Knitting Away: WIPS OFF my Needles!

WIPs, WHAT?  In knitting we have a lot of little acronyms for our art form. WIPs are "Work(s) In Progress" and as knittersall at once they must be done! This August and early September was a forced knit in getting things DONE!  It worked!
or I should say many of us knitters have far too many of these works in progress floating or hidden around.  I for one am classic for starting all kinds of projects and

Central Ave. Hats were well received and are now being enjoyed by this very knit worthy group.

The Kokkeluri Mittens are now done and waiting to be worn in our first snow! I really enjoyed knitting these even though I got off to several very rough starts. Kate's yarn is a treat with an amazing hand and rich Scottish colors.

They were not worn during our 1st snow but yesterday we had ice on puddles, frozen ground, northern lights dancing around  . . . they went on the morning Tank Farm walk.

This project has been on my needles far too LONG!  I finally worked my short rows over my butt and have a pair of tights.  The design is from Elizabeth Zimmermann one of my all time very favorite knitters ever.   The yarn I used is a DK superwash from Knit 'N Needle in Whitefish, Montana. These will be used as a layer on our very cold sub-zero days this winter skiing or for hang out in after a bitter ski.

I wanted something colorful to look as my world becomes a bit monochrome during the winter months.

They still need elastic for the waist and a nice warm bath and time on the blocking board.

Central Ave Hat: Local Yarn & Local Designer

Hats, Hats, Hats! Who could ask for a better summer knitting project than a HAT or in my case SIX hats! Hats are a great traveling summer project! You need to knit only one, no partner is needed. Hats are small, and not hot on your lap. You can challenge yourself and learn a new technique on a small project instead of a sweater.  Need to learn and explore cables there is no short supply of hats designs with cables.  Want to learn color work, twisted sts, texture work . . . the list goes on and what better way to explore a new design/technique while knitting up a hat for yourself or a gift for some knit worthy fan.

Earlier in the summer I knitted two Coming Home hats. I fell in love with this great pattern for several reason.

I have a niece with three young girls who are all very knit worthy gals! They wear everything I have knitted to the point of almost sleeping in what I have knitted.  Not only do they wear all the knitted items, I get great photos with them wearing everything and truly using hats, fingerless mitts, and sweaters.  I am always after a great design to knit for up for them.

My favorite local yarn shop in Montana is really 4.5 blocks from my front door.  LUCKY--right!  The owner and designer (Aimee) is a great gal and this spring and summer she has been on a creative roll which means all her customers have been having a blast knitting up all her new creations. To add to all the fun of knitting a PDS pattern is the Knitting 'N Needle has an in house dyer.  Jennifer, has a great talent for colors and matching up colors with the local surroundings which I LOVE!  You will find yarns with local names such as: Fireweed, Beargrass, Huckleberry, Lupine, Winter Raven, Iceberg, Juneberry, Jewel Basin and the list of colors goes on and on!

PDS Worsted Great Northern

PDS Worsted Depths

PDS Worsted Inspiration

PDS Worsted Lupine

I just completed the last Central Ave Hat.  I knitted four of these beauties this summer. They were a great project on our trip north as it is an easy as can be pattern to follow while being the passenger on our trip.  Great easy knitting around the campfire while enjoying the view with a nice hot or cold drink.

Knitting away on the drive
north in northern BC.

Yukon camp site

Sunrise in the Yukon w/coffee and knitting

Evening time to relax

Making progress on the plane as we head back to the village

The last hat on the needles home in Alaska.

Lucky recipient of the first hat off the needles.  She was the last to get a sweater so she earned the first hat!

Hiking

Living in Northwest Montana one is never far from a great hiking trail.  We hiked some old favorites and explored some new trails this summer.  A recent hike we went on was just perfect!  We found bushes just loaded with green huckleberries which will be ripe in mid-August.  Be careful!  I am  sure the basin will be full of bears and purple bear scat!  Bluebird Lake was a great hike.  We had some steep climbs, hiked on snow, had great views, and our eyes had the wonderful treat of wildflowers bursting to life.  The dogs had plenty of water and snow to cool off on as we hiked through the day.

A few great books to help you discover the great hiking northwest, Montana offers.

The start of our hike on Little Therriault Lake.

Along the highline with stunning views.

Little Therriault Lake from above.

Along the trail and do hike with bear spray.

Bluebird Lake and there are a few trails that will bring you into this stunning little paradise. One always has time for some relaxing knitting.  Working on socks with PDS sock yarn from my favorite local yarn shoppe Knit 'N Needle.

We made a nice loop and this was our trail down.  This is the way I would hike if you wanted a shorter day hike or had small kids with along.

Migration

We had an absolutely fantastic drive south this spring. It was pretty drizzly at some point most days but overall it was a great drive south. One of the things, I look forward to is seeing the night sky dark and full of stars on our drive south.  Just before we leave the village you can no longer see the night stars as it just isn't dark enough.  We go to bed in full daylight and awake to full daylight.  I really miss the night sky and STARS!  I find it rather uncomfortable but at least I still sleep like a rock. We took 9 days to drive the approximately 2,400 miles to our front door.  I now call this drive "The World's Longest Driveway!"  I love the drive through the Yukon and British Columbia--nothing but stellar country to explore!  I am just going to post photos below with captions of some of my favorite parts of the "Reverse Migration."

We fly out of Unalakleet to Anchorage first.  This flight is just under 400 miles.  We then pick up our rig and stay with a long time dear friend for a few days.  Our dogs need to get their travel papers to enter Canada. 

Here is Tally trying her best at 68 pounds to fit into a dog bed made for about a 12 pound dog.  Just proving that our dogs do in fact love their dog beds.

If Tally wasn't bad enough here is 78 pound Sadie trying her best to fit into this little bed!

In the Yukon at one of the provincial campgrounds.  We love their huge picnic tables and roomy campsites. I love knitting at a camp fire!

Muncho Lake which has several great campgrounds. Working on a pair of socks out of PDS Yarn.

Tally who can never say NO to a stick and water!

Another great campground in the Yukon. 

Sock progress.

Traveling . . . dog style they get the back seat.

Lunch on the road.

Sometimes in unlikely places like Fort Nelson you meet up with a long time friend. I coached her two boys in cross-country skiing in the 80s.  

Buddies they love each other and just snuggle up for the daily drive.

Snow on the way up Pink Mountain!

Dinner prep.

Miss Sadie my buddy!

These photos are from a place we have got to ski at some winter.  I wrote about this spot last year as well and I just might have to retire here!  We just love the look and feel!

Hot Mocha and a fire  . . .Bliss!  

This is a great campground--Bear Creek!  Plus they had Loons!

Dogs trying to hide from mosquitos!

Toasting dawn, loons, and coffee!

Spring growth is always a nice treat to see green after an Alaskan winter.

We always enjoy checking out the smaller ski areas on the drive.

Ancient cedar forest

Miette Hot Springs is always such a treat!

Heading out from Miette we saw this young cub and mom on the road.

Front step home!  I have a front porch now!  It is still in the works but I can sit here and read, write, knit, relax and enjoy life!