End-of-Summer Sewing

I finally got to the sewing machine for a fun little project instead of boring old mending.

iPad stand

side view

reading the newspaper

My wonderful husband got me an iPad for my birthday (after some very UNsubtle hints) and I have been having fun playing with it. I decided I needed a stand, so I searched online and found this lovely tutorial.  I questioned some of the design elements of the pattern, but I thought it safest to follow it exactly as written. I filled it nicely with rice, and found that those design elements I questioned were just right as written.  I love it! It works great on flat surfaces but not so well in my lap when I'm sitting and reading. Guess ab iPad lap pillow  is a project for another day.

The kids (and their parents!) have survived the first week of school. Before the week was out I decided they needed a little extra pick-me-up, and some bribery to get them to talk to me a little bit at the end of their day.

I even sent a box of cookies off to my son at college. I've got to at least start the year being a good mother.

Fall, the change in the weather and the beginning of another school year, always finds me wanting to clean house, reorganize, and start new projects. I've been very slow with the cleaning, though we've been slowly decluttering by selling off "stuff" that we don't need but is still in good working condition. The new project that I really shouldn't be starting, but I'm doing it anyway, is socks for my daughter. I had started a pair for her earlier in the summer in a nice cotton blend, but didn't like the gauge or the stitch pattern, so I've ripped them out so I can start again. But now that the weather is turning a little cooler, I don't want to make the summery socks. So I pulled out a lovely alpaca blend in some of her favorite colors. This afternoon while my husband was out with the kids to buy school supplies, I pulled out my swift and nöstepinne and balled up my skein.

I haven't decided on a pattern yet, but it will probably be something pretty basic, like a simple 1x1 or 2x2 rib, because I think a lacy or cabled pattern would get lost in all the color changes. I'll have to see what it looks like when I swatch it up. Here's hoping it's as beautiful knitted up as it is in the skein!

Shelley in CT