Summer Knitting Calls for Smaller Projects on the Needles

Right before I had to frog back as there is a rather glaring cable mistake!  Check out this fun colorway called After Shock. The name is for our 5.8 earthquake we had in Montana this June.

Farm-To-Market Fingerless Mitts if you ever want a project that is not boring to knit—knit the Farm-To-Market Fingerless Mitts!  When you get to the gusset you have several different things going on and you must pay attention and trust the pattern.  Luckily it is an Aimee design from PDS which means it was tested and there are no mistakes!  The other bonus to knitting this pattern is you will become addicted to the process and can not stop as it is a very fun knit! 

Baby Booties How many pairs of these cute booties have I knitted over the years . . . I have NO idea.  I do know they are one of the best baby gifts. A dear friend of mine designed these felted booties and they are always well received and worn.  Any 100% wool can be used as they are meant to be felted in the washing machine.  I often use left over yarn for these booties.  One yarn I really enjoy felting with is Malabrigo Worsted.  All that is needed is one skein of Malabrigo Worsted yarn knitted on size 11 needles will make a large pair of booties with some yarn left over. This is the first pair I have used buttons for the ankle closure.  I usually use velcro and sew the Velcro on by hand or use a sewing machine.  I had no Velcro or sewing machine with me so I made the dive into buttons.  The blanket stitch around the booties just makes them as cute as can be!

This hat called Downtown Crossing was knitted up in June and was just sent off to one of my “Knit Girls” in Port Townsend.  Another great design from Polka Dot Sheep.  PDS Publications produces great patterns that are well written, with a nice lay out for notes, and downloadable from Ravelry.

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!

Spring Tundra and a Bit of Knitting

Spring is here and we have made it through the worst of the muddy season and now dust seems to have arrived.  It is a bit dryer than normal here which I do have concerns about.  Alaska's fire season has started already.  We have a fire season in spring into early summer up north.  It is really amazing how fast the tundra can and does dry out.

School is almost over just 5 more days after today and I am soooooo looking forward to my break!  I love my job but as a long time teaching friend told me years ago, "Teaching a years worth of worked packed into 9mos. you deserve a free summer to rest and to get ready to jump right back into the classroom again."  I could not agree more!

I have turned in my skis for my hiking boots.  I am out on the tundra almost every day walking with "The Girls" as I call the dogs.  Soon that tundra will be bursting with green plant life.  The temperatures have hit the hi-40s and have broken into the low 50s.  The tundra is not freezing at night and with the long hours of sunshine it will change dramatically now from winter brown to lush summer green.

Spring time tundra ready to explode into various shades of green!

PDS Yarn one of my favorite yarns hand dyed in Whitefish , Montana at my favorite yarn shoppe! Another pair of highly functional socks.

I am totally smitten by lichen . . .

My Blaíthín, Kate Davies design, sweater which is now off the needles and waiting for buttons.

My disappearing ski trail in the distance but have not fear it will return about next October if the Snow Gods and Mother Nature play nice!