Lazy Sunday

Sunday has been and always will be a relatively lazy day for me. It was the day that we would have a big breakfast as a family and my mom would head to the store for the week’s groceries. Kids specifically not welcome. The rest of the family would split apart and do their own thing. In high school it was the one day of the week I wasn’t at the high school, and so I got my homework done, or would hang with friends for coffee. But Sunday nights were for being at home and chilling, usually watching TV after an early dinner. I still like to have an early dinner on Sundays, watch some TV and generally relax before another week begins.

So I’m at Panera grabbing a quick lunch before running my Sunday errands (cleaning supplies and food, so exciting) and overheard this:

Dad (to son, who is styled identically, unfortunately): Did you order a Mexican sandwich?

Son (eating sandwich): No, Cuban.

Other son (who is not styled even similarly, thankfully): Same thing.

I love people watching.

Ive been meaning to write about something, but it needed to get to Iowa first. Of course the package arrived over a week ago, but between Maryland Sheep and Wool and work, I’m just getting around to it. Laura and I decided, in our absence of knitting time in person, that we would send each knitting and fiber related packages this year. The first package was something NOT made of fiber, so no yarn or spinning fiber. A little smidge of history: Laura and I would get sushi every Tuesday night and watch Glee while knitting. When I saw the fabric I knew it had a home:

How perfect is that? A small box bag for little knitting projects with sashimi to go! The inside is lined with a plain red fabric and the handle is guilded (and nightmare to sew) like any good American-Asian restaurant would be. I could explain how I made it, but a Google search for ‘box bag tutorial’ will yield better results. And no point in reinventing the wheel, right?

This weekend I’ve been itching to cast on something new, but after a review of what is currently a WIP, I decided I needed some finishing first. As fast as I can a rundown of all the things:

Bridgewater: Started more than a year ago with 2000 yards of lace weight alpaca on hand, all that remains now is the epic knit-on-bind-off.

Austin Hoodie: I was in love with this pattern and the yarn (Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light) and of course cast on an worked manically for a few months. Now that I’m working on the first sleeve, I’m not as enchanted and seriously doubting if this will ever get finished. The superwash yarn grew so much during blocking and the sleeves are looking baggy in the underarm region. Plus I don’t think I have enough yarn. More to come on this.

Wayfarer: Another Jared Flood pattern knit with some local (in MI) alpaca in the perfect natural camel color. I’ve rounded the corner into the last little stretch of “continue to work in pattern.” Blocking, pictures and then a careful packing up for winter.

Wray: Just started with my massive skein of Madelinetosh Lace in Fragrant. Slow and steady for this project, that’s for sure.

Handspun Mittens: I spindle spun 8 oz of fiber from Iowa into a dk-worsted-aran weight (my spindling isn’t terribly even) yarn for some over-sized mittens. These are a simple project, but a good way to show off this yarn.

Veyla: I scratched with itch for casting on with the second of these two little mitts. I made the first of the two in the fall and then they got packed away for the winter. Knitting with cashmere is always a pleasure and the second one (the left hand) flew off the needles. These just need the ends woven in and some shirt buttons added on the cuffs. I have a big tin full of vintage and newer buttons, many of which are from men’s shirts; up-cycling at its best!

Socks: I have some Patons Kroy in a self-patterning green/red/blue/white colorway that became my plane knitting when I flew to Iowa a few weeks ago. This yarn will wear like iron and it was nice to practice my plain sock pattern making skills on this yarn. I have one sock done, second sock syndrome here I come.

Kingdom Gloves: for my Grams 75^th birthday. And in true knitter fashion, they will be late. She at least got to see the first one. I just need ot have them done in time for winter. Right?

Kernel: I bought a couple of cones of cashmere sweater mill ends almost two years ago. The first of two cones is becoming this scarf for my boyfriend’s sister. I’m plugging along on it, her birthday is in July. The yarn is nice, but after a bath to remove the mill oil, I expect it to be extra soft.

Elijah: This was my first favorited pattern on Ravelry and I have his head done. No deadline, but it will be good for a baby one day.

I think that’s the roundup, or at least for now. I have a couple of other projects that are so far from being anything they aren’t worth talking about. One needs to be frogged, and one needs some chart work before I can knit and enjoy it.

Sorry for the wordy post, Word tells me I’m almost to 1000 words. More pictures and links in the next post. I’ll show some of the works-in-progress, and hopefully a few finished ones!