AUUUUGGGGGGUSSTTT

August is a great month in many parts of the country.  A friend from Wisconsin said it was finally beautiful there.  I don't think I would ever term August in the deep south as "beautiful"  It's rainy, sweltering or there are threats of hurricanes brewing all around  us.  Hate to start a blog post with pessimism so there you know what August is like for me - let's move on !

I have a very few things to show.  As all my long term blog followers know - I do a virtual knitting camp every summer with a shop in Colorado called The Loopy Ewe.  It's my 8th or 9th year - so while I am tied up all summer knitting - I am also producing some great items for myself or for gifts, so that is a YAY!  I also try and make it a rule if it fits with the shop requirements that I use new to me yarns.  I have found some favorites by doing this and I have also found some I would not purchase again.

This month - I used a new to me yarn weight - the dyer Blue Moon is one I've used before in their 2 lighter weight yarns but I used their worsted weight for this baby afghan for a DF's first grand child.
the color is Coral Sky and it shows more vivid than it really is.  It is a Tin Can Knits pattern called Waffles.  Easy 4 row repeat and the size is easily adjustable.  I have gifted it already and the grandmother was thrilled. 

In late July we had Jennifer Riefenberg a national needlepoint teacher come and do a class for duClay Chapter our local EGA guild.  The project was a counted canvas piece called Bloom.  WHAT FUN!

The photo on the left is her chart cover.  The one on the right is my progress by the end of the 2nd day. 

 Here's a bigger photo - WOW - it was a super fun project and I learned so much from Jennifer.  If you ever get to take a class from her - you should !  She had a easy way about her, the class had challenges but she made it easy to maneuver thru even the complex layered stitches.  A plethora of colors and threads were used.  FUN FUN!!!!!

 Next is 6 Fat Men - a Lizzie Kate design of 6 snowmen patterns on one piece of linen.  Interesting to note that this piece of 28ct Antique Cotton by R&R was the very first piece of hand dyed linen I ever purchased.  It sat in stash for years and years.  I remember my friend the shop owner saying - WELL - I will order this for you but you have to take the whole 1/2 yard piece and it is EXPENSIVE!!!  That is so funny - I think it was about $35 for that 1/2 yard of linen - imagine that!  linen truly is an investment - if you store it properly - it will be around forever for your future pleasure.  I've now finished 1/2 of the designs and a couple of friends in my EGA chapter are just starting this as a SAL among friends.  I love the bright colors.  I leave this bag at work and when I am stuck doing long boring system work - I sometimes pop in a few stitches here and there and I don't even need my special stitching glasses.

 

Everyone says how hard to believe how fast time is going by.  we'll wake up one day and it will be full on fall !  I have to say I'm always ready for fall.  We have at least another couple of months of pool season depending on how much rainy windy weather we get in September.  I know parents and grandparents are usually glad to see this time of the year coming to get the kiddos back in a routine of school.

thanks for coming by my blog and I appreciate your comments.  Hope all your stitches are happy ones!