2010 is 1/3 behind us!

We had a false spring start here in the Pacific Northwest - it was just beautiful in February and reminded me why I love living here. It looked like March or April, and even the plants thought so. And now here we are with temperatures in the 50's in May... we won't have the same berry crops as last year!

A great trip to Tacoma for Madrona filled me with joy and optimism! I was one of the lucky students in Jean Wong's Tailored Knitting class, and learned quite a lot while there. It was a perfect in-depth update to learn how to design a sweater for my specific size - my high school and college training was in tailoring and clothing design due to my sewing background, so to gain this knowledge specifically for knitting was wonderful. Melinda and Naomi talk about not needing a pattern to make any sweater they want to make, and I had a rush of that joy. There was a time when that was true for me with sewing, and I'm inspired again about both skills.

After two intense days in class, I was on a relaxation retreat. After a tough January at work, the enjoyment of fiber enthusiasts, and knitting were perfect therapy. It was a great strategy, and I enjoyed every minute, including spending more $$ than I intended on so many beautiful yarns. My friend, Pam, even came down to just to shop!

Melinda and Naomi have been nudging me toward spinning and I've been resistant because I can't imagine taking the time away from knitting; I said if I win some roving, I'll try spinning, knowing that I never win anything. So wouldn't you know I would win some beautiful Blue Faced Leister?

In March, we celebrated some 1st quarter birthdays with an intimate brunch and a lot of laughter! Melinda, Joni B and Joni O gave us a reason (as if we need one) to get together with fiber and food! Joni B and I had first tries at spinning on Naomi's e-spinner and then I tried with one of Melinda's spindles... for me, it's going to be a slow process. That didn't stop me from going and completely enjoying the spin-in at Oak Harbor on April 10 with Melinda, Naomi, and Amy - when I wasn't socializing with Andrea, Rebecca and Peggy (just to name a few) I just knit and limited myself to the purchase of one skein of Blue Faced Leister sock yarn. What fun we have!

PROJECTS

Stepson Nick's wife is due to have their third son, Joshua, in July. I decided to knit a simple baby blanket for him using Berrocco's Comfort in the denim blue color - it really does look like jeans. While I'm usually committed to natural fibers, our daughter-in-law has three boys under 6 and constantly uses the washer and dryer. The hand of the blanket's fabric is just great - it actually feels like jeans! The pattern is a customized version of a paneled blanket from a book, and this is my thought process:

The first row is a heart because from the first moment, he is there. The second row is evergreen trees because although they live in California, his parents are from the Pacific NW. The third row is his initials JJB with sailboats on either end because he will grow up with water sports. The fourth row is lightning bolts because he will be brought up with superheroes. And the fifth row is stars because he will be taught to reach for them.

The socks from yarn my friend, Pam, gave me last August are just what I was hoping for: sort of bulky and relaxed. The pattern is adapted from the Cascade Yarns B & B sock. After experimentation, I found myself using size 0 needles for the ribbed cuff, size 1 needles for the basket weave; cable stitch pattern, and size .5 needles for the sole of the sock. I'm paying more attention to the texture of the knit fabric I create. And when I was afraid of running out of yarn, Naomi gave me a wonderful coordinated yarn to use for the toes, and I think it looks planned instead of emergency fixed.

Currently, I'm in the midst of the Chevron socks from Sensational Knitted Socks using Aussie Socks Spanish Fiesta. Once again, the fabric was too dense so larger needles were in order. The result now is very comfortable and I'm ready to blaze through the 2nd sock.

My other current project is Cocoknits Marta knit from Lana Grossa's Eco. This was my lesson in finding the gauge while paying no attention to the needle size indicated. I finally am using US 9's instead of the US 5's my usual tension would call for, and the fabric is heavenly soft. Her pattern-writing is clear and simple and includes some new techniques for me. I'm going to love this cardigan! The body is done and I'm working on sleeve #1 when I'm not knitting on my socks.

Next up, I'm planning to restart the lace panel shawl because the lace edging was much too tight. I'm not an experienced lace knitter, so I had no idea I was having a problem until my lace turned out to be half as long as it should have been by the end. Yes, I should have swatched, even in lace! Painful lesson with 890 cast on stitches! I've been calling it my stupid shawl, but this is clearly not the shawl's fault.

And, speaking of swatching, I'll be doing more of that for Mitch's Irish Moss. My previously always-loose knitting seems to be getting tighter, so I can't count on having to go down two needle sizes any more. Perhaps it's just nervousness at beginning my first Alice Starmore pattern. In any case, it's worth the price of extra yarn to have enough to knit a large swatch without worrying about running out of yarn.

First, thank you to Melinda for her computer savvy and investigative skills to get me back on track with photo upload. It seems that Blogger and Internet Explorer 8 aren't the best of friends, so a switch to Firefox as my browser enables me to add photos once again. It turns out that she found an answer to this computer issue by combining her own experiences with experimentation, so, knowing that, I hope to resolve my own problem next time. I did add photos to my final 2009 blog and 2010 will continue with more photos!

 

First, I've been on an accessories track.

It began when I was entranced by the Leaf and Vine hat on the cover of the fall Vogue Knitting, so I used some creamy Plucky Sock Club yarn combined with a subtle Kid Silk Haze and knit a sumptuous hat. I wear it whenever there's a hint of chill (due to our very mild winter here in the Northwest) and have received compliments from complete strangers who don't even realize it is handknit. The photo is before it was blocked into beret shape. A really great thing about this hat was realizing that my somewhat overwhelming sock yarn stash can be so much more than socks or scarves.

I tried the basket weave stitch design on a pair of scarves knit from Plymouth Yarn's Grande Baby Alpaca Hand-Dye; LOVE the yarn and the wonderful colors! They were elegant and appreciated gifts this year, as shown on my brother here - he's a green kind of guy.

Next, I decided to pick up a long put off project and started Zeitgeist Yarns' Selbu Modern hat using Mini Mochi for the pattern and Baby Ull for the solid color (shown here with the Leaf and Vine hat). It was immediately apparent that with my stranded gauge, the sizing was going to be too small for my head, so I stopped and began again, adding a repeat. While that and blocking to a beret shape helped, I realized in this yarn, a snug fit is inevitable. I've been thinking of using Mochi Plus and a complimentary solid color yarn to make another one, but haven't taken any action yet. And, about this pattern... I think the designer is amazing! I loved how the pattern incorporates the decreases for the crown with such elegance - it is beautiful and ingenious!

The Mochi colors and Mochi Plus interested me enough to buy several balls of various colors and I knitted George a hat for Christmas using Lisa Ellis Designs subtly cabled hat in the worsted weight (it's great that the pattern includes child and adult hats as well as for lightweight or worsted weight yarn). I managed to knit the hat without him knowing, and when I gave it to him, he loved the colors but didn't get excited about the hat. When I got him to explain, he demonstrated how he likes to wear hats - not so snug to his head, and he likes to roll them up as needed - so I bought another ball and knit a second hat, this time with an extra repeat and adding a 2 1/2" cuff. He loves it, and my friend, Cindy liked the original, so nothing is lost.

My 2009 knitting year

First, thank you for your comments following my last post - the posted comments as well as those of you who spoke with me directly. Knitters are a wonderful group of people, and I'm very glad to be among you all.

Second, I've been unable to load any photos for a month and haven't been able to break through the "javascript:void(0)" message when I try. So I'll post the photos later to get this post up now.

2009 has been a fickle knitting year for me, from frustrations to new experiences. I randomly learned new things, and knitted smaller projects after the big sweater for George. Perhaps this has been a growth spurt of sorts...

The year began with focus on luxury yarns; I knit Melody's Shawl with Plucky's Silk Merino for my Mom, and with Misti Alpaca lace and Zephyr lace for my friend, Cindy.
Next, I cast on George's top-down in January, using the vintage DK Marl. This project was all about learning how to plan my own design within the framework of Karen Alfke's pattern. I also learned just how much tighter my knit stitches are than my purls, how to research something instead of only turning to my knitting friends, just how short-rows worked for the shawl collar, and how to seam the back of said collar to best effect. George was just as thrilled with the results as I was - he's not really a sweater person, but puts it on proudly and wears it until he is roasting.


At Madrona, I began a smoke-ring with my beautiful qiviut-merino yarn. Looking back, I'm amazed I tried even that little bit of lace with such amazing yarn, but the results were completely sublime (thank you, Naomi and Melinda - you know how you helped!). I would happily knit with that yarn again, and I would knit that pattern again. I'm developing an interest in dying... I'd love see qiviut-merino in rich colors and want to learn about how to do that.

The lace-T knit from Pima-Tencel was completed in the spring. I love the way it feels and surprised myself by liking how it looks on me. I'm a little disappointed with the way it wears though - the yarn droops quickly, so this pattern would benefit from a sturdier yarn, such as the one recommended on the pattern.

On a whim, I found some colorful Kid Seta on sale and knitted Veronique from French Girl Knits. It was quite fun to do something quick and easy that still gave me a lesson about construction and finding an edging. It was the perfect lightweight wrap to take on our trip to Savannah, and people who don't know about knitting thought I was a genious to have made it myself. Always love that feeling!

I knit a couple of baby hoodies and a stack of cotton wash mitts before picking up my Louisa Harding vest of ivory Silky Wool. The pattern was marvelous and I love the resulting garment. The only disappointment was the color from the dark blue blouse the second time I wore it that rubbed onto the underarm of the vest. I washed the vest with Eucalan, but there is still a shadow, and I will have to take more drastic action. I love the color, but may have to dye it. And knit it again another day. Sigh.
Otherwise, I've knit several pairs of socks, a couple of scarves, and several hats. I'm loving accessories right now, and will talk next time about plans for 2010.


Happy New Year!

Heartache

For 12 years, I was a civilian member of the Seattle Police Department, first, as a Crime Prevention Coordinator organizing Business Watches in the City, then as a Community Service Officer for 10 years. Those years gave me the rare opportunity to be on the inside of the closed world of blue in the City of Seattle. The human beings who volunteer to put themselves in the sometimes reviled profession are varied in their backgrounds and goals, yet they are mostly unified in their quest for justice, their desire to protect the public.


While we were in Savannah, the terrible murder of SPD's Officer Timothy Brenton rocked the City and the region. As we landed back in Seattle, the memorial was just ending and the shooter was identified and hospitalized after his failed attempt to murder yet another officer as he was being taken into custody. There is no doubt in my mind that the detective who heard the gun click at his head will hear that click for the rest of his life, and will feel thankful with each memory. I saw that detective recently, and just felt grateful he is alive.

On Sunday, November 29th, Naomi and Melinda and I met for breakfast, and when I arrived, they gave me the news about the Lakewood police officers killed at the coffee shop. During the next days, George and I spent tense time awaiting the capture of the shooter. I hoped the shooter's wound from the dying officer would be fatal, and that the shooter would not have another opportunity to kill. Thankfully, the next officer the shooter encountered was vigilant and able to protect himself, and the terror of not knowing where the shooter was came to an end.


The preparations and finally the memorial for the officers on Tuesday was so moving that many I've spoken with chose to not watch because it was so painful. The overwhelming response from law enforcement throughout the continent was inspiring and humbling. Every single member of law enforcement has a new reminder - a new awareness - of the randomness of the criminal mind, and of mental illness. While it was clear that the shooter had mental health issues, the family and friends of the shooter who assisted him with the plan, his wound, and his escape have no such excuse, and I'm looking forward to their prosecutions to the full extent of the law.


My George is a 20 year veteran Seattle police officer. During this time, I've been thinking about him and his safety, and have been comforting myself with the fact that he is a good patrol officer with excellent skills. I've watched his shock and emotional turmoil over all five of these senseless deaths, and his incomprehension that anyone could plan and carry out such acts. He goes to work each day intending to uphold the law and believing that it is the right thing to do, so random murder because of the uniform he wears puts him beyond understanding. I asked him if it helps to see the outpouring of support from the public - the expression of appreciation for police officers and the work they do, and he gave an emphatic yes.

We are both touched by the blue lights on homes this season, and he's had and heard of heartwarming Starbucks experiences involving gift cards left at the counter for any police officer's beverage. He (and I too) truly appreciated his captain's choice to have no officer patroling alone while the Lakewood shooter was at large; he said that some departments, such as Los Angeles, have that rule at all times. I was horrified to learn that the shooter was ultimately confronted by a lone officer in the middle of the night.

George has worked other units at SPD and considered leaving patrol. He likes being a patrol officer, and is doing this work by choice. I am now hopeful that Seattle Police commanders will take this opportunity to learn from these tragedies to adjust some of their procedures permanently. The ones that give me chills are the afore mentioned one-officer patrol cars, and the policy of assigning laptop computers to each officer so they can be "on the streets" and "available to the community" while writing their long reports required by the latest reporting system. I know budgets are tight, especially this year. But our officers need to get as good as what they give every day.

Southern connection

George and I don't often travel far from home together. The dogs and George's dislike of flying can be impediments to scheduling, even when the trip is one we really want to take.

My cousin, Cindy, sent an e-mail asking when we were planning to visit my brother in Georgia, saying that her husband was scheduling his vacation, and they would like to meet us in the South. That was the seed of our October 30th trip to Savannah. It took some weeks to get George's commitment, then he was a full contributor to a wonderful vacation!

First step after the reservations was to secure good lodging for the dogs, and rather than asking friends or hiring a house-sitter, George toured Roscoe's Ranch and loved how they care for their "guests". We realized that the cost would be the same as PetsHotel, but at the Ranch, they would get more individual care and attention. Although the accommodations were full on Halloween weekend, they figured out a way to keep Poppy and Maverick during our 9-day absence. (The Ranch even sent us e-mail photos of the dogs playing.) George arranged everything from parking at the airport to the car rental while I arranged our hotel and touring plans.

The short review of our vacation is that the time with my brother's family and with my cousin and her husband was full and more fun than I dared imagine. My brother, Stan, and his wife, Susan, are wonderful hosts and tour guides with much knowledge and information to share about their adopted region. Cindy and her husband have a fresh and interested approach to life and were a joy as companions for spending time and seeing new things. I hope I get to see all of them more frequently as a result of this trip. A detailed version with photos follows, with only one knitting reference, so feel free to skim or just stop here, and I'll see you next time. My brother, Stan, moved about 8 years ago from Renton, WA to Richmond Hill, GA, about 20 minutes from Savannah. He and his wife, Susan, have a beautiful home there, and they have put in a lot of work to create charming interiors and gardens - staying with them for several nights was something like a bed & breakfast, including the food. Stan loves to cook, and since he works from his home, he was able to provide delicious meals.

We arrived late on Friday evening; Cindy & Danny at midday on Halloween Saturday. For dinner, Stan planned to roast the leg of a wild boar he had hunted, and needed to go to the local flea market for fresh produce. After introductions, we piled into cars and headed for the flea market in spite of the 85 degree heat - big change for us Seattleites. What an assortment of things! I bought homegrown, cracked pecans to bring home and Stan bought a 10lb squash that he and George traded off carrying back to the car. We found treasures in the antiques section, Cindy stopped at each handbag booth, and we all got hung up for awhile in the puppy wing - however opposed I am to backyard breeding, puppies are puppies once they are in the world!

The roasted wild pig and the huge squash were delicious - we headed to our hotel completely full. We awoke quite hungry on Sunday morning and, with Danny & Cindy, decided to try Waffle House - they were everywhere, so we thought Why not? I'm pretty sure that Waffle House was the original definition of "greasy spoon" eating establishments; at least the one we chose. Anyway, we now know "why not!"

Stan & Susan first took us to see Civil War's Fort Pulaski - it was where the lessons about massive structures vs. modern naval weaponry were learned. We toured the perimeter, saw the quarters, learned about the Confederate uniforms (the hat was also a food collection bag) and saw a musket demonstration - the only downside was the no-see-ems that anonymously bite any exposed body parts not thoroughly doused with bug spray.

We went next to Tybee Island and saw Cindy's first lighthouse ever - then all climbed the 179 steps to the top. We were told that Sandra Bullock has a house on the island (lucky her!), but we couldn't spot which one. We hoped we would run into her during our visit since we are all fans, but no luck.
We ate at the nearby Crab Shack - another Southern institution, apparently. Famous for the grotto of alligators that can be fed by customers as well as the "boil" dumped onto the tables for consumption with hands, I was conscious of the great waste in the form of styrofoam serving dishes and plastic utensils. Cindy noted the huge bags of garbage just outside the entrance, resulting in fairly small appetites.

Monday turned out to be the chilliest day - in the low 60's - for our trolley tour of Savannah. We saw the museum, walked some, toured a couple of grand houses while listening to interesting stories, and got a sense of the city. Susan recommended this way of touring, and we thought it was great. I'd do it again on a future visit. Yes, we saw Paula Deen's restaurant, and no, we didn't go there. Our dinner was at Corleone's Trattoria after meeting up with my nephew at the new Bohemian Hotel above River Street. Back at Stan's Cindy shared her amazing scrapbooks of family history on our mom's side, and Stan was completely overwhelmed by the time we left for our hotel. I joined Cindy and Danny in their hotel room to watch Dancing with the Stars while Cindy and I wrote postcards to our cousins and moms.

Tuesday we piled into one car, picked up Stan, and drove to St. Simon's Island. Temperatures were back up to the mid 70's and the tourist season was over so it was lovely and uncrowded. We each had a wonderful lunch - all different menu items! Mine was a fresh wild Atlantic salmon club sandwich... YUM! Here I am on the beach wearing my Louisa Harding cabled aran sweater vest for the first time (it was blocking when we packed for our trip, so I packed it flat in a plastic bag and dried it after we arrived).

We put our hands in the Atlantic Ocean...

and climbed the St. Simon's light house (128 steps), then found many shopping treasures. It's a charming island community.

When we returned to Richmond Hill, Susan had made a delicious stew of the leftover boar leg, squash, and other savory ingredients - it was perfect after our day. George & I and Cindy & Danny left after dinner for our getaway night staying at the Mansion on Forsyth Park in downtown Savannah.

After seeing our rooms, we were like curious children tumbling over one another as we roamed all over the luxury hotel to see what there was to see. The antique hat display and the outdoor pool were both memorable - I love how Savanna folks seem to embrace their history and keep it as part of their identity.

We had a decadent breakfast at the hotel the following morning, then Stan & Susan met us for some shopping before saying goodbye to Cindy & Danny as they left for their six-hour drive home to Birmingham AL.

I was determined to see Wild Fibres, the only yarn store listed in Savannah. The store was in a lovely old building with a marble facade, had a great name, and didn't live up to the vision both suggested. (I'm a little puzzled about how a city with such size and cultural history has only one yarn store besides Michael's and JoAnn.)There were two people outside the door and a handwritten sign saying closed from 2:15 - 3:15pm. It was 3:25. Both young people waiting were SCAD students waiting to buy materials for their art projects - Wilma for a felted project and Josh for a fiber sculpture. We all chatted until the proprietor returned at 3:50, apologizing that she had to pick up her child after school. I did not find the Addi lace needles I was looking for, and no fiber products tempted me. Josh did not find his batting, but Wilma, at least, was thrilled to find what she needed.

Stan & Susan dropped us at the parking lot to get our car and as we pulled up to the exit kiosk to pay, there was another handwritten note saying the cashier would be right back, and indeed, she returned after 10 minutes or so. George is still amazed at this way of doing business - he wondered if it is a southern thing. We're convinced that leaving a business unattended would result in some truly bad customer behaviors here in Seattle.

Thursday, Stan & Susan wanted us to see Fort McAllister since it was nearby and held out for four years before it fell and Union soldiers took Savannah. It is an underground fort which is, again, largely intact. The self-tour visitors can take by reading the handout as they walk from point to point is quite informative, and we had a real sense of what it might have been like to live there. Although my interest in the Civil War is limited, I had a real sense of history through the tours and the museums... it was a terrible time.We drove back to Jacksonville, Florida, to fly home (we liked the graphics on the window above at our gate), and agreed that it was a wonderful vacation. George has been describing Savannah to anyone who will listen as a great place where the houses have character and it was warm in November.

I loved visiting with my brother and his family, and finally getting to spend time with my cousin and meet her husband after all these years. I was crazy about her when we met at 16, then life and distance kept us from maintaining our friendship. Danny and George are also well matched; Cindy and I laughed when we noticed them naturally speaking boy-code, and liking many of the same things. George is interested in another visit to the Southeast, and Cindy & Danny are considering a trip to Seattle in spring of 2010. We'll be happy to see them any time.

Notes from the past couple of months...

August 9, 2009 My dear friend Naomi (in photo with me at Ray's boathouse last March, before she got her new, short hair), likes to keep up with her many friends on Facebook. Although I was fearful of having one more thing to neglect, I decided to try it out several months ago. Within minutes, my niece, daughter-in-law, and step-son friended me, and over several days, friends found me too. I still don't know how to use all the nuances, so I might read something and I might message. I used a "wall" once, but don't really like to be so... public, I guess.

Sometime in July, a message from junior high appeared in my inbox. Well, it might have been from junior high since that was when I was in a close-knit group of girls with Laurie. Although we knew each other through high school, we had evolved past the intimacy of our early teens, and later, were so caught up in our adult lives, we were sort of at a loss for words when we met at class reunions. Laurie now lives in Boston after living all around the world, and asked about meeting when she was to be in Seattle in early August. I thought seeing her would be nice, and called Stephanie, another friend from that time, to see if she wanted to meet too. She said sure, and mentioned she had just returned from the wedding of the daughter of another friend from junior high / high school days. Laurie ended up arranging a large gathering, and we couldn't work out the logistics to meet (it was Sock Summit weekend, after all!). The entire week of conversations back and forth reminded me of junior high angst: discussion of old rivalries and loyalties, remembering what life was like when we didn't know who we would become, before we knew what our futures would hold. I hope I get to see Laurie on one of her future visits in a one on one or small group rather than large gathering women from our pasts.

August 30, 2009 I've been tussling with a summer cold that will not let go! It began 13 days ago today, and I'm still trying to stop coughing and to get my energy back. My voice sounds so much worse than I'm feeling by now - I'm so happy to have my sense of smell and taste returning. There's not much point in eating good food when I can't smell or taste anything.

Knitwise, Ellen kindly gave me two hours of her time and I relearned her short-row heel! It really goes so much faster than the heel flap, and I wrote it down this time, so am convinced I can do it on my own. I'm also planning to try the short-row heel from Melinda's tutorial just so I can begin to be fully informed on types of heels. In any case, the Gryffindor socks will be done this week. I was planning to do the heel flap on the Baby Cable Rib socks, but went ahead with the heel flap.

September 1, 2009 My Veronique turned out to be lovely! I chose to knit the sleeves in the round and used a purl stitch for a faux seam. I went with a bracelet length on the sleeves - a couple of inches above my wrist bone. My biggest challenge was pulling out the provisional cast-on since I foolishly used a sock wool and it took over an hour to get the edges on the circular needle.. USE SOMETHING SLIPPERY so it doesn't catch the mohair cloud! I looked at all the Veronique projects on ravelry and decided on the eyelet edging without beads - with this variegated yarn, I wanted to give it some style while keeping it simple. I find that while wearing it, the edges still somewhat do the stockinette roll, but it hasn't been a major bother. I'm glad someone else mentioned finding a dropped stitch a few inches back - it happened to me several times so that I got a little crazed and checked for dropped stitches all the time. I was excited to show this one off, and wore it to work and class right away. The first person at work to see me in it came rushing over and began to pull it down on me to smooth it out to see the detail... she stretched the mohair down a couple of inches! I appreciated the admiration even while I worried that I'd have to re-block it back to my size.

September-October - We have enjoyed garden bounty during all of the fall season, including our first-ever grape harvest. Fruit was prolific everywhere this year, and we had bountiful amounts of raspberries, zucchini, yellow squash, pineapple strawberries, and blueberries. We even got two large red Bartlett pears on our espaliered small pear tree (they were delicious too). But we couldn't help being excited about our small bunches of Red Flame grapes. They are delicious, and the vine will only get better with age. I'm taking cuttings in hopes of rooting them to gift to family and friends next spring. I know they take a long time to fruit, but they are absolutely worth the wait! Last, but not least, we tried growing San Marzano tomatoes - plants from seeds from Italy. Anyone who likes to cook Italian food will recognize the name. We think they are a great success, and will grow them again next year - not for slicing and eating, but for cooking in sauces and soups. They were prolific and are still ripening in October.October: I've been working on my next project: Louisa Harding's Bette cabled vest in ivory Silky Wool. I first worked a small swatch to determine the neede size and got pretty excited. The back and fronts are complete, with only the neck and armhole ribbing to add. The pattern is a pleaure, and I'm loving the results! I chose to go up a size in order to try to get a similar fit to the photo in the book. I'll photograph it for next time - and won't be so long between!

August already?

Summer has actually felt like summer in the Pacific Northwest this year, although July weather nearly melted us here in the Pacific Northwest. We opted to not add air conditioning when we had a new furnace installed after purchasing our house five years ago, and two weeks ago we were questioning our sanity in making that decision. Before the heat wave even started, I arrived home on Monday to let the dogs out and the temperature inside was 90 degrees. George stayed home with them on Tuesday and Wednesday as the temperatures rose, and I came home early and Thursday and Friday. Our strategy was wetting them down from time to time from a tub of water on the patio, and doing our best to keep them quiet. They came through just fine, although some of our plants were sort of incinerated. Thank heaven for neighbors with air conditioning and friends with a pool and air conditioning for inviting us to visit with our dogs. Here's my friend Cherie in her pool with Poppy on a float. That sort of kindness touches my heart! (Speaking of that, thank you for your comments and e-mails about my pups - there are lots of us dog people around!)

The cooler temperatures are a relief, and the rain has felt like a gift (since we are a little bit afraid of what our water bill will be). I admit that I like being hot during the day, but not being able to cool down at night was like smothering. The feeling of moving slow motion through thick air gave me a real understanding of stifling heat. It didn't stop me from knitting though - it's how I relaxed without moving enough to sweat.

Well, it seems there's something about making a commitment in writing - I have stayed on track with my knitting for a bit. Here are my promised Pure & Simple socks, and the idea of socks in this cooler weather is not so out of the question. I love the colors, and I enjoyed switching to 2.25mm needles from my usual US 0's so that they knit up faster.

The baby hoodie for Kansas cousin Roxie's grandson is finished - he'll be a year old in October, so I'm hoping he'll still be able to wear it by the time the weather there is cold. I only have to choose a pair of toggle buttons from my button stash!

My next pair of socks are on the needles; my first Tofutsies, from Naomi, in pink granite. The yarn sent me back to my US 0's, and tinkering (starting over three times - so far) with the number of stitches was required to get the right fit for the baby cable rib pattern from Charlene Schurch's Sensational Socks. This is my "touchstone" sock book for the basics and for different stitch designs for socks. Although the cabling doesn't really pop out in this yarn, I love this sort of understated detail, like you have to be an insider to know to look for it.

In the sweater category, I read the Veronique pattern in French Girl Knits before casting on the variegated Kid Seta. It's an interesting construction technique, and since thinking about it takes me back to my sewing and flat pattern design classes, it will be fun to see it develop. I'm not a fast knitter in any case, and seem to be even slower with this delicate yarn. It knits up beautifully texturewise, and I'm watching for pooling. Does anyone else think that variegated yarn often looks better in the ball or skein than it does knitted up? The sort of fluorescent coral color wasn't apparent to me in the ball, but it sure shows up in the knitted fabric. Still, I love the blue/purple parts and think it will be a warm and elegant foil for jeans as well as a more formal accessory. I just completed the gathering for the back and have cast on for the next step - and so far it's going well. The directions are clear and giving the desired result, and I'm still excited to see what's next!