL, with the final clue due to arrive on Friday, August 2nd.

Maybe I already posted this. Losing my memory...

Handspinning: plowing through 17.2 ounces of Romney in pinks and reds. I wound bobbin #1 into a cake this morning so I could measure it. The second bobbin is filling up quickly. Trying to get 2 ounces spun up each day.

443 yards of Romney singles

??? yards of Romney singles.

Dragon's Egg Sock #1 for ??? The heel is turned and the gusset is half done.

Nine little hexapuffs are complete.

S

Some new purchases:

Artyarns "Regal Silk" for another MKAL starting August 1 on Craftsy

Malabrigo Sock for the Estuary Shawlette purchased at Over the Rainbow Yarn

 

Quince and Co. Finch for Aranami Shawl - did I already post this???

That's all for today! Hope to finish the first Dragon's Egg sock and make more headway on my Vitamin D sweater, along with spinning 2 more ounces of Romney. Will it (the Romney) never come to an end???

The Sun Came Back

Huge thunderstorm last night after a cloudy day. The lightning and thunder were very impressive. Knitting at the library was fun, as always, yesterday afternoon. I worked mainly on the Vitamin D cardigan, which is at that stage where it seems like it will NEVER get done. I keep telling myself, "just one more row, just one more row".

Progress on Dragon's Egg sock #1 continues. I've turned the heel and am now working the gusset decreases.

Damariscotta Pottery Showroom

5 mile walk Sunday and Monday, 3 miles this morning in the drizzle. Trip up to town to visit Damariscotta Pottery,
Se Vende Imports, Two Fish Boutique and have lunch at the Damariscotta River Grill.

Now for a stroll over to Little Beach.

More

It seems that I'm settling into a routine here:

• Early morning fast walk (at least 3.5 miles, more often 5.0 miles)
• Coffee and knitting
• Knitting on sock
• Knitting on sweater
• Knitting on MKAL
• Knitting at least one hexapuff
• Spinning
• Needlepoint

I'm doing a little bit on each project everyday. Works for me!

Photos!

Approximately 5 ounces of Romney singles

MKAL through Clue 6 (of 7 total)

Dragon's Egg Sock #1

3 more Hexapuffs!

Quince & Co. Finch Yarn for Aranami Shawl

Quince & Co. stash of Finch AND Tern

Cool Tool

My latest fiber arts-related acquisition, from Over the Rainbow Yarn in Rockland Maine. A tabletop yarn swift, handmade from cherry and mahogany (I think those are the woods). I tested it out yesterday and it did a fine job of holding a skein and turning smoothly as I cranked my yarn winder. It's more convenient than my other yarn swift, as I can just place it on a table and go, as opposed to having to clamp the other one onto a suitable surface.

Here's a photo. Wish I knew the name of the artisan who creates these, but you can contact Over the Rainbow Yarn - just ask for "tabletop swift" and they'll steer you right.

Progress...

on all fronts today!

Hexapuff #187! For Beekeeper's Quilt

Dragon's Egg Socks by Anne Podlesak for ???

1. 5 mile walk bright and early
2. Made another hexapuff
3. Started a pair of socks
4. Worked a few border squares of needlepoint
5. Spun an ounce of romney fiber

It's so hard to be on vacation.

1 ounce Romney

Rainy Day

I just happened to actually notice the title of this blog - and the part about the exercise? Well, I've been walking between 3 and 5 miles most days, or using our elliptical trainer. We just purchased a new treadmill, and on quite possibly the hottest, most humid day of the year, we moved the elliptical from our bedroom down to the basement to join the new treadmill and the weight bench in our "new" exercise room.

It's raining, so we're doing indoor stuff today. Morse's Sauerkraut, so my mom can stock up on the mango chutney she loves, and I can get German mustard and Wilhelmina Peppermints. Then on to Rockland, for lunch, the Farnsworth Museum, and a trip to Over the Rainbow Yarn. Will I escape unscathed? (Yarn Store, not Farnsworth.)

As promised, here are some visuals of recent progress/works in progress...

Spunky Eclectic Oatmeal BFL "Seashells"

Complete! 552 yards of laceweight singles Spunky Eclectic's Oatmeal BFL in "Seashells"

3 little Hexapuffs - the first ones done since early June

Needlepoint - barely begun.

Vitamin D Cardigan - 80%?

MKAL complete through Clue #5

MKAL detail

A Month in Maine

I'm here at last! Here as in New Harbor, Maine, in the same cottage we've been renting for at least 10 years. And the weather has magically cooled off, too. Took a 4.5 mile walk this morning, reconnecting with Mothers' Beach, Pemaquid Trail, Beach Loop Road, and smiling all the while.

No photos today...I'll post some tomorrow, once I've gotten settled in!

Packing Up

It's time for Maine!!! Packing up today, so I can leave at first light tomorrow morning. Rumor has it that the Kittery bridge is a bottleneck because of construction. We'll see.

In building my packing list, I've noticed that my crafty list is longer than any other section. Knitting, spinning, needlepoint, quilting, rug hooking, beading. It's pretty ridiculous, but I feel like I'll be lost if I don't pack enough stuff to do. So I end up with two years' worth of crafting. I've got about 4 pounds of unspun fiber packed up, about 8 knitting projects, needlepoint that would take up the entire 4 weeks' vacation by itself, a quilt to finish, a hooked rug to finish...

And then there's reading. The iPad is a huge help - one small device holds all my books, podcasts, and audiobooks.

The heat and humidity this morning are SO oppressive. This post serves as an excuse for not getting to the work of packing up. On to it!

Debbie Socks

Saroyan Shawlette

Sample of the pounds of fiber that's going

More Debbie Socks

MKAL

Dipped Infinity Scarf Kit

Bolt Shawl Color #2

Bolt Shawl Color #1

And of course, the Hexipuffs...