Knitting

Purple Surprise, FO Friday 3/14/14

March 14, 2014March 14, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

SURPRISE

Look what I found while taking sock pics!

Crocus!

About 18 (I kid you not) years ago I planted some bulbs that never bloomed or even came up, casualties of squirrels and a weimaraner puppy. They obviously missed one. This surprise surely means winter is exiting stage left to make room for spring. Just seeing this purple makes me happy!

NEW SKILLS

For the past couple of posts I’ve been trying out blogging from my fancy new phone, which is doable but time consuming because of the teeny tiny screen, and Mr. Iknead’s iPad, which is much better as far as screen size. I am, however, having to relearn how to do things that have become almost second nature, like inserting pictures, adding links, etc. As I have a very low frustration threshold, I have to work on the iPad, then change to the computer every so often to keep from pitching the whole thing out the window. I plan to keep practicing.

OFF THE NEEDLES

Kew, from Knitty Fall 2006

Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock, Flame

Please disregard the ugly muddy background. This is what you get when you start redoing your patio and get interrupted by about 4 inches of sleet.

ON THE NEEDLES

After finishing the Kew socks yesterday, I stalked some patterns on Ravelry and decided on a shrug with 3/4 sleeves, the purpose of the sleeves being to hide what I call toothbrush arms. As in, when you stop brushing your teeth, but your upper arm doesn’t…. OK, back on track. So, I found a pattern with all the required features and then found out I didn’t have enough yarn to start. Oh, lots and lots of yarn, just not enough of any one for my new project. A trip to Hobby Lobby fixed that and I cast on and got started this afternoon. The yarn is I Love This Cotton in Arctic Blue. The shrug pattern is here.

A word to the wise: Never underestimate the tedium of 60 rounds of K1P1 ribbing. I’m just sayin’…..

Linking with Tami’s FO Friday blog.

Take it easy — but take it. Woody Guthrie

Knitting

New Skills, Accomplishments and Food For Thought

April 9, 2013April 9, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

OLD DOG NEW TRICK

I’ve been thinking for a while about working on my photography skills – what skills haha – so this Sunday afternoon, I got the manual to Mr. Iknead’s fancy schmancy camera and did a little reading. Really, cameras nowadays (this one, anyway) have a much higher IQ than I do. What I learned mostly was where all the buttons were and what they did. OK, so far so good, photos look pretty good and the Mr. Canon and I are getting acquainted. Next up, transfer pics from Mr. Canon to Ms. Dell, which took me what felt like forever, but really a couple of hours, to figure out, but still, mission accomplished. Final step: Upload to Flickr, which, again, has taken me a couple of hours to figure out, with their fancy new uploader, but again, mission accomplished. Finally, it dawned on me that I needed to update my browser and then, I could drag and drop to my little heart’s content. Done and done. Here’s a few of my first attempts –

I could get into this whole photography thing, like I need another hobby!

BY THE BOOK

My reading/listening is all over the map the past week or so, ranging from Stephen King’s Under the Dome to Annie Dillard‘s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. I started Pilgrim at Tinker Creek yesterday, just a few pages in, but am already enjoying it. She writes about learning to unsee the obvious and find the hidden in nature, which I find compelling, especially when she writes about stillness and the frenetic activity underneath it. Like I said, compelling.

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek

FINALLY, SPRING

The past few days have been absolutely, positively gorgeous – short sleeve and sandal weather. I’m finally motivated to do something- anything-outside. The sunshine and breeze during my morning walk today felt like such a gift after so many cold, rainy, windy days when I literally had to force myself to just get out of the house. Thunderstorms are predicted for tomorrow, but I’m living in today and it’s lovely. I’m letting tomorrow be tomorrow.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life and see if I could not learn what they had to teach; and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. Henry David Thoreau, “Walden“

Knitting

A Good Report, It’s Here and I Can’t Wait to Get Started

March 11, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

I’M FREE I’M FREE

I had my first postop visit this morning with McDreamy (Bigmommy’s word, not mine) and he released me to my normal life. Like, I can drive and everything! Who would have thought that I’d have fantasies of grocery shopping?? Who would have thought that Mr. Iknead would have fantasies of me grocery shopping – alone??? The things we take for granted, right? I’m doing really, really well according to McDreamy, which I knew already, and after one more follow up next month, this whole hitch in my get along will be officially over. Yay!!

LOOK WHAT CAME TODAY!!

My new Knitpicks yarn!! I love it, I can’t wait to get started, so sorry Lolita and former Spring Pools socks, this baby is moving to the head of the line! Oh my gosh, it’s so springy and green and pretty and is crying out to be on the needles as I blog this. See for yourself –