p.swine

 When you take a picture for a blog post you never know what's going to happen.  I took this picture over the weekend.  It was morning, it wasn't blazing hot yet and I was sitting outside content with EVERYTHING!  

Which I can still say about two of the three things in this picture.  You see that mug?  I bought two of them at Rhinebeck last year and they are my favorites.  I need to buy two more because I am such a big baby I try to only drink my coffee from them.  I need more to sustain me between dishwasher runnings!  do not try to suggest handwashing.  I lived with that dream for a week or two, but sometimes you just have to accept the reality.  I have and I have moved on.

You see that knitting bag thingie?  That my friends is a Namaste Oh Snap bag and I adore these!  At first I thought they would   simply be great for project toting and organizing not to mention a few steps up from my ziploc bag system.  Although I have many dedicated knitting bags, these are good for carrying your project(s) within the knitting bag - keeps things together and untangled.  Plus those snaps are easy and fun to manipulate if you are like me and a freak about details like that.  snap.snap.snap.

All of this aside, the Oh Snap bags are fanf***ckingtastitc for working with multiple strands of yarn!  You simply put each strand between the snap area and off you go - no more twisted messes!  When you switch colors, you just flip the bag and the yarns untwist and ^voila you are set!  What could be better?

Do you see where this is going?  Yes, that knitting in the foreground?  It is no more.  It is not nice to speak ill of the recently departed, so I will not mention what a total pain in the ass that pattern was.  Futzy and hard on the eyes.  It was a pleasure to rip it out that's what a pain it was!   Instead I will tell you that the Jade 2 ply awaits its reincarnation (the pattern was a pain, the yarn is a dream).   I have been searching ravelry all last night and have come up with an idea or two .....

bathing beauties!

It was and continues to be a scorcher around here.  You will be happy to know that the pugs have found ways to beat the heat!  

why yes, the pugs have a pool of their very own!  

spinning!

The Spinning Guild will be participating in a Sheep to Shawl this Saturday!  My Boss has given me the day off from the shop so I can join in the fun!  It just so happens that the shop is offering spinning lessons and some spinning supplies  ;)

opart!

Picture 014
Originally uploaded by purlingswine

I finished this project awhile ago, but couldn't share since it was a surprise. This is OpArt from Knitty, a very clever, very simple and very versatile pattern! I knit this for Cara's new baby Cali, although at the time of the knitting was not sure if the recipient was going to be a girl or boy. I used Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece and cannot say enough good things about this yarn.

Flair and I went a-visiting on Sunday and I got to smooch sweet baby cheeks! So now I can come clean with some recent knitting projects.

btw --- I made another little baby sun hat with the leftovers, but didn't snap a picture.

Babylon Happenings

 When I arrived at the shop today, there were festivities going on!  The Old Town Hall has been restored and is now a museum and today is the dedication ceremony with more fun planned for tomorrow.

so if you are in need of either:

• a.) yarn  
• b.) old-timey trolley ride

.... Babylon is the place to be!

Mannequin head

Mannequin head
Originally uploaded by Vicki (Knitorious) / Victoria-Pictoria

Would you look at what Vicki found?!! It's exactly like Samantha's cousin Serena!

my two favorite things - daughters & dogs!!

 There has been an influx of daughters here at Chez Swine.  D#2 arrived home from her sophomore year at college  - but it is a quick layover on her way to a summer spent in Manhattan at an internship.  Not a bad way to spend the summer!  We will be helping her make that move on Sunday.  

In other excitement on Sunday D#1 will be arriving home for a visit and will be bringing her newest love interest, Meeko!   With a bit of luck the dogs will decide to all get along -fingers crossed.  She has just finished her first year of grad school and will be home for two weeks before heading back to her summer position as Asst. Director of Summer Programs (sounds swanky, no?)  

My quiet little nest is suddenly filled with activity again!

 

rainy day in Babylon ...

 

Today someone told me that they miss purlingswine! :( I don't know if the shop or Facebook has killed my blogging mojo ..... but they are the two prime suspects!

Things have been crazy busy, but in the best possible way. The shop is more everything ... more work than we thought, more fun than we thought . Another positive is that things seem less hectic and more routine - which is a good good thing.

awwww!

I got a surprise in the shop yesterday --- flowers from my bro & sil!!! aren't they pretty? Today we are hoping for a delivery from Isager - can't wait to see this yarn! pleaseohpleaseohplease