Sharonsknitthings

Home again, and glad of it. I love my week with baby Jerome, but it's so nice to be home too. Jerome is growing very fast and learning new skills every day. He says a lot of words for 15 months, though his dad was quite advanced at that age as well. Jerome has quite a lively personality and is a very happy child, with quite a good schedule. He is still a handful though and I'm ready to come home on Friday evening. Hubby is glad to see me too.

I got to sleep in this morning, and had plenty of time to read sock/knit lists and knit a bit on the blue tweed pullover. It's done, so now to block it and send it along to friend Marcia, so she can deliver them to nephews in Iowa. Now I have to finish a cream colored cardigan with pink trim and a blue cardigan with navy trim for another order. Each of these sweaters needs a little matching hat as well. I'll post pictures in a day or two.

Our grandson Peter is spending the week with us as his parents are vacationing in the UP. Peter is 8 and in the third grade, so he is easy to care for. Plus he's a super nice kid. He has school from 8 am to 3 pm and then football practice 3 nights this week from 5-7 pm sp that's a long day for an 8 yr old. He loves football though and it's great exercise. He lost his game today, but seems to enjoy the whole football thing.

I'm off to Detroit this morning to visit with my 90 yr old mom and my sister who is her caregiver. I'll spend the night there and then I'm off to Lansing on Monday afternoon to begin my week of babysitting for grandson Jerome. He is 15 months old now and lots of fun. It's neat that he remembers me and seems happy to see me. I hope the weather is good so we can get outside some. He loves to tour the garden, and touch the trees and flowers. And I'll get a chance to work in son John's garden too, I hope. It's almost time for fall clean-up and I might get started this week, since I won't be back again till the middle of October. Their garden is mostly fading of course, since it's that time of year, but their grasses are just coming on and some are quite spectacular. Maybe I can snap a few photos this week to post.

I'm working on a sweater for a friend's nephew and it's nearing completion. Here's a picture of the WIP. I had to get the ok about the red trim on the bottom, before beginning the sleeves. This is a pattern I've patched together using several different top down patterns, but mostly I used Paton'sUpside-Downers Pullovers Book # 500719. If you use this link you may want to scroll down the page aways to find the blurb on this excellent top down book. Here's a picture of the sweater so far.


Today was the last day of my sock knitting class at the Yarn Market in Beulah, MI. I taught this sock class before, so it was fun and not too stressful. I am amazed however, at how different people read patterns, and how tough it is to write a really clear pattern that includes all the info a new sock knitter could need or want. This class was all about learning to knit socks from the top down with two circular needles. I am familiar with this method, and so thought writing my own pattern would be a piece of cake, but not so. I use lots of handouts and have a few demonstration pieces available too, but most folks just learn by trial and error. Luckily it was a 3 week/2 hour class so there was plenty of time to help each of the six knitters quite a bit. Michelle the owner is a lovely warm person who is always cheerful and very helpful to all. She'll mail out yarn I'm sure if anyone needs to order online. Also, her shop is quite large and has a bead shop in the back, if you're ever in northern Michigan and have some time to spend looking at yummy yarn.

After a busy morning of tennis and then knitting group, I buzzed off to Traverse City for some power shopping. I've been looking everywhere for a surplice type jacket for babies, as I think the style is very cute. Also, I knitted one already from a book I have in this house somewhere but I sure can't remember nor can I find the book. So, when I was in Border's today, I decided to have a look at a few of the new books I've heard mentioned on the Knitlist, and Socknitters, and was very impressed with a book called Natural Knits for Babies and Moms by Louisa Harding. The Designs all use organic yarns, and I've been wanting to try some organic cotton. This is the perfect opportunity. I want to make every little sweater in the book, and even the two nursing sweaters look very attractive. Just what I need---more projects. LOL I'm going to post a picture of my EZ Gull sweater made from Valley cotton--it's turning out really cute. Now to find a baby girl who needs a new sweater. the Valley cotton is from Webs--their own brand, and is very nice and soft and non-splitty.

Here are some pictures of recently knitted socks. I really like knitting socks, and hubby likes the finished product too, since our winters here in northern Michigan can be cold and snowy. Hubby likes to walk no matter what the weather, and is also an avid ice fisherman, so thick wool socks are a must. We have enough pairs so that we can go for about a week, then I merely soak the socks in the sink for a bit, then rinse and spin dry in the washer, and lay flat to dry. Not really a lot of trouble when you end up with nice warm feet.

Here we are, in September already and I've been so busy with tennis, gardening, and of course knitting. My friend Marcia commissioned me to make 5 sweaters for her nephews in Colorado, though she is a lovely knitter herself. She had fun designing the sweaters, and then going to the YarnMarket to pick out the yarn. I've finished 4 of the 5 sweaters now, and have the fifth on the needles. Pix to follow soon.

Here's a picture of grandson Jerome, who is 15 months old now, and great fun!!!! This picture was taken last month, when he spent a few days here with us in Frankfort, while mom and dad had a relaxing time in the UP. We had a lot of fun at the park, and he especially loves the swings. The date is wrong on the picture---this is an August photo.

Monday is nice!!!

I had a lovely tennis match this morning. I say lovely because this cooler weather makes for a pleasant game, though the wind was a factor, even without the heat. I love my tennis buddies and will hate to see them go off to various parts of the country in October. Then I guess it's back to Curves for me---or maybe not.

Here's a pic of a baby sweater I just finished, and I think it turned out really cute, if I do say so myself. The idea came from a pattern in the book Creature Comforts, but I made a few changes as usual.

Also a picture of a sweater made for the grandson of a tennis buddy. She is a wonderful sailor, so I hope she will like this little sailboat sweater from the Vogue Knit For Babies book.













I plan on photographing some of my finished socks soon, and get them online.