Ocean Views

Working on a little shawl with the lovely ocean view is quite relaxing!

At our favorite beach on the Oregon coast with the family...Time for some R and R, great sunsets, food and family!

Our favorite bench is still on the trail overlooking the beach. I even made it down the trail, with some assistance, post surgery. Taking it slow, it is manageable and great to get down for a walk on the beach each day.

No matter the weather, every day is a great day when you are at the beach!

Crochet Me a Parade

I tried my hand at crochet for the first time. This is an easy headband that is free on Ravelry and the tutorial I followed on Crochet Geek, got me going on the crochet flower. This was my first attempt at a flower and it was not too bad, not too good either....But fun to try. I made the headband to match the little dress I made previously for a shower gift. 

 Modeled by the bear:

 Shown with the dress.

 Next I tried doing another one with some leftover cotton yarn and really watching the tutorial, pausing it when I got stuck trying to learn how to do a: half double crochet, or a double crochet or a triple crochet. That means I had to pause it ALOT!

 Somewhat better that time. Still alot to learn.  It was like making a long chain and then coming back and doing things to the chain and depending on how many things you do to the chain and how many repeats, this caused the flower to grow. 

We ran up to see our local Brier Parade tonight. Now that the kids are grown, I miss going to it with them. We still enjoy going as "oldsters" and it is a full-fledged event; complete with fire trucks, police cars, noisy race cars, antique cars, marching bands, Boy Scouts, dancing horses, Mexican band, drill team, and bagpipes,basset hounds, pirates, vigilantes...You name it! This year I happened to be near the mascot for the "SeaScare" event. SCARY, huh?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRR!!!!!!

Beach Time Knitting-Iced Cardigan

I will add that this sweater was completed in the 3rd week of July, which would normally be a hot time of year, except since I live in Seattle, it's been the coldest and wettest spring and summer I can ever remember. Perfect for knitting weather. So I am modeling it here in July. Wore it already in July. While the rest of the nation is on heat advisory, we're here wearing wool. Gotta love it! Shown after blocking, the Iced Cardigan has grown a bit in the arms and body.

Shown here, prior to blocking.

And here's the end result of "Iced" cardigan, of course not blocked yet. I can never wait to block. I made my version a cropped and chunky sweater. Mine has just one button for a closure,using a crocheted loop. I added garter stitch on the end of the sleeve cuffs and hem to prevent rolling. With my gauge and needle size, in order to make a size 38 or medium, I made the pattern's size 1X, believe it or not. I added one more increase set at waist, and stopped at a more cropped length for my height. And it fits me perfectly. Used two skeins of the Cascade Ecological wool. This is a nice neutral color and cozy warm for those chilly beach or Seattle nights! 

Time for some beach knitting. This is the hugest skein of yarn I've ever seen. 478 yards all wrapped up in a big chunk. Cascade Ecological wool. For the making of Knitty's "Iced" cardigan, a free Knitty pattern.

Having to make it on size 10 needles and  the size 1X in order for it to fit me due to the gauge. Good easy beach knitting. Great for the car trip home too...

Now for some views of the lovely Oregon coast for you to enjoy....Can you hear the sound of the waves? 

Time to Celebrate our Graduate!

Way to go, Nicole! We're proud!

SPU Graduate-Magna Cum Laude

"Lucille" Goes Camping

Enjoying a lovely sunny time out by the Cooper River... Our resident chipmunk who lived inside our campsite stone fireplace. (photo taken by my Dad)

Evening Grosbeak, also photographed by my Dad.

Our peaceful hammock by the river.

"Lucille" had a great view of all this!

Actually, the next two pics I think show it flipped wrong side up, but you get the idea so far of the yoke:

I think "Lucille" really enjoyed camping this week at Salmon La Sac. It was so peaceful and relaxing by the Cooper River. I am done now with the easy part of the yoke and ready to begin the more complicated lace pattern. Too bad we had to come back home to reality! Vacations are like that though, aren't they?

Happy Mother's Day!

New Knitter Joins The Ranks

Nothing could be finer than teaching someone to knit and seeing them catching on to it the VERY FIRST try! Not that it's bad if someone doesn't catch on right away. It was just so quick and rewarding this way. You are a natural, Jean! It will be a great looking scarf very soon!

Happy 75th Birthday, Dad!

And Dad got his own pair of Fingerless Fetchings (modified and made a bit longer in the hand and in the thumb to fit man hands, and without cables) for his Birthday! Now he can stop stealing Mom's gloves! Happy Birthday Dad! I love you!

Family Christmas Fun!

The first of the family gatherings at my cousin's home. It is the annual gag gift exchange and huge dinner. We took the opportunity to pose with my daughters and new son in law in front of the pretty tree. This could be next year's card (early!). My hub is on the right. Momma with her two daughters....Love!

I love my family and all our chaos and gatherings this time of year!

Wedding Joy

Still reliving the wedding day and adding more pictures. It will take awhile to come down from our "wedding cloud" and back to reality!

Michelle wed Jeffrey at Alderbrook Resort yesterday and it was a glorious day in our lives...No words can adequately describe the day, but the memories will last us a lifetime. The sun wonderfully came out on queue after raining all morning, so the ceremony was held outdoors looking out on the water. Everything was like a well oiled machine! The reception was held inside and was complete with meaningful toasts, dancing and fantastic food with friends and family. The surprise at the end of the day was the Kenmore Air float plane to transport the wedded couple back to Lake Union instead of a "getaway car." And off to Jamaica they will go on their honeymoon!