Hello Gentle Readers. After a weekend of frigid temperatures, this week will be warmer. I look forward to walking on the forty and fifty degree days. Life is better when I can get outside and walk. I don't mind layering up against the cold but when the "feels like temperature" drops into the low teens and the wind blows, long walks are not for me. This will also be a good week for walking at dusk to view the holiday lights in the neighborhood. I love the quiet slow perspective of walking rather than driving past lights. It also brings back memories of our kids' excitement over "the lights."
As I link with Kat and the Unravelers this week, I am experiencing some loose stitches in the cardigan on the needles. Last night I attended to the tension in the faux seam areas (adjacent knits and purls) where this is happening and it looks better. Earlier, I bungled a few stitches when attaching the second skein of yarn so I ripped out an inch and reknit those rows. The join is in the underarm/faux side seam and probably wouldn't have been terribly noticeable but it kept catching my eye. I couldn't make it better by pulling and adjusting yarn so I unraveled and reknit the rows. It's all knitting and attaching a second skein of yarn feels like progress.
I finished one scrappy Christmas sock, knitting a green toe because I could. When I began, I weighed and divided the patterned yarn into two balls. I have some leftover from the first sock so will not do quite as many white stripes in the second one.
The November stitch journal pages were about the colors and leaves from a beautiful end to autumn. The designs for leaves quilted into the above page came from leaves in the neighborhood. One day while walking I picked up the smallest leaves I could find. Three are from maple trees, one from a cottonwood, and the other from the birch in our front yard. On the next page, I carried on with an oak leaf I picked up on November 20, the day of our 48th wedding anniversary. Excuse the wrinkle, when I opened the journal to take photos, the page had been folded at a wonky angle. I figure a wrinkle or two is appropriate after forty eight years of marriage.
I read some of The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai. The writing is lovely while the story, not surprisingly, is melancholy. The novel takes its time, offering rich description, sensory detail, and family backstory to the lives of two young adults, Sonia and Sunny. I had a library copy that could not be renewed because of holds. While I enjoy the many cultural references about India, I prefer to search for information in order to understand them. There is much to savor in this book so I leave it unfinished at this time.
Lastly, I was looking for a cookie recipe for my Grandmother's Spritz and came across this. Does anyone know where I might find a 69 cent bag of cashews? By the way, this candy is more like cashew brittle than toffee. I haven't made it for years but I recall it being quite good.
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I hope you figure out that tension bit. I have really enjoyed your stitch pages this year. I am considering another stitch book type project for the new year.
ReplyDeleteYour stitching pages are just lovely and I really like the colors in that sock. Knitting can be a real challenge sometimes especially when it comes to tension. I have to go back and adjust things quite often when I'm doing colorwork.
ReplyDeleteI just came from Christmas shopping and I can assure you that there are no 69 cent bags of cashews. I was looking for some for The Mister and ended up paying a small fortune for a small bag. At least they were covered in chocolate.
I applaud you for fixing the tension issue on the sweater, especially if you kept noticing it. I'm finally learning the lesson that it's better to just fix the issue that keeps catching my attention than to try and ignore it. Your stitching pages are really lovely and make me think of leaves dancing in the wind. I'm going to look for some 69 cent cashews next time I shop!
ReplyDeleteWe had a crazy warm up here yesterday... we got well into the 60's. Which seems so insane after so many single digit days. But yes, walking was a delightful as Frankie and I soaked up the balmy air and the sunshine! Your stitch pages are quite lovely, Jane! I can't wait to see what you decide to do in the new year!
ReplyDeleteA 69-cent bag of cashews! I just love that . . . I also love your scrappy socks. They're so fun and whimsical and absolutely charming. It is finally warming up here today, too, with most of our snow melting quickly in the rain. (I really dislike rain in the winter . . . ) Now they're predicting a "flash freeze event," something I've never heard of before. But also something that doesn't sound pleasant. Happy knitting and stitching and reading, Jane. Enjoy the warmer weather. XO
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that it's much nicer to walk this time of year when you don't feel like a popsicle after a few minutes! After a snowstorm and frigid temps to start the week, it's felt like spring the past couple of days. It's nice that the snow and ice are melting and I feel I can walk safely outside. I'm sure no one but you would have noticed any wonkiness in your sweater, but if it would have bothered you, it was right to take the time to fix it.
ReplyDeleteI love that scrappy Christmas sock. Green is perfect at the toe.
ReplyDeleteI love your scrappy socks....they don't look scrappy at all! I hope you can continue to walk outside a bit. We have had so much ice here already this year it's not safe. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteSadly I cannot walk outside because of my auto immune disease. It's either to windy, too hot, too cold etc. Then I have symptoms to deal with. I do my cardio in my art room and have fun with you tube videos. You do have a way with scrappy socks!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeletePlease read my post
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas! re: your tension with the purl stitch column I offer this tutorial https://thebluebrick.ca/2014/10/10/the-eastern-style-purl-stitch-a-tutorial/ This purl stitch uses less yarn than our traditional stitch so tightens up the adjoining knit stitch. It was crazy warm here last week (like morning walks in just a long-sleeved tee and leggings) and then 24 degrees this morning. Hello Winter! We bundled up for our morning walk and even my fingers were actually warm by the time we got home, but the first bit was painfully cold. and happy belated anniversary - an oak leaf is such a beautiful tribute to a long (and getting longer!), strong marriage. We recognized a couple at church on Sunday celebrating 71 years ... all I could think was wow, they got married YOUNG!
ReplyDeleteThe Christmas socks are sooo cute! You are so talented.
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