Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Welcome Fall

Autumn arrives gently - one falling leaf at a time. The sun sets earlier. The afternoon temperatures climb to the eighties but the mornings are cool. Early this morning, light fog hung over the back yards. Today the humidity is high with no rain in sight. Here in southeast Nebraska we have experienced some hazy skies caused by smoke from the fires in the western parts of the country. Never doubt that we are connected to each other, no matter the miles. 

On this Unraveled Wednesday, I continue to knit the Downpour Socks, enjoying the pattern and wondering how, even when I'm ticking off pattern rows, I need to start the heel at a different point in the pattern. It makes no difference to me but I do find it curious. 


When I get tired of the socks, I work on this shawl for my daughter. She requested a large warm blue shawl to wrap up in on cold days. I am always game to knit another shawl and it's great audiobook knitting. Sport weight yarn on size seven needles makes it a breeze to knit. It is good for those evenings when, like a protagonist in an English mystery, I'm ready for a cup of tea and a biscuit. 


Several years ago I tried to knit the Churchmouse Yarns and Teas Easy Folded Poncho but didn't have the right yarn and gave up. Last month my sister gave me a birthday gift certificate to Knit Paper Scissors, a local yarn shop. After a trip to browse, I decided to make the poncho. I returned home to ponder yarn choices and later returned for this lovely rich teal yarn, another shade of blue. 
Honestly I looked at a purple and a deep maroon but the shades weren't quite right. This one spoke to me. 

Recently CYT updated the pattern to include an option with a cabled edge. Never one to let specific instructions come between me and a project, I knit a fairly healthy swatch with a different cable. I added seed stitch to the edges to prevent rolling. I wanted to make sure the cable didn't pull on the fabric and also check gauge. I chose this project to carry me through the next weeks of electioneering. Sometimes a knitter needs a project requiring concentration and other times something more meditative. I'm thinking this will be the meditative variety. 


I ordered a used copy of 
Three Guineas by Virginia Woolf. This is a sequel of sorts to A Room of One's Own. Although it is dated (1938), the way Woolf wove together her ideas about women, war, peace, and equality is fascinating. It's worth noting that English women won the right to vote during her lifetime. One law passed in 1918 and a second in 1928. When I need a break from Ms. Woolf, I pick up the new Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes mystery, Riviera Gold by Laurie King. Sometimes lighter reading fare is a nice change and it was available from my library. 

So what about you this week? Are you looking for reading and/or a project requiring concentration or something more meditative?  I'm linking to Kat and the Unravelers this week and look forward to see what everyone is knitting. 

Ravelry links to projects

Downpour Socks

Winter Shawl

Poncho with a Cable


 

10 comments:

  1. Your projects are wonderful. I hope you enjoy the EFP as much as I've enjoyed mine - and I did the seed stitch edge as well. Most early mornings and evenings I'm meditating around and around on a top down sweater (Aldous).

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  2. Oh that deep, deep teal is just so gorgeous Jane! I love it! I'm enjoying the darker, quieter mornings and the cooler temps. Fall is my favorite season, so I am embracing it. Knitting on socks, stitching on my sampler, taking a walk, doing some work. It's all good!

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  3. Your posts are such a dose of calm, Jane! Thank you! I love your knitting and reading... so much! :)

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  4. I love all of your blue projects and your reasoning behind them. While I was working on my Hitchhiker, I was contemplating what project I should choose to carry me through these final weeks of electioneering. Just like you talk about "knitting your son home", I think I also need to knit some sanity into my days leading up to November. That gorgeous teal will help.

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  5. All of your projects are blues! I love the shawl pattern. Very pretty and I am always up for a shawl. I'm working hard on a new shawl that is lace weight and I started it over 7 times last night.

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  6. I've knit three(?) EFPs and gave all of them away. Methinks it might be time to knit another one! or maybe I just need to embrace socks ... because we are gonna NEED those meditative knits!

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  7. That deep teal is really stunning -- excellent choice!

    I have been knitting some plain socks while I've been reading, and it's just what I need right now.

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  8. What beautiful projects you've got going there, Jane! I have knit a couple of the Folded Ponchos (I love them!), and I think adding cables up the side is brilliant. I'm thinking of knitting a pair of simple socks this fall . . . (maybe because my feet are cold???) XO

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  9. I really like those socks. I’ll have to go quickly and add them to the favs before I forget them!! And a new Laurie king?!? I used to read her all the time. I’m heading to download that on audible. Always loved listening to them. Thanks!!!!!

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  10. lovely knits on the needles and I am enjoying the signs of fall, finally! I waited like forever :)

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