Me day

Yesterday, I took a "me" day. I concentrated on doing what I wanted to do. I did listen to a little music for a student, but mostly did not work. (You know how hard that is for me!)

I dyed my Knitpicks Bare fingering yarn with Berry Blue and Black Cherry Kool-aid. This was the 1st time I have dyed yarn and it was really fun. I enjoyed the process and anxiously awaited the drying process (sped it up by hanging outside on our 89 degree day!). In the evening I got out my swift and ball winder and wound it up and cast on (60 stitches, size 2 needles) I did the ribbin 1.5 inchs 2x2 and started the stockinette. This will be a plain sock, just for the knitting enjoyment of it and to see how the yarn colors play out. What fun that was! When I finish these, I may let myself order another skein as I have lots of Kool-aid left (green, berry blue, black cherry and raspberry.)

In the afternoon, I cut out and sewed a hipscarf from parrot fabric for a friend, learning better how to use my two-year old "new" machine (bought it 2 years ago, haven't been able to or had time to use it since). I can now strait stitch with the best of them. Pulled yarn out of stash to make yarn fringe for it. Been thinking this am that it might need a few tassels...lots of those colors left in the stash.

Read a little in my book "2nd Chance' by James Patterson.
Made grilled chicken, fresh greenbeans, wheat roll and strawberries for dinner (yes, it's true, I cooked 2 days in a row...tonight will make 3...heartstopping, isn't it?)

Today, I must do a little more work but not much...
Finished contest sock this morning, ready to cast on the left foot. Must work on Vive La France if I'm to get it finished in time. Berry Cherry sock will have to wait, actually it will be a great Omaha sock, as there will be nothing to concentrate on and can just talk to mom.

dyeing to knit

As usual, I'm wayyyy behind on trendiness! I've just made my 1st attempt at dyeing yarn with kool-aid and it was fun! I'm waiting for it to cool down (or is that kool down?) so I can hang it outside to drip dry. I used berry blue and black cherry kool aide and knitpicks "bare" fingering yarn. I can see how addictive it could be to dye your own yarn....knitpicks sock blanks might be fun too, and maybe easier to get an even color satuation, as I think the back side of my skein will be a little lighter than front, but should work out when it knits up (I think!) but this was fun.

I'll resist the urge to log on and buy more skeins of yarn until I've knit this up! Must have a little control of the stash. Just found a new baby sweater pattern on knitty that might help me use up some of the red heart that just doesn't go away. ...and I'm going to say right here and now that I'm really tired of the festival yarn, I just want to knit with yarn that's not in pieces!

Festival!

Mmmm, I had a good time at Salina's River Festival. I ate (not all at once) an apple dumpling, chocolate dipped cheesecake on a stick, an Indian Taco, Bratwurst with sauerkraut, Island Noodles with vegetables, Gelato, Kettle Corn, Chicken strips, Grilled chicken sandwich, a few bites of a blooming onion and drank more water than I would have thought possible for myself!

Bought a new art piece for the studio, a glass paperweight for my mom, and a Randall Spangler print for my hubby. Listened to good music and saw fire dancers. How cool was that?

I finished knitting the body of the firetruck sweater, and did a hat with festival yarn and a scarf with festival yarn. (the firetruck sweater slowed me down). I decided to make the truck sweater a pullover instead of my usual cardi and that may have been a mistake, it's not stretchy! But, I think I'm going to leave it as is, and put a zipper in the side seam (two new things in one project!) and go ahead and finish it. Experimental knitting at it's finest!