True Blue

Artists go through phases, so do knitters (artists in their own way). I am in my blue phase: I finished the blue/gray beret in Nordique, knitted a couple of hats out of String Theory superwash merino in "Blue Hill", and am now working on my September Defi 13 project using Sundara sport merino in "Navy over slate". That's the work-in-progress on one of the white rocking chairs in the picture below taken on Monhegan Island.

In July, Boy and I stopped by Purl Diva in Brunswick and Ellen suggested Monhegan Island as a weekend destination. We followed her advice and spent last weekend hiking, taking pictures, enjoying the ocean view from our room at the Island Inn, and eating way too much. We'll be back!

I am hoping to make progress on this sweater during Labor Day weekend - we're off to Montreal so there should be plenty of knitting time in the car.

I snapped this picture with my iPhone at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport last week. It reminded me of a zen garden, where each person can contribute a stone, big or small, round or square. The Knitter's Review forums are somewhat like that: each knitter contributes with questions, answers, advice, recipes, jokes, and personal stories.

This week Fran and Lucie joined Camille and Trish in a place where they can knit together as much as they want with any luxurious fiber they desire. We miss them all dearly.

I started working on the Barn Raising Quilt (using Sundara sock yarn) again, knitting at least ten minutes a day. To me, it will be Fran's quilt.

Reasons why I like my stash

Sometimes my yarn/fiber stash weighs heavily on my mind. But it has some good sides too:

- When my aunt told me she was learning to knit socks, sock yarn, double- pointed needles, and patterns were sent her way.

- When Ellen posted the details of the fourth edition of "De-stash and Do good", a box full of yarns was set aside for a good cause.

- When one of my coworkers asked for a scarf in turquoise, I showed her a dozen skeins in the right color family and she chose the skein she liked the most.

Yarn: Farmhouse Yarns Bonnie's Bamboo (1 skein)

Pattern: Stella Bamboo Lace Scarf from Luxury Yarn One-skein Wonders

- When another coworker said she liked hand-knitted coasters, I had a dozen skeins that matched her living-room colors for her to choose from.

Twelve coasters in Spud and Chloe Fine (white), Zen Yarn Garden merino/cashmere/nylon (brown), and Spirit Trail Paivatar (green).

- When a fellow knitter wins a contest, I can find something in her favorite colors.

- When Clara announces that Shetland is the breed for the August woolalong, I can go directly to my spinning stash and start spinning (when Polwarth was chosen for July, the July fiber from the Sweetgeorgia fiber club turned out to be Polwarth -- how serendipitous!)

And if a yarn and I need to part ways, I can always destash it on the KR forums or bring it to the KR retreat. So really, it's not that bad!