Tasty Morsels

August 1st! That's crazy talk. I can't believe I'm thinking about the beginning of school already. Our August promises to be a crazy patchwork of several different trips and lots of visits with family.

I'm really looking forward to it all, and then the excitement and much needed routine of starting school at the end of August will be a great ending/beginning that we will all welcome.

Meanwhile, I want to share some more good summer knitting.
I started these squares (Barn Raising Quilt from the book Knitalong) last year during our August vacation. I turn to them now and then, when I want a quick yet satisfying project. I've made 20.

I especially love knitting these in the summer months, because I can't help but be reminded of our family vacation when I started them. Getting up early in the morning, sitting on the tiny porch of our rented cottage, and starting a square while drinking coffee and looking at the lake. The kids would get up one by one and start a game of solitare at my feet, and together, we'd watch the lake wake up. I could have a square almost done by the time we needed to get our day started, and I'd finish it up that evening. I tried to do a square a day: a fun little vacation goal.

Last week my friend Jodee (Jods on Ravelry) asked her friends to make squares for a blanket she will give her friend who was recently diagnosed with cancer. I was happy to do it. I don't think there is anything more comforting than something that was made by many hands. All wishing you well as they stitch away.

I asked Jodee for a color recommendation and she mentioned that she was using pink, so I stayed in that color family (above, Farmer's Market and Crushed Velvet).

For my own on-going blanket, I have used shades of blue and green. There is a little purple in there, but I'm not sure if that will stay or go.

I haven't decided if I'm going to keep to the blue green family like this quilt (our sofa quilt, circa 1999):Or add warm colors, and make it more scrappy like this one (Dave's birthday quilt, 1998):
I'm planning to make it approx 70" square, which will take 81 squares (9 squares by 9 squares) so with 20 done, I have a ways to go. I have a lot of good summer knitting ahead of me.