why I love socks

I had been working hard on my shrug. It does seem to go very very slow for some reason. But I felt like I was starting to make some progress:


But a closer look reveals some ripping in my future:


So I started a sock:


Since taking this picture, I finished this sock and started sock number 2. This is for my daughter that loves pink. I have yarn for socks for my daughter that loves purple.

state of the jam

I've made my last batch of jam for the summer. And in the interests of memory here is the listing.

3 batches of strawberry--with berries prepped by my husband. Very easy, very fun. Made a facebook offer to make jam for others, and so made a batch in exchange for sock yarn.

1 batch of sour cherry. Sour cherries are a pain in the side to prep. All those pits! But not only did I do a batch of jam, I froze two small batches of cherries for 2 small batches of cherry crisp.

2 batches of blueberries. Blueberries are about the easiest to prep for jam, as they have no tops to cut off or pits to cut out. So essentially I throw them in the bowl and mash away. Sadly, I don't care for blueberries (don't say it too loudly or I think they will take away my Michigan Drivers license). I don't mind them if they are frozen, but let's just say the jam was not my idea. Other people in this house got a taste for them. I made the second batch to give away (and I have 4 of those left!). I'd offer them here, but freezer jam really doesn't mail well.

1 batch of peach. I love peaches. I could eat (and have) peaches every single day. I hate the skins (fur--yuck) but as I say here: I'm a grown-up and know how to use a knife. These are about the hardest to prepare for jam--you have to peel pit and chop. But yesterday I did the 6 containers that now make up my peach jam stash. What happens to me is that I buy a large quantity of peaches because I love them, then they all get ripe at the same time and I get overwhelmed because not even I can eat 6 peaches in one day. So one year every time the peaches started to get overripe I'd make peach jam. I think I made three batches. That was the year I gave everyone at playgroup peach jam--someone might still have one of my tupperware containers (for the record, tupperware is the only container I'd want back). Now, I have a different strategy--I freeze them for peach crisp. This year I have a container going and I chop one or two that are just ripe but can't be eaten into the container--when it is full, I'll stash it in the downstairs freezer. I'll probably make a fresh one too before peach season is over.

no, I am not done yet.

One of the things I think is funny about knitting in public, which is what I've been doing lately with this purple shrug, is the comments you get.

I've been asked:
If I was done yet. (no)
How do you do that (by an 8 year old)
What is it going to be (a shrug, followed by a short explanation)
How long does it take you on average? (have no idea--depends)

And no, I'm still working on the back. I had an issue in which I worked on it in the car, and about half-way through the trip I realized the lace wasn't coming out right and ripping was needed.  I didn't want to rip back in the car, so ended up making the return drive with no knitting (boo hiss) and the next night ripping out 12 rows.  But on the plus side, I made a side trip to a yarn store that everyone around here raves about and bought some new yarn. For some reason my graph isn't helping me a bunch, so almost every row I have to stop and think about how to get started--then it is off and running.

But I only have about an inch left on the back. 



Maybe I should start a sock.