Summer Chevron

This sweater pattern has been driving me around the bend (Summer Chevron from "More Big Girl Knits"). I'm not sure whether to keep ripping out and restarting or whether to give up on the whole thing. I am a bit obssesive compulsive and sometimes I just don't know when to call it a day.

The problem is with the row guage. The chevron pattern knits up too short if I follow directions even with a size 10 US needle (pattern calls for 8US). Looking on Ravelry, other people seem to have had this problem too. When I alter the pattern by knitting more rows, then the underarms are too low when you knit the sides on argghhh...

I think I need to step away from it and pick up my quilt. At least there are no fitting issues with quilts. When you work on a quilt it gets done.

The sun is shining again after days of rain. My lovely teenage daughter is at home doing laundry (I hope). I'm at work, obviously not working, as I'm writing this. Life is good.

Finally Some Color

My little salute to Canada Day and the Fourth of July; red and white for Canada and a blue pot added for America.

My peonies have still not bloomed and here we are into July. All I've got are daisies and petunias for my gardening efforts. The summer is unusually late even for northern Canada.

Here is my daughter in the finished Daily Sweater from Knitting Outside the Lines. There are a rather alarming number of stitch increases in the pattern when beginning the cuff and hem ribbing. Even on smaller needles both edges ended up wavy. I'm thinking they might shrink in the wash and the increases will keep the cuffs from stretching from wear. My daughter thinks its nice and comfortable so I might knit one for myself (1824 cotton, color 404).

Still Waiting For Summer

The grass is finally starting to turn green and the fruit trees are finally flowering in northern Canada. I'm still waiting on my peonies to mature enough to bloom however and the water is still too cold to swim in at the lake. I know this because I almost froze my ankles and feet off trying to help husband launch the fishing boat on the weekend. I think kids would chance it. They don't seem to feel the cold water at all.

Here is the second quilt I ever made (13 years ago). I had no money so used whatever fabric I had on hand. It is machine quilted but now that I've rescued it from the linen closet I think I'll add a little more hand quilting.

These are our new deck chair cushions which husband picked out. At first I was a little annoyed that I hadn't been consulted but I think he picked the right ones. Quite nice for Canadian Tire merchandise.

UFO's

My next quilting project is a medallion quilt that I'm designing as I go (on the left). The sweater is from the book "Mason Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines". I am knitting it with 1824 Cotton. The pattern is knit from the top down making fitting (and finishing) a snap.

First Entry

This is the beginning of my knitting, quilting, sewing blog. I love things that are folky, primitive old fashioned or rustic. I'm on a mission to "feather my nest" with hand-made items. Our home is quite the hodge podge of antiques, modern furniture, and modern art.

The irony is that all this "feathering" is happening at a very odd time in my life. My daughter is ironically going to boarding school just as I am having more time to create the kinds of things we both love. She also loves old fashioned, rustic things and is quite a good little knitter and sewer (just finished her first sock, and it fits!). Our dream is to live in a house filled with home made items.

I'm hoping that she'll check out my creative diary every once in a while so she can see what Mom is up to. With this hope, I will be addressing my blog entries to Dear Lyndy starting in September. Even if she doesn't visit very often it will make me feel more connected with her and I'd love others to visit as well. Hopefully I'll have something worthwhile to share.