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

Gone Fishing

 Hi Dear Blog Readers...

We are packing up to head to the lake for a few nights so not much of a post today.

I spent a lot of time looking on Rav for a sweater pattern to match my gauge. I wish you could search by gauge.  I have one in mind, and I'm going to try and see if it works.

One thing I have learned from Ruth and Martha is that you may have all of the math right and it's just not going to work.  rip rip rip.  Start something new.

I'm hoping for endless hours to knit just sitting looking at the lake. We'll see how that works out...the boys will be there so playing with them will be a priority.  

Ruth has had her grandson here for the week.  She has knit but not her usual.

Martha has been quiet.

Stay tuned next week when we return to regular blog updates.

 

Summer

 Hi Dear Blog Readers!

Summer is going way too quick here!  This week was busy at work. Temps were high and the pool felt great.  Saturday we had possibility of scarey storms.  Luckily they went south of us, but I feel bad for those folks. We had over 5" of rain!  Same kind of storms predicted for Tuesday. One of the good things about western NY is that we only worried about snowstorms.  In recent years small tornados are becoming more prevalent.

When I did knit, I knit on the shawl. 

 

 

I started swatching with this worsted yarn I got at Rhinebeck in 2024.  Started with a 7 and it's  too loose  so trying a 6.  

Ruth has been working on her lovely Sea Glass sweater.  I love how the colors are working out.

 Martha is at the finish line of her pretty shawl.  We'll see the finished shawl next time!  It's such a pretty wrap around me Im cold shawl!

 

 

In other news:

Martha put together a fancy scrapbook of her daughter's wedding, which was over a  year ago already.

Morning walk
 

Tiffany sent me this.  They ran into a guy with a snake and Mason got to hold it.  yuck.

This is the best book!  I am 2/3 of the way through.  The story is sooo good, as is the writing.

First year with the hibiscus. Sooo pretty.

 We got to see Joey's kids this weekend. So cute.

Jayce got a nice haircut this week

Have a good week dear blog readers.
 

Ramblings...

 Hi Dear Blog Readers...

It's been a stellar summer weekend here in Western NY after a hot week. Work was very busy. I'm so glad I had Friday off.  

Knitting has been slow.  I've been very excited about it and looking at yarn and patterns.  I did NOT like the shawlette I started last week.  I was having trouble with K9 stitches into one stitch. What if I knit 8 or 10?  hahaha.  So I ripped.

I looked around for patterns and though there are hundreds of nice ones, I could not find one I liked. The yarn is so  beautiful, I wanted to showcase all of the colors.  So...I asked Microsoft Copilot to help me create a pattern. I told it the yarn yardage, and that I wanted to showcase the three small skeins.  After a little back and forth came up with something I wanted. A garter shawl, with a lacey pattern for the colors after a lot of increases.  Simple.  I decided to add a little pop of color at the beginning when there were fewer stitches so not to use up a lot of yarn.  Also,  the pattern suggested eyelets that I forgot. I ripped back to start and eyelet row.  Added color.  Make progress and then took a good look. and saw that when I picked up the stitches I picked them up wrong?@#$%^%^  Who messes up garter?  ugh x 10000. So I ripped the whole thing out and have another small start.  

 Ruth went through her stash this week and found a lot (and I mean A LOT) of shetland wool in her colletion.  She has started a sea glass sweater holding the yarn double.  It's going to be fun watching the colors as it gets larger.

 Martha is working on her shawl.  She is decreasing now. I love how it's turning out.

She went this week and found yarn for the Carlina pullover. She had seen the yarn previously and it was calling to her. We all know how that is.

She is going to make hers in bright colors!  I bet it will be really nice and FUN!

 In other news:

Joe went fishing and caught a nice bunch of walleye ! 

 

Mason came he next day and helped him clean them.

 Summer fun!

Joe and I went to Seneca Lake on Friday. It was beautiful.  

I have this flower that closes at night and opens up during the day. It's climbing.

As the day goes on they open up!