Happy Autumn!

Leaves here are falling faster every day, but most of our trees have a long ways to go before they are totally bare.  Here's a leaf we found on our walk the other day.  It's pretty clear why this tree is called a Big Leaf Maple, isn't it?  (Thanks for the photo idea, Becca.)

When frost comes, this black-eyed Susan vine will be done, but we sure are enjoying its colorful flowers now.

This clematis blooms in the fall, but it would do better if we had more sunshine.

The Beauty Berry shows its tiny purple berries only in the fall.

Halloween will soon be here as well as the end of Daylight Savings. The days are getting shorter and sunrise is later, but we can still enjoy the garden.  Have a nice weekend!

Two Totally Different New Finishes and a Rainbow Wearer ~

For quite a long time now my quilt group has made Christmas stockings for the local Ronald McDonald House each year, and I have always participated.  For some reason, I also always procrastinate this project until the very last minute, even though I only make two stockings.  So this past week since the deadline for turning them in was coming up, I did my two and here they are, front and back. (My first grade teacher told Mom that I was a procrastinator, and I guess she was right!) 

Here is something I did finish in a timely fashion.  I showed DD#2 the pattern called Brooklin Vest; she liked it and bought the yarn.  It's finished, she's worn it THREE times and just sent me this photo! (She cut her head off because she said she looked too tired.) The yarn is Berroco Vintage Chunky, so it was a relatively fast project and the first time I ever knit something side to side, which kept it interesting.  And there were NO seams to sew together!

This is what the back looks like.  The color is more true in the above photo, and you can also see that it looks much better on.

Then DD#2 sent this photo yesterday which was taken last month when we were in the Midwest and I delivered the Rainbow Sweater. (DD#1 is in the middle of the back row, and my sister is on her right.)  The sweater is plenty long and should fit GD#1 for a while. I'm sorry you can't see the buttons as they were a real find: golden suns! Just perfect for a rainbow, don't you think?

Have a great week!

A "Potato Chip" Cowl (I've Gone Cowl Crazy!)

Little did I know when I saw the Interrupted Cowl on Dee's website earlier this summer that this innocent little pattern would turn into a potato chip project, one just leads to another and another!  So far I have made three of them.  The yarn is Universal's Bamboo Bloom Handpaints, and I already had yarn in my stash for the first one. You've already seen it, but in case you forgot, here it is:

I loved it so much, I got yarn for two more but this time Bamboo Bloom.  First I made this one, and gave it to Kathyb.

And I just finished this one yesterday:

Then, you guessed it? Before my needles cooled off, I ordered two more skeins, but this time I went back to Bamboo Bloom Handpaints.  We'll see what happens next!   Since my order isn't here yet, I guess I'll just have to get back to some of my other WIPs and one really ancient UFO.  Wish me luck.  Visit JudyL to see what others are knitting!