2 FOs, 1 more started

I've finished the small pair of socks, and I've started a matching (sort of) large pair. I'm really pleased that I was able to match the patterning across the ankle. This will be a joint Christmas present - yes, I've started early because I'm hoping to knit something for everybody and this will take some time!

I've also finished the pink linen tank top. It's just the same as the natural linen one I did last year - same yarn, same pattern, but I modified the lace border at the bottom. The neck looks a little loose - if it feels wrong when I wear it a few times, I might redo the crocheted edging and make it a little tighter. But I really like this pattern, and the top looks good under an open blouse or over a turtleneck. I won't wear a sleeveless top by itself - gotta hate those arm wings. How come some women have lovely slender arms until they're 90, and other like me get wings when they're 40? And I'm not really overweight either - well, maybe 5 pounds or so.

I started another lacy scarf. This is the same pattern as the rose Rowan Silk Haze I made a few months ago. The pattern is easy - only one lace row in every four. This is a good project for traveling because it's on circular plastic needles and there's no problem taking it on a flight.

I'm going to Minnesota to see S3 and his family over the Fourth of July weekend, and this will be coming with me. I wanted to get a small head start on it so I could get the pattern memorized again before I leave. I'm taking a ball of colorful yarn, some needles, and an easy pattern for a headband, and maybe the grand-girls will knit with me. I also hope to get up to Excelsior for an hour or two to do some antiquing. Big doings in that area last weekend - the LPGA US Open was held on a golf course not too far from S3's house.

Butterflies and Socks

This is the lace butterfly made for me by D2 for Mom's Day. I have mounted it on a piece of floral tapestry and framed it in an embroidery hoop, and it hangs in my bathroom. The tapestry actually looks better in person, and why is it the butterfly looks off-center in the picture when it looked perfectly straight when I framed it. Must be the camera.... I love it, and it looks perfect on my trellis wallpaper.

I have made a sock! This is the first sock I've knitted since I made a pair of argyles for my first husband about 45 years ago (yes, really, and I think he wore them once.) It was fun knitting with the variegated yarn, and now I have to make another one. I think everybody is getting socks for Christmas. Family, beware of the dreaded Sock-Grammie!

Vermont Ferry

This past weekend Hubster and I drove (well, he drove) up to Vermont - almost to the Canadian border) to visit with his daughters. I took my camera, but forgot to take pictures. The only pictures I took were on the ferry ride across Lake Champlain from Vermont to New York. Here they are. It was an absolutely beautiful day - sunny, breezy, warm.

We made a few stops along the way so I could shop for antiques. I could have stayed longer in Hudson, NY, but Hubster was hungry and didn't like any of the cafes that we saw in the antiques/art district of Warren Street. We got home in time to watch the last few holes of the US Open - there is a playoff today between Tiger (who else) and Rocco Mediate (he's really cute, but it's such a silly name).

At the Knitting Guild meeting on Thursday, I won about 20 magazine issues in the raffle, and managed to scan through almost all of them on the drive. I tore out the patterns and articles I wanted to save (quite a few, actually), and tossed the rest. I'm not in "save everything" mode anymore. I also did a few more inches on the peach scarf, and helped Hubster's daughter with her knitting project too. She's a passionate knitter, and it's fun to share the passion. I gave his other daughter the "Learn to Knit" I won at the KG auction - we'll see if that catches fire with her.

Not Much New

I still haven't started the Sunrise Circle Cardigan that I bought the beautiful Debbie Bliss yarn for. I think it's because I still want to have it to look forward to. In the meantime, I'm through with the knitting for the pink linen tank top. I have to sew the side and shoulder seams, and crochet an edging around the armholes and neckline. Maybe tonight while watching Antiques Roadshow. This is what it looks like so far.

Since I'm procrastinating this tank top sewing, I started a scarf for a Christmas present. My friend Beth loved this color when she saw me making afghan squares for Warm Up America with it, so I set it aside for a scarf for her. The pattern is from Debbie Macomber's knitting booklet that corresponds to her novel "A Good Yarn". It's called Vera's scarf, a character in the book.

And here's a picture of our condo lawn with the grass finally starting to come in. Hubster is out watering everywhere almost every day - luckily we've had quite a few days of rain lately so he's gotten a break. He's the condo association president so he has taken on the responsibility of grass growth maintenance. Very few of the other 23 owners have a sprinkler/hose or the desire to water their own patch of lawn - they're happy to let someone else do it. You can see a hose in the picture below, and the rhodendrons are in bloom.

I know that's why people buy condos - so they won't have to do maintenance - but a few others (like me) have small gardens and still love to get out and dig. I'm very happy today to see that my peonies popped into bloom overnight.

And finishing off with a view of the hostas I planted all down the side of our unit. Big ones, small ones, all shades of green and white. This gets shade almost all day, and the hostas love it here.