Busy Times, part 2

First, it's now past time to share why I have been extra busy lately. Check out the latest issue of Petite Purls. This issue is "green", so all of the projects are made with natural fibers (corn, bamboo, and UPcycled t-shirts, to name a few). I tech edited 18 projects for this issue from 15 or 16 different designers from all around the world. Talk about a challenge!

And here is another recently completed project, this time crochet. The warm tropical blues of this yarn made me think of summer days at the beach.

Tropical Breeze (Ravelry link) Shawl works up really quickly. This triangular shawl measures 22" deep by 47" across, and best of all, it is made with only one large skein of sock yarn.

The fishnet center is surrounded by little "sand crabs" and gentle shell "waves". This is the perfect shawl for pretending you are on spring break, even when you're not!

The model was made with Knit Picks Stroll Hand Painted in the Lullabye colorway. The pattern uses only basic crochet stitches, so it's not too hard for even an occasional crocheter.

For some crazy reason I have been on a baking binge this week. I satisfied my craving for English Muffins and Apricot Bars. Heh, guess I need to get busy knitting to work off those calories! I **wish** it worked that way!

Busy Times

Things have been crazy busy and I feel like I have been tied to my desk for the last couple of weeks.

In between I have been working on some special projects. Luckily these Easter Basket Buddies (Ravelry link) are a super quick and can still be made in time for Easter.

On the bunny, I used leftover Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, and the Chick is made with vintage Nomotta Alpha with scraps of Tahki Cotton Classic for the feet and beak. Any worsted/medium yarn will work.

The back has a "trap door" opening where a plastic egg slips in, filled, of course, with little surprises. : )

I'm hoping to find time to whip up a couple more of these before Easter. I have an idea of what I would like to put in one, and it's not candy. Hmmmm?????? What could it be?

Happy Birthday to DS#1 today. Big 27 - woo hoo. The last time I talked to him, he had forgotten that his birthday was coming up.

Sharing a Little Warmth

Florida was warm and wonderful by our standards, yet the natives insisted that it was unseasonably cool. We laughed at the weatherman talking about wind chills when the temp was in the mid 60s. Kansans know all about wind chills!

The "cool" weather obviously didn't deter this little boy - he looked like he was having a lot of fun.

We loved seeing blooming wildflowers along the boardwalk to the beach.

The gulls were out in abundance....

... and the pelicans rested just off shore.

The palm trees and grass were so lush and green compared to our still bare trees at home.

Not much knitting on this trip, but I recently completed this very QUICK project for DD2. This bracelet is knit with polyester embroidery floss and 5/0 beads (because that's what I had - you can use almost any beads). There are lots of variations on this bracelet in this leaflet.

It's nice to be home, but oh so busy! No doubt, DD#1 will see this and "need" a new bracelet, too. She just needs to tell me what color she wants! Lucky for me, it's a quick project!