9 September 2009--Violet Sunsets and Butterscotch Socks

From the vantage point of my 3^rd floor balcony, I’ve been privileged to watch and share with you all some colourful sunsets. They have all displayed magnificent shades of red and orange. Then, a few days ago, the sun decided to set in shades of violet.

The sight brought vividly back to mind a sunset I witnessed during a trip to Spain with my husband in 1982. As we ate our evening meal in front of a panoramic hotel window, we watched as the sun disappeared, blazing first vivid red, shading to orange, then through degrees of pink down to pale and darker shades of violet, until nothing was left but the black velvet of night. I don’t remember what we ate that evening. I feasted too heavily on the sunset.

 

The half-finished sock is my first ever. The yarn is from Three Irish Girls (click their logo on the right side of this page to go there). The colorway is Grady, and the yarn is TIG’s Lindon Merino. The pattern is as basic as it gets, and comes from the book peeking out from under the sock, “Getting Started Knitting Socks”, by Ann Budd. The book contains instructions for five different weights of yarn in about as many sizes. I love it because I actually understand the instructions with the first reading. There are detailed pictures, too. In case you’re wondering, I’m not on the payroll of Three Irish Girls nor of Interweave Press, source of the book mentioned above.

Now, back to enjoying the weather we should’ve had here in July!

17 July, 2009--I'm Biased!

That is, my present knitting project is. I found this scarf pattern on The Three Irish Girls yarn site. If you know how to cast on, do the knit stitch and the yarn over, take that leftover ball of yarn from your stash, or--much better--buy a new one, and go to the TIG site. http://www.threeirishgirls.com/
The curve in the scarf comes from being knit on the bias. The pattern mentions that the original use an entire ball of yarn and was 7½ feet long! Now that's enough to wrap around anyone's neck and still have plenty left over. The scarf doesn't have to be that long. Make it the length you prefer. I'm going to use the whole ball, just for fun. Unless I get tired of the scarf and terminate it sooner.

Here's a close-up of the stitch.

Here's a neat video teaching the yarn over and its uses:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qq__ttEMUo

9 June 2009 Sky Watching & Knitting

Finished Aran Afghan Square #6! The yarn was very docile, so I finished it in record time.

As I sat on the balcony knitting last evening, I watched the clouds dancing with the setting sun. It was quite a show!

"Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky at morning, sailor take warning." This old saying is based in fact. A red sky in the morning indicates a sun rising in clear eastern skies casting its rays on storm clouds approaching from the west. At night the clear sight of the red setting sun would tell a sailor that no storms are to the west. Such sunsets and sunrises are not 100% accurate, but today is a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky! I found that info here: http://www.redskyatnight.com/know.html

Fripon trying to stare me down. He usually wins. He either wants a snack, or to be brushed. I'd better figure out what He Who Must Be Obeyed wants exactly. Hope your day is filled with joy.