Smitten

The grass outside my window is actually turning green and my husband is starting to work on outside projects.  I’m very excited as we are doing extensive yard projects this year.  It’s not quite a total yard makeover, but it will be close.  We’re moving the garden to a sunnier spot as the trees around our old garden have gotten much bigger and leafier since we planted it.  We’re putting in a retaining wall type of planter along the south side of the house, and we’re putting in a backyard patio.  I say “we” but really all I’ve done is consult on the correct color of block and pavers.  I’ll do the majority of the planting or replanting.  And of course the purchasing of new plants.  The nights have still been really cold, so I’m hesitant to buy or plant much right now.

As for my knitting, welllll… I am knitting.  I’m in the 2nd section of the Cameo shawl.  I’m anxious for the final section,which is lace.  I spent the Memorial Day weekend driving down to Chicago and back (a trip that I would normally be a passenger on most if not all of the trip) so I didn’t get to knit as much as I would like.  I did get to work a little on a crocheted blanket for my nephew while I was there.  The up side to driving all that way was that I was able to catch up on my knitting podcasts while in the car.  The girls got a little tired of listening to knitting though so we mixed it up with They Might Be Giants on the way home.

This weekend I realized too late that I had left my knitting at the office hiding under my desk.  I pulled out a kit for a Mini Mania scarf.  Oh. My.  I am smitten!!  I don’t know what it is about this scarf, whether it’s the colors or changing yarn every row, but I totally and completely love it.  I’m planning my next three scarves in my head right now.  There is no reasoning with myself that this is seed linen stitch and it should be boring the pants off of me.  Somehow it is not boring.

Somehow I want to rip through my stash and find all the contrasting colors that I can find and make 20 of these for all my closest friends.  See?  I’m Smitten.

The trick to this scarf is that there. Is. No. Purl. Row.  I know!  It seems wrong.  You start every row on the right side with a 8″ tail and then cut your yarn at the end of the row, leaving a long tail.  I’m tying the yarn as I go so that I’ll have fringe.  Who wouldn’t want fringe on their scarf?  Especially when the payout is this good.

Yep, I’m totally over the top Smitten.