We just got back from an extended vacation in Arizona visiting all of our families. Both Dan and my entire families live in Arizona. We were the first to fly the coop and I think everyone thought we (including us, frankly) would back. But then I found the 4 seasons in Billings and I can't bear the thought of leaving leaves. However, it is so pretty, in it's own Southwestern sort of way.
Kate and I spent the first week alone at my dad and his wife's house while Dan and the boys went to camp. This is where I was every morning:
My dad lives in a retirement community and the kids hours for this pool were from 9-1. At least once we were the first to arrive and we stayed the whole four hours many days with a snack of pistachios and crackers. My dad came a few hours later:
Tough life, huh? Yes, I could (should) still live with my dad, is all I have to say.
My first knitting project practically flew off the needles, the Pleated Vest (Ravelry link) by Amy O'Neill Houck, published by Blue Sky Alpacas. It called for a double strand of their Alpaca Sport Weight, but I used a single strand of their Worsted Hand Dyes and got gauge perfectly at 3.5 stitches per inch. Let me just say this and it warrants all caps: HEAVEN ON EARTH IS THIS YARN. No kidding. 50% royal alpaca, 50% merino. 5 hanks have never flown from these needles so fast.
Interesting construction kept my attention as well. A provisional cast on begins all pieces (back, two fronts). In this pic I just finished one front, worked from the provisional cast on to ribbing at the waist to shaping the front. Live stitches are then held for the 3 needle bind off later.
After knitting from the center up, then the provisional stitches are put on the needles and the bottom "skirt" is worked with a pleat that is just an increase at the same spot every row:
Super fun! Here is the completed back:
(Mom bought me the cute bag in Heidelberg where she just visited.) The bottom bind off edge is cute too. Though it curls in the photo, after blocking all is well. On the right side, you purl one row then the next row (wrong side) is knit two together through the back loop, put the loop back on the left needle and do it again for all stitches.
Here is the finished vest at home (I do wish I looked like this in it -- cough, cough):
I love the buttons too, purchased at Jessica Knits in Scottsdale:
Here are more beautiful pix of my dad's neighborhood:
I never got tired of looking at this purple and green cactus. I thought he was fascinating:
Super strange one:
Obligatory Saguaro picture:
Perfect pink flowers (and these are all over! What am I saying -- all these are all over. I guess I just so love this color):
My other favorite plant is my dad's Pineapple Palm in his front yard. Aren't these graceful?
Dad even has bunnies in his backyard. The one on the right cleared some rocks to be closer to the ground.
There were tons of quail and their babies but I couldn't move fast enough to get a proper picture.
Kate loved helping my dad walk Sadie:
Kate and I absolutely love the golf cart. I say we are "going on safari" whenever we ride in it since you are so close to everything. (I'm not as close as this looks, though trying to take a picture with the zoom on and driving is not something a recommend. Ahem.)
Hope you are having a lovely summer. More vacation and knitting pix coming soon!