Side Tracked

As the early morning light hit my eyes this morning, I took a moment to realize that summer is finally here.  The time of year so many look forward too.  The warm weather and barbecues, no school and vacations.  

As I convinced myself that it was time to get up, I feel anxiety that the time is just slipping past me in a never ending carousel ride.  I feel like it was just yesterday that I waxed poetically about spring peaking out through the dirges of winter.  

Spring Tulips

The green of the foliage has since changed from the promise of yellow, through the life affirming green into the stressful brown.  The heat of summer is upon us finally.  Do I pay attention to the song birds or am I more concerned with the hum of the air conditioning kicking in?

I admit that my favorite seasons are spring and fall.  The sunshine is a welcome accompaniment and change from the grey skies of winter and the scorching heat of summer.  I long for the colors that are only visible in spring and fall.  But in this heat of summer, I am trying to find the silver lining through it all.  We long for this time in the dead of winter and yet it's easy think toward the cooler weather in our future.  

Instead I try to find relief and in turn realize that it's not so bad.  This week even I realized that if there is a breeze no matter how hot, the heat isn't so bad.  And with the breeze there is a longing for blue waters and sand between my toes.

Miami Beach - May 2007

How is it that when we are on vacation, we can endure the heat?  We long for it and bask in the scorching sun and run into the blue waters?  Maybe it's the change in scenery, maybe it's a chance to escape our lives back home for a short time, maybe it's just vacation and you shouldn't question it.

I don't think I will get to see the beach this summer but I am having cravings for the humid sea air and the call of gulls.  I loved sleeping to the sounds of the ocean and waking up early to watch the sunrise with my mom on the porch.

But perhaps that is my dilemma, I miss my mother everyday.  Some days, it's a fond memory.  Other days it's an overwhelming desire to talk to her and the subsequent frustration and tears that I can no longer hear the sound of her voice.  Or maybe it's days like today where I stop to reflect and wonder how I made it almost 8 months without her.  Where has the time really gone?

I remember after she died that the days and weeks seemed endless.  Now the days have once again sped up to light speed.  I truly have no clue where May went and now that my birthday has come and gone, what happened to June?  Before I know it, will fall be upon me?  Will I be excited about school supplies and going back to grad school?  

Everything changes.  If I didn't get it before, I definitely get it now.  I work hard everyday to not wish the time away.  To cherish the sunrise and sunset and make the most of each day.  Because if I don't the days will just pass by me and who would want that to happen.

Iguazu Falls, Brazil - May, 2007

<3 Heather

WIP Wednesday - Seams and Cuffs

Hello again! I don't know where the weeks are going but here we are 1 day away from the start of summer and 2 days away from my Birthday and I haven't determined how I feel about that.

I don't know where my 20's are going but they sure are flying.  I remember that I couldn't wait to be 10 and in double digits and the wait to 16, 18 and 21 were annoying.  Now 30 is knocking on my door and it's scary.

Then of course this is the first birthday without my mom.  She would call me right at the minute that I was born every year to wish me a happy birthday.  It makes me smile just thinking about it.  My dad is taking me to dinner this weekend but it's hard without my mom.

Well then, enough of this melancholia it's WIP Wednesday and I have progress to show you!

LEGO Block Blanket

I made marked progress on the LEGO blanket.  I only have 1.5 seams left and just couldn't get to it last night to finish it up for today.  I want to get this done soon so it's not looming over my head, though I need to go back and swatch and test wash to make sure the colors don't run.  I like to wash baby blankets one time before I gift them and I don't want to destroy the colors and white borders.

Everything is really squaring up with the vertical seams

Diagonal Lace Socks

For the most part, the sock part of the first sock is done.  I am just working the pattern on the leg/cuff.  I really think 2 more pattern repeats will be enough.

The color got washed out in the picture.

They really are yellow but the color is washed out in the picture.  I didn't realize that the image was wrong until I uploaded it.  I will try and take another picture later on tonight and replace this one.

I do like that you can see that there is variation in the sock that isn't apparent on the image below.

This is closer to the real color

White Centered Granny Square Blanket

I picked these up again because I was a bit annoyed with the Diagonal Lace Socks and the heel.  (I am not to proficient at wrap and turns)  Anyway, I wanted to see how the edging looked on the squares and started to putz with the join method.  

I think the edging looks great and I like the whip stitch through the back look of the edging to join them.  What do you think.

I also did most of the end weaving too.

So I think I had a pretty productive week, how about you?  For other WIPs check out Tami's Amis and Frontier Dreams

<3 Heather

Finished Object Friday - Aquaman Square

Hello there! I finished the Aquaman Square at the end of May but didn't get to post until now.  The whole premise of super hero squares  for a blanket came about because I was watching an old episode of The Big Bang Theory TV show.

On the The Justice League Recombination (Episode 4.11) the gang go to a New Year''s Eve party at their local comic book store dressed as the Justice League of America.

So with the idea in mind, I checked the existing patterns and found a few that I could use (Batman and Superman) but needed patterns for Aquaman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and the Green Lantern. With Excel at the ready, I started to design some squares that would make a blanket.

I started with Aquaman because the lines were pretty straight forward.

Image from DC Comics, Aquaman Archive

I used the above image as inspiration for my square and even had the design vetted by my own local comic book store (Big Bang Comics and Collectibles)!

So now for the reveal!

Outrageous!

So what do you think? I hope to publish the charts when I (and my wonderful test knitters) are done with the first rounds to make sure the chart turns out the way I expect.

Check out more Finished Objects at Tami's Amis!

<3 Heather

Details:

Patten - My own (If you are interested in testing send me an email)
Needles - Size 7/4.5 mm with 24 inch cables
Yarn -  Comfort Solids & Heathers, in Liquorice, Kidz Orange, Primary Yellow and  Adirondack 
Duration - 1 Week
Size - 60 stitches by 60 stitches
Gauge - 5 stitches per inch