Tuscany Socks

The Tuscany Socks are coming along nicely.  I am pleased with the leg portion, despite it being slightly tight going over the heel.  It really is pretty and the way the little puffs show the colors of the yarn remind me of tiny clouds.

The first picture represents the colors of the yarn the best.  It's a periwinkle blue. 

 

On other fronts, the sunroom is almost finished and ready to be occupied.  This can't come soon enough, as we are stuffed to the gills with spare furniture in the living room.  Baseball continues to take a great deal of time.  The kids were dragging this morning after a late game last night and two are on tap for Wednesday.  We'll see if they go to bed early tonight - I'm betting they do not.

Yardwork's cutting in on knitting time!

Spring has sprung and with it rain and tall grass.  So, this morning after dropping the kids at school and switching a load of laundry, I set out to cut the grass.  This is more difficult than it might appear, due to the resident mole hunter (aka Shiloh, the beagle).  He follows mole (or is it vole) tunnels, digs the critters out and kills them.  However, he never refills the tunnels, so our backyard is full of 8 inch deep canyons.  Sadly, my encounter with one of these tunnels has injured the self-propelled mechanism on the mower and I was only able to accomplish 2/3 of my task.

So, since dinner's in the slow cooker and laundry only requires a bit of attention, knitting is on tap for this afternoon.  I am glad I used a needle a size larger for the legs of my socks.  I tried them on yesterday and they were a bit snug.  Any smaller and they might be too snug over the heel!

Friday, at last!

I don't know why, but this has been a LONG week for me.  Nothing devastating has happened, it's just seemed to drag.  Maybe it's the beginning of baseball season and busier weekends and weeknights.  I don't know, I'm just glad it's Friday and we have very limited commitments for the weekend.

I began the leg of my Tuscany socks, using a lifeline (a brilliant suggestion from the writer of the Minding My Own Stitches blog.  So, the lifeline is in place and I am going up 1 needle size for at least the beginning of the ankle.  Most complaints have been about getting the sock over the heel of the foot, so we'll see.  If it's too baggy, my lifeline will be there!

Baseball, Sunroom, and Knitting

These three things are all consuming for me right now.   As for the baseball, the Junior Orioles' game began on shaky ground last night, but they came back to win in exciting fashion.  Michael (son #2) came home with a beautiful baseball impression on his ribcage which remains this morning.  He's sore, to say the least! 

Regarding the sunroom, it's ALMOST finished.  Just a door, some trim and a storm door to install and we'll be in business.  This room is where I plan to do most of my knitting.  I just can't wait until it's all ready!

There was also knitting yesterday.  I've completed the heels on my socks and am debating going up a needle size for the leg.  Others have suggested that the pattern makes for a tight leg and I'm concerned about that.  So, while I debate I continue on the Lazy Day Shawl.

Ah, Spring!

Despite some wild weather yesterday morning, it's looking quite a bit like spring around here.  The Dogwoods are blooming, the grass is growing AND I'M SNEEZING!  But, that's ok.  Spring is wonderful. 

I've been knitting on my socks at baseball games and making slow but steady progress.  I've realized that I'm not a fast knitter.  I see blogs where people knock out an entire shawl or sock in one evening of knitting.  That is not me.  But, I think since I'm more of a process knitter, it's ok.  I really enjoy the whole process of a project, from selecting a pattern and yarn, knitting a swatch, and every part of the pattern.  Which is a good thing, considering I'm a relatively slow knitter!

We have another baseball game this evening, so more baseball knitting is on the schedule.  Hopefully, I'll make it - Captain Jack decided 4:00 was a great time to wake up this morning.  This is how he will spend the day:

What a Weekend!

Wow!  That's all I can say.  At the baseball field from 8 am to 7 pm on Saturday for Little League Opening Day festivities and both kids' baseball games then back to the field from 8 am to 6 pm yesterday for a tournament for my younger son's travel team.  We are worn out and the week is just starting - including two baseball games tonight!  Poor scheduling (and my dear husband is the scheduling dude for the little league!)

Anyway, all those hours did result in knitting time, except when it was so cold my fingers were blue.  I worked on my Tuscany socks to the beginning of the gusset and moved to the Lazy Day Shawl.  Our weather has been crazy.  Saturday was in the 50's, with lots of wind and several rain showers, yesterday was sunny and mid 60's, today will hit mid 80's. 

Here are the socks being modeled by my precious gray tabby, Captain Jack Sparrow:

The Captain loves yarn and enjoys sitting beside me while I knit.  Sadly, I have been surprised to be knitting along and come upon an unforeseen end to the yarn, thanks to my sweet kitty's chewing!

School Holiday

Today is a school holiday/teacher work day, so we're all at home today.  The kids are playing video games, since it's rainy outside and I'm being very lazy.  I think this is a perfect day to do some knitting and listen to my book.  I'm about halfway through Sense and Sensibilty, by Jane Austen.  I didn't read any of her books in school and really don't know why.  I do believe I appreciate them more now, though.

Work continues on the sunroom.  We now have heat, electricity and are having the trim installed today.  It's really coming along, with the floor being installed next week.  I can't wait for it to be finished and to sit by the window and knit my heart out!