Sunday Snapshot

Sometimes you just have those projects that sit and sit and sit on the needles. This puppy is one of them. I started it LAST YEAR (December, but still) and it has just languished most of the time. I pulled it out when I was on vacation and got quite a bit done. In my defense this is a lace weight (teeniest, tiniest, thinnest yarn) SWEATER. Crazy, just call me crazy now. I know I am. In my defense it is for a very, very special someone.

Lake Side

Vacations are great to take but it always seems so difficult to get back into the swing of things! I've missed lots of updates for my summer knit along and my normal Sunday Snapshots but I'm determined to get back on track here. My week of vacation was beautiful! and relaxing! So it's time to start cracking the whip again.

My week started out with the long drive from Chicago to Minneapolis. After staying with my parents for the night we drove up Cass Lake, MN where we would be staying on Star Island.

Star Island has the very cool feature of having a lake INSIDE an island. Because it's an island you have to take a ferry to get there. 

the ferry on the dock

Camp Unistar is a beautiful, secluded, rustic family camp run by the Prairie Star UU (Unitarian Universalist) District. I've been going here since I was a young child. Four generations of my family have spent time here. This year my aunt, husband and three young children came along with my husband and I. 

This building is the lodge, the largest building in camp. It is also where my husband and I stayed for the week. There are five other cabins each spread throughout camp. All of the cabins have running water (indoor plumbing!) and electricity but are blissfully free of tv, internet and other real world distractions.

 view from the front steps of the lodge

surrounded by beautiful lake front, nature and hiking trails there are many activities to take part in including cannoning, sailing, kayaking, swimming and hiking. You also can just sit back and read, knit, write or my personal favorite, practice the art of doing nothing. 

This porch swing is one of my all time favorite spots to knit, talk, and relax.

as a city girl its such a pleasure to get out into nature. It was was so soothing to fall asleep to the sound of water lapping the shore each night. 

One of my most loved activities was laying out on the dock. I got to get in some time sunning myself like a little lizard. Stocking up on my deficient Vitamin D, reading, relaxing and getting some color while I'm at it.

it's hard not to wish this was every day.

Summer Knit Along: Week 4

Week 4 is hustling along right along over here. Make Up Your Mind is going swimmingly.

Working on the third band in the linen stitch. A deceptively simple stitch to knit it is wonderful looking and I already have some ideas floating around of how to work it into some other projects. This stitch is also much tighter than the previous ones so it starts to give the waist a little shape before you actually start decreasing stitches.

Over all it's coming along quite nicely. I love how the stitch changes keep you on your toes and although it is a little looser and softer than I really care for I'm sure that the final project is going to come out very cohesive.

Unfortunately I'm still behind on the Loop Tank and haven't done ANYTHING AT ALL this week, well so far that is. This will be quickly changing in the next day. Tonight I'm leaving Chicago to drive up to Minneapolis and then on Saturday morning leaving Minneapolis to drive up to northern Minnesota. I'm going to spend the entire knitting, relaxing, reading, knitting, swimming, hiking, knitting and just generally having a great time. Another perk of this vacation? No internet. I'll actually be on an island all week, living it up rustic style. So although I will miss next weeks posts I'll be sure to update when I get back to the cities.

Sunday Snapshot: Tuesday Edition

Although I'm not posting this until today this picture was snapped on Sunday, I promise. It's been a crazy start to the week over here so a few things have shifted back a day or two. I'm just finishing up the second sock in my pair of ruffle socks for my good friend Emily. She made that fancy logo you see up top (owl, with the bee buzzing around it?) and she's my guru of anything design related. These are just a little thank you to her for all of her knowledge and putting up with answering all of my questions.

Still plugging away on my summer knit along sweaters and packing. I'm going to be on vacation next week (an island, woods, northern Minnesota....no internet access...) So I'm going to be busy getting all my ducks in a row. The great part is though, I'll have so much progress and work to show for myself when I'm back. Now I'm just trying to figure out if 8 projects (4 of them sweaters) is too many to take for a 9 day trip?

Summer Knit Along: Week 3

Well, Week Three is here. I haven't gotten as much done as I would like over all. But lets start with the positive!

On Make Up Your Mind I am right on track in our second panel. The checkerboard stitch was easy breezy and I can't wait to get started on next weeks goal. My gauge is a little looser than I would really like but I'm not willing to start over so it's just going to have to be the looser side. If I was going to knit this again I would definitely size down to a size 5 needle for a tighter fabric.

The Loop Tank Top has been much more slow going. This week I was slated to start picking up stitch's for my boob flaps. (the front of the bust of the tank top) But I haven't finished my first strap yet, much less the second. So I'm about a solid two weeks behind on this one. I'm almost ready to bind off my first strap so once I get started on my second I'm hoping to fly through it.

Lots of knitting in my future!

Sunday Snapshot

Just working on a little crocheted zig zag baby blanket. One of my friends has some nephews on the way so I'm getting started on some baby gifts. I started this blanket last month but its a nice thing to pick up when my hands/wrists get tired from knitting. Crochet uses slightly diffrent muscles so it's kind of like crafting cross training. I usually pick it up, work a few rows and get distracted working on something else. Its always nice to have a project you can fall back on working a little bit at a time. I'm going to have lots of knitting going on for the next couple days here as I try to catch up on my Summer Knit Along so this puppy is probably going back on the shelf soon.

Summer Knit Along: Week 1 AND 2

Well, things have been busy busy busy around here recently. I'm participating in the Sweatshop of Love Summer Knit Along. There are two options to choose from. A more simple pattern and a more complex and advanced pattern. Like a crazy person I am knitting BOTH.

My justification to myself it they are both tank tops so that's less time right? Well, that's what I'm telling myself at least.

Unfourtunatly I am already behind. Classic. I know. BUT considering that last time I started three weeks late, and only ended two weeks after everyone else. I think I'll be just fine.

The first summer sweater aka tank top that I am knitting is Make Up Your Mind.

From Knitty.com this racerback tank is made up of five different stitch patterns. Its sure to keep me on my toes. I'm using Knit Picks Fingering Comfy in Blackberry. It doesn't have stretch like the yarn called for but at a much more reasonable price I decided to use it anyway.

Our second sweater is the Loop Enterlac Tank Top

A Sweatshop original design this involves enterlac, the complex looking, but fairly simple technique that gives the straps their woven effect. I'm using they yarn called for, Knit Picks Comfy Sport which I've worked with before and absolutely love.

So far my progress is only a little past to week one on Makeup Your Mind.

And my enterlac is withering away, I'm only still on my first strap.

Luckily I've still got two more days to bang out some inches to get ready for week three. Can't wait to get knitting!