YA - HOO

(My biggest fan.  Who insisted we see the knitting FIRST... before the rides!)

I'd say it was a successful run at Stampede this year!  I placed first in both my categories and 3rd place overall for knitting!  I'm very pleased with my results this year and the feedback I got was wholly positive.  

(Yes I am also competitve and I'm already planning and plotting on how to finally get my grubby little hands on a 1st place overall finish.)

By the way, the 1st place overall winner was a STUNNER this year.  I don't know who you are... but lady that was a well deserved win!

(Must. learn. to. knit. shawls.)

We didn't plan it this way, but we ended up on Stampede grounds on the only day it wasn't a rainy mess.  (10 days of Stampede and it rained every day... but not on the afternoon/evening we were there.)  Once we had our fill of rides we spent some time in the agriculture tent... checking out the animals, including the sheep.  Here's me with the wool...

Here's how I really feel when I see wool.... (CRAZY PANTS!)

(Husband actually told me to "look less crazed" after we saw this one... but I feel this one really expresses how I feel when it comes to wool.)

Since the weather has been really crap, (SO. MUCH. RAIN.), I've actually burned through a lot of knitting progress... I even finished the one acrylic blanket I cast on.

(4 yr old toes photobomb)

(I don't technically consider it "DONE" because it isn't blocked.  It sure looks done doesn't it?  Just trust me, in my my little world of rules and order it needs a wash before I can move it over to the "finished" pile.)

There's a lot of acrylic in the "get out" pile... so I immediately cast on another blanket and well, progress is moving at a clip on that one too.

I'm sort of not-so-secretly falling in love with this one.  It is simple.  SO SIMPLE.  (Pattern is Chevron Baby Blanket)  And the colors I have seem to just go together cutely and I might not be able to part with it for charity.  (Truthfully I might not be able to part with the other one either.)  So often my ego pushes me to "knit to impress" with challenging patterns.  But, the truth is, with the right colors, even the most simply knit blankets look beautiful.  (And I'll admit it fun.  It's fun to see progress go SO fast.)  I'm sure at some point my brain is going to say "alright... CHALLENGE ME LADY" but right now, I'm enjoying the break with simple projects I can get off the needles quickly.

I was going to knit hats too... wasn't I?  Except I haven't.  I've been too obsessed with these blankets!  I've decided just to indulge the beast until it gets tired of large squares. The travel sock also saw a little work on it recently as well... but I'll save that update for another time as this post it getting long.

I suppose rainy summers are great for blog posts... because there's a lot to talk about this time!  Cross your fingers this rainy system moves somewhere else and we can get out in the sun!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Summer....

Firstly- (belated) HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Can I just say how bloody nice it is to knit without a deadline looming?  Everything I touch just feels so glorious and exciting because there isn't that lingering "DO IT BY THE TIME OR ELSE" feeling.

I cast on a blanket.  I wanted mindless knitting and to "get some acrylic out the door"... and lo progress is going at a great clip.

Progress is going at a decent clip thanks in part to some patient knitters in my group who worked through a massive knot in the big white ball of yarn.  (We missed you Robyn!)

(Happiness is a knitter who looks at you, sees you with a giant knot, and says "let me do that for you Jen".... and then spends the next 2 hours doing it!  She's not online but thanks Rosalind (and Sylvia and Rhonda too!)

I do have some size concerns with this blanket- mostly that's it's going to be shorter, not a longer size that I prefer.  But if, (and likely when) I knit this again I'm going to go up possibly 2 needle sizes to get a bigger size out of it.  It's an easy knit and I'm sure I can donate it to a charity.

A quick trip out to Jasper to celebrate Canada day weekend (I cannot recommend a visit enough- so beautiful!), meant that I squeeze in some car knitting on the holiday sock that's been mostly neglected since Maui.

Also meant we got some lovely photos of not knitting.

In case you're wondering- we are waiting to hear the results my Stampede entries garnered this year.   I thought those socks were "entry worthy" too so I have two things to look for in the showcase.

And that's where we're at- summer has been slow to get warm outside (COME ON SUN!) but on the upside there's a lot of knitting happening here.  Hope your summer's are starting off as relaxing as mine!