Denim Lace Shawl

I love knit lace shawls. They're beautiful! I've tried making them but find it difficult... uh...make that impossible...at least, at this stage of my knitting ability. I'm working on a knit shawl that's not even very lacy and I'm finding it challenging.

So, last week, when a stitching friend of mine was crocheting the "Scarlet Evening Shawl" and I fell in love with it, I knew I had to make one. I'm so glad I did! This project was sooooo much fun and so rewarding. I started it last Wednesday and finished it by Saturday.

It's a free pattern on Ravelry but it's not in English. I think it's in Russian. I tried putting some of the directions into a translator but it didn't help. I think it was interesting though that one of their stitches is called an "air loop"...I think it's a chain stitch. :-) Luckily, it has lots of pictures and a diagram to get started. I was able to figure it out! Yay! It was easy but I had to concentrate on keeping the lattice squares right and that kept it interesting.

I used a size "G" crochet hook and a ball of yarn I bought last year, Opal Cotton (35% superwash wool/32% Polyamid/30% cotton). I fell in love with the denim-like blue colors in this and it's been waiting for just the right project. This was it! Here it is finished and before blocking...


I was so excited to get it blocked! Into the bath it went...


Blocking with my little friend, Duchess..


Blocked...


It was dry by morning. Yay! I couldn't wait to un-pin it and see how it turned out! My dress form is purple, so I had to do a little dressing to help show it off...


A little closer...


And, closer still...


The finished size is about 56" across the top, 36" down each side, and about 25" from top to the bottom point. I love wearing these as an accessory/scarf and this size is perfect for that...with a pair of blue jeans, of course!

This was so much fun to make and so rewarding! I'm amazed at how fast it went and that I can make something so gorgeous with one ball of sock yarn! I'm excited to start another crochet lace shawl and have been searching through Ravelry for another one of those "just right" patterns. Stay tuned. :-)

Busted!

A couple of nights ago, it got quiet. Hmmmm? Where could the dog, Salsa, be and what is she up to?!! We found her! She was busted! On the loveseat in the living room...


She was obviously comfortable...and cute...


But...she's not allowed on there and the rules had to be enforced. It's not like she doesn't have several "doggy" bed choices that "should" be equally comfortable!

Tour of California - Stage Six and Our Weekend Adventure

The Tour of California bike race took place this last week and stage six of it was in our local mountains. We got reservations a couple months ago to camp right near the race and went up last Thursday for a weekend of fun and relaxation.

Race day was sunny, warm and perfect. We headed over to the race area first thing in the morning to check things out. This event is watched all over the world and being there was pretty exciting. It was fun to walk through the finish line where so many famous cyclists were going to cross through later that day (that's not us in the picture)...


Here it is from the side they ride through, looking up toward the Snow Summit Ski Resort, where we ski in the winter. That's the podium to the right, where they award the winners after the race (we took pictures of each other standing on the winner's box)...


Along the side, near the finish line, there were special tents set up for VIP's. We heard that they paid around $1500 to view the race from that area. They had drinks, food, large TV's, furniture, waiters and waitresses, and the best seats at the race...


Check out this furniture made from bike rims...




Later in the day, we saw specially marked cars driving the VIP's up to the tents through the race area and spectators...


This is another area for VIP's. It was a little further down from the finish line. We viewed the race right across the road from this tent. They even had a little art gallery in this one with paintings of mountain scenes and wildlife...


The center pieces were so cute...


The cameras were ready. Check out the size of this thing! It even has it's own truck with a lift...


News vans were there...


After checking things out, we walked back to camp and packed a lunch, grabbed chairs and other necessary things and headed back to the race area to grab a spot and wait for the racers. We set up about four hours before the racers arrived and took turns walking around the expo. Did I bring my knitting? Of course I did! And, check out the colorful bracelets that I collected at the expo...


As the racers neared, the helicopter appeared with a camera...see it at the front...


The last stretch of the race was a long, straight, uphill road. As the racers turned the corner and headed up, we all got our cameras ready...


They rode 135 miles that day with a LOT of climbing. Here's the winner, Peter Sagan. He's only 20 years old!...


More racers...


We were close enough to the finish line to see the podium and hear what they were saying...


The leader board was huge! The building behind it is two stories tall. This has all the standings for the race and for that stage...


These are the motor bikes that carried the officials and photographers that film the race and take photos. I think the photographers are pretty amazing to be able to look into cameras while riding around twists and turns. It sounds like awful motion sickness to me!...


This one has a guide to help them know which jersey is for which team...


After the race was over, we took our things back and walked Salsa back over to the expo. This was her favorite part...a stuffed brown bear. She bounced up and down and got just excited about it in the afternoon as she did that morning. I wonder what she was thinking?!...


The weather wasn't quite as nice the next day. It was sunny but there was an icy cold wind. Here's a view from one of the ski slopes, looking down toward Big Bear Lake...


It got really cold that night and the next morning we woke up to this...


This is the road that the race finished on. Quite different than race day!...


It looked really stormy over the lake!...


The snow was building fast!...


We took the back way down, toward the desert. It's usually the last road to remain open and we figured it was our best chance of getting down the mountain that day. Hubby put the Yukon in 4X-Low and we did great. Someone else didn't do so well and they jack-knifed their truck and trailer further down the hill. So, we sat for about an hour and waited. The wait provided for picture opportunities and knitting time. And, the sun came out and started melting the snow...


Spring flowers in wintery snow...


We were in the transition area of the mountain, where pine trees start to disappear and cactus, Joshua Trees, and desert plants start to appear...




Ahhh...the dry, snow free desert below...


There was a light dusting of snow on the desert side of the mountain, near the bottom...


And, then...Ahhhh...dry, snow free roads...


As we headed west, toward highway 15, we drove along the outskirts of the storm. It looked pretty intense!...


We had a great time at the race and enjoyed our new trailer. The snow and cold weather sure were a surprise though...especially, since next weekend is Memorial Day! Isn't it suppose to be warm by now? It's spring and summer is only four weeks away!

Studio Makeover

Last year, we decided to turn our guest bedroom into a craft studio. Afterall, that's what it's most used for. We moved the bedroom furniture out and bought a counter-height table (which is oh so nice to work at). We installed a chandelier for bright, workable light. And, a plan started to come together. This week, my daughter and I started painting...


To finish up this makeover project, we have a row of bookcases ready to be painted; we're taking measurements and drawing up plans to make shutters for a cute country touch and to control bright morning light in two square windows (one is in the picture); large frames are being transformed for our inspiration wall...a tack board and an upholstered board with criss-crossed ribbons to hold inspirational pictures and stuff; an old wood ladder is ready to hold fabrics, weaving, dried flowers, or whatever we want at the moment; we're on the lookout for storage bins to organize our art and craft supplies and tools on the shelves; and I need to select fabric for a window treatment. I know that it won't be finished right away because we're working on it between all the other things we need to do. But, I can't wait! :-D

Seasonal Teasers

It's been seeming more like winter than spring. But, once in a while, we get a day that feels right for the season. Last Friday was one of those days. We were in Encinitas, the sun was shining, and it was beautiful! I tried to capture it with my cell phone. Check out this view...


Flowers are everywhere and the air is heavy with fragrance, especially Jasmine. The Bouganvillas are so pretty...


This cactus is smiling because of all the rain we've gotten this year. Check out those beautiful red blossoms...


Unfortunately, our few days of sunshine and warm temps were just another teaser. It's been cold, cloudy, and drizzly the past few days. We're still waiting for spring to come and stay a while.

Falling into Spring

I started these socks last fall but hadn't gotten past the cuff until just recently. The yarn is ONLine Supersocke 100 with aloe and the colorway, "Wellness", is beautiful. However, I'm not sure if it's suitable for this "Lace-Rib Socks" pattern. The lace interferes with the stripes and the stripes with the lace. I've come very close to pulling it out several times. I keep forging ahead though, keeping an open mind, to see how they'll turn out. My daughter and husband think they look great and keep encouraging me. What do you think? Would you knit lacy socks with such a stripey yarn? I think I'll go poke around on Ravelry and try to find other socks made with this yarn and see what I think.

Scrub-a-Dub-Dub

Three scrubbies in the tub...and counting!...


I found this pattern on Ravelry last week and I was hooked on the first one. They're quick, fun, and colorful.


It knits up in a bias, then fold it into a loop, stitch it together, then sew a running stitch on each side of the loop, pull hard, tie off and voila!


One of the best parts is that I knit them with one of my favorite yarns, Sugar N Cream! I think they'll work great as body scrubbers in the shower. Soft but with just enough texture to gently scrub. Thick enough to hold onto but thin enough to dry out. I love little projects like this!