Summer Makings...

All this hot weather is both a curse and a blessing. It is (once again) way too hot to be outside too long, but that also means that it is actually quite nice to be inside and make something!  {smile}

Pocket and fabric details...

Last week I made Tif's 'DottieAngelFrock' and I love it so much that I'm already planning another version with fabric that I bought from her last Friday at her yard sale.
I made the version above a little bit shorter than the original pattern and that was a mistake. I haven't finished the hem yet and am now thinking of adding some lace for lengthening... I also added 1 1/2 inches to the neckline and 3 inches to the back neckline and the ric-rac between the two fabrics. Love it!

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In between I'm still knitting of course, but I must admit; this TinCanKnits pattern is tres tricky!  I have to concentrate so hard on every single stitch that I can only do a few rows at a time...

I love seeing the waves pattern emerge...

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Sometimes you just want to do some 'simple' knitting, so I've started another pair of socks with self-striping yarn designed by Arne & Carlos. This is what I've done so far:

And this is what it is supposed to look like in the end:

Can't wait to see the finished results. I'm going to try a new heel pattern for this one called the Fish Lips Kiss Heel. Hopefully I like it better than the previous one I've tried...

That's it for now. Enjoy all the sunshine! (if you have any that is...)

PS: I totally forgot to add this fabulous dress designed by Marcy Tilton for Vogue! All the fabrics are stretchy and this dress is just soooo comfy and stylin, I think... <wink> I bought a couple more of her patterns so you should see some of them all sewn up sometime in the Fall I expect...

The picture was taken last weekend when it was somewhat chilly,
hence the homemade socks...

Let The Happiness In...

After almost two months of no rain and way above average temperatures, we are finally experiencing a cool, cloudy, and more importantly  a wet weekend: bliss!

We've been busy getting both kids ready for college. Master C. is moving into an apartment with two other roommates, so he needed a bed, cooking utensils and more of such items. (a trip to Ikea was involved) We will move him in in three weeks time. (it's a 4+ hour drive one way) A few days after that we will be flying Miss M. to Los Angeles where she will start her higher education career. And after that we will suddenly have become 'empty nesters'.

Yes, I will leave it at that...

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Slowly but surely we're also de-cluttering the house and several trips to both the dump and goodwill have been made. We've had guests in the beginning of July, we've been out to lunch, we've done little shopping trips, we've attended our annual Timber music festival here in town. All in all, we've been relaxing and enjoying a non-scheduled life. Slow living I think they call it... 

Not everything has been fun and daisies however. A very close family member suffered a heart attack last week, but after a very short hospital stay (and surgery) he is now home and recovering nicely.
Our dog Olive is slowly becoming a very old lady (14 1/2 now), so we're treasuring every single moment with her. Very difficult to see the decline though...

She is fast asleep here. She has become so deaf,
that she didn't even hear me approach this close...

I will leave you with the picture below, captured by Miss M.: a grasshopper on the screen door...

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PS You can find all my other summertime pictures on my Instagram page. You don't need an account to visit...

Ramblings...

I was squinting at the photographer,
very happy to be afloat in the cold pool... <wink>

First of all can I just mention that it is still hot over here in the Pacific Northwest! Weeks and weeks and weeks already... It is just a little bit too much really...

Anyway, onward to some ramblings. Last weekend we had the opportunity to do some dog sitting for friends who also happen to be living right on Lake Washington: we didn't say no! What a day!

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Then a few days later we had visitors from The Netherlands. My old neighbor from my elementary school days (= buurjongen) and his wife and daughter were close to the end of their RV road trip and they spent a night here. I couldn't even remember the last time we had seen each other and it was so much fun to chat and catch up. We took them Blueberry picking and we also showed them the Snoqualmie Falls, where now a very small stream of water is coming down because of the constant heat and no rain routine...

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Yesterday the hubbie and myself wanted to leave the house for a while so we spend the afternoon in Ballard/ Seattle. Most of the time was spent at the Ballard Locks, always a favorite of mine. The smell of salt water and the hussle and bustle around the locks always brings me back to our summer holidays sailing across the channel to England. 

Two big tug boats on their way to Alaska...

There is also a big Salmon fish ladder there which brings lots of Harbor Seals to the area as well....

You can spot a seal on the right...

On our way back we stopped by a new favorite brewery called Stoup where we had a fabulous glass of Bavarian Hefeweizen. Our kids were born in Bavaria so it always holds a dear place in our hearts...

All this was already a great day, but then I managed to buy 8 yards of fabric along the way and 6 more today so you know what I'll be doing the next few months... (8 new patterns also!)

Only 5 of the new 8 fabrics shown here. They are all shades of gray, not blue...

{smile}