Wow.  There’s lots to blog about, and it’s not going to make it into this post, because I’m fiendishly slaving away on the two Sanguine Gryphon patterns, which are due this Saturday.

But….in the next week or so….I’ll blog about:

• The mitten class with Susanna Hansson that I did this past weekend.
• Visiting my wonderful friend Kathy, who is not only beautiful and gracious but a very skilled knitter (and spinner! and dyer!) for which she needs to give herself credit.
• Visiting Churchmouse Yarns on Bainbridge Island.
• Good food & wine in Washington State.
• Book reviews!  I just received 3 books to review.
• Contest associated with at least one of the book reviews!
• Teaser pics about the two patterns.
• Perhaps a bit about my personal design process, if anyone’s interested.

So…The Sanguine Gryphon’s fall line is all about Steampunk.

Cherie Priest is a fabulous newish author;  I’ve read all of her books.  I was thrilled to see she’d come out with a Steampunk novel, Boneshaker.

It’s wonderful and gritty and you can’t help but love and root for Briar and her son Zeke.  I didn’t know til right now, when I was searching out links, that it actually won a bunch of awards, including Locus Best Novel.

She has several other books coming out in her Clockwork Century series, including Clementine, published by Subterranean Press.  I have several Sub Press books;  the quality is exquisite.

I’m getting excited about the Madrona mitten workshop. I leave Thursday morning, come back Monday evening.

I’m in the midst of the lace & intarsia  part of Emily.  Luckily I was able to use the same size needle for both parts, unlike I originally feared;  after initial swatching I thought I’d use a US4 for the Traveller and a US2.5 for the Gaia, but I’ve ended up using the US2.5 for both parts.  The Traveller is knitting up well, giving a tight yet squooshy fabric.  I think (hope) I’m still on track for finishing that section before the trip.

Of course there’s no other knitting of which to speak.

Garden-wise, we harvested another 20 or so tomatoes.  I’ve not tried to do any preserving;  we’re just eating them, usually in salad (mozzarella) or on sandwiches.

I wrote too soon.  It just briefly sprinkled.  But the sun is out now.

…as of earlier this week.  Our mornings are dawning brilliantly clear.  The ocean temp’s gone up a few degrees just over the past week (I’ve been in twice, went body boarding Wednesday a.m. and splashing about (in the June gloom) last week).  The water’s now in the mid 60s — a little cold at first but refreshing and cooling.

Of course that means we’re not experiencing the unseasonally cooler air temps anymore.  I’ve turned into a weather wimp since moving back to California.  I wilt in heat (heat being anything mid 80s and up).  I know, pathetic, especially from the girl who grew up in Arizona (it’s a DRY heat) and has lived in New York state (very hot & steamy in the summer) and Austin and Bryan/College Station Texas (even hotter & steamier).

Zylphia‘s nearly done & Emily‘s been started.  I tweeted about my moment of happiness — the 344 lace stitches of the flounce successfully joined in the round without twisting.  Emily is going to have some rather interesting construction techniques;  I foresee a video tutorial.  I’m planning on having all the bottom portion of the skirt — all the fiddly lace & intarsia bits — done before heading to the Madrona Mittens workshop next week (but am planning on bringing the skirt to work on in the evenings).