Brighten The Day

Bright colors do it for me!!  They brighten my day and always make me feel better.  While I knit a lot with dark colors and tend to wear darker jewel tones I feel better with vivid shades surrounding me.  It that a paradox, or what?

The fact that I haven’t been feeling up to par the last week is probably the reason for the bright colors that have flooded into the house in the form of skeins of yarn.  A shipment from Thread Arts contained #10 crochet cotton for dishcloths, and another shipment from Elann brought Mirasol (cotton, silk and alpaca) in vibrant shades for the pictured shawl. 

I have one crochet cotton dishcloth down and umpteen more to go, so I decided to go ahead and start the no-name shawl.  All I have is the picture but I’m sure I can duplicate it.  The actual pattern is from a book and I refuse to buy more knitting books which I will just end up selling anyway, I think I will fly by the seat of my pants on this one!  At least it will be fun to see how it goes.

While sitting around feeling like a weak puppy and knitting the second dishcloth, I heard a racket coming from the kitchen.  “What’s going on?” I called out, and DH answered, “Just never mind.”  I knew better than to question a statement like that and stayed right where I was—praying that the damage was minimal.  Twenty minutes later DH announced from the doorway, “I have dinner on the table.”  I found leftover tacos from the day before and the most wonderful looking nachos that he had whipped up all by himself.  He tells me he browned grounded beef with Mexican seasoning and Rotel, and added black beans.  When the mixture was done he spooned it over lime-flavored taco chips and topped with shredded cheese.  They were SO good!!  AND it only took me an hour to clean the kitchen!!

Life is good!

Off My Feed

My Dad used to say that the horses were “off their feed” meaning they were upset or too sick to eat.  A few nights ago I was listlessly sprawled in a chair watching TV and DH asked why I wasn’t knitting.  It is unusual for me to sit for a moment and not knit.  I told him I was off my feed in a knitting sort of way.  I can’t seem to get started, pick up the sweater or hat, or start something new.  I have a case of the blahs!!

Then yesterday I saw the TGV Shawl and my interest was stirred.  I have a skein of sock yarn and I don’t care to make socks right now.  So tonight I planned to wind the yarn for TGV but I decided that skinny little sock yarn just wouldn’t do it for me!!  I wanted something soft, warm and with some weight around my shoulders and neck.  There it was, right in my stash cabinet—Lion Brand Wool Ease.  Good old Wool Ease, is there anything better?  It’s soft and warm and washable, and then there is that wool/acrylic factor that makes it long-wearing.  Wool Ease in forest colors of brown, dark green, dark grey and brick red, it's going to be beautiful!!

To get me back into the knitting mode I have also stocked up on crochet cotton to make dishcloths as Christmas gifts.  I found this pattern by Erica Lea and couldn’t resist.  I enjoyed knitting with crochet cotton when I made bookmarks for a recent swap and went on to use it for the lacy bonnet.  If it works for a hat it should work for dishcloths!!  Woohoo I’m back in business!

My knitting yearnings have returned and all it took was the TGV pattern, some crochet cotton and a few skeins of Wool Ease.  I hope it will give me the inspiration I need to finish the sweater as well.  All this and dinner is ready!!

Life is good.