Unwind

Its been a rough month or so. Lots of drama at work (finally resolved this week) has had me anxious to the point of ill, and now I feel like I just need to catch back up on my life. I've started by trying to get a lot of sleep this week, and that seems to be helping. I've got the next week off to get the boys settled into their summer break routine, and I hope to do a lot of knitting, and reading, and thinking. I always have big goals like that when we get a break, but I know that there will also be a lot of running around with them, and swimming, and playing and those will rejuvenate me too.

I'm casting on my second Lemongrass today, in Malabrigo Twist in Damask.

Its so soft and springy and I think its going to be a joy to knit. I loved knitting the first one, and I'm excited to make this for my mom. I hope she loves it. She's turning 60, and not pleased about the birthday.

In the meantime, I'm researching yoga / meditation retreats and juice cleanses, in the hopes of getting my groove back. I feel like I need to just hit the reset button in a lot of areas, and  find a little peace.

Change

Work has been keeping me too busy to post, and at times, too busy to knit these past weeks. Now I'm hearing that major changes may be coming my way, and they may not be in my favor. So, I'm hoping to recommit to things that make me happy, and knitting is high on that list. I've been primarily focused on my "Mad May" project, which is a Boxy in Madelinetosh Feather in Coquette. I love the yarn so much, and I'm really excited about the sweater. Its a 390 stich cast on, which I managed to twist TWICE, but this third time seems to be the charm, and I've got about 4 inches completed. I'm not sure I'll finish it in May, but all the stockinette does make it great take along knitting, which is ideal since we're right in the middle of baseball season

Hibernating

8 years ago last month, my sweet niece Amelia was born. I knit a little sweater, I think planning for her first birthday. I finished the knitting and about half of the finishing. I can't for the life of me remember why I didn't finish the whole thing. And, I haven't had the right little girl to gift it to.. until now. My son's 4th grade teacher is expecting her first baby over the summer, and we threw her a surprise shower today. I pulled this out of storage, finished the seaming, added the ribbon, and voila! Hand knit baby gift (full disclosure, some of the seaming is done with a slightly different blue yarn but if you won't tell I won't either)

Break

Today marks the first full day of Spring Break around here. Yesterday my boys had a half day, and today the are home with me. I always feel like Spring Break comes at just the right moment. Just when school, and activities, and work all start to pile up and risk tipping over, we get a little time to pause and just enjoy each other. The last two years we have traveled over their break and this year I'm looking forward to a good old fashioned "staycation". Tonight I'm kicking things off with a girls night out at Whimsy with my mom, my sister in law and her mom. Art is good for the soul, and I'm sure it will be a great night!

I should have time to knit through the weekend, especially when the boys are at their dads (although some of that time will be spent figuring out where the heck I put the plastic eggs two easters ago... hmm)

We're heading to the mountains for a couple of days and if my husband is willing to do some of the driving, I should be able to get to some knitting in the car. Then, we're just home for a bunch of days in a row. I'm working two mornings, and taking the rest of the time off. My main focus this week is my Jenica. I've got most of the yoke done and its a really fun, really fast knit so far.

Proof

My attempts at getting pictures of myself in the Opposite Pole last night were pretty laughable... I got some great over the shoulder pictures of my bathroom door, but not much else. So, until my husband is home to man the camera, I'll have to make do with this one

I did manage to get a decent picture of the front of the Eadon that I cast on

And last but far from least is my Jenica. Here are some swatch pictures. I have been "petting" my swatch all day long today

I managed to finish the 7.5 inch section of the veritcal braid, plus 3 cable repeats of the Right Yoke. I love it, and its a very fun knit so far!

The bottom picture is much more true to the color, but I love how the top picture shows how much variation there is in this yarn.

Success!

The Opposite Pole is ready to be worn tomorrow, the front of the Eadon is ready for knitting at all the places I have to wait for the boys this week and the Jenica is started (and lovely!)

Progress

Today was the snow day that never quite materialized a couple of weeks ago. We really need the moisture and I really needed the restful day. Last night I finished and bound off the back of my Eadon and cast on the right side. I did one repeat of the cable pattern and since its so easy to memorize, it has re established itself as my purse knitting. I'm really pleased with how much I got done.
On my Opposite Pole, I finished one sleeve and cast on the other. I had finished the sleeve cap plus about 4 inches when I realized it was upside down. Bad idea to pick up stitches on a symmetrical piece after midnight!!
I frogged it and started over and have passed the point where I was so I'm feeling good about finishing it this weekend

I spent some time organizing my stash this morning and all that lovely yarn I've bought in the past month or two is calling to me!


The cat enabled at least an extra hour of knitting by setting up camp on my lap