knitting and seaglass: a cliché lives!

 Finally got my feet under me and my Rug, which sounds funny, shouldn't a Rug should be under my feet???? I completed the colorwork rows last night. I'm (sort of )on a straightaway to the hem, there are some short rows coming up.

Color accurate!  Unlike the earlier view here  This is my first Junko Okomato design  I am loving her writing style: no chit chat or overexplaining, she breaks it down into bite sized "sections" with a bit of chart in each. The shaping uses short rows to create sort of an oversized bubble. Risky choice, Japanese clothing styles frustratingly fail on me. I tried it on and I *think* it's going to be cozily oversized and drape well. After a good block! 

There are some very long floats back there.I was slowed down  trapping the floats until the very last 4 rows of colorwork when my brain finally kicked into gear. I realized it'd be  sooo much easier if I'd just do what I usually do: hold one color in  left hand and the other in my right.  DUH?!   I...forgot  ? I guess its been a while since I knit a colorwork pattern! So that totally takes care of the tension and ease of trapping for my particular knitting style.  I read that some knitters have used ladderback jacquard to knit the long float areas .That isn't in my skill set yet! 

I say yet because one of my fellow KnitsStars Season 11 , Alice Hammer  is teaching exactly that. The season is being offered for purchase later this week ! Have you tried any of the seasons or classes?  I wasn't sure about Knitstars until  I watched past seasons to familiarize myself. I am super picky about online classes, podcasts and YouTube channels. It is honestly worth it. The production quality is high, the way the classes are presented is professional and you own them, it's not a timed thing. 

If you are at all tempted, check it out via my Knitstars /link -it's a waitlist until Sept 27th and then they remind you when it goes for sale live. If you have any questions at all about KnitStars please ask me!

 In other news last weekend I helped my neighbor artist friend (and fellow beachcomber, we do a lot of beachglass hikes) Sarah Sorenson with a pop up seaglass jewelry  sale event. You can find her on Instagram   Ye  of course I went home with a fabulous pair of earrings!

I was surprised to learn lots of folks around here never find any beachglass, since recycling and awareness around littering have changed habits. I think it's an eye  thing--I pick up beach glass literally every day right down the street, my eyes are trained to see tiny details from knitting! Does  that happen to you?

Yes I am a cliche, thankyouverymuch, coastal granma knitting and hoarding jars of seaglass.... 

 

 Reading:  this is Unraveling  so I cant leave out my book , I am on the last part of James by Percival Everett. I slowed down because it is afterall, a chase, and the growing danger is making me stressed! The author deserves all the accolades received. 

 

reporting in: including pie

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    You would think I'd be further along on my Rhinebeck Sweater for Good  than this, right? The pattern is Rug. I had a several inch self-inflicted setback after I stopped paying attention and skipped half a round of increases.

The pattern is written for one size. There are  sections of short rows and increases as it grows neck down. I got gauge at the start and now seem to be getting looser!  I won't be mad about it being extra roomy. I am looking for a heavy sweatshirt style pullover I can live in this winter.  Except I'd hoped to finish it before I go to New Mexico on October 1st!  It's still a possibility...says Pollyanna.

In other making, there was the  annual neighborhood pie contest during our end of summer blowout festival. My entry this year, a Gingersnap Peach Mascarpone Tart. It has crystallized ginger bits and blueberries sprinkled on top. The decorations around it meant to distract from the  crumb-y crumb  crust. 

Some of the competition! I didn't do well this time--the judges didn't get to my tart until it had been sitting out in the park for over an hour and the mascarpone filling wasn't as firm as it was when I'd walked it over earlier. Not a tragedy, it's all fun and  it was crazy delicious. (it wasn't that hot out, don't worry it wasnt spoiled at all).   Most of them were delectable. After the judges taste a sliver of each, we all eat as many slices as we want while the games carry on  (egg toss, tug of way, water balloons, that kind of thing) . The top pie winner was a strawberry rhubarb custard pie  (not in this frame) that deserved the honor.

About New Mexico in October: --I am teaching a weeklong workshop with Beverly Army Williams, the writer/maker/teacher  you may know.  Our workshop at  Ghost Ranch is called Powerful Storytelling: Word & Images.  It is going to be a great week in a dream setting: Georgia O'Keefe's ranch, hundred of acres, gorgeous setting. There are still a few seats possible in our class, grab a friend (or come make new ones) for a treat yo'self getaway. Or spread the word!  Last minute I know but thats not wrong either ! New Mexico in early October is not to be ignored.

And reading: it was hard to find a book to follow Kin by Tayari Jones. I did not want it to end!  Those characters  are still living with me! What a talent she is. My bookgroup jumped in to fill the void, reading James by Percival Everett   . I was immediately sucked waaaay into the story, it's a brilliant retelling of Huckleberry Finn from the slave Jim's point of view.  It's not what you expect! That's all I am saying. 

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Jumping over to post this link on Unraveled and see what everyone else there is up to. Thanks always to Kat  for tempting me back to blogging even if I am almost always a day late!