Knittinggarden

We try to go on a hike on Sunday mornings and today was a good one.  Here in Palm Desert the mountains seem to come right down to the road, so it's not hard to find a hiking trail near home.  The trails nearest us are very popular this time of year and get pretty crowded, so we usually go a little farther afield.  This morning we drove about 20 minutes away to the place I call my favorite hike.  You just park and pretty much start walking uphill, then decide whether to continue on a road to the top, or veer off in another direction onto a smaller trail. Today we decided to go check out a new dam that was being built during the last couple of years and is finished now.  It was quite a project and now protects the main highway between all of the little cities here (Hwy 111) from washing out every time there's significant rain. We struck out to the left and went around the side of the hill until we arrived at a vantage point above the dam.  Then we decided...

The trouble with waiting so long between posts is that there's too much to say so consequently I don't say anything.  As I go through my week, I take photos and write posts in my head.  Unfortunately, the ones I really like go to a quick Instagram post and never make it here.  Every so often someone (my sister today) will check my blog and let me know that it's way behind.  So here I go trying to catch up again. The last post showed my newly spun blue and white yarn.  That yarn quickly turned into this pair of socks.  Knitting socks with handspun usually goes quickly since it tends to be a little thicker than commercial fingering weight yarn.  I'm happy with them.  I just did a regular vanilla sock with a Fish Lips Kiss heel.  I made these toe up to make sure I had enough yarn and reinforced my dislike of toe up sock knitting. While we're talking about spinning, I spun a batt that I bought at Stitches West last year.  I separated...

I finished a skein of yarn, the first I've done since last summer.  After the Tour de Fleece, I had a bit of a lull.  I had a big problem chain plying a braid of FiberOptic which I had over spun.  I left it in time out for a couple of months and it finally cooperated, but it's not fun when your spinning seems like work. My Corriedale was the opposite; even though it was about 7 years old, it spun wonderfully.  I split it into the three colors and then did a true three ply.  The grey ran out first so I didn't quite get the yardage I had hoped for, but it might be enough for a pair of socks.  I probably should do them toe up to take advantage of all the yardage and I really don't like doing them that way.  Brings me back to the handspan socks I made last spring which were very uncooperative and still don't fit right. I'm almost finished with my baby sweater and thankfully it's looking like I won't run out of yarn.  I decided to make a larger...

We're all excited now because the Seahawks have stepped up their game and are headed back into the playoffs.  Of course, I'm not surprised since I expected it all along....  We had a great time last weekend when we drove over to Phoenix and went to the Cardinals game.  Such a fun time, especially since we were surrounded by other 12s and we won.  Go Hawks! In other news, I finished the infinity cowl I was making for Ms. Hollywood and when I gave it to her, she put it on and wore it the rest of the day.  That's the kind of person it's fun to knit for. I started working on Sock Yarn Blankie #2 a little more and am loving it again.  I have another one on the needles in Seattle so hopefully one day I'll have one finished for each kid.  (Don't tell Mr. Hollywood, as he wants his to be the only one.) I've started another project for Baby B, and am continuing with the stripes on our new desert blanket. Oh, and I've spun the singles on t...

Best wishes for a happy, healthy 2016 to all.  Our day started off nicely with a walk in the sunshine.  We have new desert landscaping in front of our condo development (drought, ya know; finally getting rid of some grass which is awesome.)  I love the baby palm trees (not really babies, probably, but I don't know the variety.) I spent the last few minutes collecting fiber to spin for my 2016 Spin the Bin with a group on Ravelry.  I'm challenging myself a bit this year; nothing like what some people do, however.  I've missed spinning and don't think I've touched a wheel since last summer.  Here are the fibers I selected: My Lendrum is all cleaned up and is sporting one of her new snazzy bobbins.  My bin is full and I'm going to start with one of my oldest fibers, which is Corriedale that I probably bought in 2008 right after I took a lesson on the drop spindle. I hope your year brings you everything you wish for!

Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, and an early Happy New Year! We had a lovely quiet Chanukah, as we have to enjoy visits from kids as they can get away from work.  Everyone growing up and scattering plays havoc with family holidays!  It's also strange to have sunny weather at Christmastime.  It's a little cooler than normal this year but we still look at sunshine and palm trees most of the time.  I had a vision of what it is supposed to be like, courtesy of a decorated yard nearby that included (fake) snow. We had our designated shelf for sparkly lights, candles, and the menorah.  I keep it there until Jan. 1 or so because I love the lights.  I also put some blue and white lights on our bushes outside and we've been enjoying them, too.  It doesn't take much to make me happy!  Latkes on the bbq help, too. We had a surprise visit from the Princess, Prince Charming, and our granddog, Olive. They had a few days off work and decided to ...

Knit, knit, knit, rip, rip, rip....if I just did each project once, I'd be much more prolific.  Oh well, it's the process, right? So here's the scoop since last month.  I made a pair of baby socks in Seahawks colors for Baby B, who now has been officially revealed as a boy.  Apparently he will be a big boy, though, so I think bigger socks will be on the needles soon.  There are other things I want to make for him (and something I've finished) but I won't post them here until they're done and delivered. Don't want to spoil any surprise (not that his parents read my blog, but you never know.) I'm making another baby present for a mom-to-be I know here in the desert.  I found some Cascade 128 Superwash  in pinks (she's having a girl) and am making a basketweave pattern for a blanket.  The yarn shop only had four skeins, so I need to hurry and figure out whether I have enough or if I'll need another skein.  This has to be done by the shower d...