What’s on MY windowsill?

Rapini broccoli. Since yesterday it has turned into a sad leggy mess. I think it’s because it’s been cloudy for the past week and they’re only getting light from my bootleg artificial set up. So, we’ll see how they survive.

Various herb and veggies I started only last night! So basically just dirt. There’s patty pan (which I’m very excited about) and butternut squash in here, as well as some various beans. Yes, I start my beans inside. I’ve been told that’s weird. But you know what, I’ll get beans before anybody else, so there! Also some poppies, basil, and dill. And a luffa plant.

Did you know that luffas come from a plant? Really, they do! And I found some seeds at Target!

And this violet that really really loves it here. It’s pretty much always in bloom. It’s a happy plant.

Also, here’s some knitting, it will turn into Slinky Ribs (I hope)

And YES I’m knitting it in the yarn recommended by the pattern. This is the first time I’ve ever done that. And it’s really nice yarn. And I want it to fit exactly like it does in the photo (the second photo, just to be unnecessarily clear), so I’m actually following the directions to the letter – that’s a first.

This is also why I don’t post photos of knitting – see, this is boring! It looks like a blob! A blob that wouldn’t even fit me – but the ribbing stretches (as ribbing does….)

cardigan!

Working (or not working) on an open book midterm. A stupid midterm that involves no upper level thinking whatsoever, just flipping through pages in the textbook to find the answer to multiple choice questions. Oh yes, this is supposed to be grad school. I’m not impressed yet, can you tell? Moving on….

Dollar and a Half cardigan (rav link). Loved knitting this, and I love the end result. Knit in Knit Picks Shine Worsted in the, um, Fedora colorway I guess? I don’t know, I finished this awhile ago and Fedora seems to be the most brown color there is. Did Knit Picks discontinue some shades? I don’t know, but as you can see, it is a very brown color. In hindsight I should have picked a wool blend, because this much cotton makes a rather heavy sweater (like as in weight, not as in warmth. Although it is warm, it’s just not light and fluffy like a wool knit). I like it though.

I have just discovered we don’t have a full length mirror here, and no one is home to take this photo for me so I am awkwardly standing on a chair in the bathroom, so bear with me on the photo quality….

Pattern is well written – went down a needle size for the lace parts though so I didn’t get poofy sleeves. My only real problem was the sleeves! So long! First time around I discovered this yarn grows significantly after blocking, so I had to rip back a whole bunch anyway to get it back to the size the pattern specified – and it’s still way too long. Look! No thumbs!

Real people do not have long enough arms for this pattern as it is written – seriously. BUT as written the sleeves are the perfect length to fold up, so I decided not to rip back again.

In other news my birthday was last week, and I got pretty flowers!

Mara

Last week I finished the lovely pattern Mara (rav link). Used 500 yds of KnitPicks Telemark in "Northern Green" that I had in the stash. Nice pattern - easy but looks good. I'm not usually one for knitting shawls, I don't really have the patience for hundreds of stitches per row, so I don't expect to knit another project like this anytime soon. But I am glad to have that yarn out of my stash and turned into something pretty :)

It's been a bit cloudy and rainy here for the past few days (or months), and all attempts to photo this on a model have failed miserably.... but I think you get the jist.