The past month was a very hard month, so I'm happy to say I love October. Always have. Here in Southern CA October often brings the bluest skies, Santa Ana winds and warm ocean water. After mid-September Del Mar opens its beach to dogs again. That makes October Cami's favorite month too.
This weekend my husband took our youngest on a camping trip, so eldest and I had a tween version of a mommy & me weekend.
We were on the go: Dog walks, chocolate chip pancakes at Honey's cafe, JoAnns for Halloween fabric, Dream Dinners (she helped), take-out Chinese, a sleepover (her), trying on clothes at J Jill with no one waiting for me and dog beach. Finished with brunch.
I've been craving Pannikin's steamed eggs with feta, tomatoes and basil and a bialy. Yes, I could easily make it at home, but I've been enjoying that plate at Pannikin's in La Jolla or Leucadia for 15 years and it always makes me think of happy times. Today was one of those times.
Small children are wonderful in countless ways, but I'm thrilled that my 10 year old can hang at the coffee shop now. Bodes well for future travel. We scored some old chairs in the side yard and put up our feet to relax with the worn out dog spralled on the grass. She was so tired she ignored the shop cat prowling around the lawn.
While we sat I knitted the Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I've had the book since it was published, but a but I never thought about this scarf until I ran into photos of it while tooling around Ravelry. I'm up to about 15 inches now.
LOVE that site! Seeing so many images of this project by different people all at one time allowed me to analyze how various color combinations worked together and to think about what I wanted from the project. I decided that a subtle background and a more variegated ripple in earthy colors would please me.
I am pleased.
Both yarns are Koigu, but I can't find the bands. Probably bookmarking a pattern somewhere...
I've also finally cast on Lara in Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk.
Everything was fine and dandy until two weeks ago when I got to the third ball before I was even close to finished with the sleeve. No way were my 16 balls going to make it. Found a good price through an ebay BIN sale, but of course the lot was different. The yarn has arrived, but I'm still trying to decide how I'm going to integrate the two lots. I know I could switch out every two lines, but I don't want to carry the yarn up the side on a side-to-side knitted cardigan. I think I'll do all the ribbing in the new yarn to hide any shading differences.
That's the new on the left. The differences are only visible in certain light, but I know that kind of thing can be more noticeable when knitted up. We shall see.
I'm working on my second Chevron scarf. There's a Flickr group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/chevronscarf/ that inspired me to make my first. LOVE your colors.
Posted by: kathy | October 07, 2007 at 10:36 PM
I lived in San Diego and LOVED LOVED LOVED Honey's Muffins. They are DELIGHTFUL!! and I love Pannikin too. My sister when I'm really nice and she feels she wants to...will sends me coffee from there. She lives in Encinitas where I did. I'm very jealous of your wonderful day!!
Thanks for sharing and the pictures are beautiful. Good luck with incorporating the new lot of yarn.
Nat
Posted by: Natalie | October 08, 2007 at 05:45 AM
Oh my goodness. Two dog-related tasks, chocolate chip pancakes, fabric shopping, Dream Dinners, take out food, and clothes shopping?!?!?! Can I come hang out with you guys? ;-)
Posted by: Beth | October 08, 2007 at 07:22 AM
That is one of the nicest versions of that scarf I've seen. I've thought about doing a bright sherberty one for my 3 year old little girl, but I really like the colors you've chosen! And I can't wait until she's 10 and can hang in a coffee shop!
Posted by: angharad | October 08, 2007 at 07:33 AM
It's great when you realise your children are fabulous companions and coffee-shop pals, isn't it?
Love that scarf (I'm doing a Branching Out and it's going s-l-o-w-l-y.
Posted by: Serenknitity | October 08, 2007 at 12:43 PM
love your blog, found it via Farmer's Market on flickr, will visit often, makes my day to read your musings.and look at your colourful photos of life
Posted by: Christiane | October 09, 2007 at 06:43 AM
Sounds like you two had a fabulously busy time. I'm looking forward to Kat hanging with me at a coffee house. In my dreams she's knitting as well. No rush though. I'm enjoying her current companionship.
Posted by: Risa | October 09, 2007 at 11:54 AM
Oh man, I am so jealous of the Pannikin outing. When we visit San Diego we stay in University Heights and travel to Leucadia for the deliciousness that is Pannikin:) I also visit The Black Sheep yarn shop-really fun and just down the road a piece. Your new projects look great. I hope the yarn situation works out. I look forward to your next post......
Posted by: Jeanie | October 09, 2007 at 10:01 PM
Gorgeous photos - ohhhh I can almost feel the sunshine (not something we get in the west of Scotland, sigh), wee girl looks adorable - I think she and our madam would get on really well, the knitting is beautiful and I love how ther koigu and Debbie Bliss work so well together. I'm with you when you ay Octber is better than September (hard month here too for various reasons) and besides in Scotland at least it always seems such a nothing kind of month - no pretty autumn colours, no sunny weather, no crisp cool mornings cold enough for mitts or scarves, no weather cold enough to feel knitterly and hibernatory, yep October is way better
Posted by: juliet | October 10, 2007 at 02:07 PM
BTW the autumn rose KAL... - sometimes I dive in before I think (well usually actually), and what with a massive postal strike in the UK now I am having plenty of time to think (waiting for right size needles, but am fully or is that foolhardly committed to doing it, sheesh I am geting perturbed by the thought as I adapted colours to suit me better)
Posted by: juliet | October 10, 2007 at 02:11 PM