Still on Sleeve Island, but with field trips

Well, I won't have DH's sweater finished in time for vacation. I might finish it while on vacation, but that's it. At least I have most of the ends woven in already.

Please excuse the vacation staging area in the background - we are not yet packed.

I won't have the Elemental boatneck finished in time either, but those sleeves will make good vacation knitting. I think it will be too chilly to wear that top on vacation anyway. We frequently have 80 degree days and 60 degree nights while vacationing in Montauk, but the forecast for the week we will be in Montauk this year is for high 60's and low 70's in the daytime with about 60 at night. On the water you can drop that low a bit further, too. I am bringing winter clothes - mittens, hats, jackets, etc.

Field trips include my brother's socks being knitted with the Happy Feet that I dyed a few weeks ago.





Socks abound right now. In addition to the travel sock (the second of the two is over the heel and working up the leg) we have the Claudia's Chocolate Cherry sock being knitted following the Spiraling Coriolis pattern.

If you look carefully, you can just see the spiral going across the top of the instep.

My gauge on this sock is about 10 stitches to the inch. I decided that since this yarn has no nylon and I want it to last, I would knit it very densely. As a result, I had to order another skein of this yarn - each skein is only 175 yards and I don't like anklet socks. The spiral will wind around the leg to the cuff.

The cashmere lace scarf. I love the combination of this yarn and pattern. Finally, the perfect match (as far as I am concerned).



I have been fighting an urge to start a shawl. I really want to knit a shawl but really want to finish Laminaria first. You all know the story of the Laminaria work coming to to a screeching halt. So, does that mean that I can start a new shawl because Laminaria is not longer active or that I have to wair until it is finished? Oh, the agony of decision. I suspect I would have caved but I have satisfied my craving for a new shawl project temporarily by starting a scarf. What is a scarf if not a small shawl, right? I had purchased some Marisol yarn - a wool, silk and bamboo blend - a few months ago from my LYS and decided to knit a scarf with it. My current problem is which pattern to use. I have it narrowed to two and have started/swatched both. What do you think?

This is the Asherton Reversible Scarf



This is the Seagrass Scarf from Twist Collective.




I like both of the patterns alot, but wonder which one looks better in this yarn. I think I will knit both eventually, but which one should be knitted with this yarn? It is a deep blue and I am afraid that some of the Seagrass patterning is lost in the deep color.

I think that's the end of my field trips. I will bring a lot of knitting with me on vacation, and probably only knit about 1/2 of what I think I will, but I like choices. DH has adjusted. ; )

I will also bring some fiber for spinning on the drop spindle I have packed and hopefully get back in the swing of spindling. I miss it, but have felt the pressure to get knitting done to finish up projects lately. Vacation is not the time for deadlines, though, so I will do what I want to do. (Except that I will knit on DH's sweater for at least 30 minutes each day.)

I mentioned in my last post about Nancy knitting animals for her nieces and nephews for the holidays. She didn't bring the zoo animals with her to knit nite last week but she did bring the dinosaur group and I took photos. They are so cute and machine washable, with no removable eyes, etc. to be unsafe or too much trouble for the parents. Great job, Nancy.















I have to go pack now. We will start driving to NY less than 24 hours from now and my clothes, while gathered, are not packed. My knitting is packed and my bead supply. I think I will try my hand at a few earrings and necklaces while away. Maybe a few stitch markers, too. I have a new, more portable storage system for my beading supplies, so they will be able to accompany me on vacation for the first time.

Vacation pictures when I return. Eldest son is still not working but can't come with us. I hope he is not too lonely while we are away. Keep your fingers crossed that he gets work while we are gone. Please. He needs work for his emotional state as well as to support himself. Back in two weeks or so.

I love vacation. : ))