Temptation

Aaren by Kim Hargreaves from her book Precious

I am not a one, two, even three project person. I am a multiple project person. When you are being sorely tempted, you are supposed to give in, right? So I started another project, one that has been calling to me for a very long time - since I had the yarn in stash (yarn that I have been trying to allocate for ages not knowing that THE perfect patern was right under my nose) I decided there was absolutely nothing preventing me from casting on.

Guilty?

Should I feel guilty that I'm wishing our late summer away? It's sods law that as soon as Fontaine is finished we have the sun trying to do its best to re surge and pretend that it's the middle of summer - it's not on. I want autumnal winds and crisp cool afternoons so that I can stroll in knitted comfort. In part it's my own fault. If I had not been busy elsewhere in my life I'd have had enough time to knit my summer gear - so now I'm reduced to wishing it away!!

On the needles, Smoulder from Rowan 31

All pieces are now complete...........

Now I have to fathom out whether to sew the pieces together then sew in the ends or the other way round. Experience with the mystery blanket would favour sewing the pieces in first so that it's easier to match up the pattern without the hindrance of lumpy bumpy bits.

.......... and there are a million ends to sew in!!

In the meantime I have to figure out what do with the mass on vegetables that are coming from the allotment.

My kitchen after one afternoon of veg picking on the allotment

Runner beans in situ, now sliced and spliced in the freezer!!

Glorious tomatoes of 5 different varieties

I have been pickling, chutneying, saucing and jamming I think you all know what you are getting in your Christmas stockings!!!

Oh boy

Or not as the case may be. I have a teenager in the house!! A teenager who does not want to be "mothered". Do they flip overnight? Did I miss something? When did he become taller than me!!!

He is still my young man and we are proud.

As you can see, my trauma over young man reaching his teenage years has stopped me from being productive in any way. I've managed to complete the back and one front on Fontaine. The 2.5 mm needles are really sticking it to me now - I am however fighting the urge to start another project on much bigger needles, but that may change........

uncovered

The Estes Vest and my nearly new hair do

(actually I'm due another hair cut, it's getting too long now)

Estes Vest

Name: Estes Vest

Source: Interweave Knits Fall 2008

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK in Teal Blue

Needles: 6mm and 5mm

Started: 4/9/08

Finished: 6/10/08

For: Me

Comments: A little modification on this one. I added length before I started the waist shaping. I inserted a zip instead of toggles or buttons. I also lengthened the collar to stand around my neck instead of end at the nape of my neck. I knit the piping around the armholes, but used garter stitch as a front and bottom border. And as Karin pointed out, I used a contrast yarn for the pocket linings ( I was worried I would run out of yarn - I didn't in the end, but it makes for a nice touch). Apart form that, a lovely pattern full of cables and more cables. I used the yarn double through out.

Mossy

A winter (or in my case, Summer) warmer: Mossy

I took this away with me to show my sister how the yarn knit up and ended up finishing it. I'd managed about 10 rows before, so that will tell you how much knitting I got through due to bad weather.

Pattern details:

Name: Moss Stitch jacket

Pattern Source: Cashmere Collection by Debbie Bliss

Yarn used: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Super Chunky

Needles: 7mm and 7.5mm

Size: Smallest

Started: July 2008

Finished: 23 Aug 2008

Comments - besides running out of yarn (my fault), the pattern is very straight forward. I didn't find any errors. The end result is a real slouch on the sofa warmer. I was worried that the jacket would drop and stretch with wear - it hasn't so far.

On a personal note, I killed the Afro!!