This lil' piggy...

After a month of torment, I finally finished the Daybreak Shawl.  Sadly, I haven't taken any good photos yet, so I will leave you with this.

Over the 4th of July, I tried to pick up the New Orleans Shawl again, but I swear, every time I pick it up I screw it up.  So after a few days, I finally put it back in time out and moved on.  And what better way to move on, than a Flying Pig?!?!?!?!

This was a quick knit that took less than a day.  I used Cascade 220 on #5 DPN and found the pattern here.

DIY cargo skirt

The endless stockinette of the Daybreak has finally broken me and I had to put it away temporarily.  This gave me time to think about redoing the craft room and finally unpacking my grandmothers sewing machine.  Of course once I was finished, I needed to do something with it.  Enter the DIY cargo skirt...

I took a trip to my local Target and rummaged around the men's department until I spotted the right pair of cargo shorts.

 Then I removed the hem from the bottom, the front inseam from the zipper down and the back inseam from the belt loop down,

 I carefully laid the shorts out and pinned a straight line from the zipper down and the back belt loop down,

 Here is the front after I sewed the seam,

 Then I pinned the hem line back into place,

 And sewed it up.  (My important lesson of the day, don't start the hem line on the front, when you're a noobie seamstress!)

 Voila!!!!  The back, (no, the pockets don't look that jacked up in person)

 And the front!!!!

Honestly, I have never modified a garment like this before, and to actually be wearing it is a huge accomplishment for me!  So if I can do it, you can too!!!!!

Stripes No Longer!

This project has become a slug!  However, I finally made it through all 20 stripe repeats yesterday and started on the garter ridges.  These rows seem to be moving faster, could it be that I am getting closer to being done?!?  Once I have Daybreak completed, I plan on going back to my New Orleans shawl and finishing it before summer is over!!!  Last night, as I sat on my back porch enjoying the evening and knitting, it dawned on me that I might not actually have enough yarn to complete the NO shawl.  I think if I start to get low on yarn, I'll do my knitted boarder in the Malabrigio Sock (the semi solid color on Daybreak).

Other than that, the past week has been pretty quite, and slow.  Hopefully this week will keep on trucking and Saturday will be here before I know it!

Stripes, Stripes, and More Stripes!

Even though this was a short work week, each day seemed to crawl at a snails pace!  And speaking of snails pace, I keep forging ahead on the Daybreak shawl.  With each stripe repeat, the rows grow by 14 stitches, making each row longer and longer...  I have finally made it through 15, with 5 more to go.  Then I get the pleasure of working 7 garter ridges before binding off.  It is such a labor of love, but I know the end result will be well worth it! 

But knitting is not the only thing I've accomplished this week.  While J worked on filling the hole in our downstairs bathroom ceiling (shower leaked from the upstairs bath), I was playing in the yard...again.  I managed to hit the pool, plant some pots, pressure wash the patio and the furniture, rearrange the patio with new pillows, and put up our new bird feeders.  Over the past two weeks, I was successful in reviving the yard with watering it every other evening.  Once it cools down in the fall, I get the task of fertilizing the yard that was neglected for nearly a year.  One step at a time I guess.

And last but certainly not least, the Stanley Cup Finals started this week!  Currently watching game two, wishing that Boston would land one in the net!!!

Busy days and lazy nights

This past week, I started the Daybreak Shawl by Steven West.  I had a few rough starts with the M1L and M1R on the edging, so I decided to use yarn overs instead.  I choose the Misty Alpaca Sock and Malabrigo Sock...so scrumptious!

During the days, I have been working in the yard, one flower pot at a time.  Although a little toad has decided to sabotage me by digging my flowers back up!  While J has been fixing the ceiling in the bathroom. We also hung Old Glory!

At night, while J goes out riding, I have been meeting friends at the new coffee shop to knit and chat.  It doesn't get much better then that!

Have a safe Memorial Day!

Just a few projects I've done since Christmas.

Post Rapture

I'm back and I plan on staying! Life has settled down at our new home and moving forward.  I've knitted so many things since my last post, but I will leave you with my latest.

Here is the Roxanne shawl, it was a mystery KAL by feministy, and it was my first.  I have to admit, while knitting it, I could not see myself wearing it.  But now that it is done, I love it!