Finally, A Drink

This one's a blender drink. They were so good, we drank a little too much out prior to the picture, so they aren't as pretty as they should have been.

1 banana
1 peach
double shot of OJ
double shot of milk
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
double shot of light rum

We just pretended it was sunny and didn't add ice. They were amazing. The milk and OJ combo gives the peach banana kind of a Creamsicle edge. Sooo tasty. And that brown mess down bottom? That's my next design project. Something super simple and textured.

To be honest, there have been other drinks. I just haven't been very good about blogging about them or having my camera nearby when the drinks were on hand. In fact, last weekend up in Maine, we drove up to freshly shaken cosmos in beautiful red martini glasses - call that service - and - also so very pretty. But I'd just gotten out of the car when they asked if I needed to photograph them. Nope, I just wanted to drink them.

Then, at dinner the next night, a friend took took one look at the dinner table full of lobster and bottles of wine and said, "Hey, you should blog about this!" Again, I just wanted to hang so you don't get to see the table and I don't get to tell you about the wines.

These are friends, who by the way, don't knit and don't read either my blog or any other blog, but still know I'm the nut who photographs drinks before enjoying them. Occasionally I'll style the tabletop and I've been caught in public doing so, which always leads to some explanation for the newbie.

Sometimes my knowing friends "pose" with their drinks for me, offering themselves up as blog bait, which I never take. I know full well when I'm being mocked, yes I do. And I have my own blogging agenda which will not be altered by their whims or desire for knitting blog fame. But it doesn't stop em. Do your non knitting friends do this to you?

In fact, my family has been entertaining themselves at my expense lately by suggesting I start a secondary blog. It's about all the great public toilets I find out in the world. See, I'm a woman who had kids without the C section. And I drink coffee in the morning, water during the day and booze at beer thirty, so I find it's important to know the spots. You all understand, don't you? There's not always a big lead time anymore so one must be prepared.

Yes, I am good at tracking 'em down or seeing the options from afar - only because I have to be. But no, I DO NOT want to start the Potty Blog, as they continually suggest every time we're somewhere new and I pull a bathroom out of my hat. No no no. I'm walking down the pier in Old Orchard Beach this weekend, Maya and Craig hot on my heels, dictating text to me about the spanking new restroom I found out by the parking lot. Granted, it's hard to find an clean new one at the cheesy beach pier, and I did pick a winner out there by the car. Totally cracking themselves up, they were. "Take pics of the outsides and then the actual toilets. It'll be great!" "Give a rating system - one sheet of toilet paper, two sheets of toilet paper...." "Reviews" "Distance points"

Yep, shut the fuck up. or no more knits for you.

BTW, Why can't the men have the babies?? They can secret pee almost anywhere.

Anyways, my camera was still in the car and I wasn't about to go get it - either for the lobster or the Old Orchard Beach Restroom (which was a great find, I'll admit).

Anyways, moving onto plans for next week, when life off the screen and blog will take over. Here are a few knits to take to Denmark. I don't think I'll be taking the new design project, since it's sweater sized.

Instead, some beautiful Shuibui sock yarn for kid mittens and a big skein of cream colored cashmere merino to make a Juno out of. I'm thinking Juno is the perfect travel knit since it's only one skein, has some detail at the beginning (a plane ride) a long boring middle (sightseeing and hanging out) and then more detail at the end (another plane ride).

I might just check in again before Sunday.

What i did on my Summer Vacation...

Well, not my entire vacation, but here's how I spent the rainy part.

For now, I'm calling this my Fall Design -- it's based on a sweater I saw and coveted in a Lucky Magazine a few seasons back for like $300. This is why I loooove the knitting. See it? Love it? Just make it.

I changed a million things from the original, which, for the money, was NEVER going to look good on me. It was made out of big mustard colored chunky yarn. Enough said. And it had a thick woven cable on the body and arms - enough said there too. I need more of a horizontal design, and slimmer cables.

I didn't like the shoulder lines on the magazine one either -- the collar went way out to the arm and it looked like it had raglan shaping -(the pic was small). Being short and curvy with boobs, I need fitted shoulders and a thinner collar. I also wanted some ribs and some seed stitch on the sides ( both for the rest in thinking while I knit and because I think that would make sizing easy if I decide to write this up ;-))



Anyways, a few years and about 20 notebook pages later, here we go.

It's knit out of Debbie Bliss Merino Aran, and took every bit of the 12 skeins I'd had in my stash. I had maybe 3" leftover. The yarn (now discontinued)? It's a lovely chocolate color, a little sheeny, soft and amazing on the hands. It should wear well and pill very little (am guessing here, but I think I'm right - based on my extensive yarn feeling and wearing experiences)

But -- Debbie discontinued it. If I write this puppy up, I'm going to suggest either Berrocco Pure Merino or Karabella Aurora 8 - or a sub from Webs. I also think it could be cool in an Aran tweed like Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran or the amazing Queensland Kathmandu.

I need to put a little invisible button on the inside so the bottoms stay lined up, but you can see how it looks here. With a sundress.

And you know, it can stop raining now, since I'm done knitting -- We leave for our big trip in 6 days. Woo hoo. Just a few more things to do. When I get off the computer. ha.

For vacation knitting, I'll bring a pattern all written up by another knitter so I don't have to think. A big lacy scarf with an easy repeat. I've brought Cherry Fizz from Twist and am also thinking of something I can do an alpaca wrap out of... After all, there are two long plane trips. With multiple legs. And I broke down and got Maya that DS, so the kids will be happybusy.

A drink later.

Way Busy

I can't believe it's almost the 4th! Been getting ready for our long July trip and trying to stay sane in the rain over here.

The beach worked out just fine -- it started foggy, but as the morning wore on it became apparent we chose the one sunny day to go, so we stayed put from 9am all the way till 5pm - missed Karate and everything. No one was leaving once the sun showed up. Since then, it's been rainy.

Except yesterday afternoon, when we decided to gamble again.

We ended up with a somewhat cloudy afternoon at our local pond beach - a bonus since you get the whole joint to yourselves. Since it's literally a block away from our house, we figured we'd stay put. And I had a project to get moving.

Just look how that paid off!

These are coming to Denmark next weekend.

Before we leave, I'm trying to get through the brown cabled number. Just a little more neckline to go and I'll share. My goal is to get it written and charted before I leave, and I'm hoping to find test knitters in August. It takes about 1200 yds of aran merino - or aran tweed. If you're interested and have some in your stash, drop me a comment with your email. I'll need knitters who are comfy with cables and short rows!

Or you might want to wait and see what it looks like first.

Sorry, no drinks this time. Been too busy!

Just a FYI,
I'll be taking the links to purchase patterns off my blog temporarliy (July 11 - Aug 5), since I can't be sure what computer access I'll have or want in Europe. Instead, anyone who wants can purchase on Ravelry where the download is automatic.

:-)

getting there.

The mitt on top is another gift. Matches the stashy hat.
I won't say anything more about the cardigan yet, since just by showing this kind of fuzzy, sort of crappy photo I'm breaking about 100 indie knit designer rules about secrecy on Patterns In Progress.

There's rumors of a sunny day today. Rumors, mind you. Still wet and gray out, but a hint of brightness in the sky and nothing falling from above. We're going to live dangerously. My sister's on her way over and we're off to the beach.

I'll let you know how this brainstorm works out.

Need a Pattern AND some Buttons?

A while back I went over to the New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival and saw a number of faces I recognize from this little screen here. It was a blast. And one of those little faces was Claudia's. She likes orange, knits beautiful things, and every year, she rides her bike a waaaaay long distance to raise money for MS and has an related contest on her blog.

She's been doing the MS bike ride here in MA for the past I-dont-know-how-many years and to benefit the National MS Society, and for the same amount of years, she does an amazing giveaway. I'm not just saying so. Look at the prizes. She's got stuff I (you) (we all) want.

So anyways, we got to talking at the Fair there and I offered to put up a few prize packages to add to this fabulous previously mentioned Prize Basket. I've been completely wrapped up in Life lately, but I just popped over to her blog and saw that the race is this weekend, the basket is loaded, and the time to donate is dwindling.

Check it out and give the girl a little support - after all, the way it's going, she's going to be pedaling in more, yes RAIN, the poor thing.

5 Winners will get one of my patterns plus a pack of vintage buttons in the color of their choice. For those of you that don't know, I have a collection of thousands of vintage buttons - all sizes, shapes and kinds - and I'll do my best to pick what you might use or want out of 'em. Other winners will be walking away with yarn, books, kits, some gorgeous FOs. bags, stitch markers, and even woofy slippers!

Better than Mine

I'm all done with brown cables as of this afternoon - am going to do a few small cables on the wrists and still have to do sleeves and a collar, but anything requiring a chart or any complicated thought was all done, so a drink was in order.

In an effort to use what's ready in the kitchen that has no home, I made what was basically a batch of Kitchen Sink Sangria. Two half drank bottles of red that were hanging around on the counter, a half gone Sprite, some seltzer, ginger ale, lime juice and the tired fruits with the bruises in the basket.

You can do this too - waste not, want not, right?

The leftover wine and fruit are cut up and combined and get to sit in the fridge for a few hours. Add any fizzy ingredients you have lying around and taste for what's needed. Too sweet? Add lime juice or lemon. Not sweet enough? A little apple or other juice. Pretty foolproof. It's always pretty good - and perfect for a summer afternoon.

But it was not good enough for the man. He came home with a jones for a Margarita, and honestly never even tasted it. First, he made Maya one with no booze. I'm pretty sure it's Limeade, ice and OJ. Here she is with her drink - I liked this shot - he's on the grill in back and she's cracking up.

I think it has something to do with the fart silly putty Zoe has not stopped playing with since it came home from some party a few days ago. It farts pretty loud - and she's a pro at sneaking around with it to surprise people. Way fun.

Don't you wish your kids had some?

Anyways, C. then decides to make himself an extra special margarita - some secret version. And my poor sangria is shelved for another day. See that on top? It's mint from the garden. He made a Lime - MINT margarita. With Cointreau and OJ in it. It's amazing.

I knew there was a reason I married this man.

Someone's getting lucky tonight. If I can wrangle that recipe outta him, I'll share it.

Left Shoulder

It's Murphy's Law - and a lack of a real live technical editor, perhaps - but I really should have caught my half saved edits on this poor shoulder, so apologies all around.

The PDF has been changed, but if any of you have an early version, you may scratch your head as you reach the shoulder decrease on the top of the back piece on your N. Red.

Making some last minute edits to the left shoulder, it seems I pressed "save" a bit too early and gave all of you TWO row 3s, and a few resulting wonky directions. They're easy to fix, and a few of you have already knit right past them without comment, so they won't give you a 3rd arm or anything, but the pattern should make sense the revs. are simple to explain here.

SO,

1. There's only one Row 3. Make the second one into Row 4 and go from there with the numbers. You have 7 total rows, not 6. Evens are WS, Odds are RS.

2. This means you repeat rows 6&7, not rows 5&6.

4. On Row 5 (which is now Row 6), you purl to the last 3, not the last 4.

3. Row 6 (which is now Row 7) is a knit row.

Again, sorry, sorry, sorry. Still getting my sea legs on these things.