October

007 Snap a Dozen Days


Sunset at Matagorda Beach

October is a great month to be outdoors. It is still warm here, but not oppressively hot--just perfect for a day at the beach. The sunsets are especially nice this time of year. I hope to experience this sight many more times this month right from this very spot.

Gotta run. The kids are still here and we have things to do. More about our weekend later this week

Not a Monkey

I planned on knitting Monkey Socks with this yarn, but these stripes needed something less distracting than a lace stitch pattern to show off their beauty. I think they really shine in this 3x1 rib. And right now a simple pattern that I can knit in my sleep really works out better for me. I need a "don't have to think about it" project for the end of the day and this is it.

I'll have to buy a variegated yarn to knit a pair of Monkeys since I don't seem to have any in my stash. For those of you who have knit a pair (or multiple pairs), which yarn would you recommend? Has anyone used a solid color before? I do have some of that stashed away.

Have a great weekend! Our kids will be home for a few days, so we're planning on having lots of fun--no housework allowed.

The State of Things

I'm happy to report that housecleaning continues. One more room to go before the carpet cleaner comes tomorrow. This housecleaning I refer to is not the average dust and vacuum kind of thing, but the type of cleaning that requires trips to the donation center and leaves you exhausted (in a good way) at the end of the day. But, not so exhausted that you can't knit a stitch or two.

I've been working on a couple of hats for TPP Michigan. A nice simple pattern that can be finished in less than two hours is just what I needed at the end of a very busy day.



Pattern: Rolled-Brim Preemie Hat
Yarn: Bernat Cotton Tots
Colors: Jelly Belly and Easter Parade
Needles: US 7
Size: 3-5 lbs

And here's another cute hat I finished some time ago, but never blogged about.



Pattern: Noedel
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease
Color: Ice Blue
Needles: US 7
Size: 3-5 lbs

I haven't done as much knitting for charity this year because of all the travel. It feels good to get back to it. I know I cannot maintain the pace I set the last couple of years (that's how the house ended up in such a mess), but I can knit a hat occasionally. The trick is to keep everything in balance. So far, so good.

Sock and Shore

Sock debuts at Surfside.

Recognize the twisted rib cuff? It's the start of the very popular Monkey. So many people have raved about this pattern that I knew I would have to try it eventually. I may even knit it just as it's written and forgo my favorite short-row heels and toes. I'll decide when I get to that point. The yarn is Mama Llama's Original Sock in the Blue Jeans colorway.

After working very hard in the house on Friday and part of Saturday, I took my own advice to get out and enjoy God's beautiful creation. John and I drove to Surfside Beach, but realized right away that this was not the beach for us. The water looked good for fishing, but there were no shells and too many people--not what we were hoping for.

The only thing to do was change our plans and go to Matagorda Beach. I don't think we'll go anywhere else from now on. This is our favorite place and we appreciate it more each time we are there.

I saw some different things at Matagorda this trip. Not sure what this contraption is called, but it seats two and they sure did have fun flying around in it.




Hang on!

This was also the first time I've seen a horse on this beach.


Do horseshoes rust in salt water?

However, it was not the first time to see the colors of the sunset light up the shore. It's something I will never grow tired of watching.



We're planning to go back to Matagorda next weekend. You're not surprised, are you?

Pair #18

Fresh off the needles...or maybe not so fresh?



I don't know why the dogs had to sniff my new socks. My feet were not stinky. I promise.



Plain O' Stockinette Socks
Online Supersocke Cotton
45% Cotton, 40% Wool, 15% Nylon
Beach 946
Short-row heels and toes
US 1 on 64 stitches

And since I already had my feet propped up, I stayed outside just a bit longer to take in the Hummingbird Show. (Click the next two for bigger.)

At times it was dramatic.



And at other times, comical.



The best entertainment is sometimes right in your own backyard!

Get outside this weekend and enjoy what God has created (even if it's raining). You'll be glad you did.

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
--Psalm 46:10

The Little Things

This week I've been focusing all my attention on getting the house in order: cleaning, updating, rearranging. Through the process, I've noticed it's the little things that make me happy.

A fresh new curtain in the guest room.



Blue glass bottles in the window.



Sundial shells I picked up on the beach.



And the knowledge that in a week or two when all this housework is done, I can get back to knitting and spinning.

What little things around your house make you smile?

Snippets

I've been practicing.



This time I'm using a Schacht spindle. It's a little heavier and probably a better weight to learn on. I'm improving, but have a long way to go before I feel comfortable with spindling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It didn't feel like I knitted very much at all last week, but the sock is progressing never the less. It has grown to just past the heel and should be finished soon.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our weather for the weekend was supposed to be nice and sunny, but things change quickly around here. Instead, the remnants of hurricane Lorenzo brought rain to the Texas Gulf Coast.



It was not bad enough to keep us from the beach though. The sky looked ominous at times and the winds were churning up the waters, but the rain held off while we were there. It was beautiful in a different way.

Psalm 93:2-4

Your throne was established long ago;
you are from all eternity.

The seas have lifted up, O LORD,
the seas have lifted up their voice;
the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.

Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea—
the LORD on high is mighty.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I want to thank everyone that commented on Friday's post. The consensus is that I do indeed own an antique yarn winder minus the stand. However, no one is certain of how it is intended to be used. My only guess is that yarn is wound onto it and then knitted straight off the wheel or wound into a ball instead of being removed as a hank. If I ever find out any more information, I'll let you know.