15 days...

I can't believe tomorrow will be two weeks to Shindig!!!  I'm not mentally prepared! The house is upside down and I'm still getting back into the groove of kids in school!  We are painting the whole house and they are in our room right now.  It looks great but a lot of prep work for me and then a lot of after work for me but totally worth it!

While they were working in my room yesterday I got a lot of knitting and T.V. watching done!

Sons of Anarchy is my guilty pleasure.  I'm the classic good girl loves bad boy.  Sasan is no longer a bad boy but he had his moments when he was young;-) Last week the cable was out for a few days so I decided to try something on Netfix!  Big mistake, I'm so hooked!

Okay here's Rye! I will definitely get this done by the week's end!

And Birkin needs two more inches to the split!!

The project bags are my favorites!  Tangerine Designs on Etsy has the best fabrics and the sewing is impeccable!

16 days....

Rye is ready to join the sleeves in 4 rows:-)

  Birkin has a few more inches til I split for front and back but I'm definitely seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!!

 And she did!

Now I'm going to change up my third color and buy a warmer color like a camel or tan maybe for my third color.

17 days...

So here is Rye!!! So much fun to knit and I should be able to join the sleeves by the end of the week which would put me on track for finishing by Shindig.  I'm not sure why I'm thinking that it will be cool enough to actually wear this in the beginning of September but madness knows no logic!

4th button hole on the next row!! It's going so well but I know what a slog it is once the sleeves are joined'. The rows are so long!!! But then they short again.  Kind of a metaphor for life.

Today is a milestone day, the first day of commuter college for my kid with Aspergers.  We have had our short rows days and very sloggy rows days over the years.  I'm grateful that we are here.  There were many moments I thought that this day would not be possible.  I'm not kidding myself, we still have some sloggy rows days our future but today that doesn't matter!  Today we made it here!

Okay now for Birkin!  I should also be ready to split for the top this week and at least get started on that by the weekend which makes me think that I may be able to almost get it done.  I'm thinking that I will be knitting Birkin sleeves at the Shindig!

And here is Summer Moon

After an appropriately long time out I think I'm ready to rip back to the first decrease.  I didn't want to, I fought it but after a good time out, I've put enough space between us that I can see clearly now. I'm not ready to do it today I don't think.  I guess this is another will she or won't she.  Stay tuned!

18 days...

I skipped a day because I was knitting!!

Birkin is growing!  I cannot sing the praises of Oxford enough! It is sheepy but soft and a heavier fingering weight which is my favorite weight!  I'm so smitten! I sure use a lot of exclamation points!!!!

Now Rye!

I know I can finish Rye.  It is going really nice and easy.  I stress out about built in button bands but I've been counting and marking both sides as I go so that later I can put the buttons in easily. I hoping to be able to fit a top button in but we will see.  

I'm starting to crazily think I may be able to pull this off!  I hope I'm not jinxing myself by saying that!

20 days...

Yes!  Goal met!

Looks messy but two sleeves and half of the ribbing done:-)

And...

Birkin has some lace action!

Now that I'm into the lace I just want to knit Birkin all of the time!  I sure do love Oxford!!!

Today my oldest will drive himself to our local community college for the first time.  I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous.  Think of us today and send us good thoughts!!!!

21 days...

And almost two sleeves done:-)

 Now the ribbing had not grown so much, although it does look doubled to me!

Today I would love to get the body cast on for Rye and maybe the ribbing done on Birkin.  Will she or won't she?!? Stay tuned for tomorrow's episode....

22 days and the countdown begins

Two steps forward, one step back!

So I made the decision to rip the ribbing back almost to start.  It was striping like a zebra!!!  I thought I could get away with not alternating in the ribbing but that was a foolish thought!! So my cakes have doubled but my ribbing has halved!!!

Now for the good news!!!

One sleeve down and another begun!

So all in all very productive!!!

Better get knitting!,  first day of school and not much knitting time!!

The times they are a changin'

So I decided to resurrect my blog for multiple reasons.  The last two years have been rough but so strengthening. 

I'm ready to come back here and post some thoughts and celebrate life.

Now for less serious but very exciting fun!

In less than four weeks Plucky Shindig is happening in Grand Rapids.  This is the ultimate girl party!  All of the friends, Plucksters we are called, come together with knitting in hand, squirreled cash for shopping and treats from our local areas. People come from all over the world!  

This will be my third Shindig and I look forward to it like kids look forward to Christmas:-). 

I have started preparations! Making dinner plans with faraway friends, deciding which treats to bring, I think I've settled on Wakarusa Dime Store Jumbo Jelly beans and cast on for my Shindig sweater!  

Okay so we all have to wear our finest knitwear!  Kind of like people make Rhinebeck sweaters, Shindig sweaters are very important! 

Only my crazy brain works in the most counterproductive ways!  Setting myself up to fail!  I couldn't cast on one sweater to do for Shindig seeing as we have less than a month!  I had to cast on for two!  Yes one is a worsted weight sweater but the other is a fingering weight sweater!  The race is on!!! 

Let's see how they grow!!!

This is Amy Miller's Birkin, a pretty Shetland style lace pullover so classic and totally up my alley.  I'm doing this in Plucky Oxford, Wooden Shoe colorway in honor of my first Shindig. Wooden Shoe was a color designed for that Shindig which took place in Holland Michigan. The color looks like suede and it makes me crazy!  I love it!!!

My other Shindig sweater is by one of my favorite designers as well. This is Rye by Thea Colman of Babycocktails.  Another vintage style, a perfect cardigan with some bobbly texture. This design was created for Berroco and I'm using Plucky Scholar in the Princess Phone color way.

Of course I love Princess Phone because it is a Fall color but also because I coveted things like princess phones and my mother thought they were frivolous and unnecessary !  My unrequited love for all things girly! 

I can't wait to see how this plays out!  Can I finish one, both, none?!? We will see!

Stay tuned....