Unexpected day off

You know what I hate about unexpected days off? You don't know you are having one until that morning when your kid says they aren't feeling well, and the thermometer confirms that they aren't making it up.

Because if I knew I was going to be home all day on a day when it's too darn hot to go outside anyways, I would have booked a couple of home-improvement type people to come over and take care of the non-critical tasks around the house that I hate to use my vacation days on. Like getting the tile floors' grout cleaned, stained and sealed for instance. Been meaning to do it for a while, but someone's got to be home when they are here. And today I am home. But they are not available last minute.

On the plus side, I cleaned the whole house, so that weekend chore is done, and I got some nice daylight for taking pictures of a few FO's without the flash. I may even crack open a few cookbooks and plan some menus for the next couple of weeks!

Between knitting group last night and this morning, I've really made some progress on the summer tank top I'm knitting for Audrey. I'm just about ready to divide for the armholes.



I'm using the leftover's of KnitPicks Shine Sport in Hydrangea I bought for a baby blanket at the end of 2008.

My handspun shawl is done too - I'm very happy with the way it turned out!

Pattern: Faraway, So Close
Designer: Carina Spencer
Yarn: handspun, from Chameleon Colorworks Optim in Midnight
Needles: US 5

And, I'm caught up on my blogging!

Black sheep, black sheep

Have you any wool?

Yes, Sir. Yes, Sir.

Three bags full!



The Grrlfriend Market Bag by Laura Spradlin, with modifications by FrozenFlame22, knitted up in triplicate for my daughter's three wonderful kindergarten teachers (One teacher, two assistants). Can you believe she's done with kindergarten? I can't!

They are a quick and easy knit - about 4 evenings per, and take 2.5 skeins of regular size Lily Sugar and Cream, or just under 2 skeins of the Super Size skeins. Cute colors and so easy!

Just finished up a shawl with my Optim handspun - haven't figured out how to photograph a dark multi-colored lace shawl. What color background and lighting would be best? Any ideas?

And now a bit of stash-busting - a breezy summer tank for Audrey with the KnitPicks Shine Sport in Hydrangea left over from the 2008 baby blanket for Nancy's daughter. After that - some fiber stash-busting during the Tour de Fleece, and some sock stash busting over vacation (are we sensing a theme here?). I could theoretically knit to the end of the year from only stash and yarn spun from stash, but I'd be mostly limited to socks and lace. I don't think I'll do it, but I would like to make a good dent before I fall in love with any sweater patterns for the winter (which would require new yarn - I don't have any sweater quantities of anything good in stash. For me at least. Audrey's going to be wearing a lot of vests this fall. Yeah, I wish.)

So now, back to Star Trek and the tank top! I'd like to finish it up before the Tour.