Tuesday, June 17, 2014

June Yarn Along




Lyddie's Bulle sweater is coming along slowly but surely.  There is a little "knit a few rows, unknit one row, knit a few more," going on but my deadline for finishing is a long ways off, so I'm okay going a little slow.  My picture makes it look much more orange than it actually is.  In reality it's more of a cherry red.  

When we were on our day trip to Multnomah Falls, I realized I didn't have any stitch markers with me - or even waste yarn!  I truly grabbed only my needles and the skein of yarn on the way out the door.  To make matters worse (or better?) I had just cleaned out my car so there were no stitch markers anywhere to be found or many options, so I snipped the end of the yarn into little bits and made a few stitch markers that way, and then I took an unused ring off my keychain and used it for the last one.  The things we knitters do when we are dying to keep going on a project!  There's nothing like several hours of knitting time in the car when you are headed somewhere with the family and I was not going to put away that yarn!  How many opportunities do I have to pursue some guilt-free knitting in the middle of the day?!

This week I finished reading The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge.  What a great book!  I will be looking for more by that author. I had no idea how much I would enjoy it when I requested it at the library on a whim!  The characters were so well-written and complex and I loved the setting in a quiet town in post-war England.  I appreciated the way she was able to write about faith and conversion and spiritual growth in a way that wasn't at all preachy or overblown but which added to the narrative and to each character's depth.  Afterward, I returned to my Agatha Christie  that I keep picking up and putting down.  Once I get past the beginning setup I imagine I won't be putting it down anymore.

I used all those unripe raspberries  from yesterday to make jam this morning.  I was a little in awe of how smooth and speedy the process has become for me now to preserve a small batch of something or other.  I put the pool up for the kids outside and the baby down for a nap and was able to make and can 4 pints of jam from the prolific raspberry brambles we have in the garden.  Other than some tomatoes last year, that's the first thing I've preserved that I also grew! Four pints isn't that much so I probably should be so proud but a few years ago, the process of canning anything required much more thought, time, and labor.  I also made a few jars of pickled asparagus last week and can't wait to open up one of those pretty jars.  

I am joining Ginny for the weekly Yarn Along fun and looking forward to seeing what others are reading and knitting this week!

9 comments:

  1. yummy looking jam, Sarah! I know just what you mean about car knitting. I take advantage anytime I get the chance and enjoy hour after hour (or is it mile after mile?) of knitting bliss. :)

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  2. I love the color of the yarn! I haven't read any of the Agatha Christie books but I have watched some of the TV shows. Happy knitting & reading! :)

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  3. I've just scrolled down through some of your posts, and my, what gorgeous photos! I've joined your site and will be adding your blog to my reader. : )

    I LOVE Elizabeth Goudge. The Scent of Water is such a good book--I may pick it up again this summer. Your raspberry preserves look lovely. And, Bulle is a wonderful pattern; the color you chose to knit it in is going to look fabulous.

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  4. Look at you whipping up a knit and some markers. A knitter has to do what she has to do :) lovely color!!

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  5. your raspberry jam sounds so yummy!!! I've done the same thing when in need of some stitch markers.....us momma's are so resourceful!! Lovely knitting project!!

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  6. Oh I love your story about the stitch markers!! I also have that book on my bedside table. Must get to it!!!

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  7. I am laughing about your stitch marker ingenuity! It's true. We'll do what we need to do. Adding The Scent of Water to my Goodreads list. Sounds great! And the jam looks so delicious!

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  8. I have always found preserving to be extremely time consuming. You make it sound so easy. Do you have use a special canning pot and tools?

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  9. The yarn looks so comfy! I think it will be beautiful. I love Agatha Christie mysteries. One of the best gifts my husband (then boyfriend) gave me was a box FULL of AC books from a library book sale. I have almost every book. Almost. :-)

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