Monday, September 03, 2007

Trying to stay cool

It's HOT in San Diego - hot (90's) and humid (high 50's). For San Diego this isn't record setting temps but it's d#@ uncomfortable! So I've been hiding out in our north facing downstairs family room, sitting right in front of the tower fan. Watching DVD's, historical stuff off the DVR and I totally caught up with my Bloglines backlog - (I was something like 400 entries behind, never thought I'd empty it out.)

Even with the heat I've been knitting, small things that don't have to rest in my lap.
(there aren't many pictures this post as my main computer is upstairs - 3rd floor, where it's over 100. Nothing is worth doing if it requres sitting up there!)

I'm up to line 171 on Mystery Stole #3. Still enjoying this project and I'm getting much better at getting to the end of the row with the correct number of stitches.

Finished the first sock of a plain vanilla ribbed pattern in a gray tweed superwash sock yarn. (The label is upstairs and I'm not going up to find out what brand it is.) Cast on the second sock and knit three inches today while we went for a drive to appease the dog.

This morning Annie was beside herself with energy after being closed up in the house with us for four days. We loaded her into the car ("in the car" is her second favorite activity right after dinner) this morning, cranked the air conditioning and drove up to Carlsbad on Hwy 5, took the Village off ramp and drove west to old 101. Then we slowly crused south enjoying the beach views (packed with people and no where to park). We drove through Leucadia, Encinitas, stopping in Solana Beach for gelato at 11 am. The things you'll do during a heat wave. Then we returned to 101 in Del Mar; enjoyed the sights while we drove over the dog beach bridge - there was this black lab bounding through the water - very cooling sight. Del Mar was full; the beach and the races really packs them into that small town during the summer. Torrey pines was beautiful as always; the sand was wall to wall umbrellas and shade tents. Lots of surfers no waves to speak of; I think they may have just been enjoying the coolest spot in the county. Then past The Lodge and UCSD, a short jog onto 52 and we were home.

All over blogland and Ravelry people are knitting a very colorful stripped baby sweater. If one where to buy the yarn called for in the pattern the sweater would cost over $100; there are sites where you can buy a kit for $40. I wanted to try the pattern so I pulled out all the colors of Knit Picks Wool of the Andies and Cascade 220 that I had and put together some colors that I thought would work. The original called for nine colors; I used six.

Dutch Baby Sweater

The i-cord ties and both sleeves are all that's left to do.

I have been spinning my Alpaca/ Rambouillet from Black Sheep Gathering; due to the heat I've only been spinning after 9pm when I can turn down the fan. Fans on high and super light pencil roving just don't mix - we won't even discuss what sweaty hands do.

The cats are just limp puddles, hiding from the heat by sleeping through it. Here's Ty who's only awake because of the camera's clicking noise.
Ty on Red_filtered
courtesty of The Photographer.

1 comment:

Mariella said...

I saw your sweater on Ravelry and love your adaption. I'd love to try and knit that popular pattern, but I cannot spend the $ right now :)
I figured it is just a basic baby sweater and wondered what pattern you used for your adaption? Or did you combine several? I do that sometimes. The color striping is what makes the original pattern so cool, but you've captured that!