My English Garden

It's August ... it's Hot.... but i can Dream, can't i, of having a private little garden, complete with sculpted hedges, climbing ivy, charming picket fences and perhaps a fountain or two trickling through out ... fragrant roses, lush grass beneath my feet .... cobblestone walkways with the aroma of fresh herbs growing up between the cracks .....  and of course, i'm sitting out in my veranda, on my porch swing overlooking this amazing creation .... a Large glass of refreshing ice tea sitting to my right, my yarn basket filled with new yarn and books are scattered over the floor because i am so stirred to creativity in the midst of this paradise.

but WAIT .... it's August in Alabama .. i'm in my knitting room with the fan blowing on High .. the air conditioner has not stopped running in 3 weeks i think .... i DO have yarn scattered out in the middle of all the overdue library books ... iced tea IS close by and the only floral i see now is the vine on my rug ....  but i am STILL dreaming of my own Garden Oasis as i worked on this August trellis lace ....  and maybe one day i too will have a garden as graceful and lush as lush as this wonderful lace as this wonderful lace pattern ...... Open the gate and get started on yet another month of yarn overs and knit 2 togethers ... have you noticed how you've learned to slant your stitches to the right OR to the left just by inverting your needle position?   SSK will create a Left lean, and K2tog will produce a right lean.  Who knew we'd be learning things in the everyday joy of simply sitting and knitting! (and it's much better than pulling weeds right now!)

see  how teeny tiny the little
 needles are?  they just
knit and knit and knit!

I'm also avoiding those weeds by working on my socks!!!  I AM LOVING these little portable projects .... i guess i feel like most days my life is just one big circle ... and so these socks seem more than appropropriate at this time!  i ordered some more new needles this week and am loving this new size ... 9" circulars from Hiya Hiya .. in bamboo AND stainless ...  using some Debra Norville Serenity yarn that was in my stash ... which seems to be growing by 2 skeins at a time ..  and this time i tried a toe up approach ... simple knitting so that the yarn does all the 'work and patterning' and i'm just knitting in small but happy and fulfilling circles!  ;)

 Sometimes Knit So Simple is the best approach and it's hard to convince others that knitting these little socks is actually a very RELAXING endeavor.  Because there is no pattern to follow, no counting, just straight knitting - they really DO go rather quickly.  It's never a problem to put them down and then panic to wonder 'where was i' when i pick it back up.  i'm doing a simple rib pattern on the cuff ... Row 1:  K3, P1, K1   Row 2:  K2, P3 ... just a little deviation from the standard k2, p2 rib.. and i think (I KNOW) i like it!  and do you have ANY idea how much yarn is available on ebay!  ...  i'm loving this self striping yarn ... all the Look of Impressive without all the work!   ... it's our little secret!  Too bad i don't have size 6 feet .... i'd REALLY be flying!  you HAVE to give socks another try .. in case you've had a bad taste in a prior knitting life!