What happened to Spring?????

It seems like we only have 2 seasons any more.... Summer and a chillier than usual Fall. After a pretty mild winter, temperature wise anyway, (we had plenty of freezing rain and ice here) we seem to have skipped Spring and jumped right into Summer. Temps yesterday topped in the high 80's ... ugh!!! It is much too early for that kind of weather. I would like some nice cool weather to be able to go out and work in the flower beds. Not 80+ degree and high humidity weather in April. It just isn't right. And of course the few days we have had in the 60's have been rainy

OK, enough complaining about the weather and onto some knitting related material. I won a contest on Ravelry from the SHEEPAINTS group. Submit a picture of something with your favorite colors or a picture with colors you would like to see in a yarn, other members in the group vote for their favorite photo, and that person gets a skein of yarn inspired by the photo. Woo Hoo!!! Driving daughter took this picture from our front porch and I loved the colors in it, so I submitted it. Now, I had to order a few more skeins to go along with it, I mean it is a long trip across the ocean and I didn't want the prize skein to get lonely. This came in the mail Friday

The colorways are Tulip, Monica's Sunset and Splash. Didn't Sabine do a great job with the colors of the sunset. I can't wait to knit it up.... but which to wind first.

I am so in love with Malabrigo Sock Yarn. I have finished my first pair of socks with this wonderful yarn, and it will definitely not be my last pair. This pair was knit in the Solis colorway. I think the next color I will get will be the Archangel. If you haven't already knit with it, I highly recommend it. I have named this design Aislinn (according to the Gaelic translation, Aislinn means dream, and this yarn is a dream to work with) The pattern is available in my ravelry shop at the link above and will be at The Loopy Ewe soon. I just sent some patterns yesterday.

I frogged the Sheepaints sock I had started earlier. I think it needs a few modifications made to it. Due to the tight cables there was not enough give as I was knitting it. So, to the frog pond it went and will be re knit at another time. I have, however, started another design with the same yarn and will share that when I get a little more done on it.

I think that is it for today. I am going to go find a cooler place to sit, enjoy some iced tea, and knit for a while. I hope you have all had a wonderful weekend and have an even better week to come!!

Happy Easter!!!....

....And many thanks to all of you for your wonderful comments and prayers the last few weeks. They are all greatly appreciated. My Father in law will be missed deeply by all who knew him.

While sitting in the hospital room I managed to do some mindless knitting. I knit a pair of socks for my sister in law. My brother said that she really liked the pair I made for him and hinted that she would love a pair too. He knew her shoe size, but when I asked if she had skinny ankles, wide or narrow feet etc. he was no help ... "you know... they are normal". Here is the obligatory picture of them on her feet, they fit perfect ... H, your wife has skinny ankles. She says she will wear them a lot more often than my brother to which he replied , "he is afraid he will wear them out, and who knows when he will get another pair" I guess five years in between pairs is a bit long to wait.

I also started a pair of plain socks for the driving daughter. She picked this Cascade Sassy Stripes out 4 years ago and I think it is done marinating. Not one of my favorite yarns to knit with, but she likes it. I have knit 2 other pair of socks for her with this yarn and they have worn well, so I can't complain too much, esp since the yarn is inexpensive.The second sock is started and half the leg if finished.

I finished the first sock in the Shalimar Zoe Sock yarn. There is an error in my knitting, I was silly enough to think I could stay focused enough to knit on this after days of no sleep and sitting at my FIL's bedside. I noticed it several pattern repeats later and will leave it there.

Also on the needles, some Sheepaints yarn from The Loopy Ewe (I have start"itis" really bad right now). The colorway is Magic Potion. Lots of lovely shades of purple, and I am lacking in purple in the sock collection, so I needed it.... right!. I think I may need the Lederhosen colorway too, even though it is not purple.

We also had a little Christmas in April here, (well in Ohio). Yesterday was my niece's 19th birthday. We had not had the opportunity to have Christmas with them yet, so we celebrated a late Christmas along with her birthday. I love this T shirt Karen got me. I was actually tempted to buy it for myself when I was in the yarn shop getting things for her... So glad I didn't. She also gave me a skein of Araucania in color 107. Lovely shades of gray and blues. Hmmm ...what to make with this...I did buy another size 1 circular needle while I was there, so I have empty needles. I got a Ped Egg too, I have really been wanting one of those. Thanks Karen for all the goodies!!!

More Prayers Please:

A wonderful online friend of mine, Helen is in need of prayers. Her husband has been fighting cancer and lost the battle. Please keep her and her family (esp their son) in your prayers as they mourn his passing. And thank you again for keeping my family in your prayers.

Prayers Please

Just a quick post. My FIL passed away on Thursday evening. He was a wonderful husband to my MIL, a loving and caring father and FIL, and the best grandfather,( he was the only grandfather my children knew as my dad passed away when I was 19). He never knew a stranger and was loved by all who knew him. Please pray for comfort, peace and healing as we morn his death.
Thanks so much .