When it rains is pours, or when it's fleece it's yarn

It seems as though Im either completely caught up on things and wondering what I should be doing or literally up to my armpits in work:

These are the Love at the Opera Gloves that are finally finished. Pattern by Hannah Cuviello, yarn is Sanguine Gryphon Bugga in Strawberry Crab.  My goal was to have them completed in time for the new Harry Potter movie and I made it.  While I did feel a bit awkward wearing them to the movie, I was really glad I did.  It was freezing in the theater and they worked great with my summertime shirt.  Andy and I went to the 3D version early on Sunday morning when there were only about five other people in the theater.  Perfect!

This is the Holden shawl that just came off the blocking wires. It's a very easy pattern and I really enjoyed knitting it.  Ive added several repeats to make the best use of the yarn.  It's my hand spun from roving purchased from Tintagel Farm at last years Montpelier Fall Fiber Festival.

Three more skeins for the Tour de Fleece.  I still have a couple of pounds of this Cotswold left to spin and Im seriously worried that I won't have it done by the end of the tour.  On the positive side so far Ive spun 1232 yards and there should be enough by the end of the week to complete a sweater.

Missy and I took a ride out to a quilt show at the Bedford Library.  There were so many amazing quilts. We drooled over all of them.  This one was my favorite and called Shibori Shimmers. 

Homemade Marina Sauce - now in the freezer.  Im hoping to make salsa today and possibly jam tomorrow. 

It's been a fantastic week!  Ive been spinning every day for the Tour de Fleece and making great progress.  Here is one of the skeins of Cotswold that have been spun, plied and then finished (washed).  500 yards so far plus one fully plied bobbin that needs to be skeined and measured.  The Cotswold has such an incredible luster and sheen.  It's really a joy to spin.  I'm looking forward to knitting a sweater with it later on this year when the temperatures cool down a bit.

Ive also been having some fun in the kitchen!  Last week Beth and I took another trip to Morris Orchard and this time picked black berries.  They are sweet and oh so good.  Hard to stop eating while we were picking!  Beth shared a recipe for Black Berry Liqueur and of course I had to try it.  It takes 10 days to process.  Andy and I anxiously awaiting the results.  I think this is a good excuse to find some cordial glasses!

Our garden is producing tomatoes almost faster than we can eat them.  I canned salsa on Sunday and it's really good!  I'm not much for using mixes for anything, but found this at the store and thought I would give it a try:  Mrs. Wages Salsa  It's very good and super easy to make.  I also made some seedless black berry jam.  Yum!

The Stripe Study Shawl for the Shalimar Yarns KAL is off the needles and blocked.  I changed the width of the stripes from the original pattern and love how it turned out.  It took one skein of Breathless in Cranberry and Black Truffle.  We are getting ready for our next Shalimar KAL and would love to hear your ideas!  Please join us on our Ravelry Group. 

The Fourth of July was fantastic for us this year.  My husband and I drove to Wintergreen Resort  for an  evening of fun and fireworks.  We got there late in the afternoon and staked out a place for our chairs and had funnel cake with ice cream and beer.  Believe it or not, these do go together pretty well.  Or maybe I was just really hungry....

As the afternoon went on, many more people came.  Several very good bands played throughout the day and into the evening.

I had to take a picture of this guy.  We called him the sneaky photographer.  No idea who or what he was photographing, but he was being quite sneaky about it.

Our little point and shoot digital camera did a pretty good job of catching some of the fireworks.

Bill, Andys dad, had a birthday last week.  We took a drive out to visit and got to meet the new additions to the family. Here Bo and Bella.  They are rescue boxer cross puppies and are about four months old.  They are so happy and wiggly that it was hard to get them to stay still for a picture.

Bill found this in the back yard, it's not alive (thank goodness).  It amazes me how large things grow here in Virginia.  The chapstick is for perspective.  As far as I know bugs don't wear chapstick, but you never know.

I signed up for the Tour de Fleece on Ravelry.  I'm on Team SuperFleece and spinning Cotswold that I had sent to Singleton Fiber Processing in Maryland this spring.  It's coming along nicely and I should have more than enough for a sweater and shawl. 

The past couple of weekends we have been taking our bikes to Percivals Island for early morning rides.  It's great fun and good exercise.  Most of the trail we ride on is shaded so we haven't gotten too terribly hot. I keep a knitting project in my basket and Andy has a telescoping fishing rod strapped to the rack on his bike.  There is a nice place to fish in one area and there happens to be a bench in the shade which is perfect for tranquil knitting.

Jam!

Yesterday Beth and I went blueberry picking at Morris Orchard in Amherst County.  We have had more rain this spring than past years and the blueberries are huge and so delicious.  Beth wound up with just over 5lbs and I was a bit under.  Ive frozen some, gave some to Angie, baked a cake and this morning made blueberry lime jam.

I wash the berries first and then measure them out.

The recipe called for crushing them in layers and then boiling.  I used a potato masher and it did a great job.

The finished product:

You can find the recipe I used here.  I added 2 packs of powdered pectin as mine wasn't setting well with one and only 4 cups of sugar.

Andy and I took a weekend off from fishing to do a little wandering around downtown Lynchbug.  One of our favorite places to visit is Estate Specialists.  They have everything and nearly anything you could ever want or imagine. It's fun to go and poke around for a bit just to see what's new.  The stained glass in the above photo is in the peak of one of their buildings. 

This interesting sculpture made of re purposed electronic components was in the lobby of one building:

I couldn't really decided if it was creepy or cool, I think it falls somewhere in between.

Ive been inching along (couldn't resist the pun, sorry!) on the Stripe Study Shawl for the Shalimar KAL on Ravelry.  The original pattern called for large stripes mixed with pin stripes.  This shawl is really in right now on Ravelry and I wanted to do something a little different while still keeping with the same pattern.  Ive made the stripes the same width with each color.  What do you think of this look?

And to finish up our weekend recap, we stopped by Andys parents house for Fathers Day. Somehow our wires got crossed and we missed them.  While we were waiting for them to come home, Andy and I walked around his moms garden and I took some photos.  Love this water feature and how the light is showing from the slats in the deck above.  It gave it an interesting perspective.

Knitting Bliss

Ive been doing a bit of test knitting lately and really enjoying it.  Here is the latest one: Summer Wind by IrishGirlieKnits.  It's such a great pattern and super easy too.  I literally knitted the enitre scarf in just three days. 

I love that it can be worn in several different ways.  Very versatile and would be a great last minute gift to knit up if you are in a hurry.

When Princess Kate and Prince William got married, I got up early and watched the entire broadcast.  I love anything British and who can resist a Royal Wedding?  I found a cute book:  Knit Your Own Royal Wedding and have knitted up Kate and William.  

Last week my husband, Andy, and I were at TJ Maxx and we stumbled on a mannequin!  Ive wanted one for so long, I couldn't believe it when we saw her!  Ok, I realize now that they sell them online at Amazon and if I had done just a little bit of research I could have easily found one.  But then we wouldn't have had the fun of finding this one.  She's modeling my heavily modified Beach Sand Blouse  .  Necklace and tank top by Banana Republic.

My latest project are the Love at the Opera gloves: 

Im almost done with the first one.  They are going to come to about 3" above my elbow.  No plans to go to the opera any time in the near  future, but thought they would look cute with a sleeveless dress or tank top this fall.  Maybe I will wear them when we go see Rocky Horror this fall at Universal.  I heard the movie theater there serves beer so it should make for even better than normal people watching.  Might have to sneak my camera in.

Don't forget the Shalimar Yarns Stripe Study KAL starts tomorrow.  Kristi is giving some great prizes so be sure to check it out.

Last but not least, sunrise on Mill Creek in Amherst, VA:

Shalimar Yarns

When I was at Maryland Sheep & Wool back in May, Kristi from Shalimar Yarns offered me an incredible opportunity to become Shalimar's Director of Social Media.  I started last week and you will see some of my posts on their Face Book Page , in the Shalimar Yarns Group on Ravelry , the Shalimar Blog and on Twitter.  Im really excited to be part of the Shalimar Team.  Kristi and Paul are the nicest people you would ever want to meet and their yarns are incredible.

My husband Andy and I met Kristi and Paul several years ago at our first Maryland Sheep & Wool show.  We all really hit it off and have been great friends ever since. 

Im hosting my first Knit Along on Ravelry in the Shalimar Group and hope you will join us.  The pattern is the Stripe Study Shawl and can be knit in Zoe or Breathless.  There are going to be some great prizes too:

• A Skein of Breathless
• $10 Gift Certificate to Shalimar Yarns
• Your choice of a Shalimar Pattern

Stripe Study is a very easy knit and perfect to bring with you to the beach, for car knitting or when sitting by the pool.  The KAL starts on June 15th and runs through July 17.