Max taking me for a walk

Max and I usually get at least one walk in a week. Here are a few pictures from today. The weather finally was cool enough for Max to be out. He was in the water at least 4 times, the way he likes it.

Sleeve Sweater update #2

My gray sleeve sweater is moving along. Both sleeves are complete and today I started the body. I am using the gauge from knitting the first sleeve that started as a test swatch. I decided this sweater is going to be a seamless pull over wiith raglan sleeves. Knitting in thick yarn is a fun change for me now. I think I should have this complete by the end of the 4th of July weekend.

Sleeve Sweater update

Here is the sleeve for my experiment. What kind of sweater will it turn out to be?

Tam, Tam

This is my first tam. I got the pattern in Prescott Az when I was visiting in May. I did use some left over yarn from the Andes chula hat. As I started I was concerned that the tam was going to be to small, since I didn't switch and I was using different yarn from the pattern. Well as you can tell it came out bigger. G has a small head, so it looks big. It still was a fun knit. The last picture is not the correct way to wear it.

Can I knit a sweater starting with swatch?

I was lucky to make it to my favorite yarn source's annual warehouse sale. I drove into Point on Weds night, the sale started at 7am that morning. They advertised over 15,000 skeins of yarn. To my dismay (and I figured this would happen) all of or most of the yarn is acrylic. The wool and blends was very limited, in fact less than I have seen in years past. I was able to pull together enough for 2 sweaters and got a couple skeins of odds and ends to join into my stash for hats and color work. Anyway, I started to swatch the new nob hill yarn I got. Since have 12" circulars in every size now, I can quickly make a swatch in the round. I cast on 40 stitches and looking at it as I was going it looked very close to the sleeve width for Blue sea which is sitting on the table. I decided to continue and start adding stitches for a sleeve. Now I am going to use EZ's method somewhat backwards and see if I get a sweater that fits. The yarn is thick and I am using size 8 needles, it should go quickly. I am going to knit it plain with no pattern and design. Colleen says I should take a break from two color knitting. I will post my progress. Colleen how is your sweater coming?

#3 Complete

My third walking marathon is in the books. Cool in the morning and rain for the last 13 miles. Came at 7 hours, which I am happy with. It would have been a little quicker, but I kept on getting behind the starters for the 1/2 and 1/4 walks so that slowed me down. Felt good throughout. The feet and blisters were better than past years. Recovery was much quicker, an extra nap Sat night and Sunday and I am back to normal. I guess training and working up to this distance helps. I suppose I should do it again next year and get my 100 mile metal.

Stats according to my electronic pedometer.

Calories burned 3566

Steps taken 55873

Mileage 26.2 +

Blue Sea Update

The following are my updates on my current project. This is the start of the sleeve. I decided the cuff and hem needed to be fancier than what I started the body with so this is what I came up with. Now I will have to tear out the body hem and do that over. All part of being a designer as I knit. Anyone feel like darning for me? You are to start and end each color as you change patterns and not carry up. So you are left with hours of darning before I sew the center for cutting. It is a waste of yarn but there will be no pulling and the the tension will be even along the cut edge. Fair Isle sweaters still just as cool inside out as right side out.

Here you can see the tapering for the v neck.