especially on holiday weekends and especially when i manage to get out of bed on the early side—which i did today.
by noon i had the bookkeeping done, had been out to the garden to pull in what was ready today—the usual big basket of veggies—and delivered a couple of bags to the neighbors.
i decided it was time to bring in some winter squash. i’ve never had much luck with that before but in the spring i had a little spot at the back of the garden, near the fence, so i planted three hills of mixed winter squash. these seed mixes are great for small spaces—you get some variety without buying a whole packet of each type.
i’ve been waiting for the stems to dry on the squash before taking them off the vine and today they looked ready (and i’ve learned that it’s best to get to the veggies a little ahead of the squirrels whenever possible). there was a small acorn squash and what i think is a bush delicata (lower left). and then there is that big one—it has all the markings of a thelma sanders heirloom, but wow, not the shape or size (it’s way bigger than the ones in the catalog photo). the only thing i can figure is that our garden-on-steroids spawned another freak (we’ve had a large number of siamese vegetables and multiple germinations this year).
not a big haul of squash by any means, but enough for the two of us to eat several meals and make a couple of soups. i’m just glad we got any and that there is a variety. and wouldn’t you know, i saw little squashes growing on the plants today, so we may end up with a couple more . . .
besides the garden and bookkeeping, i also got a little further along on the triangle shawl pattern today. it’s pulling together, especially since, by last night, i had the charting done and was able to spend several hours actually knitting it.
i got it on the needles, did the setup section and got almost all the way through the charts for the first section.
which is good, because it is at this point that i need to decide whether to go on to the next section or add some length by repeating part of this one. it was a difficult pattern to chart, but in the knitting, it’s turning out to be quite versatile—i’ll be able to very easily pattern it for two sizes, without any elaborate drafting gymnastics (phew—you can’t imagine how hard that can be sometimes).
the yarn for this piece—canopy fingering yarn in colorway cat’s claw from the fiber company—is as amazing to knit with as the road to china was for the wrap. the yarn is a blend of alpaca, bamboo, and merino which has a silky, cozy hand. you can see in it a similar shadow-play of color hazes—a little pink here, a little greenish there, accenting the folds of that luscious straw-gold main color.
it’s knitting into a gorgeous fabric, just right for showing off the combination of stitches in this shawl (which i can’t reveal for a while yet, but you’ll love it, i promise). ii’m becoming equally addicted to knitting on this piece as i was to the wrap, so i’m expecting a fairly quick finish, though triangles do grow and tend to go slower as they progress.
the other night, while catching up on season two of mad men (we’ve been way behind, but we’re getting on top of things now by watching a couple of episodes every night or so), i got two socks on the needles—finally.
the first is an openwork pattern that looks like it has cables, but doesn’t (we love those!). i really didn’t get much past the cuff but i wanted to show off the yarn, which is dye dreams luster sox in colorway dark denim. this is a rich, smooth, 3-ply BFL yarn that knits up into a sleek dress sock fabric—it has a silky feel and sheen that will complement the manLace very nicely, wear well, and be comfortable with street shoes.
when i have several socks on the needles, i like some variety, so for the second sock, i chose the plump merino/nylon squooshy from zen yarn garden, in colorway silver moon—a beautiful gray blend (i don’t see that yarn or colorway on her site right now).
i cast on in a littlel openwork cable pattern i’ve been eyeing for a while
and worked just one repeat so far. i love the tilting cable in this one—i know, easily amused, right? but that’s the way i am, i guess . . .
i’m not even sure the stitch count will be right for david’s size; i don’t knit cabled socks that often so i’ve gotta do another repeat and try them on him. it’s possible that the cabling will be offset by the plumpness of the yarn, but i just can’t tell yet.
updates on the socks to come later this week.
speaking of david, he’s making lots of progress in my back workroom—he finished the floor while i was away earlier last month and it looks beautiful. now he’s building the cabinetry for the far wall—a floor-to-ceiling cabinet of shelves, just the right height and depth to fit my medium-sized yarn boxes, stacked two-high.
it’ll have sliding doors and upper cubbies for fiber stuff. the room is a slow process but totally worth the wait—david finishes everything beautifully and once it’s ready to move in, there won’t be any details left “for later”.
unfortunately, in the process of getting this room up to snuff, we discovered that the adjoining studio, which we though we could put off for a bit, is in dire need of rewiring (among other things). it will NOT be able to wait. so everything in that room will have to be stacked in this room during the reconstruction. which means that i still won’t be able to use my workroom for a while. however, once they’re both done, i’ll have double the space and it will all be new, never to need another repair.
i think i can live with that . . . after all, i have yarn to console me, heh.
specifically, i have this lovely stuff—a new-ish offering from catherine at knitting notions, available in her huge range of semi-solid and handpainted colorways. i have four skeins of classic merino superwash sport here in dusk for my next sweater project. isn’t the color a jaw-dropper? it swings between blue and violet like nobody’s business.
i’m contemplating what to do from among the choice of ideas in my head. one possibility is to use it to recreate my old bathrobe sweater. but i already have morehouse merino yarn purchased for that project and this new yarn doesn’t seem quite right—its smooth texture and slight sheen are sorta screaming to be something a little dressier—but i like the v-neck cardigan part.
i also tossed around the thought of reworking my little blue lace cardigan in this yarn. i had so many requests to pattern that sweater up, that i’m going to give in and do it. the idea of this sweater is good with the yarn; i just need to make sure the yarn is compatible with the stitches. if not, i’ll probably come up with a variation that has the same shapely fit, with a v-neck and a different rib pattern. or maybe i’ll just do that and find a finer, softer yarn for the blue lace sweater.
too many choices; i wish i had eight arms, some days. i do want to push forward with choosing an idea though—i’ll be done with that triangle shawl pret-ty soon and i’ll need another big project on the needles before long.
and now, i have a date with my knitting—can’t waste the remainder of a perfectly lovely saturday sitting at the computer, can we?
34 thoughts on “saturdays are nice”
Acorn Squash are the nicest squash in the entire world! Save the seeds for next year 🙂
Wow, your squash are just lovely. I never have any luck here. Mine fail due to squash vine borers every single year.
I love Delicata squash baked with butter and salt and pepper…tastes like sweet potatoes, only not quite as sweet. I was at the market today and noticed many siamese squash and eggplants that had growths like handles on the side. Must be the odd summer we’ve had in the tri-state area.
That violet blue yarn is lovely. Looks like mimeograph ink.
That purple is gorgeous! Love the little blue lace cardigan – I’m totally in for a test knit if you need me!
I love that purple/blue. BTW, do you ever sleep? I need a nap just from reading this post! Made me feel like an absolute slacker.
Seriously, you’ve probably blogged about it in the past, but I really am curious about how many hours of sleep a night you get. You’re production–not to mention the finished products–is jaw-dropping.
…YOUR production. See? I really am exhausted just from reading about how much you get done in a single day.
I am such a huge fan of Mad Men! What an incredible series. I get so impatient watching it week by week- I definitely prefer watching seasons on DVD.
The biggest squash looks like a pie pumpkin. When you cut it open, if the flesh is orrange – slightly orange that is what it is. It makes the best pumpkin pie 🙂
I’m gonna pretend that I am sitting in your room….looks mighty inviting….:)
Speaking of David and his hard work (you two must be the hardest working people on the planet), how did his handmade shoes turn out? Post a pic if he’s done; we’d love to see.
Enjoy the long weekend. Thanks as always for posting.
Canopy is my new favorite yarn – I happen to be knitting with it right now…I love that color (and can’t wait to see what the finished pattern looks like)! Looks like your garden is producing as much as ours these days. Your (and David’s) productivity is inspiring!
Oh, seeing your knitting chair makes me so happy – that is where I’m going after I post this comment. Well, not your knitting chair, but mine, out on the deck with a hard cider as a reword for getting a ton of stuff done today.
Your squashes look wonderful, and yes, I’d bet that is a delicata and I’m thinking, like molly, that the unknown is a pie pumpkin. Yum.
But the yarns are OUTSTANDING and the tilting cable is awfully sweet. I, too, am easily amused.
I am swooning over all the blues. The colors are just great!
I so enjoyed this post, I don’t know where to start! I love your sunporch – I used to have that little round iron table (in black).
And the blue and gray yarns are scrumptious, and I’m craving them all).
Now I’m also craving winter squash – oh I do hope we get a few in our CSA share, if not, there’ll be a trip to the Farmer’s Market, because I now want butternut soup.
You are so good at this, Anne! *wink*
And I’m thinking that Triangle shawl pattern might just have to come home with me…If the yardage requirements are right, it just might work with the Briar Rose Sea Pearl I picked up at SS09
(((hugs)))
The squash lower left is definitely a delicata squash and the large one on top is a Long Island Cheese squash- it resembles a wheel of cheese.
Yay new socks!
gorgeous color, that yarn from Catherine!! but your pic looks more like her Damson Plum, which is what I’m getting (now) for whatever beautiful sweater pattern you create for it
alternatively, it’s also enough for Ondule …
This is the first year my winter squash hasn’t succumbed to squash beetles or some such nastiness. Now there is a blight or powdery mildew and it’s a race to see if they can fully ripen before the plant dies. BTW thanks for the cherry tomato drying tip. I have to put them in the freezer right away or I’ll eat the whole thing.
OK, I just have to say that I LUST after that dye dreams yarn. Mmm…. And that purple would be lovely for the lacy ribbed sweater! So many good things, so little time. And the triangle. We all know how I feel about triangle shawls 🙂
That’s a lot done on a Saturday. I like the stitch pattern on your grey sock – looks lovely.
The knitting, the yarns, and the veggies are all incredible…but I want to know what kind of vitamins you take every day? I spent the afternoon ocean kayaking because it was just too beautiful a day to pass up. But you had twenty things accomplished before I even got going today…congratulations! What’s your secret???!!! 🙂
Have been wondering if there’d been time to work on your studio at all this summer. It’s a big job, now bigger, and though frustrating, will be SO worthwhile. Your porch looks terribly inviting for spinning and knitting and imbibing in favorite drinks and treats!
Congratulations on your squash crop! We have never been able to grow winter squash successfully. Those look yummy. I think I need to start a sock as well! Yours are so inspiring! And it’s beginning to cool off here; the idea of wearing socks doesn’t sound like torture.
Your blog is always so full, colorful, rich, like a fall harvest! Thank you.
I think your sunroom looks like a heavenly place to knit – and all the work David has done on your home will surely be a blessing come winter, eh? It’s fabulous.
All the knit projects look grand. so much fabulous yarn, so little time.
catherine’s dusk yarn is a divine color! i have long wished for a dress the color of the sky turning from day into night. (long being for over thirty years.) perhaps a sweater will suffice instead. must go check the knitting notions site…
Oooooh that Knitting Notions yarn is gorgeous! I’m drooling here…
I’m drooling over your workroom too.
Btw how is David’s foray into the craft world coming along? Were the Simple shoes really simple? To me they looked perplexing.
You can knit AND watch MadMen? Impressive! After each episode I spend days pondering the intricacies while knitting – but my eyes are glued-to-the-tube while it’s on. LOL!
Can I be your neighbor? 😉
Can I come over and knit on your sun porch? It looks so inviting with the sun streaming in and your knitting sitting on that comfy chair! Are you able to sit out there year-round?
Looking forward to the lace cardigan too! Thanks.
I love the bathrobe sweater – can’t wait to see the updated version!
I wish I were a neighbour of yours – the fresh veggies look absolutely yummy. I am not allowed to plant veggies in the little piece of garden in front of my condo… but some herbs on my balcony flourished quite nicely this summer.
Your knit designs are stunning too!
That yarn IS a stunner. I wish she had a booth at Rhinebeck… But maybe not, Briar rose and Knitting Notions at the same event? I don’t think I’d survive.
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