July 21, 2009
I already just love this week – I’m in that drifty summer mood that I remember from my youth – oh, so many eons ago – wherein you simply feel as though there’s nothing pressing that has to be done and life is flowing just as it should be. It might be that I ate my first peach of the summer – thank you, Tamara! – or that I picked my first tomato of the year, or that the windows are open, the birds are singing and I have no commitments today so I can knit as much as I want. This has been my favorite summer in a long time and I really think it’s because it has been cool and reminds me of the summers in the western Pa. mountains where I grew up. We were spoiled children who had nothing to do all summer but read, play, and sleep – lovely long days of roaming the town and the fields, hanging out, daydreaming, just being safe, oblivious, sometimes bored but generally happy, kids. I can’t wait for my second childhood!
A nice box full of Mountain Colors came in last week 
with new colors of Bearfoot and Twizzle and a new laceweight wool/silk blend. I have a skein of the lace on my desk, kind of glowing and beaming at me in the muted light from the window. It definitely wants to be knit and I definitely want to knit it. Is there anything like a new project? I’m in the midst of a seed stitch jacket – yes, every bit of it is seed and it’s taking quite a lot of time and I’m really kind of tired of it and I want to start something new! And since I’m in a child-like frame of mind, I believe I just will.
This is the Danielle coat that I talked about last week, in Berroco’s Sundae yarn. It turned out so very well and the drape is good so it doesn’t feel bulky even in this chunky yarn.
At 2.5 st/inch, it works up pretty fast and there’s no finishing, especially if you splice the yarn ends when you join a ball. Don’t know how? You know where to come!
This is the Roman Stripe scarf in Lang’s Mille Colori Big, with another picture of the yarn colors, too. I just can’t over this yarn – the colors are simply beautiful.
I want a sweater in the 3rd color down – I can’t stay away from grays this year.
Here is a photo that Zena Hafetz sent me from her cell phone of a cute baby blanket with ruffled edges. She added the ruffles to cover up an error – but we’ll never tell, will we, especially when it turned out so darned pretty!
And Julia Olafson modeled her very pretty sweater (Hey Teach from knitty.com) done in Laurel from Schaeffer Yarns. Looks great even without buttons or blocking! (Yes, I made her model it.) (I told you, I’m relentless in pursuit of a good project photo!)
Lori Yatron brought in these two pieces – she was reluctant to let me take a photo but I can’t understand why! She did a beautiful job on the slip-stitch hat and the Seaman’s scarf that Donna Guthrie designed.
They’re beautiful!
And speaking of Donna Guthrie, she is so proud of her pupil Donna Howard who completed her Great American Aran Afghan and brought it in to show others at the last of the classes. It’s gorgeous! Donna the pupil did a fabulous job. The blocks are wonderful, the finishing is lovely and the edging is perfect. Donna the teacher also did a fabulous job – her help
is invaluable in finishing a challenging project like this. She plans to start another series in this afghan in January so if you are inspired, keep it in mind! Here is another look at Donna’s work:
Spectacular!
And in her spare time, Donna Howard also made this Lady Eleanor scarf in entrelac from Silk Garden Sock – and 4 new colors are on their way to the shop as I write!!
I love these colors with Donna’s hair and eyes.
And speaking of hair and eyes (Oh, I’m such a one for the segueways!), here is the newest member of my extended family. Presenting Chloe, my sister’s newest Golden:
If you aren’t saying ‘Awwww…” right now, I don’t even want to know you. She melts my heart and makes me yearn for a puppy of my own. Wouldn’t we have fun housebreaking a puppy at the shop? Oh, well, on second thought…
See you soon!
Trish
