Summer Solstice Year of Projects

Posted on Posted in art, gardening, knitting, Year of Projects16 Comments

Happy Summer Solstice! My flax is starting to flower.

Gardening

I found cabbage worms all over the cabbage and kale. I had intended to pick them off, but it was impossible. There were too many. There was no reason to leave the plants in the garden, so I pulled up all the cabbage and kale and took it to the compost pile.

I don’t know if you’ve ever eaten a borage flower, but they taste like cucumbers. Delicious!

Knitting

Happy Father’s Day to Bob, who is a wonderful Dad and Stepdad. I’m knitting Pride socks for him for Father’s Day, and I’m currently being overwhelmed by rainbow yarn barf. I’m hoping to finish these before July 1, when we start over for Year of Projects.

I ordered the beads for my MKAL and I thought they were not the right color for my yarn. Too gray! So I ordered three more colors. Then I took photos outside, and the color is more like I wanted initially. Hopefully one of the four bead colors will work. Every time I take these beads out of their bag, I lose five, so hopefully I still have enough if this is The One. I’ll knit another chart repeat on the swatch and knit the beads on as the pattern specifies. That should give me a better idea.

Fiber Art

I felted a new piece today. I like the way it looks, but the felt didn’t take to the prefelt backing. So I ordered new felting needles, because mine are old and breaking, and I’m going to have to do significantly more needle felting on this piece. I don’t know why it didn’t work, as nothing has changed. This seems to be the theme for my week. Is Mercury in retrograde or something?

Sewing

I didn’t have the energy for sewing this week, so I have nothing to report.

Music

Here is the song I am currently listening to on repeat.

This has been a Year of Projects Update. You can read my updated list here. You can find out more about the group here (Rav link). I’ve started a new list for 2021-2022, and I’ve created a finished list for 2020-2021. I will post these on July 1. I had to go back over my completed items, as I had a few slip in that were completed prior to joining Year of Projects. Oops! I see how I am.

I got a new pin. I ordered mine from Fibre Space, but they are sold out. You can get them directly from Nerd Bird Makery, though.

Porch Life: Wednesday WIPs

Posted on Posted in gardening, knitting, Works in Progress (WIPs)Tagged , , , , 11 Comments

I took the afternoon off because I haven’t been feeling myself lately. It’s been quite cool where we are, so I knit on the porch, watched and listened to podcasts, and read the new book by Alys Fowler. You can see I haven’t made much progress on Bob’s Pride sock.

My Milkshake cardi is coming along. I skipped the waistline decreases because I figured those were for people with a waist. I will do the hip increases, though.

I cast on my swatch for The Lonely Heart is a Hunter MKAL. This lace pattern is repetitive, so I am enjoying it. I look forward to trying the beads with it when they come in the mail. I think I’m really going to enjoy my first mystery knit along.

My garden is a happy jungle.

The peas got a beating from a heavy rain earlier in the week. I’m hoping we can get some pods before the tops break. Even though they are English Peas, I’ve been eating them like snap peas.

Lots of lettuce.

Tomatoes are starting.

Apparently, I planted two different types of basil.

I’ll have calendula flowers soon.

Borage is in full bloom.

I saw a whitetail dragonfly in the garden. That’s a good sign, right?

Alissa’s Brag Book: A YOP Update

Posted on Posted in gardening, knitting, sewing, Works in Progress (WIPs), Year of ProjectsTagged 29 Comments

When I was little, my Grandmother had a photo album with “Grandma’s Brag Book” written on the cover. It was for photos of her grandkids, of course. Sometimes I feel like my blog is my version of the brag book, but for things I make. I would be posting pics of our kids, but most of them don’t like that. I have to ask for explicit permission including where it will be posted. I should draft some release forms for them to sign. 😘

Knitting

I’m very excited about my hand dyed Cormo lace yarn. It’s still damp, but I can’t wait to cake it up and swatch.

Sewing

I made a summer top from this fabric that’s been in my stash for a few years. The pattern silhouette is nice, but it calls for bias tape. Not my favorite way to go. Maybe I can make facings next time.

I cut out my next overalls in this amazing linen fabric with yarn balls all over it! You can’t tell, but the copper ones are metallic.

Garden

It’s been a long time since I’ve grown Borage.
My winter squash is still alive.
English Peas!
We’ll have zucchini soon!
My flax garden is super lush.

This has been a Year of Projects Update. You can read my updated list here. You can find out more about the group here.

Sign Me Up Saturday!

Posted on Posted in fiber love, field trips, knitting11 Comments

I signed up for my first Mystery Knit Along (MKAL)! Raven Knits is hosting The Lonely Heart is a Hunter MKAL, and leads with the story of The Selkie. I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. (See what I did there?) I had some squishy Cormo lace in my stash, and dyed it with a mix of periwinkle and silver. I’m really proud of myself for using what I had. I’m also proud because my technical dyeing ability is getting better. I had intended to exhaust the dye bath with more fiber, but the dye was all taken up by the yarn!

I went to World Wide Knit in Public Day at Stitch and Skein in Marion, Ohio. I had a lovely time, and even won a prize! I am knitting a pair of Pride socks for Bob with Dye Mad’s June colorway. I also picked up a couple of skeins of Arrowhead Fibers.

Did you knit in public today?

Friyay!

Posted on Posted in knitting, life, Works in Progress (WIPs)5 Comments

My Milkshake Cardigan is now connected under the armholes. I will be knitting back and forth, increasing at the neckline, for a few more inches. Then it’s sweet, straight stockinette to the hem! Do you like my project bag? It’s from Harriet Wildwood Stitches. I love it so much, I’m hoping to get a sweater-sized project bag next. I’ve got some birthday money burning a hole in my pocket. (Thanks, Mom!)

I wish I liked to be out in public with people. If I did, I would go watch this band tonight.

Sunday YOP Update

Posted on Posted in art, gardening, knitting, sewing, Year of ProjectsTagged , , , 27 Comments

I updated my list today. I think June is when the Year of Projects (YOP) group starts over, but as I update my list as I go, there won’t be much to change.

Fiber Art

I’m excited to say I have seven completed wool felt pieces for my show. I hope to finish three more before the opening in September. Bob and I visited the gallery yesterday, and we chatted with the owner. I will send him my current list of pieces tomorrow. This is my first solo show in nine years, and my first solo gallery show, although in 2010 I had a combined gallery show with another artist. I’m really happy I asked for this opportunity.

Knitting

I’m focusing on my Milkshake Cardigan, but there’s not much progress since yesterday. Here are two photos of yarn I purchased for projects not yet added to my YOP list. 😁

Shilasdair for the Undulation Shawl
Tukuwool DK for the Straw cardigan.

Sewing

This morning I started working on my Emerson shorts in natural linen I cut out two years ago. It will be good to get those finished, and it will be nice to be able to wear them. I can tell it’s going to be a hot summer.

Gardening

Herb and Bee garden with a Strawberry Border

I think I’ve finally got the garden about where I want it. I planted some cosmos, tansy, oregano, lavender, and creeping thyme this morning. I am trying some short and dirty wool clippings around the transplants. I found slugs all over the baby kale this morning.

My one and only New Year’s Resolution was to listen to more music with intention. Bob and I watched The Leftovers, and Iris Dement’s “Let the Mystery Be” was used for the intro at various times. I’m an Iris Dement fan, but I hadn’t listened to her music in a long time. So I spent a week or two just listening to her music, singing along in the car.

This has been a Year of Projects Update. You can read my updated list here. You can find out more about the group here (Rav link).

Stimming in Stockinette

Posted on Posted in gardening, knitting, sweaters, Works in Progress (WIPs)Tagged , , , , 13 Comments

My Milkshake Cardigan is coming along. I love the construction. It’s very straightforward. I love the gray. I love all the stockinette. It’s the kind of thing I like to knit, and like to wear. This sweater reminds me of the Kids in the Hall skit “Are Extraterrestrials Dull?” It will be a quality garment. Yarn is Kelbourne Woolens Scout in Heather Gray from my stash. I decided the Tunis yarn is too special and will still make up the Kiki with it, when I am ready for cables again.

The garden is burgeoning. I wish I had planted more flowers. I might try peonies in here somewhere. I am still fighting slugs. They’ve just about taken out my Gerber Daisies, and it was a mature plant going in. Maybe I should try cosmos since I could dye with them.

The indigo is up, but so far only one madder seed has germinated. No tansy yet. I think I need a trip to the garden center!

Sock It To Me Monday

Posted on Posted in art, finished objects, knitting, socks, The Just CraftTagged , , , 16 Comments

I finished my springy socks! We have an Iris blooming in the yard, and my socks match. Recipe based on Hermione’s Everyday Socks. Yarn from Bone and Birch. I do love plain sock knitting. Next up, I’ll try some Rose City Rollers (Ravelry link).

I have so many sweaters I want to knit, but I keep queuing cables and colorwork patterns. Then I balk because my brain is not up for that. I guess I’m still decompressing from the pandemic year. So I’ve decided to make a Milkshake Cardigan (Ravelry link). It’s the most basic cardigan ever, which I need to replace my thrift store cardigan that had started unraveling. Now I need to decide which DK yarn in my stash to knit it with. I’m leaning toward the Tunis yarn, because it’s so yummy. This is my first Joji Locatelli pattern to knit, though I’ve been following her patterns for sometime and have heard good things. I also purchased her new Straw cardigan pattern. It’s beautiful, but has cables on the shoulder seams. Nope. Not right now, anyway.

Part 2 of A Visit to Tarheelbilly Farm is live on The Just Craft. I had some sound issues, which I did not expect since recording in the fields — which I expected to be problematic — turned out fine. But recording on the porch of the house was much more complicated. It has me questioning my ability to make a good podcast, but I am going to try to think of it as a learning experience. I did the best I could with the sound in Audacity, reducing the noise and amplifying Charis’s voice. I felt that what she was saying was so important I had to do my best to get the episode out. She is very candid about her thoughts and feelings on racism in the knitting and fiber arts community (and the events of 2020 in general) and even though I struggled with the sound, I’m proud of this episode. I think I’ll take a break before I start the next one, though.

I’ve been steadily working on my felt art for the gallery show in September. Some pieces I really love, some not so much. Some get stitching, some don’t. It’s intuitive but I am finding that I tend to stitch on cultivated landscapes and don’t on wild ones. So there’s a method, even if it wasn’t conscious at the outset.

Oh, I forgot to mention I joined Kate Davies’ Bluestockings Club! Again, I think the first pattern may be a little more than I want to undertake at this time. But it’s lovely and I’m sure I’ll get around to it eventually.