I admit it, knitting socks isn’t my favourite thing. Oh sure, I always have one in my purse in progress, but I don’t usually get startitis for socks the way I do for sweaters. The sock WIP in my bag right now has been in progress for over a year. Yikes. Enter the genius of Elinor.
See, Elinor cranked out a whack of socks every year. Upwards of a dozen sometimes. I’ll pause and let that sink in. A dozen socks. A pair a month. 24 socks in a year. She …

Way back ages and ages ago before we moved, sometime in June of 2009 I started working on a new quilt. I still haven’t blogged about it here, but I think it’s time is now. I’m not 100% in love with where this is going, but it’s pretty nonetheless.

I picked a block out of an old quilting book I have. The book is Scrap Quilts and the block is the Flying Squares. It’s a bit fiddly with one inset corner seam, but I’ve worked out a system to make it …

Every year at SPA, there’s a fashion show. It’s low-key without a runway or anything, just normal folks showing off their finished knits from the year.  Everyone is incredibly supportive and appreciative and I love the vibe. For the second year in a row, we’ve proven ourselves to be the loud group in the corner, but I’m choosing to think that folks like the fun we bring. We’re that loud group of college buddies at an uptight wedding.

Some of the finished knits in the fashion show aren’t to my taste …

This weekend my girls and I all drove up to Freeport, Maine for our annual trip to SPA. (I love that SPA doesn’t stand for anything, it’s just capitalized for emphasis.) In what is quickly becoming tradition, we always drive a little farther and finish up our caravan at Purl Diva in Brunswick.

The owner, Ellen, is fabulous and is running a shop after my own heart. Great yarn selection, attention paid to lighting and most key, heaps of seating so you can sit and knit.

Loki, the shop dog is …

I’m headed up to Freeport, Maine to go to SPA this weekend and just like the last two years, the weather is calling for snow. I’m good with one last big snowstorm and then I’ll officially be over winter.  Bring on longer days! More light! Green things!

Until then, how about a healthy dose of spring flowers from the archives.