Thursday, May 22, 2008

FOs!

Yes, I've finished some projects! First up, a blanket for Michele's Zach, born 4/4:



(lots of Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, garter stitch, details on Ravelry)
And my first Elizabeth Zimmermann pattern, a Tomten jacket for my nephew Jake, born 4/17:



(again with the Cotton Fleece, more on Rav) I sewed in a zipper after taking this picture, and it went perfectly, thanks to the tip I found somewhere about basting the fronts together with scrap yarn first. Love the pattern, but I'm glad I decided not to do the hood, as I finished it just in time as it was and I'd had just about enough garter stitch by this point.

The first Monkey sock is finished and I'm past the toe on the second. I have to get cracking on the sock-knitting; we went to Portland a couple weeks ago to see Jake and family, and I went to Twisted, where not only did I meet Tina of StR fame but also Fiona Ellis, who happened to walk in the store as I was standing by the Wall o' Sock Yarn with my hands full of yarn. Anyway, I bought four skeins of Socks that Rock lightweight, because when else was I going to have the chance to see this stuff in person? Jade (for a new pair of Elfine socks, and it's more of a spring green than the picture shows), Typhoon Tina, Atomic #6, and Space Dust.

And now, it's spring, and that means Gardening! I made a raised bed out of 2x10s and several bags of dirt (our soil is terrible) and planted three tomato plants, two green peppers, basil, and zucchini, two rows of radishes and one each of carrots and lettuce. The radishes are all coming up, and the lettuce is just starting to sprout. I'm also working on clearing the big patches of weeds and unwanted saplings, mulching and filling in bare spots with flowers and native plants. So far the flowering sage (Salvia greggii, I think), echinacea, dwarf yarrow (Achillea tomentosa), snapdragons, and thyme (pink-flowering T. serpyllum and variegated Highland Cream) are all doing well, the plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) and sedum are coming back in the shady, dry front yard, and I have high hopes for the California poppy seed I put in last week. It's a lot of work but it's great to be outside, and Julian loves playing in the yard!