More Noro and Giant Flowers

Yes, yet another new thing. Above is a close up of the Midwest Moonlight Scarf from Scarf Style. I'm making it with Noro Silk Garden, color 284. Funny thing about this colorway, I knit through two skeins and it wasn't until I pulled out the third that I found orange in it. Doubled checked that it was the correct color and dyelot - it was. So now what? I removed the orange from the remaining three skeins.

This was very hard for me to decide to do - it felt like cheating. Like there are Noro Police that are watching for tampering. Isn't that silly; it's my project I can do what I want and I didn't want orange in there with all the cool blues and purples.

When I'm working at the Yarn Shop, which is air-conditioned, I work on my Curlicue Afghan. We have another two months of summer weather locally before I can look forward to cool enough evenings to comfortably sit and work on this project in my lap.


I've completed the first four sections and you can see that it's laying pretty flat so far. Keep your fingers crossed that it will continue to lay flat! I'm only using colorways of Noro Silk Garden that don't have reds, yellows or oranges. I haven't done skein surgery so far, just knitting as it comes. I am enjoying knitting this, seeing how the color sequence will play out in each section.


This past Sunday was my Birthday and I received a couple of nice presents. A very nice and roomy Striped Green Tote (from Target) that I've moved my Curlicue project into.


And a very odd vine that I first saw at the San Diego County Fair this year. It was so different from anything I've ever seen before I was intrigued. Daughter #2 set out to ID the plant and then located one for sale. Both daughters gave it to me.

Aristolochia Gigantea; Giant Dutchman's Pipe
The flowers are easily 12" across. Supposedly one of the largest flowers.

This is one of those plants that's pollinated by flies rather than bees. Suppose to smell like rotting meat but so far I haven't smelled anything bad or good.

Else where in the garden I'm vying with a squirrel for tomatoes. He'll eat them greener than I will so he gets two for every one I claim.

(sorry for the blurry picture, it was in the shade and inside the tomato cage)
It could be worse; somehow most of my tomatoes are a yellow variety. Striking looks but little to no taste. I think the six-pack's labels were tampered with, the Red Beefsteak tomatoes came out yellow the same as the six-pack that was suppose to be yellow. I do have some Red Roma tomatoes that are Red and are Roma shaped. Picked my first one today.

The Roma tomatoes are in a different area that the squirrel hasn't found yet. Maybe I'll give the yellow tomatoes to Mr. Squirrel in hopes he leaves my Roma's alone. Think that'll work?

The "C" Word

Yes, don't fall off your chair but I've been Crocheting this week. Last Tuesday I cut the tip of my index finger while slicing a tomato for a sandwich. It's not serious but it's the exact spot I use to push the tip of my knitting needle. Two hours of no knitting and I was already going crazy; that's when I remembered the red yarn I'd bought for the Red Scarf Project. A short search through my pattern binders, a quick run to Michael's to get the right size hook and I was ready.



Just pretend the picture color is a true Christmas Red - I just couldn't make the camera give me the right color.

This is Paton's One-Skein Crochet Scarf in Mauch Chunky in Poppy. Took most of three skeins of this yarn, approx 325 yards because I made the scarf wider to fit into the Red Scarf Project requirments. I'm almost finished with another scarf - same pattern, same yarn. (Right now I can't find a link to the pattern, Sorry.)

No offense meant to Crocheters but crochet just doesn't do it for me like Knitting does. I get bored while I'm crocheting - maybe because this was a very simple pattern - but there's no chance crochet will replace knitting in my life.

We've got a squirrel in the backyard that's getting to the vegetables just before they're ready to come in the house so I've been picking a couple days early.

This is what came in today.

And I leave you with a picture from last year that I took while driving to Flagstaff, Arizona. We were headed east on Highway 10, just west of Palm Springs.

Muggy Weather

Humidity from Arizona and Mexico moved in to San Diego over the weekend... Sticky days but the most gorgeous sunsets. The reflected light from the clouds is giving us unsual Twilight - everyone and everything is beautiful in this light!

Knitting on anything that doesn't have to sit in my lap; socks mostly. I have to admit I did start two more things this week. (I've really got a disease!)

One was a sample for the Shop, a feather and fan lace scarf out of Malabrigo Lace Weight. I'll take a picture as soon as I block it today.

Second thing was the Morning Surf Scarf out of Handmaiden Sea Silk
this is suppose to be a present but I'm not thinking the look of it will work for the person it's intended for. I need input from other family members; it doesn't look like something the giftee would like/use.

That's it, go back to what you were doing.