Cleaning and Organizing my House

I have been very ambitious cleaning and organizing closets and cabinets.  I still have a long way to go, but I am chipping away at the job.  I am almost finished with the second floor and have started on the basement.  You should see the garbage I put out for the trash man.  I am not throwing everything out as I am also putting things away for a yard sale.  It feels good to get organized though.  Thank goodness for the Container store.

As a result, I haven’t gotten much knitting done.  I seem to have started more projects or want to start more projects rather than finishing things up.

I did complete the June Mid Month KAL.  The pattern is called Peacock in Color by Janet Nogle.  I used Peaches and Creme in white and delft blue with a size 7 needle.  I really liked this pattern and it was fun to knit up.

I started another pair of socks.  The pattern is called Summer Lovin socks by Dawn Matkovic.  I’m using size 1 needles with Sweet Georgia superwash sock in the orchid colorway.  I really like the pattern and the color.

I got a cute kit from The Knitter’s Edge.  It’s a flag hotpad using Fantasy Naturale yarn in red, white, and blue.  The kit will make 2 hotpads and it was only $5.00.

I also got the June shipment from the Rubber Ducky club.  The yarn is Pima Petite in the colorway lime in the coconut (it makes me want to sing).  We also got a bar of mimi’s soap in coconut lime verbena and a moisturing sugar scrub in mint lemonade.  I love the color of the yarn.

Well, off to knit.  I have a goal this week to try and finish off some projects so I can start some new ones.   

I have my knitting mojo back

I am so glad.  I was knitting, but really wasn’t finishing anything.  This past week I finished the toe up sock I was working on.  The yarn was Online Candy Color 1177.  I used size 2 needles.  I am so excited because I figured out Judy’s magic cast on and also did a stretchy bind off.  I really enjoyed knitting these socks and will definitely do another toe up sock.

I also completed the June Monthly Dishcloth KAL.  The pattern was Happy Father’s Day by Leah Porter.  I used size 7 needles with Peaches and Creme in an olive colorway.  This was a cute cloth to knit.

I started an afghan for Maggie.  I am using a Ripple afghan pattern by Plymouth yarns with Fantasy Naturale in color 9005 (purple) and size 8 needles.  I am really enjoying the pattern and also the yarn.  The pattern calls for two different colors, but I am only using one color.

Since, I am enjoying this so much, I bought another color (9703) to make another afghan in a different pattern.  The yarn is a multi color in pinks, orange, and yellow.

I also started a scarf using Araucania Ulmo Multy yarn in color 715 (purple and green) and size 7 needles.  The pattern is called Ulmo Multy Wave scarf.  I figured that this would knit up quickly.  It only calls for one ball of yarn.

Last, but not least, I started the Buttons Cardigan for my niece’s baby.  The yarn is Katia Tobago in color 93 and size 5 needles.  I don’t know the sex of the baby yet and yes, she wants to know so she can plan on what colors to buy.  I had to get some purple in the sweater (purple is her favorite color), so I went with this yarn.  I hope to finish this quickly, so I can give it to her right away.

I have finished the collar and started on the body of the sweater.  There is no seam sewing as this is a top down sweater and you can put buttons on either side of the sweater.  I hope she likes it.   

I love to Read

I have been reading quite a bit.  Summer is a great time for reading.  I am currently on track to reach my goal of 65 books.

I have read the following:

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin – very interesting book.

Miss Julia’s School of Beauty by Ann B. Ross

The Christmas Angel by Thomas Kinkade and Katherine Spencer

The Forgetful Bride by Debbie Macomber

When Christmas Comes by Debbie Macomber

Joy School by Elizabeth Berg

Poor Little Bitch Girl by Jackie Collins

A Christmas to Remember by Thomas Kinkade and Katherine Spencer

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

Lakeshore Christmas by Susan Wigg

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah – I cried and cried at the end.

Durable Goods by Elizabeth Berg

Saver the Moment by Nora Roberts

I’m going to be a Great Aunt!

My niece is pregnant with her first child.  We don’t know if she is having a girl or boy yet, but we do know that her due date is November 12th.  I’m so excited for her.  The great thing about this is that I now get to knit baby items.

With that said, I bought Katia Tobago yarn in color 53 to make Cabin Fever’s Button’s Cardigan.  It’s a top down cardigan.  I started this today.  I want to give it to her as soon as she knows the sex of the baby.

Here is the yarn:

And, here is a picture (shown in another yarn) of how the sweater will look when I am finished.