Easy like Sunday Morning

Hey Everyone!

Sundays have become my favorite day of the week.

Beings that Saturdays are my friday at work, Sunday means getting to sleep in, drink all the tea I want, knit, and watch shows.

I had started the pair of “Kate” socks last weekend after I finished the “Santorini” socks. I had only knit about 5 or 6 rounds on the cuff, and then it sat my entire work week. I finished the cuff of this first sock and started the leg portion of it.

The song Easy (Like Sunday Morning) had come to mind as I was knitting and drinking tea yesterday morning.

Mondays can be busy. This morning I had a few things I needed to do. I took my vehicle through the car wash and vacuumed it out after (most of the sand is now gone from the beach trip I went on a month ago, which is sad), I took my bottle drop bags back. Here in Oregon, our cans and single use drink bottles have bottle deposits that we get back when we return them. Several years ago, they started the green bags, where for a small fee, the employees, as the bottle drop locations, will count the cans and bottles in the green bags for you. I got coffee from Black Rock, stopped at the pharmacy, made an appointment, and then came home. I thought about going for a drive but decided not to because I needed to use the bathroom, and I didn’t want to spend money on more gas right now. I also wanted to spend more time knitting.

After a couple weeks of very hot weather (in the 90’s for highs), the last couple of days have been dramatically cooler and cloudy which I have loved. It has made me wish it was Fall all over again. When it’s hot, I literally have no energy (which is in short supply anyway), and don’t feel like tea, or knitting. Any of you who have followed me for any length of time know that I am all about the tea and the knitting. This weekend has definitely made me want to knit like nobody’s business and has inspired me to want to do more craft projects.

I would love nothing more than to get out of the city rat race and spend more time doing the things I love. Those include knitting, being outside, growing a garden, cooking, canning, reading books, all the things that an introverted homebody enjoys. Then I would throw in coming into the city every so often to go to yarn stores and for supplies (can anybody say Smith Teamaker and Bob’s Red Mill).

Beach Day

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A few weeks ago I had put in to take PTO this weekend to make sure I got my storage unit moved. With some help I got it done a couple weeks ago.

This was all before this weekends weather forecast was even a thing. It turns out that Friday was almost 90° here in the valley.

Beings that I already had requested the weekend off (Thursday – Saturday shifts) to use rain or shine, I got paid for the days I was off and did not accrue any corrective action steps for going to the Beach on Friday. And yes, I was laughing at my coworkers who were stuck at work, the whole way to the beach and back.

It was 63° and perfect right on the beach, and about 67° on the highway, which was a few hundred yards up from actual beach. It was a perfect summer (in spring) day at the beach.

Thursday I had worked on my first sock from the passprt Mediterranean mystery kit I had ordered from Forbidden Fiber Co, part of the time while watching Mamma Mia. The colorway of yarn from this kit seriously gives me Mamma Mia and & Santorini vibes.

I always seem to have a hard time coming back from the beach, even if I go for a day. I don’t know why leaving the beach affects me so much, but it does.

My beach day, and going through the towns I lived in while I went to college on my way to and from the beach have definitely made me think about my life and the direction I am going. I never would have thought I would be where I am today, and each day I want to be a better person and to make a difference. I am still trying to figure out how.

Vintage Santa

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Today, I finally finished up the pair of “Vintage Santa” socks I have been working on for a couple of months.

The yarn is the “Vintage Santa” colorway from Forbidden Fiber Co, and the yarn base is the Pride base. This yarn is from a previous Christmas / holiday palette the company had put out.

While working on the second sock, I have had the Friends of Big Bear Valley eagle cam running in the background on my computer. It’s kinda cool to watch Jackie and Shadow when they come to the nest as I am working on my knitting.

Knitting has unfortunately taken a backseat lately as life and work have been keeping all too busy, and tired. Since life has hopefully calmed down a little bit now, and I put in for a few days off from work this week, I will hopefully be getting some more Knitting done and possibly go to the beach. Summer Weather is supposed to hit later this week, just in time for my anticipated beach trip. I am so not ready for summer.

How are you all doing? What projects are you working on? Reading any good books? Watching any good shows? I am wating for the copy of season 7 of Shetland that I ordered to arrive.

Beach Bunny

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This morning, before heading to a Dr’s appointment, I finished up the second Beach Bunny sock, completing my pair.

I busted tail to get this pair of socks done since the last pair seemed to take forever. I literally went from about row 45 on the leg of the second sock, going into my weekend on Monday afternoon to finishing it up this morning.

This yarn is a Hedgehog Fibres sock yarn from Ireland than I picked up at For Yarns Sake in Beaverton, Oregon. It’s a lightweight yarn, good for summer hiking.

These socks were fun to knit up and see how the pattern work up. While they aren’t my favorite socks that I have, they are a great conversation pair because they are pretty.

One of the first pairs of socks I had made was with Hedgehog Fibres yarn, and they hadn’t turned out well, so I wanted to get Hedgehog Fibres sock yarn another go now that I am better at knitting socks and know what I am doing.

Summer Days and Summer Socks

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What a week. I worked only two nights last week, and two off so I could go to the beach with my family. It was a good day.

Beings that I had two extra nights off than I regularly do, I had extra time to work on my knitting. I am currently working on my beach bunny socks, which is the Hedgehog Fibres yarn I had picked up at For Yarns Sake over in Beaverton a little while back.

I finished up my first sock of the pair Tuesday night, and started the second sock.

Part of what helped me get through this first sock so quick besides having a couple nights off was also the fact that I binge watched the 4th season of Virgin River while I was working on it.

It’s also been pretty hot the past few days, seeing upper 90’s and even low 100’s in the Willamette Valley. So I have also been biding my time in the air conditioned house trying to keep cool.

I had pre-ordered the Long Dog Yarn Summer 2022 Sock Set and project bag. I think the sock set is actually called “She sells seashells” or something similar. When I had seen it, I couldn’t resist it. I love the beach (obviously) and beachy themed stuff. I love the color of turquoise that the mini hank is for the heels and toes. I am definitely excited to work up this yarn too.

The North and Central Oregon Coast have definitely made the short list of where I would love to live. While there are other places on that list that I am open to living should I be able to find a good job that has health insurance, the coast is just at the top.

Alaskan Yarn and Life Update

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Last week a new to me indie yarn dyer came across my Instagram. Some of the colors, I couldn’t resist buyer. This yarn shop is called Bad Sheep Yarn and is based in North Pole Alaska.

My order arrived today. The colors are even better in person than pictures could show. It makes me want to go to Alaska that much more.

I am so excited to get to work up all the new yarn I have picked up recently. With the way that Gas prices and inflation keep going up, I need to work on the yarn I have. Since I am wanting to go to Rhinebeck, I am saving my money so I can go. We will have to see how the next 15 months go.

Besides the inflation and rising gas prices, the area I live in is apparently back in the high covid risk. Masks are being highly encouraged in indoor spaces and non essential public gatherings should be avoided, regardless of vaccination status. While I don’t know what to make of it all, I am pretty ok with staying home for the most part besides going to work and my doctors appointments. I wouldn’t be surprised if we eventually see another mask mandate here in my state. Since I currently work at a grocery store as my primary job, I do most of my grocery shopping at work, so I don’t have to make too many extra stops.

With that being said, with spending a lot more of my free time at home again, thanks in part to dealing with a chronic health condition, I will hopefully be posting more and have more content for you all.

The Girl with the Cute Handknit Socks

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Today, I needed to run to the grocery store. While I was out, I went and looked at roses and went yarn shopping. The roses and yarn shopping were a spur of the moment thing.

I ended up going over to the West Side of the metro area. At first I thought I would go see how busy the test gardens in Washington Park were, they were too busy, so I googled yarn stores on that side of the river and found one. So I went there.

It was a nice store with a really good selection of yarn that I hadn’t seen in other stores. I had been looking for Hedgehog Fibres yarn in store for a while. I had made one of my very first pairs of socks, before I really knew what I was doing out of Hedgehog Fibres yarn, but those socks didn’t turn out. I had purchased that yarn from a yarn store that is now closed, so I couldn’t go back and get more, and I have been wanting to work with it again. Hedgehog Fibres is an Irish brand of yarn from Cork.

Like I mentioned previously, it was a nice store, with a good selection. Though IDK if I will go back. It was in a strip mall, and just didn’t have the same character as the ones I have been to here on the East Side. Not to mention the traffic on the West Side. I do hate coming back highway 26. The traffic coming into Portland from the west side is always a nightmare.

Before I had gone over to the West Side of the Metro area, I had stopped by one of the Rose Gardens in Ladd’s Addition, since it was one of the first real warm summer days we have had, and see the roses.

Portland is known as the City of Roses, since roses do grow really well in the climate we have here. With all the rain we have had this past winter and spring, it just feels like all the colors are so much more vibrant this year. Even the leaves on the trees seem more vibrant.

I am not one so much for putting patterns in my socks (yet), I definitely gravitate towards colors and colorways that pop, and some that are more utilitarian. I like a mix of both. I wouldn’t mind being known as the Girl with the cute hand knit Socks.

Portland Yarn Shops

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Welcome to the Tuesday after Memorial Day. Here in the US Memorial Day Weekend is the “Official start of Summer”. So everyone who works a typical M-F job has gone back to work now after the long weekend. I worked this weekend, like I have been doing every weekend for over a year. So now it’s my weekend.

I have been wanting to go do some yarn shopping at some local yarn stores, so I finally went to a couple today. Both were in Portland proper (aka in city limits).

I went to Starlight Knitting Society on SE 52nd Ave – a few blocks south of SE Woodstock Blvd.

The other was CloseKnit on NE Alberta St at NE 22nd Ave.

I had been to Close Knit once before, this was my first time stopping at Starlight. I had driven by Starlight so many times but had never stopped, I decided it was time to stop there and see what they had to offer. I really liked Starlight Knitting Society.

I bought some sock yarn at both shops.

These are the three sock yarns I bought at Close Knit. Teo are a lighter weight sock yarn, and the one on the right is a medium weight sock yarn.

These are the five hanks of yarn I bought at Starlight Knitting Society. The two purpley-pink hanks are the same yarn, I would just need to hanks to make a pair of socks. The blue and greens are all a lighter weight sock yarns and will make great summer socks for getting back into hiking.

Not only was I looking for pretty colors, I am also amazed at the wide variety of weights that are all considered to be “fingering weight” which is the weight most commonly used for socks. The lighter weights require a smaller gauge of needle and more stitches to make a sock, where as the heavier weight yarns require a slightly bigger gauge needle and fewer stitches.

One of the yarns I bought is from Paris France, and another one is from Germany.

I love supporting American Indie Dyers, I also enjoy working with yarn from other places.

Unicorn Night Mares

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This evening, I finished up the pair of “Unicorn Night Mares” socks that I started right before I interviewed for my new job. This pair of socks has taken me about three weeks to knit up, since life has happened.

The colorway is: Unicorn Night Mares, the yarn base is: Fingering, and it’s from KnittedWit.

My first week of the new job went well. I am definitely looking forward to life after my first paycheck. This fall and winter, I am definitely going to be checking out some yarn stores and tea shops. This is going to be an awesome fall and winter

I am also waiting for my knit picks orders to arrive this week.

Crater Lake Socks

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I have survived the historic record breaking heat, Saturday we broke the old record (around 106) with our high of 108. Sunday we smashed the record from the day before with a high of 112, and yesterday we again broke the record from the day before with a high of 116. That is super abnormal for Portland, Oregon. Our official highs are taken at the airport, which sits along the Columbia River. Even with the tarmac, it sits along a large river, so the temp there is different from other parts of the metro area.

On Sunday, I had washed the Enchanted Socks I had finished up a few weeks back, so I could use the heat outside to dry them.

Last Night, I had finished up the pair of Crater Lake National Park socks I had been working on.

The Colorway is: Crater Lake National Park

The Yarn Base is: Sock

The yarn is from Knitted Wit which is a small, yarn dyer / independent yarn shop here in Portland. This particular yarn I had ordered a while back and is not currently stocked in the etsy shop.

I just washed up this pair of socks, once I took pictures, to take advantage of the lingering heat (today is supposed to be in the mid 90’s). While cooler than the past three days, still plenty hot to dry socks easily. I have also found that warmer days help air out the scent of wet sheep and the smell of whatever wash is used, whereas if I try to dry them in cooler weather or inside those scents are held in my socks, so you can still smell those once they are dry.

I definitely prefer washing new socks in the summer and allowing them to line dry outside. Since I haven’t moved yet, I still have the line that was put up at this house. Wherever I move to, I want to have a laundry line to be able to hang stuff out to dry on.