March Mayhem

I couldn't believe my eyes when I woke up this morning - SUNSHINE!  It's been a while since we actually saw any of this & I know the Sunday students will be cheering. They're out of rain gear at last. Wednesday, when the sun wasn't shining but  wasn't pouring either, I bought some of the season's first Primulas. Home Depot had them out in scads of colors - oranges, yellows, pink, purple, blue .  .  . with huge blooms on them. They've sat in the back of my car ever since. Today, I will venture forth & plant them in the big pot of dead Geraniums by my front door! I had hoped the geraniums would survive the winter tucked against the back of the patio, by the door but it doesn't look good. So - Off with their dead carcasses & in with the Primulas!! I need some color in my life! Who knows?? Pansies may be next.

Haven't been knitting a lot lately - my hands have been giving me hell & now my wrists are joining in. I stopped taking all the big timed release aspirins three times a day & switched it up with Tylenol & Naproxin. Yes, I am avoiding anything by prescription for as long as possible since they're expensive. Back to the big Aspirins I guess. They, at least, cut the inflammation!! While I haven't been knitting a lot, I have been knitting socks. As usual, one pair's in the car & one by my chair!! The chair socks are for me. I've gone up to a 2.50mm circ to knit the Kroy socks since the yarn is thicker. I like them on the 2.5s. I used the smaller formula in my head - 64sts instead of 68 - but they knit bigger so it all works out in the end. They're just waiting for me to sew the toes!! Love that Kroy.

Since this is March, it seems time to bring out the spinner & work on making yarn! For Christmas, I received a nice bag of Blue Jeans - just a splotch dyed bag of roving that ranges from medium blue to very light blue. The name is so right because it should spin up to the perfect faded shade of a favorite pair of jeans. Not sure what it will become - there's enough for socks & mitts, a shawlette, a couple of hats or something else that catches my eye. I can't wait to spin some of it up & knit a swatch!

Or - I just ran across this pattern on Ravelry & instantly fell in love!! They're called Duffers. And they come in all sizes from infant to large Adult. Yes, I bought the pattern!!! Are you kidding???  I love the look of them & have lots of leftover Briggs & Little single skeins in different BLUES in the stash that I was going to use in a sweater. Changed my mind & now they're sitting there waiting for this project. They take 2 skeins of Cascade220 or any other comparable yarn that felts.