Sunday, July 18, 2021

Yopping Update #3 - spinning and swimming and knitting too

 


First up this week is a finish!

Strandwanderer scarf

This meant having NOTHING on my needles for two whole days, so I turned all my attention to finishing this endless spin.  I divided my remaining fibre into equal(ish) portions so I would be finished by today 
However, yesterday I was in a mood, and decided just to spin and spin and spin.  I finished all the fibre and then plied it all.  Today I will get it on the niddy-noddy and measure it so I can post my final amounts in my Tour de Fleece group.  Today is the last day of the tour - stay tuned next week for my totals. 

3 full bobbins of 2ply handspun

My wool order hasn't arrived yet so I decided to cast on some gansey fingerless mitts.  I changed the cast-on and cuff but the pattern and thumb gusset are Beth's.

pattern by Beth Brown-Reinsel

Hopefully the Knit Picks order will arrive next week as I am itching to cast on some socks. I am going to start picking colours for my Advent socks - maybe even today!

There were lots of firsts this week.  I went into Winners and bought some pjs and capri pants.  This is my first time shopping in person since March 2020.  (I also bought some salt and vinegar potato chips - just sayin!)

On Tuesday I went for a swim at the pool.  You have to book in advance so they limit the number of lane swimmers, and no change rooms are open so you arrive ready to swim, and then after the allotted forty-five minutes you go home to shower and change.  It was amazing.  I swam and swam and swam for a total of 1100 metres.  Then I went on Thursday (and also this morning) to do it all over again.  It feels so great to be back in the pool.  I have missed it so much.  I even went into the ocean for a short swim on Wednesday - (my dh knew it was what I needed to boost my mood - smart man).

With all that swimming I did some more on-line shopping and ordered a new swim top and swim capris for ocean swimming.  I hope to swim well into the fall and think the long sleeve and long legged swim suit will be useful.  Maybe I will even swim through the winter.  Stranger things have happened. 

The weather has been much cooler this past week, but I haven't done much walking because my back (and my mood) has been on the fritz!  As my mother used to say "This too shall pass", and I am sure it will, but there have been some low days this past week - back pain takes the fun out of just about everything!

Yesterday I managed to do a small repair on my car by changing the bulb for the turn signal.  On Friday I tried but gave up, and then yesterday I managed it in less than five minutes.  Oh, the difference a day can make!

I was up early to swim on Thursday and the sky was so beautiful. 

Mother Nature doing her best to cheer me up

And then, of course, pictures like this always make me smile.

best friends
Until next week - happy crafting to all you yoppers out there, and to all my dear readers thanks for the comments and may your week have beautiful views and time with friends and family.  

Oh yes, and another first - I bought an ice cream cone yesterday.  So good!

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7 comments:

  1. Congrats on finishing the Strandwanderer scarf. The colors are so pretty and cheerful. You did a bang up job on your spinning. Goodness, that is a lot of fibery goodness there. A gansey mitt. How clever. Your swimmming sounds like it was just what you needed to help improve you mood. And the fact you went shopping in person had to really help out. I thought I was the only one who liked salt and vinegar chips. They are my favorite. Oh, ice cream is always a hit with me too. Your grand and her kitty are precious. Sure to put a smile on your face anytime.

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  2. Spinning, swimming and knitting -- sounds like the combo made for a lovely week! Topping that off with an icecream cone is a sure fire win! Looking forward to seeing the final details on your fiber spin.

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  3. Gotta say, I just love your 21-22 YOP banner. That picture always makes me smile.

    Your scarf looks great. Good colors.

    Our pool got ruined this year by the horrible cement contractor we hired so my husband has been missing his daily swims. So far he hasn't wanted to rejoin the YMCA to swim but who knows.

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  4. Your Strandwanderer scarf is so cool! I do love the colors you knitted that in. I hope you get to feeling better - you sure do what you can to help lift your spirits and I am so impressed. What a sweet, cuddly picture of your granddaughter. I can almost imagine her voice sweetly talking to her kitty friend.

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  5. Finishing up things is so great! I'm glad you got to go swimming, something about joyful movement can really bring up your mood!
    I can't wait to hear about your swim clothes experience!

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  6. I love your Strandwanderer scarf, it's so pretty! So how's your back now? I hope you feel better. Now - how did you survive two days sans knitting? Is there a trick to that? I usually panic-cast-on when I'm about a week away from finishing a project. LOL.

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  7. Gosh, you have, as always been busy. I'm hoping to get some swimming in, in the holiday. Something I've not done for years - even before Covid. Your scarf and spinning are beautiful as well!

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I look forward to reading the comments. It makes me feel like I am not just posting into the void.