Summer Fun & Giveaway

With the beginning of August, we are moving into the end of Summer - that is, time out of school when there is plenty of time to play.

We have been enjoying some warm Summer rains the last few days.  This is our Grandson and some neighbor boys out kayaking in the flooded park near our house.  They had such a fun afternoon paddling around, and we didn't even have to drive to a mountain lake.  It rained again during the night, so I am sure they will be back out there again today.  Good times! 

Last night, our Daughter and her Husband's team took 1st Place in a Slow Pitch Softball Tournament.  It was a nail-biter!  In the last inning, they came from behind to win with an 8 point lead.  It's amazing how fast I can knit, when watching a tense game.  They played this final game at the field behind Sandy Elementary, where I went for K-6 Grade.  It was nostalgic for me to be there again, after all these years.  Good times!

 

 

 

                         

It is amazing what a difference 2 months has made in our garden. I am making lots of baked zuchinni chips right now, and eating lots of cucumbers. We are expecting our tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and green beans to come on soon. I'll be doing lots of blanching and freezing, along with making roasted tomato sauce.

As always, I've been knitting too. My second Lady Kina sweater for Emery is nearing completion. This time I took careful, NEW measurements and chose a two-tone orange in Rowan Cork (a discontinued yarn that I was able to score on eBay).

She really liked the color and the feel of the yarn, and it seems this sweater will fit her better.  I just need to finish the bottom border, sew up the underarms, weave in all of the ends and sew on the button, and she'll be ready to wear it when school starts at the end of the month.  I made another sweater for her when she was 3, out of this same yarn (even the same color).  She wore it a bit, but her little brother took it on as his favorite go to, and it is now just a pile of holes, dirt and darker colored yarn.  I hope to wash and unravel it soon, and re-knit it into something for his future child.  It is the best, when something you have knit becomes a family heirloom.

I have also swatched for my "Lady Kina" sweater.  I'm planning to fill-in the solid stockinette stitching with an evolving leaf lace pattern. 

I've found the pattern does not call for enough yarn.  I've used nearly 3 extra skiens on the orange sweater, so I'm going to need to order more of this milk chocolate yarn for mine, before they run out of the dye lot I need.  However, I've always found that KnitPicks always finds a way to send me the dye lot I need.  I've run out of yarn many times before.  I'm going to knit this evolving leaf lace pattern in a downward direction.  I hope it won't draw the eye to my ample hips. I've asked a few people what they think, and everyone thinks the open front will direct the eye upward.  I sure hope so!  I should be casting on for my Lady Kina tonight, that is if I don't get too involved in making zuchinni chips. 

My "Knit Night" groups will start meeting again in September.  We are going to be start a KAL, with the "Lady Kina" by Muriela.  Everyone is in the process of selecting their yarn and knitting their swatch.  We can't wait to get started.  I hope to have lots of pictures to post during the process, along with the finished sweaters.

Don't forget . . . The "Poor Baby" Sweater giveaway is still in process. On Labor Day, I will be drawing a random member of my "Followers", to win a bright pink sweater for a baby girl in their life. I will also be drawing a random person from the comments section of my blog to win a free copy of the "Poor Baby" sweater pattern. Just drop me a line about who you plan to knit the sweater for. So far . . . there is still a good chance of winning, so get signed up and/or comment today.
I hope you are having a fun summer too! Happy Knitting!