Memorial Day

For those living in the US, today is Memorial Day, the day we honor those in the military who have died dedending our freedom.

DH and I took Friday off to give us a really long weekend (we're also off today). Yesterday, DH, me, DSis and her boyfriend went to my parents' home to cookout and spend some time together. Unfortunately, we didn't get around to playing Jarts.




I want to thank Erin, at Fairytales and French Knots. She completed this project a while ago, and I loved it! She kindly asked if I would like the chart, and it recently found itself delivered to my doorstep.

Thank you, Erin!! I love this chart and can't wait to get it started! :o)


I've been knitting a good bit, and was able to finish two pairs of socks recently, my Jaywalkers and my Popcorn socks.





These are the first socks I've made using a short row heel, which resembles the heels of purchased socks. The silver stuff by my toes is a ribbon from a Christmas present that the kitties decided makes a wonderful toy.




While watching American Beauty (an odd, but interesting film) today, I cast on for a new pair, though there's not enough to photograph yet.

Gifts from nature

This is what my lilac bush looked like on Friday afternoon. I can't remember it ever flowering as much as it has this year. The branches are bending under the weight of all the blooms!




Such pretty gifts from nature really brightened up my kitchen island. (And surprisingly, there weren't any kitties up on the island inspecting it, either!)




This weekend was a bit on the cool, gloomy side here in the Mid-Atlantic, which was perfect weather to curl up in The Ladies Parlour with some hot tea, two kitties and my knitting. I was able to get the entire heel section completed, and started the foot part.

Popcorn!

I finished the first popcorn sock, and started the second one. I call them popcorn socks not because of some fantastically intricate stitch I've mastered, but becauase the colors remind me of those jars of popcorn kernels you put in a popper that are multi-colored.

This is the first socks I've made with a short row heel, which looks like store-bought socks, rather than using a heel flap. I found a fantastic set of directions for the heel, but for the life of me, can't remember where I found it.

Dusting the cobwebs off the needles

I decided to start a new project, one I've been coveting for ages: The Village of Hawk Run Hollow, from Carriage House Samplings. I'm not particularly enamored by silk floss (nothing against it, but it doesn't excite me), so I'm doing this with DMC floss, which really reduces the cost of this project.

I also know I'd go blind stitching it on 40ct fabric (maybe 10 years ago!), so I chickened out and am using 28ct lunana in a cream color. For something this small, I'll do better with an evenweave over linen, and because it's so small, lugana is a more substantial fabric.



Will it be 'ezee'? I doubt it!


Egads, the last time I posted was March!

I really can't blame it on anything, except that I haven't been particularly crafty. In April, I finished up yet another class in my quest for my masters. I can't even say it kept me away from my crafty pursuits, because it wasn't a terribly time consuming class. It was TQM (Total Quality Management), and was quite interesting because it was taught by a VP at a local manufacturing company, who actually uses the tools he teaches, so it was a very practical class.

Here and there I did a little knitting (My Jaywalkers and Popcorn Kernel socks), worked a little on Fairy Flora, but otherwise, I've been reading, and discovered Peggle (which is even more addicting than Bejeweled).


And, I worked a little more on Hawk Run during lunch today:



Will it be a 'breeze'? Ummm, probably not, but it will be fun!