More finished objects

Hello Everyone,

It's a cold, breezy, overcast, foggy summer Tuesday in July!  What a strange day in San Diego!  We are having the weirdest summer I can remember.  There was a  show on the cable educational channel recently featuring a local meterology  prof from SDSU.  He was talking about how global warming had changed things in the ocean off the coast of Alaska, which increased the volume and changed the angle the Humbolt (cold) current comes down the coast of California.  As a result the cold current is flowing inside of the offshore islands, close to the coast, rather than the usual path outside the islands.  As a result the ocean close to the shore is cooler, casusing the coastal cloudiness and fog.  The end result is that the earth as as total is warmer, but that makes the California coast cooler this summer.  I dunno.  At least we do not have the killer bone dry heat waves, knock on wood.  If we have a cool, damp summer, we may escape the usual autumn wild fires.  That would be good.   I feel fine except for the pain in my knees, they don't like this dampness.  Funny that I am blogging a weather rant.  San Diego is usually immune to such, LOL.

I'm listening to Sergio Mendez's Encanto.  For those of you who remember the Sergio Mendez Brazilian beat from the 60's, this is a younger relative, I think his son.  Kind of super laid back dreamy Brazilian dance music.  Goes well with my cardamom tea. 

Here are some more finished objects.

I found the light blue mohair knitted lace scarf in an UFO pile.  I finished it off and then did a cute little hairpin lace cousin.  The three hats are another peach cable job, another tweedy one and  one I like very much, one in a colorway called Peruvian Mix. My gift drawer is filling up nicely.

Lilo slept with me last night, she hates the cold and fog,.  I think she is still on my bed, snuggled in the blankets to keep warm.  She's so spoiled. 

Tomorrow I'm going to a potluck luncheon, so I'd better think about what I'm bringing. 

See ya, happy knitting,
Julie

Dare's socks

Hello Everyone,
It's late. Warm, foggy summer Sunday night in San Diego.  I'm listening to an Argentine radio station that plays gaucho music.  Country western to the Argentines.   I slept earlier and then got up, so I guess my sleep is in 2 pieces today, LOL.  I'm ok, just a little stiff after tripping and falling flat on my face Saturday night.  Thank heavens I did not break anything, or otherwise seriously injure myself.  I stepped on a piece of paper, that slid on the carpet and  slipped out from under me.  Careful, paper is slippery and loose papers on the floor are dangerous.  

I finished Dare's belated birthday slipper socks, but then we did not end up having dinner together in the evening after all.  Oh Well, I'm sure we will get together soon.  BTW, for you sock knitters...  The trick to "no-holes" at the corners of the short row heels is to pick up 2 stitches  at each corner when done with the short-row heel and resuming rounds.  One is in the bottom of the gap between the two needles, and the other is on the side of the fabric held by the left hand needle.  It almost looks like an extra row on that side, so pick up a stitch in it.  I hope I am explaining that clearly.  Then the extra stitches are decreased like mini gussets.  I also increase a couple stitches on each side of the heel in the last row before the  heel starts.   This makes the heel deeper and it fits Dare better.  I do not do it for everyone.  The extra stitches are also decreased in the mini-gussets. 

Lilo is happy, I shared my roast chicken with her at dinner.  She opened one eye to say "Hi" to all her fans and then went back to her nap. She lost hr collar again, sigh.  Have to get her yet another one. 

Good night,
Julie

Girly, Girly

Hello there, Everyone,

Today is a coolish overcast breezy morning, as unlike San Diego in July as I can remember.  I feel great and I'm sipping a  lovely cup of cardamom tea. Drew Tretick is playing romantic violin on my player. I'm fightin' back, you gloomy weather, you. 

Heather and I had a girly day yesterday.  First we swam.  Then we  had Vietnamese food for lunch from the little Pho place across from the nail salon.

Then we got manicure/pedicures.

We were testing out the plum polish that is planned for the wedding in October.  It was so much fun.  We told Susan and Mimi (the manicurists) that we were doing the same plum polish and we both wanted flowers, but that there was a competition to see who did the best flowers.  They really got into it and had a big laugh.  Susan won.

Those are my swim booties drying in the breeze on the porch. 

I'm playing with more hairpin lace. Pink and foo-foo.   Lots of fun!

Lilo opened one eye to say hello.  She is sleeping on the foot of the bed.  That's what SHE thinks of this gloomy weather.I think I'll do something silly, like go and have a hot dog for lunch at the Price Club. 

See ya,
Julie

Hats, a scarf and a beautiful new shawl

Hello, Everyone,

It's a strange cool, cloudy, moist summer day, very untypical for us in July in San Diego. The music playing is Audrey's Kitten with a Whip.   Too bad that band broke up.

I feel fine and I'm heading out soon to swim with my sister.  Lilo is helping me blog as I am eating some yummy Mexican-style turkey soup and she is hoping I will give her a bite of turkey.  Nah!  Hmmm....        Oh,  Alright, here's a tiny bit for you to taste, Lilo.  She and I both love turkey.  Her digestion is so tricky I can only give her tiny tastes of "people food".  Now she's happy.

But I just had to stop and blog the pretty new shawl I finished late last night. 

It's hairpin lace, which I have not made since the 70's.  It's delicate lace weight, fine and ephemeral.  I just love it.  Tell me again, why did we stop making hairpin lace???  I love it.  And it works up fast.  Here's a detail.

The pattern is not entirely mine, although I made some changes.   It's a riff on the free pattern by Coats and Clarks.  The lace strips are 4 inches wide instead of 3, and the strips are  finished in swirling loops instead of points.   I think I'll make another one incorporating the ideas that came out when making this one. Let's see of I find time.

Here are the knit hats from the hat-jag I went on.

The tweedy ones are great for using up scraps. 

This is a pretty beaded keyhole scarf in a wavy lace pattern. Here's the detail.

 It's fun to do beads like that.  I'm trying to think what else I finished during the time I was too busy to blog.  As I think if things, I'll blog them. 

Here's Nate at Mission Bay Park, eating a strawberry paleta on a hot day we had last week. 

Got to run and swim. 

See ya!
Julie and Lilo, who thinks she is now my very best friend..

I'm back, again....

Hello, Everyone,

Well, I'm back.  I got real busy supporting a youth peace festival. Check it out. Here is the Taiko performance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8xfzXyeEaI&NR=1
The song, Rise, at the end made me cry.  Maybe I can find a clip of it.  Wow! It was so great.

It's a hot evening after a hot day in San Diego.  I'm listening to Carlos Santana's Supernatural.  Maybe after I post we'll go somewhere air conditioned to cool off.

Heather gave me some pics of the 2nd pair of long stockings I knit.

These are for her daughter-in-law-to-be.

I was on a hat jag, since they are small and portable.  I made a whole bunch of them.  I'll post as soon as I get pictures.

Lilo is too hot to stay in the house.  She'll be back later.

See ya, keep it cool!
Julie