Photo Friday: Wheat

Summer Preview and A Case of Indecision

(A blurry Icarus... how 'bout some sunshine?)

Although the weather hasn’t been much like summer around here (at least not the sort of summer I’m used to) all of a sudden it’s about to be June! This summer I am looking forward to a big birthday party for my mom, a visit from my grandparents and several chances to visit with and/or go camping with my in-laws. We are also still planning our “official” vacation – usually 10 days of car camping in the Utah/Arizona desert. And can I also say that I am really looking forward to NOT moving this summer? Here’s to the thought of spending more than a year in the same home. Really, change can be invigoration and exciting, but after three moves and three job changes in three years I’m ready for a rest.

I know the blog has been quiet lately, in part that is because the long term project knitting bug has bitten me, and I’m a s-l-o-w knitter. I have worked pretty steadily on my mom’s birthday shawl the past couple of months. I still need to finish it up, but I am now seriously considering what I want to knit myself to wear for her party. As I mentioned, I have a dress picked out and some matching yarn. I'm trying to figure out what sort of wrap/shrug/shawl looks best. Here’s a glimpse into my current dilemma decision making process:

Swiss Cheese Scarf
Pros: The circle motif would be fun to carry from the dress into the wrap. I have plenty of yardage. Several people have knit this in a similar weight cotton and worked out some tips for tightening up the loose stitches (thank you Ravelry!).
Cons: I’m swatching right now and the constant casting on is making me crazy! Crazy! Cotton is difficult because it lacks the flexibility (and fuzziness) of wool that helps everything even up. A wrap this color and style will also be less likely to get used with anything but the dress.

Cloud Bolero
Pros: Can be adjusted to get the right length for good torso coverage. Very cute pattern.
Cons: Will have to readjust for different gauge. Final product will only be worn with dress. No arm coverage (after the time in the desert you know I’ll have a funny looking tan). Prefer not to have any extra fabric under my arms.

Ella (triangular version)
Pros: Triangle wrap will have great coverage. I think the straight edge will compliment the style of the dress (as opposed to the points on the Shetland Triangle for instance). I wear triangle shawls fairly frequently.
Cons: I may want a pattern that is a little more open. The cotton yarn is actually pretty heavy and I don’t want to smother in the July heat.

So I think the Cloud Bolero is out of the running for now (though it is in my queue) and I probably want a fairly open triangular shawl pattern. Although my Swiss Cheese swatch may win me over if it blocks well. Any suggestions?

Photo Friday: Red

And now I'm off to make some strawberry freezer jam...

Box Lady

Living far, far from everywhere can make "specialty item" procurement an intensive process. In the last small town I lived in I didn't find it particularly surprising when I couldn't find a book, CD or yarn locally. Since moving here the list of items has only grown... imagine my surprise when I discovered that I would have to drive half an hour to buy ground pork! Naturally this has resulted in a constant flow of boxes to our house. Vacuum tubes, books, capacitors, yarn, fiber and dye of various colors... all our little necessities arrive by mail. This makes checking the PO box one of highlights of my day.

Exhibit A:Today's Haul. The box on the right is the latest installment of Hello Yarn fiber club. The rest is Mr. M's loot.

I think my insistence on walking to the post office both baffles and amuses the ladies that work there. Since I'm a cheapskate, I got the smallest PO box possible, which means I constantly get little slips of paper telling me to come to the counter to pick up all the things that won't fit. The postmaster knows me by name now. They must wonder how my house isn't completely filled up to the brim (I wonder too sometimes).

Refresh

I'm in the midst of a blog make-over; please bear with me. I've had some fun revamping the header and next I should probably tidy up my categories... if only I wasn't afraid that blogger will eat all my posts...

Fiber Friday: Locks

Some washed Merino X Romney locks. A soft, wonderfully crimped bit of fleece with a blend of chocolate and cinnamon hues. Thank you Desiree!

[A better photo of the lock structure here... *wistful sigh*]