mmmm....almost

so the intent was to do nothing but knit on monday, which was the memorial day holiday.

though i did knit some, it definitely wasn't a whole day of knitting. i puttered; i did a little of this or a little of that, always with the same intent, "as soon as i finish this, i will sit and knit". but i did not quite get there until we went to supper at a friends house and then i was able to just sit and knit.

but i did make some bread to take for supper. this bread was not as chock a block full of good things as wish i were baking puts in his bread; the kids don't tolerate much more than a bit of white whole wheat; along with the bread being some sort of sourdough! but i had not baked bread in quite a few years; the house smelled of rising and baking bread. the family remembered how much they loved that smell and the bread. it was great fun.

since i forgot to save some dough for a levain, i will have to bake some more bread. some friends just bought their first home a few blocks from us. i think i will bake another batch as a home welcoming gift and walk it over. i almost feel like donna reed!

yes, but what about the knitting?

i am so itching to start a new project. just the thrill of casting on a new yarn for a newly selected pattern. but i am trying to stay focused on finishing the projects that have been languishing on my needles for awhile. sigh. so much for new yarn and new patterns.

the project i have been working on the most is my sweet friend's pink tennis skirt out of sierra from cascade yarns. i took it to nyc and got a bit of it done on the flights, but since i am truly wanting to finish it, it is now accompanying me everywhere. the first 4 inches (10.2 cm) was a k2 p1 rib, but after that it has been just plain knitting in the round which makes it an easy to take everywhere project. i am about 1/3 of the way done and it looks pretty cute. the current goal is to have it done and wearable by the big guy's high school graduation next month. we'll see.

the next project i am working on is my cute husbands socks out of the chocolate and white lorna's laces. the pattern is from sensational knitted socks. i had my hesitations on using a fingering weight yarn, but this is knitting up pretty smoothly. plus the yarn is so wonderful to knit with, i find i am really enjoying it.

still on the needles is the cowl. it, too, is an easy knit and can be taken everywhere. but since it also is endless knitting in the round, between it and the pink tennis skirt, it is a little to much knitting in the round. coupled with the fact that i won't need this until next winter and that i can knit and knit and feel like it isn't getting any longer!

also on the needles is the flying v scarf from exquisite little knits. it is being worked up in mohair frappe from crystal palace. this is a gift from last christmas that is consistently left at the bottom of the knitting pile. it is quite an easy knit, if i would just spend some time with it, it could be finished relatively quickly.

and last but not least is the feathery lace stole also from exquisite little knits. this is being knit out of eggplant misty alpaca. for some reason, i have to really concentrate on the lace pattern, though it is quite easy. and since i have to concentrate on it, it makes this project difficult to knit in social situations. which is making this a very slow knit. i find i need alone time in order to work on it. the trick being, i need those needles for other projects! so guess i better find some alone time.

though i am knitting on all of the above projects pretty consistently, i have this agreement with myself that once i finish one of the above projects, i can decide what to make with the louisa harding suri ribbon yarn and cast on. i would really like a little something light and lacy to wear during the warm summer months. guess i better get knitting!

another sunday

there are many things going on in the world, some heart breakingly sad, others tremendously heart warming. either of these can stop us in our tracks, inspire us to reassess and to continue moving on as best we can.

as women/mothers we take our take our strength and talent for granted. yet there is rarely a knitting site or blog that i am not inspired by in some way.

and so on this sunday that is set aside to honor mothers, my best wishes to all mothers everywhere, as we bring our creative best to our children, families and friends.

and the seasons, they go round and round...

it doesn't seem quite so long ago, but it has been 18 years since the big guy came into our lives. the very long labor should have clued me into his temperament, it takes him forever to make a decision. he has to look at all the options before he comes to a conclusion. kind of reminds me of someone i know.

but he is a really good person...he is kind and considerate and giving; he honors his commitments and treats people respectfully; he is well liked.

today he has crossed the precipice from being a teenage boy to being a young man. soon he will be on to other adventures that won't always include his father or i. all i can do is hope he is safe and well during these journeys. and be here when he needs me to be.

happy birthday, big guy. thanks for the best adventure ever.

knitting with the dali lama

this past weekend the dali lama was in san francisco for two days of teaching and one day of public speaking. though we are not tibetian buddhists, my cute husband and i attended the two days of teaching.

as i usually do, i carried some knitting with me. i chose to bring the cowl i was knitting out of the taupe ry cashsoft dk. it is just plain knitting in the round, nothing to count or keep track of, just endless knitting in the round for 12.5 inches (31.8 cm) on size 5 (3.75 mm) needles.

so i would knit while standing in line waiting to get into the teachings; i would knit once i was inside waiting for the teachings to start and i would knit when the teachings became difficult for me to understand and i needed to balance it out with something i knew.

i got quite a bit of knitting done. and i don't think the dali lama minded a bit!