(Cricket sounds)

Finally!  The weather has turned much more pleasant.  No more humidity.  Still not much rain.  A lot more pleasant cardigan weather.  I would recap what I have been up to, but, basically, I have been busy.  The kids have since returned to school, and I have been helping the oldest with homework at lot more (boy, who knew I would still know a ton of algebra!).  I've been working extra hours to take leave to attend this Navajo weaving workshop next month - so excited!  Finally, I've been taking two classes that I am hoping, at a minimum, will help me do my job better.

In the meantime, I still have been sewing and knitting.  There is a lot of stuff to show, but I'll just stick with what I have now.  Recently, I signed up for a knit-along on Ravelry.  Two, actually - the flax and twine sophisticate cardigan KAL and the Lion Brand wisteria shawl collar pullover knit-along.   I'm not actually knitting along with the Lion Brand one . . . yet.  The other, I've managed to make some progress without too much griping on size 5 needles! 

Typically, I don't use needles lower than size 6 for garments, but the cardi is very cute, and the small pieces seem manageable.  If all goes well, I am seriously considering making another one for the Banana in the pink and yellow. 

This article I read about a month ago seemed to help change my perspective about long stretches of knitting and how to get it done.  Basically, you set small goals of knitting, say, ten rows every day or every other day.  Rather than thinking I'm only 1/3 way through the back (like here), I am through five rows, then eight, then ten, and you're done.  For that day, at least.  It sounds a bit juvenile and maybe obvious to some, but it changed my frame of mind.  I feel like I'm getting stuff done, and I can work on more than one project as long as I complete that goal.

Outside of knitting and sewing, I'm learning how to spin yarn with a Navajo spindle.  I wouldn't have even consider doing all this, if it were not for my husband, but I am finally seeing what the fuss is all about!  Its really amazing.  And relaxing.  I spun my first ball, but, as you might expect, its uneven with the thick and thin parts.  I'm told this will even out with practice, but I'm in love.  I can't wait to try more exotic fibers, and, of course, churro. 

As part of that, I eventually want to  move onto rugweaving which is why I'm taking the class, but I want to make the wool for the rug as well.  Growing up, I remember my great grandmother spinning and weaving, and I always wished I could have learned from her.  That chance is gone, but I feel blessed and honored to be learning now.  We'll see how it goes.