the garden

i do spend more time (lately) reading about knitting vs. actually doing it. i figure it's part of my process. sometimes i'm very interested in knitting, other times, i'd rather sew. and now, i have beads too, and there's always crochet, and i think about making soap and footstones.
my friend irene seamed together my little 'bed jacket'. i don't have a photo now, but will when it's finished. i hate finishing. all that's left is knitting a tie, which i knit onto the jacket when it's 18" long and continue around the neck, and then knit the last 18". i also have to just pick up stitches along the front edges and bind off, to neaten out the stitches and smooth out the curve. that's all! i started the tie yesterday. though it's not tiny knitting like the little 1x1 rib of the lucky clover cardi, it's still slow going because size 9 needles are awkward for me. they feel big and clumsy.
how far have i gotten with the orange albany? i cast on for the sleeve. i like to do sleeves first. that way, i invest less knitting time figuring out if my gauge has changed, i have problems with the pattern and shaping, etc. but, i'm having problems already because after 4 rows of rib, then the slip stitch pattern begins, and it's extra wonky because the slip stitches are every other stitch for a couple of inches of the sleeve, vs. the every 4th stitch of the swatch. i just need a knitting retreat to figure it out :)
oh, i did i mention i'm going on a retreat? sort of --- the vermont wool/sheep/goat/wine festival. i've never been to one of these events, and it's not until october, so that gives me plenty of time to plan my knitterly outfits! maybe i'll knit something super-cool by then! and then reward myself with 'fresh' handspun yarns ....
i took some pictures yesterday of some flowers. i reminded me of the garden shots on some others' blogs, so these are my 'garden shots'

the first is a recent purchase from a bead shop. the little flower is crochet with seed beads. but, i discovered yesterday that the beads on the petal edges is not crochet on the flower, but a string of beads whip stitched on the edge! scandal! but, it's very pretty, and i appreciate the work that went into this little jewel.



the next is a ring i bought at stitches east last year. i wasn't very impressed with the yarn selection in the market, but when i saw this ring, i kept going back to look at it, and the others, until i finally bought it. again, it's crochet, but with beautiful slightly variegated hand dyed yarns. the maker told me that if it gets stretched out of shape, or dirty, to just stuff it into a sock and send it through a cycle in the washer.



this little number is a crochet 'carol' flower. it just needs a pinback so i can wear it as a brooch.



and lastly, my crazy loooong flower. this is made by the same woman who made the flower ring. she uses crochet and knitting, and when the piece is complete, it's fulled. this is super long, and i wear it around my neck. it's amazing how warm it can be too with just slightly fuzzy tendrils wrapped around my neck.





see the little beaded ring inside the flower's center?

that's all. i just like posting photos ----- they're pretty, and it makes it look like i've been doing something, .... hence, the 'faux knitter' ;)