Hello, friends!  I can’t believe it is the start of Summer, unofficially.  Though today doesn’t feel like it as it is only 59 degrees.  But that’s ok.  So what have I been up to?

Well, I started this Willowy Wrap crochet pattern back on March 4.  I know, crochet??!!  The pattern is by JL Creations, the crochet expert at my LYS.  It was released on March 3 at the shop in conjunction with AJHC Wools.  I saw it at the shop that day and it was so beautiful and soft that I just had to try it.  So here is how my progress went:

Just about finished!!  So excited!

Finished, just needs blocking.

Just look at all of those luscious colors soaking in the water.

I am so geeked at how straight my sides are!  This is the first project where my sides are not all wonky.  And look how straight that blocking is!  So proud of myself 🙂

And here it is all finished! I am so excited to get this one finished.  It’s not perfect, but it looks pretty good to me.  The pattern is Willowy Wrap by JL Creations and the yarns are by AJHC Wools.

I was also able to get my Peacock Garden Mystery Sampler from Linen and Threads all caught up and started the June section. This is a FREE Mystery SAL and you can get the patterns on their website for this sampler and the previous 2 samplers.

I am stitching this on 16ct Graceful Gray from Wichelt.  Threads are Gloriana Silk in Rain Forest and DMC 3810.  I’m not loving this one as much as the previous 2 samplers put out by Linen and Threads, but I like it.  I am anxious to see what is going to be in the other blocks.

My basement is coming along.  Painting was done last week.  Carpet has been ordered. Then we can begin putting it all back together again and get our house back in order.  Between the front door and the path to the basement, all furniture has been moved to another room or shoved over and all of my pictures have been removed from the walls.  My diamond painting has been moved all over trying to keep it from being ruined.  So I thought it was time to get it framed.

This diamond painting was a gift from my best stitchy friend a couple of years ago.  The picture was taken from a photo I had taken in my front yard and had posted on Facebook.  She had it made onto the canvas.  It is now hanging in my dining room, which is just inside my front door.  It really brightens the room and I will treasure it always.

And I have started a new project.  Did you really think I wouldn’t have?  But it is not cross stitch.  It is a knitting project.  It is the famous Wingspan Shawl by Kyle Vey and is available on Ravelry.

I fell in love with this one as soon as I saw it.  I even ordered yarn from Blue Brick Yarns right away.  The dyer, I am sure, has been overwhelmed with orders, so it will be a bit before my yarn arrives.  In the meantime, I am knitting this one for someone else.  The yarn is Mirasol Qulla in Moonlight colorway.  It is more like a denim blue, and not the dark blue in the photo.  This one took me 2 days to finally get the first row done.  The pattern calls for “make1 left and make1 right throughout the first row, after the cast on!  I didn’t even know it was possible to “Make1” on the cast on row.  But a gal at my LYS pointed out that there is actually 2 threads in between stitches on my longtail cast on. Boy do I need new glasses!  So home I went, trying to cast on loose stitches, but not too loose that my stitches sag.  And struggling to get those Make1’s in and have the correct stitch count at the end.  My mind tends to wander after so many repeats, LOL.  After several attempts yesterday, I finally had my first row done to my satisfaction!  I even held my breath and did row 2!  Just skimming through the 17 pages of pattern is very intimidating and I have been a knitter for about 33 years. So, fingers crossed, wish me luck and send good vibes that I can get through this pattern.  And that I can get through it a 2nd time once my yarn arrives 😉

So that is what has been going on with me.  What fun things have you been up to lately?  I’d love to hear about them 🙂