Back in Town!

Whew! I’m back home from a very busy few weeks of travel.

First, I went to the The Greenbrier with my mom and my sister.

It was very relaxing and a lot of fun. Those of you who are crafters and fans of COLOR would find the interiors there amazing.

Next, I went to Colorado with my husband.

James’ brother moved to Denver a few months ago, so we spent some time with him and went out to the mountains for a few days. I don’t know if I was hallucinating because of the altitude, or if the sky really was INCREDIBLY blue, but it is a beautiful place.

Of course, I had such an action-packed time that I didn’t do much knitting. I’m only about a third of the way through Orangina.

It’s starting to get cooler here, so I might put Orangina into hibernation and get cracking on my fall knits. I’m ready for wool again!

Too hot for wool

After a wet and cool June and July, it is finally hot here.  Too hot for wool.

I’m just about to start the lace charts on Seraphim, so this is a good time to put it down for a little bit. I’m going on a trip with my mom and my sister, so I need to pack SOMETHING good to knit.

So I finally started Orangina. I’ve been meaning to make this top for years. I think I can finish while it’s still hot out!

Purple Ishbel

I LOVE it.

Pattern: Ishbelby Isolda Teague
Yarn: Tosh Sock, in Clematis, 1.5 skeins
Size: I made an extra-large version. The stockinette portion in the large size has 48 stitches more than the small version, so I did mine with 48 stitches more than the large version. I worked the lace charts as follows: A, B, A, B, A, B, A, C, D, E.

As I was knitting it, I was concerned that the color variation would obscure the lace pattern, but I don’t think it did at all.

It’s such a wonderful purple color, I think it will look dynamite as a scarf with my black winter coat.  I hereby declare this project to be a success.

So hey, want to see a cute kitty picture?

I thought so.

Finish one shawl, start another

I finished knitting Ishbel last night.

I haven’t started blocking it yet, and I’m not sure I will today. It’s been so disgustingly humid here that it will take forever to dry, so I need to think carefully about where I’ll pin it out.

My Ishbel is extra large (details in the FO post to follow) so I used about 1.5 skeins of Tosh Sock. I have an additional skein of Tosh Sock in Logwood (a lovely mottled lavender) which I was planning on using for the ever-popular Monkey Socks. I’m not a big sock gal though (which is why I’m the only knitter left who’s never finished a Cookie A pattern) so I’d been having second thoughts.

The light purple Logwood looks so great with the deep purple Clematis that I have left over that I feel like I must combine them in some sort of colorwork project. Despite my French heritage and the Scottish family I married into, berets and tams don’t seem to work out for me. Nonetheless, I’m drawn to Selbu Modern.

I realized after posting my August Update the other day that I ought to start my red project if I am going to keep up with Project Spectrum.  The yarn overs before the feathers start on the Seraphim Shawl have always reminded me of sparks coming off a fire.  I’m really channeling the fire element by knitting my Seraphim in red.

This is Malabrigo Sock in Tiziano Red. Yum!

August Update

Can you believe it’s August already?  I spent most of June and July focused on my internship at a law firm, so I didn’t do much crafting.  July ended with an offer to come back to the firm full time once I’m done with law school, which makes me VERY happy.  I don’t go back to school until the 31st so I have a full month to relax and travel and knit.  Bliss.

So, where were we?

I’ve been chipping away on Babette

I didn’t feel like working on the purple Ishbel after the frenzy of making the yellow Ishbel, but I’ve picked it up again and now I’m on the lace portion.

I’m also knitting a Dotty Cat Bed for the kitty.

Speaking of the kitty, she is very cute and says hello.

I hope you’ve all been doing well!