Now Containing Actual Knitting Content

Oh, Monday. How I love you for starting the week off. I returned last night from a weekend in Michigan, where I got to eat donuts at the apple orchard, watch soccer games, and wander around a flea market... good times, I say. I also finally got around to taking a few final photos of the Lizard Ridge, which I am officially declaring done. 

Overall, I love how this turned out, aside from the fact that it took so long to actually finish. It's a great in-between project, however, as the blocks were ultra-portable but something of a pain to seam together. I really love the edging color - Cascade 220 in Como Blue. It's a simple garter stitch, but it makes the colors really pop. I've spent several cold afternoons cuddled up beneath it on the couch and it was worth all the time and energy. 

This is actually only the second thing I've knitted for myself and I imagine it sticking around for a while. Oh with the holiday knitting in these spare moments of fall. 

Oh, also? I am in love with the fall weather. IN LOVE. 

Ketchup

There's a lovely vase of zinnias on the kitchen table, obtained from this morning's Farmer's Market. They're bright and cheery and make me think of this little old lady who would come into the flower shop I worked in as a high school student. Every Saturday, she would stop after grocery shopping and she would purchase five dollars worth of flowers, usually daisies and alstro, often stating that it would make sense for a woman on a fixed budget to spend that five dollars on food but the flowers fed her soul. She had to have them, especially when the dreary UP winter descended. I looked forward to her weekly visits, which continued through my last summer working at that small shop in college and hope she's still making her weekly floral purchases.

The zinnias got me thinking about my poor, neglected Lizard Ridge. They share quite a bit in common: brilliant color and a generalized feeling of happiness, save for the fact my poor Lizard Ridge squares are sitting in a pile. I'm still nine squares short, still have to weave in the ends of the squares already finished, and the blocking! Oh, I don't even want to think about the blocking!

The stack of knitted squares is indicative of a larger problem: I have far too many unfinished projects. Mittens that need thumbs, shawls in need of another skein of yarn, a half-finished baby blanket that might be complete by the time the intended child goes to college. I've made a list of all these projects and will, hopefully begin finishing them off in these first few weeks of school. The Lizard Ridge, I am hoping, will be done for December movie viewing... and then onto more holiday knitting. So much to be done, so much to be done.

Come the Snowy Weather

It's sort of snowing here in southern Indiana - sort of meaning something along the lines of it snowed last night, covering the ground in a lovely blanket of white, but the snow has since changed to a sleety substance. Regardless of the way precipitation manifests itself, it is cold, perfect weather for staying inside and knitting. Unfortunately, I'm inside but not knitting. I haven't been knitting a ton since the holiday rush, finishing those last few gifts before the big day. Too much going on, especially with the start of classes. Hopefully the insanity will die down a bit and I'll have a little more time to work with some needles and yarn soon.

I have not been totally abstinent, yarn-wise, and started on my Lizard Ridge (Ravelry link). What a delightful pattern! I wanted something quick and easy and this was definitely just the ticket. The blocks knit up quickly and I've managed to get three blocks from two balls of the same Noro Kureyon colorway. Thrifty (somewhat) and a great project for the small moments I've had to knit in the past few weeks. I'm up to seven blocks - only twenty-three to go.

The block of Noro 170, which were surprisingly different to one another. I found the key to be knit the blocks using two balls of yarn, knitting from the inside of one and the outside of another. It allowed for greater contrast, although the top block (heavy on the greens and oranges) was a fluke.

These blocks are from a ball of 185 and are my favorites thus far. I love the way the colors work together and how the blocks are similar to one another yet distinct - a much better illustration of the method behind my two-ball approach to knitting these.

The lone block made of 213. I like the watery feel of this colorway and am interested in how the other blocks will knit up. As I look at them in a pile on my desk, I'm excited to get them all finished so I can see how they fit together. Perhaps knitting time this weekend, part of which will be spent weaving in all these ends?