Stitching & Listening Outdoors is the Best

I couldn't help but snap another shot of backyard stitching after work yesterday. The yellow puddle of yarn is a Lambkin Lid from Drop Dead Easy Knits. I'm using a Encore DK weight. I like to use sturdy, washable yarn for children.

The sock is Idlewild, also from Drop Dead Easy Knits. The product is cute, but it's a bit tedious of a knit. I'm determined not to let it become a UFO, so I try to knit a few rows every day.

Idlewild is written by one of my favorite designers, Kirsten Kapur. I like her designs so much that I'm going to try a mystery knit-along for the first time. She has a mystery shawl KAL starting June 15. It'll be a bit tricky because I'll have to find a café with WiFi.  Have I mentioned that I'm going to Copenhagen next week?

Don't you love the basket? It's my new way of keeping my focus on just a few projects at a time. Plus, it's easy to carry stuff in and out of the house.

As for listening, I've been making my way through King Leopold's Ghost on Audible. It is devastating and enlightening. It explains why African nations today have so many challenges.

Three more days to summer!

Happy Mother's Day

Whether you are a traditional mother and/or a woman who has nurtured others, I hope you are having a wonderful day.

I started mine by working on The Fair Isle Tassel Hat. A baby project just seemed appropriate. Although I'm simplifying much of the color work, I did have to figure out how to use three colors in one row, a new skill for me.

It is a beautiful day here, so I'm off for a little walk and then on to my parents' place for brunch.

New Season, New Project

Yes, I'll use pretty much anything as an excuse to cast on. I am indeed shameless!

My friend Ilana is pregnant with her second baby. Ilana's mom, Lisa, told me that hats would be appreciated. Here's the funny thing: I met Lisa in Lamaze when I was pregnant with Seth, so I've known Ilana since she was a pre-born! It makes knitting for her extra special.

Today it rained and rained, which was fine because I had a ton of work to do. But yesterday was gorgeous, so I came home on time and found Naji enjoying porch weather:

Or was he keeping an eye on Daddy in case Keith forgot about dinner?

I appreciate a husband who weeds!

It's Time for Some Serious Kitchner Stitch

The Babies & Bears Sweater is ready to be seamed down the back:

The pattern calls for the Kitchner Stitch. I can Kitchner. I have closed up countless socks and a fair number of mittens this way. But this is 36 live stitches -- 72 if you count both sides. My worry is that I'll lose track of where I am. I figure I need to find a time where I will not be interrupted. Easier said than done! And no listing to podcasts.

I still have a long ways to go on this project. I have to knit a border and add a hood. Luckily there is no deadline.

I hope your week is going well. Mine has been unusually uneventful. When you're a special ed teacher, that's a good thing!

Don't forget to comment on this post to be part of the Fall Give-away.

I'm linking up with Frontier Dreams and Small Things.

Back With Knitting

I've been AWL again. This past week, I thought work was going to kill me! I came home every night and was asleep by 6 p.m.! Ridiculous. When I woke up Saturday morning, I realized that the dry throat that had been bothering me was really a sore throat. Yes, I'm a little slow. I was sick all week!

Yesterday was Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Repentance. Sadly, I had to cancel my dinner for that evening; I've been putting a Break Fast for those who actually fast, for more than a decade now. I hated to cancel, but a) it was clear that I didn't have the energy to put on any sort of event; and b) it wouldn't be very nice to spread the germs.

Instead, I spent the day napping and knitting -- not so bad as a consolation prize.

The first piece of the Babies and Bears Sweater is coming along nicely. The yarn is Encore Colorspun worsted, color 7749. My friend Marsha, who has knit countless sweaters, recommends Encore for babies and kids because, she says, it is soft, durable, and washable!

 I'm not knitting for any baby in particular, so I chose the most unisex color I could. I think this white with bluish/green streaks would be OK for a boy or a girl. I do have two pregnant people in my world, so it will definitely have a home when I finish it!

I think I'll make a cup of decaf and catch up with all of you. That's something I can do in bed!

Another Rescue

So my first rescue -- the toe-up sock -- isn't going so well. Instead, I'm working at this one:

I must have started these baby socks 5 or more years ago. I have no idea where the pattern came from, but I'm pretty sure the yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock. It's kind of a strange stitch pattern and it hurts my hands if I work on it for too long. Still, I SO want to finish something!

I haven't been knitting much this past week because I've put in some long days at work. A student's father died unexpectedly, so I went to the funeral that evening. And I was talked into being on the advisory panel that is helping to pick a new principal for next year. I'm actually very nervous about this. I don't want everyone to hate me if we end up with a poor choice! I have to keep reminding myself that the superintendent will make the decision.

This afternoon marks the beginning of spring break and I am sitting in my back yard to blog, even though it isn't really warm enough. Being outside is just too awesome to pass up!

I'll leave you with some signs of spring in my own back yard:

Miter Made

 I never seem to get tired of patterns using mitered squares. I think that you have to love this technique to do it because most patterns require that you knit a lot of them.

Mitered squares make for great TV knitting. Keith and I are just beginning the 3rd season of Breaking Bad, which is helping quite a bit with this baby blanket. Still, I feel a little odd knitting a baby blanket while watching such a dark show!

Not that I've watched one minute of TV this weekend. Cooking and hanging out with family has kept me busy. Last night I got to celebrate Hanukkah with both of my kids, and I was in heaven! 

Is there a technique that you never tire of?

Another Baby Blanket

The gift-knitting extravaganza continues: 

One of my co-workers is expecting a baby in January, so I "had" to start a second baby blanket of the year.

I'm going with a quilt-type look, just plain squares. I finished my last baby blanket in August (also for a co-worker) and it was a log-cabin design. I'm doing mitered squares, which I have done a lot of. I just love them and find that they are fairly mindless.

I'm using the same yarn I did for the last blanket -- Lion Brand Jiffy -- which I love for its thick and sturdy qualities. It has the added bonus of being stash busting --unless I find that my left-over yarn isn't enough and I need to "invest" in more Jiffy.

Mindless knitting does have its drawbacks -- i.e. boredom -- so it's a good thing that Keith and I recently began watching Breaking Bad!