Balance?

Since the last time I posted, I realized that I was just a few short weeks from my next sprint triathlon, and that I wasn't really prepared for it. So I've been making a point of getting my training in for my race, which has pretty much worn me out and made me worthless for anything else. The race is this Sunday, so once I get through that, I hope I'll have a little more energy for blogging. And knitting!

Anyway, I have been making slow, but steady, progress on my Lanata cardigan. I've been working on it during my commute to and from work, which has gotten me about 10 rows a day. It's not going fast, but it's going.

I started this project with the Rowan Revive that I reclaimed from my (now) ill-fitting Peasy cardigan. Since I've lost weight over the last 18 months, the sweaters I made before then don't fit me anymore, so into the frog pond they've gone! I was very pleased (and surprised) at how easily this sweater came undone - I think it only took three hours to take apart. It was most of the first two Harry Potter movies, if I remember correctly.

Once I got the sweater frogged, I wound the yarn into hanks, then tied them up so I could get them washed. After a decent soak, all the hanks got a couple days to dry, then I was ready to cast on! I got through the bottom ribbing pretty quickly, and learned the lace repeats easily too. I've just gotten to the point where I get to set the body of the cardigan aside to work on the sleeves, so I'll probably start those on tomorrow's commute. I like knitting my sleeves two-at-a-time (doesn't everyone?), which I find easier, because I know that both sleeves will have the same gauge and they'll (likely) come out with the same number of rounds and with their decreases in the same places.

So, that's all I've got for tonight. Until next time, Friends.

Some catching up to do!

For the last few posts, I've been promising that I would post some photos of my finished Amaya sweater, and today I'm finally doing it! See:

A finished sweater! It really was very easy knitting. If I could change anything (which is not going to happen), I would probably have gone down a needle size (or maybe even two), as the finished sweater really grew after washing. I even put it in the dryer in the hopes of shrinking it some, but I think it's just in the nature of the bamboo rayon be slinky. And heavy. Anyway, it's cute enough, and I'll just have to make sure I wear a little something underneath it since the fabric is a little sheer to wear unlayered.

I've also finished my Frankenanklet, made from sock yarn leftovers. Three of the yarns are ones I purchased at Sock Summit in the hopes of making something for myself and the fourth was from a skein I bought in Ft. Wayne. These socks were pretty simple knitting, even if they were done two-at-a-time on size 0 needles. I knit them toe-up until I ran out of yarn, then added the next yarn and the next until I had a pair of anklets. It was pure accident that a color change happened at the heel flap - I couldn't have planned it, but I'm glad it worked out that way. I may do this again with yarn scraps, but the next ones will probably have more color changes, as most of the leftovers I have now are shorter lengths. But what would I name them, now that I've used Frankenanklet? I'll have to think on that one.

I've also made a little more progress on my Columbines needlepoint. There's just a little more of the background left to finish and then I can move on to the border! I actually had to run out to the needlepoint shop to pick up one more skein of the background color - I was so close to finishing! I'm just grateful that the new skein is in the same dye lot. Whew!

Well, that's it for today, I think. Next time, I can tell you about my current knitting WIPs and maybe I'll have more progress on the needlepoint. Until then, Friends!

Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing

My mother is visiting this week, which doesn't lend itself to coherent blog posts, so I'm sharing the photos of our visit to Riverside, an historic home on the Ohio River in southwestern Jefferson County Kentucky. I promise that once I have my house back to myself, I'll post an update on all my recent knitting. Enjoy these pics! Until next time, Friends.

The front of the house, which faces the River.

The stairs were built nicely.

They had to send to Pittsburgh for the glass for the windows.

The view of the River from the upper porch.

The back of the house, with the Ell that was added later.

The kitchen building.

Inside the kitchen.

Derby 139

It's the first Saturday in May, y'all, and that means it's Derby Day! It's been raining steadily all morning, and there are various reports that it may let up soon. After a quick look at this morning's Racing Form, I think my pick for this year's winner is Revolutionary. Orb has been the favorite, but the line this morning shows that Verrazano and Goldencents have pretty good odds, too. The reason I like Revolutionary is that he's actually run on an off track, he's trained by Todd Pletcher and Calvin Borel is riding him today. Anyway, I've put it out there, so I'm sure that means he'll come in second and break my heart.

Here's a video I found of the crowd singing "My Old Kentucky Home" from Derby 137 (skip ahead to about 1:48 or so). Happy Derby!

Unstuck!

Louie loves cashmere. He has good taste.

Well, I laid a big, fat egg for Knit & Crochet Blog Week, what with my one sad post and no follow-up. I'm still thinking that I'll get around to writing posts for all the other prompts, but for tonight, I'll just give you an update on the Portico Shawl.

I managed to finish it the day after I posted on it, I think. My kind friend, Cindy, happened to have another skein of the wasabi cashmere, and it turned out that I only needed about 15 yards of it to finish the shawl. The blocking went pretty quickly, and once I had it pinned up, it dried quickly as well. I haven't had an opportunity to wear it yet - I might not get to wear it until Fall, as it's been pretty hot the last few days and will likely stay hot until October.

It has turned out just as light and airy as you could imagine. It practically floats! I won't dare call it "ethereal," because that adjective is so over-used, but it is pretty effing nice. It has just a hint of a halo from the cashmere, and it's so soft against the skin. I will definitely love wearing this around my neck.

Anyway, that's about all I've got for tonight. Next time I'll have photos of the Amaya sweater, and maybe even of the Frankenanklets I made from some leftover sock yarn. Until then, Friends.