Fall Chicago knitting Class

This past weekend I was back in Chicago for some business, pleasure and knitting. The picture below is of the wonderful completed hats and there makers from the last time I was in town. I am so impressed with these ladies. The one on the left learned how to knit that night. She mastered two color knitting, knitting in the round and handling DPN's. I left them with a bigger project this time. They are working on Norwegian Mittens. They all started out great. I have a couple things completed, just need to get batteries and take some pictures. The cool nights are great for knitting, but the warm days are keeping me on my bike.

Biking Weekend

My goal this weekend was to be on the bikes as much as possible. I did get in over 60 miles over the weekend. Friday night is was a cruise around my parents and the Castle Rock lake area, checking out the tourists and weekenders. Sat was only a cruise around town to the farmer's market for tomatoes and rummage sales. Sunday I was out to Elroy for the wonderful Biking along the rail to trails system, biked from Elroy to Camp Douglas and back. Monday I ventured from home to some new roads to the west and north and back. I did finish the sleeves to my chunky cardigan, all I need to do is sew it together and finish the collar, it is resting while I am trying something new with EZ's mitten design and Aran patterns. The first picture below is the trail hub for the Elroy Sparta trails, what nice situation to have fairly close to home. I had to get the bike rack, but now I am to lazy to use it. Good thing the new car is roomy inside, I don't even have to take the front tire off!!

House Update

Max got to go swimming this week. This is his favorite thing to do other than burying his head in the snow. I don't know the house may be too big for one person. I may decide to sell it, it may be hard in this area and market. AF.

Front

Back

Out with the old and in with the new

My Two cars, at least for another week. The Jetta did me well for the past 3 years but it is time to part ways and return it back to VW. The Subaru is fun so far. These cars are so different, I will miss the germanness of the Jetta. Now I have to get used to the soft and quiet ride if the Outback, what a terrible thing to have to adjust to.

Bret Favre Sweater

Here is my latest Elizabeth Zimmermann saddle shoulder seamless. I call it Bret Favre because the colors are close to green and gold and Favre thinks he still wants to play football. It is made of a wonderful 50% alpaca blend. It is a little wider than I would like, I checked gauge and everything. Someday EZ will bless me with better gaugeing abilities. I love the seamless process, darning ends is all you have to do to finish it. In large sweaters like the ones I make and not the ones in EZ's books I alway have to adjust for the neck sizing, which is fine and I can figure it out. You can see the little saddle to rise the neck is not so little. It still looks finished. The sleeve strips do match the body, it doesn't show in the picture. Now I am doing a pieced sweater jacket in chunky wool, it is moving fast. I was going to convert to in the round but the front placket/facing knits along with the front pieces. I really don't mind purling once and awhile.

Where are the pictures?

The last couple weeks a bunch has been going on. First off the 60 bike ride on Sat the 12th, went well. I asked are there hills? Oh, a couple I was told. About 5 miles into it we were in the foot hills of the rockies. The eastern part of Columbia county is beautiful with rolling hills, green everything and wonderful Amish farms. For biking it, it was a little more work than I expected, there is always a down to the up. I felt good and didn't cramp etc. We completed it in 4 hours and 22 minutes. Not bad we did stop at the rest stops to regroup. The food and the end was great. I might do this again. An hour after the race I had to rush off and get my new car. The older I get the more practical, I got a Subaru Outback. A station wagon with 4 wheel drive. I can't wait for the snow this winter, no more getting stuck in mom and dad's driveway. It is fun to drive, but I will miss the German engineering of my VW. I do have a finished saddle shoulder seamless waiting for pictures. They will have to be flat pictures. I am not putting on alpaca wool in this weather. Romie

Pedal and Party in Pardeeville with a Purpose

Well I just signed up for a 60 mile bike ride. I have been out at least 3 times a week. My new Giant is doing well. I am really glad I got a bike computer, it does keep me motivated to compete against myself. Also I understand what a conversational 20 mph rate is, and I really would prefer a 17 mph conversational rate. The Bike ride is in Pardeeville WI, it is a charity event for MS. My brother and friend are doing it and I am not working that day so what the heck I will do it. Our goal is to complete it in four hours. We'll see what happens on the July 12.