Here’s a little proof that spring really is here: my dogwood is blooming.

That might not seem like a big deal to those of you whose dogwoods put on an abundant display every year. My dogwood blooms only sparsely and sporadically. That it has chosen to bloom this year, I will take as a sign of good things to come!

It’s supposed to be in the high 70s today, with lots of sunshine. That’s what I think of as perfect weather.

I hope all of you can find a way to get out in it and enjoy! And if the weather in your part of the world isn’t quite as nice, then here’s looking at better days ahead.

I think I’ve found a leaf pattern that I like. Finally. This is the Leaf pattern from Vogue Stitchionary: Knit & Purl. Pardon the pins, but it does need a bit of stretching into shape in order to photograph well.

I had considered this stitch pattern originally. But when I swatched it, for some reason I thought there was an error in the instructions and I didn’t feel like dealing with it at the time. It may have come from knitting a square swatch. Or maybe from a tired brain trying to wrap itself around lace. At any rate, I discarded this in favor of other patterns that didn’t work out so well. After trying and discarding several more, I went back to this pattern and decided to give it one more try.

This time, the pattern knit almost effortlessly. Perhaps it’s because I’m not knitting in a square, with 1/2-leaves on the sides. Or perhaps my brain is a little fresher. Or perhaps because, after swatching it before, I’m not following the instructions all that closely. In any case, I think I like the way this is knitting up. I tried it first with beads, but I didn’t like that look. The beadless version, I think, is better.

The colors in the picture are fairly true. As always, clicking on the pic pops up the biggy size.

With 400 yards of yarn, I should have enough to make a fairly long scarf. I debated whether I should knit this from the ends in to the center and then graft, or whether I should knit it end-to-end. Because the leaves are symmetrical, I think I will knit it end to end. The leaves will be falling on one side and rising on the other.

What do you think? Please comment and let me know. (Thursday night knitters & Alice, this means you, too!)

I know if you use your imagination you can see it. Right there. Between the trees.

It’s probably the last glimpse of Mt. Hood I will have from my window at work until the leaves are gone again in autumn. Today is too overcast and hazy for Hood to show up at all. And by next week the trees will have leafed out and blocked the view.

It was nice while it lasted.

Crappy picture courtesy of my cell phone.

Yes, I’ve been knitting. I’ve been working on the Alina socks. I’ve turned the heels and started up the ankles. The colors pooled in interesting stripes on the foot. I can’t tell yet what they will do on the ankle. The stitch pattern is different, so the colors will not look like the foot. Interestingly enough, the socks remained identical twins until just before the heels, when they suddenly became fraternal. I have no explanation for this.

I haven’t decided what to do with the cashmere silk scarf yet. I’m leaning towards a modification of Backyard Leaves by Annie Modesitt in Scarf Style. But I haven’t really made up my mind yet. I probably need to do some more swatching, although that didn’t help last time.

Thank you to those who have commented and made suggestions.

I’ve seen some comments here and there that the Magic Cast-On as it’s shown in Knitty.com leaves a little knot on one side of the toe because you start with a slipknot. I thought that would be an easier way to anchor the yarn to the needle, figuring that when one is learning a new technique it doesn’t help to have to deal with yarn that keeps slipping. As I often do, I over-thought and confused the issue.

What I usually do instead of a knot is to loop the yarn around the needle as shown in this picture, with the tail to the left of the working yarn (assuming that you are holding the yarn in your left hand and the needle in your right hand). This “knotless” technique alleviates both the little knot at the side of the toe and the problem some people have had with the slipknot being loose.

And, speaking of tension… If you find that you have to tighten up the cast-on loops after you’ve worked a round or two, try making sure that each loop is snug around the needle next to the previously cast-on stitches before making the next loop. The two strands need to twist around each other to make the purl bumps on the under-side. If you make the stitch and don’t snug it up against the other stitches, the twist will be loose and your stitches will be loose. If you find that the loops are too tight, try using larger needles for the cast-on, and then knit off onto smaller needles.

I’m actually very pleased to know that knitters have tried this and found it useful! Please don’t hesitate to ask questions.

This is 2-ply Jade Sapphire silk cashmere in colorway Autumn Sonata. The yarn was a gift and I want to make it into something extraordinary. I have one skein, which is about 400 yards. I think a scarf would be nice.

I want a leafy stitch pattern to fit into the autumnal theme. But I’m not sure I like this one even though I swatched it first and thought it would work great. I’m not sure that the leaves stand out enough as leaves, even with the bead stems.

I’m thinking of frogging this and trying a different pattern. One where the leaves are differentiated by YOs, or something, so they stand out more. I do like the color of the beads, though, and want to work those in some way.

What do you all out there think? To frog or not to frog?

Bus stations are such interesting places in the middle of the night, aren’t they? You can see from the expression on #1 Son’s face that he certainly thinks so.

We sat in the waiting room with all of the other bus riders and those there to see them off. And we waited.

#1 Son is off to hook up with a band he is touring with. He started later than the rest of the tour because he needed to finish recording with his other band. He purchased his own bus ticket over the internet. I skipped reminding him that he always gives me a bad time when I do that. (Mom, why don’t you just go there and buy it? Why do you have to do everything on your computer?) It was he that chose a 12:15 AM departure time. Midnight bus stations being such fascinating places, and all.

I do not send him off without the proper equipment. See? Down on the floor between his right foot and the guitar case? Alpaca fair isle fingerless gloves. His hands, at least, will be warm.

#1 Son will be gone for almost a month. He will be back for about three weeks and then turn around to do it again.

My house is very quiet.

I have heard from him. He made it to his destination and hooked up with the rest of the tour. Tonight they play Sacramento.

It was very cold driving home from the bus station last night.

The garden thinks it is spring even though the weather has turned so cold and rainy. Even so, the trillium is trying to bloom.

Sometimes I think the garden looks only at the calendar. Other times I am sure it is the warmth or the returning light. I hear the song birds out looking for dates. But it seems like a cold, wet world to bring little ones into. I want to tell them to wait a week, or maybe two.

I am knitting. I am working on a scarf pattern. Pics tomorrow if I get anything worked out that I like.