Uncle Leona's Day Camp

VAY CAY BAY BEE!!!!

Ultimately, I will have this view:

I just have to wait another 48 hours or so. Vacation, however, has officially begun. My brain has been on vaycay for at least a week, however; the body just joined up today.

It wouldn't be a year without a top down pullover

I will be going on a long overdue vacation later this week, so it was time to get the mindless non-sock project underway. As always, it's a top down pullover. This one will be of the short sleeve variety; I'm using Artful Yarns Candy, which I found out in Arizona earlier this year.

This is a nice yarn to work with, but I have to be careful not to stretch it too much (it does have a little spring to it). The colors are so pretty; I'm hopeful I'll be able to wear it before the summer is done. Knowing my luck, after the hotter than hell season we've had so far, I'll finish this top and greet the coldest August on record.

That's why there's wool.

LYS's should not have sales. There, I've said it. Despite having more yarn than Imelda Marcos has pumps, I headed off to the 30% off yarn sale at one of our local fiber crack outlets. I was really close to only purchasing an Addi Turbo, but then this caught my eye:

Gorgeous Colinette Giotto--the color is awesome. And, yes, the little chachkies alongside the ribbon have a purpose. I think I'm going to start this project today. It should go quickly. As for the new yarn,

Kato is far more intrigued by its bag.

Oh, vacation, you may ask? I'm heading up to Nova Scotia (River John, to be exact) for a week with my whole family (parents, brother, sister-in-law, and my niece and nephew). It should be good for several laughs. I haven't been to Nova Scotia in about 30 years, so I'm looking forward to it. Any must-see shops? Any must-try restaurants? Inquiring minds want to know!!

Nothing like a sweater you can finish in a week

When everyone was jumping on the poncho wagon, I figured I had to make one. Forget the fact that I LIVED through the first go 'round of that gawdawful piece of clothing back in the 70's and believed the thing looked dorky back then.

In some blissfully unaware stash-swelling haze, I purchased some Arucania Cotton in a nice golden yellow and plowed ahead. I finished it.

Big shock. It still looked dorky.

It was frogged. The balls were sitting in the cabinet waiting for me to feel the need to speed through a project on size 10.5's. That need hit soon after I finished up the shawl. Thanks to Designs by Judith, I whipped up this pullover in a little over a week:

Just a simple little drop shoulder construction--rectangles for the sleeves, back, and most of the front. It's not the fanciest thing in the world, but it looks better than the poncho.

And it opens up space in the cabinet to shove this stuff in:

I finished spinning and plying that two pounds of blue face leicester I got at Fiberfest. I now have enough for my project. I think. The suspense is killing you, isn't it???

It's hurricane season, and that can only mean one thing...

Katie, bar the door...it's Cantore Time!!

I love Jim Cantore. He makes severe weather so sexy. One would think that local meteorologists would take a lesson or two from the man. Locally, we're graced with a guy whose AMS Seal of Approval came on a stone tablet (I'm 43 years old; I've never seen any other main weather guy on this particular network), two guys who were clearly geeky honor students (one wears his hurricane tie when the weather looks to be rough), and a collection of weekend characters with weight issues or speech impediments.

Cleveland weather needs to be Cantore-ized!! Who's with me??

I'm going to go wipe off drool now.

Still life with cat and sandals

Yup, that's the blocked Spirit of the Southwest in all of its soggy glory. Woo hoo!! The last knitting was completed on Friday while I was up on Kelleys Island. I may never have been so glad to finish a project in my life. Now, I get to do big yarn. Like DK weight or something.

My goal up at the island this weekend was to spin like a madwoman and make a dent in my fiber supply. That mission was accomplished and then some on Saturday, where I spent a good 7 or 8 hours outside listening to music, enjoying nature, and spinning. The raspberry box of fluff is now all spun up into about 1200 yards of yummy yarn:

I think there's enough here for a simple top-down pullover. This could be a project for my trip to Canada this month.

I also finished spinning and plying the Blueberry Rhubarb Pie roving:

This goes in the pile of my chunky weight homespun. Next up, my latest eBay coup:

This is from Linden Lane Farm. She referred to it as "Sorbet Roving." It's in the most pretty shades of yellow, orange, and pink--very subtle. Whether I go chunky or DK on this one is anyone's guess at the moment.

Chunky is so much quicker to spin...

Is it me, or does the world have PMS?

I hope all of you across the pond are OK--when will this end?? Why must the innocents be victims when the issues are so further up the political food chain?

I know. Unanswerable questions for those of us with morals.

Hopes and prayers for London.

Border Patrol

I made it. I am halfway through with the border for the Spirit of the Southwest!! First of all, one must admire the last lace pattern, the Rabbit Lace:

Awwwwwww.... OK, so it is cute. That pattern had pain in the ass written all over it. So what's new? A lot of this shawl's patterning was a pain in the ass. The border, however, has been pretty reasonable (and pretty fast, I may add). Here's a little example:

Half a border and one very long I-cord on the other edge, and this puppy is ready to have the crap blocked out of it. Then it's back to normal knitting. I am yearning for big yarn.

I did get a little bit of spinning done over the holiday weekend. The fiber is from Toyapalooza on eBay, who does all sorts of crazy color combos. This one is wool, sparkly stuff, and some other junk (no, I didn't take notes--it was a holiday).

Kato likes it.

Up close, you can sorta see the sparkly stuff:

Contrary to most of my spinning, I DO have a clue as to what this will be used for. There's still some spinning to do, though, including this stuff:

This is Blueberry Rhubarb Pie from Holly Spring Homespun. All wool--should look pretty when I get it spun.

What am I going to do with this stuff??? Stay tuned. For a while.