yarn along

This week I've been working on the same secret Christmas present. It doesn't look like much except for miles of ribbing, so I figured it's safe to show here. I've been relishing the mindless knitting involved in this project. Knit two, purl two. Ah. It's a stress reliever, for sure. Check out my Ravelry page to see more details of the project.

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Really, I've spent the majority of my time this week reading. We're planning a beach vacation! I've been poring over guidebooks and daydreaming. Recently I've fallen asleep thinking of Hawaiian foods and beaches, which makes for some sweet dreams. 

I also just picked up The Homemade Pantry at the library and can't wait to make something from it. Everything looks so delicious and the stories Alana Chernila tells make each dish even more tantalizing. Because I'm in fall mode already, I'd especially like to make one of the comfort foods (maybe pudding or toaster pastries). 

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What are you making or reading this week?

Yarn along with us over at Ginny's.

yarn along

yarn along

I fell off the knitting train for a whole week. I blame those sleeves! But I'm back to knitting now (although not back to sweater-knitting). I've been working on lots of gifts. I cast on this simple gray project last night; it's a Christmas present, so I can't share details here. I'll include them on my Ravelry page if you're interested.

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I've actually been reading quite a bit lately. Over the long weekend, my husband and I rearranged our large collection of books, so of course I made a big to-read stack. K loves Michael Chabon, and I've read some of his fiction, so I thought I'd try out this book of essays. Chabon's writing is clever, entertaining, and offers insight into what men think about (baseball, family, feigning confidence, cooking). One of my favorite parts of reading Manhood for Amateurs is that I can talk to K about it because he's already read it, too. Sometimes I miss being a lit student and reading books along with a class full of people. 

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How are you this week? Are you reading or making anything?

I love to know what other people are making! Here are some recent favorites:

Alicia makes the prettiest cakes, and she's just shared a chocolate cake recipe that I can't wait to try. 

Kristen makes some beautiful (and impressive!) jewelry.

A lace A-frame tent would be the perfect hideaway for an afternoon nap.

Tracy's handmade rabbits and polka-dot cookies make me so happy. 

I want to sew up a bunch of these simple bags and try out different stitch patterns on my sewing machine in the process.

thoughts on the f-word and a rainbow morning

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I quit Facebook two weeks ago. Not for some grand ideological reason. I quit mostly because every time I logged in, I felt my tension rise. The news feed seemed endless. Minute updates and political arguments annoyed me. So, I shut it down. 

Although I probably will be back again (it's the only contact I have with some friends), I'm enjoying the gains I've found these two weeks. I have more time out in the real world. I used to lose whole hours when I checked updates on my phone. Hours! Hours that I could have spent knitting! Or reading, walking, chatting, playing games, and gardening. I don't feel as stressed. I'm glad I don't have to hear everyone's opinion during this political season. Also, I've talked to a couple of friends on the phone, and it felt great to actually connect instead of reading general pronouncements about their day. And I've received emails. Those are few and far between these days, so I'm savoring them. 

But of course, there are losses, too. I quit on the spur of the moment, so I'm sure I left some friends in the lurch. Also, I know I'll get invited to fewer events because I'm out of touch. One of my friends quit Facebook more than a year ago and hasn't returned. She told me she's glad she did except that she doesn't like missing out on invites. 

Anyway, if we were Facebook friends, please know I didn't unfriend you. Of course we're friends (even if we never were Facebook friends!). Let's stay in touch. I'm only an email away!

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A note about the photo: Lately we've had chilly mornings. Of course, I'm always ready for fall, so the other day I broke out my hand-knit socks and snuggled under my ripple blanket. When I finally looked at myself, I couldn't help but laugh. I was completely covered in rainbows! It was a great way to start the morning.

rocky coast update

Rocky Coast progress

I may have overestimated my ability to finish a cabled, worsted weight wool sweater in the heat of August. Some days it's hard to muster any enthusiasm, and the cardigan sits alone in a heap in my stuffy upstairs living room. I am still chugging away most days and am nearly finished with the first sleeve. That's progress! I think my knitting group is tired of hearing me complain about how much I dislike knitting sleeves, so I'll keep the whining to a minimum here. Just know that I am having no fun at all knitting these sleeves. Ha. Well, it's not so bad actually. K and I have been hanging out and watching movies together, which makes for good knitting time.

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I haven't spent all my days knitting. My mom, sister, and I went to the Kentucky State Fair over the weekend. We watched spinning demonstrations, looked at all the knitted and crocheted entries, strolled through the layer cakes, watched a circus show, and finally took in the colors and crowds of the midway.

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I'd love to hear what you've been doing! 

What projects are you making? What sights have you seen?

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rocky coast

I've jumped on the Rocky Coast Cardigan bandwagon. I wanted to make a classic cardigan that I'll be able to wear year after year. Rocky Coast is a beautiful sweater that seems flattering on everyone, so it's no wonder it caught on fast after Coastal Knits was released last year!

Although I love making sweaters, sweater-knitting seems to drag on forever. So, I'm trying my hardest to finish this cardigan by the end of this month. That seems like a crazy goal. I've never knitted a sweater in a month, let alone a long-sleeved sweater with cables. Still, I'm giving it a go. I start each morning with a couple of rows and a cup of tea to fuel my needles. It makes my mornings feel luxurious. And of course I've been watching the Olympics and knitting in the evening. If I can keep up this pace I will finish by September and be wrapped in this cozy sweater all fall and winter. I'd cross my fingers for luck if they weren't so busy knitting!

I'm using Quince and Co. Lark yarn in Egret for this project. This is the fifth project I've used their yarn on. Quince and Co. makes gorgeous, affordable yarn, so their shop is the first place I look when I queue a new project.

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How's your life lately? 

What are you making? 

Have you set any crazy goals for yourself?

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kitchen scenes

peach pie and zinnias

popovers that taste just like the ones from jordan pond house in maine.

 homegrown garlic. the first thing i planted at our house.

homemade mozzarella for caprese salad. 

i'd highly recommend ricki's kit if you'd like to make your own.

broccoli and zinnias from the garden.

a new dishcloth. i want to knit a whole pile of houses!

here's the pattern. i found it via casey.

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What's been keeping you busy lately?

sunset shawl (my multnomah)

My Multnomah

Hello there. I have another finished object to show you. I've had a couple of people recently tell me I'm a fast knitter (I wish!), but the truth is that I just knit all the time. I knitted this shawl in a flurry of too-hot-to-leave-the-house boredom, spurred on by Andi, whose shawls seem to fly off her needles, and Izabela, who whipped up a gorgeous shawl in just a few days. Compared to those ladies, my knitting is as slow as molasses!

I'm very happy with my Multnomah. I love the lacy ripples and the sunset-hued streaks. As soon as fall comes, this shawl will be on my shoulders, keeping me warm at cinnamon-scented fall festivals. I do need a shawl pin so that I don't have to hold it in place, and of course I think I should carve one myself. No matter that I don't have any carving experience. I just need a stick and a knife, right? OK, and maybe a few online tutorials. We'll see...

More details here.

Free pattern here.

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What are you working on these days? 

I just ordered yarn to make Christmas presents and to make a sweater for myself. I can't wait to get started!