Wednesday WIPs

 

I forgot about the Vuelta and the beach festival when I planned on steeking Bon Ami this weekend so it didn't get done. We're off babysitting this week again so all my socks are with me getting worked on here and there but mostly on the long ride up and back. What I did do this week was go through my stash and look for sock yarn that matched my new knot bag. Did I find any? No. Did I order some. Yes. Have I cast in on? Not yet.

TNT: New Stuff

 

Goat Load has its mound finished and the border started.

Funky Flower has the center background finished and the border started.

But what I'm really, really excited about this week is this. 

I bought some of this tapestry wool by mistake a while back when I thought I might run out of orange on Funky Flower. Since I have a bag of it, I thought I might as well buy more colors and do something with it. This sample tin even comes with a small painted canvas in case you want to get started on something right away.

I don't. What I want to do with it is paint my own canvas so I bought some to experiment with but first I have to come up with a design and get over my urge just to sit and look at all those pretty colors. I have a bad habit of never using kits because they are just too pretty as is.

Blocked

 

This is what the last stage of the Vuelta looked like yesterday. Masses of protesters blocked the roads so the race was called with 50 miles or so to go. I thought I had 3 hours of time with my handspun projects watching the final laps and then the awards but I only got one-and no awards ceremony. I was happy to see that my guy won the thing but not happy about giving up my time. 

Here's my three weeks worth of progress on the knitting projects I said I was going to concentrate on. The Garter Squish is getting tinked back to the yellow and then I will cast it off. The second sock is past the heel and the Pi shawl still has a loooong way to go before the fancy border is finished. 

I will have had seven wind offs with the drop spindles when I wind these last three off. There's plenty of fiber left so I'm pretty sure I'll be seeing it again during next year's TdF. 

The Cormo fiber that was on the Ladybug is finished. 

It didn't get a podium finish but here it is atop all the other finished skeins from this year's Grand Tours. I need a plan to use all this up before next year's roll around again.

I'm giving my wheels a rest for a while. I have projects on the Traveler and the Traditional but they're on hold for now. I'm spun out. 

Never a Dull Moment

 

There was a lot going on yesterday. First there was the Farmer's Market. It seems fall has finally fallen there. 

Everyone had pumpkins and mums. 

I was more interested in cauliflower ......

....and watermelon. They were out of seedless so I got a seeded one and I'm glad I did. It was so much better that I may never go back. The Amish dude who talked me into it was right. 

Then it was time for the Taste of the Beaches festival. Out on the ball field, the town restaurants set up booths and give away free samples. The Mister ate his weight in fried and raw oysters that were served by Traders one of the local seafood places. 

There were all kinds of things to try like this spicy shrimp gazpacho from the Rod and Reel. 

I had a snow cone from the Kona truck which was also free.

The entertainment was stellar. The local ballet school had a performance and the rock band that played for the rest of the day was outstanding. I could have sat there all day listening.

The day ended for the town with a showing of Jaws on the beach but we skipped it. I have a hard enough time watching it at home. I was severely traumatized by it when it opened in the theaters. That jump scare in the abandoned boat still gets me every time. 

Home Alone

 

I had another day to do what I wanted while The Mister went off to play golf this week so I used my time to finish weaving in the ends of Bon Amie and prepare it for steeking. I watched a lot of videos to refresh my memory and I realized I've still got a ways to go before the cutting happens. Hopefully tomorrow while The Mister is busy with football, I'll be in the sewing room basting those seams and reinforcing them on the machine before the snipping starts. Strangely enough, it's not the cutting that's scaring me. It's that mattress stitch to join the sleeves. I've never mastered it.

I also turned those figs I brought home from the Farmer's Market into jam.

They didn't make much but a little goes a long way. I've been putting it on cinnamon graham crackers along with some soynut butter for a bedtime snack and it's good. Pup thinks so too. 

Simply Socks

 

I've got all of my sock down to the heel flap. I'm starting to think I may get them done this month after all if I can keep this pace up.

I'd like to take a minute just to rave about how pretty this colorway is. Do you see all the little pink flowers? Adorable. I won't say who designed it because you will swear I'm getting paid for my endorsements but their initials start with A and C and that's all I'm saying. 

I'll be Darned...

 

I can't tell you how surprised I am that the first Afterthought Heel turned out. I had my doubts because it's just a second toe, if you know what I mean. After picking up the stitches you just knit it down to 8 stitches like you would a top down toe and pull the yarn through. So simple and it looks and fits great.

It wasn't even that scary because you put the needles through before you yank out the waste yarn holding it all together. I have to thank Arne and Carlos once again for this sensible solution that is made overly complicated in too many patterns. To be fair, I used techniques from two different videos. First it was the heel from last year's Christmas stocking and then their World's Easiest Sock video. I'm not really a fan of the Afterthought Heel as rule but when you have to use it, it's nice to know it works. 

And...thank you for your kind words yesterday. They were truly appreciated. Things still feel a bit weird but a lesson was learned-don't let time get between you and your loved ones. Tomorrow is never guaranteed.