three ~ Melissa

~ September - October - November ~

three months into Liesl's monthly sock challenge and I'm still in!

 

here's my November pair:

 

and there was enough yarn left to make some fingerless mitts :

 

 

what a fun set, don't you think?

 

links:

Liesl @ Buckalooview ~ monthly sock challenge

Laule'a socks by cabinfour

Wandering mitts (free pattern!) also by cabinfour

 

I've already cast on my December pair :

 

Liesl is also doing giveaways during her sock challenge ~ I was unaware so I was incredibly surprised and so excited to get an email from her a few weeks ago that I had won her very first drawing...for a $25 Etsy gift certificate!  I thought long and hard and finally decided on the above hand dyed self-striping yarn...a perfect holiday colorway!...from Laurel at Spinningfates.  I've been anxious to cast on so when it finally arrived yesterday I unwrapped my brand new Karbonz needles and got started.

 

I love the needles (thanks for everyone's input ~ I ended up with these mostly because they were the only metal needles the LYS I stopped at stocks) ~ I love the yarn (what's not to love, don't you think!?) ~ and have I told you lately how much I love knitting socks...hehe!

 

Better get ~ have a baby blanket that needs blocking and wrapping before Sunday night.  Goddaughter number two will be here soon and baby gifts for her as well as birthday gifts for her big sister Neoma Jane are being delivered on Monday.  Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

Melissa

 

a few more links:

Spinningfates Etsy shop

my December sock ravelry page





dia de los Muertos ~ Melissa

O May I join the choir invisible 
Of those immortal dead who live again 
In minds made better by their presence: live 
In pulses stirr’d to generosity, 
In deeds of daring rectitude, in scorn
For miserable aims that end with self, 
In thoughts sublime that pierce the night like stars, 
And with their mild persistence urge man’s search 
To vaster issues.

George Eliot :: 'The Choir Invisible' 

 

(here's a link if you'd like to read the poem from beginning to end ~ it's worth reading ... I especially like the last part)

 

 

Today marks the annual Day of the Dead celebration, where those who have passed are enticed to come back and visit by those left behind.  It's one of my favorite things about the Mexican culture.

 

 

  On one of our walking treks the last time my husband and I went to Puerto Vallarta, outside of the touristy section we discovered an art gallery that had incredible pieces celebrating this tradition.  Jason was enamored with a particular piece and after returning home, I contacted the gallery and had something shipped back to the states.

 

 

  I had it framed and gave it to him for Christmas.  I can easily say this was the most thought out and well received (he was thrilled!) gift I have ever given him.  I know he still loves and appreciates it.

 

The artist did an intricate carving, used it to stamp these incredibly sliver-thin pieces of bark with the image and then hand painted the print.  We now have an amazing piece of folk art with vacation memories attached to it.

 

I finished my monthly sock challenge socks ~ the final toe was kitchenered while waiting for trick-or-treaters last night.  Hooray ~ I feel a huge sense of accomplishment since I've met my goal for two months in a row!  I also was lucky enough to receive an email from Liesl @ Buckaloo View this morning letting me know I had won her first drawing...a $25 etsy gift certificate.  I will be shopping for hand dyed sock yarn this weekend :) (thanks so much, Liesl!!).  If you've purchased yarn on etsy in the past and have a favorite, let me know!

 

I broke my very first knitting needle making these socks.  I'm actually surprised I haven't broken these toothpick sized sticks before and I've decided to invest in a metal pair of dp's just for sock knitting.  Anyone have any suggestions?  Do you have a favorite set?  I'd love any thoughts (pro & con) on any manufacturers you've tried before I make up my mind.

 

Luckily, the socks I've chosen to knit for November are worsted weight and use heavier needles.  If I manage to snap a US6 double-point when knitting these, I'll know I need to learn to knit just a little looser!

 

Hope this weekend finds everyone well and relaxing with family and friends.  My husband decided it's his turn to cook and has spaghetti sauce brewing in the crock pot ~ I'm a very lucky girl!

 

Be well ~ Melissa

ravelry links :
October Sock Challenge
November Sock Challenge

inhale ~ Melissa

...and everything smoky-smelling and the sky orange and ash gray at twilight, it seems Halloween will never come in a fall of broomsticks and a soft flap of bedsheets around corners.                  

- Ray Bradbury :: Something Wicked This Way Comes

 

 

 



 

 

 

Last autumn is a blur ~ my favorite time of year came and went unnoticed and uncelebrated.  I'm making an effort this season to take in the things around me that I love so much.  The damp earthy smell of the air, the crunchy kaleidoscope foliage underfoot, seasonal baking with local produce - my favorite apple cake can be found here (best right out of the oven with a cool spoon of homemade whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon), weekends filled with snuggling under a blanket and watching football and the World Series, listening to the blustery winds and the spate of daily rain showers that are part of October and November in the northwest.  I spent an hour today gathering fallen leaves in the hopes of following Ginny's lead ~ I'm finally going to wax and string a garland for our house after bookmarking this post four years ago.  I didn't plan ahead well enough so I don't have beeswax ~ I'm hoping paraffin will work just as well.  I'll let you know.

 

I'm just finishing a perfect book for this time of year, Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury, a favorite from childhood.  I'm also skimming through a new Martha Stewart magazine ~ I was taken in by the cover at the market and it somehow ended up in my basket.  I haven't bought one of her magazines in years but her October and November issues were always my favorites.

 

And I've been knitting.  Alot.  I'm so behind on getting things up on Ravelry - so not like me - but I'll get everything posted one of these days.  I've got three new finished projects:

Ceramic Flowers Cowl (notes here)

Streusel Shawl (link here)

and the Shale Baby Blanket (link here) that I finished last weekend while at retreat (posted here) .

 

I'm getting really close to finishing up the Hemlock Ring Blanket (link here) that I'm making for our second Goddaughter who will be here in just another month or so.  And I'm just casting on the second of my By the Seine River Socks (link here) that are my October set for Liesl's monthly sock challenge over at Buckaloo View (link here) . 

 

I'm so glad to be joining Ginny and everyone again for Yarn Along (link).  It's been awhile!  Looking forward to seeing what you all are up to since the last time I visited!

 

~ Melissa

 

(ack..sorry about all the links - I should have put them all at the end but I'm too lazy to go back and fix it all now! my post is a bit of a mess!)

busy as a bee ~ posted by Melissa

 

Jason found this dormant (thank goodness!) nest in our backyard last week.  It was as big as my head.  I'm allergic and have been doing yard work all summer and never noticed it being built.  How can that be?  I feel very lucky!!

 

I've been knitting quite a bit but haven't made time to post so today is the day.  I have two projects to share now, one more finished and another just about done that I'll share in a few days.

 

 

 

This is Sprinkles from Juju's Loops.  It was a breeze to knit and I have enough yarn left to make a pair of two tone socks for me.  I'm thinking a vanilla pair ~ green with purple heels and toes.  This is a gift for our second Goddaughter who will be arriving later this year.  I love making baby things!

my ravelry notes can be found here

 

 

 

I am joining Liesl at Buckaloo View in her monthly sock challenge (while I enjoy watching her raise chickens, experiment with dyeing yarn, and take on the huge task of returning her family property to a working farm).  These are my September socks!  I have my October socks cast on already so I'm feeling like a pair a month is a reasonable goal.  Plus it's always nice to have someone to knit with :).

my ravelry notes can be found here

 

That's it for Sunday blogging.  There are important goings-on today ~ in case you haven't heard there's a Superbowl rematch starting in an hour or so!  Hope everyone is enjoying the last weekend of summer.  I, for one, am looking forward to inviting Autumn in tomorrow! 

 

GO HAWKS!!!!

 



snails ~ posted by Melissa

snails...of the mail and knitting variety...

 

I can't believe I have so few finished objects six months into the year ~ I finally finished these socks over the weekend (ravelry notes here) ~ thanks again Will for the gift of this coveted yarn...I completely loved it and can't wait to use it again.

 

I immediately cast on a new pair of socks (ravelry notes here) ~ we meet with new doctors this week who will hopefully have better success at healing Jason than his last ones did.  Anyway, socks are perfect for waiting rooms and hospital stays ~ hopefully the next few weeks will bring more positive results than the last ten months have.  Please send us all the good juju you can spare ~ we are so ready to be done with this and start living life again.

 

 

I find myself continually surprised with unexpected snail mail lately ~ it always seems to appear at the times I need it the most.  The smiles that these packages bring are big but nowhere near as big as the ones that cross my face knowing that we are being thought of during some tough times.  I can't thank you all enough for the constant stream of cards and reminders of all the friends we have, near and far.  You are all so appreciated ~ there are no words big enough.

 

This week brought many cards, yarn, hearts and even a bunny nugget :

 

 

Thank you Chris, Andi, Julie and Jesse ~ you and everyone else that has sent us something over these last months keep an eye on your mailboxes.  I carved some time out this weekend to do some crafting and there are snails coming your way, bearing a little thank you to each and every one of you.

 

I hope you all enjoy what I've made for you ~ it's not much but I wanted you all to know that I value each of your friendships and the kindness you have shown us.

 

Have a wonderful week, all, and we will try our hardest to do the same!

~Melissa



hap(py) ~ posted by Melissa

 Hello again!  Many thanks to everyone that chimed in to last week's post (link here) and helped solve a mystery.  Although quite a few of you thought my plant is a white hydrangea (and have now made me covet a few of these as well!), I believe that those of you who decided it is a snowball viburnum hit the nail on the head.  Everything I've looked at online mirror images the flowers and leaves and size of the plant we have.  Thanks again ~ I'm excited to track down another of these since they seem to thrive in our bog of a back yard when not much else is happy there.
 

 

This week I pulled out a work-in-progress (and if you know me at all, you're not surprised that I chose something that matched the color scheme of the book I'm reading ~ I'm a dork!).  I'm working on my jaywalker socks (link here) and I should be done with them by next week's yarn along.  They're pretty easy and I put them away with one completed and the other already started so I'm more than half finished.  They're fun and easy and a sanity saver (thanks, Will ~ hehe!).

 

And look!  I finished the hap I cast on last week already! 

(link here) 

 

 

It was such an addicting knit ~ so hard to put down and so quick to knit up.

 

 

That Kate Davies is wonderful ~ the pattern is very well written and so classic and simple.  I think I'm going to cast on another soon in a lighter weight yarn.  Perfect for a travel, no-brainer project.

 

Hope you all had a good holiday weekend (if you're stateside) ~ I tried to balance the must-do's with a few wanna-do's and it turned out to be a fairly pleasant few days.  The best part though was when my husband (who I've had on chore-lockdown for the last 10 months...and counting) told me to park it on the couch and knit so he could make me dinner.  It was delicious!!!  I felt guilty the entire time but I sure enjoyed it ~ and even better, there were leftovers the next night.  What a guy :)

 

 

here's a link to the recipe : Papas Con Chorizo

 

see you all next week :)

Melissa

 

joining Ginny @ Small Things and her Yarn Along Crew





a quick hello ~ posted by Melissa

just a few things to share that made me smile today :

 

this cute little ballet shrug ~ knit in a day for Neoma Jane's 2nd Easter

ravelry notes here ~ pattern is 'Entrechat'

I highly recommend it

(thanks again Kelly for the destash gift ~ it's going to a good home!)

 

I've cast on Jaywalker #2 ~ what a fun pattern

ravelry notes here

thanks again Will for my sanity sock yarn ~ it has helped when I need an escape from things

 

 

and mail from far away places

I think we'll all be treated to many lovely photos and fun stories when Kelli returns

 

 

stay tuned!

 

~ Melissa

on a happier note ~ posted by Melissa

I realized when I posted yesterday that it's been almost 2 months since I've visited with you all ~ far too long to have come back with such a sad story.  Thought I'd fill you in on what's been happening around here while I've been away (if you're reading this and yours is one of the 35 messages in my ravelry inbox that has not been returned...I'm sorry...I promise to get to each and every one of them!).

Ongoing health issues continue at our house and we've been immersed in doctors visits and hospital stays and after 7 months of this craziness, I think we're both about to lose our minds.  If you're in the loop, surgery #3 was 2 weeks ago and if this one did the trick, we should know by the middle of June if this entire thing is finally behind us.  If you're not in the loop, I'll spare you all the gory details ~ suffice it to say, we're beat and ready to start living life again.

There have been bursts of sunshine thanks to some dear ravelry buddies who know just how to cheer a gal up ~ who can help but smile when they get care packages such as these:

Fellow bloggers Will & Jeff sent a box of hugs ~ 2 skeins of 'sock sanity stash filler' from Will (I've already cast on the Black Bunny Fibers!) and a huge hank of yarn hand spun by Jeff (have I mentioned how lucky I am?!).  Still don't know what I did to deserve the two of you but like I said, you are on the 'homemade jam forever' list!

And then there's fellow blogger buddy Kelly Lightbeam who threw a little of everything in the box I received from her:

Minnesota chocolates and tea with the cutest little Tea-Rex tea diffuser ~ I will have fun using him!

There was also this lovely skein of berry colored handspun from her local guild's sale (I think?) and a ball of mohair to work into my Color Play Mohair Churchmouse Scarf that I cast on for easy hospital knitting.

But my favorite thing of all was the artwork her daughter Chloe made for me:

I've been working on the last bit of organizing in the knitting attic (my closet finally has shelving!) and when I'm done, I will find a special place to hang this brightly cheerful painting by a sweet girl.

I've been knitting ~ Spire is still on hold.  It's just too much for my brain to handle at the moment.  Hopefully soon we'll get to know each other again.  Until then, I've made a shawl:

 

ravelry notes can be found here

And I've been churning out socks like nobody's business ~ they are the perfect stress knit, I think:

My sock drawer is beginning to fill up ~ I love to open it and look inside...it makes me smile :).

These are my newest additions (links under each photo are to my ravelry notes & more photos):

 

My Cup of Tea ~ with yarn sent to me by mysistersknitter (thanks again, Andi!)

 

Simple Skyp Socks ~ there will be more of these!

 

Hermione's Everyday Socks ~ I had to copy you, Jesse (moo-HA-HA!!)





And my newest pair just cast on last night with the yummy Black Bunny Fibers Yarn that Will sent:

I've joined the 10,000 other folk in love with Grumperina's patterns and started my first pair of Jaywalkers

 

I think that about catches us up to speed.  Spring is here, the sun came out yesterday and stayed for an encore today so for the moment, there's a smile on my face and hope that tomorrow will be a better day than the last too many bad days in a row.  I really appreciate everyone checking in that's been taking the time to message me on ravelry.  I do read all your emails and like I said, I will answer each and every one of them when life gets back on a normal track for us.  I'm so glad to have made so many cherished connections online ~ I'm ever so thankful for my virtual circle of friends and your friendship.

 

 

Happy Spring and I'll try not to be gone so long next time!

Melissa