Sometimes, there is a reason

 Hi dear blog readers....

It's a rainy day here in Western New York.  It sounds like a lot of rain coming this week.  As long as it does not rain Thur to Monday, I'm ok with it.  Joe and I are headed to Oneida Lake for the weekend.

Not much progress on the sweater. I had to do some short rows and I needed a chunk of time to concentrate; and that didn't happen until this afternoon.

While I was waiting to do the sweater, I picked up the shawl again.  I love this yarn, color combo.  It would have made a lovely cowl, or mittens, but it was expensive, and I knew I wanted to use all of  the yarn.  I asked co-pilot to help with the lacey part and I didnt like what it told me.  Eventually I found this open lace pattern in a book of lace patterns. It's simple and fairly easy, and  it will really open up when blocked.  The rows grow by one stitch every right side round. Inbetween each color, will be a gray sripe.   I wanted to make sure that each lace section was the same # of rows.  Since it's growing, I can't use all of the yarn because the next two colors may not have enough.  

Joe asked me the other day...who is that thing for.  Me I said.  Oh he said.  Why do you think it's ugly?

Well kinda...I said wait till it's blocked and opened up, I think I will love it. It will be nice a squishy and will feel great around my neck.  Time will tell I gues.s  This is a better pic of the true color. 

 Ruth is making good progress on her new sweater.  Pattern is Dream Sweater by Claudia Q of Eweknit.  Yarn is Moorit Farm & Fiber Icelandic Wool.  Natural taupe body with charcoal pattern.

 

			Martha is working on her wow sweater.  pattern is Carlina Pullover by Whitney Hayward. Those colors!!       In other news: Joey's kids came for a sleepover last night. We had fun. Found a new playground near us that is just the right size for a 1 and 2 year old.  Played soccer.  LOL   Tiffany took  the boys fishing. What a beautiful day for play!  he is yelling "cheese" thru the bars.  LOL

 All of the kids were her for breakfast today.  Tiffany made waffles. Very fun.

 It was a sad day at our house yesterday. We closed the pool.  I used it 2+ times a day.  It was the right decision. It got cold and the nights are cold so it does not recover the warmth during the day.

 

No blog next week...I'll see you in September. 

The reason I didn't walk today

 Hi Dear Blog Readers...

Another day like fall here.  Tomorrow it will struggle to reach 70.  It's only August.  Sigh.  

Not sure if you remember but way back in the spring I finished up a baby sweater for our niece.  In July I went thru my button stash and found come cute monkey buttons.  And today is the shower....and I realized I had no buttons on the sweater...so no walk. Luckily it didn't take me too long to sew them on.  I put a small button on the back of the real button to stabalize.  

 the top picture is actual color of yarn

I worked on the sweater a little this week.  Three more rows to go and then it's plain knitting.

 Ruth finished her hat!  The directions were a little wonky at the top but she figured it out.  So cute huh!

 

Martha is starting a new colorwork sweater. She is making hers in a bright fun color pallette.

 

 

This is her vest.  She is currently waiting to find a color that will match. She only has 2" to go to finish,.

So pretty huh!
 

In other news:

Joe and I went with my brother Joel and his wife Vicky on a boat tour on Skaneateles Lake on Friday.  It was sooo fun.

 

Tiffany took the boys to some nature preserve yesterday. Great photos

We had a family party at Joey's yesterday.  Not often all four grands are together.
 

Have a good week dear blog readers...

 

Summer Lovin...Had Me Some Fun...

 Hi Dear Blog Readers...

Remember that song from the movie Greece....Summer Lovin Had me some fun..that is how I felt this week.  Work was work. Not as bad as last week but so so busy.  I had Friday off..more on that later.

Here is the hat of the week. I'm pretty sure I'm done with hats for a while..at least scrappy hats.

Got a few rows done on the sweater. 

Ruth finished up her beautiful sweater.  I love the fit!  Pattern is Seaglass from Wool & Pine. Yarn is Jemiesons shetland. SheStarted a hat. Tulip Tam by Beauxknits. Still using leftover shetland yarn

 

She started a hat. Tulip Tam by Beauxknits. Still using leftover shetland yarn.   Cute huh!

Martha has a lot done on her vest this week. She is worried she may run out of the blue yarn. She even undid her swatch.  I hate that feeling. Let's all cross our needles and hope it works out. the knitting is lovely.

 

 

 In other news...I saw all four kids this weekend.  

I took Friday off and we took the boys to the Carousel park in Olcott NY with my cousin Denise.

A few pictures of the fun.

Jayce would not go on the rides. Mason did. Then we went to the spray park across the street. It was a long drive.  I hope it was worth it for them.

 

Jayce helped me pack a picnic lunch. 

 

Saturday I got to take Charlotte and Jack to Springdale farm.  They loved it !

 

The boys came over swimming today.  My heart is full (and tired).

Have a good day dear blog readers....I hope you are enjoying summer...not much time left.
 

Don't Stop Till You Get Enough

 Hi Dear Blog Readers...

Short post today. It's almost past my bedtime.  The boys were here and we had great fun playing outside.

I had a week at work that I hope does not repeat itself too soon. Simple knitting. No brainpower.  I did mange a couple more rows on the sweater yesterday.

I knit two more hats.  Smaller for a youth size.  I can't stop with them.  They are fast and totally brainless, and I love seeing how the colors appear.  I hid the yarn out of site so I can concentrate on other stuff for a while.

 Ruth finished up the first sleeve on her fun sweater and started the 2nd.

 

Martha has a great start on her new vest.

 In other news:

The pool has been beautiful!

 Have a good week dear blog readers. I hope you have had a great summer week too!

Catching Up

 Hi Dear Blog Readers!

It's been a busy week. I love vacation. I would love retirement but would have to be careful not to spend money like I was on vacation!  Ha!

A little knitting happened!  I cleaned a closet out and found a lot of yarn I won't really use for anything.  I don't know what came over me, but I started a hat.  40 stitches.  They are so fast and it's fun to see how the colors turn out.  This is Noro Kureyon - four strands.

Adult size

This is two gray DK that are the dullest gray you ever saw.  Mixed with the other colors, it's fun.  Four other colors and two gray.  When I run out of a color, I just add a  new one, no matter where I am in the row.

Knit a little on the shawl while we were away.  This was my main knit project.

I started  Everbloom sweater before we left.  I had a lot of angst with my gauge and the sweater gauge. I put the info into CoPilot and it helped me figure out the size.  I did not upload the pattern, just the gauge and size specs.  We "chatted" about what would happen if my gauge changed, and decided it will be fine.

 There was an article on Modern Daily Knitting this week about fake patterns.  I think it's important to check Ravelry page and see if there are others that have knit it.  Jane and Karen, my blog friends, have a pattern page for every project.  I need to start doing that to help others.  Even if my info is boring.

I used AI to help me create the boys football sweaters. But I knew I wanted a basic raglan.  It just helped with numbers.  And for the scarf, I knew what I wanted, and again it just helped with numbers. 

Remember last post I said I wish Ravelry could search by gauge? Well my blogfriend Jane replied with the info that it can!  Thank you so much Jane!!

 In the pattern search on Ravelry, you can search by gauge. Choose Advanced Search and then scroll to the bottom of the filters. There you find a list of "More Search Options." Gauge is one of them. It is a little confusing because you enter ____ to ____ which means you can either enter the same number in both blanks and search for one specific gauge or enter two different numbers to search a range like 4 -5 stitches per inch. Hope this helps. I use that feature often as I rarely knit to gauge. 

Ruth blocked her SeaGlass sweater to check for fit.  It's beautiful. I love how the colors are playing out.  She is starting the sleeves.

 Martha finished her shawl! She said it's really big and she loves the size.  Blue Jeans Wrap. 

She is swatching for this vest right now.

 In other news:

We are getting rain all day today.  We don't really need it, but I wont have to put water in the pool this week.  The pool has been beautiful this summer.  YEA!

Here are a bunch of pictures from vacation in no particular order.  We were there four nights and not really sure which day most of this took place.

Mason stayed over the firt night and we made oven smores. Tiffany drove home each night to take care of her dogs. 

Obviously my freckles got a good charge, even with sunscreen.

Sunset pics before they left for home.

Fun on the boat.

First fish!

Sunset boat ride

Searching for minnows in the creek

Tubing!

Thank goodness she got a keeper!

 

They brought this bike that has no peddles. It's supposed to  help balance. Well, It's too big for Jayce and he walked it all of the way to he park and back.  Drove it in the lake step by step.  

 We can't wait to go back next year. I think I will work on my sweater today while it's quiet.  Work tomorrow...BOOOOO