Pattern:  Helvetica
Designer:  Elizabeth Doherty of BlueBee Studio
Yarn:  The Woolen Rabbit WW Kashmir
Colorway:  Forever In Blue Jeans
Needle Size:  US 10

Can I tell you how much I love this sweater?  It was a delightful knit!  Even though it is mostly stockinette it is designed in a way that is completely different than anything I have ever done which kept it interesting….and the best part it fits!!  I have some body challenges when it comes to knitting and rarely does anything fit my shoulders.  This one does.

As you can see in my first picture, when I knit this sweater again and believe me I will, it will be 2 inches longer.  I used a batch of yarn that someone returned so the luxury of going longer than the pattern called for was not mine this time.  Those body challenges usually pull up the design by a few inches..ha!

God only knows what I was explaining to Hannah in this picture.  As usual I was talking with my hands, a trait that my husband is forever making fun of me for.
See how nicely this sweater stays on my shoulders?  I have never had a top down knit sweater fit so nicely in my shoulders.
Love it!

The back of the sweater is a little bit longer than the front which I love.
Overall, I really enjoyed this knit better than anything I have knit in a while.  I learned so many new techniques along the way.
Thank you Elizabeth for a wonderful pattern!
I loved it so much that her Marklee is now on my needles.
It may take a bit longer given that it is knit with fingering weight yarn…and you know how slow I am, but I do enjoy simple stockinette knitting, so who knows, I may wiz right through it. 😉

Today's Ten on Tuesday is what we did this weekend….and we packed in a lot in my shortened weekend with working on Saturday.
I am going to post a few pictures instead of listing everything out….a little unorthodox, but I have no clue how to do a collage..ha!
Technology used to be my strength…not so much any more.

Ken had to put out some fires at one of the places he works at, so I had a luxurious Sunday all to myself to do the things that I no longer have time to do.  Working full time has been a huge adjustment for me even if I am doing my 40 hours in 4 days.  Thankfully that extra day gives me the time to get my dyework done in between.
Because I worked this Saturday, I lucked out with a mini vacation as a reward…4 days off in a row.  w00t!
I spent Sunday leisurely shopping in town, something I haven't done in a while. 

I take my lunch to work everyday, so a new lunch bag, a hot hydroflask and a cold hydrolask made their way home with me, along with some summer shirts and maybe some shoes…a girl can never have too many, right? 
Oh and that cold flask went to the fireworks with me filled with some goodness, along with some new knitting on the 4th just sayin'…it works great at keeping drinks icy cold.;-)

There was some gardening that I will share with you later in the week that made me smile and our Sunday evening was a typical summer night in the yard, listening to tunes, snacking and stretching our brains with some brain games.

Up and out early for my favorite Summer kayak trip...the marshes of Scarborough and let me tell you, it was one hell of a work out!.  The ride out was enjoyable with some challenges here and there, but the ride back in padding against the afternoon sea-breeze was a beast!.  Note to self…see what direction the wind is going to be blowing when kayaking in the marshes.  Easier to paddle into it on your way out than on your way home when you are tired.  Still worth it though seeing all of the beautiful Snowy Egrets and birds who inhabit this Marsh.
Do you love this little beach that we had our lunch on?  I do.

After the long paddle we relaxed in the yard for a bit and then cleaned up to head into town for the annual fireworks.  If you have ever been to North Conway in the summer you most likely have seen what the traffic can be like.  Pretty unpleasant, so when the Scenic Railway started running a train from Conway to the park in North Conway last year we gave it a try and it was so sweet!  Easy in and easy out.  This year, my little cutie and his parents, along with my other grandson Aidan joined us for the ride in comfortable wicker chairs. 
It was so fun to watch Asher's face every time the train blew it's horn..ha!  He is a pip for sure!

Boom…and just like that it was over!
I hope that you had a wonderful weekend in your corner of the world too!

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I have been plugging along on my big Blue Jeans blob that you have seen here and there and now that it is almost finished I have been swatching away, dreaming of my next sweater and building a stash of yarn swatches for the yarns that I carry.

I have decided that my next sweater is going to be Marklee.  It looks super comfortable and now that I know how cold it always is in the office where I work, I think it will be a nice fall sweater to wear into the winter.  I swatched Airy in both a size 4 and 5 and also Dove in a size 5.  Both Airy and Dove knit at the recommended gauge in size 5 and while I really love the fabric that I got with Dove, I think for this particular sweater I will go with Airy in the Violetta colorway.  I just love this shade of purple.

I have also been tinkering with bags here and there when I have had free time and this is the first zipper insert I have ever done and this is what my leather bottomed totes will have for an inside pocket.  I know myself, I use my zippered pockets all the time in the various bags that I own.

As you can see in the yarn picture, I have also been working on a few knitting bags.  Once I get a bunch of them finished I will put them up in the shop.

Lastly, I have been contemplating sewing a few tops/dresses for myself.  I used to sew all the time, especially when I was a young mom.  I made all of my older girl's dresses when they were young, but it was mostly because it was the mother of necessity, not the desire to create.
I learned how to sew when I was a young girl.  My mom taught me how to hand stitch when I was in the second grade.  I was always sick with tonsilitis and it was a way for her to keep me busy while in bed or on the sofa.  When I was in the 4th grade she sent me to sewing classes at the Girls Club.  She would put me in a taxi and off I would go for a few hours.  I will forever be grateful for the early gift of knowledge she gave me.
I no longer have to sew out of necessity.  I am looking forward to seeing if I can still do this..ha!

Saturday was a normal work day around here.  I worked on a few orders, while I cleaned the studio and Ken worked in the yard, mowing the lawn and getting the pool ready to be filled.  Sadly there are a few holes in the pool ring, but so far it appears that the patches that Ken applied will work, but next year we are going to get a solid pool instead of my ghetto pool.

The weather prediction for Sunday was hot, hot, hot, so we loaded up the kayaks and headed off to a place called Campton Bog, which truly is in the middle of nowhere.  Such a serene place to plop your kayak in and spend an afternoon. 
This video gives you a sense of how it feels to be there.
(I apologize for the crappy video….this is new for me….and I still can not make that save button go away….grrr!)

Even though we did not "see" any wild life, we certainly saw and heard enough evidence that we were completely surrounded by wildlife.  We saw a number of beaver lodges that we carefully crept around because seriously, who wants to run into an angry beaver?  Not me!

We also heard the almost deafening sounds of the Bittern herons around us. An almost invisible bird to see as they are incredibly stealthy, but they are there all the same.  I have to believe that right now must be the time when there are a lot of new babies in the reeds because it was incredibly noisy.  Bitterns make a sound that sounds like it should be a frog.  We came across areas in the reeds that sounded like there had to be huge communities, given the crazy the amount of noise that we heard coming from those reeds.

My favorite part of the trip both coming and going was this beaver dam.  Last year it was easy to pass over but this year it was a good 2 feet higher which presented more of a challenge.  Ken scoped it out and we both pondered how we were going to get over it.  After a few minutes, Ken paddled up to it, drove his kayak in hard and then stepped out…and what a surprise he had..ha!  It was much deeper than he expected and short of capsizing he kayak, he managed to climb up on top of the narrow dam.
After watching Ken, I backed up and then powered my kayak hard, hoping to hit the top of the dam…nope, only 1/2 way up, so while Ken pulled my kayak up, I also used the thick twigs of the dam to hoist up the kayak.  Whew….we both made it over!
Let me tell you how much fun it was to fly over that dam on the way back!

We had a very enjoyable weekend in our corner of the world and I hope that you did too!

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I am popping in for a Ten on Tuesday and the subject this week is, "10 Things on This Summer’s Bucket List".

I have finally hit a point where I feel caught up since I went back to work last November…..actually this very day I hit the caught up mark when I mailed out the last big bunch of orders.  Whew!  I feel like I can start planning ahead instead of playing catch-up and chasing my tail and it feels good!

So, my bucket list for our summer goes like this:

1.  My picture should give you a hint.  My favorite place to be in all the world is at the ocean.  It has always been the place where my heart feels at home and I want to spend as much time as I can there.

2.  Kayaking.  Ken and I are heading up to Campton Bog this weekend, which is an amazingly eerie place to kayak.

3.  Relax.  If you know me, you know that this is hard for me.  Busy is my middle name, but I am striving to learn how to slow down and enjoy moments.

4.  Garden in a unique way for me….no real garden this year which is a first.  (more to come)

5.  Spend a weekend in Boston.  Both Ken and I would love to visit the JFK Library and just enjoy all that Boston has to offer in the summer.  I grew up close to Boston so it's always nice to go home now and then.

6. Plan the outdoor patio that Ken keeps denying is going to happen……but seriously I am planning.  Remember that bathroom? 😉

7. Try to get this big family of mine together, which is challenging now that everyone is going in different directions.

8.  Show my granddaughter a nice time on Cape Cod

9.  Find a little more time to read and write.

10…. try to pry out of Ken what HE wants to do this summer. 😉

Oops…..11.  get the tattoo that I have been thinking about….

Ps…..I can't understand for the life of me how to make that "save" in the middle of my page go away? Arrgh!

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Image: Joan Williams

All of this weeks work culminated into this one event…
The Squam Art Fair
As expected it was as beautiful an evening as it always is.  Lovely decorations, such as this lighted candle made from ice and lots of sparkly lights through out the dining room where the event is hosted filled the space with a wonderful ambiance….and there is free beer!
  Ravelry Jess delivered a cold, much appreciated beer to Ken.  Fiber people are some of the most thoughtful people on the planet.  I love them!

One of the nice things about working at a show is getting to meet new friends and see old friends.  Right next to us was Michele of Three Bags Full. I have known Michele for many years now and have a few of the lovely bags she makes. When I saw this sweet little dust bunny bag, I swooned..ha!  
We vendors like to do swaps and swap we did…. Michele now has some yarn and I have a bag that makes me smile.

Sunday was a day of rest for both Ken and I.  I was tuckered out and it sure felt nice to be able to sleep past dark o'clock Sunday morning.  I spent the morning catching up on world events and reading on this dreary rainy day…then we ventured out for a ride over the mountain through Pinkham Notch just to get out for a little bit.  Rainy, but still so beautiful!

The day ended with some snacks,cocktails,a few games of Bananagrams and a little knit swatching.  The yarn is Dove and the colorway is Willow from the last yarn club mailing.

It was a good weekend!  How about yours?

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So this week I have been working on many different things….ey yi yi…that ADD brain I have been cursed/blessed with.
  I finished another bag while trying out some different options.  This bag has a nice big pocket that stretches across the entire width of the bag and is tacked down in the center, giving 2 nice sized pockets.  I like this very much so far, but then I wonder if a zipper pocket would work better.  hmm…. (did I say ADD? )

It's been a chaotic few months around here, but now that a number of big commitments are behind me things will settle down around here giving me more time to work on some new things.  I think I love playing with fabric almost as much as I love working with fiber….almost.

I have to admit that I am at a standstill with my Helvetica Sweater.  Even though I have put in a short row top down sleeve before, this time around I am struggling.  Elizabeth's directions while very complete are a bit different than the last one I did and working with a heavier yarn with bigger needles makes it a bit of a challengel.  As hard as I tried to just live with my messy arm seam..I just couldn't, no matter how much I want this sweater to be finished and to be wearing it.  I do however LOVE the fabric that this pattern makes and I have been missing plugging along at it since I have hit this mental road block.

The good news is I will see the sweater's designer this weekend at The Squam Art Fair this coming Saturday night! Elizabeth is teaching a class this week there and I will be vending Saturday night, so I will be picking her brain as to what I am doing wrong. 

This is a sweater that I could see making many times over as the fabric is light and airy, but the structure of the pattern so far has been very solid.  It's been a fun knit with all of it's different twists and turns.
I am determined to finish this sweater, so I haven't allowed myself to be distracted with new projects, but I am missing my quiet knitting moments.  Hopefully I will be back at it soon.

Finally, I have spent the better part of my week getting ready for the fore mentioned Squam Art Show.  It's a small event, hosted by Ravelry and put on by the talented group of people who put on the amazing Squam Art Workshops .  This workshop located at the Rockywold Deephaven campground in Holderness, is a short hop and skip away from us.  It is also the place where my daughter Ashley and her husband who works for The Squam Lake Association calls home.
A magical event that I always look forward to!

This is what has been happening in my corner of the world.  What's been happening in your corner of the world?

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…and so it begins…
The start of the Summer Season. 

Memorial Day…. It marks the beginning of summer in much the same way that Labor Day closes the same season for me.  You know that day when it is ok to wear white shoes again, when you plant your garden and when you put up or open the pool. 
You go to a parade and then to a big cook out….that day.

It is also the day that we remember the brave soldiers who have given their lives defending our country and the freedoms that we enjoy each and every day.  It is for them that this holiday is in remembrance for.

Today as Ken and I were walking around Lowes we noticed the music playing was patriotic marching songs and it made me smile.  It reminded me of the many Memorial Day parades I went to as a child sitting on my Dad's shoulders so I could see the marching bands.  It reminded me of the pride I have seen on the faces of the surviving veterans as they carried their flags while they marched along. 

It also reminded me of the burden of sadness…..the sacrifices of lives lost.  All of us have been touched in one way or another by the cost of war and the loss left behind. We are forever grateful.
~

In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
Martin Luther King

It's hard to believe that this little guy turned 3 years old.  It seems like it was just yesterday when he made his entrance into this great big world and what and entrance it has been!  Asher has been gifted with an incredible vocabulary ability and has been talking up a storm ever since he has been able to form words.
As a wee baby he would intently study your mouth when you would talk to him and now you can have actual conversations with him.

Sunday we had a birthday party for Asher which gave these 2 cousins a chance to spend some time together playing.  Goodness they were so darn cute together playing with their masks and sabres.

As you can see the birthday theme was Asher's newest obsession…..Star Wars.  Pretty much everything Asher has on was a gift.  As he tore open the gifts he immediately want to put them on and he was even willing to share with Finley. 
The slippers are hilarious.  Just watching him walk around the house seriously pretending to be Darth Vader was too darn funny!

I think he had a good time.
Happy 3rd Birthday Asher!!

To celebrate Spring and over 1000 likes on Facebook, we are having a Spring Sale this weekend!

10% off all orders and free shipping…….9am Saturday 5/14 thru 6pm Sunday Sunday 5/15

Join us this weekend at The Woolen Rabbit for some of your favorite yarns!