Busy hands makes a full heart

The past week and a half or so have been so crazy busy! I forgot what it was like to get kids ready to start another school year. Ever since my daughter's children started school, lo those many years ago, I have helped her prepare for another year. I'm not complaining at all, I absolutely love it and am so fortunate as a grandparent to be able to do it. My two youngest grandchildren are easy...since they are only five (ten months apart), they aren't real discriminating with their clothes yet. The two older ones....yeah, different story! I'm better off to just hand them my wallet and let them go. Which is pretty much what I did yesterday. They are both in middle school and don't start back until next week. I think I pretty much got them taken care of, so between me and their paternal grandmother, they should be stylin' it for sure!
My granddaughter, who will be 14 in March, is really into dresses this year. I'm so surprised, but I love it!!! I'm thinking about sewing some for her, and who knows, maybe knit her a shrug/bolero or two to match.

I may have already mentioned my friend contacting me about knitting or crocheting a baby blanket for her? I finished it this morning and she will be picking it up today. It's a beautiful pattern, and much larger than what I thought. I didn't read the size measurements when I started it, but this thing is crib size!! She wants to pay me for it, but she was so there for me when my mom passed away, that I'm refusing to let her. That's just how I roll, and that's what friends do!

 

 

I pretty much worked on this blanket exclusively, that and I did spin every day. I got my superwash BFL plied last night, and will be finishing that up today. I think I might have achieved my goal of spinning for a 2 ply fingering weight. I can't hardly wait to see what kind of yardage I ended up with and then to choose a pattern to knit from it!

 

I try to get to the school at least 20 minutes before my little guys get out of class, and that gives me just the right amount of time to get some uninterrupted reading done. I am about 3/4 of the way through with my book club's selection...Fall of Giants by Ken Follett. I am enjoying this book so much and am glad we have chosen the sequel to read next. Our start date for that one, I believe is called Winter of the World (?), will be September 1st.

 

Last summer, when my sister-in-law saw my Easy Folded Poncho, by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas, she loved it so much and asked if I would knit her one. People, let me tell you, it's miles of stockinette stitch. While I love knitting, I'm not sure I can bring myself to do a rerun of this pattern this soon after mine. She doesn't know it, but I've found a different pattern that is beautiful and will look so wonderful on her!!! I ordered the yarn for the Calais, by Rachel Sogaard (a free pattern), from Jimmy Beans Wool a few days ago. I'm excited to cast on for this and to be able to deliver it to her when we make another trip to Idaho in the fall. Since there is some lace detail, maybe it will hold my interest enough to where I can knit myself one too!

Calais, by Rachel Sogaard

 







Isn't that cute? I'm hoping the yarn (Cascade Pacific Chunky) will arrive today! I'm also trying to get some of my WIPs cleaned up, so I pulled my L'Enveloppe by Sally Melville, out of the corner, and got busy with it. I am so close to being finished with this piece, and it will be perfect for this fall/winter. I'm very excited about having it in my wardrobe...garter stitch in Madeline Tosh...what can be better than that?!!? Well, ok, maybe there are some things that are as equally beautiful and squishy, but I know this is going to feel so awesome on!

This is mine in progress...I only have to knit one short sleeve because of the construction of it and how it's designed. This is the colorway called Plaid Blanket...I love it!!

What are you keeping busy with? It's the end of summer...are you working on anything for the fall/winter months?